Elisabeth Hasselbeck and her husband, Tim, an ESPN yakker, are expecting their third child in August. The Rhode Island homegal, 31, announced the happy news on yesterday’s episode of “The View” on ABC. “We were thoroughly happy with the surprise of it,” she said. “I didn’t even know for two months!” While attending the inauguration earlier this month, Hasselbeck didn’t feel too well. “I was tired, I was nauseous, I thought I was worn out from the whole procedure,” she went on. “No. I was knocked up and didn’t realize it.” Hasselbeck and her husband already have two children: Grace, 3, and Taylor, 1.
news.bostonherald.com
By Herald Wire Services
Jumat, 30 Januari 2009
Piping Plover Population Increases Along Connecticut Shore
With all the shoveling of snow, sleet and ice we've done so far this winter, it may be difficult to remember that in the summer, shovels are also used to build sand castles at the beach. And during those trips to the shore, you may have noticed a small, sandy-colored shorebird with a black ring around its neck tippy-toeing along the beach.
According to state Department of Environmental Protection wildlife biologist Julie Victoria, there were a record 102 of those shorebirds, called piping plovers, that hatched and fledged along the Connecticut shoreline last summer. Those are good numbers for a species that was nearly hunted to extinction for its hat-decorating feathers, and now numbers about 2,000 pairs along the entire Atlantic seaboard.
Stormy weather during the crucial hatching time in May helped the fledglings reach birdhood, Victoria said.
"Rain was my friend," she said of the rainy weekends that kept the bird's No. 1 enemy, beachgoers, at home. "That was a critical time for chicks. Human disturbance is the biggest issue."
The 102 fledglings from 41 pairs of plovers are the highest number in the state since monitoring began in 1986, when the plovers and another shorebird, the least tern, were designated endangered species by the federal Fish and Wildlife Service. At that time, only 550 piping plover pairs nested from Maine to North Carolina.
Connecticut wasn't the only state that saw an increase in plover activity in 2008. Massachusetts also saw its highest numbers, with 264 pairs of plovers and 353 fledglings reaching for the sky. One of the most successful places was Sandwich and its swath of beaches along Cape Cod Bay, where 43 pairs of plovers produced 89 chicks.
Prior to the 2008 season, the highest number of piping plover fledglings recorded in our state was 79 in 2006. The lowest number was nine in 1993. But over the past five years, the number of fledglings per summer has averaged more than 70.
"It's been great the past several years and they seem to be rebounding," said David Gumbart, assistant director of land management for The Nature Conservancy's Connecticut chapter. He reported a total of 16 piping plovers fledged at Griswold Point, a milelong wind-swept peninsula off Old Lyme near the mouth of the Connecticut River.
Statewide, there are about 20 potential sites from Bridgeport to Groton for plovers and least terns to nest. In 2008, Silver Sands State Park in Milford had its first nesting pairs in years, Victoria said.
Unfortunately, least terns didn't have as good a year as the plovers. The 252 nesting pairs of least terns produced 76 fledglings. The least tern, a small bird similar to a gull, is pearly gray with white underparts, a black cap and a forked tail.
The least terns have later nesting seasons and are more impacted by the summer crowds at Connecticut's highly developed and privatized shoreline. Several years ago, some nests were ruined by large coastal storms in July, resulting in a low of 12 fledglings in 2006. The all-time high for nesting pairs was 849 in 1987.
"They are very territorial and like to dive-bomb people, and that takes a lot of energy away from nesting and the chicks," Victoria said.
Even though summer seems a long way off now, remember the piping plover and least tern when you're walking along the beach. Help a shorebird rebound.
According to state Department of Environmental Protection wildlife biologist Julie Victoria, there were a record 102 of those shorebirds, called piping plovers, that hatched and fledged along the Connecticut shoreline last summer. Those are good numbers for a species that was nearly hunted to extinction for its hat-decorating feathers, and now numbers about 2,000 pairs along the entire Atlantic seaboard.
Stormy weather during the crucial hatching time in May helped the fledglings reach birdhood, Victoria said.
"Rain was my friend," she said of the rainy weekends that kept the bird's No. 1 enemy, beachgoers, at home. "That was a critical time for chicks. Human disturbance is the biggest issue."
The 102 fledglings from 41 pairs of plovers are the highest number in the state since monitoring began in 1986, when the plovers and another shorebird, the least tern, were designated endangered species by the federal Fish and Wildlife Service. At that time, only 550 piping plover pairs nested from Maine to North Carolina.
Connecticut wasn't the only state that saw an increase in plover activity in 2008. Massachusetts also saw its highest numbers, with 264 pairs of plovers and 353 fledglings reaching for the sky. One of the most successful places was Sandwich and its swath of beaches along Cape Cod Bay, where 43 pairs of plovers produced 89 chicks.
Prior to the 2008 season, the highest number of piping plover fledglings recorded in our state was 79 in 2006. The lowest number was nine in 1993. But over the past five years, the number of fledglings per summer has averaged more than 70.
"It's been great the past several years and they seem to be rebounding," said David Gumbart, assistant director of land management for The Nature Conservancy's Connecticut chapter. He reported a total of 16 piping plovers fledged at Griswold Point, a milelong wind-swept peninsula off Old Lyme near the mouth of the Connecticut River.
Statewide, there are about 20 potential sites from Bridgeport to Groton for plovers and least terns to nest. In 2008, Silver Sands State Park in Milford had its first nesting pairs in years, Victoria said.
Unfortunately, least terns didn't have as good a year as the plovers. The 252 nesting pairs of least terns produced 76 fledglings. The least tern, a small bird similar to a gull, is pearly gray with white underparts, a black cap and a forked tail.
The least terns have later nesting seasons and are more impacted by the summer crowds at Connecticut's highly developed and privatized shoreline. Several years ago, some nests were ruined by large coastal storms in July, resulting in a low of 12 fledglings in 2006. The all-time high for nesting pairs was 849 in 1987.
"They are very territorial and like to dive-bomb people, and that takes a lot of energy away from nesting and the chicks," Victoria said.
Even though summer seems a long way off now, remember the piping plover and least tern when you're walking along the beach. Help a shorebird rebound.
Obama signs 'Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act'
President Obama just signed into law the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009.
As On Deadline previously wrote, "the legislation cancels out a Supreme Court ruling last year that declared plaintiffs had to file wage claims within 180 days of a company's decision to pay a worker less than a counterpart doing the same work."
Before putting his pen to the paper, Obama said:
"Lilly Ledbetter did not set out to be a trailblazer or a household name. She was just a good hard worker who did her job -- and she did it well -- for nearly two decades before discovering that for years, she was paid less than her male colleagues for doing the very same work. Over the course of her career, she lost more than $200,000 in salary, and even more in pension and Social Security benefits -- losses that she still feels today.
"Now, Lilly could have accepted her lot and moved on. She could have decided that it wasn't worth the hassle and the harassment that would inevitably come with speaking up for what she deserved. But instead, she decided that there was a principle at stake, something worth fighting for. So she set out on a journey that would take more than 10 years, take her all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States, and lead to this day and this bill which will help others get the justice she was denied. ...
"I intend to send a clear message: That making our economy work means making sure it works for everyone. That there are no second class citizens in our workplaces, and that it's not just unfair and illegal -- it's bad for business -- to pay someone less because of their gender, or their age, race, ethnicity, religion or disability."
Ledbetter is at the White House ceremony.
content.usatoday.co
As On Deadline previously wrote, "the legislation cancels out a Supreme Court ruling last year that declared plaintiffs had to file wage claims within 180 days of a company's decision to pay a worker less than a counterpart doing the same work."
Before putting his pen to the paper, Obama said:
"Lilly Ledbetter did not set out to be a trailblazer or a household name. She was just a good hard worker who did her job -- and she did it well -- for nearly two decades before discovering that for years, she was paid less than her male colleagues for doing the very same work. Over the course of her career, she lost more than $200,000 in salary, and even more in pension and Social Security benefits -- losses that she still feels today.
"Now, Lilly could have accepted her lot and moved on. She could have decided that it wasn't worth the hassle and the harassment that would inevitably come with speaking up for what she deserved. But instead, she decided that there was a principle at stake, something worth fighting for. So she set out on a journey that would take more than 10 years, take her all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States, and lead to this day and this bill which will help others get the justice she was denied. ...
"I intend to send a clear message: That making our economy work means making sure it works for everyone. That there are no second class citizens in our workplaces, and that it's not just unfair and illegal -- it's bad for business -- to pay someone less because of their gender, or their age, race, ethnicity, religion or disability."
Ledbetter is at the White House ceremony.
content.usatoday.co
Rabu, 28 Januari 2009
Memphis schools seek tax hike; Supt. Cash fears funding loss
In a year with drops in property values, Memphis City Schools is pushing for a 57-cent tax increase for schools to make up for money cut by the City Council last year and providing for other increases.
Without the added revenue, the schools can't submit a legal budget to the state and would lose state and federal funding, said Supt. Kriner Cash.
"We jeopardize operations Aug. 1, and we close and are broke on Oct. 3," Cash told council members Tuesday in a move to impress upon them how much the city's public schools need the money.
"We've done the analysis. That's what we need."
Of the current base tax rate of $4.04 per $100 of assessed value, city and county taxpayers now pay $2.02 for schools. The 28 percent increase would add $221 in new taxes to property valued at $150,000 and $177 for a home valued at $120,000.
School funding has long been a key issue in the area, but it hit a new level last year when the council abruptly cut $66 million from the city schools budget, which is largely funded by the county. The city has argued it is not obligated to fund the schools, even though it had routinely supplemented the school budget for years.
The school system had to trim staff and fund daily operations -- including $15 million in initiatives Cash is rolling out in his first year -- with $30 million from its reserves.
The city schools sued the city over the cut, hoping to force a ruling that would define the city's responsibility.
While closing arguments in the case are scheduled Feb. 9 in Chancery Court, there's no timeline for when the judge will rule. City Council leaders have said nothing about their plans to fund city schools this year.
As a result, Cash fears the same funding dilemma is heating up as governments head into budget season awash in a recession that has battered property values and tax bases.
With a $70 million shortfall between what the county said it will pay to fund the city schools and what the state requires, Cash is mincing few words, saying he is prepared to close schools.
"I'm ready to go on a campaign that gets this information out in a clear and unequivocal way," Cash told the board of education late Monday. "We do not have a solution for the 2009-10 year."
Cash sent the proposed funding rate to county school administrators last week, seeking input on it and a larger plan that eventually could allow the districts to unite for the purpose of securing taxing authority. As it stands, any tax increase would have to be approved by the County Commission.
After the fallout from the lawsuit last fall, elected state and local officials began meeting in an ad hoc education funding committee, trying to iron out which governmental body should be responsible for funding schools.
"The issue has always been, should it be the county commission or the two school boards?" said Cato Johnson, committee member. "Who should the single source be?"
Both districts are polishing a joint proposal arguing that the taxing authority rightfully belongs to them.
"The school systems feel like it's in their best interest to be able to control the tax rate," said Deidre Malone, chairwoman of the committee and county commission.
"They feel they are in a better position to be accountable to the people."
The committee is expected to hear the proposal, plus proposals from county commissioners Mike Ritz and Mike Carpenter, who argue that citizens are better served if the county retains the authority.
All three will be introduced to the public in a forum early next month.
"After the public has had a chance to hear them, the ad hoc committee will vote on the one we want to present to the legislature," Malone said.
Any move to change taxing authority must be approved by voters. Malone expects it will be a hard battle.
"But if this is what the districts want, it's their responsibility to get out there and sell it."
-- Jane Roberts: 529-2512
By Jane Roberts (Contact), Memphis Commercial Appeal
Fairleigh Dickinson to host spring series on New Jersey politics
MADISON -- Fairleigh Dickinson University, College at Florham, will host a spring series on New Jersey politics, called, "Politics on the PublicMind."
From Friday, Feb. 6, through early May, there will be 10 Friday breakfast seminars open to the public. An audience question-and-answer period is part of each presentation.
Leading the February schedule will be author Michael Rockland on Friday, Feb. 6, followed by gubernatorial candidate Steve Lonegan on Feb. 13, and journalists Bob Ingle and Sandy McClure on Feb. 20.
The public is invited to attend PublicMind breakfast seminars on New Jersey politics. Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind polling institute and the College at Florham Library sponsor the series.
Seating is limited and reservations are required. For the full schedule of speakers and topics for the spring "Politics on the PublicMind" series, or to reserve a seat, call 973-443-8530, or e-mail colleend@fdu.edu. The event sponsors ask an $85 suggested donation to the Friends of the Library for the 10 seminar series.
Michael Rockland's book, co-authored with Angus Gillespie, Looking for America on the New Jersey Turnpike, a study of the Garden State, is his topic on Feb. 6. His latest book is, The George Washington Bridge: Poetry in Steel.
Mr. Rockland, a professor of American studies at Rutgers University, began his academic career as executive assistant to the Chancellor of Higher Education, State of New Jersey. This appointment followed his years in the U.S. diplomatic service as a cultural attache at American embassies in Argentina and Spain. Mr. Rockland has authored 11 books, lectured widely overseas, written for popular magazines and served as a cultural commentator for television.
Putting Taxpayers First is the Friday, Feb. 13, topic for conservative critic and candidate for the Republican nomination for governor, Steve Lonegan. He describes himself as New Jersey's number one advocate for the overtaxed citizen. Defeating the incumbent mayor in Bogota, Mr. Lonegan was reelected twice by double-digit margins and kept the Republican Council in control for 11 consecutive elections. As NJ state director of Americans for Prosperity, he organized Taxpayer Action Seminars in towns around New Jersey, attacking liberal economic and regulatory politics. Mr. Lonegan is the author of Putting Taxpayers First, which he calls a "blueprint for victory in the Garden State."
On Feb. 20, journalists Bob Ingle and Sandy McClure will offer their insights on New Jersey, based on their book, The Soprano State: New Jersey's Culture of Corruption, published by St. Martin's Press. Bob Ingle has worked for the Atlanta Constitution and the Associated Press, and is currently bureau chief for Gannett's Trenton office. He writes a syndicated column and a blog and appears on New Jersey 101.5 FM's Jersey Guys show.
Sandy McClure is a multiple award-winning veteran reporter whose New Jersey statehouse stories, first for The Trentonian and then for the Gannett State Bureau, span three decades, from Gov. Tom Kean to Gov. Jon Corzine. She spent two stints in Pennsylvania covering government and corruption for five newspapers.
by Independent Press
Second Long Island bank turns down bailout money
A second Long Island bank has turned down money from the U.S. Treasury Department's controversial program to take out equity stakes in healthy banks and help bail out troubled financial institutions.
Hauppauge-based Smithtown Bancorp, parent of the Bank of Smithtown, said Friday that it "will not be participating" in Treasury's Troubled Asset Relief Program, begun in late fall to help loosen tightened lending markets and aid institutions that suffered significant losses after investing in toxic assets.
The Bank of Smithtown's decision comes a week after Westbury-based New York Community Bancorp, parent of New York Community Bank, said it had decided against participating in the TARP program.
Both banks said that although they had been approved for funding - $37.8 million in Bank of Smithtown's case and $596 million in New York Community Bank's case - they had sufficient capital, and they also objected to some of the strings attached to the money.
Chief among the objections was limitations on dividend payments the banks accepting TARP money could make. Banks have also taken issue with other restrictions, such as on bonuses for employees and executive compensation.
"As long as they keep talking about imposing onerous restrictions on banks that take TARP money, it doesn't make sense for a healthy and profitable bank to take the money," Bank of Smithtown chief executive Brad Rock said in an interview yesterday.
Rock said the Bank of Smithtown has been paying dividends for its nearly 100-year history.
"We have had record earnings, the best year in the history of the bank," he said. "Why would we not pay dividends?"
In November, the bank declared a 4-cents-per-share cash dividend payment. In the third quarter, the bank said profits rose 21 percent, compared to the same period in 2007. The bank said loans increased to $1.5 billion, from $948 million in the third quarter in 2007. It is scheduled to release fourth-quarter results tomorrow.
Joseph R. Ficalora, chief executive of New York Community Bank, said Jan. 12 that the bank's capital is "sufficient to support the communities we serve ... "
In October, the bank declared a quarterly cash dividend of 25 cents per share.
David Wyss, an economist for Standard & Poor's Corp., said he expects government restrictions on TARP money to tighten even further as more funds are released. So far, Treasury has released $150 billion, and Congress recently approved the release of another $350 billion.
Nonetheless the American Bankers Association said that a relatively small percentage of financial institutions - about 300 of the 8,500 across the country - have been approved for TARP funding and have received it. Peter Garuccio, an ABA spokesman, said the TARP approval process is lengthy.
In testimony before the House Financial Services Committee this month, Edward L. Yingling, the ABA's chief executive, said bankers were "frustrated" about "the current confused situation" regarding TARP, which he said unfairly lumped together strong banks and failing institutions. "This is not fair and it is harmful to our economy," Yingling said.
|james.bernstein@newsday.com
www.newsday.com
Hauppauge-based Smithtown Bancorp, parent of the Bank of Smithtown, said Friday that it "will not be participating" in Treasury's Troubled Asset Relief Program, begun in late fall to help loosen tightened lending markets and aid institutions that suffered significant losses after investing in toxic assets.
The Bank of Smithtown's decision comes a week after Westbury-based New York Community Bancorp, parent of New York Community Bank, said it had decided against participating in the TARP program.
Both banks said that although they had been approved for funding - $37.8 million in Bank of Smithtown's case and $596 million in New York Community Bank's case - they had sufficient capital, and they also objected to some of the strings attached to the money.
Chief among the objections was limitations on dividend payments the banks accepting TARP money could make. Banks have also taken issue with other restrictions, such as on bonuses for employees and executive compensation.
"As long as they keep talking about imposing onerous restrictions on banks that take TARP money, it doesn't make sense for a healthy and profitable bank to take the money," Bank of Smithtown chief executive Brad Rock said in an interview yesterday.
Rock said the Bank of Smithtown has been paying dividends for its nearly 100-year history.
"We have had record earnings, the best year in the history of the bank," he said. "Why would we not pay dividends?"
In November, the bank declared a 4-cents-per-share cash dividend payment. In the third quarter, the bank said profits rose 21 percent, compared to the same period in 2007. The bank said loans increased to $1.5 billion, from $948 million in the third quarter in 2007. It is scheduled to release fourth-quarter results tomorrow.
Joseph R. Ficalora, chief executive of New York Community Bank, said Jan. 12 that the bank's capital is "sufficient to support the communities we serve ... "
In October, the bank declared a quarterly cash dividend of 25 cents per share.
David Wyss, an economist for Standard & Poor's Corp., said he expects government restrictions on TARP money to tighten even further as more funds are released. So far, Treasury has released $150 billion, and Congress recently approved the release of another $350 billion.
Nonetheless the American Bankers Association said that a relatively small percentage of financial institutions - about 300 of the 8,500 across the country - have been approved for TARP funding and have received it. Peter Garuccio, an ABA spokesman, said the TARP approval process is lengthy.
In testimony before the House Financial Services Committee this month, Edward L. Yingling, the ABA's chief executive, said bankers were "frustrated" about "the current confused situation" regarding TARP, which he said unfairly lumped together strong banks and failing institutions. "This is not fair and it is harmful to our economy," Yingling said.
|james.bernstein@newsday.com
www.newsday.com
Senin, 26 Januari 2009
Pune to miss 2009's first solar eclipse
PUNE: The city will not be witness to the first of two solar eclipses due to occur in the year 2009. A partial solar eclipse due to occur today,
will begin at 10.30 am IST and end at 4.30 pm IST. The eclipse will be seen in the country's southern and eastern belt.
According to Arvind Paranjpye, scientific officer, Public Outreach Programme, Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), "The eclipse will be partial from the southern and eastern stations of India. It is an annular eclipse and India will not witness the complete eclipse. The shadow will not pass over Pune, so we will miss it."
The next solar eclipse will be the century's longest duration total solar eclipse, which will occur on July 22, 2009. The path of the totality of the eclipse will pass through India.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
will begin at 10.30 am IST and end at 4.30 pm IST. The eclipse will be seen in the country's southern and eastern belt.
According to Arvind Paranjpye, scientific officer, Public Outreach Programme, Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), "The eclipse will be partial from the southern and eastern stations of India. It is an annular eclipse and India will not witness the complete eclipse. The shadow will not pass over Pune, so we will miss it."
The next solar eclipse will be the century's longest duration total solar eclipse, which will occur on July 22, 2009. The path of the totality of the eclipse will pass through India.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Indonesians among the few to witness solar eclipse
ANYER, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesians were among the few worldwide to witness an eclipse of the sun Monday, but even there the view was hampered in most places by cloudy skies.
Dozens gathered in the western coastal town of Anyer as the moon passed across the sun's path at 4:40 p.m., covering 92 percent of the sun's diameter and leaving a white, flaming ring of fire that lasted about four minutes.
"I'm old, but I still think this is magical," said Roanna Makmur, 66, who drove several hours with eight friends to witness the sight, known as an annular eclipse, because it does not completely black out the sun.
"I can't help but feel the greatness of God," she said, as other onlookers cheered. "Anyone who passed up this opportunity, really missed out."
Annular eclipses, which are considered far less important to astronomers than total eclipses of the sun, occur about 66 times a century and can only be viewed by people in the narrow band along its path.
A relatively small number of people were in the best places to view Monday's eclipse, said Jay Pasachoff, professor of astronomy at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, and chair of the International Astronomical Union's Working Group on Eclipses.
Aside from several regions in Indonesia, the world's largest archipelago, only villagers on a tiny South Pacific island group known as the Cocos, administered by Australia, were to have been able to see the ring-shaped corona, he wrote in a statement.
A partial eclipse — with coverage ranging from 1 percent to 84 percent of the sun's diameter — was to be visible in the southern third of Africa, in southeastern India, and southeast Asia, as well as the western part of Australia.
The last total eclipse of the sun was Aug. 1, 2008, and was visible in Canada, across northern Greenland, the Arctic, central Russia, Mongolia and China.
The next total eclipse will be July 22, 2009, and will be visible in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, China and some Japanese islands.
By ZAKKI HAKIM
Happy Chinese New Year
Happy Chinese New Year, Today marks the beginning of the year of the ox in the Chinese lunar calendar, kicking off a 15-day celebration in China and around the globe.
Around Sarasota, most of the celebrations were truncated into two days over the weekend.
The new year celebration, during which ethnic Chinese and sinophiles -- people who admire and study Chinese culture -- gather to watch dragon dances, eat specially prepared food and visit with family, heralds a year that is expected to bring hope and prosperity.
The Chinese zodiac consists of 12 animals that, as legend has it, responded to an invitation from the Buddha to meet him on the new year.
All the animals were invited, but only 12 came, and Buddha named a year after each.
Those born in a specific animal's year are believed to possess the traits of that animal.
The ox is a symbol of prosperity, fortitude and hard work.
People born during ox years are said to be stubborn in the face of adversity, dependable, patient and methodical.
President Barack Obama, who was born in 1961, is an ox.
www.heraldtribune.comDan Benamor, Tripp Laino, Vaman Muppala and Jon Wolper
Clint Eastwood (Million Dollar Baby) spends the majority of Gran Torino spewing racist jokes and politically incorrect comments with relish as curmudgeonly Korean War veteran Walt Kowalski. With his wife's recent death, Kowalski has little to no desire to live or be loved.
He is utterly unafraid to give anyone, from his ungrateful descendants to his Asian neighbors, an unwelcome piece of his mind. Kowalski spends his days perched on his porch like a sentry, lording over his property - especially his prized Ford Gran Torino - with Pabst Blue Ribbon and rifle in hand.
Of course, the world refuses to leave Kowalski alone. A staunch guardian of American individualism and unflinching morality, he is thrust into the heart of a conflict between the hardworking Hmong family next door and a brutal local gang. Seemingly, the struggle is between Kowalski and the gang as he attempts to stop them from ruining the life of humble neighboring teenager Thao (newcomer Bee Vang).
What the film really is, however, is Eastwood's grudgingly sentimental ode to a previous generation. As the director and star sees it, his generation of Americans built a nation and worked hard only to be replaced by a horde of lying businessmen, spoiled teenagers and amoral thugs. Watching his final classic as an actor (he pledges to stay behind the camera after this film), one finds it difficult to disagree. - Vaman Muppala
RATING: 4 out of 5 stars
MARLEY & ME
If Marley & Me teaches us one thing, it's to never underestimate the earthshaking power of cuteness.
After all, Marley & Me could not be a much simpler story. Journalist John Grogan (Owen Wilson, Drillbit Taylor) and his wife, Jennifer (Jennifer Aniston, The Break-Up), get a dog. They marry, have kids, move, go through ups and downs in their marriage and live a regular life with their dog.
The film is adapted from the real-life Grogan's novel by two old pros (The Lookout's Scott Frank and Happy Endings' Don Roos) with a moderate amount of believable characterization. But the marital conflict is about as scary and authentic as a Hallmark card.
Still, Wilson and Aniston click on-screen as the couple and are likeable actors individually. Nonetheless, this may not sound like a movie that's made more than $100 million in the United States alone.
Of course, none of the reasons above are why the film has accrued this sum. That explanation is the unabashed tear-demanding emotion that shows up clearly in the ending. It might be corny, and a cynic would call it manipulative, but try telling that to anyone with a dog. - Dan Benamor
RATING: 3 out of 5 stars
MY BLOODY VALENTINE 3D
There was a time before Saw came along when horror movies attempted to do more than simply destroy human beings systematically. Sure, Jason Voorhees, Freddy Krueger and Michael Myers hacked, slashed and scratched partying teenagers to their deaths - but they did so in a fashion that was fun for the audience.
My Bloody Valentine 3D, a remake of the 1981 original, brings the fun back to the horror genre. The pickax-wielding psycho, Harry Warden (Richard John Walters, Smart People), dispenses with said teenagers just as his 80s contemporaries did but also finds time to horrify the adult population.
Director Patrick Lussier (White Noise 2: The Light) uses the 3-D not just for ambience, as most of the modern 3-D films do, but also uses the technique to splatter blood, guts and, yes, an eyeball right at the audience. It makes for a great time in the theater, especially if you're looking for a diversion from the awards season. - Tripp Laino
RATING: 3.5 out of 5
NOTORIOUS
Biopics - no matter their subject - carefully tread the line between adulatory reverence and bleak truth telling. Unfortunately, the Christopher "Notorious B.I.G." Wallace biopic, Notorious, falls with a thud on the wrong side of the balance.
Newcomer Jamal Woolard plays Wallace as roughly the equivalent of a rapping Fat Albert. This makes one wonder if the man who spit some of the hardest, illest rhymes in history was putting on an act to stop his fans from finding out what a happy-go-lucky lover of fun he was. While Notorious does depict Wallace selling crack to a pregnant woman with no remorse, it also shows that same crackhead living a healthy, productive life with her buoyant young son, making one question the entirety of modern biology.
For true fans of Biggie Smalls, your best bet is to play Ready to Die on repeat instead of spending an hour and a half on this glossy, inconsequential joke of a film. Ultimately, it appears no one can illustrate Wallace's life better than he could: "I'm ready to die and nobody can save me/ F--- the world, f--- my moms and my girl/ My life is played out like a jheri curl, I'm ready to die." - V.M.
RATING: 2.5 out of 5 stars
REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
Revolutionary Road, in a nutshell, is a consistently depressing parable of a young couple's ultimate demise in 1950s suburbia. It marks Sam Mendes' return to the suburbs, his first visit since 1999's Oscar-winning American Beauty.
And it also marks a story where the main actors notably outshine the story being told.
Frank Wheeler (Leonardo DiCaprio, Body of Lies) and his wife, April (Kate Winslet, The Reader), yell and scream as their far-fetched ambition - moving to Paris - begins to crumble around them, and they do it well. They are pushed closer to the breaking point by the probing, crazy son of their neighbors (a frightening Michael Shannon, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead).
All of the leads and supporting players act their roles well throughout, and Mendes' direction presents a great visual view of '50s conformity (take the sea of gray suits spilling through Grand Central Terminal, for example).
The biggest problem lies in Justin Haythe's (The Clearing) adaptation of the Richard Yates novel. While the periodic yelling and screaming is plenty uncomfortable and unsettling, there is no further emotional resonance.
And the lack of effect as the credits roll is what ultimately mars a success in both directing and acting. - Jon Wolper
RATING: 2.5 out of 5 stars
SEVEN POUNDS
In Seven Pounds, Will Smith (Hancock) re-teams with director Gabriele Muccino (who directed him in The Pursuit of Happyness) for what might as well be termed The Pursuit of Dourness.
Smith plays Ben Thomas, an IRS agent who spends his time identifying the good people in life so he can help them. This is a movie so solemn and so determinedly serious about itself that when the big, dark secret of Ben's past is finally revealed, it's only a relief because viewers know the movie will be ending soon.
Obviously, Smith is a mega-star, and he brings enough intensity to the role that you almost go with him. And even though the final reveal is more head-scratching than awe-inspiring, the film could have worked as an over-the-top melodrama. The pacing, though, performs a nosedive halfway through and stays flatlined until the end.
While Will Smith's last two blockbusters (Hancock and I Am Legend) squandered interesting premises with poor third acts, Seven Pounds doesn't even get as far. When the most entertaining part of the movie is watching love interest Emily Posa's (Rosario Dawson, Eagle Eye) gigantic dog flop around, drama has become trauma to the viewer. - D.B.
RATING: 1 out of 5 stars
THE WRESTLER
Obviously, the parallels between Mickey Rourke (Sin City) and his character in The Wrestler are indisputable. Two decades after losing much of their fame, they both are trying to win back what was once theirs. For Randy "The Ram" Robinson, it's staging a rematch with his fiercest old-time rival. For Rourke, it's taking the similarities between him and The Ram and turning them into the best performance of his career.
There's a sense Rourke is not acting the part of The Ram - he is pretty much living this man. The Ram lives in a New Jersey trailer, alone, trying to get by on the meager pay he receives for low-turnout wrestling bouts. He's fond of a stripper (Marisa Tomei, War, Inc.), and his daughter (Evan Rachel Wood, Across the Universe) despises him for leaving her years ago.
Smartly, director Darren Aronofsky (The Fountain) abandons his hyperkinetic filmmaking style for handheld, no-frills shooting and pulls no punches during the gruesome fight sequences.
True, the story arc tends to be a bit familiar at times. However, in a field of great acting, cinematography and directing, Rourke stands tall. It isn't just his best performance; he is the best leading man of 2008. - J.W.
RATING: 4.5 out of 5 stars
diversionsdbk@gmail.com
Sabtu, 24 Januari 2009
Michelle Obama disapproves Sasha and Malia dolls
Ty's newest dolls; Sweet Sasha and Marvelous Malia, have received a thumbs down from the first lady.
www.ibtimes.com
Michelle Obama has issued a statement about newest dolls named after her and President Barack Obama's daughters, Sasha, 7, and Malia, 10 by the maker of Beanie Babies.
A spokeswoman for Michelle said in a statement, "We believe it is inappropriate to use young, private citizens for marketing purposes."
Miss America 2009 Pageant Airs Live Tonight
The 2009 Miss America Pageant airs live from Las Vegas tonight at 8 PM on The Learning Channel, TLC.
Farmington Hills native Kirsten Haglund ends her reign tonight when she crowns a new Miss America, as 52 women compete in the 87th annual pageant, hosted by Mario Lopez.
This year's pageant promises to be the biggest ever, four contestants will be voted directly into the pageants finals by viewer of Miss America "Countdown to the Crown."
The Miss America 2009 champion will represent the United States to run for Miss Universe this year.
www.ibtimes.comLake Tahoe weather: storms could bring foot of snow
LAKE TAHOE — The National Weather Service in Reno has issued a special weather statement, announcing a pair of upcoming winter storms that are expected to bring a foot or more of snow at higher elevation areas in the Sierra.
According to the NWS statement, 6 to 12 inches of snow is expected above 8,000 in the first storm, with as much as 1 inch of snow at lake level, on Friday and Saturday.
"The heaviest precipitation is expected to occur near Lake Tahoe and along the (Highway) 395 corridor in Western Nevada," the statement reads.
The second storm is expected Sunday and Monday.
"This system has the potential to drop moderate amounts of snowfall to the Sierra, with some light accumulations possible in some lower valleys," the statement reads.
Below is an extended forecast from www.noaa.com. Visit tahoebonanza.com for daily weather updates.
Friday: Rain. High near 41. South wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Friday night: Rain. Snow level 7,400 feet. Low around 33. South wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Saturday: Rain and snow showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 42. Southwest wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.
Saturday Night: A 40 percent chance of snow showers. Cloudy, with a low around 29. West wind around 10 mph.
Sunday: Snow showers, mainly after 10 a.m. High near 36. Southwest wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent.
Sunday Night: Snow showers. Low around 22. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent.
Monday: Snow likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 35. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.
Monday Night: Snow likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 16.
Tuesday: A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 38.
Tuesday Night: A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 17.
Wednesday: A slight chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 40.
Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 18.
Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 41.
www.tahoebonanza.com
According to the NWS statement, 6 to 12 inches of snow is expected above 8,000 in the first storm, with as much as 1 inch of snow at lake level, on Friday and Saturday.
"The heaviest precipitation is expected to occur near Lake Tahoe and along the (Highway) 395 corridor in Western Nevada," the statement reads.
The second storm is expected Sunday and Monday.
"This system has the potential to drop moderate amounts of snowfall to the Sierra, with some light accumulations possible in some lower valleys," the statement reads.
Below is an extended forecast from www.noaa.com. Visit tahoebonanza.com for daily weather updates.
Friday: Rain. High near 41. South wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Friday night: Rain. Snow level 7,400 feet. Low around 33. South wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Saturday: Rain and snow showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 42. Southwest wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.
Saturday Night: A 40 percent chance of snow showers. Cloudy, with a low around 29. West wind around 10 mph.
Sunday: Snow showers, mainly after 10 a.m. High near 36. Southwest wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent.
Sunday Night: Snow showers. Low around 22. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent.
Monday: Snow likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 35. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.
Monday Night: Snow likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 16.
Tuesday: A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 38.
Tuesday Night: A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 17.
Wednesday: A slight chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 40.
Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 18.
Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 41.
www.tahoebonanza.com
Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword Unlockables (DS)
Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword is an action adventure, hack and slash video game developed by Team Ninja and published by Tecmo and Ubisoft exclusively for the Nintendo DS handheld platform. The game follows the adventures of the Dragon Ninja, Ryu Hayabusa, who is the main character in all the titles in the Ninja Gaiden franchise. Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword is the first video game developed for a portable console in the series created by Team Ninja. The action adventure title features a third person view on the environment around Ryu, with 3D character models but pre-rendered backgrounds, a pseudo-3D manner.
Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword is rather interesting as you hold the Nintendo DS sideways when you want to play it, similar to Hotel Dusk: 215 or Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day. The left screen of the DS shows the area map, while the right one displays the main gameplay. This configuration can be switched if you use the left or the right hand to play.
The story of the Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword is set six months after the events in the Ninja Gaiden title made for the original Xbox and ported afterwards to the PlayStation 3. Ryu Hayabusa has now rebuilt the village of his clan but after a friend of his, Momiji, is kidnapped by the mysterious Black Spider Ninja Clan, he is forced to find her. During his epic journey, he uncovers the secrets behind the mysterious Dark Dragonstones and how they relate to the Dragon Lineage.
The game received mainly positive reviews from industry critics, achieving an average of 84 points out of a maximum of 100. Reviewers praised the fact that the game had very good visuals and intuitive controls, but didn't really like the fact that it was rather short in length, around six to seven hours and lacked the famous difficulty of previous titles in the Ninja Gaiden series.
UNLOCKABLES
Completion bonuses
Successfully complete all chapters to unlock the following bonuses.
- The "Prizes" option. This option allows you to view intermission sequences, letters, and character files that were found during your game session. Most are unlocked during game play by shooting the birds that appear when you use the microphone when a bird sound is heard.
- The Hard difficulty setting.
The story of the Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword is set six months after the events in the Ninja Gaiden title made for the original Xbox and ported afterwards to the PlayStation 3. Ryu Hayabusa has now rebuilt the village of his clan but after a friend of his, Momiji, is kidnapped by the mysterious Black Spider Ninja Clan, he is forced to find her. During his epic journey, he uncovers the secrets behind the mysterious Dark Dragonstones and how they relate to the Dragon Lineage.
The game received mainly positive reviews from industry critics, achieving an average of 84 points out of a maximum of 100. Reviewers praised the fact that the game had very good visuals and intuitive controls, but didn't really like the fact that it was rather short in length, around six to seven hours and lacked the famous difficulty of previous titles in the Ninja Gaiden series.
UNLOCKABLES
Completion bonuses
Successfully complete all chapters to unlock the following bonuses.
- The "Prizes" option. This option allows you to view intermission sequences, letters, and character files that were found during your game session. Most are unlocked during game play by shooting the birds that appear when you use the microphone when a bird sound is heard.
- The Hard difficulty setting.
Help Ryu
Jumat, 23 Januari 2009
Who is Kirsten Gillibrand? New York congresswoman to take Clinton's Senate seat
ALBANY - Gov. Paterson has chosen an upstate congresswoman with close ties to Hillary Clinton as the next U.S. Senator, the Daily News has learned.
After two months of speculation and chaos, Paterson has settled on Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-Hudson) to fill the seat of Clinton, President Obama's new secretary of state.
Paterson is scheduled to make his official announcement at noon in Albany.
Paterson Thursday night was being lobbied against Gillibrand by the left wing of the Democratic Party, which views her as too conservative, sources said.
Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-L.I.) and Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer are already considering running primaries against her in 2010, sources close to the two said.
Gillibrand was in the running with Caroline Kennedy, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, Manhattan Rep. Carolyn Maloney and Long Island Rep. Steve Israel. City teachers union President Randi Weingarten's name had surfaced again at the last minute.
But Gillibrand meets a number of the criteria initially set by Paterson - notably, that she is a woman from upstate who has won two elections in a heavily Republican district.
Gillibrand, 42, came to Congress after a career in law, but she was exposed to the art of politics as a child through her grandmother, Polly Noonan.
Although never elected to office, Noonan founded the Albany Democratic Women's Club and became a player in the state capital's powerful Democratic machine.
Gillibrand's official bio cites her grandmother as "the inspiration" for her core values. Her father, Doug Rutnik, is a well-known Albany lobbyist, and she has deep family ties to upstate New York.
Gillibrand was a tenacious high school tennis player known to friends as Tina. She attended Dartmouth College as an Asian studies major, working one summer in the office of Republican Sen. Alfonse D'Amato.
She learned to read and write Chinese before spending a semester studying in China. Gillibrand graduated in 1988 and attended law school at UCLA.
She spent 1992-93 as a law clerk for U.S. Court of Appeals Justice Roger Miner, a conservative Ronald Reagan appointee. Miner, despite their political differences, backed the Democrat in her 2006 race against the GOP's John Sweeney.
She later joined the high-powered law firm of Davis Polk & Wardwell, with a client list that included tobacco giant Philip Morris.
Gillibrand left there to serve as a special counsel to Cuomo, who was then President Clinton's Housing and Urban Development secretary.
She made the transition from public service back to private practice after the Clinton administration, joining another powerhouse law firm: Manhattan-based Boies, Schiller & Flexner. Founder David Boies is best-known for representing Al Gore in the court battles after the 2000 presidential election.
Gillibrand also has worked as a Democratic fund-raiser and served in Hillary Clinton's 2000 run for Senate.
Hillary and Bill Clinton returned the favor in 2006, campaigning on her behalf.
She's married to Jonathan Gillibrand, and they have two young boys, Theo and Henry. The family lives in Hudson; along with tennis, her hobbies include squash, skiing, running and reading biographies.
Her 2006 victory over Sweeney followed a bruising campaign in a mostly Republican district. Her reelection, two years later, came by a comfortable margin after Gillibrand raised more than $4 million in campaign funds.
She was a dark horse in the race to succeed Clinton, trailing bigger names with bigger political legacies: Kennedy and Cuomo.
BY LARRY McSHANE, KENNETH LOVETT and ELIZABETH BENJAMIN
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
After two months of speculation and chaos, Paterson has settled on Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-Hudson) to fill the seat of Clinton, President Obama's new secretary of state.
Paterson is scheduled to make his official announcement at noon in Albany.
Paterson Thursday night was being lobbied against Gillibrand by the left wing of the Democratic Party, which views her as too conservative, sources said.
Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-L.I.) and Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer are already considering running primaries against her in 2010, sources close to the two said.
Gillibrand was in the running with Caroline Kennedy, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, Manhattan Rep. Carolyn Maloney and Long Island Rep. Steve Israel. City teachers union President Randi Weingarten's name had surfaced again at the last minute.
But Gillibrand meets a number of the criteria initially set by Paterson - notably, that she is a woman from upstate who has won two elections in a heavily Republican district.
Gillibrand, 42, came to Congress after a career in law, but she was exposed to the art of politics as a child through her grandmother, Polly Noonan.
Although never elected to office, Noonan founded the Albany Democratic Women's Club and became a player in the state capital's powerful Democratic machine.
Gillibrand's official bio cites her grandmother as "the inspiration" for her core values. Her father, Doug Rutnik, is a well-known Albany lobbyist, and she has deep family ties to upstate New York.
Gillibrand was a tenacious high school tennis player known to friends as Tina. She attended Dartmouth College as an Asian studies major, working one summer in the office of Republican Sen. Alfonse D'Amato.
She learned to read and write Chinese before spending a semester studying in China. Gillibrand graduated in 1988 and attended law school at UCLA.
She spent 1992-93 as a law clerk for U.S. Court of Appeals Justice Roger Miner, a conservative Ronald Reagan appointee. Miner, despite their political differences, backed the Democrat in her 2006 race against the GOP's John Sweeney.
She later joined the high-powered law firm of Davis Polk & Wardwell, with a client list that included tobacco giant Philip Morris.
Gillibrand left there to serve as a special counsel to Cuomo, who was then President Clinton's Housing and Urban Development secretary.
She made the transition from public service back to private practice after the Clinton administration, joining another powerhouse law firm: Manhattan-based Boies, Schiller & Flexner. Founder David Boies is best-known for representing Al Gore in the court battles after the 2000 presidential election.
Gillibrand also has worked as a Democratic fund-raiser and served in Hillary Clinton's 2000 run for Senate.
Hillary and Bill Clinton returned the favor in 2006, campaigning on her behalf.
She's married to Jonathan Gillibrand, and they have two young boys, Theo and Henry. The family lives in Hudson; along with tennis, her hobbies include squash, skiing, running and reading biographies.
Her 2006 victory over Sweeney followed a bruising campaign in a mostly Republican district. Her reelection, two years later, came by a comfortable margin after Gillibrand raised more than $4 million in campaign funds.
She was a dark horse in the race to succeed Clinton, trailing bigger names with bigger political legacies: Kennedy and Cuomo.
BY LARRY McSHANE, KENNETH LOVETT and ELIZABETH BENJAMIN
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Police: George Anthony hinted he wanted to end life
A despondent George Anthony was found alive this morning in a Daytona Beach motel with a what appeared to be a suicide note after his family reported him missing late Thursday.
Daytona Beach police took Anthony into custody under the Baker Act after finding him in a squalid motel on South Ridgewood Avenue. The Baker Act allows authorities to hold someone at a mental-health facility for up to 72 hours while they are evaluated by physicians.
Anthony, 57, was taken to the Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach where he is being evaluated.
A hospital spokeswoman said Anthony was in stable condition and would be receiving a physical evaluation before being admitted to the hospital
Anthony, the grandfather of slain toddler Caylee Marie Anthony, left his home on Hopespring Drive in east Orange County Thursday morning and failed to show up for a 4 p.m. meeting with his wife, Cindy, and their attorney Brad Conway.
George Anthony sent several text messages to his family members suggesting that he wanted to end his life, Daytona Beach Police Chief Mike Chitwood said this morning.
The Orange County Sheriff's Office was notified last night and the felony squad immediately began its search for George Anthony. Sgt. John Allen, the lead detective on the murder case involving Caylee Marie, drove to the Anthony home to meet with Cindy Anthony. He left after George Anthony was located.
Orange County detectives were able to use pings from George Anthony's cell phone to track him to Daytona Beach near Bethune Point, according to Daytona Beach police. Officers began searching for George Anthony's black vehicle and spotted it at the Hawaii Motel in the 1300 block of South Ridgewood Avenue.
Police Chief Mike Chitwood spoke with George Anthony and convinced him to seek medical attention.
In an interview with the Orlando Sentinel this morning, Chitwood said he and several officers had to knock on the motel room door several times before Anthony answered.
Anthony was well dressed, laid back and low-key. Chitwood introduced himself, shook Anthony's hand and explained why he was there.
"(Anthony) basically said to us, you know, I just need to get away. I need to think things through. That's why he was there," Chitwood said.
Anthony was not agitated, but he did want the chief and other officers to leave.
"He just wanted to be alone," Chitwood said.
But the chief explained to Anthony that because of the situation, they could not leave. Chitwood offered to drive Anthony in his unmarked car to the hospital. Anthony agreed.
On the way to the hospital, Chitwood said, Anthony commented to him, "You don't understand, do you? You just don't understand what this is like."
Chitwood said the rest of the ride was just small talk – nothing about the case or his daughter Casey Anthony.
Anthony, 22, is accused of killing 2-year-old Caylee last summer. George and Cindy Anthony have been outspoken in their defense of the young mother.
Casey Anthony was notified this morning in the jail about her father by corrections health services staff. A jail spokesman couldn't comment on how Anthony responded to the news.
Caylee Marie's remains were found about a quarter-mile from the Anthony home in December. Investigators spent more than a week at the site of the remains to recover evidence. Orange County deputies executed a search warrant at the Anthony home shortly after the remains were found.
Earlier this week more information about the murder case was made public. Detectives reported that a heart shaped sticker was placed on the duct tape that was wrapped around the child's mouth.
In the past George Anthony has had emotional and occasionally violent outbursts at the media and protesters.
George Anthony, a former Ohio sheriff's deputy, once worked in car sales with his family. He moved to Orlando in the late 1980s with his wife and children to the home on Hopespring Drive. He has worked intermittently as a security guard, but injuries prevented him from working steadily, according to court records.
George Anthony was the last person, other than his daughter, to see Caylee Marie alive. On June 16, Casey Anthony and her 2-year-old daughter left the family home around noon. Caylee was never seen alive again.
In September, while Casey Anthony was out of jail on home confinement, Orange County deputies found a gun in the trunk of George Anthony's vehicle. The weapon violated Casey Anthony's terms of home confinement, but she was not rearrested because the judge ruled she had no knowledge of the weapon.
At the time of the incident several protestors stood outside of the Anthony home day and night, often heckling George and Cindy Anthony. George Anthony told authorities he had purchased the gun to protect his family. The gun was removed from the home. It's unclear if it was ever returned.
|Sentinel Staff Writers
Daytona Beach police took Anthony into custody under the Baker Act after finding him in a squalid motel on South Ridgewood Avenue. The Baker Act allows authorities to hold someone at a mental-health facility for up to 72 hours while they are evaluated by physicians.
Anthony, 57, was taken to the Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach where he is being evaluated.
A hospital spokeswoman said Anthony was in stable condition and would be receiving a physical evaluation before being admitted to the hospital
Anthony, the grandfather of slain toddler Caylee Marie Anthony, left his home on Hopespring Drive in east Orange County Thursday morning and failed to show up for a 4 p.m. meeting with his wife, Cindy, and their attorney Brad Conway.
George Anthony sent several text messages to his family members suggesting that he wanted to end his life, Daytona Beach Police Chief Mike Chitwood said this morning.
The Orange County Sheriff's Office was notified last night and the felony squad immediately began its search for George Anthony. Sgt. John Allen, the lead detective on the murder case involving Caylee Marie, drove to the Anthony home to meet with Cindy Anthony. He left after George Anthony was located.
Orange County detectives were able to use pings from George Anthony's cell phone to track him to Daytona Beach near Bethune Point, according to Daytona Beach police. Officers began searching for George Anthony's black vehicle and spotted it at the Hawaii Motel in the 1300 block of South Ridgewood Avenue.
Police Chief Mike Chitwood spoke with George Anthony and convinced him to seek medical attention.
In an interview with the Orlando Sentinel this morning, Chitwood said he and several officers had to knock on the motel room door several times before Anthony answered.
Anthony was well dressed, laid back and low-key. Chitwood introduced himself, shook Anthony's hand and explained why he was there.
"(Anthony) basically said to us, you know, I just need to get away. I need to think things through. That's why he was there," Chitwood said.
Anthony was not agitated, but he did want the chief and other officers to leave.
"He just wanted to be alone," Chitwood said.
But the chief explained to Anthony that because of the situation, they could not leave. Chitwood offered to drive Anthony in his unmarked car to the hospital. Anthony agreed.
On the way to the hospital, Chitwood said, Anthony commented to him, "You don't understand, do you? You just don't understand what this is like."
Chitwood said the rest of the ride was just small talk – nothing about the case or his daughter Casey Anthony.
Anthony, 22, is accused of killing 2-year-old Caylee last summer. George and Cindy Anthony have been outspoken in their defense of the young mother.
Casey Anthony was notified this morning in the jail about her father by corrections health services staff. A jail spokesman couldn't comment on how Anthony responded to the news.
Caylee Marie's remains were found about a quarter-mile from the Anthony home in December. Investigators spent more than a week at the site of the remains to recover evidence. Orange County deputies executed a search warrant at the Anthony home shortly after the remains were found.
Earlier this week more information about the murder case was made public. Detectives reported that a heart shaped sticker was placed on the duct tape that was wrapped around the child's mouth.
In the past George Anthony has had emotional and occasionally violent outbursts at the media and protesters.
George Anthony, a former Ohio sheriff's deputy, once worked in car sales with his family. He moved to Orlando in the late 1980s with his wife and children to the home on Hopespring Drive. He has worked intermittently as a security guard, but injuries prevented him from working steadily, according to court records.
George Anthony was the last person, other than his daughter, to see Caylee Marie alive. On June 16, Casey Anthony and her 2-year-old daughter left the family home around noon. Caylee was never seen alive again.
In September, while Casey Anthony was out of jail on home confinement, Orange County deputies found a gun in the trunk of George Anthony's vehicle. The weapon violated Casey Anthony's terms of home confinement, but she was not rearrested because the judge ruled she had no knowledge of the weapon.
At the time of the incident several protestors stood outside of the Anthony home day and night, often heckling George and Cindy Anthony. George Anthony told authorities he had purchased the gun to protect his family. The gun was removed from the home. It's unclear if it was ever returned.
|Sentinel Staff Writers
Kamis, 22 Januari 2009
Meet Richard Holbrooke, President Obama's special representative to Afghanistan, Pakistan
President Barack Obama named former Richard Holbrooke as special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan on Thursday.
He is "one of the most talented diplomats of his generation," Obama said of him during a press conference at the State Department.
Both Afghanistan and Pakistan are now the "central front" in the war on terrorism, Obama declared.
"There, as in the Middle East, we must understand that we cannot deal withour problems in isolation," Obama said.
"Nobody can say the war in Afghanistan has gone well," said Holbrooke during the press conference.
Architect of the 1995 Dayton accords which ended the war in Bosnia, the 67-year-old diplomat was a top foreign policy advisor to Hillary Clinton during her bid for the Presidency. He was also critical of the Bush administration regarding it's policy towards Pakistan's tribal areas, and felt it had failed in Afghanistan.
By MICHAEL SHERIDAN
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Holbrooke has also been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize seven times.
He is "one of the most talented diplomats of his generation," Obama said of him during a press conference at the State Department.
Both Afghanistan and Pakistan are now the "central front" in the war on terrorism, Obama declared.
"There, as in the Middle East, we must understand that we cannot deal withour problems in isolation," Obama said.
"Nobody can say the war in Afghanistan has gone well," said Holbrooke during the press conference.
Architect of the 1995 Dayton accords which ended the war in Bosnia, the 67-year-old diplomat was a top foreign policy advisor to Hillary Clinton during her bid for the Presidency. He was also critical of the Bush administration regarding it's policy towards Pakistan's tribal areas, and felt it had failed in Afghanistan.
By MICHAEL SHERIDAN
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Holbrooke has also been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize seven times.
Best Documentary Feature Oscar Nominees: The Betrayal; Encounters at the End of the World; The Garden; Trouble the Water; Man on Wire Best Foreign Fi
Thus far there are five major competing theories as to why Caroline Kennedy pulled out of the Senate race so suddenly and mysteriously. We list them, and give exact statistical odds, below:
[Odds: The probability that this was the primary reason she pulled out.]
Here's what you've missed if you've had better things to do for the last 24 hours than keep up with the by-the-minute changes in the Caroline Kennedy story. We know she isn't going to be the next junior Senator from New York. We have no idea, however, why not. She announced last night that she didn't want the seat anyway, but in such an incompetent manner that all anyone in political circles has been doing today is collecting the various theories of why she dropped out. These are the five being most discussed.
1. She was incompetent, and pulled out to avoid the embarrassment of not being picked: This is really the most likely scenario. Her push to start at the top was a bad idea from the beginning. She didn't embody the HOPE of the Obama era. At least all her connections and money landed her some political consultants who were smart enough to tell her to get out while she was—if not ahead—at least not totally destroyed.
Odds: Even
2. She had tax and nanny issues: Well, sure, it's quite likely, if you believe the up-to-the-minute prevarications, that she did have issues with taxes and/ or an illegal nanny. So that stands in favor of this explanation. But calling this the primary reason she dropped out presupposes that had she not had these issues, she would have been the pick. And we still want to give Gov. Paterson more credit than than.
Odds: 2-1
3. Her marriage is a sham: One of the unfortunate things about going into politics is everybody wants to pry into your sex life. That's stupid America! So the Enquirer was floating the idea that CK's marriage to Ed Schlossberg was a big fake, and that they've been amiably separated for a while, and who knows what various tabloid-worthy stories might lie behind that? Just scandalous enough to kill her bid? In a state that still loves Giuliani, it's doubtful, but you never know.
Odds: 5-1
4. She had an affair with Arthur Sulzberger, Jr.:The supposed love interest between CK and the NYT publisher remains totally unverified dinner party gossip material. But the Times' close—too close—coverage of CK's campaign didn't do anything to help kill the rumor. At most, this probably added up to one more thing on the negative side of the scale for Kennedy, rather than being the main thing that did her in.
Odds: 8-1
5. She was worried about her sick uncle Teddy: Since Uncle Teddy's own people were pissed when she floated this explanation, and because he was just as sick when she started her bid for the Senate, nah.
Odds: 25-1
81st Academy Awards: 2009 Oscar Nominees
Golden Globes Meet Oscar's Predictions
The 81st Academy Awards Oscar nominees have been released on January 22, 2009. In exactly one month of the release of nominees, the 2009 Academy Awards will be aired by ABC television network. The 2009 Academy Awards ceremony will shower Hollywood with Oscars and Hugh Jackman as host from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California on Sunday, February 22, 2009, aired live by ABC television network.Oscar Predictions - The Golden Globes winners are said to be closer to that Oscar. In most cases, the Golden Globes winners go on to become Oscar winners. As predicted, the same may apply for the 2009 Oscars nominees. Here are some of the 2009 Golden Globes winners, Slumdog Millionaire (Best Motion Picture - multi-award winners in Best Director, Screenplay & etc. ); Kate Winslet (Best Supporting Actress - multi-award winner); Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight (Best Supporting Actor).
According to AOL movie news, Matilda, Heath Ledger's daughter will be given Heath's Golden Globe award, says Heath's mother. Rest assured that Matilda will not be playing Barbie with the Golden Globe, as most likely she will be making more room on her future shelf for daddy's Oscar to come.
Nominees (highlighted are 2009 Golden Globes winners):
Best Picture & Best Director Oscar Nominees: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; Frost/Nixon; Milk; The Reader; Slumdog Millionaire
Best Actor Oscar Nominees: Richard Jenkins in The Visitor; Frank Langella in Frost/Nixon; Sean Penn in Milk; Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler
Best Actress Oscar Nominees: Anne Hathaway in Rachel Getting Married; Angelina Joli in Changeling; Melissa Leo in Frozen River; Meryl Streep in Doubt; Kate Winslet in The Reader
Best Supporting Actor Oscar Nominees: Josh Brolin in Milk; Robert Downey Jr. in Tropic Thunder; Philip Seymoure Hoffman in Doubt; Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight; Michael Shannon in Revolutionary Road
Best Supporting Actress Oscar Nominees: Amy Adams in Doubt; Penelope Cruz in Vicky Cristina Barcelona; Viola Davis in Doubt; Taraji P. Henson in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; Marisa Tomei in The Wrestler
Best Animated Feature Film Oscar Nominees: Bolt; Kung Fu Panda; or Wall-E
Best Original Screenplay Oscar Nominees: Dustin Lance Black - Milk; Mike Leigh - Happy-Go-Lucky; Courtney Hunt - Frozen River; Martin McDonagh - In Bruges; Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon & Pete Docter - WALL-E
81st Academy Awards: 2009 Oscar Nominees
Best Documentary Feature Oscar Nominees: The Betrayal; Encounters at the End of the World; The Garden; Trouble the Water; Man on Wire
Best Foreign Film Oscar Nominees: The Baader Meinhof Complex (Germany); Departures (Japan); Waltz With Bashir (Israel); The class (France); Revanche (Austria)
These Oscar nominees are golden in skill and talent, as they are showered with Oscars to come. The 81st Academy Awards is gearing up for honoring each winner of each brilliant Oscar.
Rabu, 21 Januari 2009
Amazing Story: Abigail and Brittany Hensel, the ‘two headed girl’
Abigail “Abby” Loraine Hensel and Brittany “Britty” Lee Hensel (born March 7, 1990, Carver County, Minnesota, United States), are highly symmetric dicephalic parapagus conjoined twins, and further, tribrachius, bipedus. They have two spines and separate half-sacrums, which converge distally within a slightly broad pelvis. They each control and sense their corresponding arm and leg; a third, rudimentary central arm was amputated in infancy.
Abigail and Brittany Hensel’s parents are Patty, a registered nurse, and Mike Hensel, a carpenter and landscaper. The twins have a younger brother named Dakota, or Koty for short, and a younger sister named Morgan. Brittany’s head is about 15 degrees laterally outward, while Abby’s head tilts laterally outward about 5 degrees, causing Brittany to appear to be of slightly less stature. They were raised in New Germany, Minnesota and attended Lutheran High School affiliated with the Missouri Synod in Mayer, Minnesota. At age 12, they underwent surgery at Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare to correct scoliosis and to expand their chest cavity to prevent future difficulties with breathing.
Each of the twins manages one side of their conjoined body and they are quite ambidextrous and coordinated in both their arms and legs when both hands or both legs are required. By coordinating their efforts, they are able to walk, run and ride a bicycle normally — all tasks that they learned at a normal speed. They each write with their corresponding hand. Together, they can type on a computer keyboard at a normal speed. Their sense of touch is partitioned to their own body half, which shades off at the midsagittal plane such that there is a small amount of overlap at their midline. They enjoy hobbies and sports including volleyball, kickball, swimming, basketball, and cycling. They also play the piano and are avid computer users. They enjoy softball, digital photography, the internet, social networking, and talking on the telephone. When they go to the cinema, they pay for two tickets.
In April 2006, they appeared in Joined for Life, a documentary produced by Advanced Medical, distributed on the Discovery Health Channel. They also appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show on April 8 and April 29, 1996. In April 1996, the twins were featured on the cover of Life under the caption “One Body, Two Souls”, and their daily lifestyle was depicted in the corresponding article titled The Hensels’ Summer. Life followed up with another story in September 1998. In 2003, an updated story of them at age 11 (filmed in 2001) was published in Time and again in Life. They appeared in a follow-up documentary on The Learning Channel on December 17, 2006 filmed around the time of their 16th birthday, in which they discuss dealing with puberty and getting their driver’s licenses. In the summer of 2006 they had a vacation in Texas at the home of a family whose dicephalus twin girls had died at a few hours old.
They both successfully passed their driver’s license exam, both the written and driving tests. They had to take the tests twice, once for each twin. Abby controls the pedals, radio, heat, defogger etc., Brittany controls the turn signal and lights and together they control the steering wheel. They also want to visit the UK, so they can both have a chance to use their opposite controls.
They both graduated from high school in 2008. They began college at Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA.
In conversation, they are clearly distinct persons, with distinct likes and dislikes. Despite sharing a body, the twins’ preferences in food, clothing color, etc. differ. Some of their clothes are altered by their seamstress so that they have two separate necklines in order to emphasize their individuality. They will usually have separate meals, but sometimes will share a single meal for the sake of convenience (e.g., each takes a bite of the same hamburger). Abigail is better at mathematics and Brittany is better at writing. For tasks such as responding to e-mail, they type and respond as one, anticipating each other’s feelings with little verbal communication between them. In such cases as the latter, their choice of grammatical person is to use the first person singular out of habit when they agree, but when their responses do differ, they use their names in the third person singular.
There is some concern about their ability to have continued good health because only four known sets of conjoined twins who share an undivided torso and two legs have ever survived into adulthood, and most have congenital heart defects or other organ anomalies. None have shown up in the Hensels’ case. They have so far had no desire to make themselves available for any medical studies. They intend to make a rather limited number of media appearances in the future, primarily just to appease the world’s curiosity and to reduce the number of people who might otherwise be taken aback by their unusual body configuration. They dislike intensely being stared at or photographed by strangers while going about their private lives. They expect to date, get married, and have children. They hope that by providing some information about themselves they will be able to lead otherwise fairly typical social lives as together they continue to make new friends.
entertainment.wagerweb.com
Abigail and Brittany Hensel’s parents are Patty, a registered nurse, and Mike Hensel, a carpenter and landscaper. The twins have a younger brother named Dakota, or Koty for short, and a younger sister named Morgan. Brittany’s head is about 15 degrees laterally outward, while Abby’s head tilts laterally outward about 5 degrees, causing Brittany to appear to be of slightly less stature. They were raised in New Germany, Minnesota and attended Lutheran High School affiliated with the Missouri Synod in Mayer, Minnesota. At age 12, they underwent surgery at Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare to correct scoliosis and to expand their chest cavity to prevent future difficulties with breathing.
Each of the twins manages one side of their conjoined body and they are quite ambidextrous and coordinated in both their arms and legs when both hands or both legs are required. By coordinating their efforts, they are able to walk, run and ride a bicycle normally — all tasks that they learned at a normal speed. They each write with their corresponding hand. Together, they can type on a computer keyboard at a normal speed. Their sense of touch is partitioned to their own body half, which shades off at the midsagittal plane such that there is a small amount of overlap at their midline. They enjoy hobbies and sports including volleyball, kickball, swimming, basketball, and cycling. They also play the piano and are avid computer users. They enjoy softball, digital photography, the internet, social networking, and talking on the telephone. When they go to the cinema, they pay for two tickets.
In April 2006, they appeared in Joined for Life, a documentary produced by Advanced Medical, distributed on the Discovery Health Channel. They also appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show on April 8 and April 29, 1996. In April 1996, the twins were featured on the cover of Life under the caption “One Body, Two Souls”, and their daily lifestyle was depicted in the corresponding article titled The Hensels’ Summer. Life followed up with another story in September 1998. In 2003, an updated story of them at age 11 (filmed in 2001) was published in Time and again in Life. They appeared in a follow-up documentary on The Learning Channel on December 17, 2006 filmed around the time of their 16th birthday, in which they discuss dealing with puberty and getting their driver’s licenses. In the summer of 2006 they had a vacation in Texas at the home of a family whose dicephalus twin girls had died at a few hours old.
They both successfully passed their driver’s license exam, both the written and driving tests. They had to take the tests twice, once for each twin. Abby controls the pedals, radio, heat, defogger etc., Brittany controls the turn signal and lights and together they control the steering wheel. They also want to visit the UK, so they can both have a chance to use their opposite controls.
They both graduated from high school in 2008. They began college at Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA.
In conversation, they are clearly distinct persons, with distinct likes and dislikes. Despite sharing a body, the twins’ preferences in food, clothing color, etc. differ. Some of their clothes are altered by their seamstress so that they have two separate necklines in order to emphasize their individuality. They will usually have separate meals, but sometimes will share a single meal for the sake of convenience (e.g., each takes a bite of the same hamburger). Abigail is better at mathematics and Brittany is better at writing. For tasks such as responding to e-mail, they type and respond as one, anticipating each other’s feelings with little verbal communication between them. In such cases as the latter, their choice of grammatical person is to use the first person singular out of habit when they agree, but when their responses do differ, they use their names in the third person singular.
There is some concern about their ability to have continued good health because only four known sets of conjoined twins who share an undivided torso and two legs have ever survived into adulthood, and most have congenital heart defects or other organ anomalies. None have shown up in the Hensels’ case. They have so far had no desire to make themselves available for any medical studies. They intend to make a rather limited number of media appearances in the future, primarily just to appease the world’s curiosity and to reduce the number of people who might otherwise be taken aback by their unusual body configuration. They dislike intensely being stared at or photographed by strangers while going about their private lives. They expect to date, get married, and have children. They hope that by providing some information about themselves they will be able to lead otherwise fairly typical social lives as together they continue to make new friends.
entertainment.wagerweb.com
Obama Begins Day with National Prayer Service
On his first full day in office, President Obama is spending part of the morning at the Washington National Cathedral, placing his own stamp on the traditional National Prayer Service with a larger-than-usual group of interfaith religious leaders participating and newly written prayers meant to emphasize liberty and diversity.
The invitation-only service, which has followed presidential inaugurals in the United States on and off since George Washington's swearing-in, started just after 10 a.m. and is scheduled to run from 75 to 90 minutes. The list of 20 clergy participating includes Rev. Samuel Lloyd, dean of the Cathedral, which is the seat of the Episcopal church in Washington; prominent Baptist pastor Rev. Otis Moss Jr. (whose son is currently pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ, Obama's former church); Washington Catholic Archbishop Donald Wuerl; Rev. Jim Wallis of the progressive group Sojourners; and several well-known Jewish, Muslim and Greek Orthodox leaders.
The invitation-only service, which has followed presidential inaugurals in the United States on and off since George Washington's swearing-in, started just after 10 a.m. and is scheduled to run from 75 to 90 minutes. The list of 20 clergy participating includes Rev. Samuel Lloyd, dean of the Cathedral, which is the seat of the Episcopal church in Washington; prominent Baptist pastor Rev. Otis Moss Jr. (whose son is currently pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ, Obama's former church); Washington Catholic Archbishop Donald Wuerl; Rev. Jim Wallis of the progressive group Sojourners; and several well-known Jewish, Muslim and Greek Orthodox leaders.
The sermon will be delivered by Rev. Sharon Watkins, president of the Protestant denomination Disciples of Christ in North America and the first woman to have such a prominent role in the post-inaugural prayer service.
Other clergy will recite simple, responsive spiritual readings that were crafted by Obama's faith advisors and Cathedral staff.
The service is to include a traditional prayer for civil leaders, led by Rev. Andy Stanley, senior pastor of North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Ga.; and a prayer for the nation.
Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, wearing a bold black-and-white patterned dress, walked into the stately church just after 10 a.m., along with Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and his wife Jill Biden. They took seats in the front row alongside Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), Obama's nominee for secretary of state, and her husband, former president Bill Clinton.
Before the Obamas arrived, the District-based Children of the Gospel Children's Choir entertained the assembled dignitaries and guests by singing "He's Got the Whole World in His hands."
So many members of Congress were scheduled to attend the service, that a markup session scheduled for Attorney General-nominee Eric Holder was postponed.
Canon Carol Wade, who as the Cathedral's precentor oversees music and worship at the Cathedral, said that in accordance with tradition, today's prayers are based on the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer, and should sound similar to prayers given at services after the inaugurations of both Bush presidents and Ronald Reagan.
New touches to the service this year, said Cathedral officials, are prayers drawn in part from George Washington's 1789 post-inauguration prayer service and Abraham Lincoln's 1865 inaugural address. The latter includes the famous phrase "with malice toward none, with charity for all," which will be said as part of the closing prayer given today by Katharine Jefferts-Schori, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church.
"We felt it was time to take a fresh look at the prayers," Wade said yesterday, noting Obama's embrace of religious liberalism. "Care was taken as to how we might respect and celebrate our diversity."
While multiple clergy are appearing who are not Christian, she noted that the service is at its core Christian to reflect Obama's personal beliefs.
The purpose of the service, Wade said, is to "lift the president up" on his first day at work, but the structure of the event has changed over the centuries
According to the Margaret Shannon, a historian of presidential inauguration services who works with the Cathedral, New York's Episcopal bishop led the post-inauguration service for the nation in April 1789, immediately after Washington's swearing-in.
Starting in 1869, other pastors organized "union prayer meetings," likely made up of clergy from different schools of Protestantism -- that era's definition of "inter-faith." The tradition continued on into the 20th Century.
Historic records aren't clear about the next few decades, but in 1933 the tradition of a post-inaugural prayer service was revived, only to apparently wane again from the 1940s until the 1980s, when Reagan restored it. After Reagan's first inauguration, in 1981, the prayer service was held downtown at National City Christian Church; the service was at the Cathedral in 1985.
Clinton's prayer service was at the historically black Metropolitan AME Zion church in downtown Washington.
The service is being streamed live on the Cathedral's Web site, and the public will be able to post messages and personal expressions of faith on the Web site as well. For the next three weeks, the Cathedral will host a photo exhibit of past presidential appearances at the church. Church officials hope people will leave written prayers there too.
Other faith leaders giving the newly-tweaked responsive readings today are Ingrid Mattson, president of the Islamic Society of North America; Rev. Suzan Johnson-Cook, senior pastor of Believers Christian-Fellowship Church in New York; Rabbi Jerome Epstein, director of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism; Uma Mysorekar, president of the Hindu Temple Society of North America; Rabbi Haskal Lookstein of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun in New York; Kirbyjon Caldwell, senior pastor of Windsor Village United Methodist Church in Houston; Wade and Washington's Episcopal Bishop Rev. John Bryson Chane.
Rabbi David Saperstein, executive director of the Washington-based Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism is to deliver a psalm. Scripture readings are being provided by Rev. Cynthia Hale, senior pastor of Ray of Hope Christian Church in Atlanta; Archbishop Demetrios, the New York-based primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in America; and Rev. Francisco Gonzalez, auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese of Washington.
www.washingtonpost.com
Having a Ball
The Obamas have been zooming through their 10 official balls and are now running more than an hour ahead of schedule.
The whole ball tour was supposed to end at 2:55 a.m., but they’re wrapping it up before 12:45. And who can blame them? By the fifth and sixth of these things, the first couple were clearly operating on fumes.
All night they’ve been leaning back and forth in lieu of dancing, and stepping on Mrs. Obama’s dress; he’s been saying he wants to dance with “the one that brung me,” and he tells the crowds that his wife is doing everything he does except backwards and in heels. The difference is that for the last few balls, they have actually looked exhausted.
Still, the point of going to all these balls is to thank the campaign workers and donors — and keep them energized for future fights.
By now, Mr. Obama has boiled down his thank-you speech to less than a minute. At their last ball, for Eastern states, held at Union Station, he lapsed into a bit of campaign-speak.
“Today was your day,” he said. “Today was a day that represented all your efforts, all your faith, all your confidence in what’s possible in America. They said it couldn’t be done. And you did it.”
He called on his supporters to apply the same energy to governing and to rebuilding communities that they did to the campaign. “Yes we can,” the crowd cheered.
He also ended with some indirect criticism of the Bush era. “There is something in the spirit of the American people that insists on recreating this country when we get a little bit off course,” he said. “That’s what powered this election, it’s what’s given our team the kind of energy that has allowed us to overcome extraordinary obstacles and given me so much confidence that our better days are ahead.”
His final reminder was this: to understand “that this is not the end, this is the beginning.”
He then asked his wife for “one last dance” and cued the band — for the same song, “At Last,” that they’ve been dancing to all night.
So that’s a wrap. And they headed home. At last.
At the Youth Ball | 10:47 p.m. Eastern Mr. and Mrs. Obama took the stage at the Youth Ball at the Washington Hilton around 10:35 p.m., where Mr. Obama gave extra hosannas to those who helped get win election.
“When you look at the history of this campaign, what started out as an improbable journey, where nobody gave us a chance, was carried forward by, was inspired by, was driven by, was energized by young people all across America,” Mr. Obama said.
The audience gave him huge applause and started chanting, “Yes we can!”
He went on to give them a campaign-style pep talk, which we’ve transcribed for you below. But he also commented on his dance moves, which have been creating some buzz all night, mostly because watching him dance was a surprise. Rather like seeing him bowl last year during the Pennsylvania primary, you expected it to be a little more polished, a little smoother.
Mr. Obama, it turns out, specializes in the slow sway of guys who aren’t super-comfortable on the dance floor. And he will occasionally throw in a twirl.
But what his style may have lacked in panache, it certainly made up in passion. He and his wife cuddle and coo and smooch and are very comfortable — they even look happy — in each other’s arms.
So all of this chatter about dancing prompted him to say after a turn on the floor at the Youth Ball, “That’s what’s called ‘Old School.’ ” Everyone laughed.
Anyway, back to his speech to the young folks.
Mr. Obama told them: “I can’t tell you how many people have come up to Michelle and myself and said, ‘You know, I was kind of skeptical, but then my daughter, she wouldn’t budge, she just told me I needed to vote for Obama.’ Or, ‘Suddenly I saw my son, he was out volunteering and knocking on doors and traveling and getting involved like never before.’ And so new generations inspired previous generations, and that’s how change happens in America.”
He said this applied not just to campaigns but to service, like teaching or joining the Peace Corps.
“And as this is broadcast all around the world,” he added, “we know that young people everywhere are in the process of imagining something different than what has come before. Where there is war, they imagine peace. Where there is hunger, they imagine people being able to feed themselves. Where there is disease, they imagine a public health system that works for everybody. Where there is bigotry, they imagine togetherness. The future will be in your hands if you are able to sustain the kind of energy and focus that you showed on this campaign. I promise you that America will get stronger and more united, more prosperous, more secure — you are going to make it happen, and Michelle and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
And then this: “Hit it, band.”
Then it was on to Joe Biden’s “Home States” ball, for Pennsylvania and Delaware. And he was only halfway through his night of dancing.
Speaking to the Troops | 9:55 p.m. Mr. Obama speaks solemnly to service members at the Commander-in-Chief ball. “Every day that I’m in the White House, I’ll try to serve you as well as you serve America,” he says. And he promises that, together with the troops, “we will write the next great chapter in America’s story.” Then he talks by satellite video link with some soldiers from Illinois who are serving in Afghanistan.
There’s some friendly banter with the soldiers about their baseball preferences. Only one of the five tells the White-Sox-fan-in-chief that she is a Sox fan, too; the rest say they root for the Cubs.
More on the Ball Gown | 9:22 p.m. A few more details about the gown are filtering in. It’s made of ivory silk chiffon, embellished with organza and Swarovski crystal rhinestones and silver thread embroidery. It was custom designed and made exclusively for Mrs. Obama, said Gina Pepe, Mr. Wu’s spokeswoman.
Home States | 9:11 p.m. The First Couple’s next ball — the Home States ball (Hawaii and Illinois) — is just down the hallway from the Neighborhood ball at the Washington Convention Center. “Aloha,” Mr. Obama says to the crowd. “You’re not new friends, you’re old friends, and for that we’re grateful to you,” he says. His presidency is not just about him making the country better, he says, but “about all of you.” He asks the crowd to remember his motto, “Yes, we can.” They’re having a bit of trouble dancing because they keep stepping on her dress. But that doesn’t stop the president from giving his wife a twirl. Now the two have wrapped their arms around each other and are sloooow dancing. And after about two minutes, they’re off to the next event — the Commander in Chief ball at the National Building Museum.
Now Where’d They Go? | 9:01 p.m. Well, this set-up with exclusive deals for certain TV networks to broadcast means this is not the most accessible inauguration ever, as the inaugural planners keep saying. It’s frustrating for anyone who wants to follow the new president’s path tonight, although those who paid big bucks to attend the balls are probably quite happy.
We’re left to contemplate the mystery of Mrs. Obama’s dress. The designer, Jason Wu, is a young New York designer whom Mrs. Obama has worn before.
He’s 26 and from Taiwan and told The Wall Street Journal recently that he had never imagined that Mrs. Obama might wear one of his designs at the inaugural balls.
Signed, Sealed, Delivered | 8:44 p.m. We didn’t get to see much of the first dance, but we are watching Jamie Foxx tell the crowd at the Neighborhood ball: “You can tell that was a black president by the way he was moving.”
Mr. and Mrs. Obama are now group dancing to Stevie Wonder singing, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered.” (And lots of other are joining them.)
At Last … | 8:37 p.m. It’s the first dance. And thwack! CNN cuts away as Beyonce is singing “At Last.”
The Dress | 8:37 p.m. Here it is! The dress is white, with one large sash over her right shoulder. Jason Wu is the designer. “How good lookin’ is my wife?” the new president asks the crowd at the Neighborhood ball, their first of the evening.
Party Time | 8:19 p.m. One of the biggest secrets of Inauguration Day is about to be revealed. Barack and Michelle Obama are on their way to their first ball, and the world will finally see what Mrs. Obama has chosen to wear. She apparently had a few options because she didn’t make up her mind until the final hours.
The new First Couple has left the White House, so the unveiling of the dress is just moments away!
Read about Michelle Obama’s day dress.
We’re picking up our coverage for this evening’s events here. For earlier posts, go to our earlier live blog
By Katharine Q. Seelye
The whole ball tour was supposed to end at 2:55 a.m., but they’re wrapping it up before 12:45. And who can blame them? By the fifth and sixth of these things, the first couple were clearly operating on fumes.
All night they’ve been leaning back and forth in lieu of dancing, and stepping on Mrs. Obama’s dress; he’s been saying he wants to dance with “the one that brung me,” and he tells the crowds that his wife is doing everything he does except backwards and in heels. The difference is that for the last few balls, they have actually looked exhausted.
Still, the point of going to all these balls is to thank the campaign workers and donors — and keep them energized for future fights.
By now, Mr. Obama has boiled down his thank-you speech to less than a minute. At their last ball, for Eastern states, held at Union Station, he lapsed into a bit of campaign-speak.
“Today was your day,” he said. “Today was a day that represented all your efforts, all your faith, all your confidence in what’s possible in America. They said it couldn’t be done. And you did it.”
He called on his supporters to apply the same energy to governing and to rebuilding communities that they did to the campaign. “Yes we can,” the crowd cheered.
He also ended with some indirect criticism of the Bush era. “There is something in the spirit of the American people that insists on recreating this country when we get a little bit off course,” he said. “That’s what powered this election, it’s what’s given our team the kind of energy that has allowed us to overcome extraordinary obstacles and given me so much confidence that our better days are ahead.”
His final reminder was this: to understand “that this is not the end, this is the beginning.”
He then asked his wife for “one last dance” and cued the band — for the same song, “At Last,” that they’ve been dancing to all night.
So that’s a wrap. And they headed home. At last.
At the Youth Ball | 10:47 p.m. Eastern Mr. and Mrs. Obama took the stage at the Youth Ball at the Washington Hilton around 10:35 p.m., where Mr. Obama gave extra hosannas to those who helped get win election.
“When you look at the history of this campaign, what started out as an improbable journey, where nobody gave us a chance, was carried forward by, was inspired by, was driven by, was energized by young people all across America,” Mr. Obama said.
The audience gave him huge applause and started chanting, “Yes we can!”
He went on to give them a campaign-style pep talk, which we’ve transcribed for you below. But he also commented on his dance moves, which have been creating some buzz all night, mostly because watching him dance was a surprise. Rather like seeing him bowl last year during the Pennsylvania primary, you expected it to be a little more polished, a little smoother.
Mr. Obama, it turns out, specializes in the slow sway of guys who aren’t super-comfortable on the dance floor. And he will occasionally throw in a twirl.
But what his style may have lacked in panache, it certainly made up in passion. He and his wife cuddle and coo and smooch and are very comfortable — they even look happy — in each other’s arms.
So all of this chatter about dancing prompted him to say after a turn on the floor at the Youth Ball, “That’s what’s called ‘Old School.’ ” Everyone laughed.
Anyway, back to his speech to the young folks.
Mr. Obama told them: “I can’t tell you how many people have come up to Michelle and myself and said, ‘You know, I was kind of skeptical, but then my daughter, she wouldn’t budge, she just told me I needed to vote for Obama.’ Or, ‘Suddenly I saw my son, he was out volunteering and knocking on doors and traveling and getting involved like never before.’ And so new generations inspired previous generations, and that’s how change happens in America.”
He said this applied not just to campaigns but to service, like teaching or joining the Peace Corps.
“And as this is broadcast all around the world,” he added, “we know that young people everywhere are in the process of imagining something different than what has come before. Where there is war, they imagine peace. Where there is hunger, they imagine people being able to feed themselves. Where there is disease, they imagine a public health system that works for everybody. Where there is bigotry, they imagine togetherness. The future will be in your hands if you are able to sustain the kind of energy and focus that you showed on this campaign. I promise you that America will get stronger and more united, more prosperous, more secure — you are going to make it happen, and Michelle and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
And then this: “Hit it, band.”
Then it was on to Joe Biden’s “Home States” ball, for Pennsylvania and Delaware. And he was only halfway through his night of dancing.
Speaking to the Troops | 9:55 p.m. Mr. Obama speaks solemnly to service members at the Commander-in-Chief ball. “Every day that I’m in the White House, I’ll try to serve you as well as you serve America,” he says. And he promises that, together with the troops, “we will write the next great chapter in America’s story.” Then he talks by satellite video link with some soldiers from Illinois who are serving in Afghanistan.
There’s some friendly banter with the soldiers about their baseball preferences. Only one of the five tells the White-Sox-fan-in-chief that she is a Sox fan, too; the rest say they root for the Cubs.
More on the Ball Gown | 9:22 p.m. A few more details about the gown are filtering in. It’s made of ivory silk chiffon, embellished with organza and Swarovski crystal rhinestones and silver thread embroidery. It was custom designed and made exclusively for Mrs. Obama, said Gina Pepe, Mr. Wu’s spokeswoman.
Home States | 9:11 p.m. The First Couple’s next ball — the Home States ball (Hawaii and Illinois) — is just down the hallway from the Neighborhood ball at the Washington Convention Center. “Aloha,” Mr. Obama says to the crowd. “You’re not new friends, you’re old friends, and for that we’re grateful to you,” he says. His presidency is not just about him making the country better, he says, but “about all of you.” He asks the crowd to remember his motto, “Yes, we can.” They’re having a bit of trouble dancing because they keep stepping on her dress. But that doesn’t stop the president from giving his wife a twirl. Now the two have wrapped their arms around each other and are sloooow dancing. And after about two minutes, they’re off to the next event — the Commander in Chief ball at the National Building Museum.
Now Where’d They Go? | 9:01 p.m. Well, this set-up with exclusive deals for certain TV networks to broadcast means this is not the most accessible inauguration ever, as the inaugural planners keep saying. It’s frustrating for anyone who wants to follow the new president’s path tonight, although those who paid big bucks to attend the balls are probably quite happy.
We’re left to contemplate the mystery of Mrs. Obama’s dress. The designer, Jason Wu, is a young New York designer whom Mrs. Obama has worn before.
He’s 26 and from Taiwan and told The Wall Street Journal recently that he had never imagined that Mrs. Obama might wear one of his designs at the inaugural balls.
Signed, Sealed, Delivered | 8:44 p.m. We didn’t get to see much of the first dance, but we are watching Jamie Foxx tell the crowd at the Neighborhood ball: “You can tell that was a black president by the way he was moving.”
Mr. and Mrs. Obama are now group dancing to Stevie Wonder singing, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered.” (And lots of other are joining them.)
At Last … | 8:37 p.m. It’s the first dance. And thwack! CNN cuts away as Beyonce is singing “At Last.”
The Dress | 8:37 p.m. Here it is! The dress is white, with one large sash over her right shoulder. Jason Wu is the designer. “How good lookin’ is my wife?” the new president asks the crowd at the Neighborhood ball, their first of the evening.
Party Time | 8:19 p.m. One of the biggest secrets of Inauguration Day is about to be revealed. Barack and Michelle Obama are on their way to their first ball, and the world will finally see what Mrs. Obama has chosen to wear. She apparently had a few options because she didn’t make up her mind until the final hours.
The new First Couple has left the White House, so the unveiling of the dress is just moments away!
Read about Michelle Obama’s day dress.
We’re picking up our coverage for this evening’s events here. For earlier posts, go to our earlier live blog
By Katharine Q. Seelye
Selasa, 20 Januari 2009
Washington awakens with inauguration buzz
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Washington awoke Tuesday crowded and excited with the inauguration of a new president that's only a few hours away.
As many as 2 million people are expected to crowd into the area between the Capitol, the White House and the Lincoln Memorial as Barack Obama takes the oath of office at noon.
Some will be more than a mile from the swearing-in ceremony, watching on giant TV screens erected along the National Mall.
Thousands arrived before daylight Tuesday in standing-room-only trains. They carried blankets and wore Obama scarves to ward off the wind chills below 15 degrees Fahrenheit.
Suburban Washington train stations were jammed. A four-story parking deck at the Springfield, Virginia, station was filled at 5 a.m., CNN's Barbara Starr reported. But trains rolling into the stop about 15 miles south of the Capitol had no room for the hundreds on the platform, Starr reported.
"It is going to take a good, long while for people to get downtown," Starr said.
But just being among the crowd is good enough for many.
Lari Taylor of Middletown, New Jersey, was one of those who headed to the capital without a ticket to get into events and will be one of hundreds of thousands on the mall. Taylor on Monday said she came to Washington "hoping to hear that message of hope and change."
"Every time Obama speaks, it's inspiring. We're just so excited about the change," she said.
As one walked through the Mall on the eve of the inauguration, there was a buzz of anticipation. Visitors wandered around the Mall snapping pictures and shooting video of the Capitol and the monuments.
The scene around Lafayette Square was almost chaotic, with cars turning around in the street as they were confronted with newly erected barriers to closed-off areas and clots of pedestrians crossing streets against the light, snarling traffic in other areas.
The visitors' excitement rubbed off on some of the jaded locals, one of whom said D.C. residents were "cynical of government."
"The energy on the streets is something I've never seen before," said Nancy Wigal, a 45-year-old technical writer who lives in the Mount Vernon Square area. "People are walking lighter, standing taller and are reaching out to one another. It feels like hope. It feels like shared happiness."
Don't Miss
The morning began at 4 a.m. for many as those without tickets made a land grab on the Mall, rushing to stake out positions for the ceremony.
After Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden take their oaths of office on the western front of the Capitol, Obama will deliver a highly anticipated inaugural address, which Obama aides say will emphasize that America is entering a new era of responsibility.
Obama will say America has been hurt by a "me-first" mentality that contributed to the current economic crisis, aides say, and he will call on individuals -- as well as corporations and businesses -- to take responsibility for their actions in the approximately 20-minute speech.
After a formal farewell to President George W. Bush and lunch with congressional leaders, Obama will head up Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House, where he and his family will watch the inauguration parade from a specially built reviewing stand. The parade begins at 3:45 p.m. ET.
The new president and first lady will then close the night by attending 10 official inaugural balls.
Estimates of 1 million to 2 million people have been given for people at the various events, but officials have said they really don't know how many will show up.
Organizers have said about 280,000 people can fit into the secure zones around the Capitol and roughly 300,000 into the area around the parade. A mere 28,000 seats are available on Capitol grounds.
Those lucky enough to have tickets to the inauguration will undergo tight screening, including passing through magnetometers, when they enter the seating area in front of the Capitol.
Spectators without tickets will be routed to the Mall, which, for the first time, will be open from end to end for an inauguration. Security there will be less stringent.
Jeri Pickett of Rochester, New York, was one of the fortunate few who got a ticket.
"I'd just like to see the inspiration of America," said Pickett, when asked what he was expecting from Inauguration Day. "There's so much warmth here now and excitement -- rejuvenation.
"There's a real hope for America. It's the spark that everybody needed," he added.
Washington transportation officials say they will run subway trains on rush-hour schedules starting at 4 a.m. as well as extra buses. The area's rail system, Metro, expects more than 1 million riders.
Inauguration events have already drawn record crowds. A crowd attending an inauguration concert Sunday was estimated between 300,000 and 400,000 and stretched from the Lincoln Memorial all the way to the Washington Monument, which stands at the midpoint of the Mall.
While Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan told CNN on Monday that there was "no credible threat" to the inauguration events, security is extremely tight. A security cordon has been put in place around the city's core, turning much of downtown Washington into pedestrian-only.
In addition to the Secret Service, the security effort will involve 8,000 police officers from the District of Columbia and other jurisdictions, 10,000 National Guard troops, about 1,000 FBI personnel, and hundreds of others from the Department of Homeland Security, the National Park Service and U.S. Capitol Police.
Another 20,000 members of the National Guard are ready to respond if there is an emergency, according to outgoing Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff.
source:CNN
As many as 2 million people are expected to crowd into the area between the Capitol, the White House and the Lincoln Memorial as Barack Obama takes the oath of office at noon.
Some will be more than a mile from the swearing-in ceremony, watching on giant TV screens erected along the National Mall.
Thousands arrived before daylight Tuesday in standing-room-only trains. They carried blankets and wore Obama scarves to ward off the wind chills below 15 degrees Fahrenheit.
Suburban Washington train stations were jammed. A four-story parking deck at the Springfield, Virginia, station was filled at 5 a.m., CNN's Barbara Starr reported. But trains rolling into the stop about 15 miles south of the Capitol had no room for the hundreds on the platform, Starr reported.
"It is going to take a good, long while for people to get downtown," Starr said.
But just being among the crowd is good enough for many.
Lari Taylor of Middletown, New Jersey, was one of those who headed to the capital without a ticket to get into events and will be one of hundreds of thousands on the mall. Taylor on Monday said she came to Washington "hoping to hear that message of hope and change."
"Every time Obama speaks, it's inspiring. We're just so excited about the change," she said.
As one walked through the Mall on the eve of the inauguration, there was a buzz of anticipation. Visitors wandered around the Mall snapping pictures and shooting video of the Capitol and the monuments.
The scene around Lafayette Square was almost chaotic, with cars turning around in the street as they were confronted with newly erected barriers to closed-off areas and clots of pedestrians crossing streets against the light, snarling traffic in other areas.
The visitors' excitement rubbed off on some of the jaded locals, one of whom said D.C. residents were "cynical of government."
"The energy on the streets is something I've never seen before," said Nancy Wigal, a 45-year-old technical writer who lives in the Mount Vernon Square area. "People are walking lighter, standing taller and are reaching out to one another. It feels like hope. It feels like shared happiness."
Don't Miss
The morning began at 4 a.m. for many as those without tickets made a land grab on the Mall, rushing to stake out positions for the ceremony.
After Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden take their oaths of office on the western front of the Capitol, Obama will deliver a highly anticipated inaugural address, which Obama aides say will emphasize that America is entering a new era of responsibility.
Obama will say America has been hurt by a "me-first" mentality that contributed to the current economic crisis, aides say, and he will call on individuals -- as well as corporations and businesses -- to take responsibility for their actions in the approximately 20-minute speech.
After a formal farewell to President George W. Bush and lunch with congressional leaders, Obama will head up Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House, where he and his family will watch the inauguration parade from a specially built reviewing stand. The parade begins at 3:45 p.m. ET.
The new president and first lady will then close the night by attending 10 official inaugural balls.
Estimates of 1 million to 2 million people have been given for people at the various events, but officials have said they really don't know how many will show up.
Organizers have said about 280,000 people can fit into the secure zones around the Capitol and roughly 300,000 into the area around the parade. A mere 28,000 seats are available on Capitol grounds.
Those lucky enough to have tickets to the inauguration will undergo tight screening, including passing through magnetometers, when they enter the seating area in front of the Capitol.
Spectators without tickets will be routed to the Mall, which, for the first time, will be open from end to end for an inauguration. Security there will be less stringent.
Jeri Pickett of Rochester, New York, was one of the fortunate few who got a ticket.
"I'd just like to see the inspiration of America," said Pickett, when asked what he was expecting from Inauguration Day. "There's so much warmth here now and excitement -- rejuvenation.
"There's a real hope for America. It's the spark that everybody needed," he added.
Washington transportation officials say they will run subway trains on rush-hour schedules starting at 4 a.m. as well as extra buses. The area's rail system, Metro, expects more than 1 million riders.
Inauguration events have already drawn record crowds. A crowd attending an inauguration concert Sunday was estimated between 300,000 and 400,000 and stretched from the Lincoln Memorial all the way to the Washington Monument, which stands at the midpoint of the Mall.
While Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan told CNN on Monday that there was "no credible threat" to the inauguration events, security is extremely tight. A security cordon has been put in place around the city's core, turning much of downtown Washington into pedestrian-only.
In addition to the Secret Service, the security effort will involve 8,000 police officers from the District of Columbia and other jurisdictions, 10,000 National Guard troops, about 1,000 FBI personnel, and hundreds of others from the Department of Homeland Security, the National Park Service and U.S. Capitol Police.
Another 20,000 members of the National Guard are ready to respond if there is an emergency, according to outgoing Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff.
source:CNN
Our Juniors lose to Britain in bronze playoff
KUALA LUMPUR: After a string of good performances, the National Juniors were brought down to earth by Britain in the playoff match for the bronze at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival (AYOF) in Sydney yesterday.
Malaysia lost the match 2-5. Earlier in the round-robin four-nation tournament, Malaysia and Britain drew 4.4.
In other matches, Malaysia performed well too, losing narrowly to Australia (1-2) and drawing with India (5-5).
Yesterday, Britain had little trouble beating Malaysia, scoring three goals in the first half to keep a firm grip on the match.
Kenny Bain scored the opening goal in the 16th minute and Martin Scanlon and Chris Gregg were on target in the 19th and 32nd minutes respectively. The other scorers for Britain were Simon Faulkner (49th) and Gregg (55th).
Malaysia scored through Kavin Kartik (24th) and Faisal Shaari (40th).
Coach K. Rajan said: “Overall there was a dip in performance. Britain capitalised on our mistakes in defence. But it was a good lesson for the players. They must learn to be ready for tough back-to-back matches. They will find this happening in the Junior World Cup Finals.
“We will have a one-day break before we start our friendly series against the local sides. We have arranged for four matches before we return home.”
Australia captured the gold medal, scoring a golden goal in the 76th minute to beat India 2-1. Kieran Govers gave Australia the lead in the third minute. The Indians equalised in the 55th minute through Pramod Kumar to force extra time.
Long cold hours before Obama's inaugural dawn, crowds already gather
WASHINGTON -- Although open to visitors at all times, the Lincoln Memorial is generally deserted most Monday nights. Especially on frigid winter nights like this one.
But tonight, on the eve of the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama, the prodigious sculpture of the 16th U.S. president won't find any moments of rest.
At a quarter past midnight, workers buzzed around the monument, making final adjustments to the stage. A cameraman was peering through a viewfinder to ensure that viewers at home -- and those unlucky folks on the National Mall, who are too far away to make out more than a couple specks on stage -- don't miss a moment of the event.
Park rangers are scattered about, with large coats, joking with each other in an attempt to forget the cold and pass the time -- less than 12 more hours. They're also there to ensure no one tries to camp out overnight.
"You can't put up a tent. You can't throw down a blanket. You can sit in a lawn chair," said one ranger. "That's just what our lawyer tells us," he said, when asked about the unusual technicalities.
Why would you want to [camp out] anyway? It's really cold out," the ranger pointed out.
Ritchie Hansell, an England native, currently studying at Brown University, flew out with a few of his friends from school for the inauguration. The group briefly considered braving the outdoors overnight. "We thought about it for a minute," Hansell said. "But it is way too cold."
It's 24 degrees in Washington as of 2 a.m., according to the Weather Channel. That's 11 with wind chill.
But the cold wasn't going to stop some enthusiastic Los Angeles residents. Joyce Jordan, who works at a lawfirm in L.A., is excited to be in the nation's capitol with her family -- and, of course, millions of other people.
"Being a child of the 50's, I never thought that there would be an opportunity where I would have a black president in my lifetime," Jordan said. "Ever."
Not the chilly weather, nor the fact that she doesn't have tickets -- she plans to arrive at 5:30 to ensure a decent spot -- will stand in her way of witnessing Obama's inauguration. Tonight, Jordan was touring the monuments with her family. "It was 83 when I left town on Friday," she said. "It's cold. I can't wait to go back home."
Is anyone really going to try to camp out? Maybe not.
But someone might, which is why the Department of the Interior will be on duty around the clock.
It won't be long until the crowds start pouring in any way. While the Mall, a nearly two-mile long stretch of grass, officially stays open all night, the rangers expect the hordes to start showing up around 4 a.m. The inauguration doesn't begin until noon, but recommendations are to secure a spot by 7:30.
Arthur Moore, a mechanic from Boston, went immediately to the Lincoln Memorial after his plane landed. His cousin is giving him the tour. When asked why he decided to fly to the event, he gave the same answer that many people declared tonight: to be a part of history. Moore plans to return in the morning around 6.
For Tennessee native Kenneth Nesbitt, another late-night Lincoln dweller, the story is pretty similar. He doesn't have tickets to the inauguration. He has come to witness history. But he'll be one-upping Moore -- he's coming at 5.
Jim Marsh has lived in the Washington area for nearly eight years, but had never toured the monuments. So, tonight the Gaithersburg, Md. resident is finally making the rounds, and sharing some "history," as he said, with his daughter.
"My father brought me to the antiwar protest when I was her age," Marsh said. "My mom is Japanese; my godmother is West Indian. You know, my whole life has been about tolerance."
And, with today's swearing in of the nation's first African American president, it looks like nothing is going to stand in the way of the racial equality theme. Not sleep. Not crowds. Not even Mother Nature, herself.
-- Mark Milian
Low building costs are economy's silver lining
Construction costs for Cabarrus County's two newest schools are well under budget, but the savings are unlikely to translate into more money for the schools.
Cox Mill High School, scheduled to open in August, is more than $5million under budget. The new Hickory Ridge Middle School, planned to open in 2010, is already more than $500,000 under its projected cost.
Sam Masters, construction director for the Cabarrus County Schools, said building conditions are unlike any he has seen in 20 years in the business.
“For the county and taxpayers, it is an excellent time to build,” Masters said. “They will get great value for what they get.”
The county paid less than $400,000 to grade the land for Hickory Ridge Middle. It originally budgeted more than $900,000. Masters said the county had more than 20 bidders for that project. Most projects have fewer than 10.
But the favorable conditions won't move up construction of more schools, he said. The school system has five major projects coming up, but bids for those projects are not expected until March or April.
“We would like to, but we get our funding through the county,” Masters said. “It is not like a general bond. If we don't spend it, that doesn't necessarily mean we'll have it.”
The school system must wait for the county to allocate more money for building. And, with the economic downturn, any savings from building costs could be used for other needs.
“That money should go back to the taxpayers,” Cabarrus County commissioner Coy Privette said. “Rather than saving money to spend money, we ought to relieve some of the tax burden.”
Two new elementary schools are scheduled to open in 2010, but grading has not begun on those sites. Classroom additions for Furr Elementary and Boger Elementary also are planned, along with a new northwestern middle school.
Even if the county doesn't add school money, Masters said, he doesn't expect the county to miss out on savings. He is confident building costs will not jump up for a long time.
“The bids are coming in so cheap right now,” he said. “Residential and commercial business have really slowed down, so government building is the only steady business. Companies are just willing to meet their expenses and get what they need to keep people employed.”
By Kevin Cary
kcary@charlotteobserver.com
Magistrate mulls impasse between Broward County teachers, school district
By Kathy Bushouse and Akilah Johnson | South Florida Sun-Sentinel
January 20, 2009
Broward's public school teachers started 2009 without a new contract, as the school district and teachers' union remain locked in a fight over raises.
But a break in the monthslong impasse could come soon, after the two sides met in a hearing with a special magistrate last week. The magistrate took testimony from school district and union witnesses, and has 30 days to issue a ruling. The Broward County Click here for restaurant inspection reports School Board will then vote to approve or reject the magistrate's recommendations.
The union declared an impasse to negotiations last October, after the two sides failed to reach an agreement over raises for the 2009-10 school year. Both sides had earlier agreed to a 3.25-percent increase for this school year, after the district initially said there was no money for raises.
District officials said that with budget cuts looming from the state, they couldn't guarantee raises for the 2009-10 school year. Broward Schools Superintendent James Notter said state education officials warned him to expect as much as $120 million in cuts for the upcoming school year.
Union officials say the district can afford teacher raises next year, and that they've identified unused pots of money for them — as much as $65 million.
"We're not blind to the fact that Florida is in financial straits, as well as the United States," said Broward Teachers Union President Pat Santeramo. "All we get from Notter is 'I'm not comfortable,' and that's not good enough for me."
More than 200 teachers took their demands for more money to the streets with a sidewalk protest Thursday in front of the Tamarac Community Center, where the impasse hearing took place.
Jayeson Owen, 31, a teacher at Bright Horizons Education Center in Pompano Beach, said teachers aren't looking to get rich — just to be able to afford their homes and cars without working two or three jobs.
"We're not asking to live in million-dollar homes and drive Corvettes," he said while standing along Commercial Boulevard. "We're asking to be able to afford the modest homes we do have."
Kathy Bushouse can be reached at kbushouse@SunSentinel.com or 954-356-4556.
Check out your schools
For a complete guide for everything you need to know about South Florida schools, including calendars, lunch menus, after care information, resources for students, parents and teachers, go to SunSentinel.com/schools
January 20, 2009
Broward's public school teachers started 2009 without a new contract, as the school district and teachers' union remain locked in a fight over raises.
But a break in the monthslong impasse could come soon, after the two sides met in a hearing with a special magistrate last week. The magistrate took testimony from school district and union witnesses, and has 30 days to issue a ruling. The Broward County Click here for restaurant inspection reports School Board will then vote to approve or reject the magistrate's recommendations.
The union declared an impasse to negotiations last October, after the two sides failed to reach an agreement over raises for the 2009-10 school year. Both sides had earlier agreed to a 3.25-percent increase for this school year, after the district initially said there was no money for raises.
District officials said that with budget cuts looming from the state, they couldn't guarantee raises for the 2009-10 school year. Broward Schools Superintendent James Notter said state education officials warned him to expect as much as $120 million in cuts for the upcoming school year.
Union officials say the district can afford teacher raises next year, and that they've identified unused pots of money for them — as much as $65 million.
"We're not blind to the fact that Florida is in financial straits, as well as the United States," said Broward Teachers Union President Pat Santeramo. "All we get from Notter is 'I'm not comfortable,' and that's not good enough for me."
More than 200 teachers took their demands for more money to the streets with a sidewalk protest Thursday in front of the Tamarac Community Center, where the impasse hearing took place.
Jayeson Owen, 31, a teacher at Bright Horizons Education Center in Pompano Beach, said teachers aren't looking to get rich — just to be able to afford their homes and cars without working two or three jobs.
"We're not asking to live in million-dollar homes and drive Corvettes," he said while standing along Commercial Boulevard. "We're asking to be able to afford the modest homes we do have."
Kathy Bushouse can be reached at kbushouse@SunSentinel.com or 954-356-4556.
Check out your schools
For a complete guide for everything you need to know about South Florida schools, including calendars, lunch menus, after care information, resources for students, parents and teachers, go to SunSentinel.com/schools
Senin, 19 Januari 2009
'Biggest Loser' Champ Gains Back 122 Lbs
(Jan. 15) - Even though third season 'Biggest Loser' champ, Erik Chopin, lost a remarkable 214 pounds on the show, he has gained half his original weight back. Weighing in close to 300 pounds, Chopin says once he stopped getting attention from the show, he fell into depression and stopped exercising. He sat down for an candid interview with Access Hollywood to talk about yo-yo dieting, body lift surgery and getting his weight under control.
When the show originally aired, Chopin was the center of attention and media coverage, having went from 407 to 193 pounds. While in the public eye, he kept his weight maintained and even underwent a dramatic body lift surgery in 2007 to get rid of the excess body fat, sagging around his waist. During the surgery, doctors removed over 10 pounds of skin.
The Long Island native told Access Hollywood that once people stopped caring about his weight loss, he fell into depression and quit exercising. "I started to feel cornered and trapped. I started to put weight back on, and it just continued," he said.
"The weight started to creep back on... I felt like I let everybody down, first and foremost my family," he said, stating he is currently weighing in over 300 pounds.
On Monday, Chopin went public about his relapse on 'The Oprah Winfrey Show.' He admitted that seeing her talk about her yo-yo dieting and weight gain made him feel like he was not alone.
Now he is finally ready to turn his life around before his weight gets "out of control," he told Oprah. While he doesn't expect to get down to 193 pounds again, he admits he just wants to be healthy. "This time I am not going to get involved with a number. I want to be healthy and fit," he said. "I just got back from the gym. I feel psyched. This is awesome," Chopin said, citing his cycling classes as a great weight loss exercise.
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When the show originally aired, Chopin was the center of attention and media coverage, having went from 407 to 193 pounds. While in the public eye, he kept his weight maintained and even underwent a dramatic body lift surgery in 2007 to get rid of the excess body fat, sagging around his waist. During the surgery, doctors removed over 10 pounds of skin.
The Long Island native told Access Hollywood that once people stopped caring about his weight loss, he fell into depression and quit exercising. "I started to feel cornered and trapped. I started to put weight back on, and it just continued," he said.
"The weight started to creep back on... I felt like I let everybody down, first and foremost my family," he said, stating he is currently weighing in over 300 pounds.
On Monday, Chopin went public about his relapse on 'The Oprah Winfrey Show.' He admitted that seeing her talk about her yo-yo dieting and weight gain made him feel like he was not alone.
Now he is finally ready to turn his life around before his weight gets "out of control," he told Oprah. While he doesn't expect to get down to 193 pounds again, he admits he just wants to be healthy. "This time I am not going to get involved with a number. I want to be healthy and fit," he said. "I just got back from the gym. I feel psyched. This is awesome," Chopin said, citing his cycling classes as a great weight loss exercise.
PopEater
filed under: Curves, TV News
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