A Solution to Your Problems?
The present jackpot in the nation-wide Mega Millions lottery drawing has raised to astounding $171,000,000 (or $171 million). I could write the amount of the Mega Millions lottery without all these zeros, but written this way, the amount seems more impressive.
Last Friday, no player got the 5 numbers plus the Mega Ball right at the drawing. The prize rolled over to this huge amount because last Tuesday, there was also no jackpot winner. And that was combined with the jackpot of Friday.
There are no other high-stake lotteries around at this time, so if you dream to be a multi-millionaire. There are also smaller prizes for $2, $3, $7 and $10 if you got only a couple of white balls right or the Mega ball is right. Take a loot at it, the next drawing is Friday, the 27th of February. Share the prize with me, if you decided to play after reading this article.
I hope I didn't give you too much hope to earn the main prize ($171 millions) since the chances of winning are 1 in 175,711,536. Winning $2, on the other hand, is kind of easier. In this case, you have 1 change in 75. Winning the Mega Millions lottery is still easier than winning the Powerball lottery, which has 1 chance in 195 millions (ok, 195.000.000).
You may be thinking if your chances are higher or lower to win during the economical downturn. The answer is clear - matching the 5 numbers and the Mega Ball is equally difficult any time. On the other hand, the chances that many player play this game is higher, so a jackpot can accumulate, like this time and roll over to the next drawing.
If you play, remember to check your results with the official sources. Mostly the seller of the lottery is the best source. The drawing takes place in Atlanta at 11:00 PM, ET.
I personally enjoy checking my number as the drawing is taking place. At least, I get emotion going through me.
Robert Gandalf
Rabu, 25 Februari 2009
Lenten church services today
Ash Wednesday services will be conducted at a variety of churches today, marking the beginning of the Lenten period. 7 a.m., 12:15 p.m., 6 p.m. - St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, 4100 S. Coulter St. 7 a.m., 9 a.m., 12:10 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 7 p.m. - St. Mary's Catholic Church, 1200 S. Washington St. 8:30 a.m., 7 p.m. - St. Joseph Catholic Church, 4122 S. Bonham St. Noon - Covenant Fellowship Church, 1731 S. Avondale St. Sandwich lunch follows. Noon - Mass, J.A. Hill Chapel, West Texas A&M University, Canyon. 6 p.m. - Polk Street United Methodist Church, 1401 S. Polk St. 6:30 p.m. - St. Stephen United Methodist Church, 4600 S. Western St. Nursery. 6:30 p.m. - Westminster Presbyterian, 2525 Wimberly Road. 7 p.m. - Trinity Lutheran Church, 5005 W. Interstate 40. Nursery. 7 p.m. - St. Peter's Episcopal Church, 4714 N.W. Fourth Ave. 7 p.m.
Lent is the 40 days before Easter when the Christian church reflects on its sinfulness and Christ's sacrifice, said Brian Hesse, senior pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church.
"The church has traditionally used ashes, which are placed in the sign of the cross on a person's forehead, and that symbolizes the fact that Scriptures say, 'We are dust and to dust we will return,' " Hesse said, citing Genesis 3:19.
Ashes, an Old Testament sign of repentance for sin, are made from the burned palms from the previous year's Palm Sunday service and mixed with olive oil, which is what the early church would have used, he said.
Ash Wednesday Services
- Staff Writer Cheryl Berzanskis
Ash Wednesday has local Catholics preparing to enjoy fish on Fridays
Like many Catholics of a similar age, The Rev. Josef Wagenhoffer, 67, pastor of Saint Joseph's parish in Somers Point has fond memories of the Lenten traditions of his youth.
As a child, it was always fish that graced the dinner table for his family on Friday. He remembers especially the fried fillet of flounder coming to the table. Father Joe said his favorite dish, however, was "a tuna fish salad with some egg and some celery served cold along with warm stewed tomatoes and home-fried potatoes." That's a meal he still enjoys today, with a combination of ingredients and a comforting taste that "tickles his fancy."
While growing up, the church required both fasting and abstinence at times during Lent, meaning the one meal permitted had to provide enough protein to carry you through the day. Fish, in some form, was the perfect medium.
The requirement to eat fish on certain days was relaxed around 1966 when Father Joe was a young priest. His pastor at the time announced that even though the rules had changed, they would continue to eat fish in the rectory on Fridays during Lent. The young priest, not wanting his pastor to have too much control over his life, then announced he could do that since he liked fish, but he would first always have a big slice of ham. And that was exactly what he did at the first Friday meal. The next Friday meal, the pastor served steak. Father Joe now eats fish two or three times per week, especially on Fridays.
Lydia Saburn, 78, a parishioner at St. Joseph's, prefers to cook traditional dishes such as clam pie, oyster fritters and cod chowder. Saburn makes her clam pie by simmering "potatoes that are diced pretty carefully" along with onion and celery in some clam juice for the broth. She thickens it by adding some flour. Saburn uses a store bought pie shell for the crust. Her husband just said the other night that Saburn hadn't made a clam pie in a long time. Saburn is now on the hook for an Ash Wednesday clam pie.
Dominic Alcaro, owner of Barbera Seafood &Produce in Atlantic City, knows which fish sells best during Lent and how to cook each one. "Fluke, red snapper fillets and Chilean sea bass are our big sellers, while the Italians prefer fish like whiting. And of course, salmon is always popular." You would expect him to have a recipe or two for a good way to cook fish for your family. Alcaro explains his favorite method, "Take a piece of fluke fillet and coat it with some olive oil, dice up some garlic, dice up some onion, chop some fresh parsley and squeeze a tomato over the top. Wrap it in some aluminum foil and finish in the oven 15 minutes. It's one of the healthiest, good eating fish there is." It's hard to argue with Alcaro's technique. Oyster Stew 1 ounce unsalted butter 12 oysters, shucked, reserve oyster liquor 16 ounces light cream or milk Dash of Worcestershire sauce Dash of Tabasco (or to taste) Salt and white pepper Pinch of cayenne Directions: Melt butter in small sauce pan. Add oysters to butter and cook for 1 minute, just until the edges begin to curl. Add remaining ingredients including oyster liquor and bring to simmer for 2 minutes. Add some crumbled oyster crackers for texture. By MICHAEL HUBER For The Press
Jumat, 20 Februari 2009
Say YES to the Stimulus
The stimulus package has some bad parts. That much I won’t argue. And the way in which Democrats have executed its passage seems a bit ruthless and unkind, but only because we’ve forgotten how the Republicans did things before the 2006 elections. What’s more, there actually has been a good deal of compromise on the legislation. Despite the faults of the stimulus package, there are a lot of things right with it. And the benefits by far outweigh the detriments.
I’ve never understood those who live solely in the short term (see: Mission Accomplished in Iraq and Britney Spears’ marriages). Yes, the economy needs a pretty effective jolt right now, but what’s wrong with having that jolt come with supportive wires to keep the machine working in the long term? The banks are getting their money — 2.5 trillion dollars’ worth — from Geithner’s bailout plan. Personally, that’s more than I’d like banks to get without hardball strings attached, like, say, not to use it to throw corporate parties to congratulate themselves on receiving a bailout (I’m no Andrew Jackson, but I’m also not a fan of the Wall Street atmosphere).
To then turn around and attack the stimulus package because it has appropriations for such long-term recipients as education, energy infrastructure and health care is absolutely ridiculous. For one, there are provisions, like tax cuts and public works projects, that are certainly geared towards short-term recovery. The projects are reminiscent of Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal, which created thousands of new jobs while increasing government spending. If my Ec10 memory serves me correctly, government spending, used in conjunction with tax cuts, can ameliorate a sour economy. For another thing, this “pork” is more than just Democrats taking revenge on Republican spending during the Bush years. The pork includes money to deliver clean and safe drinking water to areas in the West that have been devastated by drought, among other worthy projects.
From a political standpoint, the Democrats really only have the first two years to get major legislation through. The Republicans could always achieve a midterm election victory. So the Democrats are working to get their “sissy liberal reforms” in, even if it means squeezing them into a stimulus package.
The “sissy liberals” are requiring that medical records become electronic before they go extinct, to eliminate the headaches that patients have to go through; administrative failures that can cost lives. They’re helping states pay for Medicaid, because as more people become unemployed and poor, more people qualify for the already-burdened program. They also put in 1.2 billion dollars to increase the quality of care for veterans, a largely forgotten population whose experiences in war should not be punished with mediocre care.
The Democrats want to work on infrastructure projects such as increasing broadband access across America. This doesn’t seem very important to those of us who sit comfortably in our wireless-enabled dorms, but today’s communications network is just as important as the rail network was in the 19th century. There’s money to repair the nation’s highways, which not only creates jobs, but actually is quite important to public safety (remember the bridge collapse in Minnesota?). There’s also money for our public transportation, which, to anyone who has ever been to Europe, seems an antediluvian sham. The economy isn’t just about banks and Wall Street. It’s about developing the infrastructure and technology to support the entire country and promote long-term growth.
The Dems are also giving money to schools for repairs and renovation. What does construction have to do with the economy, you ask? Well, let’s not even look at the creation of construction jobs, that’s a little too obvious. Last year, in Gov 1368, “The Politics of American Education,” Mayor Bill Purcell, now the Director of the IOP, gave a guest lecture. As mayor of Nashville, he had given schools money for repairs and renovations. Why? Because if students are cold in school, if they have rainwater dripping on their heads, if they generally have to learn in a miserable environment on top of everything else they have to go through, then their education isn’t as effective as it could be. Seriously.
The package also seeks to provide money for Pell grants, the under-funded federal program that allows poor students to attend college; for IDEA and special education programs; and for Title I grants. In the long term, as Harvard’s own Claudia Goldin and Lawrence Katz wrote, it’s the “education gap” between the US and its competitors that has been a significant factor in our country’s economic success. As the economists argue, America only reached its eminence due to emphasis on educating the masses at a time when other great powers were still busy pillaging for short-term gains and educating only the crème de la crème.
The stimulus package has already been negotiated, and compromises have been made. The state governors wanted billions of dollars more than they’re getting to stabilize their states’ economies. Obama’s own planned tax cuts had to be slashed down to a smaller number. Schools saw billions in repairs and grants taken away. In this economy, everyone has to make sacrifices. It’s time the Republicans learn that.
As the Obama administration has already said, economic recovery won’t happen fast. The economy, they said, still has yet to reach rock bottom; is not on an upward path at the moment. But in the meantime, in the face of media criticism, the stimulus package is on its way. It has short-term provisions for quick job creation, tax cuts, and government sending.
Just as important, though, the stimulus package gives money to long-term causes that will guarantee America’s economic growth. There’s no way you can expect an economy to survive if it can’t grow in the long-term.
By Susan Zhu
www.harvardindependent.com
I’ve never understood those who live solely in the short term (see: Mission Accomplished in Iraq and Britney Spears’ marriages). Yes, the economy needs a pretty effective jolt right now, but what’s wrong with having that jolt come with supportive wires to keep the machine working in the long term? The banks are getting their money — 2.5 trillion dollars’ worth — from Geithner’s bailout plan. Personally, that’s more than I’d like banks to get without hardball strings attached, like, say, not to use it to throw corporate parties to congratulate themselves on receiving a bailout (I’m no Andrew Jackson, but I’m also not a fan of the Wall Street atmosphere).
To then turn around and attack the stimulus package because it has appropriations for such long-term recipients as education, energy infrastructure and health care is absolutely ridiculous. For one, there are provisions, like tax cuts and public works projects, that are certainly geared towards short-term recovery. The projects are reminiscent of Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal, which created thousands of new jobs while increasing government spending. If my Ec10 memory serves me correctly, government spending, used in conjunction with tax cuts, can ameliorate a sour economy. For another thing, this “pork” is more than just Democrats taking revenge on Republican spending during the Bush years. The pork includes money to deliver clean and safe drinking water to areas in the West that have been devastated by drought, among other worthy projects.
From a political standpoint, the Democrats really only have the first two years to get major legislation through. The Republicans could always achieve a midterm election victory. So the Democrats are working to get their “sissy liberal reforms” in, even if it means squeezing them into a stimulus package.
The “sissy liberals” are requiring that medical records become electronic before they go extinct, to eliminate the headaches that patients have to go through; administrative failures that can cost lives. They’re helping states pay for Medicaid, because as more people become unemployed and poor, more people qualify for the already-burdened program. They also put in 1.2 billion dollars to increase the quality of care for veterans, a largely forgotten population whose experiences in war should not be punished with mediocre care.
The Democrats want to work on infrastructure projects such as increasing broadband access across America. This doesn’t seem very important to those of us who sit comfortably in our wireless-enabled dorms, but today’s communications network is just as important as the rail network was in the 19th century. There’s money to repair the nation’s highways, which not only creates jobs, but actually is quite important to public safety (remember the bridge collapse in Minnesota?). There’s also money for our public transportation, which, to anyone who has ever been to Europe, seems an antediluvian sham. The economy isn’t just about banks and Wall Street. It’s about developing the infrastructure and technology to support the entire country and promote long-term growth.
The Dems are also giving money to schools for repairs and renovation. What does construction have to do with the economy, you ask? Well, let’s not even look at the creation of construction jobs, that’s a little too obvious. Last year, in Gov 1368, “The Politics of American Education,” Mayor Bill Purcell, now the Director of the IOP, gave a guest lecture. As mayor of Nashville, he had given schools money for repairs and renovations. Why? Because if students are cold in school, if they have rainwater dripping on their heads, if they generally have to learn in a miserable environment on top of everything else they have to go through, then their education isn’t as effective as it could be. Seriously.
The package also seeks to provide money for Pell grants, the under-funded federal program that allows poor students to attend college; for IDEA and special education programs; and for Title I grants. In the long term, as Harvard’s own Claudia Goldin and Lawrence Katz wrote, it’s the “education gap” between the US and its competitors that has been a significant factor in our country’s economic success. As the economists argue, America only reached its eminence due to emphasis on educating the masses at a time when other great powers were still busy pillaging for short-term gains and educating only the crème de la crème.
The stimulus package has already been negotiated, and compromises have been made. The state governors wanted billions of dollars more than they’re getting to stabilize their states’ economies. Obama’s own planned tax cuts had to be slashed down to a smaller number. Schools saw billions in repairs and grants taken away. In this economy, everyone has to make sacrifices. It’s time the Republicans learn that.
As the Obama administration has already said, economic recovery won’t happen fast. The economy, they said, still has yet to reach rock bottom; is not on an upward path at the moment. But in the meantime, in the face of media criticism, the stimulus package is on its way. It has short-term provisions for quick job creation, tax cuts, and government sending.
Just as important, though, the stimulus package gives money to long-term causes that will guarantee America’s economic growth. There’s no way you can expect an economy to survive if it can’t grow in the long-term.
By Susan Zhu
www.harvardindependent.com
TMZ Rihanna Photo Shows Her Beaten and Bruised
TMZ has posted a picture of a beaten up and bruised Rihanna. You can see the TMZ Rihanna photo
The TMZ Rihanna photo comes with an attached statement from the police; they want to know who leaked the TMZ Rihanna photo. The statement says that "the photograph has the appearance of one taken during an official Domestic Violence investigation."
At the time of this writing, the TMZ Rihanna photo has received 1,518 comments. The substance of the comments run the gamut - from the usual obnoxious comments you oftentimes find on such websites to those that reflect a heartfelt concern for Rihanna and battered women in general. Some question whether the TMZ Rihanna photo was photo shopped; some condemn the TMZ Rihanna photo as an invasion of privacy.
That the police would attach a statement to the TMZ Rihanna photo, however, suggests in no uncertain terms that they, at the very least, suspect that it is authentic. And, that, in turn, is troubling, for the bruises and injuries shown in the picture are quite extensive. Rihanna was beaten up pretty viciously.
One commenter on the TMZ website notes that the picture is the face of domestic violence. And if the leaking of this picture raises awareness of this terribly serious and pervasive crime, than it has done some good. It might inspire someone who is the victim of domestic violence - or knows someone who is - to get help.
It is no secret that the perpetrator of the brutal beating of Rihanna is allegedly her boyfriend, singer-songwriter Chris Brown. On February 8, after he allegedly got into an argument with Rihanna, Chris Brown turned himself in to the Los Angeles Police Department where he was subsequently arrested and charged with domestic assault.
As a result of the allegations noted above, Wrigley suspended all advertisements featuring Chris Brown, and will not reinstate them until his legal issues are resolved. According to the Los Angeles Times, Brown has since hired high-profile defense attorney Mark Geragos (some of his most famous clients include Winona Ryder and Michael Jackson).
by Hartley Engel
www.associatedcontent.com
The TMZ Rihanna photo comes with an attached statement from the police; they want to know who leaked the TMZ Rihanna photo. The statement says that "the photograph has the appearance of one taken during an official Domestic Violence investigation."
At the time of this writing, the TMZ Rihanna photo has received 1,518 comments. The substance of the comments run the gamut - from the usual obnoxious comments you oftentimes find on such websites to those that reflect a heartfelt concern for Rihanna and battered women in general. Some question whether the TMZ Rihanna photo was photo shopped; some condemn the TMZ Rihanna photo as an invasion of privacy.
That the police would attach a statement to the TMZ Rihanna photo, however, suggests in no uncertain terms that they, at the very least, suspect that it is authentic. And, that, in turn, is troubling, for the bruises and injuries shown in the picture are quite extensive. Rihanna was beaten up pretty viciously.
One commenter on the TMZ website notes that the picture is the face of domestic violence. And if the leaking of this picture raises awareness of this terribly serious and pervasive crime, than it has done some good. It might inspire someone who is the victim of domestic violence - or knows someone who is - to get help.
It is no secret that the perpetrator of the brutal beating of Rihanna is allegedly her boyfriend, singer-songwriter Chris Brown. On February 8, after he allegedly got into an argument with Rihanna, Chris Brown turned himself in to the Los Angeles Police Department where he was subsequently arrested and charged with domestic assault.
As a result of the allegations noted above, Wrigley suspended all advertisements featuring Chris Brown, and will not reinstate them until his legal issues are resolved. According to the Los Angeles Times, Brown has since hired high-profile defense attorney Mark Geragos (some of his most famous clients include Winona Ryder and Michael Jackson).
by Hartley Engel
www.associatedcontent.com
Friday Sports Roundup; Tiger Woods Returns, Bracketbuster Weekend Is Here
Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: Chris Paul and the Hornets take on Kobe Bryant’s Lakers, the Mavs battle the Rockets, and the Ducks travel up to Detroit.
Tipping off on the hardwood . . .
The Hornets will be in Los Angeles to meet the Lakers in the top NBA matchup on a busy Friday slate for the league that features 11 games. The Hornets dealt center Tyson Chandler to the Thunder on Tuesday afternoon in exchange for forwards Joe Smith and Chris Wilcox, then beat Oklahoma City 100-98 that night. However, Chandler failed a physical on Wednesday and the trade was reversed.
The struggling Thunder will be in Phoenix to play the Suns on Friday; Alvin Gentry guided his team to a 140-100 spanking of the Clippers in his debut as the Suns’ interim head coach on Tuesday night. As well, it’ll be Orlando at Charlotte, Toronto at New York, Sacramento at Memphis, Washington at New Jersey, Indiana at Minnesota, Denver at Chicago, and Atlanta at Portland, while LeBron James and his Cavaliers will hit the road for a game in Milwaukee vs. the Bucks.
Finally, the Mavericks will meet the Rockets in Houston in a big Western clash on Friday. The Rockets knocked off New Jersey 114-88 on Tuesday night thanks to 20 points and 12 boards from Yao Ming. However, Houston swingman Tracy McGrady is expected to miss the rest of the year thanks to a chronic knee injury.
Best Betting Events
The sportsbooks are the ultimate pawn shop symbol thanks to the world’s top sports handicappers led by the greatest ever, GodsTips.
GodsTips sweeps the board yesterday and is now 12-3 recently. Wise Guy plays are 23-11 in college basketball and remember with the Bracket Busters, those phenomenal non-conference systems jump back to the forefront.
We’d say we are heating up for March Madness, but we are always winning long-term so it’s just another (long) day at the office.
Friday GodsTips has three winners including two Wise Guy winners. Click now to purchase If only the Barbie Bandits knew how easy it is to make money honestly.
The march toward Madness . . .
None of the big conferences are in action on the college hoops schedule on Friday night; smaller matchups of note include Illinois State at Niagara, and VCU at Nevada. As well, Ivy League leaders Cornell will be on the road to take on Yale; the Big Red sit at 17-7 SU and 11-7 ATS through 24 games on the season.
Taking a trip around the rink . . .
The National Hockey League offers up just three games on Friday night, including Anaheim on the road in Detroit. Those two teams last met January 14 in Southern California, with the Wings winning 4-3. Niklas Kronwall had a pair of assists for Detroit in that game, while Ryan Getzlaf had three points for Anaheim. Also on the NHL schedule: Tampa Bay at Carolina, and Colorado at Washington.
Rounding out the Roundup . . .
The Sprint Cup Series will run its second race of the season, the Auto Club 500, this weekend, with Jimmie Johnson looking to pick up a Top-10 result after a disappointing finish in last week’s Daytona 500 (31st place). The defending Cup champion, though, is still pegged as the big 3/1 favorite to take the series title again this year, with Kyle Busch the closest to him on the Vegas list at 4/1 odds.
Carl Edwards is listed at 5/1 odds to win the 2009 Sprint Cup Championship on the Vegas lines, with Dale Earnhardt Jr. at 8/1, Denny Hamlin at 10/1, and each of Jeff Gordon, Greg Biffle, and Matt Kenseth at 12/1. Rookie driver Joey Logano finished dead last in the Daytona 500, and he’s at 75/1 odds to get the Cup win.
Sports Headlines
The Minnesota Twins and Chicago Cubs are making the biggest rises in the odds to win the World Series…Tiger Woods will return from ACL surgery at next week’s World Golf Championships….Reports are that Boston Celtics superstar Kevin Garnett is heading back to Boston for an MRI
www.offshoreinsiders.com
Tipping off on the hardwood . . .
The Hornets will be in Los Angeles to meet the Lakers in the top NBA matchup on a busy Friday slate for the league that features 11 games. The Hornets dealt center Tyson Chandler to the Thunder on Tuesday afternoon in exchange for forwards Joe Smith and Chris Wilcox, then beat Oklahoma City 100-98 that night. However, Chandler failed a physical on Wednesday and the trade was reversed.
The struggling Thunder will be in Phoenix to play the Suns on Friday; Alvin Gentry guided his team to a 140-100 spanking of the Clippers in his debut as the Suns’ interim head coach on Tuesday night. As well, it’ll be Orlando at Charlotte, Toronto at New York, Sacramento at Memphis, Washington at New Jersey, Indiana at Minnesota, Denver at Chicago, and Atlanta at Portland, while LeBron James and his Cavaliers will hit the road for a game in Milwaukee vs. the Bucks.
Finally, the Mavericks will meet the Rockets in Houston in a big Western clash on Friday. The Rockets knocked off New Jersey 114-88 on Tuesday night thanks to 20 points and 12 boards from Yao Ming. However, Houston swingman Tracy McGrady is expected to miss the rest of the year thanks to a chronic knee injury.
Best Betting Events
The sportsbooks are the ultimate pawn shop symbol thanks to the world’s top sports handicappers led by the greatest ever, GodsTips.
GodsTips sweeps the board yesterday and is now 12-3 recently. Wise Guy plays are 23-11 in college basketball and remember with the Bracket Busters, those phenomenal non-conference systems jump back to the forefront.
We’d say we are heating up for March Madness, but we are always winning long-term so it’s just another (long) day at the office.
Friday GodsTips has three winners including two Wise Guy winners. Click now to purchase If only the Barbie Bandits knew how easy it is to make money honestly.
The march toward Madness . . .
None of the big conferences are in action on the college hoops schedule on Friday night; smaller matchups of note include Illinois State at Niagara, and VCU at Nevada. As well, Ivy League leaders Cornell will be on the road to take on Yale; the Big Red sit at 17-7 SU and 11-7 ATS through 24 games on the season.
Taking a trip around the rink . . .
The National Hockey League offers up just three games on Friday night, including Anaheim on the road in Detroit. Those two teams last met January 14 in Southern California, with the Wings winning 4-3. Niklas Kronwall had a pair of assists for Detroit in that game, while Ryan Getzlaf had three points for Anaheim. Also on the NHL schedule: Tampa Bay at Carolina, and Colorado at Washington.
Rounding out the Roundup . . .
The Sprint Cup Series will run its second race of the season, the Auto Club 500, this weekend, with Jimmie Johnson looking to pick up a Top-10 result after a disappointing finish in last week’s Daytona 500 (31st place). The defending Cup champion, though, is still pegged as the big 3/1 favorite to take the series title again this year, with Kyle Busch the closest to him on the Vegas list at 4/1 odds.
Carl Edwards is listed at 5/1 odds to win the 2009 Sprint Cup Championship on the Vegas lines, with Dale Earnhardt Jr. at 8/1, Denny Hamlin at 10/1, and each of Jeff Gordon, Greg Biffle, and Matt Kenseth at 12/1. Rookie driver Joey Logano finished dead last in the Daytona 500, and he’s at 75/1 odds to get the Cup win.
Sports Headlines
The Minnesota Twins and Chicago Cubs are making the biggest rises in the odds to win the World Series…Tiger Woods will return from ACL surgery at next week’s World Golf Championships….Reports are that Boston Celtics superstar Kevin Garnett is heading back to Boston for an MRI
www.offshoreinsiders.com
Minggu, 15 Februari 2009
Not playing favorites at the Daytona 500
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – So who is the favorite to win today's 51st Daytona 500?
Just like the expected crowded restrictor-plate racing this afternoon, the field of potential winners is jam-packed. Too many favorites and an even field that had testing reduced in the off-season to cut costs might level the competition at Daytona International Speedway.
Nearly 20 drivers seem to be contenders.
"There's just no way you can pick anyone to be the favorite," said Jeff Gordon, a three-time 500 champion. "I think there's just so many opportunities to pass; there's opportunities to move from the back to the front."
The race is set to begin at 2:30 p.m. and could be at the mercy of the weather – there is a 50 percent chance of rain.
Interference from Mother Nature aside, here are five things to watch in today's Daytona 500:
1. Jimmie Johnson starts chase for record fourth consecutive championship.
Johnson has dominated NASCAR in recent years, winning three consecutive Cup championships, tying legend Cale Yarborough for the series record. But Johnson enters the year looking for respect because Carl Edwards is the hot pick to take the crown.
In his seven Daytona starts, Johnson's average finish is 13.6, the best among full-time drivers with more than one 500 start.
2. Can Mark Martin finally win at Daytona?
The ageless driver may have found a late-career revival with Hendrick Motorsports. Martin, 50, will start on the front row with Martin Truex Jr. and has the horsepower to find Victory Lane.
Martin was heartbroken in 2007, when Kevin Harvick passed and edged him at the finish line.
"I think this is the year of opportunity for him to do things that he's never done before," said Jeff Gordon, his teammate.
3. Super-hyped Joey Logano makes his Daytona 500 debut.
Even Gordon wasn't as hyped as Logano, NASCAR's next phenom. Logano has been on the radar for years and was cast as the can't-miss kid. His potential showed over the week, when he made his first appearance at the track.
Logano, 18, will start ninth and drive a familiar car – Stewart's old No. 20 Home Depot Toyota. But Logano doesn't have it all figured out; teammate Kyle Busch took over his car in practice to help with the set-up.
4. Tony Stewart's new team makes its debut.
Saturday flipped Stewart's new Stewart-Haas Racing team upside down. Stewart wrecked into teammate Ryan Newman, who blew a tire in practice ahead of him. Newman went to a third car for the weekend, and Stewart will use his Bud Shootout car.
His attempt to win his first 500 got a lot tougher, but Stewart (using Hendrick motors) is showing he has a special start-up team. Stewart's best Daytona 500 finish was second in 2004, and he has five top-10 finishes in his last six starts in the race. He'll also have A.J. Foyt offering advice in the pits.
5. Winless drivers look for fast start to 2009.
Gordon has lost his way to Victory Lane as well as his status as an intimidator. He hasn't won a points race since October 2007, but he did win a Gatorade Duel on Thursday. A four-time Cup champion, Gordon will start third. He has won three times at Daytona.
Matt Kenseth, who will start 39th with a backup car, is another former series champion who went winless last season. Kenseth will fight against his 500 history, which includes only two career top-10 finishes.
Table Fare: Italian wine and food tasting
La Tavola Ristorante Italiano ( www.la-tavola.com) in Little Italy is holding a casual wine and food tasting Feb. 12 at 6:30 p.m.
Chef-owner Carlo Vignotto will prepare special dishes such as fritto misto and risotto that have been paired with wines from Sicily and Sardinia. Tickets are $50 per person, plus gratuity. Tax is included in the ticket price.
Reservations are required and will not be accepted through Open Table for this event. Call 410-685-1859.
Grains of paradise
Commonly used as a substitute for black pepper in Europe during the Middle Ages, when peppercorns were hard to come by, Grains of Paradise are currently most popular in North Africa and the West Indies, but little known in the United States.
A member of the ginger family, the Melegueta pepper, as Grains of Paradise is officially known, is aromatic and spicy, with a flavor suggestive of ginger and cardamom, and more subtle than black pepper. Grains of Paradise is an interesting substitute for black pepper and works well with vegetable dishes, in mulled wine, and to flavor braised meats.
The seeds must be ground before using. Frontier, a producer of natural products including spices, packages Grains of Paradise in a grinder bottle. Frontier organic herbs and spices are sold at Whole Foods. Grains of paradise are also packaged by Vanns Spices, available at Eddie's of Roland Park.
Foodies trek to D.C's Firefly
The Baltimore Foodies are planning their first foray into the D.C. dining scene with an evening at the acclaimed Firefly restaurant in Dupont Circle, at 7 p.m. on March 19.
Chefs Danny Bortnick and Tip Carter, formerly of The Brewer's Art, will serve a special local and seasonal menu. In addition, Baltimoreans who wish to stay overnight will be offered reduced rates at the Madera Hotel. (Firefly is located in the lobby.)
By Christine Stutz
Examiner Correspondent
An American In Paris
“This is a start for me,” Serena Williams would say after winning the 1999 Paris final, her first tournament title.
at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, a tournament which has since relocated to Memphis, Tennessee.
“This is a start for me,” Serena would say after winning the Paris final.
And what a start it would be. After winning her first grand slam that September at the US Open, Williams last month claimed her 10th grand slam title at the Australian Open while also reclaiming the world's top ranking.
Williams won tennis' greatest prize, Wimbledon in 2002 and 2003 and has also won the Australian Open and the US Open multiple times. However Williams has been victorious only once at the French Open, in 2002.
And in yet another stunning record and rare accomplishment for Williams, she would become the last player female or male to hold the four grand slam titles all at once, beginning with her championship win on the clay at Paris. Over the course 52 weeks from the 2002 French Open though the 2003 Australian Open, Williams went 28-0 in grand slam matches.
Favoring playing first strike tennis, Williams has enjoyed more success on the indoor hardcourts of the Paris Open than she has outdoors on the slower red clay of the French Open. Williams is 13-1 at the Paris Open, having also taken the title in 2003.
And after competing at the Paris Open this week, the American visits Paris again in late May for the French Open.
“It would be great to win more than one, two, more than two grand slams this year. More than three!” she said.
“That would be awesome. Obviously my sights are on doing well in Paris.”
By Tripp Mateschitz, Lawn Tennis Correspondent
Austin Marathon preview
Scouting the field
In order to cut costs, the Austin Marathon decided not to offer prize money to elite runners this year. The change means a local marathoner could be the first across the finish line on Sunday.
In the men's field, three former Statesman Capitol 10,000 champions could duke it out.
Gilbert Tuhabonye, the Cap 10K champ in 2002, has a marathon best of 2 hours, 22 minutes and 7 seconds. He's well-known in Austin as the coach of the Gilbert's Gazelles training group.
Steve Sisson, who helps coach women's distance runners at the University of Texas, held the school's 5,000-meter indoor record for a number of years. The Cap 10K champ in 1992, he finished 12th at the Pike's Peak Marathon a few years back.
Austin's Jean-Marie Ndikumana does not race often, but when he does, look out. In 2004, he won the Congress Avenue Mile in 3:56.7. That same year, he also won the Capitol 10,000. This will be his first marathon.
On the women's side, Austinites Desiree Ficker and Cassie Henkiel both qualified for the 2008 Olympic marathon trials. They will be going up against Elva Dryerof Albuquerque, N.M., who was sixth at the New York Marathon in 2007 with a time of 2:35:15.
Sentimental favorite
Andrzej Krzyscin of Poland won the Austin Marathon three straight times from 2002-04, and he holds four of the fastest times in the event. Now 41, he has returned with the goal of picking up a fourth victory.
His top time in the race, 2:11:41, came in 2001, when he finished second to Mohamed Nazipov of Russia.
Hopefuls in the Half
Yet another former Cap 10K winner, Bernard Manirakiza, will try for a victory in the men's half marathon. Manirakiza won the Nike Human Race 10K in August and has run 1:04:58 for the half.
Nebraskans Chris Stifflerand John Nichols have been training through the winter and plan to challenge Manirakiza.
Both have run in the 1:06 range for the 13.1-mile half marathon distance.
Austin Marathon and Half Marathon
When: 6:55 a.m. Sunday Start: Ann Richards Congress Avenue Bridge Finish: Congress Avenue and Ninth Street Registration: The half marathon field is full. Entries for the marathon will be taken from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today at the race expo inside Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Rd. Cost is $125.
Sabtu, 14 Februari 2009
Myspace Valentine Comments
Myspace Valentine’s day graphics and layouts are all the rage today. Check out some of the best places to get unique graphics and animations to drop comments on all your friends’ pages. Photos of our favorites here!
Myspace graphics and layouts are the hot commodity today. Everyone wants to change their layout and leave Valentine’s Day comments on all their friends’ pages. Myspace is definitely recession friendly, especially during any kind of holiday. You can post a sexy glitter graphic or comment on a friend’s page and let them know you are thinking of them with out spending a dime. You can also be festive by getting a Valentine’s Day layout, also free.
One of the tiny problems is stumbling across all those places that take you 1000 other places, and have either 15 crappy comments and graphics, or nothing at all. I have selected my favorite Myspace graphic, animation, and layout sites that are legit and awesome. Check them out below! I gotta go change my layout now!
The best animated graphics. Everything from sweet and sappy to sexy and raunchy.
This site has tons of large, glitter comments and graphics. Very pretty.
This site has graphics with Valentines Day poems, and sweet sayings. It also has fantastic flash layouts, which are super fun.
This site has everything from sweet to funny, and has quite a large selection - 43 pages of comment graphics alone!!
By Jen
Showcase Cinema de Lux Cabot Circus Brings Live Entertainment In-Cinema to Bristol
Bristol, England-9th February, 2009- Live stand-up comedy in a cinema? U.S. based National Amusements, owners of the Showcase and Showcase Cinema de Lux brands, has created a unique new programme, Showcase Live, that brings the fun and excitement of live comedy, music and other alternative programming to the cinema. Already successful at the cinemas in Coventry and Leicester, the programme
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Showcase Live kicks-off with comedy programming featuring some of the freshest UK talent, provided by Bottle Rocket Comedy. The programme begins on Thursday, 19th February with Charlie Baker, James Dowdeswell, Tom Craine and Matt Kirshen, recognized for his success in America on NBC's Last Comic Standing. BBC 6 Music's Jon Richardson, one of UK comedy's brightest talents is featured on Thursday 2nd April. The shows are on alternate Thursdays and each one includes a compere and three stand-up comics.
Guests will enjoy performances in the luxurious environment of the Directors Hall, a premium auditorium featuring Ultra Leather seats, and reserved seating. The intimate setting allows guests to enjoy full view of centre stage, as well as conversation and interaction with the talent, family and friends.
Guests will also enjoy exclusive access to the Directors Lounge where they can indulge in a wide variety of hot snacks and a full service bar featuring specialty cocktails, during the pre-show and at intervals. View our bar and food menus at www.cinemadelux.co.uk/amenities/directors.php.
The doors, bar and food service open at 7:15pm, the show begins at 8:00pm. General admission is £10, with Student admission £7, and Showcase Insider admission £7
The schedule for Showcase Live Comedy is as follows:
19th February
Charlie Baker
James Dowdeswell
Matt Kirshen
Tom Craine
5th March
Dougie Dunlop
John Robins
Lloyd Langford
Nat Luurtesma
19th March
Joe Bor
Nick Revell
Tony Law
Carey Marx
2nd April
Tommy Campbell
Mark Olver
Carl Donnelly
Jon Richardson
Tickets for all performances may be purchased at the cinema box office, by telephone via the 24-hour phone number 0871 220 1000 or online at www.cinemadelux.co.uk/live. Customers who purchase their tickets online may also take advantage of the print at-home ticketing option at no extra charge. Group sales and special showings may be coordinated by emailing ukcs@nationalamusements.com. For more information about this and other programmes at Cinema de Lux and Showcase please visit www.cinemadelux.co.uk and www.showcasecinemas.co.uk.
###
About National Amusements, Inc.
National Amusements, Inc., is a world leader in the motion picture exhibition industry operating more than 1,500 screens in the U.S., U.K., Latin America and Russia. National Amusements delivers a superior entertainment experience in theatres around the world under its Showcase, Multiplex, Cinema de Lux, and KinoStar brands. Based in Dedham, Massachusetts, National Amusements is a closely held company operating under the third generation of leadership by the Redstone family. National Amusements is also an equal partner in the online ticketing service, MovieTickets.com, and is the parent company of both Viacom and CBS Corporation.
About Bottle Rocket Comedy
Bottle Rocket Comedy launched in Leicester in April 2005 and has since gone from strength to strength. The club, which started with shows at Firebug on Millstone Lane, has grown to run regular shows at Loughborough Town Hall as well as Leicester's Y Theatre. Bottle Rocket has established itself on the comedy circuit and shown an uncanny knack for spotting rising stars, booking in the past three years acts including; Alan Carr, Russell Howard, Michael McIntyre, Stephen K. Amos and Josie Long as well as more established favourites such as Stewart Lee, Daniel Kitson, Phil Kay and Richard Herring.
Author:
Wanda Whitson
Web: www.nationalamusements.com
Phone: 781-461-1600 x336
Days of Wine and Roses Are Over This Valentine’s
Long-stemmed roses are being replaced by homemade cards. Theater tickets are being replaced by Netflix. Personal jewelry is being replaced by personal poems.
And even some preparing to propose on Saturday are seeking a bargain approach: on Yahoo, searches for “cheap engagement rings” are “off the charts” compared with a year ago, according to Vera Chan, a trend analyst for the company. Other searches that are up over last year include “cheap lingerie,” “free Valentine’s Day cards” and “homemade Valentine’s Day gifts.”
Valentine’s Day, a more discretionary holiday compared with birthdays and Christmas, is proving particularly vulnerable to the bursting of the economic bubble. Diamond jewelry sales are down 20 percent to 30 percent. Flower sales are likely to tighten as well, in part because the day falls on a Saturday.
In the current economic climate, many men say it comes as a great relief not to have to produce a material manifestation of an intangible emotion.
“It has become such an ingrained part of our culture that women expect it and men expect they need to do such things,” said Marc Matsumoto, 31, a New York marketing manager who was laid off in December.
For Mr. Matsumoto, Valentine’s Days past meant splurging on $700 to $1,000 dinners, $400 and $500 dresses from Theory and Eli Tahari, and jewelry from Tiffany’s. This year, he and his wife are planning a meal at home. The menu includes foie gras with persimmon port and lobster sous vide with yuzu butter, but they will split the $125 cost.
Angeline Close, a business professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, who has studied consumer attitudes toward Valentine’s Day, says the reassessment of the day is forcing it back to its roots. It started out as an intimate card-giving occasion in the mid-1800s but then grew into the second-most-marketed holiday after Christmas.
“It became a card and chocolate,” Professor Close said. “Then card, chocolate and roses, and then card, chocolate, roses and a lavish night out.”
Last year, consumers spent an average of $122.98 on Valentine’s Day gifts and merchandise, up from $80 in 2003, according to the National Retail Federation. With men, Professor Close said, “a lot of it had to do with the whole one-upmanship.” This year, however, the average expense is expected to drop 17 percent, to $102.50 this year, the federation said.
Tim Rhodes, 23, of Snellville, Ga., said he never wanted his wife to feel left out when other men doted on their partners; it seemed like “you don’t love your significant other as much as they love theirs.” This year, Mr. Rhodes and his wife, Beth, are planning to exchange practical gifts, like boots or a coat, and save their money for their move to Russia to teach English.
Creative, personal and experiential have become the key words. Chadd Bennett, 30, of Seattle, and his wife are forgoing their traditional getaways and jewelry this year, and will instead camp out in their living room and build a fort, harking back to their childhood.
“We can still keep that ritual together,” Mr. Bennett said. “It will save us a few hundred bucks, and be a heck of a lot more fun.”
Some men say they are reflecting a perceived shift in women’s thinking that they not spend a “stupid gluttonous amount of money,” said Brad Wilson, 28, of Chicago, the editor in chief of BradsDeals.com, which offers online shopping deals.
Indeed, Candace Lindemann, 31, an educational consultant from Miller Place, N.Y., pre-emptively drew the line, telling her husband, “No cut flowers.”
“I think they are expensive for what they are,” Ms. Lindemann said.
Even if plans include going out, many are finding creative ways to cut corners. Some are using restaurant gift certificates. Others are avoiding the pricey prix fixe dinners and going out for lunch, or dinner during the week.
Susan Jennings, 44, an artist from Manhattan, did both, using a gift certificate for Craft restaurant on Thursday. “We have zero income,” Ms. Jennings said. “We are just living on savings.”
Businesses are adapting in subtle ways. Roses are being sold in bundles of 10 instead of a dozen for a few dollars less. Jewelry companies are pushing less expensive items, like colored stones. Budget restaurants, which have not traditionally been hot spots for lovers, are offering Valentine’s Day specials.
The Internet abounds with ideas for frugal options, like playlists burned onto CDs and coupons for household chores. Sheryl P. Kurland, a relationship counselor, had another suggestion: do whatever it is that you did on your first date. The emphasis “recalls falling in love and nostalgia that’s often filled with humor,” Ms. Kurland said.
Susan Ji-Young Park, 39, of Los Angeles, has seen her income from teaching cooking classes fall sharply lately, so she prepared truffles to send to friends and family, in lieu of $100 orchid arrangements.
The holiday, Professor Close said, may be coming full circle.
“It started as a very pure romantic holiday, until capitalism and marketing spiked it,” she said. “We are retreating back a little bit to the original meaning behind the day.”
By JENNIFER 8. LEE
And even some preparing to propose on Saturday are seeking a bargain approach: on Yahoo, searches for “cheap engagement rings” are “off the charts” compared with a year ago, according to Vera Chan, a trend analyst for the company. Other searches that are up over last year include “cheap lingerie,” “free Valentine’s Day cards” and “homemade Valentine’s Day gifts.”
Valentine’s Day, a more discretionary holiday compared with birthdays and Christmas, is proving particularly vulnerable to the bursting of the economic bubble. Diamond jewelry sales are down 20 percent to 30 percent. Flower sales are likely to tighten as well, in part because the day falls on a Saturday.
In the current economic climate, many men say it comes as a great relief not to have to produce a material manifestation of an intangible emotion.
“It has become such an ingrained part of our culture that women expect it and men expect they need to do such things,” said Marc Matsumoto, 31, a New York marketing manager who was laid off in December.
For Mr. Matsumoto, Valentine’s Days past meant splurging on $700 to $1,000 dinners, $400 and $500 dresses from Theory and Eli Tahari, and jewelry from Tiffany’s. This year, he and his wife are planning a meal at home. The menu includes foie gras with persimmon port and lobster sous vide with yuzu butter, but they will split the $125 cost.
Angeline Close, a business professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, who has studied consumer attitudes toward Valentine’s Day, says the reassessment of the day is forcing it back to its roots. It started out as an intimate card-giving occasion in the mid-1800s but then grew into the second-most-marketed holiday after Christmas.
“It became a card and chocolate,” Professor Close said. “Then card, chocolate and roses, and then card, chocolate, roses and a lavish night out.”
Last year, consumers spent an average of $122.98 on Valentine’s Day gifts and merchandise, up from $80 in 2003, according to the National Retail Federation. With men, Professor Close said, “a lot of it had to do with the whole one-upmanship.” This year, however, the average expense is expected to drop 17 percent, to $102.50 this year, the federation said.
Tim Rhodes, 23, of Snellville, Ga., said he never wanted his wife to feel left out when other men doted on their partners; it seemed like “you don’t love your significant other as much as they love theirs.” This year, Mr. Rhodes and his wife, Beth, are planning to exchange practical gifts, like boots or a coat, and save their money for their move to Russia to teach English.
Creative, personal and experiential have become the key words. Chadd Bennett, 30, of Seattle, and his wife are forgoing their traditional getaways and jewelry this year, and will instead camp out in their living room and build a fort, harking back to their childhood.
“We can still keep that ritual together,” Mr. Bennett said. “It will save us a few hundred bucks, and be a heck of a lot more fun.”
Some men say they are reflecting a perceived shift in women’s thinking that they not spend a “stupid gluttonous amount of money,” said Brad Wilson, 28, of Chicago, the editor in chief of BradsDeals.com, which offers online shopping deals.
Indeed, Candace Lindemann, 31, an educational consultant from Miller Place, N.Y., pre-emptively drew the line, telling her husband, “No cut flowers.”
“I think they are expensive for what they are,” Ms. Lindemann said.
Even if plans include going out, many are finding creative ways to cut corners. Some are using restaurant gift certificates. Others are avoiding the pricey prix fixe dinners and going out for lunch, or dinner during the week.
Susan Jennings, 44, an artist from Manhattan, did both, using a gift certificate for Craft restaurant on Thursday. “We have zero income,” Ms. Jennings said. “We are just living on savings.”
Businesses are adapting in subtle ways. Roses are being sold in bundles of 10 instead of a dozen for a few dollars less. Jewelry companies are pushing less expensive items, like colored stones. Budget restaurants, which have not traditionally been hot spots for lovers, are offering Valentine’s Day specials.
The Internet abounds with ideas for frugal options, like playlists burned onto CDs and coupons for household chores. Sheryl P. Kurland, a relationship counselor, had another suggestion: do whatever it is that you did on your first date. The emphasis “recalls falling in love and nostalgia that’s often filled with humor,” Ms. Kurland said.
Susan Ji-Young Park, 39, of Los Angeles, has seen her income from teaching cooking classes fall sharply lately, so she prepared truffles to send to friends and family, in lieu of $100 orchid arrangements.
The holiday, Professor Close said, may be coming full circle.
“It started as a very pure romantic holiday, until capitalism and marketing spiked it,” she said. “We are retreating back a little bit to the original meaning behind the day.”
By JENNIFER 8. LEE
Crew saw ice on wings minutes before crash
BUFFALO, N.Y. – As the wind kicked up snow around the modest suburban homes of Clarence on Thursday night, a metallic roar hurtled overhead.
Twelve-year-old Tomasita Trujillo cut short her iTunes download to look out the window. Then there was a boom, which immobilized her mother, JaimeeLynn, on the couch watching a movie. "I said to my daughter: `Come look out the window' – I was too scared."
Tomasita stared at the fireball, then prodded her mother to action. They called 911 and ran outside.
At the heart of the fireball was Continental Connection Flight 3407, a Dash-8 with 49 passengers and crew – all dead, along with Clarence resident Doug Wielinski, 61, killed in his house.
He and his wife Karen and daughter Jill were at home when the Toronto-built turboprop scored a direct hit on their home, exploding in a sea of flames that neighbours said raged past the treetops as Karen and Jill Wielinski fought their way out of the shattered dwelling.
Also among the dead was Don McDonald of Fort Erie, a project manager for the pharmaceutical firm Pharmetics, who was flying home after a business trip to be with his wife and young daughter.
Other victims included prominent human rights researcher Alison Des Forges, who documented the 1994 genocide in Rwanda; Beverly Eckert, whose husband was killed in the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, and two members of Chuck Mangione's band, Gerry Niewood and Coleman Mellett.
The flight, bound from Newark, N.J. to Buffalo, went down in light snow and mist – ideal conditions for ice to form, say aviation experts.
Steve Chealander, speaking yesterday on behalf of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, said the crew had discussed a "significant ice build-up" on the wings and windshield.
The landing gear was lowered one minute before the end of the flight, at an altitude of more than 600 metres, Chealander said, and 20 seconds later the wing flaps were set to slow the plane down.
But instead of coming down in the usual controlled descent, the twin-engine aircraft went through "severe pitch and roll," he said, meaning that the nose pointed up and down and the wings wagged from side to side.
The crew raised the landing gear at the last moment, just before data was lost; there was no mayday call.
"Icing, if a significant build-up, is an aerodynamic impediment, if you will," Chealander told a post-crash news conference. "Airplanes are built with wings that are shaped a certain way. If you have too much ice, the shape of the wing can change, requiring different airspeeds."
But stopping short of a definite cause, Chealander added, "We are not ruling anything in or anything out at this time."
Medical device salesman Tony Tatro was on his way home from the gym when he saw a plane in the usual approach path above his house, but going in the wrong direction. He kept moving as the 74-passenger turboprop – a Dash-8 Q400 built by Bombardier in Toronto and launched just last April – sped to the ground before his eyes.
Air traffic controllers, who just minutes earlier had been calmly communicating with first officer Rebecca Shaw with no urgent concerns apparent, were baffled.
About the time of the crash one controller had tried to contact the plane but received no response; he tried again before asking another plane for help.
"Delta 1998, look off your right side about five miles for a Dash 8 about 2,300 (feet) (700 metres). You see anything there?" he asked.
"Negative," the Delta pilot said.
The controller then broadcast, "contact state police or the sheriff's department. You need to find out if anything is on the ground. The aircraft was five miles (eight kilometres) out and all of a sudden, we have no response from the aircraft."
At about the same time, in Clarence, a bell rang in the centre of town, and the volunteer fire department rushed down the street to join a tight-knit community of neighbours trying to protect their own.
To hear them tell it, it was galvanizing. Having measured the local mood hours after the crash of Flight 3407, New York Governor David Paterson said: "There's a silver lining around a very dark tragedy: We find how connected we are on days like this."
As local emergency official David Bissonette reminded reporters, had the plane not crashed so narrowly into one house, it "could have easily taken out the whole neighbourhood."
Yet, though a neighbourhood might have been spared, it will never be the same. You could see it on Bissonette's drawn face as he briefed reporters on the cleanup.
Witnesses to the crash, alerted by the noise of sputtering aircraft engines, couldn't believe the scene awaiting them.
"The whole sky was lit up orange," said Bob Dworak, who lives about a kilometre away. "There was a big bang, and the house shook. It looked like the house just got destroyed the instant it got hit."
Tomasita, Tatro, volunteer firefighter Patrick Casilio – all they could do was wait for the flames to weaken. "The nose was pointing down, the left wing was a little lower than the right," recalled Tatro. "I saw (the) impact and called 911. It was a huge ball of flames – 30, 40, 50 feet (15 metres), easy.
"We were only a block and a half from the volunteer fire department, so they were there pretty quickly. But there was nothing they could do."
After 10 years in the neighbourhood, Diane Trigilio, 57, has grown accustomed to the sound of a plane heading for Buffalo Niagara International Airport. But yesterday she struggled to describe a new sound she'll never forget: "It was like heavy machinery dragging."
Casilio, a firefighter for 34 years who also serves as an area supervisor, marvelled at what he saw at the scene Thursday night: how the plane's impact had pushed Karen and Jill Wielinski through their stricken house, from the first floor to the basement, but did not take their lives.
For hours, nine firefighting units rotated through the wreck scene, battling a fire fuelled by a natural gas leak.
As remnants of the plane still burned yesterday morning, a tearful JaimeeLynn Trujillo recalled, "We ran to see if there was anything we could do to help. But there was nothing we could do."
Twelve-year-old Tomasita Trujillo cut short her iTunes download to look out the window. Then there was a boom, which immobilized her mother, JaimeeLynn, on the couch watching a movie. "I said to my daughter: `Come look out the window' – I was too scared."
Tomasita stared at the fireball, then prodded her mother to action. They called 911 and ran outside.
At the heart of the fireball was Continental Connection Flight 3407, a Dash-8 with 49 passengers and crew – all dead, along with Clarence resident Doug Wielinski, 61, killed in his house.
He and his wife Karen and daughter Jill were at home when the Toronto-built turboprop scored a direct hit on their home, exploding in a sea of flames that neighbours said raged past the treetops as Karen and Jill Wielinski fought their way out of the shattered dwelling.
Also among the dead was Don McDonald of Fort Erie, a project manager for the pharmaceutical firm Pharmetics, who was flying home after a business trip to be with his wife and young daughter.
Other victims included prominent human rights researcher Alison Des Forges, who documented the 1994 genocide in Rwanda; Beverly Eckert, whose husband was killed in the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, and two members of Chuck Mangione's band, Gerry Niewood and Coleman Mellett.
The flight, bound from Newark, N.J. to Buffalo, went down in light snow and mist – ideal conditions for ice to form, say aviation experts.
Steve Chealander, speaking yesterday on behalf of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, said the crew had discussed a "significant ice build-up" on the wings and windshield.
The landing gear was lowered one minute before the end of the flight, at an altitude of more than 600 metres, Chealander said, and 20 seconds later the wing flaps were set to slow the plane down.
But instead of coming down in the usual controlled descent, the twin-engine aircraft went through "severe pitch and roll," he said, meaning that the nose pointed up and down and the wings wagged from side to side.
The crew raised the landing gear at the last moment, just before data was lost; there was no mayday call.
"Icing, if a significant build-up, is an aerodynamic impediment, if you will," Chealander told a post-crash news conference. "Airplanes are built with wings that are shaped a certain way. If you have too much ice, the shape of the wing can change, requiring different airspeeds."
But stopping short of a definite cause, Chealander added, "We are not ruling anything in or anything out at this time."
Medical device salesman Tony Tatro was on his way home from the gym when he saw a plane in the usual approach path above his house, but going in the wrong direction. He kept moving as the 74-passenger turboprop – a Dash-8 Q400 built by Bombardier in Toronto and launched just last April – sped to the ground before his eyes.
Air traffic controllers, who just minutes earlier had been calmly communicating with first officer Rebecca Shaw with no urgent concerns apparent, were baffled.
About the time of the crash one controller had tried to contact the plane but received no response; he tried again before asking another plane for help.
"Delta 1998, look off your right side about five miles for a Dash 8 about 2,300 (feet) (700 metres). You see anything there?" he asked.
"Negative," the Delta pilot said.
The controller then broadcast, "contact state police or the sheriff's department. You need to find out if anything is on the ground. The aircraft was five miles (eight kilometres) out and all of a sudden, we have no response from the aircraft."
At about the same time, in Clarence, a bell rang in the centre of town, and the volunteer fire department rushed down the street to join a tight-knit community of neighbours trying to protect their own.
To hear them tell it, it was galvanizing. Having measured the local mood hours after the crash of Flight 3407, New York Governor David Paterson said: "There's a silver lining around a very dark tragedy: We find how connected we are on days like this."
As local emergency official David Bissonette reminded reporters, had the plane not crashed so narrowly into one house, it "could have easily taken out the whole neighbourhood."
Yet, though a neighbourhood might have been spared, it will never be the same. You could see it on Bissonette's drawn face as he briefed reporters on the cleanup.
Witnesses to the crash, alerted by the noise of sputtering aircraft engines, couldn't believe the scene awaiting them.
"The whole sky was lit up orange," said Bob Dworak, who lives about a kilometre away. "There was a big bang, and the house shook. It looked like the house just got destroyed the instant it got hit."
Tomasita, Tatro, volunteer firefighter Patrick Casilio – all they could do was wait for the flames to weaken. "The nose was pointing down, the left wing was a little lower than the right," recalled Tatro. "I saw (the) impact and called 911. It was a huge ball of flames – 30, 40, 50 feet (15 metres), easy.
"We were only a block and a half from the volunteer fire department, so they were there pretty quickly. But there was nothing they could do."
After 10 years in the neighbourhood, Diane Trigilio, 57, has grown accustomed to the sound of a plane heading for Buffalo Niagara International Airport. But yesterday she struggled to describe a new sound she'll never forget: "It was like heavy machinery dragging."
Casilio, a firefighter for 34 years who also serves as an area supervisor, marvelled at what he saw at the scene Thursday night: how the plane's impact had pushed Karen and Jill Wielinski through their stricken house, from the first floor to the basement, but did not take their lives.
For hours, nine firefighting units rotated through the wreck scene, battling a fire fuelled by a natural gas leak.
As remnants of the plane still burned yesterday morning, a tearful JaimeeLynn Trujillo recalled, "We ran to see if there was anything we could do to help. But there was nothing we could do."
Guest column: My worst ever Valentine’s Day gift
Years ago, when Valentine’s Day was the biggest day ever in a school child’s heart, I created my best ever Valentine card box.
I used white lacy doilies and red crepe paper to fashion a one-of-a-kind mail box that was to hold all of the Valentines I planned to collect from my fifth-grade classmates.
Way back then, the packaged cards came, not as they do today with all 24 or 32 cards in the same or maybe two designs. They were packaged as 24 or 32 completely different designs.
So, after purchasing my cards, I carefully sat, cross-legged on the living room floor and chose which of my classmates would receive which card. I took very seriously my teacher’s admonition to “make sure you have a card for everyone in our class.”
It took me a long time to match each classmate with the appropriate card. I spent the most time selecting the biggest and best card for the boy in our class who was my favorite.
That boy was Jonathan Phelps. He was the cutest and most popular boy in our class. He ever spelled his name in an exotic and thrilling manner … Jon. He sported an inch-high flattop and he was very clean. The girls in my class were crazy about him.
On Valentine’s Day all of the fifth graders distributed their cards to each other’s boxes. We voted on who had made the finest boxes and everyone had a great time. We dined on homemade cupcakes, candy hearts and red punch. Then the time came to open our cards.
I received lots of cards. My hands held big ones, little ones, handmade ones, funny ones, but not one from the object of my affection, Jon Phelps. I couldn’t understand it. Didn’t he hear what Mrs. Settle had said? “Bring a card for everyone.”
Then I looked up. There he was and he held paper and a pencil. He asked, “Could you write your phone number on this paper for me? I want to call you tonight.”
My heart skipped a beat. This was truly the best Valentine’s Day gift. I eagerly took the pencil and started to write. To my amazement the pencil bent in two. It was a rubber pencil and my true love, Jon Phelps, was laughing at me. I was devastated. Instead of a wonderful Valentine’s Day gift, I got a broken heart and a crushed ego.
Although this incident is ancient history, I still remember how truly humiliated and hurt I felt. But that hasn’t stopped me from enjoying Valentine’s Day. I sincerely believe it has made me appreciate and love those who truly do love me in return.
Happy Valentine’s Day.
Nancy K. Kincaid lives in Kansas City, North.
Jumat, 13 Februari 2009
Valentine's Day shoppers expected to spend less in 2009
Valentine's Day has been a day to shower your loved one with expensive dinners, gourmet chocolates, flowers and gifts galore. But this year, it seems even love cannot completely conquer a weak economy.
Cupid-struck couples are expected to spend $20 less on each other this year, according to a survey conducted by BIGresearch for the National Retail Federation. On average, they'll spend $102.50 each, a 15.6% decrease from a year ago.
"Valentine's Day will be the first major holiday of 2009 to feel the economic pinch," says Robert Passikoff, president of New York-based Brand Keys, a consumer- and brand-focused research consultancy.
This year, $14.7 billion will be spent on Valentine's Day-related purchases, according to BIGresearch. Nearly 91% of people will spend the most, an average $67.22, on their significant other, with other family members such as children getting about one-fifth of the budget, $20.95. A few dollars will be spent on: friends, $4.74; children's classmates and teachers, $3.59; co-workers, $1.94; and pets, $2.17.
It doesn't pay to scrimp too much
Despite the slowdown, Loch Rose, vice president of analytics at ShopLocal.com, says he doesn't expect a complete halt for a few reasons.
For one, cutting back 25% on Christmas gifts overall could offer significant savings — $100 or more. Given the typical spending for Valentine's Day, a 25% cutback does not offer the same savings. At most, consumers will end up with a few extra bucks this month, Rose says.
Then there's the question of priorities: Is scrimping on your valentine really the best idea?
"You can disappoint Aunt Maple over the holidays by not giving her a gift, but if you disappoint your significant other on Valentine's Day, you're going to be hearing about it every day for a long time," Rose says.
"But it's not just about being afraid of not buying something for your girlfriend," said Clark Wolf, president of Clark Wolf Co., a food, restaurant and hospitality consulting firm. "Valentine's Day is a day to celebrate each other."
Wolf says restaurants should see strong sales for the holiday, not only because the holiday falls on a Saturday but also because of smart marketing. "People are offering deals like free glasses of sparkling wine and keeping prices closer to their regular menus," Wolf says. "It's about added value, not up-selling."
Still the economy has some people thinking twice. Henrico Norman of Penrose, N.C., surprised his girlfriend last year with an $1,800 trip to Las Vegas, even though money was already tightening.
The couple spent the weekend horseback riding, taking a helicopter tour, people-watching and "pigging out," Norman wrote in an interview by e-mail. "This year, we will drive to Charleston, S.C., for the long weekend." He says he has budgeted less this year, $800, but he is happy to spend the money for time with his girlfriend of three years. "It's worth it because she is the best."
Despite people's plans to spend less, the NRF does not expect people to drastically change where they shop. More than a third of people, 35.7%, will buy flowers, close to last year's 35.9%, and 16% will bring home jewelry, down only slightly from 16.6% in 2008. More people, however, will express their love with a greeting card, up from 56.8% in 2008 to 58%.
Presidents Day adds to the fun
With Valentine's Day falling on Presidents Day weekend, some people also are finding more reasons to travel.
"The phones are ringing," says Jon Makhmaltchi, vice president of sales for Small Luxury Hotels of the World. And while it is too early to determine if Valentine's Day travel on the whole will be up, people are finding reasons to go away, he says.
"It's like three trips in one," Makhmaltchi says of the overlapping holiday. And if lovers didn't have enough reasons to get away, hotels and travel hot spots are giving vacation-bound valentines a few extra incentives.
"One of the upsides in this downward economy is there are more travel deals for consumers," says Jeanenne Tornatore, a spokeswoman for Orbitz Worldwide. Orbitz has seen three times as many hotel promotions as at this time last year.
"If I get you to stay an extra night I've done my job," says Joseph DeNucci, president of the Borrego Ranch Resort and Spa in Borrego Springs, Calif., which began advertising its holiday special in mid-January and sold out less than a week later. That package, if you were one of the 44 who reserved it, gets you a candlelight dinner, two 50-minute spa-treatment sessions and room amenities from sparkling wine and chocolate strawberries to an aromatherapy bath gift. Price: $395 per night.
"People are out there taking advantage of those deals," Tornatore says.
By Jason Paul, USA TODAY
Cupid-struck couples are expected to spend $20 less on each other this year, according to a survey conducted by BIGresearch for the National Retail Federation. On average, they'll spend $102.50 each, a 15.6% decrease from a year ago.
"Valentine's Day will be the first major holiday of 2009 to feel the economic pinch," says Robert Passikoff, president of New York-based Brand Keys, a consumer- and brand-focused research consultancy.
This year, $14.7 billion will be spent on Valentine's Day-related purchases, according to BIGresearch. Nearly 91% of people will spend the most, an average $67.22, on their significant other, with other family members such as children getting about one-fifth of the budget, $20.95. A few dollars will be spent on: friends, $4.74; children's classmates and teachers, $3.59; co-workers, $1.94; and pets, $2.17.
It doesn't pay to scrimp too much
Despite the slowdown, Loch Rose, vice president of analytics at ShopLocal.com, says he doesn't expect a complete halt for a few reasons.
For one, cutting back 25% on Christmas gifts overall could offer significant savings — $100 or more. Given the typical spending for Valentine's Day, a 25% cutback does not offer the same savings. At most, consumers will end up with a few extra bucks this month, Rose says.
Then there's the question of priorities: Is scrimping on your valentine really the best idea?
"You can disappoint Aunt Maple over the holidays by not giving her a gift, but if you disappoint your significant other on Valentine's Day, you're going to be hearing about it every day for a long time," Rose says.
"But it's not just about being afraid of not buying something for your girlfriend," said Clark Wolf, president of Clark Wolf Co., a food, restaurant and hospitality consulting firm. "Valentine's Day is a day to celebrate each other."
Wolf says restaurants should see strong sales for the holiday, not only because the holiday falls on a Saturday but also because of smart marketing. "People are offering deals like free glasses of sparkling wine and keeping prices closer to their regular menus," Wolf says. "It's about added value, not up-selling."
Still the economy has some people thinking twice. Henrico Norman of Penrose, N.C., surprised his girlfriend last year with an $1,800 trip to Las Vegas, even though money was already tightening.
The couple spent the weekend horseback riding, taking a helicopter tour, people-watching and "pigging out," Norman wrote in an interview by e-mail. "This year, we will drive to Charleston, S.C., for the long weekend." He says he has budgeted less this year, $800, but he is happy to spend the money for time with his girlfriend of three years. "It's worth it because she is the best."
Despite people's plans to spend less, the NRF does not expect people to drastically change where they shop. More than a third of people, 35.7%, will buy flowers, close to last year's 35.9%, and 16% will bring home jewelry, down only slightly from 16.6% in 2008. More people, however, will express their love with a greeting card, up from 56.8% in 2008 to 58%.
Presidents Day adds to the fun
With Valentine's Day falling on Presidents Day weekend, some people also are finding more reasons to travel.
"The phones are ringing," says Jon Makhmaltchi, vice president of sales for Small Luxury Hotels of the World. And while it is too early to determine if Valentine's Day travel on the whole will be up, people are finding reasons to go away, he says.
"It's like three trips in one," Makhmaltchi says of the overlapping holiday. And if lovers didn't have enough reasons to get away, hotels and travel hot spots are giving vacation-bound valentines a few extra incentives.
"One of the upsides in this downward economy is there are more travel deals for consumers," says Jeanenne Tornatore, a spokeswoman for Orbitz Worldwide. Orbitz has seen three times as many hotel promotions as at this time last year.
"If I get you to stay an extra night I've done my job," says Joseph DeNucci, president of the Borrego Ranch Resort and Spa in Borrego Springs, Calif., which began advertising its holiday special in mid-January and sold out less than a week later. That package, if you were one of the 44 who reserved it, gets you a candlelight dinner, two 50-minute spa-treatment sessions and room amenities from sparkling wine and chocolate strawberries to an aromatherapy bath gift. Price: $395 per night.
"People are out there taking advantage of those deals," Tornatore says.
By Jason Paul, USA TODAY
Plane crashes into suburban Buffalo home; 49 killed
(CNN) -- A Continental Airlines plane crashed into a home near Buffalo, New York, late Thursday, killing 44 passengers and four crew members on board, according to New York State police.
Authorities said one person in the Clarence Center, New York, home was also killed.
Four people were injured at the crash site, including a mother and daughter inside the house that was hit. They suffered minor injuries and were treated and released, said a spokeswoman at Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital in Williamsville. Two firefighters also were brought in for treatment of smoke inhalation and minor injuries.
Continental Connection Flight 3407, a Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 74-seat turboprop, operated by Colgan Air, was en route from Newark, New Jersey, to Buffalo when it went down at around 10:20 p.m. ET. The crash occurred about seven miles from Buffalo Niagara International Airport.
Dave Bissonette, Clarence Center's natural disaster services coordinator, said it was "clearly a direct hit" on the house.
"The only recognizable piece of the plane left is the tail," Bissonette said.
The ferocity of the fire was such that officials don't expect the crash site to be safe for investigators until about noon Friday, nearly 14 hours after the crash. iReport.com: Flames rise from crash site
CNN has listened to a tape of communications between air traffic control and the flight crew. The first officer had no sign of stress in her voice. The plane was cleared for approach. About two minutes later, the air traffic controller came back, with stress in his voice. Radar contact was lost.
The question goes out: Can other planes see anything? No one responds. The controller says they might have a plane down. The pilot's last comment was "Colgan Flight 3407." There were no sounds of distress.
It was not clear whether the mix of sleet and snow in the area played any role in the crash of Flight 3407. Other planes continued to arrive and land safely at Buffalo about the time the flight went down. Delta Flight 1998, an MD-88 jet, landed at approximately 10:17 p.m. The Delta crew did not see Flight 3407.
The Delta flight reported rime icing, a condition in which ice quickly builds up on the leading edge of the wings.
Authorities said the plane went down near a local fire hall, so firefighters were quick to respond to the crash site. At least nine volunteer fire departments responded to the scene. iReport.com: Are you there? Let us know
Area resident Keith Burtis said he was driving to the store about a mile from the crash site when he heard the plane go down.
"It was a high-pitched sound," Burtis said. "It felt like a mini-earthquake."
Shortly after the crash, Burtis said he saw a steady stream of fire trucks rush by him as smoke billowed into the sky. Other witnesses told CNN they saw the plane nose-dive toward the ground.
The Erie County Medical Examiner's Office established a command post at the scene and had investigators there, a statement from the office said. Officials said relatives of passengers aboard the flight should call 800-621-3263 for information. Watch what iReporter captured on film
A statement from the airline said: "At this time, the full resources of Colgan Air's accident response team are being mobilized and will be devoted to cooperating with all authorities responding to the accident and to contacting family members and providing assistance to them."
The National Transportation Safety Board said early Friday that was preparing a "go team" to head to Buffalo to investigate the crash.
According to the National Weather Service weather observation for Buffalo, there was light snow, fog and mist shortly before 10 p.m. Flight 3407 was originally scheduled to depart at 7:45 p.m., but it was delayed.
Authorities said one person in the Clarence Center, New York, home was also killed.
Four people were injured at the crash site, including a mother and daughter inside the house that was hit. They suffered minor injuries and were treated and released, said a spokeswoman at Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital in Williamsville. Two firefighters also were brought in for treatment of smoke inhalation and minor injuries.
Continental Connection Flight 3407, a Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 74-seat turboprop, operated by Colgan Air, was en route from Newark, New Jersey, to Buffalo when it went down at around 10:20 p.m. ET. The crash occurred about seven miles from Buffalo Niagara International Airport.
Dave Bissonette, Clarence Center's natural disaster services coordinator, said it was "clearly a direct hit" on the house.
"The only recognizable piece of the plane left is the tail," Bissonette said.
The ferocity of the fire was such that officials don't expect the crash site to be safe for investigators until about noon Friday, nearly 14 hours after the crash. iReport.com: Flames rise from crash site
CNN has listened to a tape of communications between air traffic control and the flight crew. The first officer had no sign of stress in her voice. The plane was cleared for approach. About two minutes later, the air traffic controller came back, with stress in his voice. Radar contact was lost.
The question goes out: Can other planes see anything? No one responds. The controller says they might have a plane down. The pilot's last comment was "Colgan Flight 3407." There were no sounds of distress.
It was not clear whether the mix of sleet and snow in the area played any role in the crash of Flight 3407. Other planes continued to arrive and land safely at Buffalo about the time the flight went down. Delta Flight 1998, an MD-88 jet, landed at approximately 10:17 p.m. The Delta crew did not see Flight 3407.
The Delta flight reported rime icing, a condition in which ice quickly builds up on the leading edge of the wings.
Authorities said the plane went down near a local fire hall, so firefighters were quick to respond to the crash site. At least nine volunteer fire departments responded to the scene. iReport.com: Are you there? Let us know
Area resident Keith Burtis said he was driving to the store about a mile from the crash site when he heard the plane go down.
"It was a high-pitched sound," Burtis said. "It felt like a mini-earthquake."
Shortly after the crash, Burtis said he saw a steady stream of fire trucks rush by him as smoke billowed into the sky. Other witnesses told CNN they saw the plane nose-dive toward the ground.
According to CNN affiliate WGRZ-TV in Buffalo, one of the crash victims, Beverly Eckert, was the widow of 9/11 terror attack victim Sean Rooney, a Buffalo native. Eckert was traveling to Buffalo for a weekend celebration of what would have been her husband's 58th birthday.
She also had planned to take part in presentation of a scholarship award at Canisius High School that she established in honor of her late husband, the Buffalo News newspaper reported.
Twelve residents were evacuated from the area of the plane crash. Law enforcement officials are asking people not to go to the crash site in fear they may hinder the investigation.
"I felt the impact ... sounded like a large explosion," said Brendan Biddlecom, who told CNN he lives two blocks from where the plane crashed.Biddlecom ran out his home and to within a couple hundred yards of the crash. The smoke was thick and acrid, and the heat was intense, he said.
Chris Kausner, who had a sister on the flight, rushed to the Clarence Municipal Center, where he waited for additional information after emergency teams turned him back from the scene.
"My parents are on vacation in Florida and I had to call down there and tell my father what was going on," he told CNN affiliate WIVB-TV.
When asked how his parents were handling the news, a shaken Kausner responded "To tell you the truth, I heard my mother make a sound that I have never heard before."The Erie County Medical Examiner's Office established a command post at the scene and had investigators there, a statement from the office said. Officials said relatives of passengers aboard the flight should call 800-621-3263 for information. Watch what iReporter captured on film
A statement from the airline said: "At this time, the full resources of Colgan Air's accident response team are being mobilized and will be devoted to cooperating with all authorities responding to the accident and to contacting family members and providing assistance to them."
The National Transportation Safety Board said early Friday that was preparing a "go team" to head to Buffalo to investigate the crash.
According to the National Weather Service weather observation for Buffalo, there was light snow, fog and mist shortly before 10 p.m. Flight 3407 was originally scheduled to depart at 7:45 p.m., but it was delayed.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the crew, the passengers and our residents on Long Street," said Clarence Supervisor Scott Blylewski.
Thursday's incident is the first fatal crash of a commercial airliner in the United States since August 2006 when Comair Flight 5191 crashed when it attempted to take off from the wrong runway.Rabu, 11 Februari 2009
Texas police seize 22 dogs in car
It is so disturbing when we hear that someone has left a dog in a car for an extended period of time without proper food or water. But when you find 22 dogs locked in a car with their owner, it becomes an entirely new problem.
According to this article from the Star Tribune, a Texas woman was found locked in her car with 22 canines including two puppies. The woman apparently refused to open the doors when an officer tried to serve her a warrant for the seizure of the dogs on Monday.
In the car, there was one pot of water and blankets and the interior was covered with waste and urine. There were also extremely high ammonia levels in the vehicle.
A hearing will take place to decide the custody of the dogs. Until then, they were transported to a local SPCA.
I find it strange that the woman isn't facing any charges. An SPCA spokesperson said that they called Adult Protective Services about the woman, but did not really release any other information as to why she would have so many animals crammed in a filthy car. It is also strange that she is the owner of all of these animals considering how irresponsible this action is.
It is so sad when animals have to suffer for no reason. Hopefully these dogs will recover from the incident and find themselves in loving homes where people can care for them properly.
phillyBurbs.com
USA to kick off World Cup qualifying quest vs. Mexico
World Cup qualifying in North America is hot and chaotic, driven by passionate fans, seared in the heat and hostility of Central American caldrons.
U.S. men's national coach Bob Bradley is cool and calm, driven by a focus on the task at hand, not easily distracted.
His team doesn't have the flamboyance of past U.S. squads, which had dominant personalities such as Alexi Lalas and the pointed wit of coach Bruce Arena. But as Bradley's team starts a 10-game quest to earn a sixth consecutive World Cup berth, it's prepared to deal with high emotions and high expectations.
The tone starts with Bradley, a Princeton graduate who served as Arena's assistant at several levels of the sport. He chooses his words carefully, never creating a media frenzy and keeping outside distractions at arm's length.
"My focus is always on the team," Bradley says. "We try to have an environment where, on the inside, there's a solid idea of the work to be done. You don't want to let the stuff on the outside change what you're doing."
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Mexico | World Cup | New York Times | North America | Poland | Cuba | South Africa | Boston Celtics | Lakers | Latin | NBA Finals | Princeton | Guatemala | Central America | Honduras | Trinidad | Tobago | Bruce Arena | Kobe | Brian McBride | Claudio Reyna | Bob Bradley | Alexi Lalas | John Harkes
Yet Bradley realizes second-guessing comes with the territory. Critics have questioned the team's ability to muster a top-level offense. Soccer America called the team "virtually devoid of attacking ideas" after exhibitions early last year, though one was a 3-0 win in Poland. After three World Cup qualifiers last year, former U.S. captain John Harkes told The New York Times the team could use "more imagination, more creativity."
Harkes, though, was cautious in his words because he knows how difficult the qualifying grind can be. The USA won all three of those games — 1-0 victories in Guatemala and Cuba, a 3-0 home win against Trinidad and Tobago — and won its qualifying group with five wins and one meaningless loss, advancing with ease to the six-team "hexagonal" final.
Three teams will advance to the World Cup; a fourth can advance through a playoff.
Though the USA and Mexico are always heavy favorites to advance to the World Cup, qualifying games are never easy, especially on the road. Last year's win in Guatemala was the USA's first in four qualifiers in that country. In 2001, the USA beat Honduras for a rare win in Central America, then suffered a rare home loss to the same team.
Given the stakes, Bradley will start the hexagonal with a core that has been through tough games. The team is built to handle pressure cookers and sometimes seeks analogies in elite soccer competitions and other sports such as last year's NBA Finals, won by the Boston Celtics.
"Boston was able to raise the bar and make it so hard for the Lakers," Bradley says. "Here's Kobe (Bryant), and he's the greatest player in the world, but other than Kobe, the games were played at a level that some of the Lakers players weren't ready for."
BRADLEY TALKS: Experience, the media, creativity
The team lost a few experienced players after the 2006 World Cup, with Brian McBride retiring from the national team and Claudio Reyna now retired from all competition.
In his prime, Reyna could act as a playmaking midfielder in the Latin American mold. Though Landon Donovan has led in assists the last six years, he doesn't play the same style. McBride thinks it's unusual to have such a player and thinks the team finds creative flair as a whole.
"You're finding that more from the whole group rather than just one player," McBride says. "You get a lot of guys that are comfortable in different positions, they can adapt very well."
Lalas, whose guitar and flowing goatee were U.S. hallmarks a decade ago, sees progress.
"The U.S. is clear and away the best team in CONCACAF, and it's hard to fathom us not qualifying for South Africa," Lalas says.
"(There) seems to be a new sense of structure, discipline and responsibility. This is a machine that is built for results. It's not necessarily going to dazzle you with style and beauty. It's all business, and it gets the job done."
By Beau Dure, USA TODAY
U.S. men's national coach Bob Bradley is cool and calm, driven by a focus on the task at hand, not easily distracted.
His team doesn't have the flamboyance of past U.S. squads, which had dominant personalities such as Alexi Lalas and the pointed wit of coach Bruce Arena. But as Bradley's team starts a 10-game quest to earn a sixth consecutive World Cup berth, it's prepared to deal with high emotions and high expectations.
The tone starts with Bradley, a Princeton graduate who served as Arena's assistant at several levels of the sport. He chooses his words carefully, never creating a media frenzy and keeping outside distractions at arm's length.
"My focus is always on the team," Bradley says. "We try to have an environment where, on the inside, there's a solid idea of the work to be done. You don't want to let the stuff on the outside change what you're doing."
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Mexico | World Cup | New York Times | North America | Poland | Cuba | South Africa | Boston Celtics | Lakers | Latin | NBA Finals | Princeton | Guatemala | Central America | Honduras | Trinidad | Tobago | Bruce Arena | Kobe | Brian McBride | Claudio Reyna | Bob Bradley | Alexi Lalas | John Harkes
Yet Bradley realizes second-guessing comes with the territory. Critics have questioned the team's ability to muster a top-level offense. Soccer America called the team "virtually devoid of attacking ideas" after exhibitions early last year, though one was a 3-0 win in Poland. After three World Cup qualifiers last year, former U.S. captain John Harkes told The New York Times the team could use "more imagination, more creativity."
Harkes, though, was cautious in his words because he knows how difficult the qualifying grind can be. The USA won all three of those games — 1-0 victories in Guatemala and Cuba, a 3-0 home win against Trinidad and Tobago — and won its qualifying group with five wins and one meaningless loss, advancing with ease to the six-team "hexagonal" final.
Three teams will advance to the World Cup; a fourth can advance through a playoff.
Though the USA and Mexico are always heavy favorites to advance to the World Cup, qualifying games are never easy, especially on the road. Last year's win in Guatemala was the USA's first in four qualifiers in that country. In 2001, the USA beat Honduras for a rare win in Central America, then suffered a rare home loss to the same team.
Given the stakes, Bradley will start the hexagonal with a core that has been through tough games. The team is built to handle pressure cookers and sometimes seeks analogies in elite soccer competitions and other sports such as last year's NBA Finals, won by the Boston Celtics.
"Boston was able to raise the bar and make it so hard for the Lakers," Bradley says. "Here's Kobe (Bryant), and he's the greatest player in the world, but other than Kobe, the games were played at a level that some of the Lakers players weren't ready for."
BRADLEY TALKS: Experience, the media, creativity
The team lost a few experienced players after the 2006 World Cup, with Brian McBride retiring from the national team and Claudio Reyna now retired from all competition.
In his prime, Reyna could act as a playmaking midfielder in the Latin American mold. Though Landon Donovan has led in assists the last six years, he doesn't play the same style. McBride thinks it's unusual to have such a player and thinks the team finds creative flair as a whole.
"You're finding that more from the whole group rather than just one player," McBride says. "You get a lot of guys that are comfortable in different positions, they can adapt very well."
Lalas, whose guitar and flowing goatee were U.S. hallmarks a decade ago, sees progress.
"The U.S. is clear and away the best team in CONCACAF, and it's hard to fathom us not qualifying for South Africa," Lalas says.
"(There) seems to be a new sense of structure, discipline and responsibility. This is a machine that is built for results. It's not necessarily going to dazzle you with style and beauty. It's all business, and it gets the job done."
By Beau Dure, USA TODAY
Lawsuit claims that Roberto Alomar has AIDS
Ilya Dall, the former girlfriend of baseball star Roberto Alomar, claims in a lawsuit that Alomar has full-blown AIDS.
Dall, 32, lived with Alomar for three years. The infielder played 17 seasons and had stints with seven teams including the Mets, Baltimore, Toronto and Cleveland. (Photo by Winslow Townson, AP)
This from the New York Daily News:
In papers filed in state and federal court, Dall said Alomar finally got tested in January 2006 while suffering from a cough, fatigue and shingles. "The test results of him being HIV-positive was given to him and the plaintiff on or about Feb.6, 2006," the $15 million negligence suit says.
Nine days later, the couple went to see a disease specialist who discovered a mass in the retired second baseman's chest, the court papers say.Alomar's skin had turned purple, he was foaming at the mouth and a spinal tap "showed he had full-blown AIDS," the suit says.
Charles Bach, Alomar's lawyer, called the lawsuit frivolous. He said his client is "healthy and would like to keep his health status private. We'll do our talking in court."
Alomar's father, Sandy, a bench coach with the New York Met told the Daily News "that's the first time we ever heard of that," and that if his son was sick "I imagine I would know."
Alomar was considered one of the greatest second baseman of his time. But he might be best known for spitting in the face of umpire John Hirschbeck and then saying the umpire was under stress because of the death of his son. The two would later become friends.
By Reid Cherner & Tom Weir
Dall, 32, lived with Alomar for three years. The infielder played 17 seasons and had stints with seven teams including the Mets, Baltimore, Toronto and Cleveland. (Photo by Winslow Townson, AP)
This from the New York Daily News:
In papers filed in state and federal court, Dall said Alomar finally got tested in January 2006 while suffering from a cough, fatigue and shingles. "The test results of him being HIV-positive was given to him and the plaintiff on or about Feb.6, 2006," the $15 million negligence suit says.
Nine days later, the couple went to see a disease specialist who discovered a mass in the retired second baseman's chest, the court papers say.Alomar's skin had turned purple, he was foaming at the mouth and a spinal tap "showed he had full-blown AIDS," the suit says.
Charles Bach, Alomar's lawyer, called the lawsuit frivolous. He said his client is "healthy and would like to keep his health status private. We'll do our talking in court."
Alomar's father, Sandy, a bench coach with the New York Met told the Daily News "that's the first time we ever heard of that," and that if his son was sick "I imagine I would know."
Alomar was considered one of the greatest second baseman of his time. But he might be best known for spitting in the face of umpire John Hirschbeck and then saying the umpire was under stress because of the death of his son. The two would later become friends.
By Reid Cherner & Tom Weir
10 fun facts about the Westminster dog show's 2009 winner: Stump the Sussex Spaniel
America is about to fall in love with Stump - the adorable, droopy-eyed spaniel who wowed the crowd at Westminster and became the oldest Best in Show winner in dog show history.
Stump proved an old dog can still pull off some new tricks - and he can count at least one fellow senior among his biggest fans: Dr. Ruth Westheimer. The celebrated sex therapist was in the stands at Madison Square Garden for the competition Tuesday night.
"When I found out he was the oldest to win, I was so happy. I'm 80, and he's 70 in dog years," she said.
And there are plenty of other things fans should know about the 10-year-old champion Sussex spaniel, so here we offer the official "Stump Dossier."
1. His official name is Ch. Clussexx Three D Grinchy Glee
2. He was born is Dec. 1, 1998
3. He is named "Stump" ... because he has stubby legs, is brown and resembles a tree stump
4. He has sired pups named Root, Forest and Myrtle
5. His favorite chew toy is a plush Grinch doll
6. He weighs about 50 pounds
7. He lives in Houston, Texas with the 2001 Best in Show winner J.R., a Bichon Frise
8. He didn't train at all for his return to the ring
9. He is the oldest dog ever to win Westminster, that title was previously held by the 1999 winner, an 8-year-old Papillon
10. The Westminster show was his 51st career best in show win
Stump is in fabulous shape for his age and will travel the dog world circuit just like the younger pups who've held the best in show title.
Judge Sari Tietjen said she had no idea the winning spaniel was an elder in the dog world.
"He showed his heart out," she said. "I didn't know who he was or how old ... I just couldn't say no to him."
BY Lauren Johnston
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Stump proved an old dog can still pull off some new tricks - and he can count at least one fellow senior among his biggest fans: Dr. Ruth Westheimer. The celebrated sex therapist was in the stands at Madison Square Garden for the competition Tuesday night.
"When I found out he was the oldest to win, I was so happy. I'm 80, and he's 70 in dog years," she said.
And there are plenty of other things fans should know about the 10-year-old champion Sussex spaniel, so here we offer the official "Stump Dossier."
1. His official name is Ch. Clussexx Three D Grinchy Glee
2. He was born is Dec. 1, 1998
3. He is named "Stump" ... because he has stubby legs, is brown and resembles a tree stump
4. He has sired pups named Root, Forest and Myrtle
5. His favorite chew toy is a plush Grinch doll
6. He weighs about 50 pounds
7. He lives in Houston, Texas with the 2001 Best in Show winner J.R., a Bichon Frise
8. He didn't train at all for his return to the ring
9. He is the oldest dog ever to win Westminster, that title was previously held by the 1999 winner, an 8-year-old Papillon
10. The Westminster show was his 51st career best in show win
Stump is in fabulous shape for his age and will travel the dog world circuit just like the younger pups who've held the best in show title.
Judge Sari Tietjen said she had no idea the winning spaniel was an elder in the dog world.
"He showed his heart out," she said. "I didn't know who he was or how old ... I just couldn't say no to him."
BY Lauren Johnston
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Senin, 09 Februari 2009
Chris Brown & Rihanna: A Fairy-Tale Romance Gone Awry
Sunday night, R&B's hottest couple, Chris Brown and Rihanna, were supposed to light up the Grammys.
Instead, the normally affectionate twosome were embroiled in a domestic violence drama that left Brown, 19, booked on felony criminal threats charges and posting $50,000 bail after turning himself in to the LAPD on Sunday at 6:34 p.m. PST.
Sources say that Rihanna (real name: Robin Fenty), 20, was the victim in the alleged assault which occurred around 12:30 a.m. on Sunday. Responding to a 911 call about a disturbance, the LAPD took statements from a female with visible injuries, who named Brown as her attacker.
Just hours after the incident, witnesses spotted Brown and Rihanna leaving the London Hotel together around 7:30 a.m. on Sunday.
Later that evening, during the Grammy telecast for which both Brown and Rihanna were no-shows, bodyguards for the couple were seen moving their luggage out of the London.
The ramifications of Brown's arrest? Already charged with making criminal threats – defined in part as a situation where the victim "is in fear for [his/her] life" – the R&B singer may face additional charges at the discretion of L.A.'s district attorney's office.
To help him face the legal storm, Brown has hired attorney Mark Geragos, best known for defending convicted murderer Scott Peterson, Winona Ryder after a 2001 shoplifting arrest and Michael Jackson during his child molestation trial.
An R&B Romance Turned Sour?
Rumored to be a couple towards the end of 2007, the singers were first photographed at the Grammys on Feb. 10, 2008. Often coy about their yearlong relationship, the two consistently refused to talk about their romance during interviews.
But the pair offered up other signs of their closeness, from matching star tattoos on their necks to holding hands and kissing at concerts.
Even at the Clive Davis party at the Beverly Hills Hilton on Saturday night, Brown and Rihanna looked cozy and happy.
But over recent weeks, they seemed to have hit a bumpy patch in their relationship.
"They've been fighting a lot lately," a source told PEOPLE. "Lots of ups and downs. One second they're all lovey dovey and then they're fighting like crazy. They're both pretty stubborn."
By Anne Marie Cruz
/www.people.com
Instead, the normally affectionate twosome were embroiled in a domestic violence drama that left Brown, 19, booked on felony criminal threats charges and posting $50,000 bail after turning himself in to the LAPD on Sunday at 6:34 p.m. PST.
Sources say that Rihanna (real name: Robin Fenty), 20, was the victim in the alleged assault which occurred around 12:30 a.m. on Sunday. Responding to a 911 call about a disturbance, the LAPD took statements from a female with visible injuries, who named Brown as her attacker.
Just hours after the incident, witnesses spotted Brown and Rihanna leaving the London Hotel together around 7:30 a.m. on Sunday.
Later that evening, during the Grammy telecast for which both Brown and Rihanna were no-shows, bodyguards for the couple were seen moving their luggage out of the London.
The ramifications of Brown's arrest? Already charged with making criminal threats – defined in part as a situation where the victim "is in fear for [his/her] life" – the R&B singer may face additional charges at the discretion of L.A.'s district attorney's office.
To help him face the legal storm, Brown has hired attorney Mark Geragos, best known for defending convicted murderer Scott Peterson, Winona Ryder after a 2001 shoplifting arrest and Michael Jackson during his child molestation trial.
An R&B Romance Turned Sour?
Rumored to be a couple towards the end of 2007, the singers were first photographed at the Grammys on Feb. 10, 2008. Often coy about their yearlong relationship, the two consistently refused to talk about their romance during interviews.
But the pair offered up other signs of their closeness, from matching star tattoos on their necks to holding hands and kissing at concerts.
Even at the Clive Davis party at the Beverly Hills Hilton on Saturday night, Brown and Rihanna looked cozy and happy.
But over recent weeks, they seemed to have hit a bumpy patch in their relationship.
"They've been fighting a lot lately," a source told PEOPLE. "Lots of ups and downs. One second they're all lovey dovey and then they're fighting like crazy. They're both pretty stubborn."
By Anne Marie Cruz
/www.people.com
Tiger Woods, Wife Reveal Baby’s Name
LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
Tiger Woods and his wife, Elin, are “thrilled” to welcome the newest addition to their family – son Charlie Axel Woods.
Tiger and Elin welcomed their new son on Sunday – and mom and baby couldn’t be better, the golf superstar said on his personal Web site.
“Elin and I are thrilled to announce the birth of our son,” Tiger wrote. “Both Charlie and Elin are doing great and want to thank everyone for their sincere best wishes and kind thoughts.”
Charlie is the second child for the couple, who also have a daughter, Sam Alexis, who was born in June 2007.
“Sam is very excited to be a big sister and we feel truly blessed to have such a wonderful family,” Tiger added. “We look forward to introducing Charlie to you at the appropriate time.”
Tiger, 33, hasn’t played in a pro golf tournament since undergoing knee surgery in June 2008. While he is expected to return for the prestigious Masters in April, Tiger noted last month that his career hinges largely on his family.
“That takes precedent over anything I do golf-wise,” he said.
Copyright 2008 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
www.accesshollywood.com
Tiger Woods and his wife, Elin, are “thrilled” to welcome the newest addition to their family – son Charlie Axel Woods.
Tiger and Elin welcomed their new son on Sunday – and mom and baby couldn’t be better, the golf superstar said on his personal Web site.
“Elin and I are thrilled to announce the birth of our son,” Tiger wrote. “Both Charlie and Elin are doing great and want to thank everyone for their sincere best wishes and kind thoughts.”
Charlie is the second child for the couple, who also have a daughter, Sam Alexis, who was born in June 2007.
“Sam is very excited to be a big sister and we feel truly blessed to have such a wonderful family,” Tiger added. “We look forward to introducing Charlie to you at the appropriate time.”
Tiger, 33, hasn’t played in a pro golf tournament since undergoing knee surgery in June 2008. While he is expected to return for the prestigious Masters in April, Tiger noted last month that his career hinges largely on his family.
“That takes precedent over anything I do golf-wise,” he said.
Copyright 2008 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
www.accesshollywood.com
Americans for Prosperity Urge No Stimulus Through Petition Drive
The latest numbers indicate that employment is faltering and the fallout can be seem across the major sectors of the American economy. The American public is calling for relief. One group, however, is standing strong against any government spending that, even in an effort to stimulate the stagnant U.S. economy, would also add to long-term debt.
The advocacy organization Americans for Prosperity released on Feb. 5 a letter addressed to the U.S. Senate. The group urges a vote against the bill aimed at stimulating the economy, which is due for a vote in the Senate Tuesday:
"On behalf of the members of Americans for Prosperity, I am writing to urge you to vote against the so-called American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Congress should not enact an expensive spending bill under the pretense of stimulus or recovery."
The letter continues, "No matter which amendments pass, the fundamental approach of dramatically increasing federal debt and spending is a mistake. We therefore urge you to vote NO and will rate a vote against the so-called stimulus as a Key Vote for Prosperity in our Congressional ratings."
The group stands resolutely against many mainstream economists who point out that the economic sectors that traditionally drive growth and job creation -- consumer spending, export markets, manufacturer investments, and new technological innovation -- have all collapsed. In such times, the economists argue, it's necessary to use extraordinary governmental measures to make up for the estimated $2.9 trillion gap in the private economy over the next three years. Otherwise, economists such as Nobel prize winner Paul Krugman predict, the U.S. could enter a long period of deflationary doldrums like Japan endured for a decade.
Americans for Prosperity is backing up its letter with a petition drive, which can be found here. http://www.americansforprosperity.org/
The advocacy organization Americans for Prosperity released on Feb. 5 a letter addressed to the U.S. Senate. The group urges a vote against the bill aimed at stimulating the economy, which is due for a vote in the Senate Tuesday:
"On behalf of the members of Americans for Prosperity, I am writing to urge you to vote against the so-called American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Congress should not enact an expensive spending bill under the pretense of stimulus or recovery."
The letter continues, "No matter which amendments pass, the fundamental approach of dramatically increasing federal debt and spending is a mistake. We therefore urge you to vote NO and will rate a vote against the so-called stimulus as a Key Vote for Prosperity in our Congressional ratings."
The group stands resolutely against many mainstream economists who point out that the economic sectors that traditionally drive growth and job creation -- consumer spending, export markets, manufacturer investments, and new technological innovation -- have all collapsed. In such times, the economists argue, it's necessary to use extraordinary governmental measures to make up for the estimated $2.9 trillion gap in the private economy over the next three years. Otherwise, economists such as Nobel prize winner Paul Krugman predict, the U.S. could enter a long period of deflationary doldrums like Japan endured for a decade.
Americans for Prosperity is backing up its letter with a petition drive, which can be found here. http://www.americansforprosperity.org/
Richard Kaplan--HispanicBusiness.com
Source: HispanicBusiness.com (c) 2009. All rights reserved.
Jumat, 06 Februari 2009
Expand use of DNA to catch criminals, exonerate the innocent
THE DNA sample has become an indispensable tool for protecting public safety. Its use needs to be expanded. Instead of routinely taking samples from people after they have been arrested, charged, tried, convicted and sentenced, the samples need to be taken right away, at the time of arrest, when they can do the most good.
State Rep. Mark Miloscia, D-Federal Way, has offered House Bill 1382 to make that the routine practice, and the Legislature should approve it.
Lynn McIntyre, interim director of the Washington State Patrol's Crime Lab Division, says last year, police had 316 "hits" when entering DNA information into the computer system. Already, DNA identification has led to the conviction of murderers, rapists and other serious criminals who would never have been convicted without it.
It has also led to the release of the wrongly convicted. In Illinois, it led to the release of so many from death row that the state suspended its death penalty. DNA is a tool of detection and exoneration — both to the benefit of the public.
Under Miloscia's bill, a DNA swab would routinely be taken of all persons arrested for felonies, gross misdemeanors or patronizing a prostitute. The last category is included because it would have solved the case of the Green River killer, and could be crucial in cases like it.
The American Civil Liberties Union opposes the bill, arguing that it violates the Fourth Amendment right "of the people to be secure in their persons ... against unreasonable searches and seizures ... ."
This is a crucial right in the Bill of Rights, but it does leave open what is reasonable and what is not. Courts have long found that it is reasonable for police to take fingerprints at the time of arrest, and to put the data into computers. Taking a DNA sample would seem to be no different legally. It is, however, a much more effective way to identify people.
"DNA is how we identify people today, just like we did with fingerprints 40 years ago," says Dan Satterberg, King County prosecuting attorney, who supports the bill.
Opponents argue that DNA includes medically relevant information that is private. So it does. But police do not test for that information.
"We don't have the equipment," says McIntyre. "We don't have the technology and we don't have the protocols." That is the way it should remain.
In Miloscia's bill, the information from the biological sample would be put into the computer only after the accused had been charged with a crime. If convicted, the biological sample and the data would remain in government hands. If the person weren't convicted, the sample would be destroyed and the data erased.
McIntyre estimates that Miloscia's bill would require processing four times as many samples as the state's five DNA labs process today — extra work, to be sure, and well worth it.
seattletimes.nwsource.com
State wants to extend Green Line to Mystic River
The state recommended today that the MBTA's Green Line should be extended all the way to the Mystic River, a decision that will take the trolley line a mile further into Medford than an alternative route that stopped at Tufts University.
The $600 million plan, which will require federal funding, would move Lechmere Station and extend the trolley line to the Mystic Valley Parkway, which is also known as Route 16. The station would be near Medford's border with Somerville and Arlington, a location that is within a half-mile walk of nearly 10, 000 residents. The proposal released today, however, does not include construction of a new parking facility, an addition that had been discussed.
The $600 million plan, which will require federal funding, would move Lechmere Station and extend the trolley line to the Mystic Valley Parkway, which is also known as Route 16. The station would be near Medford's border with Somerville and Arlington, a location that is within a half-mile walk of nearly 10, 000 residents. The proposal released today, however, does not include construction of a new parking facility, an addition that had been discussed.
“The Green Line Extension will advance community plans for smart growth and urban redevelopment and provide environmental justice communities with faster rides to jobs and destinations," said Transportation Secretary James Aloisi Jr. in a press release announcing the decision. The Executive Office of Transportation "is very pleased to advance this project and we will continue to work with local officials to make it very successful.”
The shorter route would have ended the Green Line extension at College Avenue near Tufts University. Some Medford residents have opposed the longer route because they are concerned about traffic, parking, and other congestion problems.
The state committed to extend the Green Line into Medford nearly 20 years ago to avoid a lawsuit. The Conservation Law Foundation had threatened to block the Big Dig if Massachusetts did not also make transit improvements.
In a statement, the law foundation applauded the decision to extend the Green Line all the way to the Mystic River. Staff attorney Carrie Russell said it showed that the state was "striving to fully realize the promise it made to the residents of Massachusetts to reduce air pollution and improve access to rapid transit."
By Globe Staff
Editor's Notes: Queen Vonn, Jamaica's smoke out, Phelps flaps his fins
Normally, I try to avoid bogging down a story with digits. But this lead item requires the nuances of numbers to tell it best.
So I seek your patience as I present a case that American Lindsey Vonn could become the best American skier of all time, and one of the best in history.
By the end of the current Alpine ski season, Vonn will likely become at least the co-record holder for most World Cup wins by a U.S. woman.
It may even happen before the world championships begin on Feb. 3. Vonn, a speed specialist, boasts 16 World Cup wins, two behind U.S. record holder Tamara McKinney, who set the record in 1987 two years before she retired at the age of 26.
Vonn is scheduled to ski a downhill race, a giant slalom and a super-G in Cortina, Italy through Monday.
An unlikely but not impossible sweep in Italy would crown her the queen of U.S. skiing, or it could happen the next weekend in a slalom and a super-G in Germany.
It’s likely Vonn will surpass McKinney later in the season barring injury or a calamitous incident, such as a two-month winter heat wave through Europe.
Vonn has close to two dozen more competitive options through the end of the World Cup season to become the top U.S. female skier of all time at age 24.
To put her impending accomplishment in perspective, let’s compare her to some other global stars in individual sports that feature annual pro tour competitions.
If Vonn claims three more World Cup wins this season by early March (she’s already won three), she will achieve her 19th victory at a younger age than arguably the best athlete in the world, PGA Tour icon Tiger Woods. Both will have been 24, but Vonn would beat Woods to the mark by a matter of days.
Vonn, however, would not match tennis star Maria Sharopova, who won her 19th WTA title at age 19.
Against other alpine skiing greats, Vonn would sit near the top of the list for youngest to reach 19 World Cup wins. Two current female alpine stars, Anja Pearson of Sweden and Renate Gotschi of Austria have more wins, but only Paerson was younger (23) when she reached 19. Annemarie Moser-Pröll of Austria, the women’s all-time World Cup leader with 62, also reached the number at age 19.
The men’s all-time leader, Ingemar Stenmark of Sweden, reached the 19th of his 86 wins at age 21. Among active male skiers, Vonn will likely surpass Hermann Maier of Austria (age 26) and fellow American Bode Miller (age 27).
Vonn won silver medals in the downhill and super-G at the 2007 world championships and is a medal contender in the downhill, slalom and combined. She’s currently ranked first in the downhill, second in the slalom and third in the combined events in the World Cup.
She competed in five events at the 2006 Winter Games after crashing in downhill training and being airlifted off the mountain. Her best finish was a seventh place in the super-G.
If she stays healthy and competes with consistency for another decade, Vonn could retire as the top World Cup winner in U.S. ski history.
Vonn’s career could be shortened and/or derailed by desires for motherhood (she was married in 2007 to former U.S. skier Thomas Vonn) or burnout. An eight -year veteran of the World Cup circuit, Vonn first competed on the tour at 16 years old.
It’s not rare for top women skiers to compete into their thirties. Vonn has given no indication that she would retire from skiing at the same age as McKinney, leaving open the chance she could leave the sport with achievements unmatched by any U.S. skier.
Jamaicans consider smoking ban - When Jamaican athletics officials hear their Beijing Olympic champion stable of sprinters, led by triple gold medalist Usain Bolt, described as “smokin’” fast, they want to ensure the reference applies only to their surreal speed.
At its 2009 anti-doping symposium last week in Kingston, the Jamaican Anti-Doping Commission discussed the impact of second hand smoke from cigarettes and marijuana on its track and field athletes.
The Jamaican Information Service reports that Dr. Herb Elliott, a board member of the IAAF Medical Committee, said after the symposium that he supports a ban on smoking in public sports arenas.
Elliott added that an athlete who inhaled second hand smoke tested positive for marijuana in his system. The IAAF prohibits marijuana use while in competition.
In an editorial last weekend, The Jamaican Observer called “frightening” that second hand smoke from “ganja”, as it called marijuana, could lead to a positive test because “it is treated as socially acceptable by huge sections of the Jamaican population. Some would argue...that it is part and parcel of the Jamaican culture.”
Could there be a cultural backlash following a ganja ban at Jamaican athletic stadiums?
“I don’t think it will be an issue,” Bruce James, the president of the Kingston-based MVP Track Club, said by phone this week. The MVP club includes Olympic gold medalist sprinters Shelly Ann Fraser (100m) and Melanie Walker (400m hurdles) as well as Asafa Powell, Michael Frater, and Nesta Carter (all 4x100m relay).
“It’s illegal in Jamaica, whether in public or private. And at an arena you’d have athletes possibly inhaling second hand smoke and then give a positive test. They are reasons it should be banned. But it’s interesting. How can you come up with a ban for something that’s illegal? I’m not sure there will be a national outcry.”
A heavy chore for Phelps - Michael Phelps resumed intense training this week, embracing a return to normalcy and needing to lose 15 pounds he says he has gained since the Beijing Olympics.
“I feel recharged,” he said during a teleconference call Thursday to discuss being named the USOC SportsMan of the Year. “I feel like there’s some normality back to my life. I can get to sleep earlier. I have no problem falling asleep now.”
Phelps’ first workout of cardio, weight and core training along with an hour in the pool took two-and-a-half hours on Tuesday. Wednesday he swam for an hour and did abdominal work. He trained two days while traveling and returned to Baltimore this weekend.
“I’m in a state of shock,” he said. “Everything in my body is brutally hurting.”
Phelps does not plan to reduce his commitment to training despite winning eight gold medals in Beijing and said he does not plan to swim eight events at major meets, which would include the Olympics and world championships.
“I don’t want to come back and swim these four years and not be satisfied on how it went,” he said. “I don’t think it will be as intense as my last four years but it will still be intense.
Phelps plans to compete in the 2009 world championships in July in Rome and hopes to return to competition at the Austin Grand Prix March 4 in Texas.
Selig’s Olympic pitch - Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig said in a letter to the International Olympic Committee’s program committee last week that the 2016 Olympics will have “the best representation of professional players in Olympic history,” should the sport be introduced back into the Games in 2016, according to a report on MLB.com.
Baseball is one of seven sports seeking to be added to the 2016 Summer Olympics. An announcement is expected in the fall.
Selig also said, "We'd like to be flexible...We'd like to do whatever we can. But...you can't stop a season in August and tell your fans we'll see you in 2½-3 weeks. That would not play well. And look, you'd be playing baseball into December. Just pragmatism takes over."
Are we to believe that MLB owners will let their top players leave their team in August for up to three weeks? There’s a better chance Roger Clemens will admit to using banned drugs.
Asked how baseball expects to send its best players under those restraints, Selig said, "Harvey (Schiller) and I talked about that.... We'll see. We're working on it.”
Schiller, the International Baseball Federation president who has recently been working hard to sell the benefits of baseball as an Olympic sport again, reacted positively to Selig’s comments. He briefed MLB owners last week at a meeting about baseball’s possible return to the Olympics.
"The reaction (of the owners) was good," Schiller said on MLB.com. "They know it's within their best interests to get back into the Olympic program. The big statement is getting the best players in there."
The International Olympic Committee has said baseball must include the top players in the world, most of whom play in Major League Baseball, to return to the Games. In a phone interview Thursday, Schiller was asked if he thought MLB owners would release their top players from league play to compete in the Olympics.
“In the eyes of the IOC, they would like to see names that are recognizable,” he said. “It’s seven years from now. I think we can work it out.”
Don’t be surprised if MLB MVP’s do not become 2016 Olympians. It’s more realistic that some players with All-Star credentials could fill an Olympic roster.
Meantime, Schiller earlier this month in a blog post on the IBAF web site promoted the idea of a combined bid by softball and baseball for the 2016 Games despite softball’s interest in submitting a separate bid.
A combined bid could result in four sports rather than three being added to the 2016 Games, easing the burden of both softball and baseball in their bid efforts. That will likely be one of the selling points for Selig during a planned meeting in the coming weeks with International Softball Federation President Don Porter to discuss ways the two sports can work together.
I guess that means he would like to play for the United States in those competitions, but he’s not willing yet to say he definitely will.
Meantime, Duke University head coach Mike Krzyzewski, who led the Americans to the gold medal in Beijing last summer, has said on his XM Satellite Radio show that he will decide after the college season if he will return as men’s USA head coach. He says it would not be fair to his Duke players if he made an announcement during the season.
USA Basketball hopes to win the 2010 worlds to avoid having to qualify for the London Games.
Inauguration pins-a-plenty - President Obama did not mention his home city of Chicago’s efforts to secure the bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics in his inauguration speech Tuesday, but Chicago 2016 officials made sure their effort was represented during the historic day.
Chicago 2016 staffers distributed about 5,000 Chicago 2016 inauguration pins during inauguration festivities in Washington, DC, including at a reception Sunday hosted by Chicago Mayor Richard Daley; during a parade watching party at the City of Chicago’s Washington, D.C.’s office; and at the U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting.
Chicago 2016 CEO Patrick Ryan was one of five people on Obama’s inauguration committee.
De La Hoya boosts boxing program - Oscar De La Hoya, a ten-time world pro champion and 1992 Olympic gold medalist, will serve as the official spokesperson for USA Boxing’s Gloves Not Guns, a youth development program, USA Boxing announced this week. De La Hoya will help promote the program, which teaches boxing to kids as a positive activity.
The program was started in 2007 at the AIBA World Championships in Chicago in partnership with World Sport Chicago and the United States Olympic Committee. Gloves Not Guns will be available this year in the cities of Los Angeles, Denver, Washington, DC and Miami as well as in Illinois and Connecticut.
By Dave Ungrady / Universal Sports
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