Saturday, December 26, 2009

Abdul Mudallad, a man who attempted to bomb the Northwest Airlines

Another name to join the ranks of terrorists is Abdul Mudallad, a man who attempted to bomb the Northwest Airlines headed to Detroit. The man is reportedly related to the terrorist organization Al-Qaeda. Abdul Mudallad, is being said to be around 23 year old and is formerly Nigerian. He was recognized by the Republican - Pete King from the House Intelligence Committee. However, his identification has not yet been confirmed by a law-enforcement official or any other government official.Sources claim that the man was definitely popular which means that his names was not unknown and that it has appeared in ‘terrorist related logs and in relation to Al-Qaeda’. The man was however, not on the ‘US terrorist watch list’, which itself contains around 900000 names. The watch list is also called the ‘no-fly’ list and it includes the names of those people who are not allowed to use any kind of commercial aircraft anywhere in the world. Abdul Mudallad claimed that he had acquired his explosives from Yemen, but the claim has not been confirmed yet.

Jasper Schuringa: he helped subdue and isolate Abdulmutallab with the aid of the cabin crew

Another passenger, Jasper Schuringa, told CNN that he helped subdue and isolate Abdulmutallab with the aid of the cabin crew.

Al Qaeda links arrested after what was described as “an attempted terrorist attack” on a Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Detroit is “talking a lot” to the FBI, a media report said.

The initial impression is that the suspect was acting alone in the incident, which set off a major security alert, and did not have any formal connections to organised terrorist groups, CNN said citing a senior official who is familiar with the investigations.

ND Tiwari Video sex scandal?

Governor ND Tiwari was caught red handed while involving in sexual acts in Raj Bhavan by hiring brothels. ABN Andhra Jyothy Channel has given this exclusive report today much to the astonishment of entire citizens of AP. The photographs taken from spy cameras are shown on channel with censor cuts. The girls were brought from various corners of the country and place them as workers in Raj Bhavan initially. But eventually they will be taken to the bed room of Tiwari. This 85 year old Governor makes those girls aged between 17 and 25 do all nasty things right from massages to ‘BJ’s. This stunning fact has reached people today. Governor’s OSD is also involved in these forcible sexual acts.



ND Tiwari (86) resigned today citing “health grounds” after being accused of his involvement in a sex scandal.he hs submitted his resignation to the Indian president. Recently a Telugu news channel,(Andhra Jyothi ) which is owned by the ABN channel broadcasted some video in which Tiwari was in a compromising situation with three women.

The channel was restrained from airing the visuals by High court order but before that the visuals were once aired and mass have seen the whole video.

Many women groups protested against his act. The state government had also sent a report on the alleged scandal to the union home ministry. However the Andhra Pradesh Governor ND Tiwari denied media reports alleging his involvement in a sex scandal. Women’s groups held demonstrations outside his official residence here demanding his resignation.

al Qaeda-linked man tries to blow up plane

A Nigerian man believed to be linked to al Qaeda militants was in custody on Saturday after he tried to ignite an explosive device on a U.S. passenger plane as it approached Detroit, U.S. officials said. The suspect, who suffered extensive burns, was overpowered by passengers and crew on the Christmas Day flight from Amsterdam. The passengers, two of whom suffered minor injuries, disembarked safely from the Delta Air Lines plane. The flight had left Amsterdam on Friday and Dutch counter-terrorism authorities said they were trying to figure out where the suspect had come from, how he had been screened and how he had managed to board the flight.

Representative Peter King of New York, the senior Republican on the House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee, said the explosive device was "fairly sophisticated," and the suspect was a 23-year-old Nigerian.

Federal officials identified him as Abdul Farouk Abdulmutallab, according to The New York Times and the Washington Post. ABC News and NBC News reported that he attends University College London, where he studied engineering.

Abdulmutallab tried to ignite the device or mixture as the aircraft was approaching Detroit, officials said.

Ashura, The Day of Ashura

The Day of Ashura is on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram.

It is commemorated by Shia Muslims as a day of mourning for the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of Islamic Prophet Muhammad, Peace be upon him at the Battle of Karbala on 10 Muharram in the year 61 AH (October 10, 680 AD). Some Sunni Muslims however do not hold this day in significance for that reason, but rather believe that Moses fasted on that day to express gratitude to God for liberating the Israelites from Egypt. According to Sunni Muslim tradition, Prophet Muhammad, Peace be upon him fasted on this day and asked other people to fast.

In some Shia countries and regions such as Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Lebanon, Bahrain, Commemoration of Husayn ibn Ali has become a national holiday and most ethnic and religious communities participate in it. Even in India, Ashura (often called Moharram) is a public holiday.

ND Tiwari sex scandal?

Andhra Pradesh Governor ND Tiwari on Friday denied media reports alleging his involvement in a sex scandal and termed them "malicious" even as women's groups held demonstrations outside his official residence here demanding his resignation.

The opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader N Chandrababu Naidu has also sought the 86-year-old Tiwari's resignation for "unbecoming conduct".

Ravi Shankar, Tiwari's lawyer told CNN-IBN news channel that the allegations were "a tissue of lies" and they had slapped a legal notice on the media house that telecast clips purportedly showing the governor in compromising position along with three young women in his bedroom. Hours after the TV channel aired footage of the alleged sex scandal, a group of 50 odd women descended on the Raj Bhawan demanding action against the governor.

Police quickly hustled away the protesting women. A dozen activists of the All India Democratic Women's Organisation and Progressive Women's Organisation were arrested.

A statement issued from Raj Bhavan Friday evening said the governor was disturbed at the attempts to malign him.

The statement signed by Aryandra Sharma, officer on special duty to the governor, said: "All other media/news channels have been informed of the facts with a request not to take cognizance of fabricated, false and malicious news story attempting to tarnish the image of the Hon'ble Governor."

"There is absolutely no truth in the alleged news story which is nothing but sensation mongering and in poor taste. It is nothing but a tissue of lies," it added.

"The Governor Shri Narayan Datt Tiwariji is 86 years old and in the evening of his life. The office of the Governor is constantly under public scrutiny and entirely above board."

"It is sad and unfortunate that constitutional functionaries are dragged into needless controversy with utter disregard to propriety as well as deference to be shown to the age which is part of our culture and tradition," it said.

The Andhra Pradesh High Court, acting on a public suit, issued an injunction against showing the pictures, a couple of hours after the ABN channel aired the clips.

The channel quoted Radhika, a woman from Uttarakhand, as saying that she sent the young women to the Raj Bhavan on Tiwari's request through his aide.

The woman said she was exposing the governor as he failed to provide her an iron ore mining licence in Andhra Pradesh.

Narayan Dutt Tiwari was born in 1925, in village Baluti, Nainital district. His father Poornanand Tiwari was an official in the forest department, and who later resigned and joined the Non-cooperation movement. Tiwari received his education at various schools including, M.B. School, Haldwani, E.M. High School, Bareilly and C.R.S.T. High School, Nainital.

His initiation into politics came early, when during the Indian Independence movement, he was arrested on December 14, 1942 for writing Anti-British leaflets opposing imperialist policies, and sent to Nainital jail , where his father was already lodged.

Upon his release 15 months in 1944, he joined Allahabad University, where he topped the University in M.A. (Political Science), he continued his education doing LLB from the same university, and elected as the President of the Students’ Union of the Allahabad University in 1947. Meanwhile he was remained Secretary, All India Students Congress, 1945-49. In the first election in Uttar Pradesh after the independence for the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly held in 1952, he was elected from Nanital constituency and became an MLA for the first time on Praja Samajwadi Party ticket. In 1957, he was elected from the Nainital legislative constituency, and became the leader of Opposition in the Assembly. He was married to Dr. Sushila Sanwal in the year 1954.

In 1963, he joined the Indian National Congress, and was elected M.L.A. from the Kashipur,_Uttarakhand constituency in 1965, in the same year he was appointed a minister in the Government of Uttar Pradesh. After that he also remained Minister for Finance and Parliamentary Affairs in the Chaudhary Charan Singh Government (1979-1980). In 1968, he established Jawaharlal Nehru National Youth Centre (JNNYC) is a voluntary Organisation. He remained the first President of Indian Youth Congress from 1969 to 1971.

N.D. Tiwari was the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh three times: from January 1976 to April 1977, from August 1984 to September 1985 and from June 1988 to December 1988. He did a lot of work in developing the road and bridge network of U.P. - the network expanded significantly.

He was elected to 7th Lok Sabha in 1980, and served as a union minister in several portfolios in the 1980s: starting with Planning, and also remained Dpt. Chairman, Planning Commission. Thereafter he became a member of Rajya Sabha 1985-1988, during this period he also remained the Minister of Industries in September 1985 and in addition to that portfolio, became minister of Petroleum in 1986. He then served as India's External Affairs Minister from October 1986 until July 1987, at which point he became Minister of Finance and Commerce, serving in that position until June 1988, when he became chief minister of Uttar Pradesh for the third time.

He was a contender to be Prime Minister of India in the early 1990s but was beaten by the late Narasimha Rao . One of the key reasons was that he lost the Lok Sabha elections by a mere 800 votes. In 1994, he resigned from Congress and formed his own All India Indira Congress (Tiwari) along with senior Congress leader, Arjun Singh in 1995, but joined back when Sonia Gandhi came at the helm of affairs of the party two years later, and after a devastating defeat of the party under Narasimha Rao during the general elections in 1996. Tiwari was elected to the 11th Lok Sabha in 1996, and again to the 13th Lok Sabha in 1999.

He later served as the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, which was carved out of Uttar Pradesh, from 2002 through 2007. He offered to resign on 5 March 2006, citing his age. He left office in March 2007 following setbacks for his party in the state elections.

Tiwari was appointed governor of Andhra Pradesh on 19 August 2007 and was sworn in on 22 August.[9] Mr.N D Tiwari quit the office by the allegation by a local news channel (A B N Andhra jyothi) that ,he involved in the sex scandal.he quit the office on 26th december 2009.

Nigerian terrorist tried to blow up flight 253

A Nigerian man who said he was an agent for al-Qaida tried to blow up a Northwest Airlines plane Friday as it was preparing to land in Detroit, but travelers who smelled smoke and heard what sounded like firecrackers rushed to subdue him, the passengers and federal officials said.

Flight 253 with 278 passengers and 11 crew members aboard was about 20 minutes from the airport when passengers heard popping noises, witnesses said. At least one person climbed over others and jumped on the man. Shortly afterward, the suspect was taken to the front of the plane with his pants cut off and his legs burned, a passenger said. Law enforcement officials said the burns indicated the explosive was strapped to his legs.

One U.S. intelligence official said the explosive device was a mix of powder and liquid. It failed when the passenger tried to detonate it."

Tsunami 2004

Amateur camcorder footage of the 2004 tsunami disaster shot by a German tourist. Screams can be heard from the tourists in the background and he starts showing increasing concern repeating the phrase "what is that" untill he finally panics and tries to flee for his life.




Tsunami hit Ko Phi Phi in Thailand near Phuket. Copyright: Kalle Widelius kalle@widevox.com


Tsunami 2004


US jet bomb plot investigation Detroit to UK

UK police are searching addresses in central London after reports that a man suspected of trying to bomb a transatlantic flight is a student in Britain. Scotland Yard are conducting searches at a number of locations in connection with an alleged attempt to blow up a jet carrying 278 people as it landed in Detroit.

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, 23, is believed to be an engineering student at University College London.

US authorities claim he has links to al-Qaeda and are liaising with London Metropolitan police to search addresses with possible connections to the suspected terror attack.

Failed Terrorist Attack

Despite the failed bomb attempt, the federal government has no immediate plans to raise the threat level at airports. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0ZVq-aZXq0

After Christmas Sales

This is the time of year when retailers try to do several things: Sell any overstock still taking up too much shelf space, sell items that are soon to be on the clearance list, turnaround gift returns/exchanges (both opened and unopened), sell through old display models, and sell old product that has been to service.

This is where the consumer can get a good deal, depending on how desperate the store is to clear out shelf space. Overstock items are usually those loss leaders, such as those $29 DVD players, $99 Blu-ray Disc players, $299 LCD Televisions, and $249 budget home theater packages that are still new and in sealed boxes. Here you know that they haven't been opened, returned, or used.

When it comes to returns and exchanges, stores want to turn these around as quickly as possible. A great example is a $29 DVD player. You wake up on Christmas Day and find out that you got a $29 DVD player from your significant other and another $29 DVD player from your parents. Of course, politically you have to decide which one you take back, but, without opening the box you take one back and exchange it for something else. However, you are not the only one. When you arrive at the store you are in line with ten other people coming back to exchange the same DVD player.

Once again, the consumer can make out, however, there are a couple of points to be aware of. The item may have been opened by the customer or by the store returns dept to check to contents. In this case, make sure you do four things:

Check for a discounted price sticker made by the store on the box and confirm with a sales person or store manager that the open box price is indeed a discount price over the same item brand new.

Check the contents of the box yourself, together with a sales person or store manager. Make sure there is an owner's manual for the product and all accessories for the product are present.

In addition, note how the accessories are packaged. Are the cords, remote, and manual in their original packaging (which may indicate the product may not have been used), or are they obviously repackaged (which would most likely indicate the product was used for a period of time)?

Lastly, if anything is missing, negotiate for a lower price that would realistically make up the price of the missing items.
If the box has been opened, ask to see the item plugged in and working before you leave the store.

Also, check to see if there is a date code on the open box label or price sticker. This won't tell you how old the product is, but it does tell you how long the item has been sitting on the shelf as open box item.

Terrorist Attack Detroit Video

A local Islamic leader said he was disturbed by today's attempted terrorist attack in Detroit and called for Muslims to work with law enforcement to fight terrorism.

"We want to do everything we can to make sure this doesn't happen," said Victor Begg, of Bloomfield Hills, head of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Michigan. "We want to be on the front lines to help law enforcement." Begg added that the Muslim community should partner with law enforcement "to stop these maniacs -- who in the name of religion -- pursue these political goals." Begg said that he and family members have taken Northwest flights from Amsterdam to Detroit. "We could have been on that flight," Begg said. "These guys kill indiscriminately." Begg and the council helped organize an event today where Muslims and Jews worked together to help the needy in metro Detroit on Christmas Day. "It's really depressing," Begg said of the incident today on the plane. "It sets back all the work we do."

A terrorist attack in Detroit is making national headlines. The attack was thwarted before it turned in to the ultimate tragedy. A Nigerian native with ties to Al Qaida tried to ignite an incendiary device, and at least one passenger aboard the flight jumped on him to subdue him.

There were 278 passengers and 11 crew members aboard Delta Airlines flight 253 from Amsterdam to Detroit. Had the attack happened as planned, this would have been a very tragic Christmas.

The suspect was admitted to the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor. He is being treated for burns experienced when he tried to light the device.

The suspect was traveling on a one-way ticket with no return - even though he was not a US native. Travelers can expect increased security measures after the Christmas Day attack.

Recently, a California man was arrested at the Nashville International Airport for threatening to blow up a plane. He was charged and is going to be in jail until New Years day. Expect airports and airlines to take threats - even those that aren't serious and are made out of anger - very seriously.

Also allow yourself extra time if you are traveling this holiday season. With the terrorist attack in the back of everyone's mind, you can be sure that security checkpoints will be even more vigilant in screening passengers.

Update!! Target Day After Christmas Sales 2009

The Day After Christmas Sales this year have featured some of the most outstanding deals we have ever seen from lines like Dell, Sony, Samsung, Apple, Hitachi on some of the biggest items of 2009 including the iPod Touch, Xbox 360, Flip Mino High Definition Camcorders, Samsung 1080p HDTVs and more.

The Day After Christmas Sales will turn into Week After Christmas Sales which will turn into January 1st Sales – these bargains are here to stay for some time at least so if you weren’t around to get one of the deals of over 60% off on select products, you can now and for some time. When you visit stores like Walmart, Best Buy or Target for their After Christmas Sales you can get even bigger discounts at checkout.

One can save 15 percent when they spend $125 or more. At the same time when you spend $50 on accessories, get free shipping.

According to a target statement, there are major discounts on small appliances, home decorations, sports items, men’s wear and toys, fine jewelry, bridal accessories, selected baby garments, bath items, personal care products.

Not only this, Target has the daily specials and clearance items most of which sell for under $50.

Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab, instructed by Al-Qaeda to blow up the domestic flight

A Nigerian man said to be an agent for Al-Qaeda tried to blow up a Northwest Airlines plane, Flight 253, which was preparing to land in Detroit Friday. The suspect, identified as Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab, claims to have been instructed by Al-Qaeda to blow up the domestic flight in U.S.

Umar, 23, was shot in the leg during the scuffle and is currently being treated in a hospital in Ann Arbor., Michigan.

Charlie Sheen was arrested

Charlie Sheen was arrested..........

Charlie Sheen arrested and charged with a reported two felonies and one misdemeanor charge of domestic violence against his wife Brooke Mueller Sheen in Aspen, Colorado is gaining clarity.

After accounts that Charlie Sheen would not be able to post bond after his arrest, TMZ.com reports that he paid $8,500 after talking to a county judge. He's out of jail. Moreover, his wife, Brooke Mueller Sheen, was given a breath test to determine the level of alcohol in her body relative to her blood; the percentage was .13. By contrast, Charlie Sheen was given the same test and posted .04. TMZ wrote that law enforcement sources say Brooke Mueller Sheen was "legally drunk" when she called 911.

Brooke Mueller Sheen assaulteed

Charlie Sheen was arrested Christmas morning for an attack on his wife, Brooke Mueller Sheen. HOLLYWOOD actor CHARLIE SHEEN spent Christmas Day behind bars - after he was arrested on suspicion of assaulting his wife. The Two And A Half Men star was taken into custody after cops received a 911 call at 8.34am on Christmas morning. Charlie was arrested on suspicion of Second Degree Assault, Menacing and Criminal Mischief. The alleged offence took place during a scuffle with his wife BROOKE MUELLER at a house she has reportedly been renting in Aspen, Colorado.

Apparently a row started on Christmas morning (yes, it's not always sweetness and harmony in the holiday season!) and the argument degenerated into Charlie Sheen grabbing Brooke Mueller by the throat.

Under Colorado law if there are accusations of domestic abuse then the assaulting party must stay in jail until a protection order can be put in place. So Charlie Sheen remains arrested and in jail until the court can meet and this be organised.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Top 10 tech trends of 2009

At year's end, we're connected to each other and to the Internet like never before. In 2009, we carried tiny computers in our pockets, through which we fed the Internet constant real-time info about where we were and what we were doing.

Here's a look back at how it happened. It's CNN.com's 10 biggest tech trends of the year, listed in no particular order. Think we missed something? Please let us know in the comments below.

The Top 10 tech trends of 2009

Merck's Vytorin ups cancer risk

Cholesterol drug Vytorin is unlikely to raise the risk of cancer but a link cannot be ruled out, U.S. health officials said on Tuesday.

The Food and Drug Administration reviewed data on Vytorin and Merck's related drug, Zetia, from a trial called SEAS, plus early findings from two large ongoing studies.

"Based on the currently available information, FDA believes it is unlikely that Vytorin or Zetia increase the risk of cancer or cancer-related death, but at this time an association cannot be definitively ruled out," the agency said.

Vytorin and Zetia were tarnished in January 2008 when a study called ENHANCE raised questions about the drugs' effectiveness. Sales of the medicines plunged after the ENHANCE data, although they remain a $4 billion-a-year franchise.

Concern about cancer arose in July 2008 when the SEAS trial found more cancer cases among Vytorin patients versus a placebo.

Leerink Swann analyst Seamus Fernandez said the FDA statement on Tuesday was positive though expected.

FBI Files Reveal Michael Jackson's Death Threats

During more than a decade of monitoring, the Federal Bureau of Investigation helped set up interviews over child-molestation allegations, investigated a possible terror attack and an alleged assassination plot against Michael Jackson, according to newly released FBI files. Despite monitoring Jackson for more than a decade, the files don't contain any major revelations about the late pop singer's private life and the bureau never uncovered any solid evidence against him in connection with two different molestation allegations, according to The Associated Press.

The documents made public on Tuesday date from 1992 to 2005, and though the FBI said they number about 600 pages, only 333 were released due to privacy rules and a desire to protect investigative techniques.

Aerosmith Steven Tyler has entered rehab

Steven Tyler has entered rehab for addiction to painkillers. ... Newly single Jake Gyllenhaal and guy friends hit a Big Apple party to benefit an HIV/AIDS charity last night. ... Lifeline Live posted an item days ago about how rapper T.I. would be transferred from federal prison in Arkansas to a halfway house in Georgia after Jan. 1, but it appears Christmas has arrived early for the star who has been moved already

Rick Lazio bolstered by Rudy Giuliani.

Rick Lazio reveled in major momentum Tuesday as his drive for the Republican gubernatorial nomination was bolstered by the strong endorsement of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

The development prompted many political observers around New York to ask how long potential GOP rival Chris Collins can watch from the sidelines. But the Erie County executive simply issued a statement wishing a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to Lazio, Giuliani, Gov. David A. Paterson and Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo — all players in the race for governor.

Gilad Shalit deal

Reuters reported that the mediator’s name was barred from publication but the German-language paper Tagesspiegel reported that it was Gerhard Conrad, one of the foremost Arab experts in Germany’s intelligence service – known as the BND. Since early summer, the paper reported, Mr. Conrad has been shuttling between Jerusalem, Gaza, and Cairo in an attempt to engineer a prisoner exchange deal that would return Sgt. Shalit to Israel, where he has become a cause célèbre since being kidnapped in 2006.

Little is known about Conrad, even in his own country, where he holds a senior post in the BND. But the Israeli center-left newspaper Haaretz reported in 2008, when after 18 months of shuttle diplomacy Conrad secured the exchange of a Hezbollah militant for the remains of two Israeli soldiers, that since the 1990s he had been involved in every Israel-Hezbollah prisoner swap in which the BND had participated.

Serbia Bids to Join the E.U

Serbian President Boris Tadic, whose victory last year in a tight runoff election was seen as crucial to the country's further integration with Europe, submitted the application on a trip to Sweden, the country that currently holds the E.U. presidency. "This is indeed a great day for Serbia. This day represents a crossroads," Tadic said. "Today we are entering a stage which is very difficult, which demands deep and painful reforms." Swedish Prime Minster Fredrik Reinfeldt described the move as "a new beginning for Serbia," but warned, "the road to membership is long and demanding." The bid comes days after citizens of Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia won the right to travel without visas to E.U. countries for the first time since the bloody Balkan wars of the early 1990s — a move that some low-cost airlines had already anticipated by adding Belgrade and other airports to their routes. It also follows the E.U.'s decision earlier this month to unfreeze an interim trade and cooperation pact with Serbia — seen as a precursor to eventual E.U. membership.

Belgrade is already working closely with Brussels to make the necessary economic, legal and constitutional reforms to join the E.U. The government is also closely monitoring the European Commission's "progress reports" on its efforts, the latest of which underlined privatization and fighting organized crime as priorities for the government. And E.U. officials were pleased with the austere 2010 budget approved by Serbian lawmakers Monday that meets the strict terms of a recent International Monetary Fund loan. Belgrade is also rethinking its military options after neighbors Albania and Croatia joined NATO earlier this year, meaning most of Serbia is now surrounded by the alliance that bombed it in 1999. Serbia has already joined NATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP) program, a cooperation framework for NATO member aspirants.

Chidambaram's radical idea

Union Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday suggested splitting the Home Ministry and creating a separate ministry to handle matters not related to internal security.

The Home Minister said a division of the current functions of the Ministry of Home Affairs was necessary. "Subjects not directly related to internal security should be dealt with by a separate ministry or should be brought under a separate department in the MHA and dealt with by a minister, more or less independently, without referring every issue to the Home Minister.

Telangana

Amid indications that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government may backtrack on its commitment to carve Telangana state out of Andhra Pradesh, the Congress legislators from the region have threatened to resign.

As the sources in the Congress hinted that a statement expected to be made by the government Wednesday night would rule out moving a resolution on Telangana in the state assembly, there is a mood of celebration in coastal Andhra and Rayalseema regions.

The two regions have been witnessing violent protests for nearly two weeks against the Dec 9 announcement by the central government to initiate the process for the formation of Telangana.

As the central leadership of the Congress gave indications that nothing would be done to bifurcate the state without consensus, its leaders in the two regions called off their hunger strike.

This included party legislators Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy, brother of late chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy.

However, the Congress leaders from Telangana have reacted strongly.

Party legislator C. Muthyam Reddy warned that all the legislators from the region would resign if the government backtracked.

Congress legislators from the region began a meeting here to decide their strategy.

Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao went into a huddle with party leaders to chalk out his future course of action. Rao has already warned of "bloodbath" if the government backtracked.

Chief Minister K. Rosaiah called an emergency cabinet meeting Wednesday to review the situation. The legislators of main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) were also holding a separate meeting.

The student leaders of Osmania University and Kakatiya University too began a meeting to discuss the developments.

It was after an 11-day hunger strike by TRS chief that the centre on Dec 9 had announced that the process for formation of Telangana would be initiated.

The announcement triggered a political crisis in the state with 140 legislators from coastal Andhra and Rayalseema regions, cutting across party lines, submitting their resignations to the speaker.

State ministers and MPs had also threatened to quit. Several leaders went on indefinite hunger strike while massive protests had brought normal life to a standstill in 13 districts of the two regions.

Telangana is a region of Andhra Pradesh state in India. The name means "land of Telugus". It comprises of the Telugu speaking parts of the erstwhile princely state of Hyderabad. The region lies on the Deccan plateau to the west of the Eastern Ghats range, and includes the northwestern interior districts of Warangal, Adilabad, Khammam, Mahabubnagar, Nalgonda, Rangareddy, Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Medak, and the state capital, Hyderabad. The Krishna and Godavari rivers flow through the region from west to east.

On December 9, 2009, the Government of India announced that the process for the formation of Telangana will be initiated upon introduction and passage of a separation statement by the state assembly of AP.

Hidden Message in Avatar

well i found this when i was watching avatar and thought i should share it with you guys!!



On a more personal note I loved the depth of his hidden message's, without giving to much away- the plot parallel's some of our more current issues like Mercenary companies in Iraq or Afghanistan (Black Water, etc) at one point someone ...

Here Come the Mummies

Here Come the Mummies is a Funk/R&B band, best known for their live performances, in which band members come onstage dressed in full mummy attire, a concept and look that is similar to the 1990s punk band, The Mummies. However, on their homepage forum, they have addressed the issue, saying, "this is a totally different band. We formed around 2000, and we did not find out about the 90s punk band "The Mummies" until several years later. Aside from the look and the underlying humor, we do not have much in common. That said, we do find their pictures, music and vibe very amusing."

The band consists of various professional musicians based in Nashville, Tenn. There are rumored to be several Grammy awards among the members, though this is difficult to verify, as identities are kept private. They are believed to be under contract to various record labels, hiding their identities so as to prevent contract disputes while performing[citation needed].

The band usually consists of a guitarist, drummer, bassist, percussionist and keyboardist, but may also include a brass section consisting of a trumpet and saxophone, sometimes augmented by a trombone and baritone sax. Typically the band plays with around 10 members on stage.

The band's tongue-in-cheek sense of humor and character are maintained throughout appearances, history, and individual bios.

The band's song Dirty Minds has been featured on the ABC television show Big Shots.

The band is signed on the independent label Sphinxter Records, through which they have released three albums, Terrifying Funk from Beyond the Grave (2002), Everlasting Party (2003), and Single Entendre (2008).

In 2009 the band played on the Bob and Tom morning show.

Mega Millions $162M jackpot

One ticket matched all six numbers in Mega Millions drawing Tuesday night to win an estimated $162 million jackpot, according to the Mega Millions website.

The winning ticket was purchased in Suffolk County, New York. The winner wasn't identified. MegaMillions drawing resulted in a single first place winner a lucky player who purchased his or her ticket at the Cards & Things store on Route 25A in Rocky Point. The New York State Lottery reported the single first prize jackpot was $162 million. The identity of the new millionaire has not yet been released since the winner has not yet claimed their prize.

The winning numbers were 3, 33, 35, 39, 45 and Megaball number 13.

Mega Millions winners from Chubb Insurance speak to the media


The grand prize had been steadily growing since Nov. 10 when two tickets matched all six numbers. Those tickets, which split the estimated $77 million jackpot, were bought in South San Francisco, Calif., and Union County.

Mega Millions is a consortium of 12 member state lotteries. The largest payout so far has been a $390 million jackpot shared by a New Jersey couple from Cape May County and a truck driver in Georgia in 2007.

In March, 10 co-workers from the information technology department of Chubb Insurance in White House station split a $140 million jackpot.

Kevin Michael Connolly ‘Double Take’

Kevin Connolly to appear on ‘Today’, Kevin Michael Connolly, the Montana State University graduate born without legs, is scheduled to appear Wednesday, Dec. 23, on NBC’s “Today” show to talk about his new book “Double Take.” It describes his life and adventures, including traveling around the world as a photographer and being an extreme skier.

Kevin Michael Connolly is an American photographer who was born without legs. He has made a collection of photographs of people's reactions to him as he traveled the world, and published it on the Internet.

Connolly posted information on his Web site saying that he was flying Tuesday to New York City. “It’s going to be strange for once heading to a place with more snow than Montana,” he wrote, “but I’m still incredibly excited for the opportunity to come out and talk about ‘Double Take’ in front of millions.”

Teresa Heinz treated for breast cancer

The 71-year-old wife of Massachusetts Senator John Kerry is urging younger women to keep undergoing mammograms despite a federal panel's recent recommendation to reduce the frequency of the tests. Heinz says her cancer was discovered after her annual mammogram.

Mike Fisher Pictures

Recent images of Mike Fisher. Photos. Hot. Popular. Latest Mike Fisher photos 2009 gallery. Mike Fisher photo shoot. Mike Fisher red carpet pictures. Magazine photos. Movie posters. Stills. Magazine covers. You can found here...

bushnell onix 200 gps system with truview navigation

Anyway Woot is offering the Bushnell ONIX 200 GPS System with TruView Navigation for the small price of $59.99. The deal is available only today so here’s what you can get: a 320 x 480 color LCD screen, 32MB of memory, TruView Navigation, topo map, compass, navigational aids, and layer a satellite photo among others.

The Bushnell ONIX200CR GPS w/ Satellite Photo & Topographical Overlays will be shipped overnight meaning that you will get it tomorrow right in time for Christmas. The Bushnell ONIX 200 GPS System has the capability to download, display, and georeference satellite photos.

This GPS Navigation System comes with SafeTrack (a feature that saves battery life), Night Mode, Hot button, US and Canada maps, 20-channel SiRF Star III GPS receiver, audible alarms, and it’s waterproof, customizable, and WAAS-enabled. The Bushnell ONIX200CR GPS w/ Satellite Photo & Topographical Overlays requires two AA batteries, and it measures 108 x 44 x 18mm. For more information move over to Woot.com.

Shy-Drager Disease l Shy Drager Syndrome

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a rare neurological disorder that impairs your body's involuntary (autonomic) functions, including blood pressure, heart rate, bladder function and digestion. Formerly called Shy-Drager syndrome, the condition shares many Parkinson's disease-like symptoms, such as slowness of movement, muscle rigidity and poor balance.

Multiple system atrophy is a degenerative disease that develops in adulthood, usually in the 50s, and affects more men than women. The condition is gradually progressive and eventually leads to death.

Treatment for MSA includes medications and lifestyle changes to help manage symptoms.

What is Shy dragger syndrome?
It is a disease first described by Dr. Milton Shy and Dr. Glen Drager in 1960. It is a rare disease of unknown etiology that causes a progressive degeneration of the central and autonomic nervous system. It is characterized by the the following symptoms:

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Parkinson like tremor: This is the reason why this syndrome was first described as a Parkinsonism or related to Parkinson Plus
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Orthostatic hypotension: The first and most important sign of autonomic nervous system failure. An important reflex that rises blood pressure as a response to postural changes is lost. Blood is forced towards the legs by gravity, but this reflex ensures that blood flow to the brain is conserved even with postural changes by blood vessel constriction.
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Erectile dysfunction: Erection is directly related to the parasympathetic system (part of the autonomic nervous system)
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Fecal and urinary Incontinence
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Alterations of muscle tone (stiffness): This is the other sign that made this syndrome parkinson like
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Anhidrosis: This is the loss of function of the sweat glands secondary to the lack of activation by the autonomic nervous system.
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Progressive dementia: Secondary to the degenerative changes that occur in the central nervous system that will be explained later.

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It was previously associated with Parkinson like syndromes, then reclassified with MSA (MULTIPLE SYSTEM ATROPHY) syndromes.

From a histological point of view, necropsies show basal ganglia degeneration, but the most commonly found sign is atrophy of the lateral horn neurons of the thoracic spinal cord.

From an epidemiological point of view, this disease is 2 to 3 times more common in men than in women, in the fifth or sixth decade of life. It is not reported to be hereditary.

Diagnostic can only be made post mortem by demonstrating the degenerative changes in the central and autonomic nervous system. However, it can be suspected after ruling out any other Parkinson like diseases and any other form of idiopathic orthostatic hypotension.

There is no known treatment up to the date this review was written.

Case Description (Real Case)

A 50 year old man is brought to the emergency room, clear signs of prostration, with infected pressure wounds on his lower back, a septic look on his face.
After a quick examination there were signs of spasticity, he could not move his limbs. The only movement that could be discerned was the tremor of his hands and head. At first glace he looked like a stroke patient or a patient suffering from Parkinson in its late stages.

A complete clinical assessment showed the following:


BP 100/60mmHg (when brought to a sitting position with his legs hanging, BP dropped more than 30 mmHg) HR 98bpm RR 29rpm Temp 36,5 (Celsius).
He was lying on his back, had a diaper on with urine a fecal matter.
He looked dehydrated, pale, dry marmoreal skin, infected pressure wound on his lower back, typical anaerobic bacteria smell came from the wound.
His face wore an inexpressive septic look.
On his cardiac and respiratory examination rales could be heard on both lungs, probably due to frequent aspiration of the content of the mouth (aspiration pneumonia).
Abdominal examination didn't show any abnormalities.
His limbs were shaky but when an active maneuver was performed, his muscles were stiff, he had areflexia.
Neurological examination showed dementia, many extrapiramidal symptoms such as tremor, and ataxia.
A Parkinson like syndrome was diagnosed, and then his signs were cross-referenced on the net. The association of orthostatic hypotension and parkinson like symptoms was the best description. Some rare syndromes that could be associated with this symptoms: Shy Drager Syndrome (SDS) and Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) were the best candidates for his disease.
Treatment with antibiotics improved patient state but later that month he died from a massive aspiration of gastric content to his lungs.
The autopsy revealed the typical histological findings of Shy Drager Syndrome.

Allanah Benton-Wells was found guilty

Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Michelle Richardson referred to the student as the “12-year-old boyfriend” of Allanah Benton-Wells, 43, at one time during her closing argument, and played a conversation allegedly between the two inadvertently recorded on an answering machine.

The student’s mother heard the recording on Oct. 31, 2007 and brought the accusations to light.

Richardson said the boy was hesitant to tell his mother about the alleged sexual conduct because he was protecting Benton-Wells.

“He did not want her in trouble,” said the Richardson. “He loved her, he cared for her and he thought she was a nice woman.”

Benton-Wells’ lawyer, Steven Freeman of Lansing, said the student was intimidated into saying he had sex with Benton-Wells by his mother.

“When (the student’s mother) heard that tape, in her mind she thought ‘Aha! Sex!’” he told the jury during closing arguments.

The attorney questioned whether investigators adequately looked into the case and whether the student’s story was credible. He said the student’s mother overreacted “through her ignorance” and screamed and yelled at the boy until he said he had sex with his teacher.

Benton-Wells was charged in August 2008 with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a person under the age of 13. The jury began deliberating at the end of the day Friday.

James and the Giant Peach



In its 30th Birthday season the Polka Theatre has returned to its most successful show to date and it is easy to see why. David Wood’s adaptation of Roald Dahl’s much loved story is a delight from the start. James (James Daley) introduces us to his insect friends who all look spot on, particularly the Grasshopper (Andrew Mathys) who also plays the violin wonderfully. The story then begins. We meet James’ two sinister aunts, Aunt Spiker (Anna-Marie Paraskeva) and Aunt Sponge (Neil Smye), the latter having the distinct air of a pantomime dame about her - the children in the audience are both amused and disgusted by them. Once James escapes from them the adventure begins. The story is set beautifully thanks to the design by Keith Baker, and lighting by Jim Simmons, both of which remain effective throughout and create a magical atmosphere. As James and his insect friends go on their adventure we are treated to some amusing songs, most notably from the Centipede (Neil Smye), amusing comments, particularly from the Earthworm (Des Yankson) and lots of audience participation. This is a delightful feel good production, wonderfully performed by a strong cast - which the whole family will thoroughly enjoy.
Poor James, stuck living with his two crabby aunts. One day a peculiar thing happens, which leads to another peculiar thing happening and before you know it, James is living on a giant peach with some huge bugs. Sounds bizarre, right? And to be honest, it IS rather bizarre. To be living amongst huge bugs would completely freak me out. But the reason Dahl 's stories are classics is that the bizarre-ness WORKS. We believe it! We believe in the musically gifted Old Grandfather Grasshopper and the mild and motherly Ladybug. Sure there are crazy cloud people up in the sky creating out weather. Dahl's stories are just so readable and kid-centric. He empowers his readers with a sense that even when you are a kid, horrible things can happen to you but that you are strong enough to stay kind and patient until it all works out. What a fantastic message.

Derrick Roland injury video

The reality is that Roland’s collegiate career could be over, but the good news is that the surgery reportedly went well. You can only wish the best for Roland after seeing something so horrific happen to him like that and seeing the way it impacted his teammates. It’s also nice to note that the team is attempting to support Roland as much as possible, staying with him in the hospital until his family arrives. Here’s hoping for the best for Derrick.

Happy Festivus

Enjoy airing your grievances and performing feats of strength with Festivus creator and former "Seinfeld" writer Dan O'Keefe, author of "The Real Festivus," who takes your question about how he came up with the holiday and its evolution over the years. Festivus is a secular holiday celebrated on December 23rd. It was created by writer Dan O'Keefe and introduced into popular culture by his son Daniel, a screenwriter for the TV show Seinfeld as part of a comical storyline on the show. The holiday's celebration, as shown on "Seinfeld", includes an aluminum "Festivus pole", practices such as the "Airing of Grievances" and the "Feats of Strength", and the labeling of easily explainable events as "Festivus miracles".

Celebrants of the holiday sometimes refer to it as "Festivus for the rest of us", a saying taken from the O'Keefe family traditions and popularized in the "Seinfeld" episode to describe Festivus as "another way" to celebrate the season without participating in its pressures and commercialism.

Brittany Murphy Autopsy Photos?

The L.A. Coroner has ruled out foul play in the sudden death of the 32-year-old actress, who apparently suffered a heart attack in the shower early Sunday.

TMZ reports Murphy's body appeared "normal" and did not look emaciated, as she did in red carpet photos taken earlier this month.

The actress, who lost a startling amount of weight since breaking into the Hollywood scene in 1994, had been dogged with cocaine and eating disorder rumors for years. She had reportedly been taking prescription meds at the time of her death.

"Jon & Kate Plus 8" may be officially over - as is Jon and Kate's marriage - but you can bet we haven't seen the last of the fame-loving Gosselins.

Kate went public with her desire to compete on "Dancing With the Stars" during her appearance on the Jay Leno Show. (Given NBC's history of blocking its competitors on its airwaves - "Glee," anyone? - we're kind of surprised the mention of ABC's smash hit didn't get edited out.)

As for Jon, he's going to need to find a J-O-B soon so he can start paying child support. May we provide a few suggestions?

She sings about cheating boyfriends and love gone wrong, but country star Carrie Underwood is now engaged.

Club Dread

Club Dread (also known as Broken Lizard's Club Dread) is a 2004 comedy/horror film, written by the comedy group Broken Lizard, who also created Super Troopers. It is directed by Jay Chandrasekhar, one of the group members.

Though the story is set on an island in Costa Rica, filming took place in Mexico.

The opening overhead shots of the island were actually clips lifted from Danny Boyle's film The Beach.

BlackBerry Outage December 22

BlackBerry Outage December 22: Blackberry users face e-mail outage Tuesday evening,

The Finish Line Inc. post a profit

The Finish Line Inc. post a profit during its third quarter, ended Nov. 28.

Earnings during the period were $6.5 million, or 12 cents a diluted share, compared with a loss of $6.5 million, or 12 cents, during the same year-ago quarter. The most recent results include a $6.5 million one-time tax benefit.

Analysts polled on Yahoo Finance had predicted a loss of 9 cents a share for the quarter.

Sales during the quarter remained flat, at $240.1 million, compared with $240.6 million a year ago. Comparable-store sales increased 1.7 percent from last year, when the Indianapolis-based retail company posted a 3.3 percent decline.

For the first three weeks of December, net sales rose 4.9 percent, versus a 22.1 percent drop during the same period a year ago.

Foot Locker Operating Results

Foot Locker, Inc. is a leading global retailer operating primarily mall-based stores in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. The company operates in two business segments, the Global Athletic Group and the Northern Group. The Global Athletic Group operates the following retail stores: Foot Locker, Lady Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker, Champs Sports, Footlocker.com. The Northern Group consists of four apparel formats:Northern Reflections, Northern Traditions, Northern Getaway and NorthernElements. Foot Locker Inc. has a market cap of $1.49 billion; its shares were traded at around $9.52 with a P/E ratio of 17.6 and P/S ratio of 0.3. The dividend yield of Foot Locker Inc. stocks is 6.3%. Foot Locker Inc. had an annual average earning growth of 18.8% over the past 10 years.

Derrick Roland injured himself

Texas A&M guard Derrick Roland injured himself in Tuesday night's loss against Washington, but that might've been just as well. Those that did see it had to look away. How the injury happened remains unclear, Roland lept and crashed hard to the ground but its effect wasn't. The Texas A&M bench immediately looked into the crowd, and when they did look back on the court they did so with looks of anguish and sadness, some with their jerseys pulled up around their eyes. Texas A&M coach Mark Turgeon ran on the court while action moved to the Huskies' end of the court. Trainers from both staffs flooded the court and encircled the prone Roland, who lay diagonally across the lane, with his arms over his eyes.

The game was delayed about 10 minutes while trainers waited on a paramedics crew.

Roland did not get up and was lifted onto a gurney and carted off the court with his right leg in an air cast, though he did give fist bumps to his teammates as he was rolled off.

Roland is now in stable condition at Seattle's Harborview Medical Center.

The gruesome nature of the injury likely means his season is over.

Roland, the team's second-leading scorer and one of its best defenders, was averaging 11.1 points and 1.7 assists per game this season entering Tuesday night's contest. He had four points and an assist against the Huskies.

Research In Motion about BlackBerry Outage

Research In Motion Ltd., the maker of the BlackBerry phone, said subscribers in the Americas are facing service delays, the second disruption in less than a week. Engineers are working to resolve the breakdown, according to an e-mailed statement today from the Waterloo, Ontario-based company. RIM spokeswoman Tenille Kennedy didn’t immediately respond to phone calls or return an e-mail message seeking comment.

BlackBerry service also was disrupted Dec. 17 in North America, where RIM gets about two-thirds of its revenue. RIM aims to fend off competition from Apple Inc.’s iPhone and Motorola Inc.’s Droid with new, feature-laden versions of the Storm and the Bold, and by selling more devices through discount retailers like Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

RIM’s BlackBerry Curve was the top consumer smart phone in the U.S. in the third quarter as price cuts fueled sales, according to research firm NPD Group Inc. Apple’s iPhone 3GS and 3G took second and third place.

Exercise Bike Clearance

Exercise bikes work your legs, heart and lungs without putting impact or stress on your joints. They have always been very popular pieces of cardiovascular equipment because the exercise motion is very familiar to most people; you simply pedal as you would on a regular bike. You can set your own pace, and even read while exercising.

Types of Exercise Bikes

Upright Bikes

* Similar in form to traditional bikes and still the largest seller
* Good lower body and cardiovascular workout
* Fit easily in limited spaces

Recumbent Bikes, semi-recumbent bikes

* These have chair-like, or bucket seat
* More comfortable than an upright bike and provide better back support
* Promote more efficient blood flow throughout the body
* Prevent you from cheating on peddling because you can't stand up

Dual Action Bikes

* These are Upright models with movable bars on arm handles
* By utilizing both arms and legs the overall aerobic intensity is increased
* Upper body toning is enhanced

Geely Buy Volvo

Chinese carmaker Geely is to buy former Swedish brand Volvo from current owners Ford. The entire venture is expected to be settled by the summer next year. The rumours had been circulation in the previous days, until the confirmation finally came around noon on Wednesday Swedish time. After a decade of American ownership, U.S. carmaker Ford said it is on the verge of closing a deal to sell its Swedish brand Volvo Cars to China's Geely. The deal will be sealed sometime in the second quarter of 2010. In a statement, Ford announced it did not expect to retain a stake in the Swedish unit after the sale.

BlackBerry Outage

Looks like RIM's backbone is creaking with another report on a partial outage that affects North American carriers, where BlackBerry Messenger and web browser alongside apps that rely on a data connection being unable to hook up, although the all important email seems to work fine. It is also pretty apparent now that not all carriers and subscribers are affected.

maker of the popular BlackBerry line of smartphones, confirmed an email outage earlier today. The issue has since been resolved, and RIM reports that service is back to normal, but it's never good for marketing or public relations to have the word "outage" come up.

In an e-mailed statement, RIM noted "Some customers may still experience delays as email queues are processed." The statement summed up with "RIM is continuing to investigate the cause of the issue and apologizes for any inconvenience."

The outage only impacted e-mail service. Affected users were still able to place phone calls, use text messaging, and surf the Web. That is good news for most, but little consolation for users who were perhaps anxiously awaiting an urgent e-mail at the time.

Users don't like outages in general, though. People have been more than a little irate at outages by Google, and particularly riled up when Microsoft and Danger lost all data for T-Mobile Sidekick users. In an increasingly competitive smartphone market, outages are a black eye that doesn't win any fans.

Michael Schumacher F1 comeback

Michael Schumacher will make a remarkable comeback next season with the Mercedes Grand Prix team, it was confirmed on Wednesday.Schumacher, who will be 41 years old on Jan. 3, 2010, began his professional career as a member of the Mercedes-Benz Junior program in 1990-91, racing Group C sports-racing cars and DTM touring cars.

The German automotive brand paid for his Formula One debut with Jordan Grand Prix in the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix, and his recruitment is the biggest feather so far in the cap of Norbert Haug, the director of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport in Stuttgart. Haug has wanted Schumacher to join McLaren-Mercedes for many years but the driver always politely rebuffed his advances, seemingly wedded to Ferrari.

But Schumacher revealed today that the new Mercedes GP approach came not from Haug, but from Ross Brawn, the engineer who was working alongside him when he won all his Grands Prix with both Benetton Formula and Ferrari.

American Airlines Flight 331 Crashes at Jamaica

American Airlines flight from Miami with more than 150 aboard overshot a runway and skidded to the edge of the Caribbean Sea, injuring more than 40 people. Some 44 people were taken to nearby hospitals with broken bones and back pains, Information Minister Daryl Vaz told The Associated Press.

Four people were seriously injured, said Paul Hall, senior vice president of airport operations. American Airlines said only two were admitted to the hospital and nobody suffered life-threatening injuries.

The plane's fuselage was cracked, both engines broke off from the impact, and the left main landing gear collapsed, airline spokesman Tim Smith said. Most of the injuries were cuts and bruises, and none were life threatening, he said.

U.S. federal investigators will analyze whether the plane should have been landing in such bad weather, Smith said, adding that other planes landed safely amid heavy rain.

Some passengers leaving the plane were seen with cuts on their faces or bloody lips. Some looked visibly shaken as they left the terminal wrapped in red blankets. Others ducked under umbrellas to escape the heavy downpour.

Ford Volvo deal with Geely in Q1

(AP) - Ford Motor Co. said Wednesday it is close to selling its loss-making Volvo unit to China's Geely and expects a final deal in the first quarter of 2010.

Ford said in a statement that "all substantive commercial terms relating to the potential sale of Volvo Car Corporation have been settled." Ford chose Geely as the preferred bidder for Volvo in October.

Ford acquired Volvo in 1999 for $6.45 billion. It has wanted to unload the Swedish carmaker since last year to raise cash and focus its efforts on three core brands: Ford, Lincoln and Mercury.

For 10 years Ford and Volvo have shared safety and other technology. For instance, Ford's Taurus sedan is based on Volvo underpinnings. Any agreement with Geely is expected to include details about sharing intellectual property rights and engineering.

Space Jam Jordans aka the Air Jordan XI (11) Retro editions

The shoes Michael Jordan wore in the 1996 flick Space Jam are where it's at, Honestly, when one of my friends wore these sneakers during the initial release in 2000, we all had a good chuckle about it. They were his pride and joy. He scoured Internet sites at the time trying to find anyone that would sell them in advance of the release date. Then again, this same friend also had a limited-edition golden Jordan jersey and was the first to get the Washington Wizards threads. A true Jordan-collecting fiend.

undoubtedly labeled it the most highly anticipated sneaker of 2009 and rightfully so (see our 24 Sneakers We’re Looking Forward to for the Rest of ‘09). With that said, we now have exclusive, up-to-date news on this classic sneaker. The Air Jordan 11 “Space Jam” Retro will officially hit retailers on November 27th, 2009.

However, this sneaker will not be easy to come by. On the aforementioned date, Jordan Brand will release it as a limited quickstrike edition. Check out the release date information below. Are you going to try at any way possible to snag this shoe when it drops?

Release Date: 11/27/2009

According to a Nike spokesperson, the reissue date was pushed up a day before Christmas Eve in order to let retailers close their doors early. The current price is anywhere from $179 in stores to $400 (or more) if you're scouring eBay. Robert Rodriguez, a teen shopper from Binghamton, NY, would disagree with my approach of course. He was first in line at the Oakdale Mall's Foot Locker to cop a pair of these rare kicks.


Tuesday, December 22, 2009

What is laryngitis?

Laryngitis is an inflammation of the voice box, or larynx, that causes your voice to become raspy or hoarse. Laryngitis can be short-term or long-lasting (chronic). Most of the time, it comes on quickly and lasts no more than 2 weeks.

Chronic symptoms are those that last 2 weeks or longer. Check with your doctor if your symptoms last more than 2 weeks, because your laryngitis may be caused by more severe problems.

Howard Schmidt as cybersecurity coordinator

Howard A. Schmidt, who was a cyber-adviser in President George W. Bush's White House, will be Obama's new cybersecurity coordinator, an administration official said Monday night.

The mission is challenging: to coordinate cybersecurity policy across the federal government, from the military to civilian agencies. Schmidt's appointment comes as the Pentagon launches a major new "cyber-command" unit up and running and the Department of Homeland Security works to improve protection of civilian networks.

In May, Obama declared the nation's digital networks a "strategic national asset" and said protecting them would be a "national security priority." Creating a White House cybersecurity office, run by a senior White House official, would be key to that effort, he said. "I'll depend on this official in all matters relating to cybersecurity, and this official will have my full support and regular access to me as we confront these challenges," Obama said from the East Room.

Bacon of the Month Club

Each month, members receive one pound of artisanal Indiana bacon, along with recipes, and "Belly Tales", which is a history of the animal in question. Memberships last for four months, and new members receive a Bacon Club t-shirt, and the market will make a contribution to the fab charity Heifer International. Locals can join for $69, and pick up their bacon at the store, but if you're just visiting Indy, you've got a couple of options. First, you can swing by the market and see if you can sample the month's bacon on a sandwich. "We do often times feature the bacon on a sandwich but not always," says owner Chris Eley. Second, and less risky: you can join the club and they'll ship your bacon anywhere in the continental United States. (With delivery, the fee is $129.)

Britax Frontier booster seats released

BRITAX LAUNCHES FRONTIER™ COMBINATION HARNESS-2-BOOSTER SEAT WITH GREATER PROTECTION FOR GROWING CHILDREN. Britax Child Safety Inc., recognized as a leader in child seat manufacturing and child passenger safety, has announced the launch of the Frontier™, the first seat to offer children between 25 and 80 pounds True Side Impact Protection® with a five-point harness and an anthropometrically correct fit. The combination harness-2-booster can also accommodate children between 40 and 100 pounds as a vehicle seat belt- positioning booster.

The Frontier addresses calls from groups such as the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration to keep children harnessed as long as possible. The seat adjusts with children as they grow, ensuring that it fits their body, not just their weight. This allows children to graduate from convertible car seats without compromising safety.

April Macie

April Macie's Demo Reel



April Macie - I Touch Myself - MunkeyFist's RockStar Karaoke



April Macie As performed on Last Comic Standing; Season 5 Episode 2



April Macie As performed on Last Comic Standing; Season 5 Episode 4

hawker beechcraft four man twin propeller plane

New U.S. Spy Plane to Be in Afghanistan by Christmas, U.S. troops in Afghanistan are getting a new tool in their fight against terrorism in the form of a spy plane that will provide ground troops with still images, video and eavesdropping, Bloomberg reported.

The first of the 24 new Hawker Beechcraft four-man twin-propeller plane is expected to arrive by Christmas -- one month ahead of schedule, Lt. General David Deptula said in an e-mail, Bloomberg reported.

In April 2008, the planes were ordered by Defense Secretary Robert Gates to up the number of manned and unmanned aircraft collecting intelligence data, and will now be used to help support the 30,000 troops Obama ordered to Afghanistan.

The plans have the capability to send images and video directly to ground troops, who will have portable computers that will let them see the images, Bloomberg reported.

They will also help provide 24-hour video that is now provided by unmanned drones.

mass snowball fight on the streets of Washington DC

Police in the US are continuing to investigate a detective after he appeared to draw his gun during a mass snowball fight on the streets of Washington DC.

The video appears to show the detective holding a gun in his left hand as he begins to approach a large group of people, which had gathered for the snowball fight.

The video was provided by Reason.TV, a libertarian organisation in the United States.

Ronald Grigg sue TMZ $20 million

Ronald Grigg, an attorney and former president of Jon Peters Entertainment, filed suit for defamation in Los Angeles Superior Court over a December 24, 2008 report entitled "Famous Producer Alleges Fraud, Theft, Date Rape." It detailed a lawsuit Peters had filed against Grigg. When the lawsuit was filed, Grigg was in the middle of an employment dispute with Peters and suffered irreparable harm due to the statements in the article, he says.

Grigg claims TMZ failed to investigate the matter and include his side of the story in the article, giving rise to claims for libel and false light and at least $20 million in damages.

TMZ, run by attorney Harvey Levin who is also named in the suit, did not respond to a request for comment. But a perusal of its report indicated that it was careful to restate what was said in Peters' lawsuit, which is usually covered under the fair reporting privilege of the First Amendment.

OPEC Holds Course, Crude oil futures slipped toward $73

Crude oil futures slipped toward $73 a barrel after OPEC, as expected, maintained current oil-production levels. Of course, that should mean a cut—the cartel really wants members to start complying with their output quotas, both in the WSJ. The blame game for Copenhagen gets started in earnest—and it ain’t China’s fault. George Monbiot goes off the reservation and slams Barack Obama, invokes Iraq war lessons, and hears the orchestra on the Titanic. Naomi Klein gets in the same groove: “There are very few US presidents who have squandered as many once-in-a-generation opportunities as Obama,” both in The Guardian. More Copenhagen post-mortems: Eric Pooley explains why rush-hour climate diplomacy didn’t work in Copenhagen (“Imagine that a Department of Motor Vehicles office joined forces with an Alitalia ticket counter and set out to save the world”) and won’t work in Washington, in Bloomberg.

Lottery accused 6 clerks

The case of Willis Willis of Grand Prairie, who prosecutors say lost a million-dollar jackpot to a now-indicted and fugitive store clerk, might be the biggest prize hijack in Texas. But it's not the only one. Since Jan. 1, 2008, the Lottery Commission has referred at least five other cases to prosecutors after players complained they weren't paid their rightful winnings: two in Pflugerville near Austin, two in Harris County and one in Brookshire in Waller County. Defendants entered no-contest pleas in three cases, and prosecutors dropped one each in Houston and Pflugerville, according to records obtained by the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News.

GTECH, which operates the lottery, recently agreed to provide 5,000 more self-check terminals, bringing the total to more than 16,000, enough to cover every retailer. Under current rules, retailers don't have to take them.

The 47 “closed” investigations that resulted in warnings or worse are among 164 complaints referred to the Lottery Commission's enforcement division out of 263 that were concluded between Jan. 1, 2008 and late October 2009. Complaints come in by phone, e-mail, an online form or in person. Lottery officials said they get sent to enforcement unless it's clear there's simply a misunderstanding. Of the other 117 cases referred for enforcement, 79 were called unsubstantiated. Three complaints were withdrawn, and 12 were listed as “appropriate action” taken — agency shorthand for a lack of conclusive findings.

The agency didn't provide tallies showing precisely how all the cases were resolved, which was requested under the Public Information Act. It provided spreadsheets with incomplete information, copies of investigative reports showing a range of behavior and circumstances, and some additional information in response to follow-up questions. In the Harris County case that prosecutors dropped, the agency report showed a Houston store owner paid $100 cash to a customer in 2008 instead of informing him he had won a $599 prize pack.

The retailer refused to return the ticket unless the customer repaid the $100, the report said. The player said he no longer had it and didn't trust the owner to give him a valid ticket. In a San Antonio case that prompted a warning, investigators reported a player was sold a ticket that already had been validated as a winning ticket, then was denied the $8 prize. In the Pflugerville case in which a clerk pleaded no contest to misdemeanor theft, a woman initially was paid only $77 of a winning scratch-off worth $177 in 2008. The clerk, who gave her the additional $100 when she returned and complained, was later fined $357 plus court costs. In Brookshire in 2008, a customer said he was cheated of $4 in winnings. The retailer pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor theft charge and was fined $120, including court costs. Complaints also might stem from apparent foolishness. A Pampa retailer cleared of a 2008 complaint speculated that two clerks might have been playing a practical joke by telling a customer he had won. The store's co-owner apologized for the employees, who had quit.

Brittany Murphy's Husband Confession

Simon Monjack, has spoken out following the death of his wife saying "My world was destroyed yesterday." He also commented on Ashton Kutcher's twitter message saying "I loved what Ashton [Kutcher] wrote on Twitter. It was comforting to me. I couldn't have said it better." Monjak also described the events of the fateful morning "[Her mother] Sharon went into the bathroom because she had been in there a long time. Her mom screamed for me and I ran. Then called 911."

He also admitted that his wife has been sick lately but they thought it wasn't anything serious "She had laryngitis," he said, noting she had seen a doctor. "She had been tired at the end of the year. She had made a couple movies." Brittany Murphy passed away on Sunday morning from apparent cardiac arrest. Autopsy has been performed but the results have been deferred pending a toxicology report.

Copenhagen accord "great failure"

The European Union went to Copenhagen with the hope of achieving a broad commitment to at least a 20-percent cut in carbon emissions below 1990 levels within 10 years, but that and other firm goals failed to emerge in the final accord. The two-week, U.N.-led conference ended on Saturday with a non-legally binding agreement to limit global warming to a maximum of 2 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial times, but did not lay out how to achieve that.

Despite months of preparation and strenuous international diplomacy, the talks boiled down to an inability of the world's two largest emitters, the United States and China, to agree on headline fixed targets.

The 27 member states of the EU had gone into the talks with a unified position and with a plan for financing emissions cuts in the developing world, with a commitment to spend around 7 billion euros ($10.01 billion) over the next three years to aid poorer countries.

Britain on Monday blamed China and a handful of other countries of holding the world to ransom by blocking a legally binding treaty at Copenhagen, stepping up a blame game that has gathered momentum since the talks ended.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown described the summit as "at best flawed and at worst chaotic" and demanded an urgent reform of the process to try to reach a legal treaty when talks are expected to resume in Germany next June.

But Danish Climate Minister Connie Hedegaard, who quit as president of the Copenhagen talks midway through after being criticized by African countries for favoring wealthier nations in negotiations, said it was no time to get depressed about the process of tackling climate change.

Health Care Bill, Senate Advances Democrats Aim for Swift Passage

www.foxnews.com - The Senate health care reform bill cleared a pair of hurdles Tuesday, putting Democrats halfway through a series of key votes and another big step closer to passing the bill by Christmas Eve.

The Senate voted 60-39 to shut down debate on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's original health care proposal, showing once again that Democrats have the minimum number of votes necessary to move the bill over GOP opposition. The chamber voted earlier Tuesday morning to approve a measure known as the "manager's amendment," which included all the latest changes to the overall health care bill. That measure needed a simple, 51-vote majority to pass.

Metrolink new crash-resistant cars next month

Metrolink is set to roll out new crash-resistant cars, nearly five years after the deadly Glendale train wreck that killed 11 people. The cars have "crush zones" that collapse to absorb impact, said Metrolink spokeswoman Angela Starr. Metrolink officials say it will be the first commuter train line in the nation to use the technology. Two cars a cab and passenger car will arrive next month and the agency hopes to phase in a total of 117 cars, said Starr. The first two cars will be in service as early as next summer. Nearly five years after a deadly Metrolink train wreck in Glendale intensified debate about passenger car design, Southern California's commuter rail service will soon take delivery of new high-tech, crash-resistant cars, officials announced Thursday. The event marked a coming-out session for Metrolink's new interim chief executive, Eric Haley, who this week replaced David R. Solow. Haley, the former top executive at the Riverside County Transportation Commission, said he would focus on safety improvements, such as a computerized collision-avoidance system, closing a multimillion-dollar budget shortfall and helping guide the search for a "world-class executive" as his permanent replacement.

Responding to a Times report on Thursday, officials said they would review a 13-year-old federal waiver that allowed Metrolink to forgo installing simple safety signs intended to avoid crashes like last year's head-on collision in Chatsworth that left 25 dead and 135 injured. The signs were intended to remind engineers to proceed slowly, watching for signal status after they stop at stations that are between trackside control lights.

Officials insisted their signage and signal system are safe. They said the decision not to place the placards at stations was made with the approval of federal regulators. Among other things, the signs could be confusing for freight and Amtrak train engineers using the same tracks, Metrolink officials said. Those trains often do not stop at Metrolink stations.

The staff of the state Public Utilities Commission, which also regulates some Metrolink operations, concluded this week that the signs provide important safety benefits and should be installed at commuter rail systems across the state.

Britney Murphy Death Photo?

Brittany Murphy died on Sunday, December 20th, 2009 in her home. She was 32 years old. Since then, there has been an autopsy performed. Brittany Murphy's family said the actress was ill with flu-like symptoms in the days before her death, and prescription medications were taken from her home.

What drugs we do not know, but they were legal. Britain's The Sun reports that she'd been taking Vicodin after a recent cosmetic procedure.

According to TMZ, the Clueless star, 32, began vomiting in the shower early Sunday morning and died of cardiac arrest. It also reported that her mother told paramedics that her daughter had a history of diabetes. An autopsy was to be performed in Los Angeles Monday.

It is odd and sick that when a celebrity dies, people instantly go to google and yahoo, and search for that celebrity death photo.So people stop searching, at this time the death photo for Brittany Murphy does NOT exist, even if it did, we would not post it because we want to remember her good memories.

Meanwhile, an odd twist: Last month, Simon Monjack, Murphy's husband, was hospitalized after a flight to L.A. from Puerto Rico. He arrived at the airport incoherent. The couple had been on the island, where Brittany had been shooting the horror film The Caller, with True Blood's Stephen Moyer. However, she was fired due to alleged behavioral problems, and Monjack -- who co-wrote and produced 2006's Factory Girl -- went to bring her home. Recently, Brittany had been photographed looking skeletal. When asked about her frame, she claimed she was the same weight she was in 1996's Clueless. ``It's just that the weight in your face changes as you grow and get older,'' she explained.

The 8 Mile star had four movies coming out in 2010. In one -- another horror film, Something Wicked -- TheWrap.com says Murphy acted so erratically on set that her character had to be rewritten to fit her loopy behavior.

Bobby McFerrin a very good singer

The two hour Sing-Off Finale is finally over. And the Sing-Off winner is...Nota! The Beelzebubs came in second and left the stage singing, "We Gotta Get Out of This Place." The three a cappella groups were competing for the top prize of a recording contract to become a Sony Music artist, and a cash prize of $100,000. The Sing-Off host was Nick Lachey who starred from 2003–2005 in the MTV reality television series Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica with his wife, Jessica Simpson.

Judges were Shawn Stockman, Bobby McFerrin, Natasha Bedingfield, and Ben Folds. The Sing-Off Finale also included a performance by Smokey Robinson and Boyz II Men.

Who Is Bobby McFerrin?

He is a very good singer and most people love to hear him sing wonderful melodies. Robert "Bobby" McFerrin, Jr. (born March 11, 1950) is a vocalist and conductor. He is best known for his 1988 hit song "Don't Worry, Be Happy". He is a ten-time Grammy Award winner. McFerrin was born in Manhattan, New York, the son of the late operatic baritone Robert McFerrin, and aspiring singer Sarah Cooper. Robert, Sr. was the first African American to be a regular with New York's Metropolitan Opera.

Bobby McFerrin married Debbie Green in 1975. They have three children.

Bobby McFerrin - Don't Worry Be Happy


Discography

* Bobby McFerrin (1982)
* The Voice (1984)
* Spontaneous Inventions (1985)
* Elephant's Child (1987)
* Simple Pleasures (1988) ("Don't Worry, Be Happy" - #1 hit single taken from the album)
* Don't Worry, Be Happy (1988)
* How the Rhino Got His Skin/How the Camel Got His Hump (1990)
* Medicine Music (1990)
* Play, with Chick Corea, 1990
* Hush, with Yo-Yo Ma, 1991
* Many Faces of Bird (1991)
* Sorrow Is Not Forever (1994)
* Paper Music (1995, with the St. Paul Chamber orchestra)
* Bang! Zoom (1996)
* The Mozart Sessions, with Chick Corea, 1996
* Circlesongs (1997)
* Mouth Music (2001)
* Beyond Words (2003) - featuring Chick Corea, Cyro Baptista and Richard Bona
* Pharaoh Sanders, Journey to the One, 1980
* Grover Washington, Jr., The Best Is Yet to Come, 1982
* Various Artists, The Young Lions, 1983
* Charles Lloyd Quartet, A Night in Copenhagen, 1984
* Various Artists, A Tribute to Thelonius Monk, 1984
* Chico Freeman, Tangents, 1984
* Michael Hedges, Watching My Life Go By, 1985
* The Manhattan Transfer, Vocalese, 1985
* Joe Zawinul, Dialects, 1986
* Weather Report, Sportin' Life, 1985
* Al Jarreau, Heart’s Horizon, 1988
* Quincy Jones, Back on the Block, 1989
* Laurie Anderson, Strange Angels, 1989
* Gal Costa, The Laziest Gal in Town, 1991
* Dizzy Gillespie, "To Bird With Love", 1992
* Jack DeJohnette, Extra Special Edition, 1994
* Yellowjackets, Dreamland, 1995
* George Martin, In My Life, 1998 - on Come Together with Robin Williams
* En Vogue, Masterpiece Theatre, 2000
* Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Little Worlds, 2003
* Chick Corea, Rendezvous in New York, 2003
* Wynton Marsalis, The Magic Hour, 2004
* size2shoes, 2006 (free track)[4]

Grammys

* 1985, Best Jazz Vocal Performance, male, "Another Night In Tunisia" with Jon Hendricks
* 1985, Best Vocal Arrangement for two or more voices, "Another Night In Tunisia" with Cheryl Bentyne
* 1986, Best Jazz Vocal Performance, male, "Round Midnight"
* 1987, Best Jazz Vocal Performance, male, "What Is This Thing Called Love"
* 1987, Best Recording for Children, "The Elephant's Child" with Jack Nicholson
* 1988, Song of the year, Best Pop Vocal Performance, male, Record of the year, "Don't Worry, Be Happy"
* 1988, Best Jazz Vocal Performance, male, "Brothers"
* 1992, Best Jazz Vocal Performance, "Round Midnight"

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Kevin Jonas are married Danielle Deleasa

Kevin Jonas and his longtime girlfriend Danielle Deleasa are officially husband and wife! As speculated, the two have married Saturday at a French-style chateau in suburban New York.A People magazine’s report says the oldest sibling of pop group the Jonas Brothers exchanged vows with Danielle on Saturday night at Oheka Castle, a 109,000-square-foot estate in Cold Spring Harbor in Long Island.

Ben Nelson on reform bill

Former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee will host a rally in Omaha to persuade Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson to withdrawal his support of sweeping health care legislation. The rally sponsored by Americans for Prosperity of Nebraska is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. at the Omaha Civic Auditorium. Doors open at 2 p.m. Nelson said Saturday that he decided to support the reform measure after winning concessions to limit the availability of abortions in insurance sold in newly created exchanges, as well as tens of million in federal Medicaid funds for Nebraska.

Rodarte for Target

Rodarte, create pieces that Cathy Horyn has described as having “a daring that would scorn a reality-TV style show.” In the past condors, skeletons and Living Dead Dolls have inspired their clothes and in their first highly anticipated collection for Target they have chosen the tiny teenage fashion blogger Tavi Gevinsonas their muse. Starting today, New Yorkers will get an early look at the results when Target To-Go opens at the Highline entrance at Gansevoort and Washington Streets. The shopping event, which runs through Dec. 13 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, will feature 50 holiday gifts, including fashions from Rodarte before they hit stores nationwide on Dec. 20.

Rodarte is a brand of clothing and accessories founded by Kate and Laura Mulleavy. The Mulleavy sisters are U.C. Berkeley graduates from Pasadena, California and have received a number of industry awards since the line's inception in 2005. The sisters have also collaborated with Gap, and most recently Target, on limited edition pieces.

After their initial collection of just 10 pieces, the Mulleavys appeared on the cover of Women's Wear Daily and had a meeting with US Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour.The company also had the early support of retailers Bergdorf Goodman, Barneys, Neiman Marcus, and Nordstrom.

Rodarte has been seen on many celebrities including Cate Blanchett, Keira Knightley, and Dita von Teese.At the 81st Academy Awards both Reese Witherspoon and Natalie Portman were dressed in Rodarte. Another celebrity fan, and friend, is actress Kirsten Dunst; who accompanied them to the CFDA Awards in 2009.

On April 23, 2009 Michelle Obama wore Rodarte while hosting Queen Rania of Jordan in the Oval Office.

In December 2009 the Mulleavys will bring a limited edition collection to Target stores as a part of GO International.

Mark Wahlberg Animals Language

Actor, rapper, and film producer Mark Wahlberg talks to animals. Watch this video interview.

Lisa Lampanelli compared to Andrew Dice Clay

Clay was a comic who dressed like Fonzie, and most of his material centered around sewer-level observations on genitalia, homophobia, misogyny and race - which is to say he was briefly successful.

Lampanelli, currently popular as the self-described "Queen of Mean," works many of the same themes as Clay, only from a female perspective. She dovetails the brutal punchlines against a stage presence that reminds one of a middle-aged Italian librarian - and it's paid off with a Grammy nomination, a bestselling memoir published earlier this year, and headliner status that brings her to the MGM Grand theater for a performance Friday.

Lisa Lampanelli, 8 p.m. Friday. MGM Foxwoods Theater; $25-$45; (866) 646-0050, mgmatfoxwoods.com.

Glen Wesman (Peter O’Toole) in Thomas Kinkade’s (Home for Christmas)

Glen Wesman (Peter O’Toole), though Glen has now lost the will to live since his health has deteriorated and he’s missing his dead wife. Anyway, Thomas finds a job to make a mural of the town and while doing it, he finds inspiration from his tutor. His tutor encourages him to always give his best with his art, because art is surpasses all boundaries and languages. Thomas Kinkade (Jared Padalecki) tells the story of Christmas time back in 1977 and the events that made him find his art form. At that time he was a college student (an aspiring painter) who came home to his mother’s cottage in Placerville with his younger brother Pat (Aaron Ashmore). Anyway, as the story progresses, they find out that their mother (played by Marcia Gay Harden) has lost her job and that she is going to lose her cottage, as well, since she can’t pay the mortgage. In the meantime, the residents of the town are preparing for a Christmas play. You’ll find funny moments as you get to know the different characters of the townfolks and their antics. As you can probably guess, this movie has a happy ending, but will the family lose their cottage? Will Thomas and Pat be able to raise enough money to pay off the mortgage? Will Glen be able to find the will to live and paint again?

Snookie Punch Is Viral Hit

MTV's new show 'Jersey Shore' had it's problems before this week; advertisers were backing off and outrage was building. One of Jersey Shore's stars, the pint-sized 'Snookie,' is involved in a fight on next week's show. After an argument over a drink, Snookie is punched in the face by a man at a local club. The man, a school teacher from New York, was later arrested. The incident occurs :18 into this preview clip for next week's episode.

Avatar 3D, does with 3D - in IMAX

There are 2100 Avatar 3D locations, which is more than half of the theaters Avatar is playing in. Cameron is taking a bigger risk with 3D than anyone before him, as he's counting on it to make or break his box office success. For the moment, Avatar 3D locations are paying off for him, and may propel the film to a bigger opening weekend than expected. Over 2100 Avatar 3D locations stood to be packed yesterday, as the movie finally showed its groundbreaking technology. Early estimates indicate that it paid off to $27 million on opening day, according to the Associated Press. But as it turns out, Northeast storms may do more to hurt the opening weekend than finding 3D theaters. However, a $75-80 million weekend is still projected.

Those numbers are bigger than expected, but not a huge shock. The true test is whether audiences will go back to the 3D locations and see Pandora again and again, like with Titanic. Cameron refined the format to literally take viewers to a new world, and if he makes people take multiple trips, then the sky is the limit for 3D. Imitators would then be lined up to recreate, and improve, on Avatar's achievements. Given what Cameron does with 3D - in IMAX, Digital or otherwise - audiences may only want to see Avatar in those select locations. To see it in regular 2D may be a disappointment - which could come back to haunt Cameron later. Given the complaints about the story and dialogue, 3D may be the only way in which Avatar works at all - so hopefully, Cameron includes glasses with the DVD.