tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42137396959750968112024-02-19T05:00:29.607-08:00Everyone's Talking About...What people are talking about, blogging about or reporting on - find it here.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4213739695975096811.post-12675327142704295222009-06-18T19:35:00.000-07:002009-06-18T19:45:15.562-07:00Jon & Kate's Decision<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhaJQfUfWbTNgg6SfK9z-n9XWOgWVowZHdjnklSoBt9zg6DIvKpbsLIetd7ktmhJica1gMH56ixdex87s659zg7pQr8Qn_f_u_eTUt1Ozg24fZ9CgzDZa53_jiXbjVo6N11zSjrCVGpKpJ/s1600-h/Jon-Kate-Plus-8-tv-01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 229px; height: 153px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhaJQfUfWbTNgg6SfK9z-n9XWOgWVowZHdjnklSoBt9zg6DIvKpbsLIetd7ktmhJica1gMH56ixdex87s659zg7pQr8Qn_f_u_eTUt1Ozg24fZ9CgzDZa53_jiXbjVo6N11zSjrCVGpKpJ/s320/Jon-Kate-Plus-8-tv-01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348863758626693618" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;" ></span></span><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:180%;" >TLC: Jon & Kate announcing a major decision </span><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Monday<br /><br /></span></span> <a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/ap/brand/SIG=br2v03/*http://www.ap.org" id="yn-prvdlink" class="provider-logo ult-section"><img src="http://l.yimg.com/a/i/us/nws/p/ap_logo_106.png" alt="AP" class="" width="106" height="27" /></a><br /><br /><p face="trebuchet ms"><img src="file:///Users/Maguire/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/moz-screenshot.jpg" alt="" /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">NEW YORK – The TLC network says its biggest stars, Jon and </span><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1245375036_0" >Kate Gosselin</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">, will announce a major decision on their reality show, "</span><span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;font-family:trebuchet ms;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1245375036_1" >Jon & Kate Plus 8</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">."</span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">TLC isn't commenting on what the news will be from these Berks County, Pa., parents of 8-year-old twins and 5-year-old sextuplets. But viewers who have witnessed the Gosselins' marriage coming unraveled are clearly welcome to draw their own conclusions leading up to Monday's episode. And to show up in droves to see it. The show is scheduled to air at 9 p.m. EDT.</p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Originally envisioned as a series chronicling the challenges of raising a supersize family, "Jon & Kate" has become more of a show that raised the question: Can this marriage be saved?</p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090619/ap_en_tv/us_tv_jon___kate_announcement"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Yahoo News</span></a><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/ap/brand/SIG=br2v03/*http://www.ap.org" id="yn-prvdlink" class="provider-logo ult-section"> </a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4213739695975096811.post-36353434423942348772009-06-11T17:22:00.000-07:002009-06-11T17:25:53.096-07:00Cher will really flip over this one....<div style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" id="cnnSCFontButtons"><!--endclickprintexclude--><!--startclickprintexclude--><span style="font-size:180%;">Sonny and Cher's child transitioning from female to male</span><b><br /><br />(CNN)</b> -- Chastity Bono, gay-rights activist and child of performer Cher and the late entertainer and politician Sonny Bono, is in the early stages of transitioning from a female to a male and will be known as Chaz, his spokesman said Thursday.</div><!--endclickprintexclude--><!--startclickprintexclude--> <!--endclickprintexclude--> <!--startclickprintexclude--> <div style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" id="imageChanger1"> <div class="cnnStoryPhotoBox"><div id="cnnImgChngr" class="cnnImgChngr"> <div id="cnnImgChngrNested"> <img src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/SHOWBIZ/06/11/ent.chastity.bono/art.bono.gi.jpg" alt="Activist Chastity Bono is transitioning from female to male and will be known as Chaz." vspace="0" width="292" height="219" hspace="0" /> <div class="cnnStoryPhotoCaptionBox"> <div class="cnn3pxTB9pxLRPad"> <p> Activist Chastity Bono is transitioning from female to male and will be known as Chaz.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div></div> </div> <script type="text/javascript"> var CNN_ArticleChanger = new CNN_imageChanger('cnnImgChngr','/2009/SHOWBIZ/06/11/ent.chastity.bono/imgChng/p1-0.init.exclude.html',1,1); //CNN.imageChanger.load('cnnImgChngr','imgChng/p1-0.exclude.html'); </script> <!--endclickprintexclude--><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> "Chaz, after many years of consideration, has made the courageous decision to honor his true identity," Howard Bragman said in a written statement.</p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> "He is proud of his decision and grateful for the support and respect that has already been shown by his loved ones. It is Chaz's hope that his choice to transition will open the hearts and minds of the public regarding this issue, just as his 'coming out' did nearly 20 years ago."</p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> Someone's decision to transition does not necessarily mean they are undergoing gender reassignment surgery, and in many cases they do not, said Mara Keisling, executive director of the Washington-based National Center for Transgender Equality.</p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> "The whole media fixation on surgery is kind of misplaced," she said. "Almost no transgender people ever have surgery. We don't have any idea how many do." <a href="http://www.ireport.com/ir-topic-stories.jspa?topicId=269680" target="new">iReport.com: Do you have a transgender story?</a></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> An estimated one-quarter to one-half percent of the American population is transsexual, however, Keisling said. "It's sort of a general term that encompasses both or either a social transition or a medical transition."</p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> Keisling said she was unaware of the specifics in Bono's case, but speaking generally, a transition means that he will now want to be "known, seen, viewed" as a male. </p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> "The actual details depend on his needs and wants and his doctor's needs and wants," she said.</p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> Bragman asked that the media "respect Chaz's privacy during this long process, as he will not be doing any interviews at this time."</p> <!--startclickprintexclude--><div style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="cnnStoryElementBox"> <div class="cnnStoryElementBoxAd"> <div class="cnnStoryElementBoxAdHead"><img src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/img/2.0/content/ads/advertisement.gif" alt="advertisement" /></div> </div> </div> <!--endclickprintexclude--><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> Now 40, Bono as a little girl made regular appearances on her parents' show, "The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour." As an adult, he has been a longtime gay-rights advocate and been closely associated with the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.<br /><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/06/11/ent.chastity.bono/index.html"><br />CNN.com</a><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4213739695975096811.post-80994905059437570512009-06-09T19:14:00.000-07:002009-06-09T19:21:19.903-07:00All it takes is a little money...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFwWtXOU6_6LmcaKknU3Ye57-QbIYUunW4C4Y0mat7tGdH3sgZGfPUerLylHJlVWiuR5jofvOT6ZlRZb_wHiqHL65xOhJpcPNmjec5qbyD5mSYXjGab0QUhiqyTRk7VqX-X_eF1PSf1UoY/s1600-h/madonna1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFwWtXOU6_6LmcaKknU3Ye57-QbIYUunW4C4Y0mat7tGdH3sgZGfPUerLylHJlVWiuR5jofvOT6ZlRZb_wHiqHL65xOhJpcPNmjec5qbyD5mSYXjGab0QUhiqyTRk7VqX-X_eF1PSf1UoY/s320/madonna1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345517631585408178" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" >People: Madonna adoption set to go through</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />By Tony Hicks</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Contra Costa Times</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Posted: 06/09/2009 04:02:01 PM PDT</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Updated: 06/09/2009 04:48:49 PM PDT</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />Madonna has persuaded three appeal judges to allow her to adopt Malawian orphan Mercy James, according to British newspaper The Sun.<br /><br /></span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">In other words, maybe she found her checkbook.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Although a rep for Madonna told "Entertainment Tonight" the singer hasn't been notified of any official decision, The Sun reports two judges already have submitted reports recommending it go ahead and the third is said to be "in complete unison with them."</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />Madonna, 50, whose two-year application to adopt the 3-year-old was blocked by a court in March, has been told the news by her lawyer Alan Chinula. The ruling allegedly will be announced Sunday at Malawi's Supreme Court of Appeal.</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />A source there said Monday: "The paperwork is being typed up now. All recommendations are in favor of the adoption taking place. Mercy should start packing her bags. She's off to America."</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />Sounds like hilarity will ensue.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">A close friend of Madonna said, "She's ecstatic. She made a promise that she wouldn't give up on Mercy and, believe me, she could move mountains when she's this determined."<br /><br /></span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Translation: She's one scary, rich woman.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Madonna's adoption application was originally rejected because she had not lived in the east African state for 18 months, as required. But one of the three appeal judges has said that rule was out of date.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_12554951">Mercury News</a><br /><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4213739695975096811.post-56945033015344103162009-04-05T10:17:00.000-07:002009-04-05T10:24:18.894-07:00Farrah Fawcett Hospitalized<h1 style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">We wish Farrah and her family all the best...</span></span><br /></h1><h1 style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Report: Farrah Fawcett hospitalized in cancer battle</span></h1> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="byline">DAILY NEWS STAFF </p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="datestamp"> Sunday, April 5th 2009, 10:26 AM </p> <div style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="article-sidebar"> <div class="image-medium"> <img src="http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2009/04/06/amd_farrah_fawcett.jpg" alt="Farrah Fawcett is back in the hospital while battling cancer." /> <span class="photo-credit">Kravitz/FilmMagic</span> <p class="photo-description">Farrah Fawcett is back in the hospital while battling cancer.</p> </div> </div> <!-- ARTICLE CONTENT START --> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Actress and former "Charlie's Angel" <a title="Farrah Fawcett" href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Farrah+Fawcett">Farrah Fawcett</a> has reportedly been in the hospital since Thursday.</p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">The 62-year-old sex symbol has been battling cancer for the last three years. Although she went into remission, it returned in the spring of 2007.<br /><br />A jubilant Fawcett erroneously announced in early 2007 that she was cancer free.<br /><br />"In the face of excruciating pain and uncertainly, I never lost hope and it never occurred to me to stop fighting – not ever," she said in a statement to fans.<br /><br />Fawcett told "Extra" after her last hospital stint that she "never can say for sure" how she is doing in her cancer battle, adding "it's ongoing."<br /><br />The actress previously sought alternative medicine treatments in <a title="Germany" href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Germany">Germany</a>, which she later said were "tiring."<br /><br /><a title="People Magazine" href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/People+Magazine">People.com</a> confirmed Fawcett had been hospitalized. Earlier in the evening, <a title="Radar Magazine" href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Radar+Magazine">Radaronline.com</a> first indicated she was unconscious and long-time boyfriend <a title="Ryan O'Neal" href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Ryan+O%27Neal">Ryan O'Neal</a> was with her.</p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2009/04/05/2009-04-05_report_farrah_fawcett_hospitalized_in_ca.html">nydailynews.com</a><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4213739695975096811.post-32465034202459495202009-04-04T19:26:00.000-07:002009-04-05T10:25:26.933-07:00<h1 style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">This is gonna be sweet....look at all the confirmed artists!</span></span><br /></h1><h1 style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Fuse TV to televise Bonnaroo Music Festival in June</span></h1> <div style="width: 330px; font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <div style="width: 35px; float: left; padding-right: 5px;"> <a href="http://www.examiner.com/x-4819-Chicago-Cable-TV-Examiner"> </a> </div> <div style=""> <div class="new_timestamp">April 2, 11:16 PM<a href="http://www.examiner.com/x-4819-Chicago-Cable-TV-Examiner%7Ey2009m4d2-Fuse-TV-to-televise-Bonnaroo-Music-Festival-in-June#comments"></a><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="javascript:void(0)" title="ShareThis via email, AIM, social bookmarking and networking sites, etc." class="stbutton stico_default">Christine Nyholm</a><strong style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br /><a href="http://www.examiner.com/x-4819-Chicago-Cable-TV-Examiner"><strong>Chicago Cable TV Examiner</strong></a></strong><br /></div> </div> </div><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.examiner.com/blog/rss.cfm?blogID=4819&blogURL=Chicago-Cable-TV-Examiner&mode=brief"></a> <div style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="examiners_main_content"><style type="text/css"> .examiners_body img{padding:5px;}</style> <div class="examiners_body"> <p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.bonnaroo.com/"> </a><span style="color: rgb(55, 55, 55);"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.bonnaroo.com/">The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival </a>is a four day multi stage camping festival in Manchester, Tennessee on June 11 -14. The festival brings in top artists with musical styles including rock and roll, jazz, hip-hop, electronic, Americana and any other <img alt="" src="http://image.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/_bonnaroo2.jpg" align="right" border="2" vspace="5" width="85" height="85" hspace="8" />contemporary music. If you cannot get to Tennessee, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.fuse.tv/">Fuse TV </a>will be television portions of the festival, which features Bruce Springsteen and the E. Street Band, Phish, The Beastie Boys, Nine Inch Nails, TV on the Radio, Wilco, Al Green, David Byrne, Snoop Dogg, Merle haggard, Erykah Badu, Mgmt, Bon Iver, The Decemberists, Lucinda Williams and more. </span></p><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"> </div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color: rgb(55, 55, 55);">Bonnaroo is the largest and most revered music and camping festival in the country, elevating the American rock festival to an unfrequented level. As the only round-the-clock major music festival, Bonnaroo packs an unparalleled amount of entertainment options into four days. The event is famous for the incredible energy that emerges from its crowds, who pilgrimage to Bonnaroo to immerse themselves in the unique camping community and to witness four days of historical music moments. </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"> </div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"> </div> <span style="color:black;">As part of Fuse’s three-year deal with Bonnaroo, the network will be the exclusive television partner of the festival. It will continue to be the only place to watch Bonnaroo on national television and will include live on-air coverage as well as On Demand and online content. On-air, Fuse will bring viewers live hits, backstage interviews, “Best of Bonnaroo” concert specials and a highlight show of this year’s greatest performances. The network will once again have their headquarters set up in its landmark barn in the middle of Centeroo, enabling them to bring the Fuse experience directly to fans onsite.<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">In addition, ATT Music will be hosting a live webcast of the event. After the festival is over, you’ll also be able to relive your experience with exclusive featured content only online at ATT Music.<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Official festival website is www.bonnaroo.com<img alt="" src="http://image.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/bonnaroo%283%29.jpg" align="right" border="3" vspace="5" width="350" height="262" hspace="8" /><br /><br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><strong><span style="color:black;">Confirmed Artists</span></strong><span style="color:black;"><br /><br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;"><span style="color:black;">Beastie Boys</span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;"><span style="color:black;">Al Green</span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Phish (2 Shows)</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Nine Inch Nails<br /></span><span style="color:black;">David Byrne<br /></span><span style="color:black;">Wilco<br /></span><span style="color:black;">Al Green<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Snoop Dogg<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Elvis Costello Solo<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Erykah Badu<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Paul Oakenfold<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Ben Harper and Relentless7<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">The Mars Volta<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">TV on the Radio<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Yeah Yeah Yeahs<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Gov’t Mule<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Andrew Bird<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Merle Haggard<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">MGMT<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">moe.<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">The Decemberists<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Girl Talk<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Bon Iver<br /></span><span style="color:black;">Béla Fleck & Toumani Diabate<img alt="" src="http://image.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/bonnaroo1.jpg" align="right" border="3" vspace="5" width="250" height="225" hspace="8" /><br /></span><span style="color:black;">Rodrigo y Gabriela<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Galactic<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">The Del McCoury Band<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">of Montreal<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Allen Toussaint<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Coheed and Cambria<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Booker T & the DBTs<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">David Grisman Quintet<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Lucinda Williams<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Animal Collective<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Gomez<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Neko Case<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Down<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Jenny Lewis<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Santogold<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Robert Earl Keen<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Citizen Cope<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Femi Kuti and the Positive Force<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">The Ting Tings<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3<img alt="" src="http://image.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/840_060606_bonnaroo.jpg" align="right" border="3" vspace="5" width="250" height="225" hspace="8" /><br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Grace Potter and the Nocturnals<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Kaki King<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Grizzly Bear<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">King Sunny Adé<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Okkervil River<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">St. Vincent<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Zac Brown Band<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Raphael Saadiq<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Ted Leo and the Pharmacists<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Crystal Castles<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Tift Merritt<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Brett Dennen<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Mike Farris and the Roseland Rhythm Revue<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Toubab Krewe<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">People Under the Stairs<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Alejandro Escovedo<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Vieux Farka Touré<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Elvis Perkins In Dearland<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Cherryholmes<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Yeasayer<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Todd Snider<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Chairlift<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Portugal. The Man.<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">The SteelDrivers<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Midnite<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">The Knux<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">The Low Anthem<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">Delta Spirit<br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 145%;"><span style="color:black;">A.A. Bondy<br /></span><span style="color:black;">The Lovell Sisters<br /><br /><a href="http://www.examiner.com/x-4819-Chicago-Cable-TV-Examiner~y2009m4d2-Fuse-TV-to-televise-Bonnaroo-Music-Festival-in-June">examiner.com</a><br /></span></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4213739695975096811.post-62761551432018793492009-01-21T17:57:00.001-08:002009-01-21T17:57:53.737-08:00Lost Premier<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: normal;">I'm chomping on the bit for this one....</span><br /><h4 style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:130%;">'Lost': Time For A Little Premiere-Day Heresy</span></h4> <!-- start center column 1--> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://widgets.clearspring.com/o/48bda4baaf82f1d1/497737840602398c/48bda4baaf82f1d1/d7a52f29/-cpid/c9e74d9cf172718a" id="W48bda4baaf82f1d1497737840602398c" width="308" height="235"><param name="movie" value="http://widgets.clearspring.com/o/48bda4baaf82f1d1/497737840602398c/48bda4baaf82f1d1/d7a52f29/-cpid/c9e74d9cf172718a"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></object></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em>by Linda Holmes</em></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Tonight is the two-hour premiere of the fifth season of <strong><em>Lost</em></strong>, as you know if you ever watch ABC or have much of a collection of Facebook friends. (There are nearly 263,000 people signed up on Facebook as officially booked viewers of tonight's premiere.) </p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">When I read one of the recent <a href="http://sepinwall.blogspot.com/2009/01/sepinwall-on-tv-lost-goes-time.html">interviews</a> with the show's creators, I was struck by this passage:</p> <blockquote style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">There's been a steady attrition over the years, because the show demands that you watch every episode. And Lord knows, I wish there was a way we could do the show where the casual viewer could come along, but once you start writing for those people, the long-term fans will (bleeping) kill you, as well they should. We always thought it would be a cult show, and that's the show we've been writing.</blockquote> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I don't mean to doubt a creator's view of his own story, but I'm here to tell you that you do <em>not</em> have to watch every episode, and you <em>can</em> be a casual viewer. I know, because I've been one, and I still very much enjoyed the two hours you're going to see tonight.</p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><em>How is this possible? HOW? After the jump...</em></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Here's the thing: I didn't get into <em>Lost</em> when it started. I got into it a while later, watched some episodes, and lost interest. And then I became interested in it again. And lost interest again, and came back again. They say you can't do it, but you can. It requires a little reading and cheating, but you can.</p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Don't get me wrong -- I'm absolutely confident that, because my knowledge is incomplete, I miss things. I miss nuances and I miss moments that resonate more deeply with other people because they've seen things I haven't. From time to time, it's confusing, to say the least. And no, I don't recommend jumping in with the Season 5 premiere with no background knowledge at all.</p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">But the good news is that the premiere is terrific, whether you've watched every single episode or not. In truth, once <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/07/AR2007050700868.html">the creators got a final end date</a> for the series (which is next year, after the sixth season) and the story began to progress, the show became more linear in one sense, even as it became more logistically convoluted. Compare this to a show like <em>The X-Files</em>, which ultimately alienated a lot of people who gradually came to believe that there was no plan. There was no end game; no way that all the pieces logically fit together in the minds of the people making the show. When you don't know whether you're filling one more season or six more, that's what happens.</p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">But with <em>Lost</em>, once they set the schedule, it became clearer that they had a story to complete by a date certain, and things began to happen. Yes, it's all very mystifying with the bending of time and space, but they are going somewhere with all of it, and that's perfectly evident as you watch. The path you're on as a viewer is foggy and sometimes seems to double back or abruptly change direction, but you can tell it's been laid down for miles in front of you and is not being improvised. What <em>doesn't</em> work with tricky sci-fi shows is the feeling you get that up ahead and just out of sight, there are two guys with shovels and cheap paving stones who are desperately trying to get the path laid down before you get there. <em>Lost</em> has really righted the ship in that regard.</p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">The show also does a good job of feeling fair, even when some traditionally unfair storytelling devices are being used. There are certain tropes -- time travel, cloning, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Ewing">a dead guy coming out of the shower</a> because his death was only a dream -- that present a grave risk of breaking faith with the audience. That's not because they're inherently flawed as much as it's because having the pieces of a puzzle fall into place is only satisfying if those pieces follow rules you already know or are learning. A story like this can't reveal the answers and the rules at the same time, or it seems self-serving.</p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Even though it contains shades of similar story devices, what <em>Lost</em> has learned to do so well is reveal the underlying mechanics of its universe in a way that makes the answers seem more, not less, interesting. Over four seasons, it's explained the basics -- here's who lives on the island; here's what's behind this closed door; here's why this seemingly incomprehensible thing happened -- without bleeding the life out of its own narrative.</p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">It's easy to forget how this show started: plane crash, survivors marooned. Yes, there were hints of the mysterious, but it was <em>nothing</em> like this. A little counterintuitively, as more disquieting complexities have come to light, it's gotten easier to follow. The two-hour premiere, if you essentially understand the show up to this point, isn't all that confusing, which is more than I can say for some of the past pivotal episodes. </p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Perhaps the show is aimed only at its own cult; perhaps you're meant to <em>need</em> to watch every episode. But you don't; not really. At least not to enjoy this particular two-hour kickoff, which sucked me right in despite the gaping holes in my <em>Lost</em> background. I'm sure I'll go back someday and pick it all up on Netflix, but it makes an awfully satisfying drama in the meantime. </p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="dateline"><a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2009/01/lost_time_for_a_little_premier.html">NPR.com</a><br /></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="dateline">9:07 AM ET | 01-21-2009 | <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2009/01/lost_time_for_a_little_premier.html">permalink</a> </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4213739695975096811.post-89326518995936239222009-01-18T17:28:00.000-08:002009-01-18T18:01:47.834-08:00Inaugural Celebrations Begin!<table style="direction: ltr;font-family:trebuchet ms;" border="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr style="font-weight: bold;"><td><span style="font-size:130%;"><span class="articleheadline" style="direction: ltr;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-weight: normal;">This is truly an exciting time in our history.</span></span><br /><br />Obama Speaks at Start of Inaugural Celebrations</span></span> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> <span class="byline"> By Michael Bowman</span> <br /> <span class="dateline">Washington</span><br /> <span class="datetime"><em>18 January 2009</em></span><br /> </td> <td align="left" valign="top"><br /></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <span class="body" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><p><table class="APIMAGE" style="direction: ltr;" align="right" width="190"><tbody><tr><td style=""><img id="||CPIMAGE:614154|" alt="President-elect Barack Obama and his wife Michelle at the Lincoln Memorial concert, 18 Jan 2009" title="President-elect Barack Obama and his wife Michelle at the Lincoln Memorial concert, 18 Jan 2009" src="http://www.voanews.com/english/images/ap-Barack-Michelle-Obama-Lincoln-Memorial-concert-175eng18jan09.jpg" border="0" vspace="2" width="190" height="195" hspace="2" /></td></tr><tr><td style="" class="imagecaption"><span style="font-size:85%;">President-elect Barack Obama and his wife Michelle at the Lincoln Memorial concert, 18 Jan 2009</span></td></tr></tbody></table>Four days of celebrations and festivities surrounding the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama have begun in Washington with an open-air concert at the Lincoln Memorial.<br /><br />Tens-of-thousands of people braved freezing temperatures to attend a star-studded gala featuring performances by music legends Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder and Bono, addresses by famous Hollywood personalities, and video presentations of previous inaugurations and key moments in American history.<br /><br />President-elect Obama emerged from behind a bullet-proof glass shield to stand on the steps of the memorial housing the larger-than-life marble statue of Abraham Lincoln. It was President Lincoln who, in 1862, issued the Emancipation Proclamation to free slaves in the United States. On Tuesday, Mr. Obama will place his hand on Lincoln's Bible while taking the oath of office.<br /><br />As he has done repeatedly in recent months, the president-elect spoke openly of the challenges facing the United States, noting that the nation is at war and its economy in crisis. But Mr. Obama suggested there is no cause for despair.<br /><br />"I stand here today as hopeful as ever that the United States of America will endure, that it will prevail - that the dream of our founders will live on in our time," said Barack Obama. "What gives me that hope is what I see when I look out across this mall. It is you - Americans of every race and region and station - who came here because you believe in what this country can be and because you want to help us get there."<br /><br />Vice president-elect Joe Biden also spoke, lauding the value of work and the dignity it brings. His wife, Jill Biden, and America's future first lady, Michele Obama, were also present.<br /><br />Earlier in the day, Mr. Obama paid tribute to America's war dead with a visit to Arlington National Cemetery.<br /><br />As many as two million Americans are expected be on hand to witness and take part in the coming inaugural events - from the swearing-in ceremony to a massive parade to inaugural balls across the city. Security is exceedingly tight and will only grow more so by Tuesday, when major bridges and roads leading to the central part of the city will be blocked to all but official vehicles.<br /><br />But transportation delays and other inconveniences do not seem to be dampening the enthusiasm of visitors and residents in the nation's capital.<br /></p><p>The historic nature of Mr. Obama's rise to the nation's highest elective office is not lost on African-American Melba Clarke of Mississippi, who experienced racial segregation in her youth.<br /><br />"This is, indeed, the realization of a dream," said Melba Clarke. "And for someone who was just a young bride when the civil rights movement began, it is such an honor for me to have lived through it, and to see it materialize in the election of the first African-American president. I am very excited. My husband was a civil rights worker. He passed [died] in March, so I am here for him and for everybody who was on the frontlines during the civil rights movement in Mississippi."<br /><br />Mr. Obama prepares to take office with some of the highest approval ratings on record for a president-elect, which he hopes to translate into quick action to revive the beleaguered U.S economy, chart a course toward energy independence, and other ambitious goals.<br /></p><p><a href="http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-01-18-voa22.cfm">Voice of America</a><br /></p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4213739695975096811.post-20506568499088281952008-02-03T21:00:00.000-08:002008-02-03T21:09:35.310-08:00The Best 2008 Superbowl Ad<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The winner is....E-Trade: Baby. Really funny stuff. And for second place...well it's a toss-up between E-Trade: Baby II and Planters: Unibrow.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><div id="container" style="position: relative; width: 320px; height: 308px;"><div id="flash_container" style="position: absolute; top: 0px; left: 0px; z-index: 1;"><object id="player349" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" padding="0" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" viewastext="" height="308" width="320"><param name="FlashVars" value="autoplay=false&assetId=video:asset:pmms:2065883&playerId=player349"><param name="Movie" value="http://o.aolcdn.com/mediaplayer/players/fpm/fpm.swf"><param name="src" value="http://o.aolcdn.com/mediaplayer/players/fpm/fpm.swf"><param name="WMode" value="transparent"><param name="AllowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="AllowNetworking" value="all"><embed src="http://o.aolcdn.com/mediaplayer/players/fpm/fpm.swf" flashvars="autoplay=false&assetId=video:asset:pmms:2065883&playerId=player349" quality="high" name="player349" allowscriptaccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" height="308" width="320"></embed></object></div><div id="videoContainer" style="position: absolute; 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left: 0px; top: 32px; z-index: 2;"></div></div><br /><br /><div id="container" style="position: relative; width: 320px; height: 308px;"><div id="flash_container" style="position: absolute; top: 0px; left: 0px; z-index: 1;"><object id="player943" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" padding="0" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" viewastext="" height="308" width="320"><param name="FlashVars" value="autoplay=false&assetId=video:asset:pmms:2065859&playerId=player943"><param name="Movie" value="http://o.aolcdn.com/mediaplayer/players/fpm/fpm.swf"><param name="src" value="http://o.aolcdn.com/mediaplayer/players/fpm/fpm.swf"><param name="WMode" value="transparent"><param name="AllowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="AllowNetworking" value="all"><embed src="http://o.aolcdn.com/mediaplayer/players/fpm/fpm.swf" flashvars="autoplay=false&assetId=video:asset:pmms:2065859&playerId=player943" quality="high" name="player943" allowscriptaccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" wmode="transparent" height="308" width="320"></embed></object></div><div id="videoContainer" style="position: absolute; left: 0px; top: 32px; z-index: 2;"></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4213739695975096811.post-43755308404084380352007-12-28T16:34:00.001-08:002007-12-28T16:37:45.675-08:00Jim Leyritz, Ex-Yankee Charged with DUI, Kills Driver<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This is very sad...<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Baseball's Leyritz Charged With Manslaughter After Car Crash</span></span><br /><br />By Danielle Sessa and Dan Bollerman<br /><br />Dec. 28 (Bloomberg) -- Former Major League Baseball catcher Jim Leyritz was charged with manslaughter while driving under the influence after a traffic accident in Florida early this morning that killed a woman, authorities said.<br /><br />Leyritz, who turned 44 yesterday, was also charged with DUI property damage and was released from the Broward County Jail around 3 p.m. after posting $11,000 bond, Fort Lauderdale police Detective Katherine Collins said in a telephone interview.<br /><br />He didn't respond to a message left by Bloomberg News on his mobile telephone.<br /><br />Leyritz, who lives in Davie, Florida, was driving a 2006 Ford Expedition in Fort Lauderdale when it collided with a 2000 Mitsubishi Montero driven by 30-year-old Fredia Ann Veitch around 3:20 a.m. local time, police said in an incident report.<br /><br />Veitch was ejected from her vehicle, which had rolled over in the crash, authorities said. She was transported to Broward General Medical Center, where she died, police said. Veitch, who lived in Plantation, Florida, was married with two children, Miami television station WPLG reported.<br /><br />Leyritz, who had watery eyes, a flushed face and an odor of alcohol, underwent several field-sobriety tests, police said.<br /><br />He was arrested on suspicion of DUI after declining to take a Breathalyzer test and have blood drawn for analysis, police said. Leyritz later was taken to the same hospital, where blood was taken ``above his refusal'' at 6:10 a.m. and 7:12 a.m. and sent to the Broward County Medical Examiner's office to be analyzed. The investigation is continuing, police said.<br /><br />Leyritz played parts of nine seasons with the New York Yankees during a major-league career from 1990-2000. He was a member of the Yankees' World Series champions in 1996 and 1999 and played for five other major-league teams.<br /><br />To contact the reporters on this story: Danielle Sessa in New York at dsessa@bloomberg.net ; Dan Bollerman in New York at dbollerman@bloomberg.net<br /><br /><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601079&sid=aHVEC0MuZnaM&refer=home">Bloomberg.com - Leyritz</a><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4213739695975096811.post-12855238979633380212007-12-20T17:05:00.000-08:002007-12-20T17:13:11.001-08:00Baboosh Baby Launched by Actress Brooke Burke<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCbzY08UFowEcRx9DNo6kG9XJV_eIvyWB5v1Gz7J6vE1XAUrzSQ0-Ll-_2HQg6cTooTYe-MgLtbrUxFREROcZimoHJMznSXIbUIhbBz_Nfcd8Glk86yUO_fxltqQ-JAt8s4K5_VbO_YWPl/s1600-h/bb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCbzY08UFowEcRx9DNo6kG9XJV_eIvyWB5v1Gz7J6vE1XAUrzSQ0-Ll-_2HQg6cTooTYe-MgLtbrUxFREROcZimoHJMznSXIbUIhbBz_Nfcd8Glk86yUO_fxltqQ-JAt8s4K5_VbO_YWPl/s320/bb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146227442514345330" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Brooke Burke launches Baboosh Baby</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Atlanta, GA 12/21/2007 12:18 AM GMT (FINDITT)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Actress Brooke Burke is pregnant with her fourth child and has launched a new online baby store, Baboosh Baby, that features eco-friendly post-partum wraps. The 36-year-old says after three children, she’s an expert how to get her figure back and suggests a <span style="font-weight: bold;">Taut Belly Wrap</span>. “You pull it super tight and Velcro it. It feels good for all of that baby skin. I swear by it,” she says.</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />“As a Hollywood mom, I’ve met tons of interesting people and had access to the best stylist and designers, as well as the trendiest products. But still, I was unable to find some of the keys things I need before, during and after my three pregnancies,” a message on her site reads. “I wanted to give my body its best shot at staying healthy and regaining its shape naturally and quickly. It inspired me to create baboosh.”</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />Her online store also offers diaper bag, wraps, and tees.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.transworldnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?id=31123&cat=2" target="blank">transworldnews.com Baboosh Baby</a></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4213739695975096811.post-5202451665455213302007-12-20T16:01:00.000-08:002007-12-20T16:05:15.901-08:002009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Has Everyone Talking<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7-g0J2PluvGlBEmMjzJDY7vxGXUu5LZmcZ84N3X-k1sXaSzb6SDMpOEcO_v_jK4k3mxyqXVZjC6GIV7oRaqVMv9B_3d0W5BiGnOS-oSZt2BO_90E0RgJKP637ZuhJF9gkG-ftQrxXy_RS/s1600-h/supercharged_version_20127.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7-g0J2PluvGlBEmMjzJDY7vxGXUu5LZmcZ84N3X-k1sXaSzb6SDMpOEcO_v_jK4k3mxyqXVZjC6GIV7oRaqVMv9B_3d0W5BiGnOS-oSZt2BO_90E0RgJKP637ZuhJF9gkG-ftQrxXy_RS/s320/supercharged_version_20127.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5146210404379082082" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 rocks</span></span><br /><br />Author : Helen Steele<br />www.earthtimes.org<br /><br />It's a vehicle that has even the purists drooling. The 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 was unveiled by General Motors on Wednesday much to the delight of 'Vette fans. The vehicle is also due to be showcased at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit next month.<br /><br />Although the ZR1 is based on the Z06 Corvette, its performance is much sharper than the latter. The body is made of carbon fiber, but it hides the supercharged LS9 engine under it. This engine is GM's latest offering and combines eight cylinders.<br /><br />The 'Vette ZR1 uses a sixth-generation Eaton supercharger in order to hit torque of 585 pound-feet. Harlan Charles, project manager for the Corvette unit at GM was mum on the actual power of the ZR1 but he revealed that it was "capable of producing at least 100 horsepower per liter. That's at least 620 horsepower, and approximately 595 lb.-ft. of torque."<br /><br />The 15.5-inch carbon-ceramic front rotors are kept quite and cool by brake cooling ducts. The ZR1 aims to compete with fast cars like the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano F1 coupe.<br /><br />Although the pricing model is yet to be released, it is expected that the ZR1 will cost at least $100,000.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/162358.html" target="blank">earthtimes.org Corvette ZR1</a><br /><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4213739695975096811.post-35248888763836394342007-12-19T06:52:00.000-08:002007-12-19T06:57:25.515-08:00Time Person of the Year - Vladmir Putin<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfGsUb5AHCW3r6Nd2ZCoVtcaokEPEvRTHYN19jH9F5XxOKQDJTd8IKzXa7qU-FWP0HeCk2VVsFBkhSeMCo_bziw8F_Xb-S-AaoNrKw2IGq1hUsWJicek_n2PB0ymJTJpFm-tjpYfHqYKbY/s1600-h/putin.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfGsUb5AHCW3r6Nd2ZCoVtcaokEPEvRTHYN19jH9F5XxOKQDJTd8IKzXa7qU-FWP0HeCk2VVsFBkhSeMCo_bziw8F_Xb-S-AaoNrKw2IGq1hUsWJicek_n2PB0ymJTJpFm-tjpYfHqYKbY/s320/putin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145697550924201282" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Ugh...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >Putin Named Time "Person of the Year"</span><br /><br />23 minutes ago<br /><br />NEW YORK (AP) — Time magazine on Wednesday named Russian President Vladimir Putin its 2007 "Person of the Year."<br /><br />The nod went to the Russian leader because of Putin's "extraordinary feat of leadership in taking a country that was in chaos and bringing it stability," said Richard Stengel, Time's managing editor.<br /><br />Putin, 55, is enormously popular in Russia, presiding over a resurgent economy flush with revenue from oil and natural gas. But critics say he has moved the country away from Russia's democratic reforms of the 1990s by tightening control of the media, courts and parliament.<br /><br />"He's the new czar of Russia and he's dangerous in the sense that he doesn't care about civil liberties, he doesn't care about free speech," Stengel said.<br /><br />Putin recently endorsed protoge Dmitry Medvedev's presidential bid, and later said he would accept Medvedev's offer to serve as prime minister if Medvedev is elected in the March 2 election.<br /><br />Many believe Putin would remain Russia's real leader, regardless of his title, though Putin has said he would not undermine his successor. The Russian constitution limits presidents to two consecutive terms.<br /><br />Others who were in the running for Person of the Year included Nobel Prize-winner Al Gore and author J.K. Rowling.<br /><br />This year's choice was a return to the magazine's tradition of picking an individual rather than last year's choice of anyone creating or using content on the World Wide Web.<br /><br />Previous individual winners have included Bono, President George W. Bush and Amazon.com CEO and founder Jeff Bezos.<br /><br /><a href="http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5giPpGOm3eUzCj6KUfXpxa36kD1bgD8TKILVO0" target="blank">AP - Person of the Year</a></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4213739695975096811.post-63629555636892222952007-12-18T19:28:00.000-08:002007-12-18T19:33:50.064-08:00Britney's Sister, Jamie Lynn Spears Pregnant<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE_uvLJ0YNyrEtnmdtxiadar8J38RKyr6qbp2nNT7wY72vEFk7XlvR9LP5jDHqqZiK6LHOdhFc-PEkUzeYsX0CD9ams0wevW0tfHvkpwCz2-VmOfK7FOvcgiPRkst4jGJRmQlwF_Hks8m-/s1600-h/1111.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE_uvLJ0YNyrEtnmdtxiadar8J38RKyr6qbp2nNT7wY72vEFk7XlvR9LP5jDHqqZiK6LHOdhFc-PEkUzeYsX0CD9ams0wevW0tfHvkpwCz2-VmOfK7FOvcgiPRkst4jGJRmQlwF_Hks8m-/s320/1111.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145521457265065266" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Oh man...another one of them is reproducing. Sad.</span> <br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Jamie Lynn Spears Says She's Pregnant</span></span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">NEW YORK (AP) — Another Spears baby is reportedly on the way — and it's not Britney's. Jamie Lynn Spears, the 16-year-old "Zoey 101" star and sister of Britney, told OK! magazine that she's pregnant and that the father is her boyfriend, Casey Aldridge.</span><br /><br /> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">"It was a shock for both of us, so unexpected," she said. "I was in complete and total shock and so was he."</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />Spears is 12 weeks along and initially kept the news to herself when she learned of the pregnancy from an at-home test and subsequent doctor visit, she told the celebrity magazine, which hits stands in New York on Wednesday and the rest of the country by Friday.</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />What message does she want to send to other teens about premarital sex? "I definitely don't think it's something you should do; it's better to wait," she told the magazine. "But I can't be judgmental because it's a position I put myself in."</span><br /><br /> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">After she found out from a doctor that she was pregnant, she said, "I took two weeks to myself where I didn't tell anybody."</span><br /><br /> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">"Only one of my friends knew because I needed to work out what I would do for myself before I let anyone's opinion affect my decision. Then I told my parents and my friends. I was scared, but I had to do what was right for me," she said.</span> <br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Spears broke the news to her mother, Lynne, just before Thanksgiving, the magazine reported.</span> <br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">"She was very upset because it wasn't what she expected at all," Spears said. "A week after, she had time to cope with it and became very supportive."</span> <br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Lynne Spears, already grandmother to Britney's young sons, told the magazine: "I didn't believe it because Jamie Lynn's always been so conscientious. She's never late for her curfew. I was in shock. I mean, this is my 16-year-old baby."</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />She said her actress daughter, the telegenic heroine of her popular Nickelodeon series, has known Aldridge for years and began dating him in high school.</span> <br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">But in a recent interview with The Associated Press, Spears said she had no steady boyfriend. "I kind of just keep my options open," she said. "I have a bunch of friends that I always hang out with, a bunch of guy friends." She declined to talk about her older sister.</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />Spears spoke to the AP shortly before Thanksgiving, the day she told OK! she informed her mother about the pregnancy.</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />Jamie Lynn plans to raise the baby in her home state of Louisiana — "so it can have a normal family life."</span> <br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Nickelodeon released a statement: "We respect Jamie Lynn's decision to take responsibility in this sensitive and personal situation. We know this is a very difficult time for her and her family, and our primary concern right now is for Jamie Lynn's well being."</span> <br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">A publicist for the network did not immediately respond to phone and e-mail requests for additional comment.</span> <br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">"Zoey 101" is scheduled to conclude its third season Jan. 4 with a cliffhanger episode in which Spears' character must decide whether to leave her fictional Pacific Coast Academy boarding school in California to join her parents in London.</span> <br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The show is scheduled to resume in February, and its producer, Dan Schneider, has said filming on the fourth season has already been completed.</span> <br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h6ByeoSmlUzSq7mytGzyf6Dq-GxgD8TK87IG0">ap.google.com Spears Pregnant</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4213739695975096811.post-71946832426642581282007-12-18T16:23:00.000-08:002007-12-18T16:29:00.086-08:00Pro Bowl Announcements<h3 style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:130%;"> 11 Cowboys, eight Patriots highlight Pro Bowl rosters</span> </span></h3> <span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;font-size:100%;" > </span><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-size:100%;"> New York, NY (Sports Network) - The NFC and AFC Pro Bowl rosters were announced on Tuesday and the Dallas Cowboys led all teams with 11 selections. </span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-size:100%;"> The Patriots and Chargers led the way in the AFC with eight players being named from each team, including New England quarterback Tom Brady and San Diego running back LaDainian Tomlinson as starters. </span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-size:100%;"> The Pro Bowl rosters were compiled in voting from a combination of fans, players and coaches. The Pro Bowl will take place Sunday, February 10 in Honolulu, Hawaii. </span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-size:100%;"> The currently undefeated Patriots will send eight players to the Pro Bowl for the first time since 1985, and the team's eight Pro Bowl picks tie the 1985 squad with the most Patriots Pro Bowl players since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. Wide receiver Randy Moss, who will also start, earned his sixth career Pro Bowl nod, while Brady will head to Hawaii for the fourth time in his career. </span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-size:100%;"> Moss leads the NFL with 19 touchdown receptions, a total that ranks second in league history to Jerry Rice’s record 22 scoring catches in 1987. </span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-size:100%;"> Tomlinson, who currently ranks second in the NFL in rushing and leads the league with 14 rushing touchdowns, earned his fifth Pro Bowl invitation of his career. </span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-size:100%;"> Chargers fullback Lorenzo Neal was also named as a starter, as was wide receiver Reggie Wayne of the Colts. </span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-size:100%;"> Other New England starters were offensive tackle Matt Light, guard Logan Mankins, defensive tackle Vince Wilfork, linebacker Mike Vrabel and cornerback Asante Samuel. Pats center Dan Koppen was named as a reserve. </span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-size:100%;"> Other Charger starters were tight end Antonio Gates and special teamer Kassim Osgood, while guard Kris Dielman, defensive tackle Jamal Williams, linebacker Shawne Merriman and cornerback Antonio Cromartie were honored as reserves. </span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-size:100%;"> Neal will make his fourth trip to the Pro Bowl, and Gates will make his fourth straight trip to Honolulu. </span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-size:100%;"> In the NFC, seven of the franchise record-tying 11 Cowboys will be starters. Wide receiver Terrell Owens; tight end Jason Witten; offensive linemen Flozell Adams, Leonard Davis and Andre Gurode; linebacker DeMarcus Ware and kicker Nick Folk were selected starters. </span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-size:100%;"> Quarterback Tony Romo, running back Marion Barber, safety Ken Hamlin and cornerback Terence Newman were chosen as reserves. </span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-size:100%;"> The other offensive starters include Green Bay's Brett Favre at quarterback, rookie sensation Adrian Peterson at running back, and his Vikings' teammate Tony Richardson at fullback. </span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-size:100%;"> This marks Favre's ninth Pro Bowl selection of his storied career and first since 2003. He has had a record-breaking season. In addition to becoming the winningest QB in NFL history and tossing the most TD passes in league history earlier this season, he surpassed Dan Marino as the all-time passing leader this past Sunday with 61,405 yards. </span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-size:100%;"> This season he has completed 67.1 percent of his passes for 3,905 yards with 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. </span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-size:100%;"> Peterson has run for 1,278 yards and 12 touchdowns this season. His efforts include a 224-yard three-TD rushing performance against the Bears on October 14. </span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-size:100%;"> "This is a great honor as a rookie and I'm proud to be selected," said Peterson. "This was one of my goals coming into the season and it feels good to accomplish that. I'm blessed by the individual honor, but I know we have some team goals we are still striving for." </span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-size:100%;"> The remainder of the offensive line starters consist of Minnesota's Steve Hutchinson and Seattle's Walter Jones, while Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald will start opposite Owens at wide receiver. </span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-size:100%;"> Joining Ware as starting linebackers are Seattle's Julian Peterson and Lofa Tatupu. The defensive line consists of Green Bay's Aaron Kampman, Seattle's Patrick Kerney and Minnesota's Kevin Williams and Pat Williams. </span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-size:100%;"> The NFC's starting defensive backs are Green Bay's Al Harris and Seattle's Marcus Trufant at corner and Minnesota's Darren Sharper at strong safety. </span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-size:100%;"> Washington Redskins free safety Sean Taylor, who was killed last month after being shot during a burglary at his Florida home, earned a starting nod. </span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-size:100%;"> He had five interceptions at the time of his death. </span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-size:100%;"> Joining the first-timer Folk as special teamers for the NFC, is San Francisco punter Andy Lee, also a first time selection, kick returner Devin Hester of the Chicago Bears and specialist Brendon Ayanbadejo of the Bears. </span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-size:100%;"> Seattle's Matt Hasselbeck joins Romo as a reserve quarterback, while Philadelphia's Brian Westbrook joins Barber as a reserve running back. Green Bay's Donald Driver and St. Louis' Torry Holt are the reserve wide outs, Washington's Chris Cooley is the backup tight end; and Washington's Chris Samuels, Philadelphia's Shawn Andrews and Minnesota's Matt Birk are the reserve offensive linemen. </span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-size:100%;"> In addition to Newman and Hamlin as reserve defensive players for the NFC are, defensive linemen Osi Umenyiora of the Giants and Chicago's Tommie Harris. The Bears' Lance Briggs and San Francisco's Patrick Willis are the reserve linebackers. </span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-size:100%;"> Other offensive starters for the AFC were tackle Jason Peters of Buffalo, Pittsburgh guard Alan Faneca and Colts center Jeff Saturday. </span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-size:100%;"> The other AFC defensive starters were defensive ends Jared Allen of Kansas City and Kyle Vanden Bosch of Tennessee, defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth of the Titans, linebackers James Harrison of Pittsburgh, and DeMeco Ryans of Houston, cornerback Champ Baily of Denver, and safeties Ed Reed of Baltimore and Bob Sanders of the Colts. </span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-size:100%;"> The punter will be Oakland's Shane Lechler, while Rob Bironas will handle the place-kicking duties for the AFC. Cleveland's Josh Cribbs was voted as the kick returner. </span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-size:100%;"> Quarterbacks Peyton Manning of the Colts and Ben Roethlisberger of the Steelers were named reserves. The other running backs were Joseph Addai of the Colts and Pittsburgh's Willie Parker. One other Steeler was selected - reserve safety Troy Polamalu. </span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-size:100%;"> Manning was named to the game for the eighth time in 10 NFL seasons and the sixth time in as many years. </span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-size:100%;"> Cleveland's Braylon Edwards and Cincinnati's T.J. Houshmandzadeh were voted as reserve wide receivers, while KC tight end Tony Gonzalez is going to his ninth consecutive Pro Bowl, this time in a reserve role. </span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-size:100%;"> "We are very proud that Tony Gonzalez has been selected to his ninth consecutive Pro Bowl," Chiefs president Carl Peterson said. "Very few players have displayed the outstanding level of consistency that Tony has demonstrated over the years." </span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-size:100%;"> Baltimore tackle Jonathan Ogden was selected to his 11th Pro Bowl, while Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis was chosen to his eighth and Miami defensive end Jason Taylor to his sixth. </span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"> <span style="font-size:100%;"> 12/18 18:10:18 ET<br /></span></p><p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://www.sportsnetwork.com/default.asp?c=sportsnetwork&page=/nfl/news/ABN4118059.htm" target="blank">sportsnetwork.com Pro Bowl</a><br /></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4213739695975096811.post-88464620733776387522007-12-18T10:53:00.001-08:002007-12-18T10:55:23.399-08:00John Berg, "House M.D." Actor Found Dead<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4vK06vPdgxbTPFsOyrHtDlhc_t0VeZpU3jrdljbrOyiIKI84UrLESP_ZNIZu6OHJqRC2s8YY2DzfZOT0oakGU228kKgzR3_PRuUkyO_Aq-EhaQV1YBicnfvq1Od-SWCcgOERovD8eoMHx/s1600-h/John+Berg.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4vK06vPdgxbTPFsOyrHtDlhc_t0VeZpU3jrdljbrOyiIKI84UrLESP_ZNIZu6OHJqRC2s8YY2DzfZOT0oakGU228kKgzR3_PRuUkyO_Aq-EhaQV1YBicnfvq1Od-SWCcgOERovD8eoMHx/s320/John+Berg.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145388081350655266" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;">'House M.D.,' 'Monk' actor John Berg dead at 58</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">From wire service reports</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Article Launched: 12/17/2007 01:11:49 PM PST</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">VAN NUYS - Television character actor John Berg, who appeared in shows such as "House M.D." and "Monk," was found dead in his Van Nuys home, authorities said today.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">The body of the 58-year-old actor was discovered shortly before 1 p.m. Sunday in the residence in the 6500 block of Nagle Avenue, said Capt. Ed Winter of the coroner's office.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">The cause of death was not immediately disclosed. An autopsy was pending. Authorities went to the actor's residence on a "welfare check" call, Winter said.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Berg has also appeared on shows such as "NCIS," "The Practice," "Boston Legal" and "Law & Order."</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.dailybreeze.com/ci_7744148">dailybreeze.com - John Berg</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4213739695975096811.post-27605627650002740972007-12-18T08:49:00.000-08:002007-12-18T08:55:52.394-08:00Flatley Wins $11M in Tyna Marie Robertson Case<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK5Yb_40m_vwRg5qB_TpCgyQS3ErRiepEcv6WAvwy6WC1jDNMBS-Uby5aNKmpOCIjmGMdMXywA_J10DmMNl-XNkPn4zceneWIUzuSWdaguRzUbXyVr6xIusjoon7lQCF6tSDCES2ePuZF1/s1600-h/Flatley.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK5Yb_40m_vwRg5qB_TpCgyQS3ErRiepEcv6WAvwy6WC1jDNMBS-Uby5aNKmpOCIjmGMdMXywA_J10DmMNl-XNkPn4zceneWIUzuSWdaguRzUbXyVr6xIusjoon7lQCF6tSDCES2ePuZF1/s320/Flatley.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145357252075404562" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Judge in LA Orders $11M for Flatley</span></span><br /><br /> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">LOS ANGELES (AP) — A woman who accused Michael Flatley of sexual assault has been ordered to pay him more than $11 million for making false allegations to extort money from him, according to documents obtained Monday.<br /><br /></span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Superior Court Judge Michael L. Stern found that real estate agent Tyna Marie Robertson had defamed and intentionally inflicted emotional distress upon Flatley, 49, who appeared in "Riverdance," "Lord of the Dance," "Feet of Flames" and "Celtic Tiger."</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />Robertson had alleged Flatley raped her in a Las Vegas hotel in 2002 and threatened to sue unless he agreed to pay a "seven figures" settlement, according to court papers.</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />Police declined to press criminal charges, and Flatley said the sex was consensual.</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />Robertson then filed a $33 million lawsuit in Illinois alleging sexual assault, but it was dismissed.</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />Flatley countered with a lawsuit against Robertson and her lawyer D. Dean Mauro claiming extortion, intentional infliction of emotional distress and defamation.</span> <br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The California Supreme Court held in July 2006 that Mauro had committed extortion, and he settled the case by making "a substantial payment" to Flatley, according to a statement from the dancer's lawyer, Ricardo P. Cestero.</span> <br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The judgment order against Robertson formalized a ruling made by Stern during a hearing this month.</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />Flatley plans to donate any recovery on the settlement to charity, Cestero said.</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />Telephone numbers for Robertson and Mauro were not listed.</span> <br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Robertson is the ex-girlfriend of Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher, and the two have battled in court themselves over their young son, Kennedy.</span> <br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iUTz2pn1a7ET9v30YQ_IPsd6gQXAD8TJSHBG1" target="blank">ap.google.com - Flatley</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4213739695975096811.post-76239188234384441042007-12-17T14:13:00.000-08:002007-12-17T15:05:41.275-08:00Farewell Dan Fogelberg - A Tribute<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This quiet man of music quietly passed away Sunday at his home in Maine. He left us with a legacy of music that touched our hearts and souls. Simple music with heartfelt lyrics that would often bring a tear to my eye, particularly "Longer", "To The Morning", and "Leader of the Band". If you are unfamiliar with his music, please listen to the clips below - I hope you'll be as touched as I have by his music all these many years. Farewell, Dan - you'll be missed.<br /></span><br /><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Fg0LiDnh5c4&rel=1"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Fg0LiDnh5c4&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br /><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/daZhgvIu3UM&rel=1"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/daZhgvIu3UM&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br /><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/cy3GHCy49Dw&rel=1"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/cy3GHCy49Dw&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/UGCs2gZAfT0&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/UGCs2gZAfT0&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4213739695975096811.post-54415211538499795182007-12-17T09:00:00.000-08:002007-12-17T09:02:11.221-08:00Rich Rodriquez Newest Wolverine<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-weight: bold;">UPDATE: Rodriguez introduced as Wolverine</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">By Jake Stump</span><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Daily Mail Capitol Reporter</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">New Michigan Wolverines football coach Rich Rodriguez today did not specifically address why he suddenly left West Virginia University other than to say it was time for him to move on.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">"I'm just changing jobs," he said at a press conference in Ann Arbor.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Rodriguez dodged questions about the reasons behind his departure from the Morgantown two weeks before a Fiesta Bowl showdown with the Oklahoma Sooners.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Rodriguez repeatedly stated that it was the most difficult decision in his career and that he'd rather not talk about the past and WVU.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">"I don't think there's a need to talk about the past process," Rodriguez said in response to a reporter's question concerning his talks with Michigan. "Everything was first class. Everything was dealt with in a forthright manner."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Rodriguez said he still hadn't talked to WVU officials about his decision or the Oklahoma game, but he made it clear that he wouldn't coach the Mountaineers in the Jan. 2 bowl. The letter of his resignation that a graduate assistant passed along to Athletic Director Ed Pastilong on Sunday said he was resigning effective Jan. 3.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">"If a coach stays on, he becomes the focus of the game," he said. "I don't want to be a distraction."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">The 44-year-old native of Grant Town, Marion County, tried focusing more on his goals at Michigan rather than West Virginia during the press conference.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">He opened the press conference attempting to joke around by saying, "What a great crowd. They must be giving away free hats or something."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">He later quoted a scene from the Disney movie, "Lion King."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Rodriguez also acknowledged former WVU basketball coach John Beilein, who, too, left the Mountaineers for the Wolverines this year.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">"I'm excited to be back with my good friend John Beilein," he said. "I was excited when his house sold quickly. Hopefully, mine will do the same."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">When asked how he would deal with the buyout and his WVU contract, Rodriguez said that decision was left to the university.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">He was also asked about Michigan's rivalry with Ohio State.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">"The hecklers let me know about that yesterday," said Rodriguez, who was met with a chorus of jeers and insults from Mountaineer fans as he and his family departed Sunday from Morgantown Municipal Airport.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">"What bothered me most was getting that 'O-H thing (Ohio State's football cheer),'" he continued.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Michigan Athletic Director Bill Martin introduced their new coach at the press conference. Martin noted that Fielding Yost, who won four national championships with Michigan in the early 1900s, grew up in Fairview, five miles from Rodriguez's hometown of Grant Town.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Rodriguez introduced his family at the press conference and talked a little about his hometown. He joked that Grant Town had a sign that said 'Home of Rich Rodriguez' but that residents probably already scratched it out.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">"Some people are a little upset and probably will stay so," he said. "But I hope for the great people in the state of West Virginia, they'll look at what we've done in the last seven years."</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.dailymail.com/Sports/WVUSports/200712170174" target="blank">Charleston Daily Mail</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4213739695975096811.post-63201599678434201902007-12-17T08:16:00.000-08:002007-12-17T08:19:34.859-08:00Alycia Lane Attacks NY Cop<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVBYNfLzf4nOotZEBjpOCHEA9Jzmo2X1XDr3qSO6NwAoT-txhbJ-cIxFVR_06n_vDBhy7VtcEzd_Ec2U8p7qFgSv9sn-GT5MMNhMqhSyWPl28Skwx1VIbeIsKVlKjyLiNJzT7FG6Gq2xnj/s1600-h/121707postalycia-thumb.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVBYNfLzf4nOotZEBjpOCHEA9Jzmo2X1XDr3qSO6NwAoT-txhbJ-cIxFVR_06n_vDBhy7VtcEzd_Ec2U8p7qFgSv9sn-GT5MMNhMqhSyWPl28Skwx1VIbeIsKVlKjyLiNJzT7FG6Gq2xnj/s320/121707postalycia-thumb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144977250548923650" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Alycia Lane: The Police Report</span></span><br /><br />Here's a part of a deposition regarding Alycia Lane, who allegedly pulled a Jason Michaels Saturday night in New York City.<br /><br /> <span style="font-style: italic;">Deponent states that deponent was approaching an intoxicated male and directing said male to return to a Taxi when defendant placed a camera against deponent's face. Deponent observed officer grab defendant's arm (holding the camera) in an attempt to move it away from deponent's face. Deponent states that defendant said in substance to officer: I DON'T GIVE A FUCK WHO YOU ARE I AM A REPORTER YOU FUCKING DYKE. Deponent further states that deponent observed defendant strike officer about the face. Deponent states that defendant's strike caused officer to sustain two lacerations to officer's face and caused swelling."</span><br /><br />That actually gives the reporter thing some context. It now reads more like: I'm taking photos in my capacity as a journalist, although I don't think "I am a reporter, you fucking dyke!" is the best way to express that statement.<br /><br />The Daily News' Dan Gross, Regina Medina and Bob Cooney have some fun details, including: "A station source said Lane's iPhone was confiscated by cops as evidence." The New York Post says Alycia has always been saying "Fuck the police."<br /><br /> Lane, a Long Island native, is a former reporter and anchor for cable station News 12 in The Bronx and covered the 1999 shooting of Amadou Diallo, the unarmed immigrant killed by 40 police bulles.<br /><br />Wait, isn't it 41? Either way, Lane's lawyer denies the charges, and Alycia was crying, so now we should all feel bad for her. Really.<br /><br /><a href="http://willdo.philadelphiaweekly.com/archives/2007/12/alycia_lane.html" target="blank">willdo.philadelphiaweekly.com Alycia Lane</a></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4213739695975096811.post-15965772419773116102007-12-14T19:54:00.000-08:002007-12-14T20:04:37.536-08:00Jodi Foster Comes Out?<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Upon receiving the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award, Jodi Foster recently thanked her longtime companion, Cydney Bernard, saying "my beautiful Cydney who sticks with me through all the rotten and the bliss". Although she didn't come right out and say she was gay, this was a pretty big admission for the very private Foster. Too bad the whole "coming out" or "not coming out" thing has to be such a big deal...doesn't matter to me one way or the other.<br /></span><br /><br /><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/udVcJSwiWfE&rel=1"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/udVcJSwiWfE&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4213739695975096811.post-14511703136443813582007-12-14T15:26:00.000-08:002007-12-14T15:27:56.149-08:00Rich Rodriquez in Talks with Michigan<span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;" >West Virginia's Rich Rodriguez meets with U-M today</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">December 14, 2007</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">By MICHAEL ROSENBERG and MARK SNYDER</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITERS</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Michigan has a new leading candidate to be its new football coach: West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Rodriguez met with Michigan athletic director Bill Martin and school president Mary Sue Coleman in Toledo today to discuss the open position, two people at U-M confirmed to the Free Press. The Sporting News first reported the meeting this afternoon.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Rodriguez, who is set to make $1.8 million this season according to a USA Today study of coaches' contracts, signed a second amendment to his contract in August 2007. His contract now runs through the 2013 season.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The major obstacle to a potential deal could be his buyout clause, which stands at $4 million if he leaves Morgantown, W. Va., before Aug. 31, 2008. That was part of the amendment signed last year that boosted his pay from its previous total of around $1 million.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">After Rodriguez flirted with Alabama almost exactly a year ago, with some reports even stating he had accepted the job, he decided to remain at his alma mater. At the time, that contract offer was reported to be six years, $12 million.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">His career record is 60-26. The Mountaineers have won at least 10 games in each of the past three seasons and are headed to the Fiesta Bowl to face Oklahoma this year after just missing out on a trip to the Bowl Championship Series national title game when they lost the season finale to Pittsburgh.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Rodriguez has coached West Virginia since the 2001 season, after coaching as an offensive coordinator under Tommy Bowden first at Tulane in 1997-98 and then 1999-2000 at Clemson.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">He played three seasons at West Virginia under legend Don Nehlen, a former Michigan assistant under Bo Schembechler.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">freep.com - Detroit Free Press</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071214/SPORTS06/71214035/1048/SPORTS&theme=CARR&imw=Y">freep.com Rich Rodriquez</a></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4213739695975096811.post-36390393330081699332007-12-14T15:14:00.000-08:002007-12-14T15:16:35.136-08:00Chris Evert, Greg Norman Engaged<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >Chris Evert, Greg Norman Are Engaged</span></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">PAARL, South Africa (AP) — Chris Evert and Greg Norman are engaged, less than a year after divorces from longtime spouses. The couple got engaged Sunday night, said Tami Starr, director of Chris Evert Charities in Boca Raton, Fla.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">"They're not sure of a wedding date yet," Starr said. "They're both extremely happy they've found each other."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Evert, who won 18 Grand Slam singles titles, wore a large diamond on her ring finger at a news conference Friday to announce a new tennis center at Pearl Valley Golf Estates, which is hosting the South African Open. Norman is playing in the tournament.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Evert and former husband Andy Mill, a World Cup and Olympic skier from Colorado, divorced last December after 18 years of marriage. The 52-year-old tennis great previously was married to British tennis player John Lloyd.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">In September, Norman reached a multimillion-dollar divorce settlement with his wife of 26 years, Laura Andrassy. The 52-year-old Australian won the British Open in 1986 and 1993.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Associated Press</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5itFmzUmiR9RMuXY8HGLHW34hvXxAD8THF45O0" target="blank">AP Evert Norman</a></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4213739695975096811.post-4358212960490095802007-12-14T11:28:00.000-08:002007-12-14T11:33:54.352-08:00I Am Legend Review<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Man, this looks good...I'll be first in line.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Review: 'I Am Legend' a taut thriller</span></span><br /><br />By Tom Charity<br />Special to CNN<br /><br />(CNN) -- If anyone's going to be the last man on Earth, then Will Smith seems like an ideal candidate.<br /><br />Cool and athletic, focused and unflappable, he's not someone who's going to give up on humanity just because the odds are stacked against him. Even at several billion to one, he's still adamant he can fix this thing.<br /><br />A third movie version of Richard Matheson's classic sci-fi novel "I Am Legend" has been on the table at Warner Bros. for a long time. In the '90s, Arnold Schwarzenegger talked about following in the footsteps of Vincent Price and Charlton Heston (remember "The Omega Man"?).<br /><br />Smith is such a different type, it's odd to think that he's taken over this mantle. In fact, he's scored consistently well in sci-fi, from "Independence Day" through "Men in Black" and "I, Robot," and there's no reason to suppose the tense, scary "I Am Legend" won't continue that impressive box office run, even if the movie itself flags on the last lap.<br /><br />The opening couldn't be sharper. A television news report hails a medical breakthrough -- a viral cure for cancer, no less. Cut to New York three years later: abandoned cars, no one in sight, grass growing waist-high around Times Square. Something has gone very, very wrong.<br /><br />Smith is Robert Neville. The cover of Time on his fridge door pictures a "Soldier. Scientist. Savior?" but that hanging question mark is well chosen, and we divine that his immunity is pure chance.<br /><br />He's not quite alone. Neville patrols Fifth Avenue in his Mustang with Sam, a German Shepherd (also immune to the airborne virus), broadcasting into the void, then returning home to his Washington Square townhouse to put up the shutters before nightfall.<br /><br />That's when the "Dark Seekers" venture out: feral, contaminated people with a rabid appetite for flesh but no pupil dilation reflex to protect them against sunlight.<br /><br />By now, anyone who caught "28 Days Later" or last year's sequel "28 Weeks Later" may be experiencing deja vu -- in fact, if they called this movie "2.8 Years Later" it could pass as the third installment in the series with very little tweaking. Which is not to downplay the special frisson of seeing the Brooklyn Bridge ripped across the middle, for example.<br /><br />Wisely dispensing with the Luddite rhetoric that bogged down "The Omega Man," "I Am Legend" doesn't have much time for Neville the soldier. While Chuck Heston dedicated himself to exterminating the albino hordes, Will Smith starts out firmly on the other end of the kill-or-cure scale.<br /><br />At the same time, the film suggests his self-sufficient scientific rationalism is not enough. By day 1,001 he's on the point of suicide -- which is when the movie gets God in the comely intervention of born-again Alice Braga.<br /><br />If the last half-hour feels thrown together, "Constantine" director Francis Lawrence mostly makes a virtue of the lean script, getting in and out quick, suppressing those inevitable nagging questions (are cockroaches immune?), always stressing Neville's solitary isolation.<br /><br />So often, sci-fi is overproduced, but "I Am Legend" doesn't look like a CGI extravaganza. It looks like edgy suspense movie shot on the fly in New York City after the fall. And because of that, it's all the more effective.<br /><br />"I Am Legend" is rated PG-13 and runs 100 minutes. For Entertainment Weekly's take, <a href="http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20165795,00.html" target="blank">click here.</a><br /><br />CNN Entertainment<br /><a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/Movies/12/13/rev.legend/" target="blank">cnn.com I Am Legend</a><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4213739695975096811.post-71691097865497040292007-12-14T08:26:00.000-08:002007-12-14T08:33:37.027-08:00Snow Globe Boy Wants to Set Record<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPESCJO4D9RKKZXsedcVPmyvTMHPPHbYXAzR68HPXFiyTA-3qi3jZaY0vaxLlOVGQ1FzQVwctH_yXCmsTNahiggZFDFZi9j6ujy5TCLudRlJEA4Hl4KDh7tBSr-0BeN0lpJaAxc5SVrkfR/s1600-h/snowglobeboy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPESCJO4D9RKKZXsedcVPmyvTMHPPHbYXAzR68HPXFiyTA-3qi3jZaY0vaxLlOVGQ1FzQVwctH_yXCmsTNahiggZFDFZi9j6ujy5TCLudRlJEA4Hl4KDh7tBSr-0BeN0lpJaAxc5SVrkfR/s320/snowglobeboy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143866713740098802" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Haha! Ya gotta love this!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Snow Globe Boy Seeking World Record</span></span><br /><br />Ben Eckerson, a 24-year-old production coordinator at McKinney advertising agency in Durham, N.C., has been spending much of the past several days sitting inside a giant inflatable snow globe. As of Friday morning, Eckerson had been in the globe for nearly three full days.<br /><br />Eckerson's snow globe adventure is being shown live, 24-hours per day, 7 days peer week through a webcam at <a href="http://snowglobeboy.mckinney.com/" target="blank">snowglobeboy.mckinney.com</a>. According to the site, he is hoping to set a world record for time spent in such a spot, and hopes to spread some holiday cheer.<br /><br />He has been spending all but 51 minutes per day inside the snow globe, and utilizes those minutes away to take care of personal needs. All of his meals are delivered to him inside the snow globe, which is located inside the McKinney headquarters building.<br /><br />Eckerson also has a number of items in the snowglobe to keep himself entertained, including a Playstation, exercise equipment, games, and paper towels.<br /><br />The idea initially behind the snow globe was to send out a different, creative, yet green holiday card this year, and so the agency came up with the snow globe idea - sending out digital cards through the website. The idea quickly snowballed, and "Snow Globe Boy" became an internet phenomenon.<br /><br />He says has hes received so many emails since entering the snow globe that he can't even respond to them all. Eckerson plans to leave the globe Friday to attend the company's holiday party.<br /><br />Cleveland Leader<br /><a href="http://www.clevelandleader.com/node/4146">clevelandleader.com</a><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4213739695975096811.post-78009404355404716072007-12-13T10:12:00.000-08:002007-12-13T10:14:51.957-08:00Capital One Launches Card Lab<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-style: italic;">I gotta say, this is pretty cool...</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Capital One launches Card Lab</span></span><br /><br />By Lauren Bell<br /><br />Capital One Financial Corporation has launched the online tool Capital One Card Lab.<br /><br />Card Lab is an interactive Web site where consumers can build their own Capital One credit cards. Card-builders can choose from a menu of introductory offers, interest rates, annual fees and rewards. Capital One also provides options for front-of-card designs.<br /><br />“This whole concept is basically playing off the emerging trend of control shifting from company to consumer,” said Pam Girardo, spokesperson for Capital One. “Consumers want to be in the driver’s seat. This is a new level of control in the credit card space, and we believe it will drive loyalty and confidence in customers. The confidence they get from creating the card themselves will make us top-of-wallet.”<br /><br />Capital One currently markets the Card Lab with online advertisements, but the<br />company plans to roll out a direct mail campaign in the future. Girardo said the Card Lab will not replace Capital One’s direct mail and other card-marketing efforts.<br /><br />Card Lab provides a glossary of account terms, defining options as the user rolls a mouse over a term. The site also grays out choices that don’t work together —a feature that prevents consumers from making unusable card while showing them the effects of their previous selections.<br /><br />“Card Lab offers a whole new level in transparency, and consumers are getting an education in key credit card accounts terminology,” Girardo added. “It’s putting the trade-off decisions in the hands of consumers and giving a peek under the tent.”<br /><br />Once a card is fully designed, site users fill out an online application, and, if approved, they receive their card in the mail within seven to 10 days. Applicants will be notified of approval within a few minutes of entering their information on the site. Application information is kept in the same secure database as all of Capital One’s online credit applications.<br /><br />Enhancements will be added to Card Lab in the coming months. One new feature will be “image card,” which allows users to put an image of their choice — such as an uploaded photograph — on the front of their card.<br /><br />Capital One owns Capital One Bank, Capital One Auto Finance Inc. and Capital One NA. The company is headquartered in McLean, VA.<br />Lauren Bell is a reporter covering media, circulation issues, CRM and database. Reach her at lauren.bell@dmnews.com.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.dmnews.com/cms/dm-news/database-marketing/43171.html" target="blank">dmnews.com</a><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0