LOS ANGELES - Patrick Swayze, the hunky actor who danced his way into viewers' hearts with "Dirty Dancing" and then broke them with "Ghost," died Monday after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 57.
"Patrick Swayze passed away peacefully today with family at his side after facing the challenges of his illness for the last 20 months," said a statement released Monday evening by his publicist, Annett Wolf. No other details were given.
Fans of the actor were saddened to learn in March 2008 that Swayze was suffering from a particularly deadly form of cancer. Click here for more
Monday, September 14, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Roethlisberger accused of sex assault in lawsuit
RENO, Nev. – A woman is accusing Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger of raping her last summer in his penthouse hotel room at Lake Tahoe.
The woman worked at Harrah's hotel-casino at the time and says the attack happened when the Super Bowl-winning quarterback was in Tahoe playing in a celebrity golf tournament. She also alleges in the civil suit that Harrah's officials refused to investigate her complaint and went to great lengths to cover up the incident.
Roethlisberger's lawyer David Cornwell denies the claim and says the quarterback will be "fully exonerated."
The lawsuit filed in Reno on Friday seeks at least $390,000 in damages. It says she has been in and out of hospitals for treatment of depression since the episode.
It was not immediately clear if the woman went to law enforcement with her complaints.
Friday, May 1, 2009
FDA warns consumers to stop using weight-loss pill Hydroxycut
WASHINGTON - Government health officials are announcing the recall of popular weight loss pill Hydroxycut, after reports of liver damage and other health problems.
Food and Drug Administration officials said Friday the manufacturer of Hydroxycut has launched a nationwide recall of the dietary supplement, used by people trying to shed pounds and by body builders to sharpen their muscles.
Food and Drug Administration officials said Friday the manufacturer of Hydroxycut has launched a nationwide recall of the dietary supplement, used by people trying to shed pounds and by body builders to sharpen their muscles.
Hydroxycut is advertised as made from natural ingredients. It accounts for about 90 percent of the market for weight loss supplements, with sales of about 1 million bottles a year.
Dietary supplements are not as tightly regulated by the government as medications. Manufacturers don't need FDA approval ahead of time before marketing their products.
Dietary supplements are not as tightly regulated by the government as medications. Manufacturers don't need FDA approval ahead of time before marketing their products.
Source: MSNBC
Supreme Court Justice Souter To Retire
Supreme Court Justice David Souter’s planned retirement touches off a fierce fight between the parties that could reinvigorate moping Republicans and, depending on his choice, enhance or tarnish President Barack Obama’s bipartisan image.
Within hours of Thursday night’s leak about Souter’s plans, Republicans were circulating claims that potential nominees were “liberal” and “activist,” and pointing reporters to comments that Obama and Vice President Joe Biden had made about the confirmation process when they were in the Senate.
Souter, 69, is squarely in the court’s liberal branch, even though he was appointed by President George H.W. Bush, so the retirement is unlikely to result in any deep shift in the balance of power.
The White House had thought that Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 76, might be the first vacancy Obama would have a chance to fill, and the unofficial lists of potential nominees are topped by women.
White House Counsel Gregory Craig will play the lead role in the selection process. Biden presided over six confirmation hearing when he was Judiciary Committee chairman, five of them for current justices.
The president faces competing imperatives in replacing Souter, including the pressure to appoint the first Hispanic to the Supreme Court and his own ties to prominent legal academics beginning with his years at Harvard Law School.
Within hours of Thursday night’s leak about Souter’s plans, Republicans were circulating claims that potential nominees were “liberal” and “activist,” and pointing reporters to comments that Obama and Vice President Joe Biden had made about the confirmation process when they were in the Senate.
Souter, 69, is squarely in the court’s liberal branch, even though he was appointed by President George H.W. Bush, so the retirement is unlikely to result in any deep shift in the balance of power.
The White House had thought that Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 76, might be the first vacancy Obama would have a chance to fill, and the unofficial lists of potential nominees are topped by women.
White House Counsel Gregory Craig will play the lead role in the selection process. Biden presided over six confirmation hearing when he was Judiciary Committee chairman, five of them for current justices.
The president faces competing imperatives in replacing Souter, including the pressure to appoint the first Hispanic to the Supreme Court and his own ties to prominent legal academics beginning with his years at Harvard Law School.
Taxpayers to get rude surprise
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Millions of Americans enjoying their small windfall from President Barack Obama's "Making Work Pay" tax credit are in for an unpleasant surprise next spring.
The government is going to want some of that money back.
The tax credit is supposed to provide up to $400 to individuals and $800 to married couples as part of the massive economic recovery package enacted in February. Most workers started receiving the credit through small increases in their paychecks in the past month.
But new tax withholding tables issued by the IRS could cause millions of taxpayers to get hundreds of dollars more than they are entitled to under the credit, money that will have to be repaid at tax time.
At-risk taxpayers include a broad swath of the public: married couples in which both spouses work; workers with more than one job; retirees who have federal income taxes withheld from their pension payments and Social Security recipients with jobs that provide taxable income.
The Internal Revenue Service acknowledges problems with the withholding tables but has done little to warn average taxpayers.
"They need to get the Goodyear blimp out there on this," said Tom Ochsenschlager, vice president of taxation for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
The government is going to want some of that money back.
The tax credit is supposed to provide up to $400 to individuals and $800 to married couples as part of the massive economic recovery package enacted in February. Most workers started receiving the credit through small increases in their paychecks in the past month.
But new tax withholding tables issued by the IRS could cause millions of taxpayers to get hundreds of dollars more than they are entitled to under the credit, money that will have to be repaid at tax time.
At-risk taxpayers include a broad swath of the public: married couples in which both spouses work; workers with more than one job; retirees who have federal income taxes withheld from their pension payments and Social Security recipients with jobs that provide taxable income.
The Internal Revenue Service acknowledges problems with the withholding tables but has done little to warn average taxpayers.
"They need to get the Goodyear blimp out there on this," said Tom Ochsenschlager, vice president of taxation for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Swine Flu Outbreak
WASHINGTON (April 27) — Amid surging worries about a global pandemic, the United States launched border screening for swine flu exposure Monday and a top federal health official said people should brace for more severe cases, "and possibly deaths."
Meanwhile, President Barack Obama says the spread of swine flu is a cause for concern but "not a cause of alarm" and he's staying on top of the problem.
Meanwhile, President Barack Obama says the spread of swine flu is a cause for concern but "not a cause of alarm" and he's staying on top of the problem.
Obama told a gathering of scientists Monday that the administration is "closely monitoring" cases of swine flu, how many people have it and what the threat is. Obama also said the American people can expect to get regular and frequent updates about what Washington is doing.
He said the swine flu threat dramatizes how the United States cannot allow itself to fall behind in scientific and medical research.
He said the swine flu threat dramatizes how the United States cannot allow itself to fall behind in scientific and medical research.
Swine flu not reason for 'alarm'
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama said Monday the threat of spreading swine flu infections is matter of concern but "not a cause for alarm." The United States and other countries across the globe increased their vigilance as the World Health Organization said there are now 40 confirmed cases in the U.S.
That's twice the number previously reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.
The WHO, a United Nations agency, said none of the cases in the U.S. has been fatal.
Amid increasing worries about a possible global pandemic, Obama told a gathering of scientists that his administration's Department of Health and Human Services "has declared a public health emergency as a precautionary tool to ensure that we have the resources we need at our disposal to respond quickly and effectively."
That's twice the number previously reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.
The WHO, a United Nations agency, said none of the cases in the U.S. has been fatal.
Amid increasing worries about a possible global pandemic, Obama told a gathering of scientists that his administration's Department of Health and Human Services "has declared a public health emergency as a precautionary tool to ensure that we have the resources we need at our disposal to respond quickly and effectively."
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Family of boxer fights for pardon of 1913 racist conviction
To this day, Linda Haywood recalls the shame she once felt for her great-uncle."I could see from the expression on my mother's face that it pained her to tell me about him," she recalled, "but it wasn't just her. The shame was there for all the members of my family."
Haywood's great-uncle, Jack Johnson, shocked the nation in 1908 by becoming the first African-American world heavyweight champion. Yet the boxer was arrested not long afterward for taking a white woman across state lines for "immoral" purposes.
That case fell apart and the woman later became his wife, but then investigators charged him with a similar offense involving a woman he had dated years earlier. An all-white jury's decision to convict him in that case has come to be widely viewed as a symbol of racial injustice.
Now Haywood is working with Sen. John McCain and others to try to clear her great-uncle's name. McCain wants the Senate to pass a resolution urging President Obama to grant Johnson a presidential pardon.
It would represent a final vindication for Haywood, a 53-year-old seamstress in Chicago who now views her great-uncle with pride.
Her parents didn't tell her until she was 12 that she was related to Johnson, even though she saw his photo at school during lessons on black history.
Read Full Story Here
Poor Latinos face abuse, racial profiling in South
Low-income Latinos in the South have been routinely cheated out of wages, denied basic health protections and are victims of racial profiling, according to a report from the Southern Poverty Law Center.
The report, "Under Siege: Life for Low-Income Latinos in the South," documents the experiences of 500 immigrants, said the center, a human rights law firm in Montgomery, Alabama.
"This report documents the human toll of failed policies that relegate millions of people to an underground economy, where they are beyond the protection of the law," said Mary Bauer, author of the report.
"Workplace abuses and racial profiling are rampant in the South."
The report details stories of a Tennessee woman who says she was jailed for asking for her pay after working at a cheese factory, a bean picker in Alabama who says police at a traffic stop took his life savings and a rapist in Georgia who was not arrested because the suspect's victim was an undocumented immigrant.
"This report documents the human toll of failed policies that relegate millions of people to an underground economy, where they are beyond the protection of the law," said Mary Bauer, author of the report.
"Workplace abuses and racial profiling are rampant in the South."
The report details stories of a Tennessee woman who says she was jailed for asking for her pay after working at a cheese factory, a bean picker in Alabama who says police at a traffic stop took his life savings and a rapist in Georgia who was not arrested because the suspect's victim was an undocumented immigrant.
Source: CNN
Freddie Mac CFO Found Dead of Apparent Suicide
The acting chief financial officer of Freddie Mac was found dead in his home Wednesday morning of an apparent suicide, Fairfax, Va., police have confirmed to FOX News.
Kellermann, a 16-year veteran of the mortgage loan guarantor, was discovered by his wife, who found him in the basement. The two have a young daughter.
Fairfax police spokeswoman Mary Anne Jennings said police were called to the Northern Virginia home outside Washington, D.C., in the early morning hours. A call came in at 4:48 a.m. ET.
Kellermann, 41, was named acting chief financial officer in September 2008 and was a member of the company's leadership team reporting directly to CEO David M. Moffett, who resigned last month.
Freddie Mac Interim CEO John Koskinen issued a statement Wednesday that the "Freddie Mac family is truly saddened" by the news.
Kellermann, a 16-year veteran of the mortgage loan guarantor, was discovered by his wife, who found him in the basement. The two have a young daughter.
Fairfax police spokeswoman Mary Anne Jennings said police were called to the Northern Virginia home outside Washington, D.C., in the early morning hours. A call came in at 4:48 a.m. ET.
Kellermann, 41, was named acting chief financial officer in September 2008 and was a member of the company's leadership team reporting directly to CEO David M. Moffett, who resigned last month.
Freddie Mac Interim CEO John Koskinen issued a statement Wednesday that the "Freddie Mac family is truly saddened" by the news.
Four states dominate city foreclosure rankings
The top 26 areas are in California, Florida, Arizona and Nevada
WASHINGTON - The 26 U.S. cities with the worst foreclosure problems are concentrated in four states — California, Florida, Arizona and Nevada, a report released Wednesday shows.
The report on foreclosures for the first quarter by RealtyTrac Inc. found the highest foreclosure rates were found in Las Vegas, Merced, Calif. and the Cape Coral-Fort Myers area in Florida. Next on the list were the California metro areas of Stockton, Riverside, Modesto, Bakersfield and Vallejo-Fairfield.
Rounding out the top 10 were Phoenix and Port St. Lucie, Fla. Outside of the four high-foreclosure states, the worst foreclosure rate was in Boise City, Idaho (No. 27) and Greeley, Colo. (No. 29).
The report on foreclosures for the first quarter by RealtyTrac Inc. found the highest foreclosure rates were found in Las Vegas, Merced, Calif. and the Cape Coral-Fort Myers area in Florida. Next on the list were the California metro areas of Stockton, Riverside, Modesto, Bakersfield and Vallejo-Fairfield.
Rounding out the top 10 were Phoenix and Port St. Lucie, Fla. Outside of the four high-foreclosure states, the worst foreclosure rate was in Boise City, Idaho (No. 27) and Greeley, Colo. (No. 29).
The number of American households threatened with losing their homes grew 24 percent in the first three months of this year and is poised to rise further as major lenders restart foreclosures after a temporary break, according to data released Thursday.
Nationwide, nearly 804,000 homes received at least one foreclosure-related notice from January through March, up from about 650,000 in the same period a year earlier.
The big unknown for the coming months is President Barack Obama’s plan to help up to 9 million borrowers avoid foreclosure through refinanced mortgages or modified loans.
The Obama administration expects it to make a big dent in the foreclosure crisis. But it remains to be seen whether the lending industry will fully embrace the efforts, despite a promise of $75 billion in incentive payments.
Nationwide, nearly 804,000 homes received at least one foreclosure-related notice from January through March, up from about 650,000 in the same period a year earlier.
The big unknown for the coming months is President Barack Obama’s plan to help up to 9 million borrowers avoid foreclosure through refinanced mortgages or modified loans.
The Obama administration expects it to make a big dent in the foreclosure crisis. But it remains to be seen whether the lending industry will fully embrace the efforts, despite a promise of $75 billion in incentive payments.
Source: MSNBC
Cops Eye Motive in Craigslist Slaying
BOSTON (April 22) - Investigators are looking into gambling as the possible motivation for a Boston medical student accused of targeting women who advertised erotic services on Craigslist, luring them into hotels to rob them and killing one woman who fought back.
Philip Markoff is accused in the death of Julissa Brisman, a masseuse who was found dead April 14 in a Boston hotel after being bashed in the head and shot three times. He's also suspected of robbing and tying up another, and police have said there could be more victims.
Philip Markoff is accused in the death of Julissa Brisman, a masseuse who was found dead April 14 in a Boston hotel after being bashed in the head and shot three times. He's also suspected of robbing and tying up another, and police have said there could be more victims.
A Connecticut casino has confirmed it is cooperating with authorities investigating Markoff's gambling habits.
Markoff was arrested on Monday on Interstate 95 in Massachusetts as he and his fiancee drove to Foxwoods Resort Casino.
"We do not release information publicly concerning individual patrons; however, we are aware of this situation and are cooperating with the appropriate law enforcement authorities," the casino and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation said in a statement.
Markoff was arrested on Monday on Interstate 95 in Massachusetts as he and his fiancee drove to Foxwoods Resort Casino.
"We do not release information publicly concerning individual patrons; however, we are aware of this situation and are cooperating with the appropriate law enforcement authorities," the casino and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation said in a statement.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Winfrey cancels Columbine anniversary episode
CHICAGO - Oprah Winfrey decided Monday to pull an already-taped episode of her talk show that was to mark the 10th anniversary of the Columbine High School massacre, saying it “focused too much on the killers.”
The episode, “10 Years Later: The Truth about Columbine,” was to air on the Monday anniversary of the massacre in Littleton, Colo., that killed 12 students and a teacher.
“I decided to pull the Columbine show today. After reviewing it, I thought it focused too much on the killers. Today, hold a thought for the Columbine community. This is a hard day for them,” Winfrey wrote on Oprah.com and her Facebook page. A similar message appeared on her Twitter feed.
The episode, “10 Years Later: The Truth about Columbine,” was to air on the Monday anniversary of the massacre in Littleton, Colo., that killed 12 students and a teacher.
“I decided to pull the Columbine show today. After reviewing it, I thought it focused too much on the killers. Today, hold a thought for the Columbine community. This is a hard day for them,” Winfrey wrote on Oprah.com and her Facebook page. A similar message appeared on her Twitter feed.
Source: MSNBC
Bank of America posts 1Q profit but stocks fall
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Bank of America Corp. warned of worsening loan default problems Monday even as it posted a first-quarter profit of $2.81 billion. Investors concerned about the banking industry's health sent financial stocks and the overall market sharply lower.
Although Bank of America said higher revenue from the purchase of Merrill Lynch & Co. helped offset a surge in credit costs, it took a hefty $13.4 billion provision for credit losses during the first three months of the year.
The bank's stock fell $1.80, or 17 percent, to $8.50 in midday trading as the overall stock market slid. Although last week Wall Street was happy with better-than-expected results from JPMorgan Chase & Co., Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Citigroup Inc., banking companies generally benefited during the quarter from unusually strong bond trading, a trend not expected to continue while loan problems persist.
Charlotte, N.C.-based Bank of America reported a similar performance during the first quarter.
"Like it or not, capital markets is now a core business for Bank of America, and that has more volatile returns than other businesses," said Celent banking analyst Bart Narter. "Bank of America is no longer exclusively a retail bank and there can be more fluctuations."
Bank of America earned $2.81 billion after paying preferred dividends, or 44 cents per share, compared with a profit of $1.02 billion, 23 cents per share, in the year ago period. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expected profit of 4 cents per share.
Source: AP NEWS
Although Bank of America said higher revenue from the purchase of Merrill Lynch & Co. helped offset a surge in credit costs, it took a hefty $13.4 billion provision for credit losses during the first three months of the year.
The bank's stock fell $1.80, or 17 percent, to $8.50 in midday trading as the overall stock market slid. Although last week Wall Street was happy with better-than-expected results from JPMorgan Chase & Co., Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Citigroup Inc., banking companies generally benefited during the quarter from unusually strong bond trading, a trend not expected to continue while loan problems persist.
Charlotte, N.C.-based Bank of America reported a similar performance during the first quarter.
"Like it or not, capital markets is now a core business for Bank of America, and that has more volatile returns than other businesses," said Celent banking analyst Bart Narter. "Bank of America is no longer exclusively a retail bank and there can be more fluctuations."
Bank of America earned $2.81 billion after paying preferred dividends, or 44 cents per share, compared with a profit of $1.02 billion, 23 cents per share, in the year ago period. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expected profit of 4 cents per share.
Source: AP NEWS
Stephen Hawking hospitalized, reported very ill
LONDON – Stephen Hawking, the British mathematician and physicist famed for his work on black holes, was rushed to a hospital Monday and was seriously ill, Cambridge University said.
Hawking has been fighting a chest infection for several weeks and was being treated at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, the university city northeast of London, the university said.
"Professor Hawking is very ill," said Gregory Hayman, the university's head of communications. "He is undergoing tests. He has been unwell for a couple of weeks."
Later in the afternoon, Hayman said Hawking was "now comfortable but will be kept in hospital overnight."
The illness had caused Hawking to cancel an appearance at Arizona State University on April 6.
Hawking, 67, gained renown for his work on black holes, and has remained active despite being diagnosed at 21 with ALS, (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), an incurable degenerative disorder also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
For some years, Hawking has been almost entirely paralyzed, and he communicates through an electronic voice synthesizer activated by his fingers.
Hawking was involved in the search for the great goal of physics — a "unified theory" — which would resolve contradictions between Albert Einstein's General Theory of Relativity, which describes the laws of gravity that govern the motion of large objects like planets, and the Theory of Quantum Mechanics, which deals with the world of subatomic particles.
"A complete, consistent unified theory is only the first step: our goal is a complete understanding of the events around us, and of our own existence," he wrote in his best-selling book, "A Brief History of Time," published in 1988.
Hawking has been fighting a chest infection for several weeks and was being treated at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, the university city northeast of London, the university said.
"Professor Hawking is very ill," said Gregory Hayman, the university's head of communications. "He is undergoing tests. He has been unwell for a couple of weeks."
Later in the afternoon, Hayman said Hawking was "now comfortable but will be kept in hospital overnight."
The illness had caused Hawking to cancel an appearance at Arizona State University on April 6.
Hawking, 67, gained renown for his work on black holes, and has remained active despite being diagnosed at 21 with ALS, (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), an incurable degenerative disorder also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
For some years, Hawking has been almost entirely paralyzed, and he communicates through an electronic voice synthesizer activated by his fingers.
Hawking was involved in the search for the great goal of physics — a "unified theory" — which would resolve contradictions between Albert Einstein's General Theory of Relativity, which describes the laws of gravity that govern the motion of large objects like planets, and the Theory of Quantum Mechanics, which deals with the world of subatomic particles.
"A complete, consistent unified theory is only the first step: our goal is a complete understanding of the events around us, and of our own existence," he wrote in his best-selling book, "A Brief History of Time," published in 1988.
Source: Yahoo News
Newest Photos of Craigslist Killer
Police in Warwick, R.I., released the pictures Monday in their investigation of another robbery at a Holiday Inn Express Hotel there on Thursday. On Tuesday, the body of Julissa Brisman was found in a room at the Boston Marriot Copley Place. She was shot multiple times in the torso during a robbery and pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.The same man was photographed Friday at the Westin Hotel in Boston, where a 29-year-old Las Vegas woman was found bound and robbed, police said. Craigs List is a classified ad site
Source: Fox News
Obama seeks $100M in government 'efficiencies'
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama on Monday ordered his Cabinet to find ways to slice spending by $100 million, but acknowledged it's a "drop in the bucket" and said there's a "confidence gap" that he needs to overcome.
Just back from a Latin America summit, Obama told the first formal Cabinet meeting of his administration that vast spending to combat the economic crisis was "the right thing to do." But he also said taxpayers still need to know that every dollar they give the government is being spent wisely.
"We also have a deficit — a confidence gap — when it comes to the American people," he told reporters. "And we've got to earn their trust."
Obama said the $100 million would come from "efficiencies" in agency operations, and would be in addition to future cuts in programs that aren't working.
Yet the red ink in the annual budget is currently in the hundreds of billions. He was asked if the efficiency saving isn't just "a drop in the bucket".
Just back from a Latin America summit, Obama told the first formal Cabinet meeting of his administration that vast spending to combat the economic crisis was "the right thing to do." But he also said taxpayers still need to know that every dollar they give the government is being spent wisely.
"We also have a deficit — a confidence gap — when it comes to the American people," he told reporters. "And we've got to earn their trust."
Obama said the $100 million would come from "efficiencies" in agency operations, and would be in addition to future cuts in programs that aren't working.
Yet the red ink in the annual budget is currently in the hundreds of billions. He was asked if the efficiency saving isn't just "a drop in the bucket".
Source: Yahoo News
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Burger King to scrap ad after complaint
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Fast food giant Burger King apologized Tuesday for an advertisement featuring a squat Mexican draped in his country's flag next to a tall American cowboy and said it would change the campaign.
Mexico's ambassador to Spain said posters released in Europe for Burger King's new Tex-Mex style "Texican whopper," a cheeseburger with chile and spicy mayonnaise, inappropriately displayed the Mexican flag, whose image is protected under national law.
The ambassador wrote a letter complaining to Burger King and requested the ad campaign be discontinued.
Burger King said the ads were meant to show a mixture of influences from the southwestern United States and Mexico, not to poke fun at Mexican culture, but said it would replace them "as soon as commercially possible."
"Burger King Corporation has made the decision to revise the Texican Whopper advertising creative out of respect for the Mexican culture and its people," it said in a statement.
Mexico's ambassador to Spain said posters released in Europe for Burger King's new Tex-Mex style "Texican whopper," a cheeseburger with chile and spicy mayonnaise, inappropriately displayed the Mexican flag, whose image is protected under national law.
The ambassador wrote a letter complaining to Burger King and requested the ad campaign be discontinued.
Burger King said the ads were meant to show a mixture of influences from the southwestern United States and Mexico, not to poke fun at Mexican culture, but said it would replace them "as soon as commercially possible."
"Burger King Corporation has made the decision to revise the Texican Whopper advertising creative out of respect for the Mexican culture and its people," it said in a statement.
Source:Yahoo Odd News
13-year-old boy accused of robbing Illinois bank
PEORIA, Illinois - A 13-year-old boy who police say was caught red-handed a block away was accused Tuesday of robbing a bank.
The unidentified boy was charged with felony armed robbery in juvenile court, accused of threatening a teller with a gun and demanding cash.
He was found hiding in a nearby garage about 30 minutes after Monday's robbery, stained red from a dye pack that had been placed in the bag of money.
Source: MSNBC
The unidentified boy was charged with felony armed robbery in juvenile court, accused of threatening a teller with a gun and demanding cash.
He was found hiding in a nearby garage about 30 minutes after Monday's robbery, stained red from a dye pack that had been placed in the bag of money.
Source: MSNBC
Medical marijuana requests climb sky high
The number of ailing people turning to medical marijuana to ease their symptoms has spiked this year, say dispensary owners in some of the 13 states where it's legal.Requests have jumped anywhere from 50 to 300 percent, they say, since President Barack Obama took office and signaled that he won’t use federal marijuana laws to override state laws as the Bush administration did. Others say the economic downturn may also be responsible as more people without insurance are seeking alternatives to costly medications.
In the past few months, marijuana co-ops, clubs, businesses and even lawyers who have advocated for looser dope regulations say they've been inundated with requests for information and certifications that permit people to use marijuana for medical purposes.
“I have been flooded with calls,” reported Seattle attorney Douglas Hiatt, a long-time marijuana advocate. “It’s ‘Where can I find a doctor [to prescribe it]? How can I start a co-op?’ You wouldn’t believe it.”
Under the George W. Bush administration, federal authorities maintained that federal marijuana laws took precedence over state law, even in states that had approved therapeutic cannabis. But Obama indicated during the presidential campaign that he supported the controlled use of marijuana for medical purposes, saying he saw no difference between medical marijuana and other pain-control drugs.
“My attitude is if the science and the doctors suggest that the best palliative care and the way to relieve pain and suffering is medical marijuana, then that’s something I’m open to,” Obama said in November 2007 at a campaign stop in Audubon, Iowa. “There’s no difference between that and morphine when it comes to just giving people relief from pain.”
Source: MSNBC
Anti-Tax 'tea party' protests mark US tax day
NEW YORK (AFP) – Critics of President Barack Obama marked national tax day Wednesday with "tea party" protests that Republicans are calling the birth of a grassroots opposition, but Democrats dismiss as a fraud.
Initially small crowds gathered under blustery skies in Washington, New York and Boston to protest taxes, government bailouts, and Obama's big-spending budget proposals.
Organizer Eric Odom said protests would take place across almost 800 cities in a "new day for the freedom movement."
The demonstrations, styled on the famed 1773 Boston Tea Party revolt against British colonial taxes, came as Americans rushed to meet the annual deadline for filing income tax returns.
Protests featured teabags, iced tea and other tea-related props, complete with a planned re-enactment of the original dumping of tea into Boston harbor.
Initially small crowds gathered under blustery skies in Washington, New York and Boston to protest taxes, government bailouts, and Obama's big-spending budget proposals.
Organizer Eric Odom said protests would take place across almost 800 cities in a "new day for the freedom movement."
The demonstrations, styled on the famed 1773 Boston Tea Party revolt against British colonial taxes, came as Americans rushed to meet the annual deadline for filing income tax returns.
Protests featured teabags, iced tea and other tea-related props, complete with a planned re-enactment of the original dumping of tea into Boston harbor.
Source: Yahoo News
Somali pirates vow to kill American sailors
MOMBASA, Kenya – A pirate gang that launched an abortive attack on a second U.S. ship loaded with food aid said Wednesday they were singling out American vessels and would kill their crews, while French forces detained 11 other hijackers in a high-seas raid.
Pirates fired grenades and automatic weapons at the Liberty Sun, but its American crew successfully blockaded themselves inside the engine room. The ship was damaged in Tuesday's attack but escaped and was heading to Kenya under U.S. Navy guard.
A pirate whose gang attacked the aid ship admitted Wednesday that his group was targeting American ships and sailors.
"We will seek out the Americans and if we capture them we will slaughter them," said a 25-year-old pirate based in the Somali port of Harardhere who gave only his first name, Ismail.
"We will target their ships because we know their flags. Last night, an American-flagged ship escaped us by a whisker. We have showered them with rocket-propelled grenades," boasted Ismail, who did not take part in the attack on the Liberty Sun.
Pirates fired grenades and automatic weapons at the Liberty Sun, but its American crew successfully blockaded themselves inside the engine room. The ship was damaged in Tuesday's attack but escaped and was heading to Kenya under U.S. Navy guard.
A pirate whose gang attacked the aid ship admitted Wednesday that his group was targeting American ships and sailors.
"We will seek out the Americans and if we capture them we will slaughter them," said a 25-year-old pirate based in the Somali port of Harardhere who gave only his first name, Ismail.
"We will target their ships because we know their flags. Last night, an American-flagged ship escaped us by a whisker. We have showered them with rocket-propelled grenades," boasted Ismail, who did not take part in the attack on the Liberty Sun.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Exxon Mobil CEO gets $23.9 million in 2008 pay
NEW YORK – Exxon Mobil Corp., which set annual profit records in each of the last two years, rewarded its chief executive with a 10 percent raise that brought his total compensation to $23.9 million in 2008, according to an Associated Press analysis of a regulatory filing.
Chairman and CEO Rex Tillerson, 57, received a salary of nearly $1.9 million last year, up from $1.8 million in 2007.
He also was granted a bonus of $4 million in 2008, compared with $3.4 million in 2007. Half of Tillerson's 2008 bonus was paid last year, and the remainder is scheduled to be paid in the next three years, depending on company earnings targets, Exxon officials said.
The bulk of Tillerson's pay came in restricted stock valued at $17.6 million when it was awarded on Nov. 25. He received stock valued at $16.1 million in 2007.
Tillerson also received $446,826 in perks in 2008, up from $429,792 in 2007. The 2008 sum includes $122,182 for a home security system, $57,513 for a personal driver, $41,980 associated with his use of company aircraft and $34,060 for a car.
Chairman and CEO Rex Tillerson, 57, received a salary of nearly $1.9 million last year, up from $1.8 million in 2007.
He also was granted a bonus of $4 million in 2008, compared with $3.4 million in 2007. Half of Tillerson's 2008 bonus was paid last year, and the remainder is scheduled to be paid in the next three years, depending on company earnings targets, Exxon officials said.
The bulk of Tillerson's pay came in restricted stock valued at $17.6 million when it was awarded on Nov. 25. He received stock valued at $16.1 million in 2007.
Tillerson also received $446,826 in perks in 2008, up from $429,792 in 2007. The 2008 sum includes $122,182 for a home security system, $57,513 for a personal driver, $41,980 associated with his use of company aircraft and $34,060 for a car.
Source: Yahoo News
McCain Disses Palin On Leno
Did John McCain snub Sarah Palin during an appearance Monday on NBC's The Tonight Show?
That's what some pro-Palin bloggers and other political observers claim after the former GOP presidential candidate left out his former running mate when naming five governors who he thought were in position to lead the Republican Party.
"We have, I'm happy to say, a lot of voices out there," McCain told host Jay Leno before listing Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Utah Gov. Jim Huntsman, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, and Florida Gov. Charlie Crist.
"There are a lot of governors out there who are young and dynamic," said the Arizona senator.
McCain then quickly joked, "I've left out somebody's name and I'm going to hear about it."
Criticism of McCain's comments are particularly fierce at TeamSarah.org, a blogging Web site for Palin supporters.
"McCain, who screwed up his campaign by not voting against the bailout, can't mention Sarah's name on Leno? It hurts the party and it makes him look bad by dissing her a 3rd time," wrote one blogger. "Maybe it's a good thing he didn't become president."
McCain has said in previous interviews it is too early to say whether he will support Palin should the Alaska governor run for president in 2012. His daughter Meghan made similar comments on CNN's No Bias, No Bull last week. (Video below)
McCain has also praised Palin since Election Day, saying late last year of the Alaska governor, "It's one of the great pleasures I've had to get to know her and her family, and I think she has a very bright future in a leadership position in the Republican Party."
That's what some pro-Palin bloggers and other political observers claim after the former GOP presidential candidate left out his former running mate when naming five governors who he thought were in position to lead the Republican Party.
"We have, I'm happy to say, a lot of voices out there," McCain told host Jay Leno before listing Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Utah Gov. Jim Huntsman, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, and Florida Gov. Charlie Crist.
"There are a lot of governors out there who are young and dynamic," said the Arizona senator.
McCain then quickly joked, "I've left out somebody's name and I'm going to hear about it."
Criticism of McCain's comments are particularly fierce at TeamSarah.org, a blogging Web site for Palin supporters.
"McCain, who screwed up his campaign by not voting against the bailout, can't mention Sarah's name on Leno? It hurts the party and it makes him look bad by dissing her a 3rd time," wrote one blogger. "Maybe it's a good thing he didn't become president."
McCain has said in previous interviews it is too early to say whether he will support Palin should the Alaska governor run for president in 2012. His daughter Meghan made similar comments on CNN's No Bias, No Bull last week. (Video below)
McCain has also praised Palin since Election Day, saying late last year of the Alaska governor, "It's one of the great pleasures I've had to get to know her and her family, and I think she has a very bright future in a leadership position in the Republican Party."
Source: CNN BLOG
Ex-Ill. Gov pleads not guilty at arraignment
CHICAGO – Ousted Gov. Rod Blagojevich pleaded not guilty to federal corruption charges Tuesday, making official his denial of political malfeasance that authorities say included a scheme to sell President Barack Obama's former U.S. Senate seat.
Blagojevich looked relaxed as he stood alongside his brother, who also pleaded not guilty in the scheme.
The former governor did not make a statement before the plea but told reporters and spectators when he entered the courthouse that he was "innocent of every single accusation."
"Now we can begin the process of getting the truth out and I can clear my name and vindicate myself," he said.
Blagojevich, 52, is charged with trying to auction off the Senate seat, planning to squeeze money from companies seeking state business and plotting to use the financial muscle of the governor's office to pressure the Chicago Tribune to fire editorial writers who had called for his impeachment.
Blagojevich looked relaxed as he stood alongside his brother, who also pleaded not guilty in the scheme.
The former governor did not make a statement before the plea but told reporters and spectators when he entered the courthouse that he was "innocent of every single accusation."
"Now we can begin the process of getting the truth out and I can clear my name and vindicate myself," he said.
Blagojevich, 52, is charged with trying to auction off the Senate seat, planning to squeeze money from companies seeking state business and plotting to use the financial muscle of the governor's office to pressure the Chicago Tribune to fire editorial writers who had called for his impeachment.
Source: Yahoo News
Prosecutors to Seek Death in Caylee Case
(April 13) - In a dramatic reversal, the Florida state attorney's office announced Monday it will seek the death penalty against Casey Anthony, the 23-year-old woman charged in the death of her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee.
The state had previously said it would not ask for the death sentence for Anthony.
The state had previously said it would not ask for the death sentence for Anthony.
The development could have a major impact on how the case plays out at trial, including whether defense attorney Jose Baez can stay on the case.
Baez has not been certified by the court to defend capital punishment cases.
Prosecutors announced their change in strategy in a letter of intent.
Meanwhile, Anthony's defense filed a motion on Friday with Orange County Circuit Court, seeking more phone records from a dozen people involved in the case. The motion asks for any and all records for "phone calls, text messages, P2P communications, Internet usage, WAP usage, and cell tower pings."
Baez has not been certified by the court to defend capital punishment cases.
Prosecutors announced their change in strategy in a letter of intent.
Meanwhile, Anthony's defense filed a motion on Friday with Orange County Circuit Court, seeking more phone records from a dozen people involved in the case. The motion asks for any and all records for "phone calls, text messages, P2P communications, Internet usage, WAP usage, and cell tower pings."
Somali pirates hijack 4 more ships
MOMBASA, Kenya - Undeterred by U.S. and French hostage rescues that killed five bandits, Somali pirates brazenly hijacked four more ships with more than 60 crew members in the Gulf of Aden, the waterway at the center of the world's fight against piracy.
Pirates have vowed to retaliate for deaths of their colleagues — and the top U.S. military officer said Tuesday he takes those comments seriously. But Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told ABC's "Good Morning America" that "we're very well prepared to deal with anything like that."
Still, despite Mullen's confident statement and President Barack Obama's warning Monday, pirates captured two more nautical trophies Tuesday to match the two ships they seized a day or two earlier.
Pirates have vowed to retaliate for deaths of their colleagues — and the top U.S. military officer said Tuesday he takes those comments seriously. But Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told ABC's "Good Morning America" that "we're very well prepared to deal with anything like that."
Still, despite Mullen's confident statement and President Barack Obama's warning Monday, pirates captured two more nautical trophies Tuesday to match the two ships they seized a day or two earlier.
Source: MSNBC
Monday, April 13, 2009
Passenger Safely Lands Plane After Pilot Dies
FORT MYERS, Fla. — A passenger landed a twin-engine plane at Southwest Florida International Airport after the pilot died in flight, saving five people.
Federal Aviation Administration officials say the pilot died after takeoff from Marco Island Executive Airport on Sunday. The plane was on autopilot and climbing passed 10,000 feet when the pilot died.
The passenger who took the controls has been licensed for single-engine planes for 20 years, but isn't certified to fly the King Air plane, a large luxury model.
To instruct him, an air traffic controller called a friend in Connecticut who is rated to fly the King Air aircraft. The plane landed safely in about 15 to 20 minutes.
The plane had been headed to Jackson, Miss. The names of the pilot and passengers have not been released.
Read Full Story Here
Federal Aviation Administration officials say the pilot died after takeoff from Marco Island Executive Airport on Sunday. The plane was on autopilot and climbing passed 10,000 feet when the pilot died.
The passenger who took the controls has been licensed for single-engine planes for 20 years, but isn't certified to fly the King Air plane, a large luxury model.
To instruct him, an air traffic controller called a friend in Connecticut who is rated to fly the King Air aircraft. The plane landed safely in about 15 to 20 minutes.
The plane had been headed to Jackson, Miss. The names of the pilot and passengers have not been released.
Read Full Story Here
GM told to prep for bankruptcy filing
WASHINGTON, April 12 (Reuters ) – The U.S. Treasury Department is directing General Motors to lay the groundwork for a bankruptcy filing by June 1, even though the automaker has publicly stated it could reorganize outside of court, The New York Times reported on Sunday.
GM is operating under emergency U.S. government loans. It has been told by the Obama administration's task force overseeing its bailout that it must cut costs and reduce its debts in order to continue to receive aid.
The White House-appointed autos task force has given GM 60 days to come up with a restructuring plan and it is trying to determine whether the automaker can be a viable company.
Quoting sources who had been briefed on the GM plans, the Times said the goal was to prepare for a fast "surgical" bankruptcy.
The newspaper said preparations are aimed at assuring a GM bankruptcy filing is ready if the company is unable to reach agreement with bondholders to exchange roughly $28 billion in debt into equity in GM and with the United Automobile Workers union.
A plan under consideration would create a new company that would buy the "good" assets of GM after the carmaker files for bankruptcy, the Times said.
Less desirable assets, including unwanted brands, factories and health care obligations, would be left in the old company, which could be liquidated over several years, according to the paper.
Treasury officials are examining one potential outcome in which the viable GM enters and exits bankruptcy protection in as little as two weeks, using $5 billion to $7 billion in federal financing, a person briefed on the matter told the Times.
GM is operating under emergency U.S. government loans. It has been told by the Obama administration's task force overseeing its bailout that it must cut costs and reduce its debts in order to continue to receive aid.
The White House-appointed autos task force has given GM 60 days to come up with a restructuring plan and it is trying to determine whether the automaker can be a viable company.
Quoting sources who had been briefed on the GM plans, the Times said the goal was to prepare for a fast "surgical" bankruptcy.
The newspaper said preparations are aimed at assuring a GM bankruptcy filing is ready if the company is unable to reach agreement with bondholders to exchange roughly $28 billion in debt into equity in GM and with the United Automobile Workers union.
A plan under consideration would create a new company that would buy the "good" assets of GM after the carmaker files for bankruptcy, the Times said.
Less desirable assets, including unwanted brands, factories and health care obligations, would be left in the old company, which could be liquidated over several years, according to the paper.
Treasury officials are examining one potential outcome in which the viable GM enters and exits bankruptcy protection in as little as two weeks, using $5 billion to $7 billion in federal financing, a person briefed on the matter told the Times.
Source: Yahoo News
Foreclosure sales stalled by red tape
Anxious to meet the bank's demands for quick action, Andrew Garcia and his fiancee, BethAnne Hoffmann, rushed to find financing to buy a foreclosed-on house in a lovely tree-lined Baltimore neighborhood.
That was in January.
A month later, the bank that's selling the house broke its own closing deadline. The couple has been in limbo since. In frustration, they turned to their congressman's office for help. Only then did they receive an apologetic call and a new proposed closing date of April 24 -- but still no signed paperwork.
That was in January.
A month later, the bank that's selling the house broke its own closing deadline. The couple has been in limbo since. In frustration, they turned to their congressman's office for help. Only then did they receive an apologetic call and a new proposed closing date of April 24 -- but still no signed paperwork.
"It's unbelievable. With all we hear about all the homes out there that need to be sold, I have to call my congressman in order to purchase a house," Garcia said. "If that's the process, there's no way we're going to clear all these foreclosures."
As bargain hunters turn their attention to foreclosures, many are discovering the toughest challenge is dealing with the banks that repossessed the homes. These banks are usually quick to accept a bid and write a contract. But the closer buyers get to the settlement table, the greater the potential for bureaucratic bungling and the chance the buyers will give up.
The housing market stands little chance of recovering until the foreclosures are sold. Distressed properties make up roughly a quarter of U.S. homes for sale. Moving them would go a long way toward stabilizing home prices. But working with the banks, which are typically based far from the homes they're selling, is not as simple as buying from a regular homeowner.
As bargain hunters turn their attention to foreclosures, many are discovering the toughest challenge is dealing with the banks that repossessed the homes. These banks are usually quick to accept a bid and write a contract. But the closer buyers get to the settlement table, the greater the potential for bureaucratic bungling and the chance the buyers will give up.
The housing market stands little chance of recovering until the foreclosures are sold. Distressed properties make up roughly a quarter of U.S. homes for sale. Moving them would go a long way toward stabilizing home prices. But working with the banks, which are typically based far from the homes they're selling, is not as simple as buying from a regular homeowner.
Source: MSNBC
Thai Protests under control
BANGKOK, Thailand (CNN) -- Thailand's prime minister said Monday that troops were near to bringing to an end to days of protests that have left at least 70 people injured and transformed parts Bangkok into a battle zone.
Abhisit Vejjajiva told CNN that authorities would finish breaking up anti-government demonstrations later Monday, a day after intensifying violence saw troops open fire and protesters drive buses into police lines.
"We think that by this evening we should be able to contain a lot of activities so that the main focus will be the remaining protests around Government House," Abhisit said.
"We will try to disperse these and I will make sure that everyone is given justice."
His comments came amid reports that at least one person had been killed in the protests. AFP quoted officials saying the dead man was a resident who had clashed with anti-government protesters outside Government House.
"We think that by this evening we should be able to contain a lot of activities so that the main focus will be the remaining protests around Government House," Abhisit said.
"We will try to disperse these and I will make sure that everyone is given justice."
His comments came amid reports that at least one person had been killed in the protests. AFP quoted officials saying the dead man was a resident who had clashed with anti-government protesters outside Government House.
Obama's Pick New Dog.... Names Him "Bo"
WASHINGTON – Bo? No jest. The first family has settled on a first pet — a 6-month-old Portuguese water dog that the Obama girls are naming Bo.The selection was one of the White House's most tightly kept secrets.
President Barack Obama's daughters, 10-year-old Malia and 7-year-old Sasha, picked a black and white pup, a White House official speaking on the condition of anonymity told The Associated Press Saturday night.
The dog is a gift from Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., who owns several Portuguese water dogs himself.
"We couldnt be happier to see the joy that Bo is bringing to Malia and Sasha," Kennedy said in a statement. "We love our Portuguese water dogs and know that the girls — and their parents — will love theirs, too."
The Washington Post reported in its online editions Saturday night that Obama's daughters chose the name Bo for the pup because first lady Michelle Obama's father was nicknamed Diddley. The name for the dog was an apparent reference to the singer "Bo" Diddley.
White House aides told the AP that the office of the first lady arranged an exclusive deal on the dog story with the Post. The officials, who demanded anonymity because of the deal with the Post on exclusive details, said the dog was not in the White House as of Saturday evening.
Source: Yahoo News
Resue Of Captain Changes Game
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – The killing of three Somali pirates in the dramatic U.S. Navy rescue of a cargo ship captain has sparked concern for other hostages and fears that the stakes have been raised for future hijackings in the busy Indian Ocean shipping lane.
Sunday's rescue of Capt. Richard Phillips followed a shootout at sea on Friday by French navy commandos, who stormed a pirate-held sailboat, killed two pirates and freed four French hostages. The French owner of the vessel was also killed in the assault.
The two operations may have been a setback for the pirates, but they are unlikely to quell the brigands, who have vowed to avenge the deaths of their comrades.
Sunday's rescue of Capt. Richard Phillips followed a shootout at sea on Friday by French navy commandos, who stormed a pirate-held sailboat, killed two pirates and freed four French hostages. The French owner of the vessel was also killed in the assault.
The two operations may have been a setback for the pirates, but they are unlikely to quell the brigands, who have vowed to avenge the deaths of their comrades.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Wildfires kill Texas couple, hurt dozens in Okla.
MIDWEST CITY, Okla. – Firefighters mopped up hot spots Friday from wind-driven wildfires that injured at least 34 people in western and central Oklahoma and destroyed more than 100 homes.
Fires across the state line in Texas killed at least two people.
The fires began Thursday afternoon along the Interstate 35, the main north-south highway through central Oklahoma. They continued to burn past nightfall, fueled by ferocious winds and an abundance of dry, early spring grass and brush.
"We have in excess of 100 homes that have been destroyed statewide," Emergency Management Director Albert Ashwood said Friday morning.
Interstate 35 was back open Friday after being closed for several hours in various locations because of the fires.
Water-dropping helicopters couldn't assist the ground effort because of winds that gusted to more than 60 mph in some areas on Thursday.
"Anytime you have high winds and low humidity it's just the perfect storm for wildfires, and that's what's happening here," Ashwood said.
In northern Texas, firefighters continued battling blazes that raced across thousands of parched acres Thursday, destroying homes and forcing the temporary evacuations of some small towns.
Fires across the state line in Texas killed at least two people.
The fires began Thursday afternoon along the Interstate 35, the main north-south highway through central Oklahoma. They continued to burn past nightfall, fueled by ferocious winds and an abundance of dry, early spring grass and brush.
"We have in excess of 100 homes that have been destroyed statewide," Emergency Management Director Albert Ashwood said Friday morning.
Interstate 35 was back open Friday after being closed for several hours in various locations because of the fires.
Water-dropping helicopters couldn't assist the ground effort because of winds that gusted to more than 60 mph in some areas on Thursday.
"Anytime you have high winds and low humidity it's just the perfect storm for wildfires, and that's what's happening here," Ashwood said.
In northern Texas, firefighters continued battling blazes that raced across thousands of parched acres Thursday, destroying homes and forcing the temporary evacuations of some small towns.
Source: Yahoo News
3 die, homes flattened as twister hits Ark. town
MENA, Ark. - Authorities began a house-to-house search Friday for possible victims of tornado that struck a "direct hit" on this mountain community, killing at least three people, injuring at least 30 others and flattening homes and businesses.
The twister descended quickly on the Ouachita Mountains town shortly after 8 p.m. Thursday after a series of sirens warned residents of tornadoes in the area.
NBC News reported that up to 600 homes in Polk County were damaged by storms that raked the Midwest. Read Full Story Here
The twister descended quickly on the Ouachita Mountains town shortly after 8 p.m. Thursday after a series of sirens warned residents of tornadoes in the area.
NBC News reported that up to 600 homes in Polk County were damaged by storms that raked the Midwest. Read Full Story Here
Squatters moving into foreclosed homes
MIAMI - When the woman who calls herself Queen Omega moved into a three-bedroom house here last December, she introduced herself to the neighbors, signed contracts for electricity and water and ordered an Internet connection.
What she did not tell anyone was that she had no legal right to be in the home.
Ms. Omega, 48, is one of the beneficiaries of the foreclosure crisis. Through a small advocacy group of local volunteers called Take Back the Land, she moved from a friend’s couch into a newly empty house that sold just a few years ago for more than $400,000. Read Full Story Here
What she did not tell anyone was that she had no legal right to be in the home.
Ms. Omega, 48, is one of the beneficiaries of the foreclosure crisis. Through a small advocacy group of local volunteers called Take Back the Land, she moved from a friend’s couch into a newly empty house that sold just a few years ago for more than $400,000. Read Full Story Here
Job fairs filling to capacity
Job fairs are getting more competitive. Recent events across the nation drew thousands of people and one fair was so packed organizers had to turn people away.
In New Hampshire, organizers had expected 5,000 people to show up at the Project Economy Job Fair. Twice that many showed up in the first two hours.
Traffic was snarled on I-293 in Manchester and parking lots near the event swelled to capacity.
"If I had known this, I would have been here at 6 o'clock this morning," Claudette Grizios told WMUR. Read Full Story Here
In New Hampshire, organizers had expected 5,000 people to show up at the Project Economy Job Fair. Twice that many showed up in the first two hours.
Traffic was snarled on I-293 in Manchester and parking lots near the event swelled to capacity.
"If I had known this, I would have been here at 6 o'clock this morning," Claudette Grizios told WMUR. Read Full Story Here
5 US soldiers killed in Iraq Truck Bombing
BAGHDAD – A suicide bomber rammed his explosives-laden truck into a sandbagged wall surrounding a police headquarters in northern Iraq on Friday, killing five American soldiers and two Iraqi policemen in the single deadliest attack against U.S. forces in more than a year, the U.S. military and Iraqi police said.
A sixth American soldier and 17 Iraqi policemen were wounded in the blast that took place near the national police headquarters in southwestern Mosul — Iraq's third-largest city and al-Qaida's last urban stronghold.
Suicide bombings — a hallmark of al-Qaida's attack style — continue to threaten the city, which U.S. troops must leave by June 30 under an agreement with the Iraqis. The approaching deadline has raised fears about what will happen after American soldiers depart.
A sixth American soldier and 17 Iraqi policemen were wounded in the blast that took place near the national police headquarters in southwestern Mosul — Iraq's third-largest city and al-Qaida's last urban stronghold.
Suicide bombings — a hallmark of al-Qaida's attack style — continue to threaten the city, which U.S. troops must leave by June 30 under an agreement with the Iraqis. The approaching deadline has raised fears about what will happen after American soldiers depart.
Source: Yahoo News
Pirates recapture US hostage after escape attempt
NAIROBI, Kenya – The American captain held hostage by four Somali pirates made a desperate escape attempt Friday but was recaptured, and officials said other pirates sought to reinforce their colleagues by sailing hijacked ships with other captives aboard to the scene of the standoff.
A Somali in contact with a pirate leader said the captors want a ransom and are ready to kill the hostage, Capt. Richard Phillips, if attacked.
The U.S. was bolstering its force by dispatching other warships to the site off the Horn of Africa, where a U.S. destroyer shadowed the drifting lifeboat carrying Phillips. He was taken hostage in the pirates' failed effort to hijack the cargo ship Maersk Alabama on Wednesday.
A Somali in contact with a pirate leader said the captors want a ransom and are ready to kill the hostage, Capt. Richard Phillips, if attacked.
The U.S. was bolstering its force by dispatching other warships to the site off the Horn of Africa, where a U.S. destroyer shadowed the drifting lifeboat carrying Phillips. He was taken hostage in the pirates' failed effort to hijack the cargo ship Maersk Alabama on Wednesday.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
New York City Woman Jumps to Death, Lands on Teen Shopper at Mall
A 17-year-old boy suffered a head wound and was knocked unconscious when a woman jumped to her death off a New York City mall balcony and landed on him.
Derrick Mulnoz lost consciousness briefly and had a gaping gash on his head after the unidentified suicide victim leaped over a railing at the Queens Center Mall, hitting him as she fell.
The 56-year-old woman died after plunging several stories. She had been at the shopping center with two teenagers.
"I saw the lady on the floor with a pool of blood next to her and her hairpiece," witness John Perez, 22, told the New York Post. "She landed on a kid. ... He was bleeding from his head."
Mulnoz, a student at Amityville High School on Long Island, N.Y., was sitting on a massage chair on the lower level of the mall when the woman jumped from the third floor about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, police told the Post.
Witnesses said she was muttering to herself and had removed her shoes before she took her own life, New York 1 reported.
The teen was rushed to a hospital in Queens, New York City, where he being treated for his injuries and listed in stable condition.
The mall was crowded with high school students on spring break when the tragedy occurred.
Source: Fox News
Obama to Push Immigration Reform Bill
President Obama is gearing up for yet another legislative battle, this time over the contentious issue of immigration, according to a New York Times report that says one of the goals will be to a create a path for illegal immigrants to become legal.
The push for immigration reform would echo one of Obama's campaign pledges, though its success is uncertain in a tough economic climate.
Administration officials told the Times that Obama plans to speak publicly about the issue in May and will press lawmakers from both parties to begin discussing legislation by the fall.
But the White House downplayed the report, with a spokesman telling FOX News the president consistently said the debate over immigration reform would start this year. The spokesman said nobody is claiming the problem will be fixed this year. READ FULL STORY HERE
The push for immigration reform would echo one of Obama's campaign pledges, though its success is uncertain in a tough economic climate.
Administration officials told the Times that Obama plans to speak publicly about the issue in May and will press lawmakers from both parties to begin discussing legislation by the fall.
But the White House downplayed the report, with a spokesman telling FOX News the president consistently said the debate over immigration reform would start this year. The spokesman said nobody is claiming the problem will be fixed this year. READ FULL STORY HERE
SOURCE: FOXNEWS
Taliban leader: U.S. intel is leaked to us
PESHAWAR, Pakistan – Afghan intelligence agents are sharing information with militants about U.S. and NATO troop movements, a top Taliban commander told NBC News.
"The people of Afghanistan are with us," said Sirajuddin Haqqani, in an exclusive interview. "The Afghan intelligence officials are sympathetic to the Taliban and they communicate the movements of the occupying forces [U.S. and NATO] to us."
There was no way to confirm Haqqani's claims, but nearly eight years after the attacks of 9/11, the United States has struggled to oust the Taliban and its al-Qaida allies from parts of Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan.
On March 27, President Barack Obama pledged a fresh infusion of U.S. troops to the region. "If the Afghanistan government falls to the Taliban or allows al-Qaida to go unchallenged," Obama said, "that country will again be a base for terrorists."
"The people of Afghanistan are with us," said Sirajuddin Haqqani, in an exclusive interview. "The Afghan intelligence officials are sympathetic to the Taliban and they communicate the movements of the occupying forces [U.S. and NATO] to us."
There was no way to confirm Haqqani's claims, but nearly eight years after the attacks of 9/11, the United States has struggled to oust the Taliban and its al-Qaida allies from parts of Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan.
On March 27, President Barack Obama pledged a fresh infusion of U.S. troops to the region. "If the Afghanistan government falls to the Taliban or allows al-Qaida to go unchallenged," Obama said, "that country will again be a base for terrorists."
Source: MSNBC BLOG
North Korea parliament renews Kim's leadership
SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korea re-elected Kim Jong-il as its supreme military leader at its newly seated parliament on Thursday, marking his return to center stage as the country celebrates what it calls a triumphant satellite launch.
The move came as the U.N. Security Council failed to agree on an action in response to Sunday's launch, widely seen as a disguised missile test, prompting U.S. Senator John McCain to press China, the North's key ally, to get tough on its reclusive, impoverished neighbor.
Kim, 67, has been conspicuously absent from major public events after a suspected stroke in August, which raised questions about his iron grip over Asia's only communist dynasty and whether anyone was waiting in the wings to succeed him.
The move came as the U.N. Security Council failed to agree on an action in response to Sunday's launch, widely seen as a disguised missile test, prompting U.S. Senator John McCain to press China, the North's key ally, to get tough on its reclusive, impoverished neighbor.
Kim, 67, has been conspicuously absent from major public events after a suspected stroke in August, which raised questions about his iron grip over Asia's only communist dynasty and whether anyone was waiting in the wings to succeed him.
READ FULL STORY HERE
Wells Fargo shocks market with big profit
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Wells Fargo & Co said it expects to post a $3 billion first-quarter profit, sending its shares soaring, lifting a wide range of stocks, and providing a welcome jolt to the troubled banking sector.
In morning trading, shares of the fourth-largest U.S. bank were up $3.90, or 26.2 percent, at $18.79. The KBW Bank Index jumped 10.5 percent, and the Standard & Poor's 500 gained 2.8 percent.
Wells Fargo's preliminary results, announced 13 days early, provide evidence that lenders engaged in traditional banking activities may handle the recession better than many analysts and investors expect.
The San Francisco-based bank is also one of the biggest U.S. mortgage lenders, and three months ago bought its struggling larger rival Wachovia Corp for $12.5 billion. It said Wachovia has performed better than expected.
"In this terrible environment, to exceed on the upside is going to raise the bar pretty high," said Matt McCormick, a banking analyst at Bahl & Gaynor Investment Counsel in Cincinnati.
In morning trading, shares of the fourth-largest U.S. bank were up $3.90, or 26.2 percent, at $18.79. The KBW Bank Index jumped 10.5 percent, and the Standard & Poor's 500 gained 2.8 percent.
Wells Fargo's preliminary results, announced 13 days early, provide evidence that lenders engaged in traditional banking activities may handle the recession better than many analysts and investors expect.
The San Francisco-based bank is also one of the biggest U.S. mortgage lenders, and three months ago bought its struggling larger rival Wachovia Corp for $12.5 billion. It said Wachovia has performed better than expected.
"In this terrible environment, to exceed on the upside is going to raise the bar pretty high," said Matt McCormick, a banking analyst at Bahl & Gaynor Investment Counsel in Cincinnati.
Source: Yahoo News
Suicide bomber kills 5, wounds 17 in Afghanistan
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan – A suicide bomber attacked a police drug eradication unit in southern Afghanistan on Thursday, killing five people and wounding 17 others, an official said. The Taliban claimed responsibility.
The attacker struck the patrol in Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand province, a major drug-producing area, said Kamal Uddin, the deputy provincial police chief.
The members of the force were traveling in a convoy of vehicles headed for nearby districts to eradicate poppies at the time of the blast, Uddin said.
Five people — two police officers and three civilians — were killed in the blast, said Daud Ahmadi, the spokesman for the provincial governor. The blast also wounded four policemen and 13 civilians, Ahmadi said.
The attacker struck the patrol in Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand province, a major drug-producing area, said Kamal Uddin, the deputy provincial police chief.
The members of the force were traveling in a convoy of vehicles headed for nearby districts to eradicate poppies at the time of the blast, Uddin said.
Five people — two police officers and three civilians — were killed in the blast, said Daud Ahmadi, the spokesman for the provincial governor. The blast also wounded four policemen and 13 civilians, Ahmadi said.
Source: Yahoo News
FBI Joins Pirate Negotiations
FBI hostage negotiators joined U.S. Navy efforts Thursday to free an American ship captain held captive on a lifeboat by Somali pirates. A U.S. destroyer and a spy plane kept close watch in the high-seas standoff near the Horn of Africa.
The pirates took Capt. Richard Phillips hostage Wednesday after they hijacked the U.S.-flagged Maersk Alabama, then fled the cargo ship as the vessel's crew overpowered them. It was the first such attack on American sailors in about 200 years.
The pirates took Capt. Richard Phillips hostage Wednesday after they hijacked the U.S.-flagged Maersk Alabama, then fled the cargo ship as the vessel's crew overpowered them. It was the first such attack on American sailors in about 200 years.
SOURCE: Yahoo News
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Power Grid Under Attack
WASHINGTON — Cyberspies have penetrated the U.S. electrical grid and left behind software programs that could be used to disrupt the system, according to current and former national-security officials.
The spies came from China, Russia and other countries, these officials said, and were believed to be on a mission to navigate the U.S. electrical system and its controls. The intruders haven't sought to damage the power grid or other key infrastructure, but officials warned they could try during a crisis or war.
"The Chinese have attempted to map our infrastructure, such as the electrical grid," said a senior intelligence official. "So have the Russians." Read Full Story Here
Woman Injured by Chimp Blind For Life
HARTFORD, Conn. (April 7) - Doctors say a Connecticut woman who was nearly killed by a chimpanzee suffered such damage to her eyes that she will be blind for life.
Doctors say Charla Nash is improving, but faces two years of surgical procedures
Doctors say Charla Nash is improving, but faces two years of surgical procedures
Nash is at Ohio's Cleveland Clinic and is listed in critical, but stable condition. She lost her hands, nose, lips and eyelids in the Feb. 16 attack in Stamford. The 200-pound chimp was kept as a pet by Nash's friend.
Doctors at the clinic say she has made significant neurological and psychological improvement and is awake and able to communicate with her family and caregivers.
Family members are talking to doctors about reconstructive surgery. Doctors say initial surgery will be focused on her facial injuries. Read Full story Here
Doctors at the clinic say she has made significant neurological and psychological improvement and is awake and able to communicate with her family and caregivers.
Family members are talking to doctors about reconstructive surgery. Doctors say initial surgery will be focused on her facial injuries. Read Full story Here
Teen Lands On Offender List For Sexting
When Vanessa Hudgens' naked photos hit the Internet, the "High School Musical" star quickly apologized. But sending nude or seminude pictures, a phenomenon known as sexting, is a fast-growing trend among teens. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen & Unplanned Pregnancy, a private nonprofit group whose mission is to protect children, and CosmoGirl.com, surveyed nearly 1,300 teens about sex and technology. The result: 1 in 5 teens say they've sexted even though the majority know it could be a crime.
Phillip Alpert found out the hard way. He had just turned 18 when he sent a naked photo of his 16-year-old girlfriend, a photo she had taken and sent him, to dozens of her friends and family after an argument. The high school sweethearts had been dating for almost 2½ years. "It was a stupid thing I did because I was upset and tired and it was the middle of the night and I was an immature kid," says Alpert.
Orlando, Florida, police didn't see it that way. Alpert was arrested and charged with sending child pornography, a felony to which he pleaded no contest but was later convicted. He was sentenced to five years probation and required by Florida law to register as a sex offender.
"You will find me on the registered sex offender list next to people who have raped children, molested kids, things like that, because I sent child pornography," says Alpert in disbelief, explaining, "You think child pornography, you think 6-year-old, 3-year-old little kids who can't think for themselves, who are taken advantage of. That really wasn't the case."
Alpert's attorney Larry Walters agrees and he's fighting to get Alpert removed from Florida's sex offender registry. The law lags behind the technology, he says. "Sexting is treated as child pornography in almost every state and it catches teens completely offguard because this is a fairly natural and normal thing for them to do. It is surprising to us as parents, but for teens it's part of their culture."
Phillip Alpert found out the hard way. He had just turned 18 when he sent a naked photo of his 16-year-old girlfriend, a photo she had taken and sent him, to dozens of her friends and family after an argument. The high school sweethearts had been dating for almost 2½ years. "It was a stupid thing I did because I was upset and tired and it was the middle of the night and I was an immature kid," says Alpert.
Orlando, Florida, police didn't see it that way. Alpert was arrested and charged with sending child pornography, a felony to which he pleaded no contest but was later convicted. He was sentenced to five years probation and required by Florida law to register as a sex offender.
"You will find me on the registered sex offender list next to people who have raped children, molested kids, things like that, because I sent child pornography," says Alpert in disbelief, explaining, "You think child pornography, you think 6-year-old, 3-year-old little kids who can't think for themselves, who are taken advantage of. That really wasn't the case."
Alpert's attorney Larry Walters agrees and he's fighting to get Alpert removed from Florida's sex offender registry. The law lags behind the technology, he says. "Sexting is treated as child pornography in almost every state and it catches teens completely offguard because this is a fairly natural and normal thing for them to do. It is surprising to us as parents, but for teens it's part of their culture."
SOURCE: CNN
Fidel Castro Wants To Help Obama
HAVANA – A "very healthy, very energetic" Fidel Castro asked visiting Congressional Black Caucus members what Cuba could do to help President Barack Obama improve bilateral relations during his first meeting with U.S. officials since falling ill in 2006.
Caucus leader Rep. Barbara Lee, a Democrat from California, said the ailing former Cuban president talked for nearly two hours with her and two other delegation members on Tuesday in a meeting seen as signaling Cuba's willingness to discuss better relations with the United States.
"We believe it is time to open dialogue and discussion with Cuba," Lee told a news conference in Washington upon the caucus members' return. "Cubans do want dialogue. They do want talks. They do want normal relations." Read Full Story Here
Caucus leader Rep. Barbara Lee, a Democrat from California, said the ailing former Cuban president talked for nearly two hours with her and two other delegation members on Tuesday in a meeting seen as signaling Cuba's willingness to discuss better relations with the United States.
"We believe it is time to open dialogue and discussion with Cuba," Lee told a news conference in Washington upon the caucus members' return. "Cubans do want dialogue. They do want talks. They do want normal relations." Read Full Story Here
Somali pirates hijack ship; 20 Americans aboard
NAIROBI, Kenya – Somali pirates on Wednesday hijacked a U.S.-flagged cargo ship with 20 American crew members onboard, hundreds of miles from the nearest American military vessel in some of the most dangerous waters in the world.
United Kingdom maritime officials have been able to contact the vessel and were told "everyone is OK," according to a U.S. defense official in Washington who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the record.
British maritime and defense officials did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment.
The 17,000-ton Maersk Alabama was carrying emergency relief to Mombasa, Kenya, when it was hijacked, said Peter Beck-Bang, spokesman for the Copenhagen-based container shipping group A.P. Moller-Maersk. It was the sixth ship seized within a week, a rise that analysts attribute to a new strategy by Somali pirates who are operating far from the warships patrolling the Gulf of Aden.
United Kingdom maritime officials have been able to contact the vessel and were told "everyone is OK," according to a U.S. defense official in Washington who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the record.
British maritime and defense officials did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment.
The 17,000-ton Maersk Alabama was carrying emergency relief to Mombasa, Kenya, when it was hijacked, said Peter Beck-Bang, spokesman for the Copenhagen-based container shipping group A.P. Moller-Maersk. It was the sixth ship seized within a week, a rise that analysts attribute to a new strategy by Somali pirates who are operating far from the warships patrolling the Gulf of Aden.
SOURCE: Yahoo News
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Binghamton, New York Shooter
The suspect in last week's deadly shooting at a Binghamton, New York, immigrant center believed he had been harassed for years by undercover police officers, according to a letter received by a New York television station and purportedly written by that suspect, Jiverly Wong.
Police said they were studying the two-page letter, neatly written in broken English, to determine its authenticity. But the package that arrived Monday at News 10 Now in Syracuse also contained photographs of Wong with two handguns, his gun permit and his driver's license.
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