One Christmas gathering can be trying enough for some people, much less four ...so they won't envy Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon.
They play a couple forced to visit all the relatives one holiday in "Four Christmases," which has the same problem as many of the other seasonal movies of recent years. They try to be funny, usually in a snarky way, then make a last-ditch attempt to be sincere as they approach the finish line. And it just doesn't ring true.
The main characters have been successful, year after year, at getting out of the family tour by claiming to go overseas to do volunteer work at the holidays -- when they've actually skipped off to Fiji to avoid the familial stress. This time, they're trapped at home by fog, which becomes widely known when they're randomly picked to be interviewed on television about their plight. Having been busted so publicly, they feel they must make the rounds of all the families of their divorced parents.
Each stop is a real chore for them, and all the vignettes demonstrate why they would want to get as far away from their relatives as possible at holiday time. The tales do make for an extremely solid supporting cast that includes Witherspoon's fellow Oscar winners Robert Duvall, Jon Voight and Mary Steenburgen, as well as the always-delightful Kristin Chenoweth. She and Witherspoon play sisters, and given their well-matched energy and their reasonable resemblance, someone in the casting department was really on the ball.
"Four Christmases" has a few chuckles along the way, and Witherspoon does her best to match Vaughn's humor, a tough task since his style is so uniquely his. Mainly, the film lacks the most essential element of such a story -- true heart -- so here's hoping Hollywood remembers to add that to the holiday-movie recipe next time. Gee, that used to seem so easy (and necessary) once upon a time.
By- Jay Bobbin
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Friday, November 28, 2008
Biography for Pam Dawber
Mini Biography
Actress Pam Dawber grew up in a suburb of Detroit. Her career began to take off when a friend who was going to New York suggested that Pam accompany her and bring along her modeling portfolio to show various New York modeling agents. A pretty girl, Pam had done some modeling in Detroit where she was attending Oakland Community College, and she had also worked as a model and singer in several auto trade shows. One of the top modeling agencies in New York signed Pam to an exclusive contract, and she was soon being seen in magazine advertisements and on TV commercials but Pamela was more interested in acting than in modeling. She began studying voice and acting. A leading role in a stock production of a musical comedy called "Sweet Adeline" at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Connecticut, led to her being auditioned for a major role on a new TV series called "Tabitha" (1977). To her disappointment, Pam did not get the part, but she did get an important role in the Robert Altman film A Wedding (1978) and, shortly after, signed an exclusive contract with ABC-TV. ABC cast Pam as the female lead in "Mork & Mindy" (1978) and her star has been riding high ever since. Pam returned to the stage and appeared in a revival of the musical "My Fair Lady", playing Eliza Doolittle. Her hobbies are canoeing, cooking, horseback riding and swimming.IMDb Mini Biography
Actress Pam Dawber grew up in a suburb of Detroit. Her career began to take off when a friend who was going to New York suggested that Pam accompany her and bring along her modeling portfolio to show various New York modeling agents. A pretty girl, Pam had done some modeling in Detroit where she was attending Oakland Community College, and she had also worked as a model and singer in several auto trade shows. One of the top modeling agencies in New York signed Pam to an exclusive contract, and she was soon being seen in magazine advertisements and on TV commercials but Pamela was more interested in acting than in modeling. She began studying voice and acting. A leading role in a stock production of a musical comedy called "Sweet Adeline" at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Connecticut, led to her being auditioned for a major role on a new TV series called "Tabitha" (1977). To her disappointment, Pam did not get the part, but she did get an important role in the Robert Altman film A Wedding (1978) and, shortly after, signed an exclusive contract with ABC-TV. ABC cast Pam as the female lead in "Mork & Mindy" (1978) and her star has been riding high ever since. Pam returned to the stage and appeared in a revival of the musical "My Fair Lady", playing Eliza Doolittle. Her hobbies are canoeing, cooking, horseback riding and swimming.IMDb Mini Biography
Appealing to Voters, Texas Blasts State Rival
AUSTIN, Tex. — In preparation for his team’s Thanksgiving night game against rival Texas A&M, Texas Coach Mack Brown gathered his players earlier this week and read aloud the Bowl Championship Series standings.
He also read the standings of the USA Today coaches poll and the Harris Interactive poll, two components of the B.C.S. Brown then asked for questions, and not a single hand was raised.
“After that, we made a decision as a group that we would not discuss it anymore,” Brown said at his news conference Monday, “because we have a live audience of all the voters for Thursday night to see. That’s the only thing that we could do to affect the B.C.S. at all. Discussion doesn’t help us.”
With its 49-9 romp of hapless Texas A&M here Thursday before a record crowd of 98,621 at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, Texas made a final impressive effort to prove that it deserved to jump ahead of Oklahoma in both human polls.
“I felt like they made the statement that they needed to make,” Brown said of his team’s performance.
The Longhorns led by 21-3 at halftime behind quarterback Colt McCoy, who finished the game with 311 passing yards and 2 touchdown passes and 2 rushing touchdowns.
“In many ways, it was probably the most complete game from start to finish,” Greg Davis, the Texas offensive coordinator, said.
Texas’ margin of victory against the Aggies (4-8, 2-6 Big 12) was more than that of Oklahoma (38 points), with whom the Longhorns are battling along with Texas Tech for the Big 12 South division title. But the victory did not resolve the Big 12 South race or make the national championship picture clearer.
Having beaten No. 3 Oklahoma (10-1, 6-1) and lost to No. 7 Texas Tech (10-1, 6-1), Texas (11-1, 7-1) must now wait until Sunday for the jumbled Big 12 South to be shaken out. If Oklahoma and Texas Tech each win Saturday, the two teams will join Texas in a three-way tie for first place.
If that happens, the tie breaker for the division is the B.C.S. standings, which will be released Sunday. The winner will play No. 12 Missouri (9-2, 5-2) on Dec. 6 in the Big 12 championship game.
Texas is 0.0084 ahead of Oklahoma in the B.C.S. standings. If the Sooners win Saturday at No. 11 Oklahoma State (9-2, 5-2), they are expected to move ahead of Texas, said Jerry Palm, an independent B.C.S. analyst.
But should Oklahoma lose at Oklahoma State and should Texas Tech win, the Red Raiders will win the division by virtue of their last-second 39-33 home victory against Texas on Nov. 1.
“The voters have a tough decision, because there’s a lot of really good football teams that are out there,” Brown said.
Regardless of Saturday’s outcome, Texas does not plan to bombard voters in the coaches poll or the Harris poll with a last-minute campaign, said John Bianco, an athletic department spokesman. Instead, it will again send out its weekly e-mail release about its accomplishments, he said.
“This week will focus on where we think we should rank,” Bianco said.
Yet Texas’ fans did plenty of their own campaigning for their beloved Longhorns during Thursday night’s victory. Many had 45-35 signs, the score of Texas’ victory against Oklahoma on Oct. 11 in Dallas.
Some of the 8 ½-by-11-inch signs read, “Remember the Alamo and 45-35,” “Every Sooner prays no one remembers 45-35” and “Settle it on the field? 45-35 It’s Been Settled.” Another used the B.C.S. initials in its message: “Better Consider Scoreboard 45-35.”
Each of the signs was available at www.45-35.com. The 35 on those signs was in crimson, Oklahoma’s primary color.
Asked about the crowd’s 45-35 signs after his team’s victory, Brown quickly remarked that he agreed with them, prompting laughter from members of the news media.
“It cost me a lot of money to make all those signs,” Brown joked. “But I think that’s the deal. We won head-to-head. Again, I don’t want to make a big to-do out of it. Alabama and Florida get to play theirs off and the Big 12 South isn’t going to get to play it off. If that’s the case, the two highest ones have already played it off. That’s why I feel like we deserve to go.”
Matt Parks, creator of 45-35.com, said the Web site had received $7,500 in donations. Of that money, $1,850 was spent to print 20,000 signs that he and others distributed before Thursday night’s game.
Another $2,800 was used to hire a pilot to fly a banner that reads “45-35. Settled on a Neutral Field” over Stillwater, Okla., during ESPN’s live telecast of “College GameDay” on Saturday morning, Parks said. The remaining money will be donated to charity, he said.
“We’re just kind of hoping that it will remind everybody of what happened,” Parks, 21, a Texas senior from Houston who is majoring in government, said in a telephone interview. “It’s got better in the news media, but more and more, it seems that people don’t even remember the game.”
The Daily Texan, Texas’ student newspaper, printed 25,000 editions Wednesday with an orange-and-white insert with the 45-35 score. There is also a Facebook group with more than 17,000 members called, “Texas did beat OU 45-35, lest we forget.”
That certainly will not be forgotten by Brown and his Longhorns in the next three days. And while it may not help in the B.C.S. standings, they will be sure to mention it to any voter who will listen.
“I do think that if we go to the Big 12 championship,” Brown said, “it will probably be because we are a great football team and we did beat Oklahoma on a neutral site.”
By- Thayer Evans
He also read the standings of the USA Today coaches poll and the Harris Interactive poll, two components of the B.C.S. Brown then asked for questions, and not a single hand was raised.
“After that, we made a decision as a group that we would not discuss it anymore,” Brown said at his news conference Monday, “because we have a live audience of all the voters for Thursday night to see. That’s the only thing that we could do to affect the B.C.S. at all. Discussion doesn’t help us.”
With its 49-9 romp of hapless Texas A&M here Thursday before a record crowd of 98,621 at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, Texas made a final impressive effort to prove that it deserved to jump ahead of Oklahoma in both human polls.
“I felt like they made the statement that they needed to make,” Brown said of his team’s performance.
The Longhorns led by 21-3 at halftime behind quarterback Colt McCoy, who finished the game with 311 passing yards and 2 touchdown passes and 2 rushing touchdowns.
“In many ways, it was probably the most complete game from start to finish,” Greg Davis, the Texas offensive coordinator, said.
Texas’ margin of victory against the Aggies (4-8, 2-6 Big 12) was more than that of Oklahoma (38 points), with whom the Longhorns are battling along with Texas Tech for the Big 12 South division title. But the victory did not resolve the Big 12 South race or make the national championship picture clearer.
Having beaten No. 3 Oklahoma (10-1, 6-1) and lost to No. 7 Texas Tech (10-1, 6-1), Texas (11-1, 7-1) must now wait until Sunday for the jumbled Big 12 South to be shaken out. If Oklahoma and Texas Tech each win Saturday, the two teams will join Texas in a three-way tie for first place.
If that happens, the tie breaker for the division is the B.C.S. standings, which will be released Sunday. The winner will play No. 12 Missouri (9-2, 5-2) on Dec. 6 in the Big 12 championship game.
Texas is 0.0084 ahead of Oklahoma in the B.C.S. standings. If the Sooners win Saturday at No. 11 Oklahoma State (9-2, 5-2), they are expected to move ahead of Texas, said Jerry Palm, an independent B.C.S. analyst.
But should Oklahoma lose at Oklahoma State and should Texas Tech win, the Red Raiders will win the division by virtue of their last-second 39-33 home victory against Texas on Nov. 1.
“The voters have a tough decision, because there’s a lot of really good football teams that are out there,” Brown said.
Regardless of Saturday’s outcome, Texas does not plan to bombard voters in the coaches poll or the Harris poll with a last-minute campaign, said John Bianco, an athletic department spokesman. Instead, it will again send out its weekly e-mail release about its accomplishments, he said.
“This week will focus on where we think we should rank,” Bianco said.
Yet Texas’ fans did plenty of their own campaigning for their beloved Longhorns during Thursday night’s victory. Many had 45-35 signs, the score of Texas’ victory against Oklahoma on Oct. 11 in Dallas.
Some of the 8 ½-by-11-inch signs read, “Remember the Alamo and 45-35,” “Every Sooner prays no one remembers 45-35” and “Settle it on the field? 45-35 It’s Been Settled.” Another used the B.C.S. initials in its message: “Better Consider Scoreboard 45-35.”
Each of the signs was available at www.45-35.com. The 35 on those signs was in crimson, Oklahoma’s primary color.
Asked about the crowd’s 45-35 signs after his team’s victory, Brown quickly remarked that he agreed with them, prompting laughter from members of the news media.
“It cost me a lot of money to make all those signs,” Brown joked. “But I think that’s the deal. We won head-to-head. Again, I don’t want to make a big to-do out of it. Alabama and Florida get to play theirs off and the Big 12 South isn’t going to get to play it off. If that’s the case, the two highest ones have already played it off. That’s why I feel like we deserve to go.”
Matt Parks, creator of 45-35.com, said the Web site had received $7,500 in donations. Of that money, $1,850 was spent to print 20,000 signs that he and others distributed before Thursday night’s game.
Another $2,800 was used to hire a pilot to fly a banner that reads “45-35. Settled on a Neutral Field” over Stillwater, Okla., during ESPN’s live telecast of “College GameDay” on Saturday morning, Parks said. The remaining money will be donated to charity, he said.
“We’re just kind of hoping that it will remind everybody of what happened,” Parks, 21, a Texas senior from Houston who is majoring in government, said in a telephone interview. “It’s got better in the news media, but more and more, it seems that people don’t even remember the game.”
The Daily Texan, Texas’ student newspaper, printed 25,000 editions Wednesday with an orange-and-white insert with the 45-35 score. There is also a Facebook group with more than 17,000 members called, “Texas did beat OU 45-35, lest we forget.”
That certainly will not be forgotten by Brown and his Longhorns in the next three days. And while it may not help in the B.C.S. standings, they will be sure to mention it to any voter who will listen.
“I do think that if we go to the Big 12 championship,” Brown said, “it will probably be because we are a great football team and we did beat Oklahoma on a neutral site.”
By- Thayer Evans
Silicon Valley retailers are worried as holiday shopping season begins
In nearly 30 years as co-owner of Hicklebee's Books for children, Valerie Lewis has never had to slash prices in the weeks before Christmas.
But this year is different. The famous bookstore in San Jose's Willow Glen neighborhood is planning at least one sale, if not more, in coming weeks.
With the nation gripped in the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, retailers like Lewis are having a hard time masking their fear.
"We'll try anything," said Lewis, who warmly greets each young customer like a grandchild. Indeed, her staff recently posted a video on YouTube to attract attention to the storied bookstore, which has been featured on the CBS "Early Show."
Up and down Willow Glen's Lincoln Avenue, dotted with small shops like Hicklebee's, business owners are nervously eyeing the trickle of customers walking through their doors.
"A restaurant owner asked me, 'Where are all the people?' " Lewis said. "No one knows what to expect. Everyone is worried. This is scary."
The holiday shopping season, which officially kicks off today, can be a make-or-break period for stores, representing as much as 40 percent of the year's total sales, according to the National Retail Federation.
"It's our bread and butter," Lewis said.
In recent years, some retailers offer what they hope are door-busting enticements during predawn openings. This year, stores are upping the ante to draw out reluctant shoppers.
The Great Mall in Milpitas, for instance, was to open at midnight Thanksgiving Day. During the first hour, the mall planned to hand out gift cards worth as much as $250 and other goodies, such as an Xbox 360. Stanford Shopping Center will give away Starbucks coffee and reusable shopping bags between 8 and 11:30 a.m. today. Gift cards worth at least $100 each will be awarded to random shoppers.
The holiday shopping season this year arrives as consumers are slamming shut their wallets. Tight credit, massive layoffs, plunging home values and plummeting consumer confidence have redefined the traditional "Black Friday" for retailers, large and small.
"Grieving Friday is what we are calling it," quipped Carmon Nicholls, Hicklebee's bookkeeper.
Earlier this week, the Commerce Department grimly reported that spending by individuals, which represents about two-thirds of the nation's economic activity, fell last quarter by $80 billion, or 3.7 percent, the most precipitous percentage drop in nearly 28 years. In October, consumer spending dropped by 1 percent, signaling that the economy could be even weaker during the fourth quarter.
"You are looking at the single greatest retail free-fall in 50 years," said Britt Beemer, retail industry analyst with America's Research Group. "I'm seeing things I've never seen before in my 29 years" as an analyst. "If you put Americans into survival mode, they can do without everything but food and gasoline. It's going to be tough."
Still, retailers like Hicklebee's could be in a better position to weather this storm than others, Beemer observed. "The guys who have done the best job building customer relations will win," he said.
The bookstore, for sure, sells more than books. In the back of the comfortably cluttered store are doors and walls covered with signatures and sketches of writers and illustrators — including J.K. Rowling, author of the "Harry Potter" books, and cartoonist Jules Feiffer — who have visited the bookstore.
Employees, some of whom have worked there for decades, are experts in children's literature. The San Jose Unified School District relies on the store to find age-appropriate books. The staff specializes in answering the desperate calls of parents on the way to a child's birthday party. "We pick out a book, wrap it and meet them in the parking lot," Lewis said.
Nonetheless, Lewis scanned her store earlier this week with concern. For this time of year, the foot traffic was light.
The handful of shoppers who poked around Tuesday morning all said they were cutting back on holiday spending. Even those who haven't lost a job are re-evaluating their old shopping habits and embracing less materialistic ways to celebrate the season.
"Buying things just doesn't feel good," said Willow Glen resident Lori Lennox, who brought her 4-year-old son, Luke, to Hicklebee's. Her family is cutting back on gift giving, she added. "It feels far more responsible."
Despite the belt-tightening, Hicklebee's may fare better than some because books and other knickknacks won't break most budgets. And then there is the welcoming ambience that makes people want to hang out in the store.
"I love this store," Lennox said. "This place makes me feel special."
Ginny Ellis, who traveled from Belmont to shop at the bookstore, left with a bag of hand puppets and other gifts for her grandchildren at a total cost of $90.
"I'm happy to spend that in a place like this," she said.
By- John Bordreau
But this year is different. The famous bookstore in San Jose's Willow Glen neighborhood is planning at least one sale, if not more, in coming weeks.
With the nation gripped in the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, retailers like Lewis are having a hard time masking their fear.
"We'll try anything," said Lewis, who warmly greets each young customer like a grandchild. Indeed, her staff recently posted a video on YouTube to attract attention to the storied bookstore, which has been featured on the CBS "Early Show."
Up and down Willow Glen's Lincoln Avenue, dotted with small shops like Hicklebee's, business owners are nervously eyeing the trickle of customers walking through their doors.
"A restaurant owner asked me, 'Where are all the people?' " Lewis said. "No one knows what to expect. Everyone is worried. This is scary."
The holiday shopping season, which officially kicks off today, can be a make-or-break period for stores, representing as much as 40 percent of the year's total sales, according to the National Retail Federation.
"It's our bread and butter," Lewis said.
In recent years, some retailers offer what they hope are door-busting enticements during predawn openings. This year, stores are upping the ante to draw out reluctant shoppers.
The Great Mall in Milpitas, for instance, was to open at midnight Thanksgiving Day. During the first hour, the mall planned to hand out gift cards worth as much as $250 and other goodies, such as an Xbox 360. Stanford Shopping Center will give away Starbucks coffee and reusable shopping bags between 8 and 11:30 a.m. today. Gift cards worth at least $100 each will be awarded to random shoppers.
The holiday shopping season this year arrives as consumers are slamming shut their wallets. Tight credit, massive layoffs, plunging home values and plummeting consumer confidence have redefined the traditional "Black Friday" for retailers, large and small.
"Grieving Friday is what we are calling it," quipped Carmon Nicholls, Hicklebee's bookkeeper.
Earlier this week, the Commerce Department grimly reported that spending by individuals, which represents about two-thirds of the nation's economic activity, fell last quarter by $80 billion, or 3.7 percent, the most precipitous percentage drop in nearly 28 years. In October, consumer spending dropped by 1 percent, signaling that the economy could be even weaker during the fourth quarter.
"You are looking at the single greatest retail free-fall in 50 years," said Britt Beemer, retail industry analyst with America's Research Group. "I'm seeing things I've never seen before in my 29 years" as an analyst. "If you put Americans into survival mode, they can do without everything but food and gasoline. It's going to be tough."
Still, retailers like Hicklebee's could be in a better position to weather this storm than others, Beemer observed. "The guys who have done the best job building customer relations will win," he said.
The bookstore, for sure, sells more than books. In the back of the comfortably cluttered store are doors and walls covered with signatures and sketches of writers and illustrators — including J.K. Rowling, author of the "Harry Potter" books, and cartoonist Jules Feiffer — who have visited the bookstore.
Employees, some of whom have worked there for decades, are experts in children's literature. The San Jose Unified School District relies on the store to find age-appropriate books. The staff specializes in answering the desperate calls of parents on the way to a child's birthday party. "We pick out a book, wrap it and meet them in the parking lot," Lewis said.
Nonetheless, Lewis scanned her store earlier this week with concern. For this time of year, the foot traffic was light.
The handful of shoppers who poked around Tuesday morning all said they were cutting back on holiday spending. Even those who haven't lost a job are re-evaluating their old shopping habits and embracing less materialistic ways to celebrate the season.
"Buying things just doesn't feel good," said Willow Glen resident Lori Lennox, who brought her 4-year-old son, Luke, to Hicklebee's. Her family is cutting back on gift giving, she added. "It feels far more responsible."
Despite the belt-tightening, Hicklebee's may fare better than some because books and other knickknacks won't break most budgets. And then there is the welcoming ambience that makes people want to hang out in the store.
"I love this store," Lennox said. "This place makes me feel special."
Ginny Ellis, who traveled from Belmont to shop at the bookstore, left with a bag of hand puppets and other gifts for her grandchildren at a total cost of $90.
"I'm happy to spend that in a place like this," she said.
By- John Bordreau
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Bush's turkey pardon takes Pumpkin and Pecan off the menu this Thanksgiving
At least two frequent fliers will be getting a good deal on holiday travel and accommodations this Thanksgiving. Pumpkin and Pecan, the lucky turkeys whose lives were spared by the annual Thanksgiving presidential pardon Wednesday, will fly first-class on United Airlines to Los Angeles, where one of them will be grand marshal in Disneyland's Thanksgiving parade today. The pair will then take up residence in a turkey house in the amusement park's Frontierland.
"In recent weeks, I've talked a lot about sprinting to the finish," said President Bush, surrounded by pumpkins and cornstalks in Wednesday's Rose Garden ceremony. "Yet I've assured these turkeys they will not be trotting to their finish."The turkey pardon is a White House tradition that dates to the Truman administration. This year's duo received their names after an online vote on the White House website. Runners-up included Roost and Run and Yam and Jam."This is an election season," Bush said. "So it is fitting that the names of these two birds were chosen through the democratic process."
Pumpkin and the backup bird, Pecan -- whom the president joked was being held in an "undisclosed location" just in case "the main act chickens out" -- hail from Ellsworth, Iowa. They were chosen from more than 4,500 candidates based on their struts, wattles and personalities.In years past, the pardoned turkeys were sent to Frying Pan Farm Park, an animal sanctuary in Virginia, after the White House ceremony. Since Disney requested the birds for its 50th anniversary in 2005, however, they have been sent to the Golden State.
Leaders of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals have objected to both locations. This Thanksgiving, PETA President Ingrid Newkirk had a stern reminder for Bush. "You might be a lame duck," she wrote to him, "but you still have the power to help lame turkeys."Regardless of their ultimate destination, the birds usually do not roost for long -- bred to be eaten, their life spans are often short. But for the moment, Pumpkin and Pecan are perhaps the luckiest birds alive.
Bush left the ceremony after giving thanks to the troops, the American people and his family -- including his mother, former First Lady Barbara Bush, who is doing well at a Houston hospital after surgery for a perforated ulcer. Bush is expected to spend the long weekend at Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland. The menu will include cranberry sauce, buttered mashed potatoes and free-range roast turkey."He wasn't pardoning all turkeys; just those two," said White House spokesman Carlton Carroll.Dizikes is a writer in our Washington bureau.cynthia.dizikes@latimes.com
"In recent weeks, I've talked a lot about sprinting to the finish," said President Bush, surrounded by pumpkins and cornstalks in Wednesday's Rose Garden ceremony. "Yet I've assured these turkeys they will not be trotting to their finish."The turkey pardon is a White House tradition that dates to the Truman administration. This year's duo received their names after an online vote on the White House website. Runners-up included Roost and Run and Yam and Jam."This is an election season," Bush said. "So it is fitting that the names of these two birds were chosen through the democratic process."
Pumpkin and the backup bird, Pecan -- whom the president joked was being held in an "undisclosed location" just in case "the main act chickens out" -- hail from Ellsworth, Iowa. They were chosen from more than 4,500 candidates based on their struts, wattles and personalities.In years past, the pardoned turkeys were sent to Frying Pan Farm Park, an animal sanctuary in Virginia, after the White House ceremony. Since Disney requested the birds for its 50th anniversary in 2005, however, they have been sent to the Golden State.
Leaders of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals have objected to both locations. This Thanksgiving, PETA President Ingrid Newkirk had a stern reminder for Bush. "You might be a lame duck," she wrote to him, "but you still have the power to help lame turkeys."Regardless of their ultimate destination, the birds usually do not roost for long -- bred to be eaten, their life spans are often short. But for the moment, Pumpkin and Pecan are perhaps the luckiest birds alive.
Bush left the ceremony after giving thanks to the troops, the American people and his family -- including his mother, former First Lady Barbara Bush, who is doing well at a Houston hospital after surgery for a perforated ulcer. Bush is expected to spend the long weekend at Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland. The menu will include cranberry sauce, buttered mashed potatoes and free-range roast turkey."He wasn't pardoning all turkeys; just those two," said White House spokesman Carlton Carroll.Dizikes is a writer in our Washington bureau.cynthia.dizikes@latimes.com
WorldWinner Invites Game Lovers to "Play for Tots" This Holiday Season
latest news
PRESS RELEASE
WorldWinner Invites
About WorldWinner
WorldWinner ( www.worldwinner.com), a controlled subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation attributed to the Liberty Entertainment Group (LMDIA:
liberty media corp new ent com ser a
News, chart, profile, more
Last: 11.29+0.30+2.73%4:00pm 11/26/2008Delayed quote data
Add to portfolioAnalyst Create alert
InsiderDiscussFinancials
Sponsored by:
LMDIA 11.29, +0.30, +2.7%) , is a leading provider of online game competitions. It hosts competitions in some of the most popular casual games-including Solitaire, Bejeweled 2, Catch-21, Family Feud, SCRABBLE(R) Cubes, Wheel of Fortune and Cubis-in which players compete against one another for cash and prizes. WorldWinner's broad network of partner sites includes leading global brands, such as AOL Games, EA-Pogo, GSN.com, Lycos, MSN Games and MyPoints. WorldWinner has more than 30 million registered players worldwide.
About Toys for Tots
The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation is a not for profit organization authorized by the U.S. Marine Corps and the Department of Defense to provide fundraising and other necessary support for the annual Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program. Now in its 61st year, Toys for Tots provides joy and a message of hope to economically disadvantaged children through the gift of a new toy during the Christmas holiday season. Our gifts offer these children recognition and a positive memory they will cherish for a lifetime. Many of the gifts we provide, such as books, games and sports equipment, make a significant contribution to the educational, social and recreational development of these children. In 2007, Marines distributed gifts to 7.5 million children in over 600 communities nationwide. The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation relies on individual donations from the American public as well as support from national and local corporate sponsors.
PRESS RELEASE
WorldWinner Invites
About WorldWinner
WorldWinner ( www.worldwinner.com), a controlled subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation attributed to the Liberty Entertainment Group (LMDIA:
liberty media corp new ent com ser a
News, chart, profile, more
Last: 11.29+0.30+2.73%4:00pm 11/26/2008Delayed quote data
Add to portfolioAnalyst Create alert
InsiderDiscussFinancials
Sponsored by:
LMDIA 11.29, +0.30, +2.7%) , is a leading provider of online game competitions. It hosts competitions in some of the most popular casual games-including Solitaire, Bejeweled 2, Catch-21, Family Feud, SCRABBLE(R) Cubes, Wheel of Fortune and Cubis-in which players compete against one another for cash and prizes. WorldWinner's broad network of partner sites includes leading global brands, such as AOL Games, EA-Pogo, GSN.com, Lycos, MSN Games and MyPoints. WorldWinner has more than 30 million registered players worldwide.
About Toys for Tots
The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation is a not for profit organization authorized by the U.S. Marine Corps and the Department of Defense to provide fundraising and other necessary support for the annual Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program. Now in its 61st year, Toys for Tots provides joy and a message of hope to economically disadvantaged children through the gift of a new toy during the Christmas holiday season. Our gifts offer these children recognition and a positive memory they will cherish for a lifetime. Many of the gifts we provide, such as books, games and sports equipment, make a significant contribution to the educational, social and recreational development of these children. In 2007, Marines distributed gifts to 7.5 million children in over 600 communities nationwide. The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation relies on individual donations from the American public as well as support from national and local corporate sponsors.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Mansfield's Comcast Center named nation's No. 1 venue
MANSFIELD - If you think the Comcast Center in Mansfield is the best place to watch an outdoor concert, you're not alone.The 19,900-seat venue off Route 140 won the prestigious honor of Amphitheater of the Year at the Billboard Magazine Touring Conference and Awards in New York. The award recognizes the nation's top-grossing amphitheater for the 2008 season."Driving sales this season were the most sold out shows the Comcast Center has presented in recent memory," Comcast Senior Vice President Dave Marsden said in a statement. "Ticket sales were up 50 percent from last year."Among this year's other highlights were:A higher per-show average attendance.
Dave Matthews performs during Farm Aid 2008, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2008 in Mansfield, Mass. (AP Photo/Lisa Poole)The addition of 10 shows over 2007.Playing host to New England's first-ever Farm Aid concert as well as sold-out shows by Pearl Jam, the Dave Matthews Band, Tom Petty and Jimmy Buffett."The Comcast Center is one of the most uniquely beautiful amphitheaters in the country, which makes it an attractive venue for our loyal patrons to return to every summer season," Bruce Montgomery, general manager of the venue for the past 23 years, said in a statement."
As with most summers, we had an exceptional lineup of artists this year as well as our annual events including KISS 108's KISS Concert, WKLB 99.6's Country Fest, JAM'N 94.5's Summerjam which were all sell-outs."We were also very proud to host the first ever New England appearance of Farm Aid," he said.
Dave Matthews performs during Farm Aid 2008, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2008 in Mansfield, Mass. (AP Photo/Lisa Poole)The addition of 10 shows over 2007.Playing host to New England's first-ever Farm Aid concert as well as sold-out shows by Pearl Jam, the Dave Matthews Band, Tom Petty and Jimmy Buffett."The Comcast Center is one of the most uniquely beautiful amphitheaters in the country, which makes it an attractive venue for our loyal patrons to return to every summer season," Bruce Montgomery, general manager of the venue for the past 23 years, said in a statement."
As with most summers, we had an exceptional lineup of artists this year as well as our annual events including KISS 108's KISS Concert, WKLB 99.6's Country Fest, JAM'N 94.5's Summerjam which were all sell-outs."We were also very proud to host the first ever New England appearance of Farm Aid," he said.
Ainsley Earhardt
Ainsley Earhardt (born 1978) is a correspondent for the Fox News Channel, where she provides live news cut-ins at night Monday through Wednesday. Earhardt also reports for FOX's Hannity's America on Sunday nights with her own segment called "Ainsley Across America". Since being at FOX, she has co-hosted Fox and Friends, been a panelist on The Live Desk and made appearances on Red Eye.
She joined the network in 2007 after being a weekday news anchor at KENS-TV in San Antonio, Texas. Earhardt anchored weekday newscasts of KENS 5 Eyewitness News This Morning (5 AM-7:30 AM) and KENS 5 Eyewitness News at Noon. She worked for WLTX 19, a CBS station in Columbia, South Carolina from 2000 to 2004. Earhardt traveled to New York City to cover South Carolina elementary school students donating nearly half a million dollars to firefighters after 9-11. The money was raised to buy a new fire truck to replace one lost at Ground Zero. While at that network, viewers voted Earhardt "Best Personality of the Year" in Columbia Metropolitan Magazine.
Earhardt grew up in South Carolina and has lived in Massachusetts, Florida, Texas, North Carolina and New York. She completed the Austin, Texas half-marathon, went skydiving with the Army's Golden Knights and flew in an F-16 with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.
Earhardt has a bachelor's degree in mass communications from the University of South Carolina. In 2007, Earhardt was given the University of South Carolina's Young Alumni Award and named the School of Journalism and Mass Communication's 2007 Outstanding Young Alumna.
She joined the network in 2007 after being a weekday news anchor at KENS-TV in San Antonio, Texas. Earhardt anchored weekday newscasts of KENS 5 Eyewitness News This Morning (5 AM-7:30 AM) and KENS 5 Eyewitness News at Noon. She worked for WLTX 19, a CBS station in Columbia, South Carolina from 2000 to 2004. Earhardt traveled to New York City to cover South Carolina elementary school students donating nearly half a million dollars to firefighters after 9-11. The money was raised to buy a new fire truck to replace one lost at Ground Zero. While at that network, viewers voted Earhardt "Best Personality of the Year" in Columbia Metropolitan Magazine.
Earhardt grew up in South Carolina and has lived in Massachusetts, Florida, Texas, North Carolina and New York. She completed the Austin, Texas half-marathon, went skydiving with the Army's Golden Knights and flew in an F-16 with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.
Earhardt has a bachelor's degree in mass communications from the University of South Carolina. In 2007, Earhardt was given the University of South Carolina's Young Alumni Award and named the School of Journalism and Mass Communication's 2007 Outstanding Young Alumna.
Russian leader sees Obama flexible on missile defense
LIMA (AFP) — Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Sunday urged Barack Obama to drop US plans to install a missile defense shield in countries Moscow considers to be within its sphere.
Speaking to reporters at an Asia-Pacific forum in Peru, the Russian leader held out hope of improved ties under the administration of the future US president.
Obama has yet to state his position on the George W. Bush administration's controversial plans to establish missile shield facilities in the Czech Republic and Poland.
Asked if he saw a chance of a shift on the hot-button issue, Medvedev told reporters: "I think there are chances, because if the position of the current administration on this question looks extremely inflexible, the position of the president-elect looks more careful."
US plans to place a missile defense radar in the Czech Republic and linked interceptor missiles in Poland have raised a storm of protest from Moscow, which has said it will place missiles in the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, close to Poland, in response.
Medvedev referred to the Obama team's refusal so far to state its position after Poland said the matter was already decided.
"It shows at least our future American partners are thinking about this. They don't have a once-and-for-always prepared template for solving this problem," Medvedev said.
"It means dialogue is possible ... A change of position is possible."
Medvedev was speaking at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, at which he met Bush on Saturday for farewell talks.
Washington insists the proposed missile defense facilities are directed purely at "rogue states" such as Iran and not against the Russian arsenal.
Medvedev this month said he would deploy Iskander missiles to Kaliningrad in response to the US plans, although he has indicated this could be reversed.
The previous leadership of Vladimir Putin threatened to target nuclear missiles at the facilities.
On Sunday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stressed Russia wanted a complete abandonment of the US plans and said US promises to ease Russian concerns had proven empty.
"There has been no easing of our concerns," Lavrov told reporters, adding that Russia would set out its formal position at talks in December.
"Our concerns can only be removed by one thing -- the renunciation of plans for unilateral establishment of a missile defense system and an agreement to work together from scratch," he said.
Medvedev, was on a four-nation Latin American tour that will see him visit two arch-opponents of the United States, Cuba and Venezuela, with Russian warships due to hold exercises off Venezuela.
The Russian leader said it was time to revive what he called "privileged relations" with Latin American countries Moscow had close ties with in Soviet times, although he did not rule out such ties with Washington as well.
"One of the principles I set out was to develop relations with states with which we'd like to be connected by privileged relations," Medvedev said, referring to an earlier statement.
In addition to ex-Soviet neighbors, these include "the states of Latin America. With many of those states in the Soviet period we had rather powerful, serious relations. The time has now come to restore those relations," he said.
Medvedev's tour is seen by analysts as taking Russian defiance to Washington's doorstep, partly in response to US moves among Russia's own neighbors.
Communist Cuba received massive support from Moscow in Soviet times and was the setting of the 1962 Cuba missile crisis
Speaking to reporters at an Asia-Pacific forum in Peru, the Russian leader held out hope of improved ties under the administration of the future US president.
Obama has yet to state his position on the George W. Bush administration's controversial plans to establish missile shield facilities in the Czech Republic and Poland.
Asked if he saw a chance of a shift on the hot-button issue, Medvedev told reporters: "I think there are chances, because if the position of the current administration on this question looks extremely inflexible, the position of the president-elect looks more careful."
US plans to place a missile defense radar in the Czech Republic and linked interceptor missiles in Poland have raised a storm of protest from Moscow, which has said it will place missiles in the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, close to Poland, in response.
Medvedev referred to the Obama team's refusal so far to state its position after Poland said the matter was already decided.
"It shows at least our future American partners are thinking about this. They don't have a once-and-for-always prepared template for solving this problem," Medvedev said.
"It means dialogue is possible ... A change of position is possible."
Medvedev was speaking at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, at which he met Bush on Saturday for farewell talks.
Washington insists the proposed missile defense facilities are directed purely at "rogue states" such as Iran and not against the Russian arsenal.
Medvedev this month said he would deploy Iskander missiles to Kaliningrad in response to the US plans, although he has indicated this could be reversed.
The previous leadership of Vladimir Putin threatened to target nuclear missiles at the facilities.
On Sunday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stressed Russia wanted a complete abandonment of the US plans and said US promises to ease Russian concerns had proven empty.
"There has been no easing of our concerns," Lavrov told reporters, adding that Russia would set out its formal position at talks in December.
"Our concerns can only be removed by one thing -- the renunciation of plans for unilateral establishment of a missile defense system and an agreement to work together from scratch," he said.
Medvedev, was on a four-nation Latin American tour that will see him visit two arch-opponents of the United States, Cuba and Venezuela, with Russian warships due to hold exercises off Venezuela.
The Russian leader said it was time to revive what he called "privileged relations" with Latin American countries Moscow had close ties with in Soviet times, although he did not rule out such ties with Washington as well.
"One of the principles I set out was to develop relations with states with which we'd like to be connected by privileged relations," Medvedev said, referring to an earlier statement.
In addition to ex-Soviet neighbors, these include "the states of Latin America. With many of those states in the Soviet period we had rather powerful, serious relations. The time has now come to restore those relations," he said.
Medvedev's tour is seen by analysts as taking Russian defiance to Washington's doorstep, partly in response to US moves among Russia's own neighbors.
Communist Cuba received massive support from Moscow in Soviet times and was the setting of the 1962 Cuba missile crisis
SPOILER ALERT: 'Shield' Boss Answers Burning Finale Qs
If last night's Shield capper doesn't have you uttering the words "best series finale ever," then you're hopped up on the same nose candy as Shane Vendrell. But as amazing as the episode was, it left me with more than a few nagging questions. Luckily, the man with the answers, series creator Shawn Ryan, just so happens to be on my speed dial. (If you have yet to watch the finale, stop reading now!)
AUSIELLO: I understand Shane committing suicide, but did he have to take wife Mara and son Jackson with him?SHAWN RYAN: To us, it made sense. I mean, it wasn't fun to write. But in terms of the overall arc of the show, it felt like the place it should go.
Where was Vic racing off to at the end? We've always viewed Vic as a shark. He's someone who, in order to survive, has to move forward. Is he going to search for his kids? Is he going to pursue his own sort of police work on his own time? Is he going to do something postal? I don't know. But I do think the shark swims forward.
Did you want us to think Dutch might have killed Rita (Frances Fisher)? There was that whole cat-strangling after all…I never felt like Dutch was that far off on the deep end. But we joked about how, in the finale, Dutch would come home and unlock some padlock on a door leading to a basement and there would be a bunch of kids chained to the wall.
Andre Benjamin played a comic book store owner in a 2004 episode, and then turned up again last night as a "candidate" for mayor. Same character? Yes. In that 2004 episode, he was someone who was upset that prostitutes and drug dealers were occupying the streets that his store was on. He was being very proactive to get them off the street. So our idea was that in the intervening time, he's actually formalized that kind of agenda and turned it into a fringe mayoral candidacy.
What was your thinking behind including him in the finale? It allowed us to look at a couple of different opinions of the overarching relationship between police and a city. Obviously, Andre's character had a very radical, although in some ways commonsensical, ideology about the relationship between police and, as he would call it, the prison state. The Shield has always been a mixture between open-ended storylines and closed-ended storylines. And, so that story just allowed us to tell a closed-ended story that tied into Aceveda's run for mayor AND Julian and Tina.
Speaking of Julian, why didn't he eventually come out of the closet?
The place that we had gotten him to by the end of the second season, which was that he went through aversion therapy and was embracing his religion and marrying a woman…I had done a lot of research and reading about people who had taken this path, and a lot of times -- most of that time -- these people stay on that path for a number of years. And so in the timeline of our story -- the entire run of The Shield takes place in about three years -- it didn't seem to me that he would reach crisis point. And I didn't want to force a story that didn't feel organic. We did put a nod to it in the finale with the moment where he sees a happy gay couple. I definitely wanted an acknowledgment that that story has not ended for him.
Do you have a favorite moment from the finale? I really like the final confrontation scene between Claudette and Vic, where she lays those photos out in front of him. I always knew in the back of my mind that I wanted a Claudette-Vic confrontation [in the finale]. I guess what I could not have anticipated when we got there was that Vic doesn't even really say a word in that scene. I always sort of envisioned the two going at each other, but the way this story broke, it was just Claudette talking. The things Michael Chiklis said without saying anything… it was a real acting triumph.
You weren't on the set the week the episode was shot last spring due to the writers strike. Is there anything you would have asked the director to do differently had you been there?
The scene with Shane and Mara, where Mara's in the bed and is having a lot of pain and he's going to help her to the bathroom…It came off a little lighter and more comedic, and I wanted it to be a little more tragic. I ultimately was able to get the effect I wanted, but it just required a little more work in the editing room. What you saw reflects how I wanted it to be. But it's a little bit choppier than I would necessarily would have liked.
Will there be a Shield movie? Hollywood is obviously a place that revisits ideas or shows, and maybe that will happen with The Shield. Maybe not. But I'd only do it under circumstances in which the quality could remain the same."
Any burning questions I forgot to ask? Reaction to the rockin' finale? Comment away! (Additional reporting by Lynette Rice)
AUSIELLO: I understand Shane committing suicide, but did he have to take wife Mara and son Jackson with him?SHAWN RYAN: To us, it made sense. I mean, it wasn't fun to write. But in terms of the overall arc of the show, it felt like the place it should go.
Where was Vic racing off to at the end? We've always viewed Vic as a shark. He's someone who, in order to survive, has to move forward. Is he going to search for his kids? Is he going to pursue his own sort of police work on his own time? Is he going to do something postal? I don't know. But I do think the shark swims forward.
Did you want us to think Dutch might have killed Rita (Frances Fisher)? There was that whole cat-strangling after all…I never felt like Dutch was that far off on the deep end. But we joked about how, in the finale, Dutch would come home and unlock some padlock on a door leading to a basement and there would be a bunch of kids chained to the wall.
Andre Benjamin played a comic book store owner in a 2004 episode, and then turned up again last night as a "candidate" for mayor. Same character? Yes. In that 2004 episode, he was someone who was upset that prostitutes and drug dealers were occupying the streets that his store was on. He was being very proactive to get them off the street. So our idea was that in the intervening time, he's actually formalized that kind of agenda and turned it into a fringe mayoral candidacy.
What was your thinking behind including him in the finale? It allowed us to look at a couple of different opinions of the overarching relationship between police and a city. Obviously, Andre's character had a very radical, although in some ways commonsensical, ideology about the relationship between police and, as he would call it, the prison state. The Shield has always been a mixture between open-ended storylines and closed-ended storylines. And, so that story just allowed us to tell a closed-ended story that tied into Aceveda's run for mayor AND Julian and Tina.
Speaking of Julian, why didn't he eventually come out of the closet?
The place that we had gotten him to by the end of the second season, which was that he went through aversion therapy and was embracing his religion and marrying a woman…I had done a lot of research and reading about people who had taken this path, and a lot of times -- most of that time -- these people stay on that path for a number of years. And so in the timeline of our story -- the entire run of The Shield takes place in about three years -- it didn't seem to me that he would reach crisis point. And I didn't want to force a story that didn't feel organic. We did put a nod to it in the finale with the moment where he sees a happy gay couple. I definitely wanted an acknowledgment that that story has not ended for him.
Do you have a favorite moment from the finale? I really like the final confrontation scene between Claudette and Vic, where she lays those photos out in front of him. I always knew in the back of my mind that I wanted a Claudette-Vic confrontation [in the finale]. I guess what I could not have anticipated when we got there was that Vic doesn't even really say a word in that scene. I always sort of envisioned the two going at each other, but the way this story broke, it was just Claudette talking. The things Michael Chiklis said without saying anything… it was a real acting triumph.
You weren't on the set the week the episode was shot last spring due to the writers strike. Is there anything you would have asked the director to do differently had you been there?
The scene with Shane and Mara, where Mara's in the bed and is having a lot of pain and he's going to help her to the bathroom…It came off a little lighter and more comedic, and I wanted it to be a little more tragic. I ultimately was able to get the effect I wanted, but it just required a little more work in the editing room. What you saw reflects how I wanted it to be. But it's a little bit choppier than I would necessarily would have liked.
Will there be a Shield movie? Hollywood is obviously a place that revisits ideas or shows, and maybe that will happen with The Shield. Maybe not. But I'd only do it under circumstances in which the quality could remain the same."
Any burning questions I forgot to ask? Reaction to the rockin' finale? Comment away! (Additional reporting by Lynette Rice)
Russian leader sees Obama flexible on missile defense
LIMA (AFP) — Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Sunday urged Barack Obama to drop US plans to install a missile defense shield in countries Moscow considers to be within its sphere.
Speaking to reporters at an Asia-Pacific forum in Peru, the Russian leader held out hope of improved ties under the administration of the future US president.
Obama has yet to state his position on the George W. Bush administration's controversial plans to establish missile shield facilities in the Czech Republic and Poland.
Asked if he saw a chance of a shift on the hot-button issue, Medvedev told reporters: "I think there are chances, because if the position of the current administration on this question looks extremely inflexible, the position of the president-elect looks more careful."
US plans to place a missile defense radar in the Czech Republic and linked interceptor missiles in Poland have raised a storm of protest from Moscow, which has said it will place missiles in the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, close to Poland, in response.
Medvedev referred to the Obama team's refusal so far to state its position after Poland said the matter was already decided.
"It shows at least our future American partners are thinking about this. They don't have a once-and-for-always prepared template for solving this problem," Medvedev said.
"It means dialogue is possible ... A change of position is possible."
Medvedev was speaking at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, at which he met Bush on Saturday for farewell talks.
Washington insists the proposed missile defense facilities are directed purely at "rogue states" such as Iran and not against the Russian arsenal.
Medvedev this month said he would deploy Iskander missiles to Kaliningrad in response to the US plans, although he has indicated this could be reversed.
The previous leadership of Vladimir Putin threatened to target nuclear missiles at the facilities.
On Sunday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stressed Russia wanted a complete abandonment of the US plans and said US promises to ease Russian concerns had proven empty.
"There has been no easing of our concerns," Lavrov told reporters, adding that Russia would set out its formal position at talks in December.
"Our concerns can only be removed by one thing -- the renunciation of plans for unilateral establishment of a missile defense system and an agreement to work together from scratch," he said.
Medvedev, was on a four-nation Latin American tour that will see him visit two arch-opponents of the United States, Cuba and Venezuela, with Russian warships due to hold exercises off Venezuela.
The Russian leader said it was time to revive what he called "privileged relations" with Latin American countries Moscow had close ties with in Soviet times, although he did not rule out such ties with Washington as well.
"One of the principles I set out was to develop relations with states with which we'd like to be connected by privileged relations," Medvedev said, referring to an earlier statement.
In addition to ex-Soviet neighbors, these include "the states of Latin America. With many of those states in the Soviet period we had rather powerful, serious relations. The time has now come to restore those relations," he said.
Medvedev's tour is seen by analysts as taking Russian defiance to Washington's doorstep, partly in response to US moves among Russia's own neighbors.
Communist Cuba received massive support from Moscow in Soviet times and was the setting of the 1962 Cuba missile crisis.
Speaking to reporters at an Asia-Pacific forum in Peru, the Russian leader held out hope of improved ties under the administration of the future US president.
Obama has yet to state his position on the George W. Bush administration's controversial plans to establish missile shield facilities in the Czech Republic and Poland.
Asked if he saw a chance of a shift on the hot-button issue, Medvedev told reporters: "I think there are chances, because if the position of the current administration on this question looks extremely inflexible, the position of the president-elect looks more careful."
US plans to place a missile defense radar in the Czech Republic and linked interceptor missiles in Poland have raised a storm of protest from Moscow, which has said it will place missiles in the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, close to Poland, in response.
Medvedev referred to the Obama team's refusal so far to state its position after Poland said the matter was already decided.
"It shows at least our future American partners are thinking about this. They don't have a once-and-for-always prepared template for solving this problem," Medvedev said.
"It means dialogue is possible ... A change of position is possible."
Medvedev was speaking at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, at which he met Bush on Saturday for farewell talks.
Washington insists the proposed missile defense facilities are directed purely at "rogue states" such as Iran and not against the Russian arsenal.
Medvedev this month said he would deploy Iskander missiles to Kaliningrad in response to the US plans, although he has indicated this could be reversed.
The previous leadership of Vladimir Putin threatened to target nuclear missiles at the facilities.
On Sunday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stressed Russia wanted a complete abandonment of the US plans and said US promises to ease Russian concerns had proven empty.
"There has been no easing of our concerns," Lavrov told reporters, adding that Russia would set out its formal position at talks in December.
"Our concerns can only be removed by one thing -- the renunciation of plans for unilateral establishment of a missile defense system and an agreement to work together from scratch," he said.
Medvedev, was on a four-nation Latin American tour that will see him visit two arch-opponents of the United States, Cuba and Venezuela, with Russian warships due to hold exercises off Venezuela.
The Russian leader said it was time to revive what he called "privileged relations" with Latin American countries Moscow had close ties with in Soviet times, although he did not rule out such ties with Washington as well.
"One of the principles I set out was to develop relations with states with which we'd like to be connected by privileged relations," Medvedev said, referring to an earlier statement.
In addition to ex-Soviet neighbors, these include "the states of Latin America. With many of those states in the Soviet period we had rather powerful, serious relations. The time has now come to restore those relations," he said.
Medvedev's tour is seen by analysts as taking Russian defiance to Washington's doorstep, partly in response to US moves among Russia's own neighbors.
Communist Cuba received massive support from Moscow in Soviet times and was the setting of the 1962 Cuba missile crisis.
10 Things You Didn’t Know About Peter Orszag
President-elect Barack Obama named Orszag as head of the Office of Management and Budget
1. Peter Orszag was born in Boston in 1968 to parents Reba and Steven. His father is the Percey F. Smith Professor of Mathematics at Yale.
2. Peter Orszag graduated summa cum laude in economics from Princeton University and has master's and doctoral degrees from the London School of Economics, which he attended as a Marshall scholar.
3. After leaving the White House, where he was an economic adviser to President Bill Clinton, he and three other Clinton economic advisers—his brother Jonathan Orszag, Joseph Stiglitz, and Laura D'Andrea Tyson—founded the economic and public policy consulting company Sebago Associates.
4. He is a protégé of Robert Rubin, the former treasury secretary.
5. During his years as a senior fellow for economic studies at the Brookings Institute, he directed the Hamilton Project, which aims to increase opportunities for broad-based wealth, economic security, and enduring growth.
6. He has been director of the Congressional Budget Office since January 2007, focusing primarily on healthcare policy and climate change.
7. He has coauthored or coedited numerous scholarly articles and books, including Saving Social Security: A Balanced Approach (2004).
8. He was recently honored with his election to the National Academies of Sciences, Institute of Medicine, one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine.
9. He spends his spare time listening to country music, reading history and biographies, and he is an avid runner, having participated in a number of marathons and half marathons.
10. He is divorced and has two young children.
By Carol S. Hook
1. Peter Orszag was born in Boston in 1968 to parents Reba and Steven. His father is the Percey F. Smith Professor of Mathematics at Yale.
2. Peter Orszag graduated summa cum laude in economics from Princeton University and has master's and doctoral degrees from the London School of Economics, which he attended as a Marshall scholar.
3. After leaving the White House, where he was an economic adviser to President Bill Clinton, he and three other Clinton economic advisers—his brother Jonathan Orszag, Joseph Stiglitz, and Laura D'Andrea Tyson—founded the economic and public policy consulting company Sebago Associates.
4. He is a protégé of Robert Rubin, the former treasury secretary.
5. During his years as a senior fellow for economic studies at the Brookings Institute, he directed the Hamilton Project, which aims to increase opportunities for broad-based wealth, economic security, and enduring growth.
6. He has been director of the Congressional Budget Office since January 2007, focusing primarily on healthcare policy and climate change.
7. He has coauthored or coedited numerous scholarly articles and books, including Saving Social Security: A Balanced Approach (2004).
8. He was recently honored with his election to the National Academies of Sciences, Institute of Medicine, one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine.
9. He spends his spare time listening to country music, reading history and biographies, and he is an avid runner, having participated in a number of marathons and half marathons.
10. He is divorced and has two young children.
By Carol S. Hook
Obama Vows to Cut Budget Waste
President-elect Barack Obama vowed on Tuesday to cut waste in a federal budget that “bleeds billions,” to help offset the costs of the huge stimulus package his team is planning.
Skip to next paragraph
Multimedia
Video
Obama Vows Budget Cuts
Related
The Caucus: Live Blog: Obama and the Budget (November 25, 2008)
City Room: The Obama Team's New York Ties (November 25, 2008)
Blog
The Caucus
The latest on the 2008 election results and on the presidential transition. Join the discussion.
Election Results More Politics News
"If we are going to make the investments we need, we also have to be willing to shed the spending that we don’t need," he said.
The president-elect, speaking to reporters in Chicago to introduce another key member of his economic team, also offered insight into the way he interpreted the election results that carried him to power. He said his victory was “decisive,” but brought with it a sense of humility that underscored the need for bipartisanship.
As expected, Mr. Obama said that he would nominate Peter R. Orszag to be director of the Office of Management and Budget. Mr. Orszag has been director of the Congressional Budget Office for nearly two years; he has worked in both the Bush and Clinton administrations.
Mr. Obama said he would nominated Rob Nabors, staff director of the House Appropriations Committee, to be Mr. Orszag’s deputy.
“Budget reform is not an option, it’s a necessity,” Mr. Obama said. After focusing Monday on financial rescue efforts and the rough outlines of his planned stimulus package, he concentrated Tuesday on budget issues.
Mr. Obama cited, as an example of the sort of cuts he expects Mr. Orszag and Mr. Nabors to find, a recent government report showing that farmers whose incomes exceeded $2.5 million had probably wrongly been paid some $49 million in government subsidies over a three-year period.
But he did not offer any other specific targets, and by itself, correcting the problem with the farm program would make only a trivially small dent in the budget deficits the federal government will face for years.
The president-elect, who until this week had been keeping a low profile in Chicago while constructing his administration, was speaking in his second economy-related news conference in two days, with a third set for Wednesday. He was asked about the much higher profile he had suddenly adopted, and whether he had changed his mind about there being “only one president at a time.”
“It’s important, given the uncertainty in the markets and given the very legitimate anxiety that the American people are feeling that they know their new president has a plan and is going to act swiftly and boldly,” Mr. Obama said.
The people needed to know, he said, “that we don’t intend to stumble into the next administration, we are going to hit the ground running.”
But was there a danger, he was asked, that he might be reading to much into the 8-million-vote margin by which he defeated Senator John McCain, his Republican rival?
“We had, I think, a decisive win,” Mr. Obama said. “I don’t think that there’s any question that we have a mandate to move the country in a new direction, and not continue the same old practices that have gotten us into the fix that we’re in.”
But he quickly noted that Mr. McCain, too, had won millions of votes, and he said it was important to maintain “a sense of humility and a recognition that wisdom is not the monopoly of any one party.”
“I think what the American people want more than anything is just common-sense smart government,” Mr. Obama said. “They don’t want ideology. They don’t want bickering. They don’t want sniping. They want action, and they want effectiveness.”
He said he was encouraged that word of his earlier economic nominees, including Timothy F. Geithner to head the Treasury department and Lawrence Summers as senior White House economic adviser, had received praise from members of both parties.
Several cabinet posts with important economic influence have still to be filled, and Mr. Obama may announce shome names on Wednesday. The pending posts include the secretaries of commerce, labor, energy and health and human services.
Mr. Obama said that as he looks for ways to stimulate the economy in the short term, he will concentrate on measures that can also have beneficial longer-term effects.
“My first priority and my first job is to get us on the path of economic recovery, to create 2.5 million jobs, to provide relief to middle-class families,” he said. But he also wanted to set up a long-term plan to reduce deficits “and make sure we’re not leaving a mountain of debt for the next generation.”
by- BRIAN KNOWLTON
Skip to next paragraph
Multimedia
Video
Obama Vows Budget Cuts
Related
The Caucus: Live Blog: Obama and the Budget (November 25, 2008)
City Room: The Obama Team's New York Ties (November 25, 2008)
Blog
The Caucus
The latest on the 2008 election results and on the presidential transition. Join the discussion.
Election Results More Politics News
"If we are going to make the investments we need, we also have to be willing to shed the spending that we don’t need," he said.
The president-elect, speaking to reporters in Chicago to introduce another key member of his economic team, also offered insight into the way he interpreted the election results that carried him to power. He said his victory was “decisive,” but brought with it a sense of humility that underscored the need for bipartisanship.
As expected, Mr. Obama said that he would nominate Peter R. Orszag to be director of the Office of Management and Budget. Mr. Orszag has been director of the Congressional Budget Office for nearly two years; he has worked in both the Bush and Clinton administrations.
Mr. Obama said he would nominated Rob Nabors, staff director of the House Appropriations Committee, to be Mr. Orszag’s deputy.
“Budget reform is not an option, it’s a necessity,” Mr. Obama said. After focusing Monday on financial rescue efforts and the rough outlines of his planned stimulus package, he concentrated Tuesday on budget issues.
Mr. Obama cited, as an example of the sort of cuts he expects Mr. Orszag and Mr. Nabors to find, a recent government report showing that farmers whose incomes exceeded $2.5 million had probably wrongly been paid some $49 million in government subsidies over a three-year period.
But he did not offer any other specific targets, and by itself, correcting the problem with the farm program would make only a trivially small dent in the budget deficits the federal government will face for years.
The president-elect, who until this week had been keeping a low profile in Chicago while constructing his administration, was speaking in his second economy-related news conference in two days, with a third set for Wednesday. He was asked about the much higher profile he had suddenly adopted, and whether he had changed his mind about there being “only one president at a time.”
“It’s important, given the uncertainty in the markets and given the very legitimate anxiety that the American people are feeling that they know their new president has a plan and is going to act swiftly and boldly,” Mr. Obama said.
The people needed to know, he said, “that we don’t intend to stumble into the next administration, we are going to hit the ground running.”
But was there a danger, he was asked, that he might be reading to much into the 8-million-vote margin by which he defeated Senator John McCain, his Republican rival?
“We had, I think, a decisive win,” Mr. Obama said. “I don’t think that there’s any question that we have a mandate to move the country in a new direction, and not continue the same old practices that have gotten us into the fix that we’re in.”
But he quickly noted that Mr. McCain, too, had won millions of votes, and he said it was important to maintain “a sense of humility and a recognition that wisdom is not the monopoly of any one party.”
“I think what the American people want more than anything is just common-sense smart government,” Mr. Obama said. “They don’t want ideology. They don’t want bickering. They don’t want sniping. They want action, and they want effectiveness.”
He said he was encouraged that word of his earlier economic nominees, including Timothy F. Geithner to head the Treasury department and Lawrence Summers as senior White House economic adviser, had received praise from members of both parties.
Several cabinet posts with important economic influence have still to be filled, and Mr. Obama may announce shome names on Wednesday. The pending posts include the secretaries of commerce, labor, energy and health and human services.
Mr. Obama said that as he looks for ways to stimulate the economy in the short term, he will concentrate on measures that can also have beneficial longer-term effects.
“My first priority and my first job is to get us on the path of economic recovery, to create 2.5 million jobs, to provide relief to middle-class families,” he said. But he also wanted to set up a long-term plan to reduce deficits “and make sure we’re not leaving a mountain of debt for the next generation.”
by- BRIAN KNOWLTON
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Dancing with the Stars Episode Recap: Tuesday, Nov, 25, 2008
This is it, folks! We've finally arrived at the live, two-hour season finale of Dancing with the Stars. Even though your votes have all already been tabulated, there are still 30 judges' points up for grabs. From what I understand, each couple will be performing one more of their favorite routines. Alicia Keys and Miley Cyrus will also perform. Plus: We'll have comedy segments from Cloris Leachman and Jeffrey Ross. I am certainly ready for this to be over all the excitement, so let's get to it.
First up, as it should be, Drunk Nana is back! The Berge sets up the premise: Cloris has been missing since she was eliminated. Cut to Cloris, still in her final costume and muddied makeup, living in a cardboard box. Cloris hits the streets to find out who everyone will be voting for, and she ends the legitimately funny segment by picking an imaginary wedgie. Ha!
Now, Alicia Keys is here, singing her new single, "I Need You", and while it all sounds nice, I want to take this time to say that I am a big Alicia Keys fan and an even bigger James Bond fan. And while "Another Way to Die" — the theme song for the new Bond flick Quantum of Solace, on which Keys and the White Stripes' Jack Black collaborated — initially made my teeth itch, it has grown on me. I understand why people don't like it, but I think they did a pretty good job of combining an Alicia Keys song, a White Stripes song and a James Bond song. Feel free to disagree.
And now, we recap Weeks 1 and 2, and I'm amazed at how much I've forgotten. What's up, Ted McGinley? Misty May! Kim Khardashian has more wasted assets then Fannie and Freddie, says Bruno. Ha! That controversial man-woman kiss!
Now Jeffrey Ross and Edyta are going to dance the quick-step. Oh no, are all the competitors going to dance tonight? I have to say, Jeffrey seems much more nimble than I remember. Good for him.
Ted McGinley and Ina are going to show us the foxtrot. And they're going to kill me by doing it to one of my favorite songs ever, the Beach Boys' "God Only Knows." Ted also looks better than I remember, though his carefully cultivated Cary Grant is still intact.
Kim Kardashian and Marc are going to dance the mambo, hilariously to Sir Mix-a-Lot's "Baby Got Back." I have to ask: Why dance to a song that glorifies the female posterior with a female with a glorious posterior, and then bury said "back" under 18 pounds of ruffles? Wait, those are ruffles, aren't they?
Now, a recap of Weeks 3 and 4. Corky and Cloris' haunting crab dance. Carrie Ann makes my eyes roll to the back of my head by proclaiming that she has a crush on Warren. Misty May's sad, painful injury. Lance's guyliner. "All the ruffles in the world can't hide that you don't have a musical bone in your body," Bruno says to Rocco. Heh!
Misty and Maks are back! And Misty is walking, and itching to get back on the dance floor. Hooray! Maks gooses The Berge! Oh, you two!
Rocco Di Spirito and Karina dance the mambo. It makes sense that the overarching theme of their dance is Rocco having to force Karina to dance with him. I hate myself for being so mean. They don't do badly though. Bah.
Now a trailer for Dirty Dancing: The Senior Years, starring Drunk Nana.
Now, a recap of Weeks 5 and 6. Lance falls. Len says something about La Lucci's knickers. Warren does the robot. Carrie Ann throws herself at Maurice. Corky massages Cloris' breasts for not the first nor last time. The hip-hop group dance makes me die inside. Michael Flatley gives out inflated scores. Cloris isn't leaving!
Toni will be on tour this summer, where she will sing "Unbreak My Heart" (duh), but she can't dance tonight because she has just had surgery.
Cloris Leachman and Corky dance the tango. It's so charming and I remember now why I loved having her in this competition so much. Her laugh is contagious. But she won't be in Young Frankenstein on Broadway because the economy collapsed and 75 percent of the shows are closing. Perhaps a little varm milk will ease the pain?
Susan Lucci and Tony take on the paso doble, and you can tell that Tony's pecs are really excited to be back in the spotlight, if you know what I'm saying. He flings her all over the dance floor, and it's kind of a fun routine.
Maurice Greene and Cheryl dance the salsa. I remember loving this routine and this song. I still do, despite some rough patches here and there. Cheryl is really giving her all though, ay?
And now, a recap of Weeks 7 and 8. Brooke gets three perfect 10s. Lancey barefoot — scandal! "Fat Boy no good tonight though." Team paso doble kicked team cha cha cha's ass because "that unison was... whoa," which means bad in Carrie Ann. Capework! Cody jumps on the judges' table.
Now Jeffrey Ross is going to serve as roastmaster for the three finalists. Did he lose weight on the show? "How much does your dignity weigh?" he asks. I love Cloris' laugh. He says Brooke has the perfect scores, Lance has the perfect hair, and Warren has the perfect boobs. None of the three contestants look entirely amused. The inevitable gay joke. To Warren: "How do you dance eight hours a day for three months and stay so out of shape?" He's good, but he should be; this is practically what he does for a living over at the Friars Club. The Berge cracks that they'll be right back, after the contestants call their lawyers.
And now, Semifinals Week. Brooke's big mistake. Lance kicked off his shoe. That feels like it was five minutes ago.
Cody Linley and Julianne dance the jitterbug. This is their I Love Lucy routine that was so fun. They're really good. That is all.
And now the judges evaluate the contestants. Filler.
The lighting and dry-ice effects in this segment are ridonkulous.
WARREN SAPP and Kym JohnsonI love this couple. They seem to have really enjoyed their time together. Their hustle starts with that point-to-the-sky move I hate. They're dancing to Lipps Inc.'s "Funkytown," a song I usually love. This is really Warren's element. He's particularly light on his feet here, and the pair execute some really athletic moves. Len says he may not be the judges' champion, but he is definitely the public's champion. Bruno says Warren is the craftiest hustler he's ever come across, "Times Square 1979." Carrie Ann says he has made everyone want to dance, and "that's hot." They get 27 from the judges, for a total of 80 out of 90. (Remember, they still have to add in America's votes.)
LANCE BASS and Lacey SchwimmerLancey has a weepy moment in their review package, and it's kind of sweet. Their jitterbug, to the great "Jim Dandy to the Rescue," seems a little off tonight, right? While Lance didn't kick off a shoe, and while I'm terrible at noticing these things, I think they actually made some mistakes. Bruno says they had "panache and flair." Carrie Ann, of course, noticed their mistakes, but commends them for taking risks along the way. Len says he deserves to be in the finals. They earn a 28 from the judges, putting them at 81 out of 90.
BROOKE BURKE and Derek HoughBrooke says that Derek was her favorite dancer on the show, so she was happy to be paired with him. They're dancing the Viennese waltz to that old Viennese master, John Mayer, so I'm going to run to the kitchen for a "snack." Their dance is floaty, dreamlike and certainly technically proficient, but to me, it doesn't pack enough punch to be considered a championship dance. But I'm not sure it matters at this point. Carrie Ann says that she is a star, and deserves the trophy more than anyone. Len says he still loves her waltz. Bruno says she's bellissima and is the jewel in the crown of this truly grand finale. Not surprisingly, they earn three perfect 10s, for a total of 88 out of 90.
In third place are... Lance and Lacey!
And now Miley Cyrus is here to sing "Fly on the Wall." I've never heard this song before, and it's a little different than I expected. First off, it's unsettling to hear a 16-year-old with that Scotch-and-soda voice, isn't it? But it's not your typical saccharine teen pop, and I appreciate that. She's a perky little rocker, she is.
In second place are... Warren and Kym!Which means that Brooke and Derek are the Season 7 champions! And I, for one, am not surprised at all!
Derek seems a lot happier about the win than Brooke, doesn't he? And now The Berge presents the storied mirrorball trophy, and for a brief moment I am sad that the season is over. (But then it passes.)
So, how do you think it all played out? Did your favorite win? Who wuz robbed? Most importantly, were you as glad as I was to see Cloris again?
Thanks to all of you for making this season a lot of fun for me! I hope my absolute lack of knowledge of anything ballroom didn't hinder the experience too much for you. Until Dancing returns in March, you can come watch me quick-step my way through my recaps of Desperate Housewives every Sunday night.
Watch clips and full episodes of Dancing with the Stars in our Online Video Guide
This is it! We've finally arrived at the live, two-hour season finale of Dancing with the Stars. Even though your votes have all already been tabulated, there are still 30 judges' points up for grabs. From what I understand, each couple will be performing one more of their favorite routines. Alicia Keys and Miley Cyrus will perform. Plus: We'll have comedy segments from Cloris Leachman and Jeffrey Ross. I am certainly ready for this to be over all the excitement, so let's get to it. I'll post a full recap later, but in the meantime, please use this space to comment on Tuesday's proceedings.
Watch clips and full episodes of Dancing with the Stars in our Online Video Guide
by- Mickey O'Connor
First up, as it should be, Drunk Nana is back! The Berge sets up the premise: Cloris has been missing since she was eliminated. Cut to Cloris, still in her final costume and muddied makeup, living in a cardboard box. Cloris hits the streets to find out who everyone will be voting for, and she ends the legitimately funny segment by picking an imaginary wedgie. Ha!
Now, Alicia Keys is here, singing her new single, "I Need You", and while it all sounds nice, I want to take this time to say that I am a big Alicia Keys fan and an even bigger James Bond fan. And while "Another Way to Die" — the theme song for the new Bond flick Quantum of Solace, on which Keys and the White Stripes' Jack Black collaborated — initially made my teeth itch, it has grown on me. I understand why people don't like it, but I think they did a pretty good job of combining an Alicia Keys song, a White Stripes song and a James Bond song. Feel free to disagree.
And now, we recap Weeks 1 and 2, and I'm amazed at how much I've forgotten. What's up, Ted McGinley? Misty May! Kim Khardashian has more wasted assets then Fannie and Freddie, says Bruno. Ha! That controversial man-woman kiss!
Now Jeffrey Ross and Edyta are going to dance the quick-step. Oh no, are all the competitors going to dance tonight? I have to say, Jeffrey seems much more nimble than I remember. Good for him.
Ted McGinley and Ina are going to show us the foxtrot. And they're going to kill me by doing it to one of my favorite songs ever, the Beach Boys' "God Only Knows." Ted also looks better than I remember, though his carefully cultivated Cary Grant is still intact.
Kim Kardashian and Marc are going to dance the mambo, hilariously to Sir Mix-a-Lot's "Baby Got Back." I have to ask: Why dance to a song that glorifies the female posterior with a female with a glorious posterior, and then bury said "back" under 18 pounds of ruffles? Wait, those are ruffles, aren't they?
Now, a recap of Weeks 3 and 4. Corky and Cloris' haunting crab dance. Carrie Ann makes my eyes roll to the back of my head by proclaiming that she has a crush on Warren. Misty May's sad, painful injury. Lance's guyliner. "All the ruffles in the world can't hide that you don't have a musical bone in your body," Bruno says to Rocco. Heh!
Misty and Maks are back! And Misty is walking, and itching to get back on the dance floor. Hooray! Maks gooses The Berge! Oh, you two!
Rocco Di Spirito and Karina dance the mambo. It makes sense that the overarching theme of their dance is Rocco having to force Karina to dance with him. I hate myself for being so mean. They don't do badly though. Bah.
Now a trailer for Dirty Dancing: The Senior Years, starring Drunk Nana.
Now, a recap of Weeks 5 and 6. Lance falls. Len says something about La Lucci's knickers. Warren does the robot. Carrie Ann throws herself at Maurice. Corky massages Cloris' breasts for not the first nor last time. The hip-hop group dance makes me die inside. Michael Flatley gives out inflated scores. Cloris isn't leaving!
Toni will be on tour this summer, where she will sing "Unbreak My Heart" (duh), but she can't dance tonight because she has just had surgery.
Cloris Leachman and Corky dance the tango. It's so charming and I remember now why I loved having her in this competition so much. Her laugh is contagious. But she won't be in Young Frankenstein on Broadway because the economy collapsed and 75 percent of the shows are closing. Perhaps a little varm milk will ease the pain?
Susan Lucci and Tony take on the paso doble, and you can tell that Tony's pecs are really excited to be back in the spotlight, if you know what I'm saying. He flings her all over the dance floor, and it's kind of a fun routine.
Maurice Greene and Cheryl dance the salsa. I remember loving this routine and this song. I still do, despite some rough patches here and there. Cheryl is really giving her all though, ay?
And now, a recap of Weeks 7 and 8. Brooke gets three perfect 10s. Lancey barefoot — scandal! "Fat Boy no good tonight though." Team paso doble kicked team cha cha cha's ass because "that unison was... whoa," which means bad in Carrie Ann. Capework! Cody jumps on the judges' table.
Now Jeffrey Ross is going to serve as roastmaster for the three finalists. Did he lose weight on the show? "How much does your dignity weigh?" he asks. I love Cloris' laugh. He says Brooke has the perfect scores, Lance has the perfect hair, and Warren has the perfect boobs. None of the three contestants look entirely amused. The inevitable gay joke. To Warren: "How do you dance eight hours a day for three months and stay so out of shape?" He's good, but he should be; this is practically what he does for a living over at the Friars Club. The Berge cracks that they'll be right back, after the contestants call their lawyers.
And now, Semifinals Week. Brooke's big mistake. Lance kicked off his shoe. That feels like it was five minutes ago.
Cody Linley and Julianne dance the jitterbug. This is their I Love Lucy routine that was so fun. They're really good. That is all.
And now the judges evaluate the contestants. Filler.
The lighting and dry-ice effects in this segment are ridonkulous.
WARREN SAPP and Kym JohnsonI love this couple. They seem to have really enjoyed their time together. Their hustle starts with that point-to-the-sky move I hate. They're dancing to Lipps Inc.'s "Funkytown," a song I usually love. This is really Warren's element. He's particularly light on his feet here, and the pair execute some really athletic moves. Len says he may not be the judges' champion, but he is definitely the public's champion. Bruno says Warren is the craftiest hustler he's ever come across, "Times Square 1979." Carrie Ann says he has made everyone want to dance, and "that's hot." They get 27 from the judges, for a total of 80 out of 90. (Remember, they still have to add in America's votes.)
LANCE BASS and Lacey SchwimmerLancey has a weepy moment in their review package, and it's kind of sweet. Their jitterbug, to the great "Jim Dandy to the Rescue," seems a little off tonight, right? While Lance didn't kick off a shoe, and while I'm terrible at noticing these things, I think they actually made some mistakes. Bruno says they had "panache and flair." Carrie Ann, of course, noticed their mistakes, but commends them for taking risks along the way. Len says he deserves to be in the finals. They earn a 28 from the judges, putting them at 81 out of 90.
BROOKE BURKE and Derek HoughBrooke says that Derek was her favorite dancer on the show, so she was happy to be paired with him. They're dancing the Viennese waltz to that old Viennese master, John Mayer, so I'm going to run to the kitchen for a "snack." Their dance is floaty, dreamlike and certainly technically proficient, but to me, it doesn't pack enough punch to be considered a championship dance. But I'm not sure it matters at this point. Carrie Ann says that she is a star, and deserves the trophy more than anyone. Len says he still loves her waltz. Bruno says she's bellissima and is the jewel in the crown of this truly grand finale. Not surprisingly, they earn three perfect 10s, for a total of 88 out of 90.
In third place are... Lance and Lacey!
And now Miley Cyrus is here to sing "Fly on the Wall." I've never heard this song before, and it's a little different than I expected. First off, it's unsettling to hear a 16-year-old with that Scotch-and-soda voice, isn't it? But it's not your typical saccharine teen pop, and I appreciate that. She's a perky little rocker, she is.
In second place are... Warren and Kym!Which means that Brooke and Derek are the Season 7 champions! And I, for one, am not surprised at all!
Derek seems a lot happier about the win than Brooke, doesn't he? And now The Berge presents the storied mirrorball trophy, and for a brief moment I am sad that the season is over. (But then it passes.)
So, how do you think it all played out? Did your favorite win? Who wuz robbed? Most importantly, were you as glad as I was to see Cloris again?
Thanks to all of you for making this season a lot of fun for me! I hope my absolute lack of knowledge of anything ballroom didn't hinder the experience too much for you. Until Dancing returns in March, you can come watch me quick-step my way through my recaps of Desperate Housewives every Sunday night.
Watch clips and full episodes of Dancing with the Stars in our Online Video Guide
This is it! We've finally arrived at the live, two-hour season finale of Dancing with the Stars. Even though your votes have all already been tabulated, there are still 30 judges' points up for grabs. From what I understand, each couple will be performing one more of their favorite routines. Alicia Keys and Miley Cyrus will perform. Plus: We'll have comedy segments from Cloris Leachman and Jeffrey Ross. I am certainly ready for this to be over all the excitement, so let's get to it. I'll post a full recap later, but in the meantime, please use this space to comment on Tuesday's proceedings.
Watch clips and full episodes of Dancing with the Stars in our Online Video Guide
by- Mickey O'Connor
MGO MEME Expansion Dated, Priced
If you're still playing Metal Gear Online, you're probably looking forward to the new MEME expansion pack, right? Of course you are; you want all the extra content you can get.
According to Joystiq, the long-awaited expansion will become available for purchase on November 25, but if you want to nab it early, you can pre-order it today.
It has a price tag of $9.99, which shouldn't turn off avid MGO players, and best of all, if you missed the earlier GENE expansion, you can get 'em both. You will have the option of purchasing both the GENE and MEME updates for the agreeable price of $14.99. Both Mei Ling and Liquid Ocelot will be featured on the battlefield now; Liquid can manipulate the Sons of the Patriots lock system with the Guns of the Patriots ability, and Mei Ling has three special skills: Trench Mortar, Soliton Sonar, and the ability to transfix an enemy. You'll also receive new Avatar gear and experience a few new mode alterations (No Headshot setting, for example), although you don't need the second expansion pack for these. For those who have dumped hours upon hours into MGO, the continuous stream of updates and add-ons will always provide more longevity. Nothing wrong with that.
Stay tuned for more in the MGO universe, as you can bet Konami is only just getting started. MEME will hardly be the last expansion pack, so get used to this one before the third comes down the pike!
By-Ben Dutka
According to Joystiq, the long-awaited expansion will become available for purchase on November 25, but if you want to nab it early, you can pre-order it today.
It has a price tag of $9.99, which shouldn't turn off avid MGO players, and best of all, if you missed the earlier GENE expansion, you can get 'em both. You will have the option of purchasing both the GENE and MEME updates for the agreeable price of $14.99. Both Mei Ling and Liquid Ocelot will be featured on the battlefield now; Liquid can manipulate the Sons of the Patriots lock system with the Guns of the Patriots ability, and Mei Ling has three special skills: Trench Mortar, Soliton Sonar, and the ability to transfix an enemy. You'll also receive new Avatar gear and experience a few new mode alterations (No Headshot setting, for example), although you don't need the second expansion pack for these. For those who have dumped hours upon hours into MGO, the continuous stream of updates and add-ons will always provide more longevity. Nothing wrong with that.
Stay tuned for more in the MGO universe, as you can bet Konami is only just getting started. MEME will hardly be the last expansion pack, so get used to this one before the third comes down the pike!
By-Ben Dutka
Holiday E-Deals Come Early
Online retailers are slashing prices before Black Friday in hopes of driving holiday sales. Amazon is hosting a promotion that lets consumers vote on the deals they want the site to offer. Prices on products like Asus' Eee PC will drop as much as 70% during the week-long special. Best Buy is slicing 5% to 15% off of select TV prices and throwing in free shipping. Wal-Mart is advertising a 50-inch Samsung plasma HDTV for $798 and a Garmin portable navigation device for $97.
Most of the deals are still pegged to Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving when shoppers traditionally wake at dawn and rush to stores to begin their holiday shopping. What's changed is some retailers' willingness to advertise their Black Friday deals early--a shift that shows how the economy is shaking up the usual holiday sales calendar. Following a years-long tear, e-commerce growth has dipped to its lowest point since 2001, according to data from comScore. (See "Meta Data: Cyber Monday.")
Nervous retailers will spend the next week rolling out hefty promotions, according to Shop.org, the digital division of the National Retail Federation. In a recent Shop.org survey, more than a quarter of retailers said they would increase online marketing of Black Friday promotions this year while 84% said they will host special Cyber Monday sales--up from 72% last year.
In a nod to the economy, retailers are getting creative with "friends and family" offers, which tend to spread virally and have the bonus of seeming "exclusive" to recipients, says Scott Silverman, Shop.org's executive director. Retailers also plan to use e-mail, search engine keywords and their own Web sites to boost awareness of Black Friday sales. "In this economy, they see the Internet as a very efficient marketing and advertising vehicle," notes Silverman.
A Google search of "Black Friday" currently brings up ads from Best Buy (nyse: BBY - news - people ), Target (nyse: TGT - news - people ) and Half.com, among others. Ads aside, Amazon and eBay (nasdaq: EBAY - news - people ) are likely to be consumers' best bet.
Amazon's "Customers Vote" deals look to significantly undercut other retailers with $49 Flip video camcorders, $69 KitchenAid mixers and $99 Sony (nyse: SNE - news - people ) Blu-ray players. The Customer Vote micro-site, which launched last Friday, attracted enough traffic on Monday afternoon that some viewers had to wait and reload the page. The drawback? Only six products (culled via customer votes) will ultimately be offered at the lowest prices and only selected customers will be able to participate.
Deals can always be found on eBay, too. The online marketplace is holding a "Holiday Doorbusters" sweepstakes from Nov. 24 to Dec. 8 that enables lucky shoppers to snap up Apple (nasdaq: AAPL - news - people ) iPod nanos and Nikon Coolpix cameras for $1. The fine print: only a few people will win. Savvy shoppers may also get lucky in eBay's regular auctions, though prices, on average, are higher than those for Amazon's deals.
Options abound for other holiday shoppers. Shop.org has its own holiday shopping site, named, appropriately, cybermonday.com. The online mall features specials from more than 600 retailers, up from 550 last year, and is meant to be a one-stop shop for Cyber Monday promotions. Starting this year, the site will offer hourly deals throughout the day.
These are all good reasons why retailers will be closely counting this Friday and next Monday's receipts. Silverman says that even with broadband pervasive in American homes, Cyber Monday remains a shopping phenomenon. He chalks it up to habit. "We've actually seen an increase in people shopping from work on [Cyber] Monday," he says.
To be sure, Shop.org, which coined the term "Cyber Monday," has an interest in keeping the idea alive
by Elizabeth Woyke
Most of the deals are still pegged to Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving when shoppers traditionally wake at dawn and rush to stores to begin their holiday shopping. What's changed is some retailers' willingness to advertise their Black Friday deals early--a shift that shows how the economy is shaking up the usual holiday sales calendar. Following a years-long tear, e-commerce growth has dipped to its lowest point since 2001, according to data from comScore. (See "Meta Data: Cyber Monday.")
Nervous retailers will spend the next week rolling out hefty promotions, according to Shop.org, the digital division of the National Retail Federation. In a recent Shop.org survey, more than a quarter of retailers said they would increase online marketing of Black Friday promotions this year while 84% said they will host special Cyber Monday sales--up from 72% last year.
In a nod to the economy, retailers are getting creative with "friends and family" offers, which tend to spread virally and have the bonus of seeming "exclusive" to recipients, says Scott Silverman, Shop.org's executive director. Retailers also plan to use e-mail, search engine keywords and their own Web sites to boost awareness of Black Friday sales. "In this economy, they see the Internet as a very efficient marketing and advertising vehicle," notes Silverman.
A Google search of "Black Friday" currently brings up ads from Best Buy (nyse: BBY - news - people ), Target (nyse: TGT - news - people ) and Half.com, among others. Ads aside, Amazon and eBay (nasdaq: EBAY - news - people ) are likely to be consumers' best bet.
Amazon's "Customers Vote" deals look to significantly undercut other retailers with $49 Flip video camcorders, $69 KitchenAid mixers and $99 Sony (nyse: SNE - news - people ) Blu-ray players. The Customer Vote micro-site, which launched last Friday, attracted enough traffic on Monday afternoon that some viewers had to wait and reload the page. The drawback? Only six products (culled via customer votes) will ultimately be offered at the lowest prices and only selected customers will be able to participate.
Deals can always be found on eBay, too. The online marketplace is holding a "Holiday Doorbusters" sweepstakes from Nov. 24 to Dec. 8 that enables lucky shoppers to snap up Apple (nasdaq: AAPL - news - people ) iPod nanos and Nikon Coolpix cameras for $1. The fine print: only a few people will win. Savvy shoppers may also get lucky in eBay's regular auctions, though prices, on average, are higher than those for Amazon's deals.
Options abound for other holiday shoppers. Shop.org has its own holiday shopping site, named, appropriately, cybermonday.com. The online mall features specials from more than 600 retailers, up from 550 last year, and is meant to be a one-stop shop for Cyber Monday promotions. Starting this year, the site will offer hourly deals throughout the day.
These are all good reasons why retailers will be closely counting this Friday and next Monday's receipts. Silverman says that even with broadband pervasive in American homes, Cyber Monday remains a shopping phenomenon. He chalks it up to habit. "We've actually seen an increase in people shopping from work on [Cyber] Monday," he says.
To be sure, Shop.org, which coined the term "Cyber Monday," has an interest in keeping the idea alive
by Elizabeth Woyke
GHS students face college deadlines
GUSTINE –Fall is a stressful and overwhelming time for high school seniors trying to decide what they will do following graduation in the spring. Many have been busy completing applications for CSU and UC schools, with the Nov. 30 deadline fast approaching. And then there is the question of how to pay for tuition. Mary Lee Hellner, director of student services at Gustine High School offered this advice, “Focus on one thing at a time. You have a timeline –break it up into easy chunks and follow it.”
First are the CSU and UC deadlines, then the EOP applications, private school applications, FAFSA, Cal Grant and scholarship applications, community college, vocational and technical school applications. Each has their own deadline but are manageable with good organization.
“Apply to the colleges and we’ll work on the financial aid packages later,” she advised. The college and career office on campus is open and ready to help students and parents through the process.
Hellner stressed the importance of completing CSU and UC applications prior to the Thanksgiving break. “You don’t want to be working on it at the last minute,” she noted. Help is available for the online application which can be completely filled out at school by students who bring in the needed personal information.
AVID students at the high school have been preparing their applications for a while now. Most have completed the CSU applications but are still working on their UC submissions. When asked how they are feeling recently, the group responded without hesitation, “Stressed and nervous,” yet they were smiling. They shared they are concerned about the fast approaching deadlines, financing tuition and getting accepted.
In addition, they know they need to keep up their grades and manage their extra curricular and work schedules. “Everything begins to pile up,” shared Lizet Hernandez. She applied to CSU Stanislaus and Fresno State and currently is working on her UC application. Brenda Ortiz and Lupita Ayon are also in that situation, the three students are currently drafting the two essays that are required.
They say it is an exciting time, filled with the hopeful promise of attending the school they choose but also one filled with lots of questions and uncertainty. What to study, am I ready to leave home, how will I pay for school, what will it be like? Lots of questions, lots of anxiety but loads of enthusiasm for the possibilities as well. Afterall, they have been preparing for this all of their high school careers and are anxious to see their goals become reality.
Ortiz is the oldest in her family and the first generation to attend college so she feels the additional pressure of setting a path for her siblings and making her family proud. She said they are very supportive of her and are helping her achieve her goals. The pressure is both a burden and a motivation. “Mostly motivating,” she expressed with pride.
“Students are better prepared now for going onto college,” Hellner shared. She has tracked an increase in GHS students graduating with the intent of attending four-year, two year and vocational/technical schools over the last few years. “My dream is to one day walk into the senior class and hear every student announce where they are going to school after graduation,” she expressed. “Every one has to have a plan, a goal of what they will be doing the morning after graduation,” she said. The career and college office is open for students to get the help and guidance needed to form that plan.
Scholarship information is updated every day by career technician Melissa Estacio. Students are encouraged to come into the office and check what is available at any time throughout the year.
Written by westsideconnect
First are the CSU and UC deadlines, then the EOP applications, private school applications, FAFSA, Cal Grant and scholarship applications, community college, vocational and technical school applications. Each has their own deadline but are manageable with good organization.
“Apply to the colleges and we’ll work on the financial aid packages later,” she advised. The college and career office on campus is open and ready to help students and parents through the process.
Hellner stressed the importance of completing CSU and UC applications prior to the Thanksgiving break. “You don’t want to be working on it at the last minute,” she noted. Help is available for the online application which can be completely filled out at school by students who bring in the needed personal information.
AVID students at the high school have been preparing their applications for a while now. Most have completed the CSU applications but are still working on their UC submissions. When asked how they are feeling recently, the group responded without hesitation, “Stressed and nervous,” yet they were smiling. They shared they are concerned about the fast approaching deadlines, financing tuition and getting accepted.
In addition, they know they need to keep up their grades and manage their extra curricular and work schedules. “Everything begins to pile up,” shared Lizet Hernandez. She applied to CSU Stanislaus and Fresno State and currently is working on her UC application. Brenda Ortiz and Lupita Ayon are also in that situation, the three students are currently drafting the two essays that are required.
They say it is an exciting time, filled with the hopeful promise of attending the school they choose but also one filled with lots of questions and uncertainty. What to study, am I ready to leave home, how will I pay for school, what will it be like? Lots of questions, lots of anxiety but loads of enthusiasm for the possibilities as well. Afterall, they have been preparing for this all of their high school careers and are anxious to see their goals become reality.
Ortiz is the oldest in her family and the first generation to attend college so she feels the additional pressure of setting a path for her siblings and making her family proud. She said they are very supportive of her and are helping her achieve her goals. The pressure is both a burden and a motivation. “Mostly motivating,” she expressed with pride.
“Students are better prepared now for going onto college,” Hellner shared. She has tracked an increase in GHS students graduating with the intent of attending four-year, two year and vocational/technical schools over the last few years. “My dream is to one day walk into the senior class and hear every student announce where they are going to school after graduation,” she expressed. “Every one has to have a plan, a goal of what they will be doing the morning after graduation,” she said. The career and college office is open for students to get the help and guidance needed to form that plan.
Scholarship information is updated every day by career technician Melissa Estacio. Students are encouraged to come into the office and check what is available at any time throughout the year.
Written by westsideconnect
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Man Kicks Baby in East Calais Store Robbery
Darci Herdling was working at her families store on Vermont Route 14 Thursday night when a man in a ski mask came in and demanded money. Herdling wasn't alone in the store; she had her baby with her.
"He handed me the pillow case and he took the gun out and pointed it at me, out of his pocket and said give me all of the money. So I said ok. I opened up the drawer that the money was in and then he told me to get in the back room," Herdling said.
Before Herdling went to the backroom of the East Calais General Store she tried to pick up four month old Cheyenne. She said the robber then threatened her and pointed a gun at her so she followed his orders. When he turned to leave, she tried to reach for her daughter and the man came back at her.
"He ran at me with the gun and got in between me and her and pointed the gun at her head and then at me and then bent down towards her with the gun," Herdling said.
Herdling once again started walking to the back room, when the robber kicked the baby who was in her carseat. The baby was knocked out of the seat but suffered only a small scratch and a bump.
Police are searching for the robber who made off with more than $1,000. He is described as a white male, approximately 6'5'' tall with a thin build. At the time he was wearing dark jeans, a black jacket, and a dark blue ski mask.
"I hope that he goes to jail for the rest of his life, whatever they can do to him, I hope they do to him," said Herdling.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Vermont State Police in Middlesex at (802) 229-9191 by- Jaimarie Ely
"He handed me the pillow case and he took the gun out and pointed it at me, out of his pocket and said give me all of the money. So I said ok. I opened up the drawer that the money was in and then he told me to get in the back room," Herdling said.
Before Herdling went to the backroom of the East Calais General Store she tried to pick up four month old Cheyenne. She said the robber then threatened her and pointed a gun at her so she followed his orders. When he turned to leave, she tried to reach for her daughter and the man came back at her.
"He ran at me with the gun and got in between me and her and pointed the gun at her head and then at me and then bent down towards her with the gun," Herdling said.
Herdling once again started walking to the back room, when the robber kicked the baby who was in her carseat. The baby was knocked out of the seat but suffered only a small scratch and a bump.
Police are searching for the robber who made off with more than $1,000. He is described as a white male, approximately 6'5'' tall with a thin build. At the time he was wearing dark jeans, a black jacket, and a dark blue ski mask.
"I hope that he goes to jail for the rest of his life, whatever they can do to him, I hope they do to him," said Herdling.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Vermont State Police in Middlesex at (802) 229-9191 by- Jaimarie Ely
Give us back our postman
A group of villagers are fighting to get a popular postman put back on his old round after he was moved by Royal Mail bosses.Postman Kevin Hudson, 50, worked the same beat to the north-west of the city for 21 years, but he was moved to an adjacent round about three weeks ago.
People living in Weston Longville are angry at the move and yesterday staged the first of what could be a series of protests at Royal Mail's sorting office in Norwich in a bid to get him returned to his former round. Mr Hudson, from Ollands Road, Reepham, said today: “It's very flattering that people think so much of you that they are willing to do this. I have been on that round 21 years and have always considered the people there to be my extended family.”
He said he could not discuss how he felt about the move, but a Royal Mail spokeswoman said it was due to a change in the route of the round at its Lyng delivery office.Campaign co-ordinator Peter Ross, from Weston Longville, said each village within Mr Hudson's round had started a petition to get him back.Mr Ross said: “Kevin Hudson is an exceptional ambassador for Royal Mail. Over the past 20 years he has developed excellent relationships with everyone on his round and is highly valued for the quality service he provides. “He is always helpful and cheerful and it's particularly reassuring for those who are more vulnerable as well as those who live in remote areas to see him each day. We want him back on this round.”
Joint co-ordinator Ruth Goodall has called for a meeting with the Royal Mail's regional boss to discuss getting him back. She said: “We'd like to meet with the local head of Royal Mail to discuss how we can get our postman back. “We know the company strives to provide a useful social service. Kevin does that brilliantly and it seems crazy to throw away so much local knowledge, experience and trust.”Mr Hudson's previous round included Whitwell, Sparham, Primrose Green, Colleens Green, Weston Longville and Lyng.A Royal Mail spokeswoman said: “We are pleased that our customers have had such excellent service from one of our members of staff. Due to a revision in the walks at the Lyng delivery office the postman will now be covering a different area and we are confident that his replacement will be able to provide the same high level of service that customers have come to expect.”
By David Bale
People living in Weston Longville are angry at the move and yesterday staged the first of what could be a series of protests at Royal Mail's sorting office in Norwich in a bid to get him returned to his former round. Mr Hudson, from Ollands Road, Reepham, said today: “It's very flattering that people think so much of you that they are willing to do this. I have been on that round 21 years and have always considered the people there to be my extended family.”
He said he could not discuss how he felt about the move, but a Royal Mail spokeswoman said it was due to a change in the route of the round at its Lyng delivery office.Campaign co-ordinator Peter Ross, from Weston Longville, said each village within Mr Hudson's round had started a petition to get him back.Mr Ross said: “Kevin Hudson is an exceptional ambassador for Royal Mail. Over the past 20 years he has developed excellent relationships with everyone on his round and is highly valued for the quality service he provides. “He is always helpful and cheerful and it's particularly reassuring for those who are more vulnerable as well as those who live in remote areas to see him each day. We want him back on this round.”
Joint co-ordinator Ruth Goodall has called for a meeting with the Royal Mail's regional boss to discuss getting him back. She said: “We'd like to meet with the local head of Royal Mail to discuss how we can get our postman back. “We know the company strives to provide a useful social service. Kevin does that brilliantly and it seems crazy to throw away so much local knowledge, experience and trust.”Mr Hudson's previous round included Whitwell, Sparham, Primrose Green, Colleens Green, Weston Longville and Lyng.A Royal Mail spokeswoman said: “We are pleased that our customers have had such excellent service from one of our members of staff. Due to a revision in the walks at the Lyng delivery office the postman will now be covering a different area and we are confident that his replacement will be able to provide the same high level of service that customers have come to expect.”
By David Bale
Friday, November 21, 2008
CANADA STOCKS-Commodity stocks help TSX rebound
*TSX rises 1.5 percent after 9 pct fall Thursday
*Energy, materials up as oil edges higher, gold rises
*TD Bank slumps after brokerage cuts price target
*Canada October CPI eases sharply
(Adds quote, details)
TORONTO, Nov 21 (Reuters) - The Toronto Stock Exchange's main index rose at the open on Friday as energy and materials stocks got a lift from firmer commodity prices after the market dropped 9 percent the previous session to its lowest in five years.
The key energy and materials sectors were up 2.8 percent and 6 percent, respectively, as oil and metals prices firmed.
Heavily-weighted stocks that helped the market higher included Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS.TO: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), up 1.8 percent at C$31.10, Goldcorp (G.TO: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), which rose 11 percent to C$27.53, and Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ.TO: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), higher by 3.7 percent at C$36.75.
"After what happened yesterday we saw a bit of a rebound happening overseas prior to the North American markets opening," said Michael Sprung, president at Sprung & Co. Investment Counsel.
"It's sort of typical of what we've been seeing over the last couple of months that after particularly devastating downward movements in the market, we've seen to some extent a rebound the next day."
"The big question is how long is the euphoria likely to last," he added. "We're already seeing it pulling back a bit this morning here."
At 10:15 a.m. (1515 GMT), the S&P/TSX composite index .GSPTSE was up 114.31 points, or 1.48 percent, to 7,839.07, with four of its 10 main groups higher. Earlier, it raced 4.6 percent higher but quickly gave back some of those gains.
The index sank to its lowest in five years on Thursday as an earnings warning from Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD.TO: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) triggered a pounding of the financials group and the price of crude slid below $50 a barrel. It was the biggest percentage drop for the index since October 1987.
TD Bank sank 3.5 percent to C$42.06 after RBC cut the bank to underperform from sector perform and reduced its price target to C$49 from C$53. [ID:nWNAB6266] TD Bank said on Thursday that the "dramatic" lack of liquidity in global credit markets will prompt charges of C$350 million for credit-trading losses, reducing its fourth-quarter earnings. [ID:N20398511]
In economic news, Canadian consumer prices registered their sharpest decline in nearly 50 years in October, dropping 1 percent from September as gasoline prices plummeted from recent high levels, Statistics Canada said on Friday. [ID:nN21500487] ($1=$1.28 Canadian) (Reporting by Jennifer Kwan; Editing by Frank McGurty)
*Energy, materials up as oil edges higher, gold rises
*TD Bank slumps after brokerage cuts price target
*Canada October CPI eases sharply
(Adds quote, details)
TORONTO, Nov 21 (Reuters) - The Toronto Stock Exchange's main index rose at the open on Friday as energy and materials stocks got a lift from firmer commodity prices after the market dropped 9 percent the previous session to its lowest in five years.
The key energy and materials sectors were up 2.8 percent and 6 percent, respectively, as oil and metals prices firmed.
Heavily-weighted stocks that helped the market higher included Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS.TO: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), up 1.8 percent at C$31.10, Goldcorp (G.TO: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), which rose 11 percent to C$27.53, and Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ.TO: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), higher by 3.7 percent at C$36.75.
"After what happened yesterday we saw a bit of a rebound happening overseas prior to the North American markets opening," said Michael Sprung, president at Sprung & Co. Investment Counsel.
"It's sort of typical of what we've been seeing over the last couple of months that after particularly devastating downward movements in the market, we've seen to some extent a rebound the next day."
"The big question is how long is the euphoria likely to last," he added. "We're already seeing it pulling back a bit this morning here."
At 10:15 a.m. (1515 GMT), the S&P/TSX composite index .GSPTSE was up 114.31 points, or 1.48 percent, to 7,839.07, with four of its 10 main groups higher. Earlier, it raced 4.6 percent higher but quickly gave back some of those gains.
The index sank to its lowest in five years on Thursday as an earnings warning from Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD.TO: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) triggered a pounding of the financials group and the price of crude slid below $50 a barrel. It was the biggest percentage drop for the index since October 1987.
TD Bank sank 3.5 percent to C$42.06 after RBC cut the bank to underperform from sector perform and reduced its price target to C$49 from C$53. [ID:nWNAB6266] TD Bank said on Thursday that the "dramatic" lack of liquidity in global credit markets will prompt charges of C$350 million for credit-trading losses, reducing its fourth-quarter earnings. [ID:N20398511]
In economic news, Canadian consumer prices registered their sharpest decline in nearly 50 years in October, dropping 1 percent from September as gasoline prices plummeted from recent high levels, Statistics Canada said on Friday. [ID:nN21500487] ($1=$1.28 Canadian) (Reporting by Jennifer Kwan; Editing by Frank McGurty)
Report: Jason Chambers arrested on rape charge
No"Human Weapon" co-host Jason Chambers was arrested earlier this month over an alleged rape in Los Angeles, according to the celebrity gossip site TMZ.com.
The report states that Chambers was arrested on Nov. 11 on suspicion of sexual assault and drug charges. He posted the $200,000 bail and has a court date set for Dec. 5.
Chambers joined the American Top Team shortly after training with the camp and winning a return fight at Total Fight Challenge on Sept. 20. Chambers trains as a Brown Belt under Eddie Bravo's 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu in Hollywood, California.
Posted by MMAFighting.com
The report states that Chambers was arrested on Nov. 11 on suspicion of sexual assault and drug charges. He posted the $200,000 bail and has a court date set for Dec. 5.
Chambers joined the American Top Team shortly after training with the camp and winning a return fight at Total Fight Challenge on Sept. 20. Chambers trains as a Brown Belt under Eddie Bravo's 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu in Hollywood, California.
Posted by MMAFighting.com
Hills school closing plan moves forward
The critical question of which schools to close in the Bloomfield Hills School District will move a step closer tonight when a facilities task force provides its first progress report to the school board.
OAS_AD('ArticleFlex_1');
The meeting begins 6 p.m. at West Hills Middle School, 2601 Lone Pine Road. District Communications Director Betsy Erikson said board trustees and task force volunteers are looking for public input.
"They're definitely looking for feedback from the community," she said. "There's going to be two different opportunities for public comment at the meeting - before the presentation and afterward - just to make sure everyone has a chance to be heard."
If history is a guide, the meeting will likely bring to the table critics and supporters of the district alike who have spoken out loudly before.
Anyone unable to attend the meeting can listen to a live broadcast on radio station WBHS-FM (88.1).
Declining enrollment and shrinking revenues are forcing the Bloomfield Hills School District to close two buildings by the end of the academic year. The district lost 130 students in the 2007-08 school year and a similar number this year.
The plan targets only elementary and middle school buildings. Given the current economic climate, school officials say it's likely they'll need to close a third building in the 2009-10 academic year.
A specific recommendation from the task force is scheduled for the Dec. 4 school board meeting at Lahser High School. An announcement from the board on which schools it plans to close is scheduled for Dec. 18 at Andover High School.
The public can also leave questions or comments about the school closings on the district Web site at www.bloomfield.org.
OAS_AD('ArticleFlex_1');
The meeting begins 6 p.m. at West Hills Middle School, 2601 Lone Pine Road. District Communications Director Betsy Erikson said board trustees and task force volunteers are looking for public input.
"They're definitely looking for feedback from the community," she said. "There's going to be two different opportunities for public comment at the meeting - before the presentation and afterward - just to make sure everyone has a chance to be heard."
If history is a guide, the meeting will likely bring to the table critics and supporters of the district alike who have spoken out loudly before.
Anyone unable to attend the meeting can listen to a live broadcast on radio station WBHS-FM (88.1).
Declining enrollment and shrinking revenues are forcing the Bloomfield Hills School District to close two buildings by the end of the academic year. The district lost 130 students in the 2007-08 school year and a similar number this year.
The plan targets only elementary and middle school buildings. Given the current economic climate, school officials say it's likely they'll need to close a third building in the 2009-10 academic year.
A specific recommendation from the task force is scheduled for the Dec. 4 school board meeting at Lahser High School. An announcement from the board on which schools it plans to close is scheduled for Dec. 18 at Andover High School.
The public can also leave questions or comments about the school closings on the district Web site at www.bloomfield.org.
Goore's Cyber Monday Features Gifts for the Littlest Ones on Your List
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Nov 19, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Goore's for Babies to Teens, the West Coast's premier juvenile store, is holding its biggest ever Cyber Monday promotion, featuring amazing deals on some of the hottest holiday gift items for the under-three set.
While many online retailers offer just one or two items on special for Cyber Monday, Goore's is showcasing six of the most in-demand baby and toddler gifts at prices 50% off regular retail.
On Monday, December 1st, customers can scoop up fantastic deals on products including the original BabyBjorn carrier, Lamaze Spin & Explore, Graco IPO Stroller, Graco imonitor Vibe, Trebimbi Puppet Club Dining Set and the Chicco DJ Walker. Each of these popular products will be offered at prices 50% off regular retail for one day only, and only when purchased online at goores.com.
Additionally, anyone making an online purchase on Cyber Monday from goores.com will automatically be entered into a raffle drawing for some of the hardest-to-find, over-the-top holiday gifts this season, including a Thomas Lift & Load Set ($399 retail value), a 39-inch Gund Abby Cadabby doll ($150 retail value), a 37-inch Gund Cookie Monster doll ($150 retail value), and a Peg Perego John Deere Ride-On Train ($199 retail value).
Interested customers should register at goores.com
ABOUT GOORE'S
Founded in 1992, Goore's for Babies to Teens, Inc., is the largest baby and children's store on the West Coast, with a full 32,000-square-feet of carefully selected merchandise for children. Owned and operated by Ken, April and Richard Goore, Goore's prides itself in offering the best service and selection of quality merchandise under one roof, all at great prices.
SOURCE Goore's for Babies to Teens
While many online retailers offer just one or two items on special for Cyber Monday, Goore's is showcasing six of the most in-demand baby and toddler gifts at prices 50% off regular retail.
On Monday, December 1st, customers can scoop up fantastic deals on products including the original BabyBjorn carrier, Lamaze Spin & Explore, Graco IPO Stroller, Graco imonitor Vibe, Trebimbi Puppet Club Dining Set and the Chicco DJ Walker. Each of these popular products will be offered at prices 50% off regular retail for one day only, and only when purchased online at goores.com.
Additionally, anyone making an online purchase on Cyber Monday from goores.com will automatically be entered into a raffle drawing for some of the hardest-to-find, over-the-top holiday gifts this season, including a Thomas Lift & Load Set ($399 retail value), a 39-inch Gund Abby Cadabby doll ($150 retail value), a 37-inch Gund Cookie Monster doll ($150 retail value), and a Peg Perego John Deere Ride-On Train ($199 retail value).
Interested customers should register at goores.com
ABOUT GOORE'S
Founded in 1992, Goore's for Babies to Teens, Inc., is the largest baby and children's store on the West Coast, with a full 32,000-square-feet of carefully selected merchandise for children. Owned and operated by Ken, April and Richard Goore, Goore's prides itself in offering the best service and selection of quality merchandise under one roof, all at great prices.
SOURCE Goore's for Babies to Teens
Taxpayers to pay for Gonzales' private attorney
By MARISA TAYLOR
McClatchy Newspapers
WASHINGTON -- The Justice Department has agreed to pay for a private lawyer to defend former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales against allegations that he encouraged officials to inject partisan politics into the department's hiring and firing practices.
Lawyers from the Justice Department's civil division often represent department employees who are sued in connection with their official actions. However, Gonzales' attorney recently revealed in court papers that the Justice Department had approved his request to pay private attorney's fees arising from the federal lawsuit.
Dan Metcalfe, a former high-ranking veteran Justice Department official who filed the suit on behalf of eight law students, called the department's decision to pay for a private attorney rather than rely on its civil division "exceptional."
"It undoubtedly will cost the taxpayers far more," he said.
According to a person with knowledge of the case, the Justice Department has imposed a limit of $200 an hour or $24,000 a month on attorneys' fees. Top Justice Department attorneys generally earn no more than $100 per hour. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case.
Asked why Gonzales made the request, Gonzales spokesman Robert Bork Jr. said that his client "values the work that the department's civil attorneys do in all cases" but thinks that "private counsel can often be useful where (department) officials are sued in an individual capacity, even where the suit has no substantive merit."
Charles Miller, a Justice Department spokesman, said the department wouldn't have any comment on the reasons for the approval and wouldn't answer questions about the cost to taxpayers.
The lawsuit accuses Gonzales and four other former and current Justice Department officials of instituting hiring practices that blocked liberal-leaning applicants from two department programs for law students. Gonzales resigned last year amid a controversy over the alleged hiring practices and over the firings of nine U.S. attorneys.
George J. Terwilliger III, a former deputy attorney general under President George H.W. Bush, is listed in court papers along with two other attorneys from his firm as representing Gonzales in the lawsuit.
It's unclear, however, whether Terwilliger will continue to represent Gonzales or whether another private attorney will take over the case. In court papers, he indicated that the department had to approve Gonzales' choice of an attorney, but added that the department generally defers to the defendant.
Miller wouldn't say whether other defendants in the suit have asked the department to pay for private attorneys. So far, other officials named in the lawsuit haven't indicated to the court whether they've made similar requests.
Metcalfe filed the lawsuit after Justice Department watchdog reports found that department officials under Gonzales weeded out liberal-leaning applicants in favor of conservative ones for various jobs ranging from internships to prosecutor slots and immigration judgeships. In a separate but related report, the two watchdog agencies detailed "substantial evidence" that Republican politics had played a role in several of the firings of the Bush-appointed U.S. attorneys.
The applicants who have sued are all from top-tier law schools, and they allege that their careers were irreparably harmed because they were rejected by the department's honors and summer internship programs. Metcalfe, who's now the executive director of American University Washington College of Law's Collaboration on Government Secrecy, is seeking class action status for the suit.
Attorney General Michael Mukasey, who took over the department after Gonzales resigned during the controversy, has conceded that high-ranking Justice Department officials failed to stop what he described as a "systemic" hiring problem within the department.
Mukasey, however, rejected what he described as "drastic steps" such as prosecuting department lawyers singled out in the reports. He said he had put a stop to the practices and would attempt to contact applicants who had been rejected for political reasons and encourage them to reapply for other jobs.
The department sent out letters notifying applicants of the opportunity, but gave them only weeks to respond, according to its Web site. The Web site said that applicants were interviewed last month, but Miller wouldn't say how many people responded.
In court papers, Metcalfe criticized the department's handling of the letters. Several of the rejected applicants contacted him after receiving them, worried that if they agreed to be re-interviewed they might lose their right to participate in a class action lawsuit. Metcalfe questioned why the department hadn't informed the applicants about the suit.
McClatchy Newspapers
WASHINGTON -- The Justice Department has agreed to pay for a private lawyer to defend former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales against allegations that he encouraged officials to inject partisan politics into the department's hiring and firing practices.
Lawyers from the Justice Department's civil division often represent department employees who are sued in connection with their official actions. However, Gonzales' attorney recently revealed in court papers that the Justice Department had approved his request to pay private attorney's fees arising from the federal lawsuit.
Dan Metcalfe, a former high-ranking veteran Justice Department official who filed the suit on behalf of eight law students, called the department's decision to pay for a private attorney rather than rely on its civil division "exceptional."
"It undoubtedly will cost the taxpayers far more," he said.
According to a person with knowledge of the case, the Justice Department has imposed a limit of $200 an hour or $24,000 a month on attorneys' fees. Top Justice Department attorneys generally earn no more than $100 per hour. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case.
Asked why Gonzales made the request, Gonzales spokesman Robert Bork Jr. said that his client "values the work that the department's civil attorneys do in all cases" but thinks that "private counsel can often be useful where (department) officials are sued in an individual capacity, even where the suit has no substantive merit."
Charles Miller, a Justice Department spokesman, said the department wouldn't have any comment on the reasons for the approval and wouldn't answer questions about the cost to taxpayers.
The lawsuit accuses Gonzales and four other former and current Justice Department officials of instituting hiring practices that blocked liberal-leaning applicants from two department programs for law students. Gonzales resigned last year amid a controversy over the alleged hiring practices and over the firings of nine U.S. attorneys.
George J. Terwilliger III, a former deputy attorney general under President George H.W. Bush, is listed in court papers along with two other attorneys from his firm as representing Gonzales in the lawsuit.
It's unclear, however, whether Terwilliger will continue to represent Gonzales or whether another private attorney will take over the case. In court papers, he indicated that the department had to approve Gonzales' choice of an attorney, but added that the department generally defers to the defendant.
Miller wouldn't say whether other defendants in the suit have asked the department to pay for private attorneys. So far, other officials named in the lawsuit haven't indicated to the court whether they've made similar requests.
Metcalfe filed the lawsuit after Justice Department watchdog reports found that department officials under Gonzales weeded out liberal-leaning applicants in favor of conservative ones for various jobs ranging from internships to prosecutor slots and immigration judgeships. In a separate but related report, the two watchdog agencies detailed "substantial evidence" that Republican politics had played a role in several of the firings of the Bush-appointed U.S. attorneys.
The applicants who have sued are all from top-tier law schools, and they allege that their careers were irreparably harmed because they were rejected by the department's honors and summer internship programs. Metcalfe, who's now the executive director of American University Washington College of Law's Collaboration on Government Secrecy, is seeking class action status for the suit.
Attorney General Michael Mukasey, who took over the department after Gonzales resigned during the controversy, has conceded that high-ranking Justice Department officials failed to stop what he described as a "systemic" hiring problem within the department.
Mukasey, however, rejected what he described as "drastic steps" such as prosecuting department lawyers singled out in the reports. He said he had put a stop to the practices and would attempt to contact applicants who had been rejected for political reasons and encourage them to reapply for other jobs.
The department sent out letters notifying applicants of the opportunity, but gave them only weeks to respond, according to its Web site. The Web site said that applicants were interviewed last month, but Miller wouldn't say how many people responded.
In court papers, Metcalfe criticized the department's handling of the letters. Several of the rejected applicants contacted him after receiving them, worried that if they agreed to be re-interviewed they might lose their right to participate in a class action lawsuit. Metcalfe questioned why the department hadn't informed the applicants about the suit.
Irving Brecher passes on.
Sometimes it seems like everybody I know is dead, or about to be.
I last spoke to Irv Brecher two weeks ago. He called and had some ideas for my next book. What about Carol Burnett? Or Sid Caesar?
Those aren’t bad ideas, Irv. How the hell are you?
But Irv wouldn’t be sidetracked. He wanted to talk about my career, not his. Irv, you see, had written “Meet Me in St. Louis,” two - count ‘em, two - films for the Marx brothers, and a lot of other good movies, culminating in “Bye, Bye, Birdie.”
He knew all about his own career, and he didn’t particularly like to talk about it. Oh, there were a few stories he enjoyed telling, especially how he conned Judy Garland into doing “Meet Me in St. Louis” by reading her the script and throwing away all of Margaret O’Brien’s lines.
I talked to Irv for my book on Louis B. Mayer, and even though he had vague thoughts of writing his own book, he gave his memories generously. In fact, the only thing he held back was the cause of his rupture with Arthur Freed. (He later told me what happened, but he also finally broke down and collaborated on a memoir, which comes out in a few months. You can read all about it there.)
Since that initial interview six or seven years ago, Irv and I talked a lot. He was enormously interested in my work, and our bond was cemented by the fact that he was also close to Robert Wagner, who he had directed in “Sail a Crooked Ship.” In fact, Irv attended the publication party in Los Angeles for “Pieces of My Heart” just two months ago.
Irv’s eyesight had failed six or eight years ago - his wife had to read him my books - but that didn’t keep him down. He worked up a stand-up routine he’d do around LA, at places like Hillcrest country club.
He was compulsively funny, great company, a dyed-in-the-wool FDR liberal and one of the last survivors of his era - he went out to LA in 1938!
Irv died yesterday at the age of 94. It’s probably not entirely rational to be surprised, let alone depressed, about the death of a 94 year old man, but I’ve been terribly blue ever since the news came over the wire.
I’ll miss his phone calls, and that gravelly tummler’s voice on the other end of the line.
I’ll miss his stories, too.
But mostly, I’ll miss Irv.
By Scott Eyman
I last spoke to Irv Brecher two weeks ago. He called and had some ideas for my next book. What about Carol Burnett? Or Sid Caesar?
Those aren’t bad ideas, Irv. How the hell are you?
But Irv wouldn’t be sidetracked. He wanted to talk about my career, not his. Irv, you see, had written “Meet Me in St. Louis,” two - count ‘em, two - films for the Marx brothers, and a lot of other good movies, culminating in “Bye, Bye, Birdie.”
He knew all about his own career, and he didn’t particularly like to talk about it. Oh, there were a few stories he enjoyed telling, especially how he conned Judy Garland into doing “Meet Me in St. Louis” by reading her the script and throwing away all of Margaret O’Brien’s lines.
I talked to Irv for my book on Louis B. Mayer, and even though he had vague thoughts of writing his own book, he gave his memories generously. In fact, the only thing he held back was the cause of his rupture with Arthur Freed. (He later told me what happened, but he also finally broke down and collaborated on a memoir, which comes out in a few months. You can read all about it there.)
Since that initial interview six or seven years ago, Irv and I talked a lot. He was enormously interested in my work, and our bond was cemented by the fact that he was also close to Robert Wagner, who he had directed in “Sail a Crooked Ship.” In fact, Irv attended the publication party in Los Angeles for “Pieces of My Heart” just two months ago.
Irv’s eyesight had failed six or eight years ago - his wife had to read him my books - but that didn’t keep him down. He worked up a stand-up routine he’d do around LA, at places like Hillcrest country club.
He was compulsively funny, great company, a dyed-in-the-wool FDR liberal and one of the last survivors of his era - he went out to LA in 1938!
Irv died yesterday at the age of 94. It’s probably not entirely rational to be surprised, let alone depressed, about the death of a 94 year old man, but I’ve been terribly blue ever since the news came over the wire.
I’ll miss his phone calls, and that gravelly tummler’s voice on the other end of the line.
I’ll miss his stories, too.
But mostly, I’ll miss Irv.
By Scott Eyman
Milan, Magritte and nature
(ANSA) - Milan, November 18 - Surrealist master Rene' Magritte's lifelong dalliance with nature is spotlighted in a major new exhibition in Milan.The show, opening in Palazzo Reale on November 22, will encompass around 100 paintings featuring Magritte's signature apples, blue skies and birds.Drawing liberally on the extensive collection stored in Belgium's Musees Royaux des Beaux Arts, the exhibition will host a string of Magritte's best-known works from the 1950s onwards. Le Tombeau des Lutteurs (1960) shows a bizarrely oversized rose, the bloom just squeezing into an otherwise empty room, while his 1961 Souvenir de Voyage is one of a series of works depicting a masked apple.L'Heureux Donateur from 1966 shows the transparent outline of a bowler-hatted man through which can be seen a nocturnal country landscape and an illuminated building. Le Bouquet Tout Fait (1956) shows the back of the bowler-hatted man overlooking a golden autumnal wood. The flower-bedecked figure of Flora, from Sandro Botticelli's masterpiece Primavera, overlays the man's back. L'Empire des Lumieres is considered one of Magritte's greatest achievements by many art historians. Produced in 1961, it depicts a realistic daytime sky overlooking a tree-surrounded house at night. The odd contrast between day and night is typical of Magritte's preference for realistic objects in odd settings, unlike other surrealist artists, who twisted the objects themselves. In addition to his famous paintings, the exhibition will also explore the role of nature in Magritte's lesser-known earliest pieces, when he toyed with futurist ideas, as well as forgotten works from the inter-war period. La Clef des Champs (1936) at first glance appears to show a shattered window looking out over trees but the shards of glass falling from the window contain reflections of the trees. ''Nature is omnipresent in Magritte's artistic voyage,'' commented the show's curator Michel Draguet.''On the one hand it provides a myriad of themes, which the artist explores and combines at will, while on the other it is a framework for everything, a container that shapes every form of understanding''.The exhibition, which runs until March 29, is one of Italy's largest ever Magritte events.
Mukasey Collapses During Address in Washington; Hospitalized Overnight
By Carrie Johnson and Clarence Williams
Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey collapsed last evening while delivering a speech to a prominent legal group and was rushed to George Washington University Hospital
Mukasey remained at the hospital overnight for observation but a Justice Department spokesman said Mukasey had strong vital signs and was "in good spirits" after the incident, which occurred at an annual Federalist Society gathering. A person who attended the dinner said Mukasey was visibly shaking and perhaps slurring his words before he fell to the floor.
Video footage showed a tuxedo-clad Mukasey, 67, staggering behind a lectern as FBI agents in his security detail raced to his side.
D.C. fire and emergency services personnel were called to the Marriott Wardman Park hotel in the 2600 block of Woodley Road NW for a report of a man who had fainted in the main ballroom. Rescuers found a man suffering from a fainting spell, said Alan Etter, a D.C. fire department spokesman. Another source said the medics worked on Mukasey for about 10 minutes before taking him out of the ballroom on a gurney.
Etter declined to identify the man, citing privacy laws. The patient was conscious, had no trouble breathing and was able to speak with rescue personnel, Etter said.
A man other sources identified as Mukasey was taken to the hospital as a priority one patient as a precaution but apparently had a "general illness" that was not thought to be life-threatening, Etter said.
A second man, 29, from the audience was also taken to a hospital for observation after reporting that he was upset by the fainting spell, officials said. The two episodes prompted authorities to take hazardous material tests for potential dangers, but officials found no sign of harmful chemicals at the hotel.
A lawyer from New York at the black-tie dinner said Mukasey's speech became noticeably slower, and it appeared at first that he might be choking up.
"He was clearly struggling. Then his face went limp, he started shaking as if he were having a seizure, and then he fell back," said the lawyer, who was sitting 50 yards from the stage.
if ( show_doubleclick_ad && ( adTemplate & INLINE_ARTICLE_AD ) == INLINE_ARTICLE_AD && inlineAdGraf )
{
placeAd('ARTICLE',commercialNode,20,'inline=y;',true) ;
}
') ;
}
// -->
His security detail immediately ordered all the lights in the room to be dimmed and told guests not to leave the room. It took paramedics at least 15 minutes to arrive, a witness said, during which time the room was virtually silent. After Mukasey was taken out on a stretcher, someone asked that everyone say a prayer for him before the gathering dispersed.
Former Indiana representative David McIntosh (R) led the group in prayer after the incident.
Justice Department officials including Deputy Attorney General Mark Filip gathered at the hospital. In a formal statement released near midnight, department spokesman Peter Carr said: "The Attorney General is conscious, conversant and alert. He is receiving excellent care and appreciates all of the good wishes and prayers he has received. The doctors will keep him overnight for further observations."
Mukasey has served as the nation's chief law enforcement official since last winter. He is a retired federal judge from New York who accepted the taxing job because of his interest in counterterrorism and national security, a topic his remarks last evening addressed.
Staff writers Anita Kumar, Paul Kane and Lois Romano contributed to this report.
Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey collapsed last evening while delivering a speech to a prominent legal group and was rushed to George Washington University Hospital
Mukasey remained at the hospital overnight for observation but a Justice Department spokesman said Mukasey had strong vital signs and was "in good spirits" after the incident, which occurred at an annual Federalist Society gathering. A person who attended the dinner said Mukasey was visibly shaking and perhaps slurring his words before he fell to the floor.
Video footage showed a tuxedo-clad Mukasey, 67, staggering behind a lectern as FBI agents in his security detail raced to his side.
D.C. fire and emergency services personnel were called to the Marriott Wardman Park hotel in the 2600 block of Woodley Road NW for a report of a man who had fainted in the main ballroom. Rescuers found a man suffering from a fainting spell, said Alan Etter, a D.C. fire department spokesman. Another source said the medics worked on Mukasey for about 10 minutes before taking him out of the ballroom on a gurney.
Etter declined to identify the man, citing privacy laws. The patient was conscious, had no trouble breathing and was able to speak with rescue personnel, Etter said.
A man other sources identified as Mukasey was taken to the hospital as a priority one patient as a precaution but apparently had a "general illness" that was not thought to be life-threatening, Etter said.
A second man, 29, from the audience was also taken to a hospital for observation after reporting that he was upset by the fainting spell, officials said. The two episodes prompted authorities to take hazardous material tests for potential dangers, but officials found no sign of harmful chemicals at the hotel.
A lawyer from New York at the black-tie dinner said Mukasey's speech became noticeably slower, and it appeared at first that he might be choking up.
"He was clearly struggling. Then his face went limp, he started shaking as if he were having a seizure, and then he fell back," said the lawyer, who was sitting 50 yards from the stage.
if ( show_doubleclick_ad && ( adTemplate & INLINE_ARTICLE_AD ) == INLINE_ARTICLE_AD && inlineAdGraf )
{
placeAd('ARTICLE',commercialNode,20,'inline=y;',true) ;
}
') ;
}
// -->
His security detail immediately ordered all the lights in the room to be dimmed and told guests not to leave the room. It took paramedics at least 15 minutes to arrive, a witness said, during which time the room was virtually silent. After Mukasey was taken out on a stretcher, someone asked that everyone say a prayer for him before the gathering dispersed.
Former Indiana representative David McIntosh (R) led the group in prayer after the incident.
Justice Department officials including Deputy Attorney General Mark Filip gathered at the hospital. In a formal statement released near midnight, department spokesman Peter Carr said: "The Attorney General is conscious, conversant and alert. He is receiving excellent care and appreciates all of the good wishes and prayers he has received. The doctors will keep him overnight for further observations."
Mukasey has served as the nation's chief law enforcement official since last winter. He is a retired federal judge from New York who accepted the taxing job because of his interest in counterterrorism and national security, a topic his remarks last evening addressed.
Staff writers Anita Kumar, Paul Kane and Lois Romano contributed to this report.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
VETERANS DAY 2008: ‘Through some bad stuff’
By John D. Cantwell
For the Journal-Constitution
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
An Atlanta doctor remembers his World War I veteran father, wishes he had asked more questions and wonders how he might have fared in the same situation. Letters from the farm teenager who returned home a more serious man said, ‘at the present writing, the armistice is in effect. I bet they’re having some celebrations.’ It did not turn out to be the war to end all wars.
“All wars end up being reduced to statistics, strategies, debates about their origins and results. These debates about war are important, but not more important than the human story of those who fought in them.”
—- Martin Gilbert, “The First World War”
For me, the human story of World War I is preserved in a packet of letters my grandmother gave me before she died, letters my father wrote home from the battlefields of France.
Dad was just 18 years old, fresh off the football fields of his high school days, when he enlisted in the army. As an adult, he never talked much about his war experiences, and I was not mature enough to ask him about them in greater detail. Perhaps he would not have said much even if I had asked, as men of that era tended to put memories of war experiences in the recesses of their minds.
In re-reading his letters, I see a deep feeling of patriotism, a certain bravado that young people are blessed with, a sense of fatalism and a longing for things and people near and dear to him. He expressed concern for his horse, cat and chickens, and hoped that they were being cared for well.
Yet service to his country also changed some of his priorities. Once crazy about baseball and big league ball players, he wrote that he no longer gave a “whoop for the game and the players either.”
“It makes me sore to hear of their playing the World Series when they ought to be over here fighting,” he wrote. Babe Ruth was pitching for the Boston Red Sox against the Chicago Cubs that year of 1918.
Dad faced death even before he set foot on European soil. The Tuscania, his troop ship, was torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat on Feb. 5, 1918, en route to the front. Over 200 soldiers drowned. Fortunately, my father survived by leaping onto a destroyer that had pulled up alongside the sinking vessel.
The Tuscania was the only American troop ship torpedoed and sunk en route to battle, out of all the ships that transported some two million soldiers to France.
Once there, he faced tough battles at Chateau-Thierry, where the Germans’ thrust toward Paris was halted, and finally the Meuse-Argonne offensive, which helped end the fighting when the Germans were subdued.
One of his close friends, Eli Elefson, was killed by machine gun fire near Soissons. They played football together in high school.
Sometimes, I wonder what lessons we learned from World War I. It certainly showed us how costly wars are, and how poorly thought out our alliances can be. I agree with Adam Gopnik, who wrote in The New Yorker that “the blind mechanism of arms and alliances trumped common sense.”
The assassination of Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austrian-Hapsburg Empire, led one country after another into a war that eventually cost nine million lives. Forty-eight thousand American soldiers were killed; 25 lived in the vicinity of Shawano, Wis., the small town northwest of Green Bay where Dad and my family were from.
World War I was to have been “the war to end all wars.” Yet less than 25 years after it ended, many of the same countries were in combat again in World War II, with the loss of nearly 300,000 additional American lives.
If the lesson from World War I was for countries to not rush into a fight, the lesson of World War II was “never to back down from a bully … [that] selling out small nations only encourages the tyrant,” to quote Gopnik again.
On Nov. 11, 1918, Dad jotted this note to his brother Roger:
“Well, old Boy, the war is over and the Hun are beaten. I figured they would give in and at the present writing the armistice is in effect … I’ll bet the States are putting on some celebrations and I sure would like to be there. But with good luck, we will figure in on a few good times of our own. … I am okay, and have gone through some bad stuff.”
I keep Dad’s helmet in my office. Occasionally I will put it on and try to imagine all the experiences he had, in his late teens, and wonder how I might have held up under similar circumstances.
Mostly, I remember a loving father, a hard-working and dedicated physician and a boy who came of age in battle.
For the rest of his life, he was content to enjoy the pleasures of his family and friends, his farm and horses and the other joys that a small Wisconsin town provided.
> Dr. John D. Cantwell, a physician, lives in Atlanta
For the Journal-Constitution
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
An Atlanta doctor remembers his World War I veteran father, wishes he had asked more questions and wonders how he might have fared in the same situation. Letters from the farm teenager who returned home a more serious man said, ‘at the present writing, the armistice is in effect. I bet they’re having some celebrations.’ It did not turn out to be the war to end all wars.
“All wars end up being reduced to statistics, strategies, debates about their origins and results. These debates about war are important, but not more important than the human story of those who fought in them.”
—- Martin Gilbert, “The First World War”
For me, the human story of World War I is preserved in a packet of letters my grandmother gave me before she died, letters my father wrote home from the battlefields of France.
Dad was just 18 years old, fresh off the football fields of his high school days, when he enlisted in the army. As an adult, he never talked much about his war experiences, and I was not mature enough to ask him about them in greater detail. Perhaps he would not have said much even if I had asked, as men of that era tended to put memories of war experiences in the recesses of their minds.
In re-reading his letters, I see a deep feeling of patriotism, a certain bravado that young people are blessed with, a sense of fatalism and a longing for things and people near and dear to him. He expressed concern for his horse, cat and chickens, and hoped that they were being cared for well.
Yet service to his country also changed some of his priorities. Once crazy about baseball and big league ball players, he wrote that he no longer gave a “whoop for the game and the players either.”
“It makes me sore to hear of their playing the World Series when they ought to be over here fighting,” he wrote. Babe Ruth was pitching for the Boston Red Sox against the Chicago Cubs that year of 1918.
Dad faced death even before he set foot on European soil. The Tuscania, his troop ship, was torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat on Feb. 5, 1918, en route to the front. Over 200 soldiers drowned. Fortunately, my father survived by leaping onto a destroyer that had pulled up alongside the sinking vessel.
The Tuscania was the only American troop ship torpedoed and sunk en route to battle, out of all the ships that transported some two million soldiers to France.
Once there, he faced tough battles at Chateau-Thierry, where the Germans’ thrust toward Paris was halted, and finally the Meuse-Argonne offensive, which helped end the fighting when the Germans were subdued.
One of his close friends, Eli Elefson, was killed by machine gun fire near Soissons. They played football together in high school.
Sometimes, I wonder what lessons we learned from World War I. It certainly showed us how costly wars are, and how poorly thought out our alliances can be. I agree with Adam Gopnik, who wrote in The New Yorker that “the blind mechanism of arms and alliances trumped common sense.”
The assassination of Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austrian-Hapsburg Empire, led one country after another into a war that eventually cost nine million lives. Forty-eight thousand American soldiers were killed; 25 lived in the vicinity of Shawano, Wis., the small town northwest of Green Bay where Dad and my family were from.
World War I was to have been “the war to end all wars.” Yet less than 25 years after it ended, many of the same countries were in combat again in World War II, with the loss of nearly 300,000 additional American lives.
If the lesson from World War I was for countries to not rush into a fight, the lesson of World War II was “never to back down from a bully … [that] selling out small nations only encourages the tyrant,” to quote Gopnik again.
On Nov. 11, 1918, Dad jotted this note to his brother Roger:
“Well, old Boy, the war is over and the Hun are beaten. I figured they would give in and at the present writing the armistice is in effect … I’ll bet the States are putting on some celebrations and I sure would like to be there. But with good luck, we will figure in on a few good times of our own. … I am okay, and have gone through some bad stuff.”
I keep Dad’s helmet in my office. Occasionally I will put it on and try to imagine all the experiences he had, in his late teens, and wonder how I might have held up under similar circumstances.
Mostly, I remember a loving father, a hard-working and dedicated physician and a boy who came of age in battle.
For the rest of his life, he was content to enjoy the pleasures of his family and friends, his farm and horses and the other joys that a small Wisconsin town provided.
> Dr. John D. Cantwell, a physician, lives in Atlanta
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
