Andy Phillips

Andy Phillips is considered one of the nicest family men in all of baseball by other writers and his peers. So why has an adult actress filed a police report against him? Andy Phillips has been accused by a porn star (Demi Delia) of impersonating a crowd of sports figures in order to get with her. Apparently, Phillips has taken on the guises of fellow baseballers Gregg Dobbs and Carl Pavano, agent Jordan Kapler, and wrestler John Cena.

Thing is, the story doesn't make much sense. It doesn't exactly fit with the former Yankee's family-oriented churchgoing lifestyle, and he seems to have an alibi. According to his agent, Phillips wasn't even in Manhattan the night Delia said he was. There have been a slew of athlete impersonation stories, from the recently sentenced Joba Chamberlain impersonator, to the cross-dressing guy claiming to be John Maine who stalked women at nightclubs, and it appears Phillips may be a victim of a similar crime.

Which means... someone was impersonating Andy Phillips. And all those other people, too. Yes, in order to get with a porn star, someone decided to impersonate a journeyman infielder with a batting average under .250, and needed to further back up this persona by also impersonating an oft-injured douchebag who (according to ex-girlfriend Alyssa Milano, below) has a small peepee.

Liz Smith

Liz Smith has been given her walking papers by the New York Post, Smith and the paper confirmed. While no reason was given, New York Post Editor Col Allan said in a statement Tuesday, "The Post is grateful to have been able to publish Liz Smith's legendary column for so many years. We wish her the very best for the future." In an interview with CNN affiliate WABC-TV in New York, Smith noted that Friday "will be the first time in 33 years that there hasn't been a Liz Smith column in a New York paper."

"That hurts my heart. I would hate to see another newspaper fail. ... When I came to New York, there were nine newspapers. I've worked for seven of them. They just disappear out from under you," Often referred to as the "Diva of Dish," the 86-year-old Smith has been a presence in New York tabloids for more than three decades. She has written for the New York Post, New York Daily News and Newsday.

Smith was also a fixture on local television, appearing on WNBC-TV for more than 10 years. In 2000, she published a memoir, "Natural Blonde," and wrote a nonfiction work in 2005 combining food and gossip, "Dishing." Though her titillating and often penetrating look at the New York social scene may be gone from tabloid pages, Smith will continue to publish, writing five times a week for wowOwow.com, an online community created and run by women for women.

national pancake day

It's National Pancake Day, and IHOP has teamed up with the Children's Miracle Network to raise money.Along with the free pancakes, guests were invited to make a donation that benefits CMN programs at Faxton-St. Luke's Healthcare.Organizers say what better way to help out others than with free food!

"They love to come into IHOP on National Pancake Day," said Michele Adams, CMN Coordinator. "Enjoy a free short stack of pancakes and at the same time, they're benefiting the programs equipment and services at Faxton-St. Luke's Healthcare."

Today (February 24) is National Pancake Day, and that means you can get free pancakes at any IHOP (International House of Pancakes) restaurant.The free pancakes are available until 10 p.m. in your local timezone tonight. It’s not all-you-can-eat, but you will get a free short stack, which contains three buttermilk pancakes. All you have to do is ask.

Paczki

The Paczki Express Bakery Bus Tour was Saturday. This morning, a band called the Polish Muslims will sing odes to paczki in a Hamtramck bar.By the end of today, Paczki Day, it will seem like everyone in southeastern Michigan will have eaten one, or four, of the saintly orbs. But paczki (pronounced POONCH-key) are no ordinary Polish pastries.

"I love them, probably too much," said Sue Everitt, 48, of Warren, after buying a dozen from New Palace Bakery in Hamtramck. "Hopefully my friends will eat them before I do." In Poland, Catholics made the doughnuts as they emptied their cupboards of lard, eggs and fruit before the start of Lent, a 40-day period of fasting before Easter.

Lisa Lavoie

The boy's mother contacted the school on Feb. 13, saying she was concerned about the relationship her son had with Lavoie, a first-year teacher. Authorities were unable to question the first-year teacher because she had left for the day as the school went on a one-week break. The boy's parents reported him missing Feb. 16.Police found a missing 15-year-old Holyoke boy late last night in hotel room in Morgantown, W. Va., with his eighth-grade teacher.

The boy, a student at Maurice Donahue Elementary School, "was found to be OK," said Holyoke Police Chief Anthony R. Scott. The teacher Lisa Lavoie, 24, was taken into custody by local police and will be charged with enticement of a child, which is a felony, Scott said.

new american tea party

The kettle's whistling. Tea Parties are popping up all over the country. People are flocking to these sites which have cropped up practically overnight in search of information about rallies, demonstrations and Tea Parties in their cities.Responding to Santelli's passionate comments, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs suggested Santelli drink a cup of decaf coffee. We prefer tea. Michelle Malkin's round-up about the growing Tea Party movement was the lead story over the weekend at her blogsite.

Forty-two lawsuits have been filed demanding that Barack Obama produce his vault certificate of birth and prove he's a natural born citizen as required by the Constitution. The tipping point may have been reached to achieve legal critical mass when four Tennessee legislators signed on as plaintiffs in a new lawsuit forcing Obama to prove his U.S. citizenship. It is what I've been talking about that was coming for a very long time and that is disenfranchisement which will turn into anger and then turn into God knows what," Glenn Beck said Friday on his radio program about CNBC'S Rick Santelli's passionate comments made Thursday from the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.

Mini Bike Ban

Mini Bike Ban - Thanks to the new federal law that went into effect last week, many mini bikes and ATVs have been removed from sales floors. The mini bike ban that includes ATVs as well is a result of the new law passed that limits the amount of lead contained in products aimed at children 12 and under.

The new MiniBike Ban has consumers and lawmakers in an uproar for obvious reasons. The Star Tribune reported: “Last year, more than 100,000 of the youth-oriented vehicles were sold. Industry experts estimate that 13,000 dealers nationwide might be stuck holding $100 million in inventory because the vehicles contain lead levels greater than allowed under the law.”

Is a mini bike ban necessary to keep children from ingesting lead? Certainly a young child could eat paint on many toys, but is a child going to chew on tire stems and battery terminals on their ATV or mini bike? This coming at a time when retailers nationwide are reeling from the economic downturn and many are suffering from store closings or outright bankruptcy.

Sabrina Pina

Sabrina Pina’s loved ones grasped a sliver of hope on Sunday as they waited for the medical examiner to determine whether a body found in a northwest Harris County ditch is that of the 27-year-old who vanished while shopping this weekend. The Houston woman disappeared Saturday afternoon from a Kohl’s a few miles from her Spring home. Her parents found her pickup, filled with shopping bags, in the parking lot several hours later.

Early Sunday morning, the body of a woman was discovered about a 20-minute drive from the shopping center. Sheriff’s deputies spoke with some of Pina’s relatives at her home Sunday night after dusting her truck for fingerprints. Her husband and parents met with homicide detectives downtown. “I don’t know what to think,” said Jeffrey Armenta, one of Pina’s best friends, after speaking with deputies. “It was the middle of the day. She was four miles from home.”

Pina is the second woman to disappear from a Houston suburb in recent weeks. Police are still searching for 37-year-old Susana De Jesus, who was kidnapped three weeks ago in the parking lot of a Pearland women’s clothing store where she worked. Family members said authorities confirmed Sunday that the body discovered in the ditch doesn’t belong to De Jesus. Pina was running errands Saturday afternoon when she last spoke to her husband: She called him from Home Depot around noon to ask what kind of garbage disposal to buy. The new disposal remained in the back of her truck on Sunday.

Timothy Dolan

Timothy Dolan was named this morning the future head of the Archdiocese of New York. Dolan will replace Cardinal Edward M. Egan, who served for nine years. It is the first time in the 200-year history of the bishopric that a prelate has been replaced before his death. Last year New York looked at the top six candidates to replace Egan, and even at that time Dolan topped the list. He was popular in Milwaukee, choosing to marshal his troops using persuasion and gregariousness rather than censure and imperiousness.

From what we read this morning, it seems like Dolan's a good match for New York, and will be more accessible than the sometimes imperious Egan. Still, we can't help but wonder when we'll next have a non–Irish Catholic leader presiding from St. Patrick's. Roughly one-third of Catholics in the archdiocese are Spanish-speaking — and Dolan's mastery of the language ends at "hola" and "como estas.

Timothy Dolan, widely seen as an affable and media-friendly priest, succeeds 76-year-old Cardinal Edward Egan, who is retiring after nearly nine years in the job. Well known in Vatican circles, the St. Louis native was long considered a front-runner for Egan's post. He is a former rector of the Pontifical North American College in Rome, an elite seminary which counts prominent U.S. Church leaders, including Egan, among its alumni.

Oscar winners

Oscar winners in our list below and catch the highlights of the Oscars show on Monday 23rd February at 10pm on Sky1 and Sky1HD. Sean Penn was named best actor for his part in Milk, and Heath Ledger was awarded a posthumous Oscar for his role in The Dark Knight, collected by his family on his behalf. Elsewhere, it's been a fantastic night for British film Slumdog Millionaire, which bagged eight gongs, including best director for Danny Boyle, and best film.

Winners in the other top categories were equally predictable, including best actor Sean Penn for his moving turn as Harvey Milk in "Milk," best actress Kate Winslet as a Nazi concentration camp guard in "The Reader" and supporting actor Heath Ledger, who won posthumously for his maniacal performance as the Joker in the "The Dark Knight." Penelope Cruz won in the tight supporting-actress category for her fiery role in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona."

Previous winners introduced this year's nominees — Sophia Loren, Shirley MacLaine, Marion Cotillard, Nicole Kidman and Halle Berry, for example, shared the stage to sing the praises of the women up for best actress — and Winslet got hugs and kisses from them all as she joined their sorority. Tina Fey and Steve Martin, meanwhile, had some teasing exchanges as they announced the nominees for original and adapted screenplay.

Dan Zapp

Dan Zapp and Danielle Keener MacGuire were 18 on Jan 8, 2000, when they were kidnapped by William Babner. MacGuire and Zapp were walking along Susquehanna River in Goldsboro when they were abducted. MacGuire and Zapp’s story was made into a film called “River’s Edge”. William Babner packed the teens in his car and drove some miles down Susquehanna River. Babner raped MacGuire several times.

Susquehanna had a current then, which swept MacGuire and Zapp down where 3 men found them and rescued them. Police found Babner and arrested him. Babner was convicted. In Aug 2000, Babner was sentenced to 117 – 235 years in prison. It felt like we were driving forever. It felt like an eternity. At this point, this guy was just ranting and raving. He was just acting crazy. Completely crazy.

College students Danielle Keener and Dan Zapp were out on a peaceful date, unaware at first that they are being stalked. They are suddenly kidnapped at gunpoint and forced into a truck. The gunman brutalizes Danielle and pushes the teens to the edge of a river, shooting them both in the face. The gunman thinks he’s gotten rid of his witnesses… but he’s wrong.

Ken Krayeske

Ken Krayeske on Saturday over his salary of more than $1 million annually and his ranking as one of the highest-paid state employees. Calhoun is paid even more than his supervisors - UConn president Michael Hogan and athletic director Jeff Hathaway - according to statistics from the state comptroller's office.

The heated exchange, which occurred after UConn won a game Saturday at the former Hartford Civic Center, ended up being featured on ESPN and on You Tube. Krayeske brought up Calhoun's salary in light of the ever-growing state budget deficit, which has prompted Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell to ask the state-employee unions for concessions and givebacks.

"Not a dime back,'' Calhoun said to Krayeske, regarding his salary. As the exchange continued and Krayeske asked about Calhoun's commercial deal with Comcast cable television, Calhoun said, "You're not really that stupid, are you? ... My best advice to you: shut up.'' "Quite frankly, we bring in $12 million to the university, nothing to do with state funds," Calhoun shouted. "We make $12 million a year for this university.

Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C at the Shadow Lane clinic. Six of those cases, including Martin’s, are believed to have been contracted on Sept. 21, 2007. A total nine cases have been linked to two clinics and health officials have listed an additional 105 cases as “possibly related.” Some nurse anesthetists and other staff of the now-closed facility have told health officials that they were instructed to reuse syringes and medication vials when administering sedation to patients during a nearly four-year span.

Assembly Bill 10, if passed, would prohibit retaliation or discrimination against registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and nursing assistants who report information relating to the safety of patients to regulatory agencies. Assembly Bill 206, also discussed today, gives the Nevada State Health Division the power to immediately issue a cease and desist order on a facility where patient safety is in question until after an investigation.

The bill would require these physician offices to undergo annual inspections and obtain a permit to provide sedation, which would cost thousands of dollars depending on the number of procedures that occur at the office. Senate Bill 70 has similar aims. The bill also gives the health division the power to take control of all medical records at a facility believed to be a danger to patients.

Caroline Stitcher

Caroline Stitcher, who is a 17 years old teenage girl missing. Per the directive of the Deerfield and the Highland Park Police Departments, we are seeking volunteers to serve as members of a search party. Our objective is to look for Caroline Stitcher, the missing 17 year old student last seen leaving Deerfield High School on Friday, February 20 at 3:15 PM. Caroline is described as a white female, 5’3”, 114 lbs., blond hair, blue eyes.

The police departments request that all volunteers meet in the Deerfield High School auditorium to hear direction from their officers coordinating the search. The meeting time is set for 1:30 P.M. It will be necessary that any volunteers dress appropriately for the weather and be prepared to walk the high school campus and surrounding neighborhoods. Carrying a cell phone is necessary. Contact the following police departments to report any information.

The Deerfield Police Department is seeking the assistance of the public in attempting to locate 17 year old Caroline E. Stitcher of Highland Park, IL. Caroline was last seen leaving Deerfield High School, 1959 Waukegan Rd, at approximately 3:15PM on Friday, Feb. 20. She was wearing a red sweatshirt, red shorts, black jogging tights, and running shoes. Described as F/W, 5'3", 117 lbs, blond hair, blue eyes, wearing her hair in a pony trail. Caroline frequently runs in the area of the Churchill subdivision (Route 22 and Ridge Rd.=) in Highland Park.

Aisha Tyler

Aisha Tyler takes a stand in the Network Television Premiere of "Aisha Tyler is Lit: Live at the Fillmore" debuting on Comedy Central tonight, Saturday, February 21 at 11:00 p.m. Tyler stars in her stand-up special, live from the Fillmore Theater in her hometown of San Francisco. She tackles such important topics as staying in shape, married life, honesty, and her drinking habits. Don't take her for granted just because she's pretty – she will cut you.

Tyler got her start as a stand-up comic and has brought her trademark wit to multiple appearances on “The Tonight Show,” “Late Night with David Letterman,” “The Today Show,” “Politically Incorrect,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” “The Late Late Show” and more. Tyler will tour throughout 2009 to support the DVD, which will be available in stores and for digital download on February 24, 2009.

“Aisha Tyler is Lit: Live at the Fillmore.” is a special that is drawing rave early reviews. Her comedic voice is edgy, honest and wonderfully refreshing, and a look at her audience reveals her broad appeal: she draws women and men, mainstreamers and urbanites and the young and old alike. Comic Aisha Tyler takes a stand in the Network Television Premiere of "Aisha Tyler is Lit.

Chance Phelps

Chance Phelps was 19-years-old when he was killed in combat operations just outside of Baghdad, Iraq on April 9, 2004. Lt. Col. Michael Strobl volunteered to escort PFC Phelps home to their common hometown, Dubois, Wyoming. An HBO movie has been made of Lt. Col. Strobl’s account of his experience, Taking Chance. Read the full text of Strobl’s article below, see photos and a video of the Taking Chance movie trailer.

It is with a mixture of pride and sorrow that I’ve read the story of PFC Chance Phelps. Sadness because of a life cut tragically short. Pride for a life well lived, the American spirit this young man represents and the legacy he left behind. All of the feelings are felt through tears as I read the story of his homecoming below.

Private First Class Chance Phelps was just 19-years-old when he was killed in combat in just west of Baghdad, Iraq. I believe it is the same area of Iraq my son was in for 15 horrible months. He killed by a gunshot wound on April 9, 2004. He was assigned to 3Bn, 11th Marines, an artillery unit functioning as a provisional infantry battalion during Operation Iraqi Freedom 2 in support of the Global War on Terrorism.

Kelly Pavlik

Boxer Kelly Pavlik has his arm raised in victory by referee Frank Garza, right, after challenger Marco Antonio Rubo, of Mexico, failed to come out for the 10th round of a WBC/WBO World Middleweight Championship fight on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009 at Chevrolet Centre in Youngstown, Ohio. "There's no place like home," Pavlik said in the ring afterward. "What a way to bounce back in front of my hometown."

World middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik defeated Marco Antonio Rubio Saturday night with an easy, one-sided TKO victory in his home town of Youngstown, Ohio. Pavlik, who was fighting for the first time since his lopsided loss to Bernard Hopkins in October, had no trouble controlling the pace of the fight, using his jab and his straight right hand to back Rubio away at will. Rubio mounted almost no offense at all for much of the fight, and finally, after Pavlik battered him for nine rounds, Rubio didn't answer the bell for the 10th.

Still, for as one-sided a fight as it was, it wasn't a great performance from Pavlik. He never sent Rubio to the canvas and often looked hesitant. The way Rubio fought tonight, it's hard to see why a champion like Pavlik needed nine rounds to finish him off. Pavlik, who improved his record to 35-1, retained his Ring Magazine, WBO and WBC middleweight titles. Rubio fell to 43-5-1.

John Duddy

John Duddy (26-0) kept his perfect record intact when he banged out a unanimous 12-round decision against Matt Vanda (39-9) in a middleweight bout that highlighted the Garden undercard. Although Duddy, from Derry, Ireland, owns 17 knockouts, he was forced to go the distance for the sixth time in the last seven bouts. Vanda, who hails from St. Paul, lost for the fourth time in his last six contests.

Duddy was by far the more active of the two combatants, landing 254 of the 703 punches he threw (36 percent) to 190 of 474 (40 percent) for his opponent. Duddy kept the hard-hitting Vanda at a distance by averaging 45 jabs per round. Vanda came on to dominate the last round but never had the defensive-minded Duddy in any serious trouble in his desperation for a knockout. "He didn't do anything until then, so he had to do something," Duddy said. "He kicked the wee out of me a little bit, but I'm still standing."

Irish-born New Yorker John Duddy (26-0) handled Minnesotan Matt Vanda (39-9) in a middleweight tussle. Decent round one for both guys. Vanda pumped a jab, and dug in a couple hooks. Duddy feinted, and parried, and jabbed more than we’d seen before. Work with Pat Burns looked like it paid off. He didn’t wait for a receipt so much either, in the second. Duddy fought smart in the middle rounds. The action wasn’t so scintillating for the fans, who thought this one would be a tradefest. Duddy isn’t so wide with his shots under Burns, that’s another difference we saw at MSG.

Rihanna facial injuries

Rihanna facial injuries that was allegedly taken at the crime scene leaked onto TMZ. The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the picture’s release, which angered Rihanna’s father, Ronald Fenty, as well as LAPD investigators, who called “the unauthorized release” of the image “serious misconduct.”

Twelve days after being involved in an altercation with boyfriend Chris Brown that reportedly left her with “horrific” injuries, Rihanna broke her silence and issued a statement through her representatives, People reports. “At the request of the authorities, Rihanna is not commenting about the incident involving Chris Brown,” reads the statement.

Prior to today’s statement, Rihanna’s publicist had only told reporters, “Rihanna is well. Thank you for concern and support.” That comment came on Grammy night, as artists and the press learned the “Disturbia” singer and Brown had both pulled out of the Awards at the last minute; their dispute occurred in the early-morning hours following Clive Davis’ annual Grammy party at the Beverly Hilton, where the pair were photographed together track the pair’s appearances on Grammy Weekend here.

Ann Copland

Ann Copland, took gifts from Mr. Abramoff and other lobbyists, including thousands of dollars in meals and tickets to events. Prosecutors say the gifts were in exchange for her help getting favors for a top Abramoff client, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. Ms. Copland left Mr. Cochran’s office last spring. FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) George Mason University's homecoming queen is a guy. Students chose Ryan Allen over two women for the title.

A former aide to Mississippi Sen. Thad Cochran has been charged in the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal. Prosecutors say Ann Copland accepted thousands of dollars worth of tickets and meals in exchange for her help getting favors for a top Abramoff client. The monthly statements showing stock trades Madoff made for them were fakes. So far, $950 million in assets have been recovered, but claims are likely to total in the billions.

Federal water managers say they plan to cut off water to thousands of California farms as a result of a deepening drought. Officials blame low reservoirs and patchy rainfall for the decision to stop water deliveries for at least a two-weeks beginning March 1. The White House is dousing fears that the government will nationalize crippled banks. Press secretary Robert Gibbs says the Obama administration strongly believes "that a privately held banking system is the correct way to go."

Battle of Aiken

Battle of Aiken kicked off Friday with 3,000 school children slated to watch almost 1,000 Confederate and Union re-enactors portray the 1865 Civil War battle. That battle saw Confederate forces defeat a Union cavalry feint on Aiken and Graniteville before the Union troops turned on Columbia, capturing the state capitol, just months before the Confederacy collapsed.

That battle saw Confederate forces defeat a Union cavalry feint on Aiken and Graniteville before the Union troops turned on Columbia, capturing the state capitol, just months before the Confederacy collapsed. The re-creation — with more than $1 million in uniforms, tents, cavalry charges and equipment, including 15 dueling cannons — continues today and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. off Interstate 20 in Aiken. "It's interesting how he was cutting bones with that knife," said Dylan, who has aspirations of becoming a doctor himself some day. "That's pretty neat."

Dylan Hunt, an East Aiken Elementary School fourth-grader, took a keen interest in the mannequin that Ebersole used to discuss amputations that were necessary all too often following battles. The formal Battle of Aiken re-enactment is scheduled today and Sunday, with the gates opening at 9 a.m. Events during the day include Confederate camp tours, lectures and programs and cannon fire demonstrations. Part one of the Battle of Aiken is scheduled today at 2:30 p.m., with part two slated at the same time Sunday.

Socks Clinton

Socks Clinton, Leader of the Feline Free World from 1992-2000 (b. 1989 - 2009) was euthanized after months of battling cancer. Socks was a stray adopted by Chelsea Clinton when her father, President Bill Clinton was serving as Governor of Arkansas, and later came to the White House in 1992 as the First Cat. Since leaving the White House, Socks has lived with Betty Currie, the former president's secretary, and has enjoyed a luxurious retirement. May Socks accomplish his True Will.

Word tonight that Socks Clinton, the one-time Arkansas stray adopted by the Clintons who rose to international prominence and literary fame as sole feline inhabitant of the White House, died today. Throat cancer and a euthanasia shot were given as the cause. The cat who lived a Horatio Alger life was believed to be about 20. Upon leaving the executive residence in Washington, the Clinton family gave the cat to the president's secretary, Betty Currie, who had recently lost her own pet.

Socks relinquished the public spotlight in 2001 due to term limits and spent his retirement living in Maryland where he expected regular home cooking and was particularly fond of chicken. Socks had become attached to Currie during his White House terms, residing most hours on a blue striped chair next to her desk outside the Oval Office, which he allowed the president to use. Though reticent in public, Socks was known as an affectionate creature, even tolerating the First Dog, a brown Labrador named Buddy, who was killed in a 2002 collision with a car near the Clintons' suburban New York home.

nyu protest

the quixotic NYU student rally at Kimmel Hall was proceeding more like a party than a protest. There was dancing, finger-painting, and even some public nudity! But around 1 a.m. last night, things started to go south. The students thought the school was getting ready to negotiate on their list of demands, but in actuality the administration shut down the student center where about two dozen students were holed up on the third floor, and cleared everyone else out. They took the deal of amnesty for protesting students off the table, and let them stew there, facing expulsion or probation.

With nearly 700 students joining together at 12:59am, the air was rife with anticipation that the evening’s previous threat would breed the kind of scene that would grace the cover of The New York Post or The Daily News, and, if the stars aligned, would garner a blurb on the twenty-third page of The New York Times’ Friday edition. But what happened at 1:00 a.m. was a sad display of what our university plans on doing over this pressing issue: they pussied out. No officers entered the building. No arrests were made. No tear gas filled the Kimmel Cafeteria. And no drastic action occurred, despite the threats of [University officials].

Cubs tickets

Cubs tickets go on sale today Friday the 20th of February, 2009. This is the time of year that Cubs fans have been waiting for. These are single game tickets. This got me thinking. You know, if we are all on the brink of the next great depression then why are people spending money on cubs tickets? First of all the cubs suck and they always have sucked. Second of all, baseball sucks worse now than it ever did in the history of the game. These ball players are all spoiled rotten asshole brats!

Singing superstar Beyonce’s upcoming concert tour kicks off Saturday’s onsales. The former member of Destiny’s Child will be performing in Vancouver, Seattle, and Edmonton. Also on sale Saturday are tickets for rapper Lil' Wayne’s upcoming tour, with stops in San Antonio, Newark, Salt Lake City, and Oklahoma City. Gavin DeGraw has multiple concerts on sale Saturday, including shows in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Portland. Teen sensation Taylor Swift has a show in San Diego on sale Saturday, while Keith Urban and Sugarland have a joint concert in Cleveland on sale as well.

Rihanna Photo

Rumors have been swirling for more than a week that her boyfriend, 19-year-old singer Chris Brown, struck her during an argument that took place following a party on Feb. 7. The release of the photo comes just days after Brown said much of what has been reported of the incident is untrue.
In a statement, the LAPD said it takes "seriously its duty to maintain the confidentiality of victims of domestic violence.

The Los Angeles Police Department launched an internal investigation Thursday into the release of a domestic violence photograph that appears to be pop singer Rihanna after she was allegedly attacked by Chris Brown earlier this month.

Alexis Grace

Alexis Grace, who belted out a soulful rendition of Aretha Franklin's "Never Loved a Man" that earned her comparisons to a former "Idol" champ, Kelly Clarkson. Then Danny Gokey closed the night with a take on Mariah Carey's "Hero" that had the studio audience — and the judges — cheering wildly. Ricky Braddy and Michael Sarver also received high marks for their versions of Leon Russell's "A Song for You" and Gavin DeGraw's "I Don't Wanna Be."

You can file the performances by Casey Carlson, Stevie Wright and Stephen Fowler under "disastrous." Carlson, the button-cute former bikini model, winked her way through a karaoke-fied version of the Police's "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," a performance that left "Idol" judges agape. Wright, a 17-year-old with a husky set of pipes, decided to go "younger," taking on Taylor Swift's "You Belong to Me" and failing spectacularly.

Everyone else was somewhere in between. Normally dramatic Tatiana Del Toro unveiled her demure side with a controlled version of Whitney Houston's "Saving All My Love for You," a decision that left judges praising her pipes but questioning her identity as an artist. Brent Keith tried to remain loyal to his country roots by singing James Aldean's "Hicktown," a performance the judges deemed "forgettable."

Howard Davidowitz

Howard Davidowitz appears to me, to be one of the few who 'see the light' - or at least my light. He is Anti Kool Aid [Aug 14, 2008: Howard Davidowitz - the Only Realistic Retail Analyst in America?] [Mar 30, 2008: Howard Davidowitz on US Consumer] I do believe the average American, in narcissistic form, is in denial as is our leadership. I was saying the same "alarmist" type of things about the economy in 2007 - and was proven correct.

This "Pooring of America" mantra will take much longer to play out so I cannot be proven wrong or right as quickly as came to be with the economy. But we'll check back in 2019 on this thesis of mine ;) One can agree or disagree with this view today - but I'd ask people to consider viewpoints that differ from theirs. We have a too many people who act like ostriches with head in the sand; until you recognize a problem you cannot begin to address it.

Back when I started the blog, I coined a phrase "The Pooring of America" - this was a theme based on a confluence of events, some of which we brought upon ourselves, some global changes. We don't spend a lot of time talking about the "long long" term because in the stock market "long term" is now next week. The "shopping culture" we've transformed into, while dispensing with productive industries - is also a whole 'nother animal.

Solange Knowles

Solange Knowles was admitted to the hospital when she collapsed after downing flu pills on a flight out of New York City last night February 17. After attending the star-studded Armani store opening earlier in the evening, Beyonce’s younger sister was reportedly treated by paramedics after downing the capsules onboard a plane - apparently having an adverse reaction to the medication.

According to reports, Solange posted a series of bizarre postings on social networking Web site Twitter, which she uploaded during the journey. Telling fans how she had swallowed NyQuil tablets to treat a cold, Solange wrote: “I took a nyquil and i think maybe im getting high off it because im not sleeping. maybe i should close my eyes...” Minutes later, she added, “think im certified loosing (sic) it on nyquil. going to sleep before i start freestyling on the plane… omg (Oh my God) i didnt know nyquil could do this to you.

Logging on again to tell how she had woken up on the floor of an airport surrounded by nurses, the star wrote: “Woaah...... How’d I end up in the hospital? Woke up to 8 random people over me, laid out on the floor in baggage claim!... Guess I passed out! Scary. Hooked up to IV now . Apparantly I’m super dehydrated.” Later confirming that she had been released from hospital following treatment, Miss Knowles happily wrote: “I’m out! yay!... they let me go..... Rest. Water. Rest. Water.”

Sandra Herold

Sandra Herold's desperate call to police Monday as her 15-year-old chimp, Travis, was attacking 55-year-old Charla Nash. The chimp can be heard grunting at times on the tape, as Herold cries, "He's killing my friend!" Herold replies, "My chimpanzee! He ripped her apart! Shoot him, shoot him!" The chimp attacked Nash as Herold, 70, frantically stabbed her beloved pet with a butcher knife and pounded him with a shovel.

"He looked at me like, 'Mom, what did you do?'" Herold told NBC's "Today Show" in an interview aired Wednesday. "It was horrific what happened and I had to do what I had to do, but still, I'll miss him for the rest of my life." Nash remained was in critical condition early Wednesday with major injuries to her face and hands. Police said they are looking into the possibility of criminal charges. A pet owner can be held criminally responsible if he or she knew or should have known that an animal was a danger to others.

Police said that the chimp was agitated earlier Monday and that Herold had given him the anti-anxiety drug Xanax in some tea. Police said the drug had not been prescribed for the 14-year-old chimp. In humans, Xanax can cause memory loss, lack of coordination, reduced sex drive and other side effects. It can also lead to aggression in people who were unstable to begin with, said Dr. Emil Coccaro, chief of psychiatry at the University of Chicago Medical Center.

Reality Steve

Reality Steve, who began teasing readers about the conclusion, wrote in his revelation of this season’s ending that “ABC knew exactly what they were doing when they released the hand with the freckles and the pinky ring,” because “Jason ends his engagement with Melissa, and begins a relationship with Molly” during the reunion.”

Steve claims that ABC “fabricated” the ending and “concocted a storyline” as a ratings ploy, and “[has] been led to believe that this season was NEVER, EVER about Melissa. Its always been about Molly.” He also writes that he “had a hard time believing Jason would go along with this scenario, BUT EVERYTHING I’VE BEEN LED TO BELIEVE, says he has. Do I know for a fact? No. But I think its pretty clear what’s going on here.”

Steve announced Monday that he’d reveal the surprise after all, promising a YouTube video would be posted at 8 a.m. CT Tuesday morning. Three videos totally over 30 minutes went online today instead. In the meantime, a blogger named Aletheia (Greek for “truth”) created a brand-new blog called Bachelor News on Tuesday (read: sketchy) to post a version of the same story Tuesday evening—in other words, got their first.

Kid Rock

Kid Rock may be one of the five coolest people walking the Earth these days A beermaker in Webberville [Michigan] has gotten a state tax break to create a new craft beer for musician Kid Rock. I don't know too many details about the economic stimulus package, but I'm fairly certain there is no line item specifying such a tax credit. I could be wrong, though. I mean, Kid Rock IS the Rock 'N Roll Jesus, for heaven's sake

The Michigan Brewing Co. has designs on investing $7 million for the new Kid Rock beer. No word just yet on what the name of the beer will be. We suggest "Bawitdaba Beer," followed by "Kid Rock's All Summer Long Ale" to compete with Sam Adama's summer ale. There's potential here. What the heck, right? I mean, the Michigan Brewing Co. got $723,000 in tax credits over seven years.

Kid Rock stimulus package: the Michigan Brewing Company will produce a line of Kid Rock-branded beer, Detroit’s 7Action News reports, which is expected to create 700 new jobs in the state. The Rock N Roll Jesus singer is working close with the brewing company on the beverage, which is expected out this spring. Really strange supergroup alert: The Smashing Pumpkins’ James Iha, middle Hanson brother Taylor Hanson, 57-year-old Cheap Trick drummer Bun E. Carlos and Fountains of Wayne bassist Adam Schlesinger have joined forces to form Tinted Windows.

Khmer Rouge

Khmer Rouge leader Kaing Guek Eav began in a Phnom Penh court on Tuesday. The trial, which is backed by the United Nations, is taking place 30 years after the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime, 13 years after the tribunal was initiated, and almost three years after the court was inaugurated. Still, observers fear that Cambodians will not get the satisfaction that justice has been delivered, as court proceedings have been plagued by corruption allegations and fears of political interference.

According to the London-based daily The Guardian, Mr. Eav, better known as Duch, is charged with crimes against humanity by the Extraordinary Chambers of the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC). Duch is the first of five defendants to appear before the long-delayed tribunal. Although he has made no formal confession, he has, unlike the other defendants, "admitted or acknowledged" that many of the crimes occurred at his prison, according to the indictment from court judges. He has also asked for forgiveness from his victims.

Many Cambodians complain that the "Killing Fields" tribunal is long overdue. According to Reuters, a draft agreement between the Cambodian government and the UN about the format for the trial was first floated in March 2003. She said other courts have raised the issue of prosecutorial discretion, meaning that the manner in which the mandate of the court is being applied has been called into question during opening proceedings.

Fort Lewis

Fort Lewis-based soldier, crashed his 2004 Ford F-150 on Interstate 5 in the barrier between state Highway 500 and the Main Street exit in the northbound lanes. "According to the passenger, there was a road rage involved," said State Patrol Trooper Andrey Liksakov. Irons was arrested on suspicion of DUI, reckless driving, reckless endangerment, resisting arrest and third-degree assault, Liksakov said.

Fort Lewis near Tacoma, Washington yesterday. Not much information has come out yet, except that the investigation is being handled by the Army Criminal Investigative Division. There are already suggestions out there about our big, bad military people and how they need to be controlled because they are a bunch of thugs. Mind you, there is not yet evidence of any criminal activity. I kind of wonder, if in the interest of smoothing things over with the local government, there will be restrictions placed on the soldiers at Fort Lewis.

The last time I was in Yokosuka, the base was imposing liberty restrictions stemming from the murder of a Japanese woman, but they weren't particularly bad. Basically, we just had to be out of the bars by midnight and back on base by 1 a.m. That is probably not exactly what the restrictions were, but it was something along those lines. I had to ask what time we would be allowed out the next day.

Bristol Palin

Bristol Palin was interviewed by Greta Van Susteren of Fox News and she had some interesting things to say about teens and sex. Van Susteren asked Bristol if she was "just lazy" about using contraception, she replied that expecting teens to be abstinent was "not realistic at all." She suggested that teens should try to abstain from sex before marriage, but that it was so accepted by kids today it was almost impossible to do.

The Palin family is not the only one grappling with this issue. In Washington state, the number of teenagers giving birth has started increasing, for the first time since 1991. After years of annual decreases in women ages 15-19 having babies, 2006 marked the first year when that number went up, in both our state and the country as a whole, according to an article in USA Today.

Bristol Palin isn’t running for office, but she had to know that doing big-media interviews would mean that she had to have an answer for some political issues surrounding her teen pregnancy. This is in contrast to Bristol's mother's high-profile position on sex before marriage. Sarah Palin, former candidate for Vice President, is opposed to sex-education that includes discussions of contraceptives.

Trump Entertainment

Trump Entertainment Resorts Inc. filed for bankruptcy protection overnight before the casino operator’s bondholders could present an involuntary petition. The Chapter 11 bankruptcy, filed days after founder Donald Trump quit the board and four years after its predecessor company failed, listed assets of $2.1 billion and debt of $1.74 billion as of Dec. 31, according to the filing today in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Camden, New Jersey.

Trump Entertainment, the owner of three casinos in Atlantic City that already have been through bankruptcy twice, missed a $53 million interest payment at the start of December, and a creditor-extended grace period to make the defaulted coupon payment expires today. Gambling revenues in Atlantic City plunged the most on record last year amid the recession and competition from slot machines neighboring states.

“Dialog is continuing” on restructuring the company’s capital structure, Chief Financial Officer John Burke said in a court filing. “The bankruptcy will provide a forum for a prompt and efficient restructuring of the” senior notes. The company asked the court to schedule a hearing for tomorrow to consider a series of requests, including approval to pay “critical” pre-bankruptcy creditors such as suppliers and employees.

Susan Axelrod

Susan Axelrod tells the story of her daughter, she begins like most parents of children with epilepsy: The baby was adorable, healthy, perfect. Lauren arrived in June 1981, a treasured first-born. Susan Landau had married David Axelrod in 1979, and they lived in Chicago, where Susan pursued an MBA at the University of Chicago and David worked as a political reporter for the Chicago Tribune.

Susan began to meet other parents living through similar hells. They agreed that no federal agency or private foundation was acting with the sense of urgency they felt, leaving 3 million American families to suffer in near-silence. In 1998, Susan and a few other mothers founded a nonprofit organization to increase public awareness of the realities of epilepsy and to raise money for research.

Then-First Lady Hillary Clinton signed on to help; so did other politicians and celebrities. Later, veterans back from Iraq with seizures caused by traumatic brain injuries demanded answers, too. In its first decade, CURE raised $9 million, funded about 75 research projects, and inspired a change in the scientific dialogue about epilepsy. “Epilepsy is not benign and far too often is not treatable,” Susan says. “We wanted the public to be aware of the death and destruction. We wanted the brightest minds to engage with the search for a cure.”

Zombie Banks

A zombie bank keeps draining bailout capital from the government but doesn't respond with any meaningful lending that helps the economy recover. The prevalence of zombie banks made the long Japanese recession of the 1990s especially painful. Arnold and his guests discuss solutions such as wiping out the zombie banks, and then creating new healthy banks with taxpayers as the shareholders or taking over troubled home loans and giving them to smaller community banks to restructure.

Never-ending recount The judges ruled Friday on which sets of absentee ballots would be considered (not counted, just considered for counting), and Coleman’s lawyers struck back Monday, asking them to reverse their ruling, reports Jay Weiner in MinnPost. Weiner sees the move as preparation for an appeal after the judges’ “final” decision on who won … and there’s still no word on when that decision will come. Trial, and posturing, continue today.

A zombie bank drains bailout capital but doesn’t respond with any meaningful lending,” reports MPR’s Chris Arnold. When the government props up a zombie bank, it’s not lending but it won’t die. Andy Kessler, a former hedge fund manager, says zombie banks “eat the fabric of the economy,” and warns: “I’ve watched every single one of those zombie movies and everybody knows you can’t cure zombie-ism … you gotta shoot ‘em, you gotta get rid of ‘em, cut their heads off, put the silver bullet through their hearts—and get some healthy banks.”

Liberty Media

Liberty Media has agreed to $530 million in loans to Sirius XM Radio, saving the satellite radio provider from possible bankruptcy and giving Liberty a 40 percent equity stake. Under the agreement, Liberty [LINTA 3.16 -0.15 (-4.53%) ], controlled by media mogul John Malone, would offer loans to Sirius [SIRI 0.17 0.07 (+71.3%) ], a portion of which will help pay $171.6 million in debt that was due on Tuesday.

Sirius XM Satellite Radio appeared close to staving off bankruptcy by striking a deal with Liberty Media, the owner of DirecTV, people briefed on the matter said Monday. The two sides have not finalized an agreement, but any such deal is likely to involve the beleaguered satellite radio operator selling a stake in itself to Liberty, freezing out a takeover bid by Echostar Communications, which owns the Dish Network.

Mr. Ergen and Sirius’s chief executive, Mel Karmazin, have had a long-running feud, one that complicated negotiations between the two companies. It was unclear earlier in the talks between the two whether Mr. Ergen would keep Mr. Karmazin on as Sirius’s chief executive, though the two had made some progress over the past week. But Sirius appeared to clearly prefer a deal with Liberty, Echostar’s biggest rival and a white-knight bidder who would have largely preserved the satellite radio company’s existing structure.

Eric Cantor

Eric Cantor therefore deserves our praise and congratulations on the results of the Porkulus bill in the House. Not once, but twice, did he as Whip help ensure that the bill passed the House without a single Republican vote. That’s unity, and that kind of unity doesn’t happen without at least some effort. it would be in this Porkulus bill effort. Even the “pared down” seven hundred billion dollars ($700,000,000,000) is a ridiculous amount of money, and will pave the way for a try at a tax hike.

Cantor sees the world a little differently than most Americans; his world belongs to the wealthy, and the middle class and poor are seen as an impediment to his world. You are the garbage to be swept off the street; he will gladly support prisons to incarcerate you, but not colleges to educate you.

Cantor's first measure introduced to Congress was the Education Empowerment Tax Credit Act that would provide for a $1,000 per-child education tax credit for all parents with school-age children. The bill would help parents to meet their children's individual education needs. The credit could only be used toward the purchase of computers, encyclopedias, tutors, special education needs and private school tuition.

Fernando Martin

Fernando Martin, the first Spaniard to play in the NBA. Martin, a 6-10 power forward, signed as a free agent with the Portland Trail Blazers on May 6, 1986, playing 24 games for Portland in 1986-87, recording 22 points, 28 rebounds, nine assists and seven steals in 146 minutes.

After one season with the Trail Blazers, he returned to Spain to play for Real Madrid, where he played from 1981-1986 and 1987-89. Martin made 86 appearances on the Spanish National Team, earning the silver medal in the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Martin was enshrined in the FIBA Hall of Fame in the inaugural class on March 1, 2007.

Rudy Fernandez paid a very thoughtful tribune to Spain’s first NBA player last night in the slam-dunk contest, by wearing a replica of Fernando Martin’s Trail Blazer uniform for his first dunk. It’s a shame the people doing the broadcast on TNT were not educated, prior to the event, about Martin. And then they might have at least pronounced his name correctly (it’s mar-TEEN) and not looked like ignorant fools with their jokes at the sight of the uniform.

Shahar Peer

Shahar Peer being denied a visa by the UAE officials to play in the Sony Ericsson Open in Dubai. This is a clear violation of sporting guidelines and the WTA guidelines. Peer was to be the first Israeli to play in Dubai. It seems like this is the fallout of the Gaza syndrome that is going to play out in the coming weeks.

Now, I know that people are certain to make a mountain out of this molehill as they are accutomed to doing, but then what we need is some objective rationale. No doubt it is a grave injustice to Ms. Peer, but will politics ever stop to reflect on sport and sporting decisions? If that be the case the US of A would have never boycotted the Moscow Olympics. Use your brain cells, before you subject us to your opinions.

The world number 48 has been denied a visa by the Gulf state's authorities, prompting a strongly worded response from the Women's Tennis Association (WTA), which runs the women's tour. The blocking of Peer is a surprise because she was given a visa to play in the Qatar Open in Doha last year, a visit which was a considerable success both in tennis and diplomatic terms. But the change in relations between Israel and neighbouring states, following the recent Gaza conflict, is almost certainly the reason for a change of attitude in the United Arab Emirates, according to AFP.

Billy Graham

Billy Graham's 1959 visit to Australia (see the preview here). What amazes me is the number of people that I have met, mostly in their late 60s now, who were at Billy Graham's evangelistic crusades in Australia and attribute the beginning of their spiritual journey to that event. Oh, that times of spiritual refreshing would visit the shores of Australia again!

No doubt your friend is sincere in what he believes, but unfortunately he is not correct, because this is not what Jesus Christ taught about his return. When Jesus Christ came into the world slightly more than 2,000 years ago, his birth was virtually unnoticed. Only a few shepherds and a small group of foreign wise men came to pay homage to him; as far as most people were concerned, he was just another baby, born to an insignificant peasant couple.

The most important question about Christ’s return, however, is this: Are you prepared for that day? Or are you prepared to meet him when you die? You can be, by confessing your sins to him and by faith trusting him alone for your salvation. Open your heart to Christ today. Jesus said, “You will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven”.

Malin Akerman

Malin Akerman of the most beautiful actresses in Hollywood, she recently got to suit up as Silk Spectre for the “Watchmen” movie - and now, she just got back from Bora Bora, where she’s been getting paid to hang out with Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau. Malin Akerman is among the many stars of the film who’d also likely say “no” to the idea.

The flick reunites Favs and Vaughn for the third time after “Swingers” and “Made” (not counting cameos), and Akerman insisted that the duo still has their comedic timing down. “They’re fantastic to watch; they just go for it…they really bring you to the next level,” she explained of the duo’s established repartee. “It keeps you on your toes. You have to try and keep up, but if you’re able to, it feels pretty good.”

Speaking of keeping up, Akerman clued us in on one of the movie’s big comedic scenes - which has the stars competing with each other at high speeds. “We got to do a jet-skiing sequence, and we had a little fun on the jet skis. Those guys are a bit nuts when it comes to anything, really, so that was a fun day just shooting around the island on jet skis and doing tricks and falling off jet skis.”

Rudy Fernandez

Rudy Fernandez was eliminated in the first round of the NBA Slam Dunk Contest on Saturday night. Nate Robinson, the diminutive New York Knicks guard, beat defending champion Dwight Howard of Orlando in an electrifying slam dunk contest on Saturday night, winning 52 percent of fans' votes. Clad in an all-green Knicks uniform with green shoes, Robinson used Howard as a prop in the final round, springboarding over the 6-foot-11 center to jam.

Rudy Fernandez into the NBA’s Slam Dunk Contest (which airs on TNT this Saturday night), we knew it wasn’t just a victory for Portland, but for fans near and far. After all, it was Europe that watched with glee as its biggest star dunked over Team USA center Dwight Howard in last year’s Summer Olympics. And this year Rudy will get the chance to show up Howard—the defending NBA slam dunk champion—yet again. Really, only one question remains: What will Rudy do? WW, of course, has a few suggestions.

Although Fernandez is a rookie in the NBA, he was an established star in Europe. He became an Internet sensation this summer with a dunk over Dwight Howard in the Olympic Games. Fernandez, who has won a fast-growing following of female fans who wear "I (heart) Rudy" T-shirts, is averaging 10.6 points, 3 rebounds and 2.2 assists a game off the bench. He has hit a 3-pointer in 30 straight games, a new rookie record, and has at least one three in 50 of his 51 games this season.

Miss Howard TV

Miss Howard TV February 2009 has been chosen. The spokesmodel for February is the lovely Sashalee pictured below. We have her photo and a video below. Sashalee also appeared in an episode of HTV’s comedy series Show in the Hallway that starred Stern’s wife, Beth Stern. Sashalee is 20 years old. She’s 5′8″ and weights 115 pounds. Her measurements are 32B-25-34. She grew up in upstate New York and now lives in New York City.

Its tough going through the interview process to become Miss Howard TV. Every month a new model is chosen for the job and has to endure a grilling on ‘The Howard Stern Show’. But its well worth it, because once you get through that, you are featured on Howard TV On Demand (HTV) as the official spokesmodel. The job duties have to do with introducing and giving an overview of the monthly programming on the channel. The models are also profiled on Howard.tv.

The Howard Stern Show announced this month’s Miss Howard TV is the OH SO HOT Sashalee! Check her out in the photo above, she’s gorgeous isn’t she! During her on air interview with Howard Stern she had to handle typical Stern probing personal questions about her sex life. She commented that she was glad cast member Robin Quivers was on hand to have her back during the interview.

Jamar Rogers

Jamar Rogers went home! I'm in total shock. Shocked! The guy has a great voice, a wonderful attitude and a great Idol look. It would have been amazing to watch Danny and Jamar go through the competition together. So there's the deal: instead of a heartwarming story of two best buddies in a possible final two, we get a mentally imbalanced spectacle.

And Tatiana Del Toro stays? Even if she has a good voice, who in the industry is ever going to be willing to work with such an unstable artist? She babbled endlessly about her stupid star bracelet from Paula's jewelry line, whining because she wanted the ring and they were out, until Paula stood up and gave her her own ring. I'm beginning to think there's something seriously wrong with Tatiana, like a personality disorder.

I had Ashley Hollister on there and she went home, but to be honest, if she'd walked into my living room and introduced herself I still wouldn't have known who she was. I just had her on one of my lists and put her on the prediction list without thinking about it. I also had Jorge Nunez on the list, whom I love, and somehow forgot to add him when I typed the post. All of which goes to show you shouldn't attempt complicated tasks while taking muscle relaxers. But I digress.

Richard Jeni

The comedian Richard Jeni took his own life because of his mental illness. The coroner hasn’t confirmed the cause of death, but Jeni’s family is admirably candid about what did happen. Here is part of their statement on Jeni’s website He was not down or blue, he was ill. Perhaps Richard’s passing will encourage people to have sympathy, compassion and understanding for those who are afflicted with mental illness.

The family of Richard Jeni would like to put to rest any assumptions as to the cause of Richard’s death. Despite the fact that the coroner’s office has publicly stated that a suicide ruling will take two weeks, pending the results of an autopsy, Richard Jeni did take his own life. I think I can speak for many mentally ill people when I say thank you to Jeni’s family for speaking out in this way.

Rumors have been circulating as to the cause of his death. The truth is: earlier this year Richard Jeni was diagnosed with severe clinical depression coupled with bouts of psychotic paranoia. One only needs to have a family member or friend with a mental illness to understand that there is nothing rational, predictable, or fair about these diseases. Mental illness is as serious as any physical affliction and can be just as devastating.

Fatima Bhutto

Fatima Bhutto, the daughter of Benazir's brother Murtaza, is intelligent, opinionated and feisty. A political writer, Fatima has penned two books and writes a hard-hitting newspaper column. A close lieutenant to her more politically ambitious mother, Fatima is a politician in training.
But speaking to The Guardian, Fatima says she has no political ambitions and is unlikely to overshadow Bilawal, her now famous cousin, anytime soon.

Speaking to The Guardian in October 2007, days before Benazir's return to Pakistan, the pair was somber at the prospect of her aunt's imminent return. "If she didn't sign the death warrant, then who had the power to cover it up? She did," alleges Fatima, speaking about her father's death. In terms of political ideology, what we read, how we think, we are very different. I don't think that I'm anything like her," says Fatima when compared to her aunt.

Benazir, however, clearly loved her niece, which is evident in her autobiography Daughter of the East, which has several warm references. Fatima, though, maintains that she tried to split the family apart. She belittled Ghinwa, Fatima's stepmother, as a 'Lebanese belly dancer', and soon after Murtaza's death, convinced Fatima's biological mother, Fauzia, to seek parental custody.

Charles Darwin

Charles Darwin by working to limit the number of tourists visiting the Galapagos Islands or Antarctica to protect their spectacular wildlife The Galapagos in the Pacific Ocean gave Darwin insights into evolution on his famed voyage around the world aboard The Beagle. Many species — from mockingbirds to tortoises – differ from those on the South American mainland.

Among nightmare scenarios for Antarctica, first sighted in 1820, penguins might get bird flu. Or new seeds unwittingly brought by tourists might thrive and displace lichens and mosses found nowhere else on earth. A big cruise liner might run aground, spilling oil and coating beaches used by seals. But a group of environmentalists, the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition, wants the numbers capped — it hasn’t proposed an exact figure, but says it shouldn’t be too far above current levels.

And the unique wildlife is of the Galapagos is similarly under threat from people with both tourism and immigration from the South American mainland. See a BBC report here, for instance, saying that tourism rose to more than 173,000 last year. The United Nations in 2007 added the Galapagos to its list of world heritage sites in danger. AATO says the numbers are tiny — enough people to fill a football stadium across a continent bigger than the United States.

Elgin Baylor

Elgin Baylor, the former Los Angeles Clippers general manager who left the team last fall after 22 years, has sued the franchise, the NBA and team owner Donald Sterling alleging employment discrimination. Baylor plans to hold a news conference Thursday to discuss the lawsuit, which also names club president Andy Roeser, Douglas said in a fax sent Wednesday.

The lawsuit maintains that Baylor was "discriminated against and unceremoniously released from his position with the team on account of his age and his race" and that he was "grossly underpaid during his tenure with the Clippers, never earning more than $350,000 per year, when compared with the compensation scheme for general managers employed by every other team in the NBA."

The NBA is named in the lawsuit, according to Douglas' fax, as "a joint venturer/partner of condoning, adopting and ratifying this discriminatory practice since the league is fully aware of salaries paid to all of the general managers." Clippers attorney Robert H. Platt said in a statement Wednesday night that he had not seen the lawsuit and couldn't comment on Baylor's specific allegations.

Hearing Aid

hearing aid may not look like much, but it could be very expensive. "It's a range usually from around $1500 to maybe $3500 for just one hearing aid," said audiologist Caroline Roberts with Blount Hearing and Speech Services in Maryville. Roberts says the high cost can prevent people who need the devices most from being able to hear.

"Seventy percent of our patient base lives at or below the poverty level," said Hearing and Speech Foundation Executive Director Megan Venable Smith. "They pay nothing for anything. The doctor visits, the hearing aids, the ear molds, the batteries--we cover everything." Some recycled hearing aids can be given to patients on the spot, but others are sent to the manufacturer, who also donates refurbishing services.

Outdated, broken or damaged hearing aids that are donated to the program can be sent back to the original manufacturer to be used for parts. Roberts says the program has put more than 400 hearing aids on area residents in the first year alone. To donate a hearing aid to the Hearing and Speech Foundation, contact Megan Venable Smith at (865) 977-0981 or simply mail or drop off the device at the office, located at 1619 E. Broadway in Maryville, TN, 37804.