pistachio recall

pistachio recall due to contamination worries. Here we go again with another food recall. Earlier on March 27 the California Department of Public Health had announced that it had been investigating the pistachio recall from a CA supplier. According to naomistarkman FDA held conf call at 7pm ET to announce expansion of pistachio recall, said consumers shouldn't eat any pistachios until more info is known.

According to CBS report "Food safety officials are looking through Setton Farms' plant in rural Tulare County to see if it could lead them to the source of the contamination. The recalls began last Friday when the Georgia Nut Company recalled its Kraft Back to Nature Nantucket Blend trail mix after some samples tested positive for salmonella. Setton Farms has started a separate recall of roasted pistachios, and grocery operator Kroger also has recalled some pistachio products."

Emaxhealth reports that this latest pistachio recall is involving one million pound, thus adding to the Salmonella worries, that periodically make news in the recent years. "What's up with nuts? First peanut butter, now a pistachio recall? Government conspiracy to quash a nut uprising? You decide," Twits graywes.

Helen Levitt

Helen Levitt, who died Sunday, was my muse. She was the slightly underappreciated member of the great '40s generation of photographers; profiles always mention that she was "friends" with James Agee and Walker Evans, as if she couldn't stand alone. She always said, girlishly, that she was too shy and tech-phobic to be a photojournalist, although that's essentially what she was.

She roamed the poorer neighborhoods of New York and captured what I always think of as the theater of hanging out. She loved to photograph people on the stoop wearing exaggerated expressions—crying or laughing so hard they look like they're faking it. Often "props" appear in her photos—a cardboard cutout of the president or a strange figure drawn on the street in chalk. Her many photos of children had none of the poster cuteness of Henri Cartier-Bresson's—something I imagine she tried hard to avoid because she was a woman.

One thing she did better than any of the male masters is transition to color photography. Her contemporaries seemed scared off by bursts of street color they couldn't control but she just got better and better. In every photo in her book, Slide Show, it's hard to believe she didn't place that red balloon or those aqua shorts just so, but of course she never did. Unlike the men, she was happy to submit to the randomness.

Tim Allen

Comic actor Tim Allen is a father for the second time. Publicist Marleah Leslie says Allen's wife, Jane, gave birth to a 5-pound, 13-ounce girl, Elizabeth, on Saturday in Los Angeles. Leslie says the couple is thrilled with the new arrival, and both mother and child are healthy. The 55-year-old Allen has starred in many movies, including "The Santa Clause" and "Toy Story," and the TV series "Home Improvement."

Tim Allen had better be ready for some new home improvement. The actor and wife Jane Hajduk welcomed daughter Elizabeth on Saturday in Los Angeles. The little bundle of joy checked in at 5 pounds, 13 ounces. Publicist Marleah Leslie says the couple, who married in 2006, is "thrilled" with the new arrival of Elizabeth, and both mother and child are healthy.

This is the couple's first child. The 55-year-old Tim Allen also has a 19-year-old daughter, Katherine, from his first marriage to Laura Deibel. The Allens have joined Jenna Jameson and Tito Ortiz, Carson Daly and Siri Pinter, Charlie Sheen and Brooke Mueller, Andrew Firestone and Ivana Bozilovic, Anne Heche and James Tupper, M.I.A. and some guy as new celeb parents this month.

Ashley Biden

Ashley Biden, the 27-year-old daughter of Joe Biden, allegedly snorting lines of cocaine at a Delaware party last month. The New York Post claims that Dunlap showed it 90 seconds of the 43-minute tape, which purportedly shows Ashley doing lines of coke with a red straw in front of witnesses and later shouting "Shut the F-- Up!" The newspaper reported that the seller wanted $2 million before dropping his price to $400,000.

Ashley Biden is the only daughter and youngest child of Vice President Joe Biden and wife Jill Biden. Born June 8, 1981, her full name is Ashley Blazer Biden. She has campaigned with her father since her preschool days. She has two older brothers, Hunter and Beau, and lives in Delaware.

In 2008 Ashley Biden was named a Person to Watch by Delaware Today. She works as a social worker. In 2002 Ashley Biden was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of obstructing a police officer outside a Chicago bar. In 2009 she was caught up in a media firestorm about a tape allegedly showing her doing cocaine.

Frozen Four

Frozen Four roster: No. 1 Boston University, No. 3 Vermont, No. 4 Miami of Ohio and No. 4 Bemidji State. Nobody had those four in an office pool. The weekend started and finished with upsets. No. 4 Air Force knocked off No. 1 Michigan, 2-0, on Friday afternoon. It was a big step for a Falcons team that had come so close to pulling off upsets the last two years.

Air Force met Vermont, another underdog victor in the first round, in the East Regional Final. The teams went into a second overtime before the Catamounts punched a ticket to Washington. Even the game-winner came with added excitement. Dan Lawson’s point shot initially appeared to fly over the net, but video replay confirmed it went under the crossbar and through the top of the net for a goal.

Probably the biggest upsets of the weekend came in the Midwest Regional, where little Bemidji State, which earned an automatic tournament berth by winning the soon-to-be-defunct College Hockey America, knocked off No. 1 Notre Dame, 5-1. In just another quirky storyline from the weekend, Bemidji State Coach Tom Serratore is the brother of Air Force Coach Frank Serratore. Needless to say it was a good first round for the Serratore family.

Detroit News

The Detroit News offeres up a redesign to its readers today (Monday). We always hear what a great news town Detroit is. The night of our redesign launch was no different. The resignation of General Motors’ CEO, along with Michigan State’s win to clinch a Final Four berth right here in Detroit next weekend, put our breaking-news instincts to the test on Day 1.

Now, to our breaking news: The News, along with the Detroit Free Press, will be home delivered on Thursday and Friday (the Free Press home delivers the Sunday paper.) Both papers print editions will only be sold at newsstands on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday. The size of the paper varies from 30 pages on Saturday, our smallest edition, to 80 pages on Thursday, our biggest edition.

The goal of The Detroit News redesign is to provide readers with a product that still presents all of the day’s important news without compromising the paper’s ability to deliver authoritative, in-depth stories. The new newshole guidelines have led us to develop quick-read techniques. This allows readers to either scan the paper, or read every word, and still have a rewarding experience with us.

Nursing Home Shooting

A nursing home shooting in North Carolina has left eight people dead according to authorities. Robert Stewart starting shooting at 10am local time Sunday at the Pinelake Health and Rehab in the town of Carthage, 60 miles southwest of Raleigh, North Carolina. The victims included a 98-year-old man, four women and men in their 80s, two others in their 70s and a nurse.

Police say an officer and several other people were also wounded before Stewart was shot and apprehended. A gunman barged into a North Carolina nursing home Sunday morning and started "shooting everything," going room to room in a terrifying rampage that killed seven residents _ most in their late 80s _ and a nurse who cared for them.

Authorities said Robert Stewart also wounded three others, including the Carthage police officer who confronted him in a hallway of Pinelake Health and Rehab and stopped the brutal attack. Officials said the massacre could have been bloodier if the officer had not managed to subdue Stewart. "He acted in nothing short of a heroic way today, and but for his actions, we certainly could have had a worse tragedy," said Moore County District Attorney Maureen Krueger.

Jane Hajduk

Tim Allen's actress wife Jane Hajduk has given birth to a baby daughter, Entertainment Tonight has exclusively reported. Providing more details on the news, the media's Mary Hart writes down that the newborn infant is named Elizabeth. Born in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 28, Elizabeth weighed in at 5 pounds, 13 ounces. "The couple is thrilled at the arrival of their new baby and are doing great," Tim's publicist, Marleah Leslie, confirms to Entertainment Tonight.

Elizabeth is the first child for Tim Allen and Jane Hajduk. The celebrity couple has been married since October 2006. As for Tim, he previously was married to Laura Diebel, with whom he also has one daughter named Katherine, born in 1989. Personal life aside, Tim can next be seen starring in numerous big screen flicks, including "Crazy on the Outside" and "The Six Wives of Henry Lefay". Besides, he will also lend his voice in "Toy Story 3".

Actor Tim Allen and his wife Jane Hajduk welcomed a new baby daughter over the weekend in Los Angeles. Elizabeth Allen weighed in at 5 pounds 13 ounces and arrived on March 29. Hajduk is a television and voice actress and has worked with Allen in Zoom and The Shaggy Dog. Tim has a couple of films in the works: Crazy on the Outside is due to release later this year and Toy Story 3 is slated for 2010.

John Calipari

John Calipari has taken a place on Kentucky’s radar in its search to replace Billy Gillispie, multiple sources told ESPN.com’s Dana O’Neil and Pat Forde. On Friday, a source told O’Neil that Calipari ‘likely would not be interested’ in the job but on Sunday, multiple sources said Calipari is indeed interested. A source also said Kentucky was gathering information on Calipari over the weekend.

According to Memphis sports information director Lamar Chance, Kentucky officials have not contacted Memphis for permission to speak to Calipari. Other names tossed out in the ESPN report are former Wildcat players including current Oklahoma State coach Travis Ford and current Arkansas coach John Pelphry. Non-Kentucky guys Sean Miller (Xavier) and Thad Matta (Ohio State) are also mentioned. Tom Izzo is discussed, but more in terms of why he is not a candidate than why he would be.

But let’s circle back and discuss John Calipari. My knee jerk reaction to John Calipari-to-Kentucky rumors is that he would not be a good choice for Kentucky, but a great choice. Say what you will about Calipari’s recruiting tactics or his academic standards or his less than sterling reputation with some of his peers, but the guy knows how to build a winning college basketball program (at least on the floor).

Gunmen storm Pakistan police academy

At least 20 people were killed Monday after gunmen stormed a Pakistan police training school near the eastern city of Lahore, police officials told AFP.Paramilitary soldiers, armed and wearing flak jackets and helmets, opened fire and fanned out around the perimeter of the site, which was surrounded by scores of police cars and armoured vehicles, an AFP reporter said.Television footage showed bodies of policemen lying face down on the parade ground as heavy gunfire rattled out of the training ground at Manawan outside Pakistan's cultural capital Lahore.

Other police officials said the number of casualties may be higher given the heavy crossfire between the attackers holed up at the training centre and paramilitary troops who fanned around the perimeter of the ground.Police officials declined to say how many people had been killed or wounded but state television reported at least four dead."Unknown gunmen have attacked the police training school, we have called in elite forces," senior police official Mumtaz Sukhera told reporters.

The attack came weeks after another attackers armed with guns and grenades mounted a coordinated assault on Sri Lanka's touring cricket team on March 3, killing eight people and wounding seven members of the squad.Officials said that assault bore the hallmarks of the November 2008 attack on the Indian financial capital of Mumbai, which was blamed on Pakistan-based Islamic militants and killed 165 people.Much of the unrest has been concentrated in northwest Pakistan, where the army has been bogged down fighting Taliban militants and Al-Qaeda extremists.

Last month Zardari's government suspended Punjab's provincial assembly and administration, imposing central rule after a court ruling disqualifying its chief minister Shahbaz Sharif -- brother of Pakistan's opposition leader Nawaz Sharif.Extremists opposed to the Pakistan government's decision to side with the United States in its "war on terror" have carried out a series of bombings and other attacks that have killed nearly 1,700 people in less than two years.

David Icke

David Icke as a goalkeeper, a sports presenter, or a conspiracy theorist who thinks 1984 was a book detailing our future history rather than a work of fiction. Then and Now with Icke as the guest. We get to see his original appearance on Wogan where Icke claimed to be the Son of God, and what he believes now. He’s still not making any sense.

That’s a tad unfair. Some of his views now do seem to be anchored in reality, but many of them are way out there. I do think there’s some strange stuff going on but the British royal family being half-lizard half-human? I don’t think so somehow.

The best bits of this video are the way Terry Wogan tries to keep a straight face and not burst out laughing at every opportunity, and how the audience are this time on Icke’s side, laughing at his jibe against Wogan’s naivety concerning America.

Kids Choice Awards 09

Kids Choice Awards 2009 take place on Saturday, March 28 at 8 PM ET/PT. See a complete list of nominees, winners, photos, and video below of the KCA 09 Awards. This year’s KCA 09 host is Dwayne Johnson (formerly known as The Rock). The actor most recently appeared in the movie ‘Race to Witch Mountain.’

This is Nickelodeon’s 22nd Annual Kids Choice Awards. The ceremony takes place at Pauley Pavilion at UCLA campus in Los Angeles, California. Somewhat like like the Oscar Awards for children and teens, the Awards honor figures from movies, music, sports and television in a star-studded live telecast which will be tape delayed for the West Coast broadcast. It is the kids’ vote on Nick.com by which winners were selected.

The awards ceremony features an orange carpet rather than the traditional red carpet, but fashion hits and misses will, as always, be the same! R&B singer Chris Brown facing two felony charges for allegedly beating pop singer Rihanna had been a nominee but withdrew his name from consideration.

Kerby Revelus

Kerby Revelus, 23, used a kitchen knife to kill his sister Samantha, 17, a Milton High senior, and his 5-year-old sister Bianca. When police broke down the door to the upstairs apartment on Belvoir Road yesterday afternoon, they encountered an unimaginably gruesome scene: 23-year-old Kerby Revelus slashing the throat of his sister, who had been celebrating her fifth birthday.

Revelus then turned on his 9-year-old sister Sarafina with the same kitchen knife. Their 17-year-old sister Samantha had been stabbed to death. It was then, Police Chief Richard G. Wells Jr. told the Globe last night, that officers shot and killed Revelus - saving Sarafina's life.It was Sarafina who had called police after she was told to by her older sister.

"His intent was clear," Wells said. "He was trying his best to kill all of them."The sisters' mother, whom police did not name, was at work at the time of the attack. The father's whereabouts at the time was unknown. The girls' grandmother was in the basement doing laundry. Bianca's birthday cake, decorated with candles, sat on a table.

Ashley Biden

Ashley Biden is the 27-year-old daughter of Joe and Jill Biden and is now caught up in a cocaine video scandal. This is particularly distressful considering her father, former Senator and now Vice-President Joe Biden has been crusader against drugs. In fact, he is the one who coined the term ‘drug czar’ in 1982 while campaigning for the ‘war on drugs’. Whoops!

It seems she was at a house part this month in Delaware when the 43-minute video was taken. The video is of a woman who resembles Biden and who is heard on the tape to be complaining that her coke line isn’t long enough, talking about drugs and discussing her father. At another point, the girl on the film shouts, “Shut the f— up!” She apparently knew she was being filmed.

The fact that the New York Post won’t pay for the video doesn’t mean there isn’t a bidding war going on for it. The shooter initially tried to get $2 million for the video, but brought his price down to $400,000. There are two publications that have offered around $225,000 for the video. Dunlap has said that the person who shot the video has known Ashley for a long time, has more videos of her and a lot more information about her.

Wanda Jackson

Wanda Jackson into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 4, Smithsonian Channel will re-broadcast the critically acclaimed documentary on her career, “The Sweet Lady With The Nasty Voice.” The special will air the day of her induction, April 4 at 8pm.

Emerging on the music scene in 1954, Jackson empowered female rock and rollers, thus opening doors for the Chrissie Hyndes and Patti Smiths of the world. Elvis Presley, whom Jackson dated, was influential in Jackson’s choice to move from country music to the male-dominated world of rockabilly. Jackson toured with Presley, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis, and rare footage of some of these appearances is included in the documentary.

The culmination of a two-year journey with Jackson, now 70, in performances across the United States and Europe, THE SWEET LADY WITH THE NASTY VOICE features contemporary rock immortals in new interviews and rock ‘n’ roll’s historic greats in rare footage.

Shamrock Shuffle

Shamrock Shuffle are projected to be in the low 30s to 40s with a 20% chance of rain/snow mix and 15-20 mph wind. I’m trying to remember what year it was when I ran the Shamrock Shuffle and it snowed---we finished at Daley Plaza. Anyway, it looks like the weather is going to be less than favorable, but hey, we’re Chicagoans and we’re tough! The Health and Fitness Expo hours today are down at Navy Pier from 9a.m to 6pm and it's FREE.

www.Shamrockshuffle.com is the official website of Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle, where you can get the information on runner, charities, results, volunteers, martketing opportunities, and more. 2009 Shamrock Shuffle will bw hold on Sunday, March 29. The race organizers have launched their helpful Event Alert System and it’s code Yellow/Moderate, which suggests less than ideal running conditions.

Deena Kastor, who won the Olympic marathon bronze in 2004, granted the Sun-Times an exclusive interview about competing in Sunday's Shamrock Shuffle. It will be Kastor's first race since dropping out of the marathon in the Beijing Games due to breaking her foot.

Florida Derby

Florida Derby, a race for owners who can afford the hotel rates in Louisville during Derby week, have three serious problems to overcome. The other six in the field shouldn't be completely ignored. They have the required four legs and a tail, but so did Babe, the wonder pig. So let's get serious. The second choice is Quality Road and his problem is the road's he's taken. He's the fastest horse in the field but, big but, he's never been asked to go around two turns.

Dunkirk, the morning line favorite, cost $3.7 million at auction. He didn't run as a 2-year-old, finally coming to the races two months ago. He overcame troubled trips in his only two races but went on to win by plenty. His problem: The last horse to win the Kentucky Derby without racing as a 2-year-old was the magnificent-looking Apollo. I'm guessing magnificent, since he won his roses in 1882.

Dunkirk must win Saturday - no kidding around, must - if he wants to reach the starting gate at Churchill Downs. He's run only in allowance races. And if too many horses enter the Derby, and they always do, the first 20 are selected on the basis of money won in stakes races, like today's $750,000 Grade I Derby. There isn't enough time to make another start.

Earth Hour 2009

Earth Hour 2009 is a global initiative of the WWF, where individuals, businesses and governments turn off their lights for one hour to show support for action on climate change. Amongst others, Bosch's facilities in Farmington Hills and Plymouth, Mich. will be dark for 60 minutes. The Bosch Group global headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, participated in WWF's Earth Hour 2008. In 2008, the company joined the Chicago Climate Exchange and committed to reducing direct greenhouse gas emissions at its US operations by six percent by 2010, compared to a baseline from the year 2000.

Globally, Bosch is committed to environmental stewardship through its site practices and product development. The Bosch Group has established a target of decreasing CO2 emissions among its worldwide manufacturing operations by at least 25 percent against 2007 levels by 2020. In addition to participating in Earth Hour 2009, Bosch has partnered with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (www.wbcsd.org), a coalition of companies dedicated to pursuing sustainable growth.

"In addition to implementing eco-conscious measures within our sites, Bosch continues to develop energy-efficient technologies, even in the difficult times we currently face," said Peter Marks, chairman, president and CEO, Robert Bosch LLC. "For the past two years, more than 40 percent of our R&D was directed at products that help protect the environment and conserve natural resources."

Earth Day

Earth Day celebrations in April, you'll be able to bypass the guilt as you learn about conservation and alternative energy while munching food served in containers made of vegetable-based material. Even the plastic-looking knives and forks will be made from potato starch, cornstarch and other compostable materials says Taylor, a partner in Green Tahoe Inc. of Truckee, brokers of biodegradable products.

Started eight years ago by the nonprofit Tahoe Earth Day Foundation, the events are designed to provide information about global climate change, recycling, water conservation, sustainability, energy production, composting, trash reduction and carbon footprints. The programs will tell you how you can help protect and improve the environment, says Suzanne Wilkins, chairwoman of the Squaw Valley event. But to make it fun and to celebrate the earth in a positive way, she says, musical and other entertainment will be offered as well.

Contests and activities for children and dozens of booths focused on the environment will be part of the festivities. Organizations sponsoring displays will include government agencies, public utility companies, water districts, environmental nonprofits, and commercial vendors offering recycling and conservation products and services. Exhibits and entertainment venues will fill the central courtyard at the Village at Squaw Valley, a chalet-style condominium and shopping complex.

HSBC Arena

HSBC Arena as the Sabres get set to take on the Leafs. Yes, the Leafs. There are no Laffs here when they're exactly three points behind Buffalo. We've got our usual number of empty 300-level seats because of that lovely platinum pricing. In response to some of the comments that I failed to join the jubilation during Wednesday's win/14 minutes of good play against Florida, I promise to be more cheery during tonight's festivities.

Now, you should know I will be very impressed if the Sabres win tonight and tomorrow in Montreal to cut their deficit to three points. But unless that happens, you're not going to get a lot of cheer here about effort. I was talking to Drew Stafford this morning and he was very open about his struggles of late, pointing out how it's about working harder and having that fact reinforced in his play. Nice. In game 74, the team's fourth-leading scorer has come to the realization he better work hard so Lindy Ruff doesn't scratch him.

A healthy Ryan Miller stopped 33 shots, including the first 16 he faced, helping the Buffalo Sabres notch a 5-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs Friday at HSBC Arena. It was the first game for the Buffalo goalie since injuring his ankle against the New York Rangers on Feb. 21. Miller improved to 31 wins this season. Tim Connolly scored twice for the Sabres, who remain in the playoff hunt.

Joanna Krupa

The Polish-born beauty is one of the most Googled gals on the Internet, has been named the "Sexiest Swimsuit Model in the World" by Playboy, and graced the cover of almost every men’s magazine on the planet, from Maxim to Esquire to GQ.And even though Krupa is in an industry where so many sleep their way to-the-top, she says she has never once sacrificed her moral integrity to land a job.

"I can tell you that I am very proud that everything I have achieved to date has happened due to the hard work of my team and myself," she said. "I was never tempted to give in because I have always been in committed relationships, and take the word 'committed' very seriously."

Speaking of being taken seriously, the 29-year-old swimsuit stunner has thus made a conscious effort to stay well away from the temptations of Tinseltown, so don’t expect to see her hanging with the likes of Hilton or Lohan anytime soon.But when she isn’t doing a topless shoot, filming a reality show with her model sister, or being flown to every exotic location known to humankind, Krupa is using her star power to help others.

new mexico road conditions

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Lubbock District's 18 maintenance sections, vehicles and snow plows are ready in anticipation of a winter storm expected to impact the South Plains on Friday.The safety of the traveling public is TxDOT's priority-responding to snow and ice situations as quickly as possible, said Tracy Cumby, Lubbock District maintenance administrator."Our maintenance crews are prepared to work in shifts and around the clock to monitor and clear the roadways of snow," Cumby said.

According to the National Weather Service, snow accumulations are possible with the winter storm. Strong winds are also anticipated."We can plow the roadways but blowing snow can severely limit roadway visibility. Travelers need to use caution," Cumby said. "Traveling during adverse weather conditions is sometimes unavoidable, but motorists can take precautions before heading out."

Assemble a winter storm kit. The kit should include: a flashlight, new batteries, jumper cables, matches, abrasive material (sand, kitty litter, even floor mats), shovel, ice scraper, warning devices (flares), road map and blankets. For longer trips, take along water, non-perishable food, medicine and a cell phone. It's a good idea to let a friend or family member know your anticipated route and arrival time.

memphis newspaper

The first two games of the NCAA tournament’s Sweet Sixteen continued this month’s trend by playing out according to chalk Thursday night: Connecticut, the No. 1 seed in the West region defeated No. 5 Purdue 72-60, and top-seeded Pitt needed a big comeback but put away No. 4 Xavier 60-55 in the East region.The Wildcats, who won their only championship by stunning Georgetown in 1985, never trailed after rallying from an early 5-0 deficit. “From the very start, Villanova played to win, not to avoid a loss,” Bob Ford writes in the Philadelphia Inquirer. “From the very start, the Wildcats gave No. 2-seeded Duke far more than it wanted. If the game was a test of will, only one team passed. And at the very end, Villanova got what it earned. One more game. Whatever this postseason will become, however far it will go, it isn’t over yet.”

In the other late game, Missouri ended Memphis’s 27-game winning streak to move within a win of its first trip to the Final Four. Mizzou built a 24-point lead before the Conference USA champs made a game of it. Still, it was a disappointing ending for Memphis, which lost the national-championship game to Kansas last year. How did Missouri beat Memphis? “With speed and defense and just a bit of pure good luck,” Geoff Calkins writes in the Memphis Commercial Appeal. “This is how the game of basketball goes, of course. The Tigers know better than most. How many times has Memphis stunned some poor team over the last three years? How many times has a Memphis player hit a preposterous shot? Against Maryland last week, it was Tyreke Evans banking in a three. And you just knew the Tigers couldn’t lose that one. ‘Sometimes the shots go your way,’ said Memphis guard Antonio Anderson. And sometimes, alas, they don’t.”

Larry Glick

Larry Glick, a legendary talk show host on Boston radio stations who was best known for his late-night programs, is dead at the age of 87.Glick had worked for WBZ for 20 years, building up a faithful following of "Glicknics," the radio station said on its website. He most recently worked as a greeter at a Legal Sea Foods in Boca Raton.Glick, who had moved to the Boca Raton, Fla. area, died after undergoing open heart surgery Thursday afternoon, according to WBZ-AM news and programming director Peter Casey.

Glick's career at WBZ reached its zenith when he was host for the station's early morning weekday shows, from midnight on. His name became a household word among night owl radio fans who were reached by the station's powerful signal in close to 40 states and eastern Canada. He also worked in a 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. spot and in the mid-afternoons before leaving the station in 1987.Glick told the Globe in 1991 that he loved the nighttime airwaves because he preferred the audience.Glick worked at WHDH-AM, hosting a 10 p.m. to 2 a.m, show until 1992. When he retired, he said he might carry on with his act as a stage hypnotist.

governors honors program 2009

Eight of the 45 students who participated in statewide interviews for the Governor's Honors Program have been selected as finalists for the 2009 session.Dr. Sally Krisel, Assistant Director for Teaching and Learning, announced that the State Department of Education has notified the school system that the following students were chosen as finalists for the 45th Annual GHP:

Sarah Elizabeth Brothers, Chestatee High School, Spanish
Elisa Michelle Jones, Chestatee High School, Biology
Robert Curtis Bland, Flowery Branch High School, Social Studies
Andrew Popovici, Flowery Branch High School, Chemistry
Stephanie Mai Pham, Johnson High School, Communicative Arts
Carl Jerritt Espiritu Aquino, West Hall High School, Mathematics
Stede Granger, West Hall High School, Mathematics
Mauricio Novelo, West Hall High School, Communicative Arts

The Governor's Honors Program (GHP) is a six-week summer instructional program designed to provide intellectually gifted and artistically talented high school students challenging and enriching educational opportunities not usually available during the regular school year. GHP is the oldest and largest program of its type in the country.These students will be invited to participate in the Governor’s Honors Program at Valdosta State University from June 14 through July 25, 2009.

Morgellons Disease

Morgellons Disease is an unexplained dermopathy. The disease name was given by the mother whose child fell ill in 2002 with numerous symptoms that could not be categorized into a known disease. One of the “defining” characteristics is the physical presence of small diameter “filaments” which protrude from painful skin lesions.The primary goals of the investigation are to help us learn more about who may be affected with Morgellons Disease, the symptoms they experience, and to generate hypotheses about factors that may contribute to it. The investigation will involve: determining the clinical and epidemiologic features of this condition; assessing the histopathology of skin biopsies from affected patients; characterizing foreign material such as fibers or threads obtained from persons with the condition; and estimating rates of illness among the study population.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not know the cause of this condition nor whether this condition is new. In an effort to learn more about this condition, the CDC is conducting an epidemiologic investigation using Kaiser Permanente's Northern California Division of Research to assist CDC in the investigation of this condition. The study began in January 2008 and is ongoing.As pointed out by the Morgellons Disease Foundation, these three symptoms parallel a psychiatric diagnosis -- Delusions of Parasitosis (DP). However, there is reported laboratory evidence of the actual fibers which proves they aren’t imagined.

60 foot phallus

A British teenager inspired by an ancient fertility symbol painted a 60-foot phallus on the roof of his parents house, a newspaper reported on Tuesday.Rory McInnes painted the giant genitalia on the newly-finished flat roof of his parents' million-pound mansion in a village 60 miles (100 kilometres) west of London, The Sun tabloid said.The 18-year-old student said he had decided to act last year after watching a documentary about the satellite images on Google Earth, saying he thought the artwork would make his parents' home stand out.

The oversized organ is an enlarged copy of the most well-known feature of the Cerne Abbas Giant, an 80-foot (55-metre) figure of a naked man which is carved into the side of a chalk hill in Dorset, southwest England.Clearly sexually aroused, the club-wielding giant is believed to be an Iron Age fertility symbol which has proven popular with copulating couples hoping to conceive.

When he got hold of Rory, who is spending a year travelling between finishing school and starting university, the teen reportedly said: "Oh, you?ve found it then!""It?s an April Fool?s joke, right? There?s no way there?s a 60-foot phallus on top of my house," he said before ringing round each of his four children.But the McInneses were clearly not keen on the idea of their rooftop art acting as a fertility charm.

3 day potty training

Dear Dr. Fox: My daughter e-mailed you recently, asking whether you had any suggestions to help rid my dog of frequent epileptic seizures. His vet has him on phenobarbital and sodium bromide daily and a high-fat diet – four tablespoons olive oil, two tablespoons butter and one egg each day. He was still having one seizure a day for three or four days in a row. You suggested putting him on gluten-free food. So I started that right away, and he hasn’t had a seizure since Jan. 9. You e-mailed my daughter to see how he was doing, so that’s why I’m sending this note. Thank you so much for the advice. I just hope it continues to work for him. It has been great having him seizure-free for this long. – L.McC., Silver Spring, Md.Dear S.M.G.: Your wonderful dog has been trained to go potty indoors, and that can be a hard-to-break fixation. Begin by taking a soiled pad outdoors for her to sniff. Take a soiled piece in a plastic bag on your walks, and put the soiled material on the ground for her to investigate. This may trigger her urination/marking response or defecation. When and if she goes outdoors, give her plenty of praise.

Dear Dr. Fox: My granddaughter has two pet cats that she has had for about a year, but they were mature cats when she got them. She is now pregnant, and I’ve heard old wives’ tales about cats and babies, and none of them are good. Please publish this so everyone can know the truth. – C.B., St. Louis, Mo.Dogs can develop “sore” vocal cords with persistent barking, usually associated with an infection like kennel cough. As dogs get older, their vocal cords (as with many humans) become more “croaky” and have limited range. You can often tell when a dog is stone-deaf – the tone of the bark rarely changes.Dogs bark for many reasons and have a variety of barks for different situations and events. Your situation calls for immediate action by the police and animal-welfare/protection agencies if you think the dog is being neglected and may be barking to be let indoors or if the barking truly disturbs your peace.

Dylan Ratigan

Dylan Ratigan, the moderator of CNBC's "Fast Money" TV show, said, the market is looking "pretty darn good."Jeff Macke added, "Bernanke is dropping dollars from the skies and giving us money to spend."Pete Najarian said everyone participated in the rally except for the financials. He particularly noted the performance of the utilities, industrials and semiconductors.Karen Finerman was impressed with the "astounding" performance of the technology stocks, with the Nasdaq moving into positive territory this year.

Tim Seymour said investors should be getting on board this rally, after the VIX broke through its 200-day moving average. He was especially encouraged by the move up in the Dow transportation index and in such stalwarts Federal Express(FDX Quote - Cramer on FDX - Stock Picks) and United Parcel Service(UPS Quote - Cramer on UPS - Stock Picks).Ratigan asked the panel to comment on the 12.6% jump in Best Buy(BBY Quote - Cramer on BBY - Stock Picks) after it reported better-than-expected earnings report. Macke said the jump in the stock surprised him.

Willie Aames

Willie Aames has had it tough as of recent. After his time as a celebrity (including high-profile roles on Eight is Enough, Charles in Charge and the voice of Hank in the Dungeons & Dragons cartoon), he then spent some time as BibleMan (and if you ever saw BibleMan, you'd understand why that was a bad thing), had an argument with his trainer on Celebrity Fit Club, and tried to commit suicide after his wife left him. Now he's apparently selling some of his possessions in a garage sale in suburban Kansas City.

Why do I have the feeling that this is going to lead to him being on another reality television show like his Charles in Charge co-star, Scott Baio? They say there is no such thing as bad publicity, but I have to wonder.The article lists some of the items he's selling, but it neglects to specifically mention the autographed picture of Scott Baio, the magic bow that shoots fire-arrows and the magic Bible.

Amalia Tabata

Amalia Tabata Pereira, is suspected of kidnapping a two-month old child in Florida. Pereira was found with the missing infant in Bradenton, Fla. about 50 miles away from Plant City, where the baby's mother lives and first reported her missing. No word on how long Pereira, 43, has been married to the 20-year-old ballplayer, but it's being reported that she has four different aliases. I wonder if one of them is Mrs. Robinson.

According to police reports, Rosa Sirilo-Francisco, the baby's mother, handed over her child to a woman she said claimed to be an immigration official. The woman, who called herself 'Janet,' told the mother that immigration officers were waiting for Sirilo-Francisco and the child's father at their home to deport them to Mexico. 'Janet' claimed she wanted to help the couple, but she had to take the baby with her. After Sirilo-Francisco handed over her child but then realized what happened she called authorities and an Amber Alert was issued.

Tabata's wife was turned over Wednesday to authorities in Hillsborough County after she was held Tuesday night in a Bradenton jail in lieu of $750,000 bond. She was arrested after handing over the girl to authorities in a Bradenton shopping center parking lot, less than 24 hours after the infant was taken. Jose Tabata was questioned by Manatee County authorities after his wife's arrest, but they later told the Pirates the outfielder is not involved in the case.

James H. Simons

James H. Simons, a former math professor who has made billions year after year for the hedge fund Renaissance Technologies, earned $2.5 billion running computer-driven trading strategies. John A. Paulson, who rode to riches by betting against the housing market, came in second with reported gains of $2 billion. And George Soros, also a perennial name on the rich list of secretive moneymakers, pulled in $1.1 billion.

Of course, their earnings were not unscathed by the extensive shakeout in the markets. In a year when losses were recorded at two of every three hedge funds, pay for many of these managers was down by several million, and the overall pool of earnings was about half the $22.5 billion the top 25 earned in 2007.

Government scrutiny, over Wall Street pay and the role all kinds of institutions play in the financial markets, is also mounting. Hedge funds are facing proposals for new taxes on their gains, and on Tuesday, Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner said he would seek greater power to regulate hedge funds.

Peter Schiff

Peter Schiff was Right has been going around for a while, but it just finally made it’s way to me - thanks Calin! I first heard of Peter a few months back when I read his book Bull Moves in a Bear Market which I really enjoyed. I can’t say that I am on board 100% with everything he says, but he seems to be a very common sense guy in the midst of foolishness.

Well anyway, in the video, it shows clips of Peter being interviewed on a bunch of business news stations and giving his predictions on the US economy and him being laughed at by just about everyone back in 2006-2007. While I wish he would have been wrong, he had some foresight about what debt, greed, and hype would inevitably do to our economy and we have and are continuing to watch it come to pass.

We all know that our economy is facing a bit of a credit crisis right now among other challenges and I don’t care to dwell on it, but it is such a sweet feeling watching the video and seeing how they mocked him as he patiently stood his ground. Tim Geithner is pulling every lever possible to "restart lending" and recreate the securitization market - now backstopped by the government.

NCAA Sweet Sixteen 2009

NCAA Sweet Sixteen 2009 boasts of the best ever lineup since 1979, when the seeding system was first implemented. All the top three seeds in each NCAA bracket have reached the Sweet Sixteen and the added number of the seeds is the lowest ever: 49. It became very clear that the NCAA Sweet Sixteen 2009 will be hard-fought when all the four top seeds, Louisville, Connecticut, Pittsburgh and North Carolina went in and all the four second and third seeds followed them.

The only double digit seeded team is No.12 Arizona who beat Cleveland State 71-57 in America Airlines Arena on Sunday. They will now face No.1 overall Louisville in the Midwest Regional semi-finals on Friday. The semi-final will surely be interesting as Louisville is coached by super-coach Rick Pitino, who lost the NCAA title to Arizona in 1997, as the coach of Kentucky and will be glad to block them this time around.

Meanwhile, freshman Kim English played the match-winner when he threw in both his free throws to help Missouri win their school-record 30th game after beating Marquette 83-79. English scored 17 points, including a six-minute run of 15 points which gave the Tigers the much-needed boost in the first half. Interestingly, he was playing as J.T. Tiller had injured himself.

Bruce Willis

Actor Bruce Willis has married lingerie model and actress Emma Heming in a beautiful tropical wedding in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The wedding was held on Saturday at the home of actor Bruce Willis. The 54-year old Bruce Willis has been with the 30-year old Heming for roughly a year now. he wedding was said to be absolutely beautiful, in a tropical small setting.

This was a big weekend for romance between actors and actresses 22 years their junior. Bruce Willis, 54, tied the knot with model-actress Emma Heming, 32, on Saturday at his home in Parrot Bay, Turks & Caicos, according to People.com. The report said that his ex-wife, Demi Moore, and her husband, Ashton Kutcher, (who also have an autumn-spring thing going) were in attendance, as were Moore and Willis' daughters, Rumer, Scout and Tallullah.

Word also leaked on the People site this weekend that Harrison Ford, 66, proposed to Calista Flockhart, 44, on Valentine's Day while the two were on vacation. They have been together for 7 1/2 years. No wedding date has been set, according to the Web site. The news was released by his publicists Rogers and Cowan. Bruce Willis had his 3 daughters, 20-year old Rumor, 17-year old Scout, and 14-year old Tallula Belle in attendance.

George Webber

George Weber was found stabbed to death in his Brooklyn apartment Sunday morning, cops said. The bloody body of Weber, a passionate fan of the city who spent a decade doing local news on WABC morning radio, was found just after 9 a.m. when he didn't show up for work.

"I used to hear his voice in the top and the bottom of the hour. It's a voice New Yorkers know. Now that voice has been silenced," said Aaron Katersky, 33, an ABC colleague who found himself covering a friend's murder. Weber, 47, was freelancing at ABC's national radio network after being laid off last year.

George Weber, a reporter whose voice had been a steady presence on ABC radio for more than a dozen years, was found dead in his apartment in Brooklyn on Sunday, the police said. The death has been ruled a homicide. He had been stabbed, but no weapon was found, the police said. Cops believe Weber was killed Friday evening. He was found in bed with stab wounds in the neck and chest, cops said.

Emma Heming

Emma Heming and boyfriend Bruce Willis married in Parrot Cay, in the Turks and Caicos Islands, Saturday. Willis exchanged vows in a ceremony attended by his children, ex-wife Demi Moore and her husband Ashton Kutcher. Madonna is also believed to have been among the guests. The wedding coincided with Willis’ birthday: he turned 54 on Thursday, Heming is 32. The pair been together for more than a year and will have a civil ceremony to confirm the marriage under US law when they return home.

Bruce Willis, 54, got hitched to girlfriend Emma Heming, a model, 30, at his home in the Turks & Caicos on Saturday. His rep tells Us Willis' daughters, Rumor, 20, Scout, 17, and Tallulah Belle, 14, and their mother, Willis' ex Demi Moore, were present, as was Moore's current husband, Ashton Kutcher. A source tells Us that Madonna was also among the guests. "The couple will be having a civil ceremony when they return to California," Willis' rep tells Us.

While on the island, Ashton Kutcher took a snapshot of Demi Moore in her bikini bending over while steaming his suit and put it on twitter Saturday afternoon. He made no mention of the wedding in his tweet, writing, "watching my wife steam my suit while wearing a bikini. I love God!"

Nicholas Hughes

Nicholas Hughes, a marine biologist and academic, hanged himself at home 46 years after the suicide of his mother, the poet Sylvia Plath. He was 47. Plath gassed herself at home in 1963, after sealing Nicholas and his sister Freida Hughes off in the room next door. Her husband, the poet Ted Hughes, had recently left her for Assia Wevill, another poet's wife, and Plath was struggling to make ends meet amid a harsh winter. Writes the Times of London in its excellent obituary.

Ted Hughes was hounded for the rest of his life by feminists and Plath devotees who accused him of driving her to her death by his infidelity. In March 1969, six years after Plath's death, Wevill gassed herself and her four-year-old daughter in a suicide apparently modeled on Plath's. Nicholas Hughes has recently left his post at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks to make pottery in his home studio. The evolutionary ecologist had been battling depression "for some time," according to his sister Freida Hughes. From her statement.

His lifelong fascination with fish and fishing was a strong and shared bond with our father (many of whose poems were about the natural world). He was a loving brother, a loyal friend to those who knew him and, despite the vagaries that life threw at him, he maintained an almost childlike innocence and enthusiasm for the next project or plan. Hughes reached the age of 47 and became a professor, having clearly found at least some of the emotional shelter his mother wished on him.

Tuukka Rask

Tuukka Rask absolutely lost his mind after two blown calls by the referee in the shootout. The first missed call Rask poke checked the River Rats player who picks up the should be dead puck shoots and scores. The second blown call comes when the River Rats player hits the crossbar and the ref counts it as a goal.

The Referee shall ask to have announced over the public address system the name of the player designated by him or selected by the team entitled to take the shot (as appropriate). He shall then place the puck on the center face-off spot and the player taking the shot will, on the instruction of the Referee (by blowing his whistle), play the puck from there and shall attempt to score on the goalkeeper.

The puck must be kept in motion towards the opponent’s goal line and once it is shot, the play shall be considered complete. No goal can be scored on a rebound of any kind (an exception being the puck off the goal post or crossbar, then the goalkeeper and then directly into the goal), and any time the puck crosses the goal line or comes to a complete stop, the shot shall be considered complete.

Oscar Grant

Oscar Grant and thousands more nationwide have been shot, tasered, pepper-sprayed or beaten to death by law enforcement.Yet in the last 15 years, only 6 cops were even charged with murder – and none convicted The full story of Oscar Grant's murder has not been told. The system must not be allowed to cover it up and let killer-cop Johannes Mehserle walk free.The People’s Tribunal will expose the truth about the killing of Oscar Grant and the nationwide epidemic of police brutality.

Every Saturday at 4pm the Oscar Grant Town Hall meetings are held without fail in Oakland. Those staunch supporters that want Justice for Oscar Grant - are fully aware that Law Enforcement - will use all the resources they have at their finger tips - to keep the Rogue Oakland Police Officers - involved with the Oscar Grant blatant shooting and killing - at bay. However, it is not impossible with a MOVEMENT on our side, careful planning, tons of UNITY - to bring about results that will shock the Bay Area, the Nation, and the world - be positive in favor of Oscar Grant. All the ingredients are there to make this - happen.

There is no doubt in the mind of those that can discern and comprehend complicated issues that the Bart Police and their Standard Operating Procedures - need a drastic change for the better. Far from protecting the customers - many a time their rude behavior and actions - have cause trauma and havoc. Instead of keeping the peace - some Rogue Bart Officers - have destroyed the peace.

Ron Dellums

Ron Dellums at a somber news conference announcing the slayings. It was the first time in the history of the Oakland Police Department that three officers were killed in the line of duty in the same day. The violence began when two officers on motorcycles stopped a 1995 Buick sedan in east Oakland just after 1 p.m., Oakland police spokesman Jeff Thomason said. The driver opened fire, killing one officer and gravely wounding another.

The gunman then fled on foot, police said, leading to an intense manhunt by dozens of Oakland police, California Highway Patrol officers and Alameda County sheriff deputies. Streets were roped off and an entire area of east Oakland closed to traffic. Around 3:30 p.m. officers got an anonymous tip that the gunman was inside a nearby apartment building.

Officers returned fire, killing 26-year-old Lovelle Mixon of Oakland, Acting Oakland police Chief Howard Jordan said. The slain officers were identified as Sgt. Mark Dunakin, 40, who was killed at the first shooting. The officers killed at the second location were Sgt. Ervin Romans, 43, and Sgt. Daniel Sakai, 35. Officer John Hege, 41, was in grave condition.

Angels with dirty faces

Angels with Dirty Faces (1938) is the ultimate Warner Brothers movie, even more so than Casablanca. Not only does it feature the finest performance of one of Warners’ biggest stars James Cagney, but it is arguably the greatest gangster picture ever, a genre Warners practically invented. There Rocky finds that “Father Jerry” is the pastor of the local church who is dedicated to guiding the destinies of the children and teenagers that live there.

Angels with Dirty Faces begins with the oft-used premise of two boyhood friends whose adult lives go in opposite directions. Rocky Sullivan (James Cagney) leads a life of crime while Jerry Connolly (Pat O’Brien) becomes a priest. Rocky has just served a sentence in prison and he decides to take up residence in the New York slum neighborhood where he and Jerry grew up.

Cagney’s charismatic performance succeeds in making Rocky “the most lovable gangster in all of movies,” as Andrew Bergman put it in his book on Cagney’s films. Providing first-rate support are O’Brien, Ann Sheridan as Laury Ferguson, the neighborhood girl who falls in love with Rocky, Humphrey Bogart as crooked lawyer James Frazier, George Bancroft as mob boss Mac Keefer, Edward Pawley as a sadistic prison guard and, best of all, the “Dead End Kids” (Billy Halop, Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, Bobby Jordan, Gabriel Dell and Bernard Punsley) as the JDs.

Calista Flockhart

Calista Flockhart wedding is in the future. Ford, 66 proposed to Flockhart, 44, on Valentine’s Day. People. Julia Roberts returns to the big screen in ‘Duplicity’ with Clive Owen, leading some to speculate as to whether the 1990s box office sensation is ‘too old’ to regain her status.

Oprah Winfrey will share the cover of her O Magazine with fellow talk show host Ellen DeGeneres. The previous and only time she shared the cover was March 2009 with First Lady Michelle Obama. Natasha Richardson death. The actress was not admitted to the hospital until nearly four hours after her ski accident — three hours longer than first reported.

Meanwhile artist Daniel Edwards has created the Octo-Mom sculpture, immortalizing her in inimitable fashion as he did Britney Spears, Paris Hilton and others. popbytes. Filmmaker Jake Rademacher partnered with actor Gary Sinise on the documentary ‘Brothers At War,’ the story of his two brothers who are soldiers in Iraq. First look: Hilary Duff in a breakthrough role as Greta, a rebellious and suicidal 17-year-old.

Philadelphia Zoo

The Philadelphia Zoo today begins a year-long celebration of the 150th anniversary of its birth with exhibits featuring "face to face" meetings between zoogoers and lions - separated by a thick pane of glass - and a new, modern aviary opening in May that will feature more than 100 spectacular birds from around the world, many of them endangered. The birdhouse, the McNeil Avian Center, will replace a zoo birdhouse built in 1916.

Philadelphia Zoo as a leader in wildlife conservation and environmental education. In a written statement, zoo officials said its mission is to “spark young imaginations and inspire the next generation to take the lead and protect animals and environments throughout the world.” A weeklong-long celebration includes a birthday party with entertainment for all ages. Sesquicentennial Weekend also kicks off festivities that are scheduled to run into 2010, as well as new events that include a “hatching” at the McNeil Avian Center that is set to open in this spring.

The Philadelphia Zoological Society was chartered in 1859, the year Charles Darwin published "The Origin of Species." But the Civil War intervened and the zoo didn't actually open its doors until July 1, 1874. The zoo also has seen its share of tragedies, including the deaths of several elephants and the terrible Christmas Eve fire in 1995, sparked by faulty wiring, that killed 23 gorillas and other primates. Although generations of children fondly remember the zoo, and its since torn-down monorail, it is not without its detractors.

Williams Grove Speedway

Williams Grove Speedway opened its 70th season Friday with the rev of engines and lots of eager racing fans. “We’ve been coming since the 1960s,” said Ken Stine as he waited in line to purchase his ticket. “We come every week,” said Sam Stine. Lance DeWease is their favorite driver. The Newville brothers weren’t deterred by the 30-degree temperatures. It’s all about the racing experience. “The noise, the speed, the atmosphere,” Ken Stine said with a grin.

The Stines said the $13 general admission is a good deal. “For what you see here, I think it’s a good price,” Ken Stine said. “This is cheap entertainment for two or three hours,” Sam Stine said. Michael Walters and his 5-year-old son, Kasey, couldn’t wait for the race to begin. Kasey entered the track proudly wearing a red autographed racing ball cap and carrying red ear protection. “We love sprint car racing,” Walters said. The pair drove from Doylesburg for the race.

“He likes Stevie Smith,” Walters explained. “That’s the great thing about this track. You get to know the drivers and they talk to him. (Kasey) will always remember that.” The half-mile dirt track opened in 1939. Until sprint car racing began in 1967, stock car racing was the norm. Since then, national champions like Ted Horn, A.J. Foyt and Mario Andretti have raced at “the Grove.”The speedway’s semi-banked clay oval surface is graded and watered before every race in a attempt to maintain a smooth and moist surface.

St. Joseph

St. Joseph, the husband of our Lady, foster-father of our Lord, guardian of the Holy Family, is honored liturgically on March 19 as patron of the universal Church. The memorial of St. Joseph the Worker is on May 1. This quiet, just, humble man, protector of families and patron of fathers, is also invoked for a happy death.

Most of our reliable information on St. Joseph is contained in the first two chapters of the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. Here we discover that Joseph was of royal descent from David, that the family was from Bethlehem in Judea and that Joseph, who was a builder, had moved from Bethlehem to Nazareth in Galilee. What a strong man of faith Joseph was! How he must have suffered, not knowing the secret of Mary's incarnation. Of course, she could not tell him - he would not have understood.

Joseph was engaged to Mary and upon learning that she was pregnant; he had plans to divorce her. Described in Matthew as a righteous man, he intended to dismiss her quietly. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream to tell him, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins" (MT 1:20-21). "When Joseph woke from sleep he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him." (MT 1: 24).

Vanessa Redgrave

Vanessa Redgrave and Liam Neeson were photographed leaving Lennox Hill Hospital last night, just hours after it was announced that actress Natasha Richardson had died from injuries suffered in a skiing accident in Canada. Neeson, carrying a leather valise, gave a wave of acknowledgment to photographers as he was heading back to his Manhattan residence with his mother-in-law following the death of his wife on Wednesday evening.

Neeson, who rushed to his wife’s side on Monday, flew her back to New York City on Tuesday when it became obvious that she would not survive a catastrophic brain injury. Hospital officials removed the 45 year old actress from life support midafternoon on March 18, 2009, and she died surrounded by family.

Natasha Richardson is survived by husband Liam Neeson, sons Michael Neeson, 13, and Daniel Neeson, 12. She also leaves behind her mother Vanessa Redgrave, and a sister, actress Joely Richardson. She was preceded in death by her father, famed film producer Tony Richardson. Liam Neeson graciously waved to well-wishers as he went home Wednesday night, after the death of his wife Natasha Richardson.

Lauren Bacall

Lauren Bacall isn’t a woman likely to sit still. Last weekend, the actress flew from her home in New York to Washington, D.C., to attend Sen. Ted Kennedy’s 77th birthday gala. And this evening, Bacall appears in Houston for a screening of To Have and Have Not at Landmark River Oaks Theatre, followed by a Q&A with the audience. Chronicle reporter Maggie Galehouse spoke with the actress — born Betty Joan Perske — about smoking, aging, politics and leading men.

Lauren Bacall was spotted going to the Lenox Hill Hospital in New York to visit Natasha Richardson about an hour ago. According to columnist Liz Smith, Richardson was taken off life support today at 1:30PM ET. Bacall was one of the many celebrity guests at Richardson's wedding to Liam Neeson in 1994. At Richardson's bedside over the past day were her mother Vanessa Redgrave, aunt Lynn Redgrave, sister Joely Richardson and ex-husband Robert Fox. Among those paying their respects have been actress Meryl Streep, author Joan Didion and actress Lauren Bacall.

Following the screening of To Have and Have Not,Bacall answered questions from the audience then moved on to the Wyatt home for a private reception, where she regaled guests with Hollywood tales. The lucky ones included Christina Girard, Franelle Rogers, Joelle Rogers, Jay Jones, Terry Wayne Jones and Jacqueline Hamilton. Proceeds benefited Brilliant’s youth leadership programs.

Alison Sweeney

Alison Sweeney wasn't expecting to give birth on Jan. 12. But when she dropped into the hospital for a check-up in full hair and makeup after a long day on the set of NBC's The Biggest Loser, the host, then 9-months pregnant with a baby girl, recalls, "My doctor was a little concerned and said, 'I don't want to leave her in there one more day!'" After having labor induced, Sweeney, 31, gave birth to Megan Hope Sanov at 11:48 that same night.

Sweeney describes her surprise – and her husband Dave Sanov's mad dash to the delivery room just in time for the birth – in the new issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday. At home in Los Angeles, little Megan already has her dad, a California Highway Patrolman, "wrapped around her little finger," Sweeney says. Not to mention her big brother, Ben, 4: "He pets her on the head and calls her cutie-pie!"

Alison Sweeney has been chosen one of the 12 participants. Sweeney is the host of “The Biggest Loser,” so she’s a recognizable face for the program, which uses the Nintendo Wii Fit. The EA Active 30 Day Challenge kicks off with a retreat in my neck of the woods, Santa Barbara, on April 14. The challengers will spend a weekend there before heading home to continue their fitness program at home. They’ll report their progress via Twitter updates, video diaries and blog updates.

Internet Explorer 8

Internet Explorer 8, Microsoft plans to give the browser a good and proper launching today at noon EDT. You'll be able to download the browser from the IE8 page at that time. Right now clicking the download link will get you Internet Explorer 8 Release Candidate 1. The latest version of Microsoft's Internet Explorer is now available to download, and I've been taking a look at the newly released browser.

Browsers have arguably become more important than the underlying OS in the modern, connected world. So take note when Microsoft announces an update to the Web-dominating software favored by your IT department. When the clock strikes 12:00 noon in New York, Microsoft says it'll release its much anticipated Internet Explorer 8 software to the world.

Overall, IE8 is a welcome improvement over previous Microsoft browsers, and I believe it is on a par with rivals such as FireFox and Safari in terms of features, performance and ease of use. This may not be enough to tempt back users who have defected to FireFox over the last few years, but it is definitely worth the upgrade for those still using older versions of IE.

Edward Liddy

Edward Liddy, chairman and chief executive officer, conceded in testimony prepared for a hearing by a House Financial Services panel. "I share that anger, he said. AIG is under fire for $220 million in retention bonuses paid to employees in its troubled financial products division. The most recent payment of $165 million began to be paid last Friday and caused a furor.

Liddy told lawmakers that the company grew into an internal hedge fund that became overexposed to market risks. AIG is the largest recipient of federal government emergency assistance. It has received $170 billion in bailout help and the government holds a nearly 80 percent stake in the company. On the eve of the hearing in the House of Representatives Financial Services Committee, condemnations of AIG and the bonuses were coming fast and furious, with the matter for the most part dominating news in Washington.

AIG chief Liddy has asserted that bonuses the company paid were necessary to retain the best and brightest talent, an assertion he expressed directly to U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner in a letter, adding that bonus contracts with employees were finalized well before Congress approved financial bail out funds in late 2008. In a congressional hearing on Wednesday, the CEO of American International Group, the troubled insurance company, will face tough questions from angry members of Congress.

Chris Dodd

Chris Dodd, in particular, over AIG bonuses that he gave only a cursory, half-baked review of the facts. As a headline read, "Caught Red Handed," Hannity almost completely ignored Senator Dodd's explanation for the "bonus protection" he supposedly placed in the stimulus bill and all but declared Dodd responsible for the bonuses. With video.

At the beginning of tonight's Hannity, he announced, "Democratic Senator Chris Dodd slipped an amendment into the stimulus package last month that protected bonuses agreed to before February 11, 2009, meaning the AIG bonuses, and Senator Dodd tells FOX News this evening that he wasn't responsible for - well, the February deadline.

What Hannity never explained (and there was no balancing guest on the show), is that Dodd's original amendment did not include protection for bonuses. Indeed, as Media Matters notes, it included restrictions on executive compensation. The amendment was later modified in conference and put into the final bill with that modification. Dodd says it occurred without his knowledge. Foxbusiness.com included these details in its rundown of the situation.