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2010-02-01T09:25:00.001-08:00

Obama Puts Forth Plan to Save the American Middle Class

2010-02-01T09:16:00.001-08:00

President Obama, just a few days before his State of the Union Address, has broached the subject of helping the beleaguered middle class with a series of proposals.
In the wake of a massive and ambitious health care overhaul likely being scrapped in favor that is much smaller and less intrusive in scope, President Obama has refocused his attention on issues that more directly affects the large American middle class, laying out a broad plan to help a group that he says is "under assault." The new plans put forth by the White House include help families pay bills, save for retirement and help to care for their children and elderly parents. His comments on the matter came in advance of tomorrow’s State of the Union Address.

While Obama didn’t talk about the creation of jobs for the middle class, he did mention wanting to "re-establish some of the security that’s slipped away." The comments – and plans – come as a vast majority of the country is clearly in a sour mood over the economy, a fact reflected in recent elections that have seen Democrats on the ropes. Among the new ideas that Obama will put forth is a near doubling of the tax credit for child costs that families earning under $85,000 can receive, as well as additional help for families earning up to $115,000.

Obama also is talking about increasing a federal fund to help families pay for child care by $1.6 billion, which would create coverage for an additional 235,000 children. He would also require employers not offering 401(k) retirement plans to offer direct-deposit IRAs for their employees and plans to spend over $100 million to help families care for elderly parents. While the White House is still talking about creating jobs, the most recent comments are aimed directly at the middle class. Vice President Joe Biden noted, "We’re talking about dignity. We’re talking about security. We’re talking about knowing your pension is safe, your health insurance is reliable, your elderly parents and your children are going to be cared for, your neighborhood is safe."
By Buzzle Staff and Agencies
Published: 1/26/2010

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2010-02-01T09:15:00.001-08:00

Brangelina Breakup Rumors are Heating Up

2010-02-01T09:14:00.001-08:00

According to many tabloid reports, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are preparing to formally announce their break-up and the custody arrangement for their children.
At this point, there has been no official comment from Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie about the current status of their relationship. No statement from either actor and none coming from a publicist to quell the rumors that are swirling. Instead, there are only reports from the tabloids which suggest that Pitt and Jolie have met recently with divorce attorneys to draw up documents that would dictate the terms of an amicable split. Although the pair is not currently married, they have children together and have lived together for several years.

Obviously, given the fame of the couple involved, there are always rumors swirling about a potential break-up, or a pregnancy or some some other even more outrageous claims. But given the persistence of the reports surrounding their current status, it would almost be surprising if some news didn't break soon about the fact that they will be separating, if not breaking up for good.

Life with young children can be difficult, especially when trying to manage global careers on the scales of Pitt and Jolie. Yes, they have unlimited financial resources, but the pressures associated with trying to raise a family properly and remaining involved with the process can be overwhelming - regardless of financial status. If the couple ends up apart in the near future, it would likely be as a result of those pressures.

With the National Enquirer and others already stating their cases that Brangelina is finished, it seems like the writing may finally be on the wall.
By Buzzle Staff and Agencies
Published: 1/26/2010

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2010-02-01T09:13:00.001-08:00

Schwarzenegger Wants to Build Prison in Mexico for Illegal Immigrant Inmates

2010-02-01T09:12:00.001-08:00

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger suggested sending illegal immigrants currently in California prisons to prisons in Mexico.
California's budget crises are still in full swing and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is not afraid to throw out controversial potential solutions to some of the problems. Arnold's latest idea is to send 20,000 of California's prison inmates - all of whom are illegal immigrants - to a prison that California would build in Mexico. Scwharzenegger explained the plan as follows: "We pay them to build the prison down in Mexico. And then we have those undocumented immigrants down there in prison. It would half the costs to build the prison and run the prison. We could save a billion dollars right there that could go into higher education."

Obviously, that's a pretty brief explanation and there is no word as to whether Mexico is even aware that such an idea exists and if they would be willing to go along with such a plan. Certainly, there is cheaper labor in Mexico, but is that something that California wants to try to manage remotely, especially given the corruption and violence that is everywhere in Mexico.

At that rate, it may be easier to simply release all of the immigrant prisoners back into Mexico. Or what about just regular extradition. Even though their crimes were committed here, wouldn't it make sense to send them back to their countries of origin. To be sure, all of the 20,000 illegal immigrant prisoners are not from Mexico.

Arnold is up against it in terms of the California financial crisis. The state is projecting nearly a $20 billion budge deficit and is just another in a long line of states that simply seems unwilling to make the tough decisions and make deep and meaningful spending cuts.
By Buzzle Staff and Agencies
Published: 1/26/2010

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2010-02-01T09:11:00.001-08:00

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2010-02-01T09:09:00.001-08:00

Intruder Arrested by Scottish Police at Susan Boyle's Home

2010-02-01T09:08:00.001-08:00

Susan Boyle reportedly surprised an intruder when returning to her home in Blackburn, Scotland on Tuesday night.
Susan Boyle's rise to fame has been meteoric, to say the least. But throughout her amazing run of professional success and fame, she has managed to stay under the radar and still lives in her hometown village of Blackburn Scotland. It would appear that the locals there are generally willing to allow Susan the most realistic possibility of living a normal life, largely outside of the media spotlight.

But on Tuesday night some of that changed as Boyle returned home from a recording session to raise money for Haiti. Initial reports are that Boyle returned home to find an unidentified man in her home and that police were called to the scene. The local police have been largely quiet on the issue thus far, although it's most likely that they will soon have to issue a formal statement in relation to the incident.

The man was held by police for a time and was eventually released, although no further details are available. As much as one would like to think that it's possible for a celebrity such as Boyle to return to the lifestyle in which she is most comfortable, the reality of fame in today's world is such that celebrities are forced to surrender their privacy.

We'll have to wait for the details to emerge before there is an understanding of exactly what happened, but the fact that the man was let go so shortly after being arrested would suggest a prank-like visitor or general fan behavior gone awry. While the end result of that may be harmless, it's nonetheless disturbing that Boyle has to endure it as a price for her success.
By Buzzle Staff and Agencies
Published: 1/27/2010

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2010-02-01T09:07:00.003-08:00

Corinne Bailey Rae Recounts Her Grief and her Healing Process

2010-02-01T09:07:00.001-08:00

Corinne Bailey Rae took a long break from recording after the death of her husband, but her re-emergence on the music scene has marked her grieving process in profound ways.
Corinne Bailey Rae, the Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter who took the world by storm in 2006 with her eponymous debut album, has recently had to deal with the death of her husband. Now, she’s opening up about the process that led her through her grieving process and what has managed to heal her. In 2008, the performer’s husband died of a drug overdose. Of that ordeal, the 30-year-old singer noted, "I’m not familiar with that kind of shock that lasts all that amount of time. It just sort of takes ages to sink in. You feel it and then you don’t feel it. You know what’s happened and then you don’t really know what happened. Somebody wrote me a letter saying that you need to surrender to it, which I was like, ‘Well, how do I surrender?’"

Bailey Rae says that she still hasn’t entirely come to grips with her loss, but she managed the grieving process by placing her pain and emotion into her music. She has released a new album, "The Sea," which she started on before the death of her husband. Said the singer, "There are other people that have had these similar experiences; all different kinds of loss, and I feel like a lot of people don’t really sing about it in popular music. I want to be that one voice that is saying that this is also a human experience that is worth making music about."

Bailey Rae admitted that she started working on her album again because she needed "something to do." That something has created an album that has come to fruition only after a long hiatus and a painful re-commencement. For her, starting on the album again was the beginning of a new future – one that didn’t include her beloved husband. Said Bailey Rae, "Part of that experience is you can’t imagine a future. Your imagined future is totally on fire."
By Buzzle Staff and Agencies
Published: 1/27/2010

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2010-02-01T09:06:00.001-08:00

Toyota Stops U.S. Sales of Camry and Several Other Models

2010-02-01T09:05:00.001-08:00

The faulty gas pedal issue that Toyota has been dealing with for some time has now forced the company to suspend sales of all Camrys and other models in the U.S.
Toyota is trying desperately to stay in front of the gas pedal defect that it has in most of its new fleet. To date, there have been no confirmed injuries or deaths in the U.S. as a result of the problem, but with so many cars on the road, it may only be a matter of time. The gas pedals in many of the Toyota models have been observed to stick, causing unwanted acceleration that a driver would be unable to stop.

"Toyota is suspending sales of the following vehicles: the 2009-2010 RAV4, the 2009-2010 Corolla, the 2007-2010 Camry, the 2009-2010 Matrix, the 2005-2010 Avalon, the 2010 Highlander, the 2007-2010 Tundra and the 2008-2010 Sequoia."

That still leaves several models of Toyota active in the market place, including the Prius and all hybrid Camrys. But the impact on the world's number one auto company has been unprecedented and it remains to be seen exactly what the financial and image fall-out will be from this episode.

Some may call into question the impeccable quality reputation that Toyota has built over the years, but the fact that the company seems to be out in front of this problem actually says more than the problem itself. At least, that's a reasonable perception among American consumers. The problem was brought to light in Japan, where the vehicles have been on the road longer.
By Buzzle Staff and Agencies
Published: 1/27/2010

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2010-02-01T09:04:00.001-08:00

Skeptical Public Sees Empty Promises from Obama

2010-02-01T09:03:00.003-08:00

President Obama is trying his best to "create jobs" through various programs, but a wary public is almost finished listening.
The fallacy that politicians can create jobs seems finally to have been discovered as such by a world-weary American public. At the forefront of the anger, disdain and dismay are felt throughout the country and directed at President Barack Obama who, whether responsible for the current mess or not, is squarely in the eye of the public regarding the issues at hand. Increasingly, the U.S. public seems not to trust Obama’s promise of better times ahead and new jobs. While only businesses can created jobs – and not politicians (ever) – the promises keep coming. To which that same wary public undoubtedly wishes – if only promises were jobs.

Obama’s latest push includes a new tax credit for small businesses that he says will help those small companies hire new employees. With unemployment above 10 percent, the idea has merit and some firmly in favor of the plan. Other, however, remain skeptical. No details on the plan have been forthcoming and various tax experts wonder if it’s a good idea at all. Said Eugene Steuerle, an official in the Treasury Department during the Reagan administration, "It’s very hard to know when a company is incrementally adding jobs because of a tax credit, and when they would have done it anyway. I’m sympathetic to subsidizing low-wage jobs. It’s just a question of how you design it."

Indeed, the "design" of a tax stimulus package is the key. The devil, as they say, is in the details. Some of the questions surrounding the fledgling Obama plan include how companies would be kept from abusing such a credit by artificially increasing payroll or breaking up and re-forming to take advantage of the credit. Said Clint Stretch, a tax policy specialist at Deloitte Tax, "Guys who were ruthless and threw people out on the street will benefit while those who kept their workers will not." And in that one statement, Stretch pointed out what is perhaps the biggest problem of all.
By Buzzle Staff and Agencies
Published: 1/27/2010

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2010-02-01T09:03:00.001-08:00

Haiti Survivor: Girl Rescued Alive After 15 Days!

2010-02-01T09:02:00.001-08:00

A 16 year old girl was found alive in Port-au-Prince, a fortnight after the Haiti's devastating earthquake. It's more than just a Haiti survivor tale.
It was nothing short of a miracle on Tuesday, when a 16 year old girl was pulled out alive from the rubble of a building in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince. The girl named Darline, somehow managed to survive in the rubble of the St Gerard College which she had just started attending a few weeks before the earthquake struck.

Rescue workers are describing this stunning survival of the teenager, even two weeks after the quake demolished the city, as a "miracle". "I don't know how she happened to resist that long," said rescue worker JP Malaganne. They said she was happy and at the same time shocked. She was in an urgent need for medical attention after being severely dehydrated and having a leg injury. "She just said 'Thank you', she's very weak, which suggests that she's been there for 15 days," said Samuel Bernes, the head of the Haiti survivor rescue team that discovered her.

More importantly, the girl's rescue comes five days after the Haitian government officially declared an end to search and rescue operations. This sensational rescue has also given a lot of hopes to those whose near and dear ones are still missing, as they are asking for renewed search operations. Haiti has had a number of remarkable rescue and survival stories to tell. Darline is the 9th and the longest surviving victim in this list. Here are the others who defied death against all odds:
•Rico Dibrivell, 32 - found after 12 days
•Wismond Exantus, 24, recovered after 11 days
•Emmannuel Buso, 21 - saved after 10 days
•Marie Carida, 84 - rescued after 10 days
•Mendji Bahina Sanon, 11 - pulled out after 8 days
•Lozama Hotteline, 25 - trapped for 7 days
•Elisabeth Joassaint, 15 days - found alive after 7 days, half her life!
•Ena Zizi, 69 - rescued after 7 days
Meanwhile, President Rene Preval has postponed the parliamentary elections due to be held on 28 February. He added: "I don't think the time is right to hold elections now given the conditions in which people are living." As many as 200,000 people have been killed in this natural disaster of 12 January and at least 130 Haiti survivors have been discovered alive in the rubbles.
By Yash Gode

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2010-02-01T09:00:00.003-08:00

Manchester United Through to Carling Cup Final

2010-02-01T09:00:00.001-08:00

The two clubs from Manchester went head to head in an epic semifinal, and it was the Red Devils who emerged victorious on the night.
In a dramatic second leg of the Carling Cup semifinal between Manchester United and Manchester City, United won 3-1 on the night and 4-3 on aggregate. Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick gave United a 2-0 lead before Carlos Tevez made it 2-1. Wayne Rooney scored the decisive goal in the 3rd minute of stoppage time as Manchester United booked their place in the final.

When the game started it promised to be a fierce duel between the two Manchester rivals. Manchester City led 2-1 from the first leg as they looked to win their first trophy in 34 years. But Manchester United have built an empire based on success over the last 20 odd years, and the cheque books flying out of Manchester City's endless coffers will need a lot more time to topple Sir Alex Ferguson's dynasty. The first half was a pretty even encounter as both teams tried their luck a few times. But as soon as the 2nd half began, United had a sharpness about them that showed exactly why they have been so successful. Every player in a red shirt put in a great shift, and there was only one team that was going to win this Carling Cup tie.

Paul Scholes fired United into the lead in the 52nd minute with a strike reminiscent of his younger days. What followed after that was wave upon wave of United attacks, and it was inevitable that someone in a red shirt would score. Wayne Rooney was playing as the lone striker, and he was showing the world exactly why he is known as the 'White Pele'. Michael Carrick scored the second goal in the 70th minute and that looked like the end of the story.

But Carlos Tevez once again showed his hunger to prove a point to the Old Trafford faithful. He scored an excellent goal in the 77th minute to make it 2-1 on the night, and 3-3 on aggregate. It looked like the match was going into extra time as United were unable to find a way past the excellent City goalkeeper, Shay Given.

But in the 2nd minute of stoppage time Rooney jumped up and emphatically headed the ball into the net to make it 4-3. Earlier in the season Michael Owen had scored on the same side of the pitch in the 5th minute of injury time to make it 4-3 on the day. This time though it was the darling of Manchester United who scored the winner and the crowd was in raptures. The threat of Manchester City was firmly brushed aside, albeit temporarily, and United booked their place in yet another final of the Carling Cup.

They now play Aston Villa on the 28th of February at Wembley stadium, to defend the Carling Cup title they won a year back. Wayne Rooney has already scored 21 goals this season, and is well on course to beat his previous season best of 23 goals. If he keeps playing like this, Manchester United will easily win all the trophies they are competing for, and he will complete a clean sweep of all individual awards in a season where United have been written off far too easily.
By Rahul Thadani
Published: 1/28/2010

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2010-02-01T08:59:00.001-08:00

ManU vs Man City: What a Game!

2010-02-01T08:58:00.001-08:00

Jubilation at Old Trafford as Manchester United beats Manchester City 3-1 to enter Carling Cup final on 4-3 aggregate.
Revenge was the only emotion in the hearts of Manchester United fans at the Old Trafford and that is exactly what they got as the red devils cruised to a comfortable win. Having beaten their more formidable rivals 2-1 in the first leg, Manchester City was looking to seal the deal for a showdown in the finals. City's star player Carlos Tevez, still very much a villain for United's fans after moving from Utd to City, looked threatening to script a dream win with a sensational 76th minute backheel flick. But, United's man of the moment, Wayne Rooney, had other plans. Rooney sent Old Trafford wild in celebrations when he successfully headed a Ryan Giggs's cross past Manchester City goalie Shay Given and set up a final encounter with Aston Villa on 28 February.

The game started with heightened security after fan troubles in the first leg match, and the game was marred by an incident when Craig Bellamy was felled after he seemed to have been hit on the head by a coin and a bottle thrown at him. As the match started, ManU set the early tempo, but once City gained a measure of the situation, they created much better scoring opportunities in a fiercely contested first half which ended goalless.

When the heat resumed after the break, ManU was evidently under pressure to make in-roads at the start of the second half, but it was Man City who almost scored when Richards' shot brought an athletic save from Van der Sar. In the 53rd minute, United scored and it came from veteran Paul Scholes, who had proved to be most influential in the midfield chaos. It was 2-2 on the aggregate board and United was leading 1-0 in the game. Old Traffod was in the 7th heaven when Carrick added a second in the 71st minute.

A stunning 76th minute equalizer from City virtually silenced the fans when Tevez's acrobatic backheel shot flew low out of Van der Sar's reach to find the net. And just as everyone at Old Trafford were bracing themselves an extra-time showdown, ManU mounted a typical late assault and Rooney's dramatic stoppage-time header booked their Wembley ticket and wrecked Man City's hopes of reaching a first Carling Cup final in 29 years.

Manchester United's boss Sir Alex Ferguson was all praise for his front-line striker and hailed Rooney as "truly world class".
"His control, his leading of the line, his penetration was absolutely fantastic," enthused Ferguson. "It was a wonderful performance, truly world class." he added.
By Yash Gode
Published: 1/28/2010

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2010-02-01T08:57:00.001-08:00

Apple iPad Tablet Computer Launched

2010-02-01T08:54:00.001-08:00

While many people are waiting with bated breath for the Apple iPhone 4G to launch, the company mollified its millions of fans by launching the much awaited Apple Tablet computer, the Apple iPad...
Apple Inc., a leading American multinational corporation which designs and manufacturers electronic products and computer software, recently launched the iPad tablet computer. Apple's iPad tablet computer is a third category between smartphones and laptops.

Eagerly awaited for quite a while now, many were looking forward to the launch, and the Apple designed product did not fail to impress. "What this device does is extraordinary. It is the best browsing experience you have ever had" was what Steve Jobs, Apple's chief executive, had to say while unveiling the iPad tablet computer in San Francisco. This new tablet computer left many techies wowing at the launch of this extraordinary device.

The device that was revealed was a 1.5 lb device, and around ½ inch in thickness. It also has an impressive 9.5 inch touchscreen that is much more advanced than other touchscreens available currently. For Apple Computers, this will be the first touchscreen computer that they have launched. The device looked like a large iPhone and could be used to watch movies, play games and browse the web. However, an analyst from CSS described it as "a supersize iPod touch that would get little interest if not from Apple," something that is no doubt true.

Some of the key features of this unique iPad tablet computer are that it's user-friendly and helps to type directly on to the screen, in addition to manipulating pictures and controlling the action in games with finger input. For users who need a physical keyboard, this can also be plugged into the device. With a battery life that the Apple claims is close to 10 hours, the iPad is again an Apple product that is in league of its own. It runs on a specially designed Apple A4 processor at a clock speed of 1 GHz, and uses a solid state drive for memory.

This revolutionary device from Apple has twelve preloaded applications, which are also seen on existing iPhone and iTouch models. In addition to these 12, other third party applications can also be downloaded and used. Content from Apple's App Store, currently serving iPhones and iTouches, can also be downloaded and used on the iPad, and in time there will be applications developed for the iPad itself.

However, the Apple iPad tablet is not the first touchscreen tablet computer in the market, with Dell and HP already having such devices. In fact, at this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, many more tablet models were introduced and showcased, and the future of tablet computers looks bright. All that being said, Apple's latest device is nothing more than a blown up iTouch and indeed lacks many features that even today's netbooks can offer. The lack of a user changeable battery, no optical drive and low memory makes this a not so alluring option for people looking for a standard laptop. For those looking for the latest gadget, though, the iPad is simply a must have. With models starting from as low as 499 USD, at least Steve Jobs has got the pricing right.

The Apple iPad tablet computer is available in different variants, with memory (16gb, 32 gb, and 64gb) and connectivity (Wi-Fi and 3G) being the difference in the models. The Wifi model will ship as early as around 60 days, with the 3g models taking about 90 days to start shipping.
By Benhur Soans
Published: 1/28/2010

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2010-02-01T08:53:00.001-08:00

Haiti Government Receiving 1 Penny for Each Dollar in U.S. Aid

2010-02-01T08:52:00.001-08:00

The corrupt Haitian government is receiving just one penny of every U.S. dollar spent to aid the stricken nation, which is a very good thing, indeed.
An American public with a new penchant for demanding accountability – of their elected representatives if not necessarily themselves – is likely pleased to learn of the breakdown of funds being send to Haiti from the U.S. A recent investigation into the matter by the Associated Press indicated that just one penny of every U.S. dollar sent to that country to aid in the wake of devastating earthquakes is going to the Haitian government. President Obama originally announced a $100 million relief package for the beleaguered Caribbean nation, but that number has quickly jumped to almost $379 million as the struggle there has continued.

That figure amounts to roughly $1.25 for everyone living in the U.S. and break down of funds is as follows: 42 cents of each dollar goes for disaster assistance, 33 cents for U.S. military aid, nine cents for food, nine cents to transport food, five cents to pay local Haitians for their efforts during the recovery and then just under a penny to the government. About one-half of one cent is being delivered to the neighboring Dominican Republic. Haitian President Rene Preval noted that his country has a bad reputation for corruption, but he went to great lengths to explain that foreign aid is not being paid to corrupt government officials.

Said Preval, "There’s a perception of corruption, but I would like to tell the Haitian people that the Haitian government has not seen one penny of all the money that has been raised – millions are being made on the right, millions on the left, it’s going to the NGOs." Timothy R. Knight, former assistant director of US AID, noted, "I really believe Americans are the most generous people who ever lived, but they want accountability. In this situation they’re being very deliberate not to just throw money at a situation but to analyze based on a clear assessment and make sure that money goes to the best place possible."
By Buzzle Staff and Agencies
Published: 1/28/2010