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Scenes of panic in Banda Aceh after earthquake hits off Indonesia coast

2012-04-11T04:23:00.001-07:00

People run shortly after the earthquake in Banda Aceh on April 11, 2012.

Damage: This picture was posted on Twitter reportedly showing a massive crack in a road in Aceh after the quake

Acehnese women hug each other and pray shortly after a powerful earthquake struck off the western coast of Sumatra in Banda Aceh, Indonesia on April 11, 2012.

People try to go to higher ground in Banda Aceh after the earthquake struck on April 11, 2012.

Indonesia Hit by 8.7 Magnitude Quake; Tsunami Warning Issued

2012-04-11T02:36:00.000-07:00

11 April, 201 Indonesia’s geophysical agency has registered an 8.7 magnitude earthquake in the Aceh region, off the coast of northern Sumatra. A tsunami warning has been issued, the US Geological Survey reports. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre is monitoring the situation in the Indian Ocean. The closest city to the quake’s epicenter, which lies 33 km beneath the ocean floor, is provincial capital Banda Aceh. With a population of over 220,000, it’s located some 500 kilometers away. Tremors from the earthquake have been felt in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and southern India. Witnesses said on Twitter that high-rise apartments and offices on Malaysia's west coast shook for at least a minute. Indonesia straddles a series of fault lines that makes the vast island nation prone to volcanic and seismic activity. In December 2004, a giant 9.1 quake triggered a tsunami in the Indian Ocean that killed 230,000 people, nearly three quarters of them in Aceh.

Gift Ideas For Christmas

2011-11-20T04:54:00.000-08:00

Affordable Gift Ideas For Christmas

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A Fun Fact.

Prince William and Kate Middleton: Expectations For Wedding

2011-04-24T22:18:00.000-07:00

It’s less than a week away now to the big Royal wedding taking place at Westminster Abbey in London. But what can the expectations be for the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton?

Sophie Wilson of The Telegraph has written an article telling us what we can expect on the big day. The wedding is organized by the Lord Chamberlain’s office and it will have each of the 1,900 guest having a number card in various colors.

As you are looking at the altar in Westminster Abbey, the Royal family will be on the right with the Middleton family on the left hand side. Kate Middleton will be arriving at the Abbey in a limousine instead of the Glass Coach which was built in 1881.

Wedding photos will then be taken in the Throne Room, which will give the 600 guest time to get to the palace.

At 1.25pm the Royal couple will come out for the balcony kiss, and then there will be a fly-past five minutes later. After the reception William and Kate will go back to Clarence House to prepare for the evening’s festivities. The happy couple is going on honeymoon but it’s not known where.

Will you be watching the wedding on TV?

Tokyo Earthquake 2011:Water Leaks At Onajapan earthquake 2011gawa Nuclear Plant After Latest Japan Quake

2011-04-09T16:18:00.000-07:00

Water spills and water leaks have been reported at a nuclear power station in northeastern Japan after a 7.1-magnitude earthquake overnight.

Tohoku Electric Power Company, which runs the Onagawa Nuclear Power Plant in Miyagi Prefecture, said water had spilled onto the floor at all three of the plant's reactors.

The company also said it found water leaks at five locations in the plant, including inside buildings housing the reactors.

The operator said the blowout panels, devices designed to control pressure inside the buildings, were damaged at reactor No. 3.

The plant's operations have been suspended since a 9-magnitude earthquake on March 11.

At least two people have died and more than 100 were injured by the April 7 aftershock.

The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, which was severely damaged by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, suffered no serious damage but workers struggling with repair work were briefly evacuated.

Japan Earthquake 2011 - THE cooling system at the No. 2 reactor at the quake-damaged Fukushima Number One nuclear power plant in Japan has failed.

2011-03-14T03:12:00.001-07:00

The No.1 and No.3 reactors at the same plant have experienced the same problem, followed by two explosions in the buildings surrounding the reactors in the wake of Friday's massive 9-magnitude quake and devastating tsunami.

The No.2 reactor has totally lost its cooling function, public broadcaster NHK said, citing the country's Nuclear and Industry Safety Agency.

Officials at TEPCO were not immediately available to comment.

The plant is located 250 kilometres north of Tokyo.

Earlier, ten people were injured in a blast caused by the build-up of hydrogen in the building around the No. 3 reactor at the Fukushima Number One plant nuclear power plant, chief government spokesman Yukio Edano said.

Mr Edano and and plant operator Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) said six workers - four employees and two contractors - were injured in today's blast.

They were all said to be conscious.

Jiji Press said four soldiers were also hurt.

Yesterday, Mr Edano said it was highly likely that a partial meltdown had occurred at the Fukushima No. 1 reactor, and a second was possible at the plant 250km northeast of Tokyo.

A similar explosion hit the building containing the No. 1 reactor on Saturday.

Mr Edano said it was unlikely the new blast had damaged the No.3 reactor's container, but pressure in the reactor remained stable.

"The soundness of the reactor container has been maintained," he said.

"The figures do not indicate a high level of radiation."

TEPCO said radiation levels at Unit 3 were 10.65 microsieverts, significantly under the 500 microsieverts at which a nuclear operator must file a report to the Government.

TV footage of the building housing the reactor appeared to show similar damage to Saturday's blast, with outer walls shorn off, leaving only a skeletal frame.

More Dramatic Video: Japan Earthquake 2011 Earthquake Caught On Tape

The tower, constructed in 1958 based on inspiration from the Eiffel Tower, stood as an emblem of an increasingly modernized (and westernized) nation. The structure is both a crucial part of Japan's media network?broadcasting TV and radio signals?and Tokyo's tourism trade, having drawn over 150 million visitors since its completion.
Tokyo appears to have been spared from the earthquake's destruction, but the damaged pinnacle surely serves metaphorically as the broken heart of a wounded country

Officials who have been battling a possible partial meltdown are injecting seawater into the reactors to replace lost cooling water - a procedure that will render the 40-year-old plant unusable.

Authorities have declared an evacuation zone within a 20 km radius of the plant and evacuated 210,000 people.

"We have strongly advised all the people still within the evacuation area to go inside nearby facilities," said nuclear safety agency spokesman Ryo Miyake.

Some 746 people - patients, elderly people and care workers at three hospitals and nursing homes - remained within the 20km area today.

A Fukushima official said 311 had so far been moved out.

More bodies found

Meanwhile, Japan's Kyodo news agency reported that 1000 bodies had been found on Miyagi's Ojika Peninsula. Another 1000 were reportedly spotted in the town of Minamisanriku, where up to 10,000 people are missing.

Both towns suffered the full force of the tsunami that devastated the country's northeast coast after the earthquake.

Earlier there were fears a new tsunami was heading to the northeast Japanese coast after a strong offshore earthquake struck 140km northeast of Tokyo, shaking tall buildings in Japan's capital.

The quake off coastal Ibaraki prefecture - one of many aftershocks the magnitude 9 quake - had a 5.8-magnitude, said the US Geological Survey, which said the quake struck at a depth of 18 kilometres.

Sirens were reportedly going off in the town of Soma as the order to evacuate went out over public address systems.

The tsunami's was reported to be 3m high and heading for the same area devastated by Friday's earthquake and tsunami.

TV reports said the wave was spotted from a fire department helicopter off Fukushima.

But an official from Japan's Meteorological Society told the country's national broadcast NHK there was no sign of a new tsunami as yet and the warning was consequently cancelled.

Race against time

Prime Minister Naoto Kan said the situation at the Fukushima power plant remained grave, and that Japan was facing its worst crisis since the end of World War II - which left the defeated country in ruins.

"The current situation of the earthquake, tsunami and the nuclear plants is in a way the most severe crisis in the 65 years since World War II," Mr Kan said in a televised national address yesterday.

"Whether we Japanese can overcome this crisis depends on each of us," said Mr Kan, who was dressed in an emergency services suit.

Electricity rationing started in Tokyo this morning, with residents including Australian expats forced to contend with the rolling stoppages.

Millions of people were left without electricity after the disaster hit. Japan's nuclear industry provides about a third of its power needs.

Former Melbourne man Benyon Louey said the grid was being systematically shut down across the city.

"The Tokyo Electric Company has announced five groups of blackout timetables for the Kanto area that includes blackouts from 9.20am to 1.00pm and 6.20pm to 10pm,'' Mr Louey said.

"I'm not sure how long the rationing will remain.''

He said the situation was only adding to frustrations, with trains still not fully operational.

"(I'm) not sure if we can make it to work as our train line is not on the operational list.

"It took me four-and-a half hours to get home on Saturday morning when it usually takes 90 minutes.''

Mr Louey, who provides English support to sales staff at a furniture and home wares supply company, said the local supermarkets had sold out most essentials.

"Rice, bread, noodles, canned food, bottled water, toilet paper and torches all sold out over the weekend.''

Meltdown fears

A nuclear meltdown occurs when a reactor core overheats and causes damage to the facility, potentially unleashing radiation into the environment.

Mr Edano said that some radiation had escaped in Saturday's blast at Fukushima but that the levels released into the air were so far not high enough to affect human health.

Plant operator Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) said that despite continuing efforts, it had not managed to ensure that the tops of the fuel rods in the two troubled reactors remained submerged. Exposed rods increase the risk of a meltdown.

The use of freely available, but corrosive, seawater is seen as a desperate step and an admission that the reactor will never again be operational.

France's Institute of Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN) said "very large" amounts of radioactivity were "produced simultaneously with the explosion" at Fukushima.

A total of 22 people have been sent to hospital after being exposed to radioactivity, although it was not immediately clear to what degree they were exposed and what condition they were in.

The International Atomic Energy Agency said excessive levels of radiation had been detected at the Onagawa nuclear plant, but also said authorities had reported the three reactor units were "under control''.

"During the explosion the rate of release at the edge of the site would have attained one millisievert (mSv) per hour," compared with naturally present radioactivity of 0.0001 mSv per hour, it said yesterday.

The Government has said the radiation released into the air so far had not reached levels high enough to affect human health.

A cooling pump at another plant 120km from Tokyo, the Tokai No. 2, had failed, but a back-up was working and cooling the reactor, a plant spokesman said early on Monday.

Quake to devastate economy

The Bank of Japan injected $86 billion (seven trillion yen) into the country's financial system as an emergency measure to ensure the banking system is stabilised as Tokyo's stock market fell five per cent in early trade trade.

Leading risk analysis firm AIR Worldwide said the quake alone would exact an economic toll estimated at between $US14.5 billion ($A14.33 billion) and $US34.6 billion ($A34.18 billion), without taking into account the effects of the tsunami.

The yen gained ground against major currencies in early Asian trade today, briefly touching 80.60 against the dollar, its highest since November 9.

The United Nations said a total of 590,000 people had been evacuated in the quake and tsunami disaster, including 210,000 living near the Fukushima nuclear plants.

The colossal quake sent waves of churning mud and debris racing over towns and farmland in Japan's northeast, destroying everything in its path and reducing swathes of countryside to a swampy wasteland.

The immense force of the quake had moved Honshu - the main Japanese island - 2.4 metres, the US Geological Survey said.

In the small port town of Minamisanriku alone some 10,000 people were unaccounted for - more than half the population of the town, which was practically erased, public broadcaster NHK reported.

The police chief in Miyagi prefecture - where Minamisanriku is situated - said the death toll was certain to exceed 10,000 in his region.

The national police agency said the confirmed death toll now stood at 1597.

But in a rare piece of good news, a man who was swept 15km out to sea along with his house by the tsunami was plucked to safety yesterday after being spotted clinging to a piece of the roof.

Hiromitsu Shinkawa, 60, was discovered by a Japanese destroyer and transported by helicopter to hospital, where he was found to be in surprisingly good health.

With ports, airports, highways and manufacturing plants shut down, the Government predicted "considerable impact on a wide range of our country's economic activities".

While the world's third-largest economy struggled to assess the full extent of the disaster, groups of hundreds of bodies were being found along the shattered coastline.

Many survivors were left without water, electricity, fuel or enough food, as authorities appeared overwhelmed by the monumental scale of the disaster.

Japan committed 100,000 troops - about 40 per cent of the armed forces - to spearhead a mammoth rescue and recovery effort with hundreds of ships, aircraft and vehicles headed to the Pacific coast area.

"There are so many people who are still isolated and waiting for assistance. This reality is very stark," said Defence Minister Toshimi Kitazawa.

The world rallied behind the disaster-stricken nation, with offers of help even from Japan's traditional rival China.

The US aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan reached waters off the northeast coast on Sunday, part of a flotilla sent by Japan's close ally which has nearly 50,000 military personnel in the country. US Navy helicopters were transporting relief supplies for quake and tsunami survivors.

Pope Benedict XVI hailed the "courageous" Japanese people and called for prayers for the victims.

Japan sits on the "Pacific Ring of Fire", and Tokyo is in one of its most dangerous areas, where three continental plates are slowly grinding against each other, building up enormous seismic pressure.

- with Aaron Langmaid

Tokyo Earthquake 2011,Japan Tsunami: Latest updates

2011-03-12T15:42:00.000-08:00

12.40pm: Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disney Sea, Japan's most popular amusement facilities, have been closed to carry out emergency safety checks. The operator told the Kyodo News Agency the closure will probably last about 10 days.
A number of concerts, musicals, kabuki plays, exhibitions and other events across the nation have also announced cancellations.

Watch raw, eyewitness video footage here.

12.30pm: California is closely monitoring efforts to contain leaks from a quake-damaged Japanese nuclear plant, as experts said radiation could be blown out across the Pacific.
While officials downplayed any immediate danger, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission deployed two experts to Japan.

12.04pm: A senior nuclear and industrial safety official says a meltdown may be underway at one of the Fukushima Dai Ichi nuclear power reactors, with there being potential for a widespread release of radiation.

Toshiro Bannai told CNN he was confident that an ensuing crisis could be controlled.

The Tokyo Electric Power Company said a second reactor at the plant failed early this morning. It said it was having trouble cooling the reactor and it may need to release radioactive steam to relieve the pressure.

11.53am: A former US energy policy adviser says the use of seawater and boron to cool the reactor at the Fukushima Dai Ichi nuclear power plant was a desperate, "Hail Mary pass" tactic, with success depending on the volume and rate at which the dousing continues.

Robert Alvarez told reporters in the US that the effort would need to continue non-stop for several days.

11.35am: Lights were switched off overnight at some of Japan's best-known landmarks in a bid to save electricity.

Kyodo News reported that the Tokyo Tower and Yokohama's Bay Bridge were among those to shut off power after Friday's earthquake and ensuing tsunami.

The operators of the Tokyo Tower said the switch-off partially reflected their intention to express their condolences in regard to those who had perished in the disaster.

10.49am: The International Atomic Energy Agency says it was informed by Japanese officials that the explosion at the Fukushima Dai Ichi plant occurred outside the primary containment vessel.

The Tokyo Electric Power Company said the primary containment vessel remains intact, and sea water mixed with boron has been injected into it to limit damage to the reactor core.
The IAEA said it had been told that four workers were injured at the plant when the explosion occurred.

10.13am: The International Atomic Energy Agency said in a statement today that Japanese officials would distribute iodine to people living near the damaged Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear power plant. Iodine can be used to help protect the human body from radiation exposure.

10.07am: In an apparent death hoax, Twitter users informed one another of the death of Pokemon creator Satoshi Tajiri in Friday's disaster. In a tweet, Nintendo of America said none of their Japanese staff were injured during the earthquake. Hello Kitty designer Yuko Yamaguchi was the subject of similar claims.

9.56am: Japan-based tech journalist Martyn Williams has put together a list of Japanese TV news stations being streamed online. They are:
NHK (watch)
TBS (watch)
ANN (watch)
NTV (watch)

9.39am: Japan's government broadcaster, NHK, has reported that radiation exposure testing has begun around Fukushima prefecture. Three people randomly selected from a group of 90 tested positive for radiation poisoning.

9.25am: The explosion at the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear power plant after Friday's earthquake and tsunami should prove embarrassing to the Japanese government who were warned long ago about the dangers of building nuclear plants in areas of intense seismic activity, writes Guardian science editor Robin McKie.

9.15am: The Japanese government said radiation emanating after an explosion at the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear power plant, 273km northeast of Tokyo, appeared to have decreased. Officials did not say why, and the precise cause of the explosion and the extent of the ongoing danger remains unclear, reports the Associated Press.

9.04am: Alan Boyle, science editor at msnbc.com, has blogged on the effectiveness of Japan's earthquake warning system and whether the "Big One" could have been predicted days in advance.

8.41am
Japan's central bank has promised a "fast response" to the earthquake/tsunami tragedy in the country.

8.40am
Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan has toured some tsunami-hit areas, by boat - the only practical mothod of transport in those areas.

8.30am
Up to 50,000 search and rescue workers are either already at, or heading to, Japan's worst-hit disaster zones on the north-eastern coast.

8.00am
The evacuation zone around the Fukushima No 1 nuclear power plant has now been extended to a 20 kilometre-wide radius. Authorities say the casing surrounding the nuclear reactor has not been damaged - only an external wall has fallen down. So, they say, there is no danger of meltdown occuring.

Tokyo Earthquake 2011 - Hundreds Feared Dead After Quake And Tsunami

2011-03-11T16:02:00.000-08:00

A huge tsunami is feared to have killed hundreds of people as it swept over coastal Japan after the country's biggest earthquake on record.

The massive 8.9 magnitude quake caused a 33ft wave that hit the port of Sendai city, sending ships crashing into the shore and carrying cars and buildings through streets.

Other coastal and low-lying areas in the northeastern region were inundated.

As daylight arrived on Saturday, Japan was slowly comprehending the sheer scale of its worst ever disaster.

Police there say between 200 and 300 bodies have been found on the coast, with 349 people missing. However, Kyodo news agency estimates the death toll at more than 1,000.

Meanwhile, an emerging threat of nuclear radiation continues to develop after faults occurred at a coastal power plant.

The International Atomic Energy Agency said it was in "full response mode" after the unit 2 reactor of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant suffered a cooling fault and thousands of residents in surrounding areas evacuated.

Japanese officials also reported that pressure was increasing inside the unit 1 reactor's containment and decided to vent steam vapour to lower the pressure through radiation filters.

Three reactors at the coastal plant were operating at the time of the earthquake and the water level in each of the reactor vessels still remains above the fuel elements, according to authorities.

Although officials believed radiation would only rise a small amount, Kyodo news agency said a nuclear safety panel believed it was 1,000 times above normal.

Japanese prime minister Naoto Kan wanted the evacuation zone around the stricken reactor widened to six miles after radiation levels rose.

"I will go to the Fukushima nuclear power plant to grasp the situation there," Mr Kan said on Saturday morning.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that new coolant supplies were offered to help the stricken nuclear plant.

"Japan is very reliant on nuclear power and they have very high engineering standards, but the plant came under a lot of stress with the earthquake and didn't have enough coolant," Mrs Clinton said.

Japanese authorities eventually decided on using domestic supplies of renewal coolant, according to Reuters.

Up to four passenger trains are unaccounted for, a dam in Fukushima prefecture broke and washed away numerous homes, and a major explosion occurred at a Sendai petrochemical complex.

On Saturday morning a thick pall of smoke and flames rose from dozens of cars on fire at a car distribution lot in Fukushima, after they had been dumped in a heap by receding waters.

An airport engulfed by muddy torrents on Friday was still under water on Saturday.

Coastguards are looking for a ship carrying around 80 dock workers that was among those swept away and a passenger train on the coast is also unaccounted for.

The capital Tokyo was one of several cities shaken by dozens of subsequent aftershocks - some 15 minutes apart - culminating in several large shocks on both coasts of Honshu as the weekend started.

UK ambassador to Japan David Warren, who was south of Tokyo, told Sky News: "It was very strong and a very long earthquake... it was frightening."

Police in Iwate prefecture, near the epicentre, confirmed the deaths of 34 people after a town centre was completely demolished by the surging wave.

After darkness fell on Friday night one large waterfront residential area in Sendai was ablaze with wild fires spreading from home to home.

Mass evacuations took place after tsunami warnings were issued for the entire Pacific basin.

But despite warnings from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the tsunami passed several countries without causing major damage.

US President Barack Obama announced that although one aircraft carrier was already in Japan another carrier group was under orders to steam towards Japan.

The US 7th Fleet flag ship, USS Blue Ridge, loaded humanitarian supplies in Singapore while en route to the region.

The Japanese government's top spokesman, Yukio Edano, said the country was sending troops to the quake-hit areas as the self-defence force prepared 300 planes and 40 vessels for rescue operations.

The earthquake - one of the strongest ever recorded - obliterated Tokyo's Disneyland car park and caused large fires at sites including an oil refinery in nearby Ichihara.

The refinery was still ablaze as dawn broke on Saturday.

The main quake was so large it was felt 1,500 miles away in the Chinese capital of Beijing.

Japanese ambassador to Britain Keiichi Hayashi said: "The situation is still developing and we don't know at this juncture the exact scope of damage."

"I don't know what to say... We are terribly shocked."

World leaders sent messages of sympathy to Japan, with the Queen expressing her sadness at the "tragic loss of life", while Pope Benedict XVI said he was "deeply saddened".

Airports and ports were closed and the Shinkansen 'bullet' trains stopped after safety devices were triggered across the country.

"The whole transport system was effectively closed down in the aftermath but it is gradually opening up again," Mr Warren said.

Millions of homes were left without power and rescue services were dealing with numerous call-out following falling debris across Tokyo and other cities.

Among the countries issued with alerts from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre in Hawaii were Guam, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Hawaii, New Zealand and Australia.

South America, Marcus Island and the Northern Marianas were also put on alert.

The high speed energy wave passed by Guam and the Hawaiian islands and skirted low-lying Pacific island such as Nauru.

Authorities in Indonesia, Taiwan, Russia and the Philippines said minor tsunamis had caused little or no damage upon hitting their coastlines.

By the time the waves reached southern California were barely noticeable at less than two-foot high, however one man was reported missing after being washed off rocks.

Chile announced an extended evacuation zone late on Friday shortly before the wave energy was due to hit the region.

In densely-populated Tokyo, large buildings shook violently as workers poured into the street for safety after the main tremor struck.

Millions were evacuated in the capital as buildings continued to sway for hours after the initial quake.

Google launched a people-finder website for those in Japan worried about the whereabouts of friends and relatives.

"We are not aware of any British casualties at the moment but we are trying to identify any nationals who may have been caught up through our consular networks, but the phone network has been heavily affected," ambassador Warren said.

"We are still gathering information and our aim is to get as much information as we can and help any British nationals who need assistance," Mr Warren said.

Japan has requested a limited number of foreign search and rescue teams to help with the aftermath of the quake and tsunami, the United Nations said from Geneva.

More than 68 search and rescue teams from 45 countries have so far offered assistance.

People in Japan have been speaking of their terror as the sea of debris swept inland.

Experts say the earthquake is the world's sixth biggest since 1900.

Police and coast guard officials said they were continuing to assess the scale of the damage but have been hampered by the sheer scale of damage.

Several earlier quakes had hit the same region in recent days, including a 7.3 magnitude incident on March 9.

Japan lies at the intersection of three tectonic plates and the massive quake occurred as the Pacific plate moved further under the Eurasian plate, at a depth of 15 miles.

Prime Minister David Cameron, speaking after a EU meeting in Brussels, said the people of Britain stand by those who have suffered in Japan.

"On behalf of everyone in Britain I want to send our condolences to the people and government of Japan," he said.

Foreign Office minister Jeremy Browne, who chaired a Cabinet Office Cobra crisis meeting on Friday, confirmed the Government's commitment to help to those in Japan.

"There are two main features to our response to what is - clearly people will have seen the pictures on Sky News all day today - a truly terrible natural event.

"One of them is to make sure that our consular operation is functioning effectively and smoothly... they will be reinforced by other staff coming into Japan from across Asia," he said.

"We are also offering assistance to the Japanese... we have made clear to them that we stand ready to help and have search and rescue teams on standby, just as soon as they wish us to deploy them."

:: Send messages to your loved ones affected by the earthquake here.

The Foreign Office has advised against all essential travel to Tokyo or northeastern Japan. It can be contacted on 020 7008 0000, or from Japan on +44 20 7008 0000, and can be emailed on japan.earthquake@fco.gov.uk.

Updates are also being provided on Twitter via @britishabroad and Facebook via fcotraveladvice.

:: The Foreign Office advises Britons in Japan to monitor local TV and radio for evacuation information - radio stations in the Tokyo area with emergency information in English include the US Armed Forces station (810 AM) and InterFM (76.1 FM).

Tokyo Earthquake 2011

2011-03-11T02:12:00.000-08:00

TOKYO - A powerful tsunami spawned by the largest earthquake in Japan's recorded history slammed the eastern coast Friday, sweeping away boats, cars, homes and people as widespread fires burned out of control. A local news report said at least 15 people were killed.

The magnitude 8.9 offshore quake was followed by at least 19 aftershocks, most of them of more than magnitude 6.0. Dozens of cities and villages along the 1,300-mile (2,100-kilometer) stretch of the country's eastern shore were shaken by violent tremors that reached as far away as Tokyo, hundreds of miles (kilometers) from the epicenter in the sea off the northeastern coast.

A tsunami warning was issued for the entire Pacific, including areas as far away as South America, the entire U.S. West Coast, Canada and Alaska.

Kyodo news agency said 15 people were killed. The government confirmed only five deaths.

"The earthquake has caused major damage in broad areas in northern Japan," Prime Minister Naoto Kan said at a news conference.

Even for a country used to earthquakes, this one was of horrific proportions.

More News

People in Japan have been forced to flee for their lives after a sea of debris and sludge surged inland following a 8.9 magnitude megaquake in Tokyo.

Drivers and residents on the eastern coast were helpless as a tsunami caused by the huge tremor swept everything in its path.

Waves as high as 10m drove an astonishing wall of buildings, vehicles and houses across the fields and over motorways.

The coast was engulfed by the dark waters which carried hundreds of lorries as if they were toy cars.

Sendai City, north of Tokyo, appeared to have borne much of the brunt of the tsunami.

As the water engulfed the area, flames shot up from houses – probably due to burst gas pipes.

Amateur footage from an office in Sendai showed employees stumbling around as books and papers crashed from their desks.

Osamu Akiya, 46, who was working in a trading company when the quake hit, said bookshelves and computers had fallen to the floor before cracks appeared in the walls.

He said: “I’ve been through many earthquakes, but I’ve never felt anything like this. I don’t know if we’ll be able to get home tonight.”

Other pictures captured a woman weeping alongside a glass shelter at a bus stop in the city which was completely destroyed by the tremor.

Japan Earth Quake 2011 A mother and child cowering in Tokyo

The earthquake is a chilling repeat of the disaster in New Zealand just weeks ago, striking in the capital.

Large buildings shook violently as terrified office workers felt the force of the quake which – again like in Christchurch – struck in the middle of the working day.

Thirty minutes after the quake, tall buildings were still swaying in Tokyo and mobile phone networks were not working.

The ceiling of the Kudan Kaikan, a large hall in Tokyo, collapsed injuring an unknown number of people.

In the centre of the city, trains were stopped and passengers walked along the tracks.

Japan Earth Quake 2011 Horrified hotel workers gathered in a building in the capital

More than four million buildings were left without power in the centre and surrounding suburbs.

Hundreds of people were evacuated from Shinjuku station, which is the world’s busiest, and taken to a nearby park.

All trains were halted and the main airport closed. A large section of the ceiling at the Ibaraki airport around 50 miles north-east of the capital crashed to the floor.

Peter Harrold, who lives in Tokyo, said everyone was gathering in the big parks in the city centre because they cannot get home.

He said: “It looks like the trains won’t be working tonight in Tokyo. It’s pretty cold too.

“The weather was really good until the earthquake and then suddenly all these black clouds have appeared.”

An oil refinery in Ichihara, the other side of Tokyo bay, was engulfed by a fire – with a huge cloud of flames billowing into the sky.

People living near the shore and watching the carnage on TV were warned to move to strong concrete buildings and stay above the third floor.

New Orleans Mardi Gras 2011

2011-03-08T00:05:00.000-08:00

New Orleans is known for its vibrant French Quarter and annual Mardi Gras Festivities each year. This weekend scores of SMU students and thousands of college undergrads from across the United States descended onto Bourbon Street for a weekend of raucous partying in traditional Big Easy style.

Elbow to elbow, throngs of imbibed tourists jostled down Bourbon Street, looking for their next drink or free beads from a balcony above. All ages and races were represented, but the primary demographic were young men from college age to their mid 30s. On half a dozen corners, neon signs spelt out advertisements for concoctions like Hand Grenades and Hurricanes. Think of a sugary flavored fruit juice with a healthy dose of high-proof liquor added.

Also, on almost every corner headed north on Bourbon Street were demonstrators from various Christian sects picketing against the “debauchery” they believed Mardi Gras and Bourbon Street to be. Handheld signs paid visitors of New Orleans compliments, proclaiming tourists to be “sinners, fornicators” and “hell bound.” In a place where open containers are allowed on public streets in plain sight of police, it is fitting that such free speech manifests itself.

Outside of the drinking frenzy of Bourbon Street, the rest of the French Quarter and New Orleans celebrate Mardi Gras with multiple parades populated by various Krewes. Krewes are the traditional name for the organizations that make up members in the various parades and range from hereditary and ultra-exclusive down to anybody who can pay dues. Late Saturday morning the Krewe of Iris and Krewe of Tucks participated in back to back parades down St. Charles Avenue and onto Canal Street in pouring rain. Thousands of spectators cheered on the colorful floats, whose riders threw beads and other trinkets to parade watchers.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/spitfirestu/sets/72157626087082401/show/

Wherever one goes in New Orleans during the weekend before Fat Tuesday, they are bound to find a packed bar, restaurant or parade in progress. With literally dozens of Krewes in parades and innumerable watering holes, one would be hard pressed not to be taken in by the revelry and tradition of Mardi Gras. The only downside this year was the constant rain and thunderstorms that occurred frequently over the weekend, dumping inches of rain and a small tornado in Southern Louisiana. After a few Hand Grenades and beads though, most people enjoying Mardi Gras didn’t seem to care and the celebrations went on.

2011 Big Ten Tournament Betting Tips & Odds To Win

2011-03-05T15:05:00.000-08:00

The mid-major NCAA Basketball conference tournaments begin this week, but major post-season conference tournaments do not commence until next week, including the 2011 Big Ten Tournament.

We have always believed that betting underdogs is the best way to approach these conference tournaments, especially in the major conferences where the favorites are oftentimes already assured of an NCAA Tournament bid and are sometimes better served by conserving their energy for the March games that matter the most, and some may not even mind losing considering the Big Ten Tournament has no days off.

Follow the Underdogs in the BIG 10 Tourney?

Now maybe the underdogs have not dominated in the Big Ten Tournament like they have in other tournaments, but they have still gone a solid 27-22-1, 55.1 percent in this tournament over the last five years. That said, the very bottom teams of this conference that play on the first day have not fared too well, but the lowers seeds have gone 20-14-1, 58.8 percent over the last three days of the tournament.

Then again, the Big Ten does seem deeper this season with only Iowa looking like a one-and-done doormat, as even 10th place Indiana is ranked a respectable 60th in the Pomeroy Ratings and is capable of hanging with the sixth place team in the first round. Thus, underdogs should perform even better this season.

The underdogs did well last season, going 6-3-1 against the spread overall despite the favorites going 7-3 straight up. Interestingly and keeping to the form of prior years, two of the favorite covers came on the first day, as the underdogs then went 5-1-1 ATS from the quarterfinals onward, with the only other favorite to cover being Ohio State in its 90-61 rout of Minnesota in the Big Ten Championship Game.

Fighting For Top Seeds

Now Ohio State is fighting for a number one seed this year, although the Buckeyes are now the number one team in the country once again, so they just might have a top seed in the Big Dance already locked up, especially if they knock off Wisconsin at home in the regular season finale. Thus, we would not be as afraid to fade Ohio State in this tournament as we would have been last week.

However, there is now one newcomer in the mix for an NCAA top seed that we did not regard that highly last week, and that is Purdue. Although unlikely because they probably need a slip up by at least two teams in the group that includes Kansas, Duke, Pittsburgh and even BYU, as long as the Boilermakers think they have a chance at a one seed, they will probably play to their fullest potential.

2011 BIG 10 Tournament Betting Tips

Thus, our advice here would be to play on underdogs in any game not involving Purdue. Also, pay special attention to Illinois, who looks like a nice darkhorse bet if you can bet Big Ten Tournament futures. The Illini are on the NCAA Tournament bubble and they are playing close to home in Chicago, which are both nice motivating factors. On top of that, Illinois is still ranked 21st on the Pomeroy Ratings.

Finally, pay close attention to the ‘unders’, as they are 30-20, 60.0 percent in the last five years of this tournament.

Odds to win the 2011 Big 10 Tournament:

Denny Slagle CEO of Mack Trucks Tackles Undercover Boss

2011-02-20T20:49:00.000-08:00

ST LOUIS (LALATE) – Denny Slagle, CEO of Mack Trucks Inc, tonight shows that there is far more involved in the assembly, production, and distribution of the America’s 111 year old brand that one can ever know … unless they go in disguise as the Undercover Boss.

Mack Trucks Inc. is currently a whole owned subsidiary of Volvo AB (VOLVb.ST). But that wasn’t always the case for Mack Trucks. Today Volvo Group maintains production facilities in nineteen countries and distribution channels in 180 markets. But tonight, Mack’s CEO Denny Slagle visits three of the company’s plants.

Slagle tells news that his role on CBS’ Sunday episode of Undercover Boss was invaluable. But unlike previous bosses detailed on LALATE, Slagle doesn’t lose his cover. Slagle’s stops include the Mack Truck’s Macungie Assembly Operations center.

In a statement to news this week, Mack said explains that the company remains “dedicated to quality, reliability, and total customer satisfaction”. The company proudly sponsors “Share the Road”, advancing the company’s goal of enhancing road safety.

But what does Slagle think of his experience undercover?

“I came away from this experience with a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by our front-line employees,” Slagle said in a news statement. “Mack people live up to the brand’s reputation – they’re tough, genuine, dedicated, and reliable. The future truly is bright for this 111-year-old American icon.”

Tonight viewers will watch as Slagle visits three plants, handling three different operations. Slagle for CBS will go undercover at the Macungie, PA, which handles North American assembly; the Hagerstown, MD, plant that handles engines; and the Baltimore, MD, center that handles distribution and parts.

In 1979, Renault bought a ten percent stage in the company. Three years later it increased that stage to twenty percent. Months later, after Mack’s IPO, Renault increased it again to forty percent. By 1990, Mack Trucks was a wholly owned subsidiary of Renault Vehicles Industriels. By 2001 it became part of Volvo AB of Sweden (VOLVb.ST).

As Mack Trucks indicate in a news statement in advance of tonight’s broadcast, “Mack [today] is one of North America’s largest producers of heavy-duty trucks, and MACK® vehicles are sold and serviced in more than 45 countries worldwide.”

5 Signs My Wife’s OBGYN is into Her and 5 Reasons Why I’m Good With It

2011-02-15T02:00:00.000-08:00

Oh my. What a warm, soft tummy you have.

I may look dumb. But that’s just because I’m often confused. And confusion, my friends, should never be mistaken for stupidity. Unless, of course, the confusion is over something easily understandable. Like simple math. But if the confusion stems from something genuinely befuddling? Like, say, the contemplation of the obvious crush my wife’s OBGYN has on her? Now, that’s a different story.

I know what you’re thinking. I’m overreacting, right? Surely my wife’s OBGYN views her just like any other patient. Nope. I’m quite certain that he’s got a little somethin’-somethin’ for my wife. And here 5 reasons why I’m so sure.

1. He Never Addresses Me: Not talking holiday cards here, folks. Addressing as in speaks. He never speaks to me. Nor does he ever make eye contact. Even if I ask him a question, he answers while looking directly at my wife, as if she’s the one who asked him. Excuse, me, Doc? Could you at least pretend like you know I’m here? 2. He Gave Her His Contact Info: No big deal, right? Right. No big deal at all. Um, except that in all that info he doled out, he included his home number. Dude. Why don’t you just go ahead and ask her what her sign is?3. All The Touching: Caroline’s last pregnancy spawned the summer months. And he often touched her legs while reminding her of the importance of sunscreen. Wait. Are we on the wrong floor? Because we need an OBGYN, not a dermatologist. At one point last pregnancy, we learned that our baby girl wasn’t gaining anywhere near as much weight as our boys were. “Why is this happening?” Caroline had asked. “Not all parts of the placenta are created equally,” he answered as he gently rubbed my wife’s calf. Wait, the placenta’s not in the leg, is it? “You see,” he continued, “your daughter is not getting the same amount of nourishment that your sons are.” Will rubbing Caroline’s shapely leg fix that?4. All the Compliments: This guy is a compliment machine. He squeezes more in a 30-minute consultation than I do in a week. Many of them pertain to how lovely he finds my wife to be. I heard your wife’s hot, too, Doc. Too bad she’s too old for me.5. Invasion of Personal Space: Caroline’s OBGYN is not afraid to get all up in her grill when asking her how she’s doing. Talk about a cologne check. His stare locks into hers a little longer than I might expect. Helloooo. Still right here, Doc.

Here’s the kicker though. Not only am I aware that Caroline’s OBGYN is into her, I’m absolutely 100% good with it. Here are 5 reasons why.

1. He’s Never Crossed the Line: There are two things of which I’m 100% certain. First, Caroline’s OBGYN does, indeed, fancy her. But second, it’s more in the way of how a teacher would fancy a favorite student. My tongue-in-cheek jokes are just that. Jokes. He’s never once crossed any type of line. At all.2. He’s Doing His Job: You know what every great OBGYN does for his or her patients? Provide them with confidence. Make them feel better mentally, even if they don’t feel so great physically. So when Doc rattles off a compliment about her looks — good for him. Every pregnant woman should hear that she looks beautiful far more often. Because every pregnant woman is just that.3. We’ve Been Through A Lot With This Guy: You’ve no doubt noted that this isn’t our first time with this particular doctor. As such, any affinity he feels toward Caroline is well founded. The triplet pregnancy was a very difficult one. She was on bed rest for the final 9 weeks. Five of them were in the hospital. If he treats her intimately, it’s because they are intimate. And through that intimacy, genuine affection has developed. Both have served her (and our entire family) quite well.4. Favoritism Encouraged: I don’t know about you, but I’m aware that I’m getting good service from someone whenever he or she makes me feel special. Doc does just that with Caroline, and as a result, we know we’re more than just a name on the chart to him. He’s proven it time and time again. And we’re incredibly thankful for that.5. He’s Part of Our Family: Do you know what the first thing Doc did when he saw us during our initial appointment a few weeks ago? He hugged Caroline. The second thing? He hugged me. Doc ushered us through one of the most complicated 36-week mazes our lives have ever known. And at the end of it came three healthy, beautiful and miraculous bundles of joy. When we found out we were expecting yet another child, Caroline was relieved to know that Doc would once again take us under his wing. I was, too. He’s like family to us. Caroline loves him. And I do, too.

What about you? Do you have a good relationship with your OBGYN? Wouldn’t you agree that a strong bond between doctor and patient during pregnancy is critical?

Image: stock.xchng

John Cave Osborne’s personal blog.
John Cave Osborne’s book website.

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Jennifer Hudson Talks To Oprah: How She Lost The Baby Weight

2011-02-14T16:00:00.000-08:00

Jennifer Hudson has undergone an amazing transformation over the past few years. Today the actress and singer appeared - looking smoking hot – on The Oprah Winfrey Show to talk about life after baby. Specifically, weight loss after baby. She’s lost a total of eighty pounds but says it still doesn’t feel real and that her mind hasn’t caught up to her body size.

Hudson gave birth to her first child, David, named after her fiancé, David Otunga, in August of 2009 and then dropped the baby weight by following Weight Watchers – for whom she is a spokeswoman – and hitting the gym. She told Oprah it’s all about mind set. “At the end of the day you can have all of the money, trainers and chefs you want but if your mind isn’t in it you won’t lose the weight.”

Hudson has reportedly dropped ten sizes, going from a size sixteen to a size six. She says she’s happy with her size six, calling it her natural weight and telling Oprah “A two and a zero, that is not for me!”

She says the inspiration came while she was pregnant and thinking “I want my body back!” I can totally relate because I am so sick of being weak and heavy.

In an interview with People , just after her son was born, Hudson also talked about recovering from a C-section. “Everybody told me how much it was going to hurt afterwards but I think I have a different tolerance for pain than others. By that night after I had the baby, I’m like, ‘Look, I can’t sit in this bed anymore. I’ve got to get up!’ I’ve been up and about since he was born. To me, the pain is no different than when you work out a muscle you’ve never worked out before and it’s sore.”

As I wrote about today on my personal blog, I’m about to begin waging the post-baby weight war and I think Hudson’s an inspiration. She started her journey with no goals, just a desire to be a healthy and happy mama. That’s all I want too.

Photo Credit: Janet Mayer / PR Photos

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Pregnant Celebrity Rundown

2011-02-14T10:00:00.000-08:00

Posted by Danielle625 on February 10th, 2011 at 12:38 pm

So really… who is due in 2011?

It seems like there has been a giant baby boom in the last two months and the list continues to grow while celebrities are getting knocked up left and right. Keeping a secret in Hollywood is also damn near impossible these days, so their pregnancies are taking center stage. I thought I would put together a little list of who is due when so we can keep up with all the celebrity mom’s to be in the next couple months. Who doesn’t want to be on baby/due date watch?

The next couple months have a couple high profile due dates, or I should say due months since celeb’s never give the details on the exact date they are expecting.

Melissa Rycroft – She may not have found love on The Bachelor, but she found love with her husband Ty, and they are expecting a baby girl in February.

Rachel Zoe – Rachel and her husband Rodger are expecting a baby boy sometime in March of 2011.

Drea De Matteo – Former Desperate Housewife Drea De Matteo is expecting her second child come the spring, with rocker husband Shooter Jennings.

Selma Blair – 38 year old star, has announced her pregnancy with boyfriend and fashion designer Jason Bleic, although her due date, or month is still a mystery.

Mariah Carey – And celebrity husband Nick Cannon are expecting Twins this spring sometime. After years of pregnancy rumors fueled by the media, the couple is happy to be expecting their twins!

Jane Krakowski – 30 Rock star is expecting a little bundle of joy in late April, just around the time I am!

Kate Hudson – Kate and her boyfriend Matthew Bellamy are expecting their first child together, and Kate’s second child who will be joining an older brother. Kate has said she thinks she is having a little girl, but we will wait and see!

Jewel – If you guys remember her, Haha! 90's female rocker Jewel and her husband Ty Murray are expecting a little boy later on in the year.

Laila Ali – Celebrity Laila Ali is expecting her second child in April of this year. He or she will be joining older brother Curtis Jr. who is 2! Details of her birth plans have been swirling around the internet since Ali has not been shy about her desire for a home birth, after a planned home birth with her first child was changed by some pregnancy complications.

Natalie Portman – The preggo we have been seeing the most of these days! She is expecting her first child with fiance Benjamin Millepied later on this year.

Pink – Musician Pink, and her husband Carey Hart are expecting their first child in April of this year. Pink had said if she has a boy, she is interested in naming him Jameson, a name I am liking considering we had it picked out if our daughter was a boy.

Alicia Silverstone – Most famous for her role in Clueless, Silverstone is expecting her first child this year sometime with her husband Chris Jarecki.

Ivanka Trump – A recent twitter announcement has brought Ivanka Trump onto the list of expecting mothers. Her and her husband Jared Kushner are expecting over the summer.

Posh Spice – Better known as Victoria Beckham, and her husband, International Soccer Star David Beckham are expecting their fourth child this year sometime. There has been pregnancy speculation for years surrounding the couple, and they have finally confirmed they are expecting. Maybe they will get a little girl after their three boys?

Jennifer Connelly – Personally, I still find the Labyrinth her best movie but that is just me! Connelly, and her husband Paul Bettany are expecting their second child in 2011.

I am positive that I missed some celebrities… so you tell me, who else is there?

photo: Famecrawler

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Pregnant Women Breakdancing Flashmob [VIDEO]

2011-02-14T05:15:00.001-08:00

Posted by Rebecca on February 10th, 2011 at 1:10 pm

I came across this viral flashmob video of a bunch of big bellied women in London erupting into seemingly spontaneous breakdancing mayhem. These ladies are getting down for a good cause: raising awareness about poor maternity care and birth conditions around the world. The video of the event, posted by organizing charity Oxfam, is tagged: “If you think this is dangerous, try giving birth in poor countries without a midwife, hospital or medicine. This flashmob is one of a series happening in Paris, Berlin, Utrecht and across Canada to highlight the scandal that millions of women in poor countries and around the world aren’t getting the healthcare they need for a safe and healthy pregnancy.”

Some viewers have indeed been disturbed by the image of a pregnant woman breakdancing. Some of those moves are pretty hairy!

But you may be relieved to discover that the craziest moves are done by trained dancers impersonating pregnant women in the interest of the cause. Still, watching a bunch of apparently pregnant women breakdancing is pretty fun.

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Women’s Rights Facing Greatest Threat of Our Lifetime, Say Democrats

2011-02-14T05:15:00.000-08:00

Posted by Rebecca on February 10th, 2011 at 6:09 pm

When house Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi spoke to reporters today about the three reproductive-rights related bills Republicans are hoping to advance, she did not mince words. “They’re advancing extreme legislation,” Pelosi said. “It’s dangerous to women’s health, disrespects the judgment of American women — I don’t know if they even gave that a thought — and it’s the most comprehensive and radical assault on women’s health in our lifetime. It’s that bad.”

I have to agree with her. What’s on the table is some serious and scary stuff. So scary, I’m surprised people aren’t freaking out about it. That may be because, as Pelosi suggests, women have become complacent, perhaps taking their reproductive rights for granted. But the changes these bills hope to implement will not be ignorable. They have serious implications for American women’s health- for this and future generations.

One bill would allow hospitals to let a pregnant woman die rather than perform an emergency pregnancy termination that could save her life.

Hospitals that are against abortion are currently not required to perform them. But they are required to provide a transfer to another facility when the woman’s life is endangered. The bill that’s currently on the table, known as the Protect Life act, would release hospitals from doing anything at all if confronted with a life threatening situation where an abortion would secure the mother’s welfare. They can simply turn her away and let her die.

Then there’s Mike Pence’s bill, which cuts off federal funding for any groups that offer abortion access. These are often the same groups that provide birth control and affordable reproductive health care to young and/or poor women, ie Planned Parenthood. Nothing like cutting off access to birth control to keep those unwanted pregnancies to a minimum, guys.

And don’t forget the bill denying tax credits and benefits to companies whose employee health insurance covers abortions.

These bills are likely to have enough support to pass in the House. Which is, to me, pretty scary. Perhaps even scarier: Pelosi’s hope for opposition lies in the Tea Party.

“I can’t believe that everybody who is anti a woman’s right to choose is anti-birth control and contraception and family planning. But we don’t know that, and we don’t have any idea — or I don’t, anyway — where the Tea Party people come down in all of this.”

I have to say I don’t feel all that reassured by this. Having children has definitely complicated my stance on abortion—for myself. But my politics have only been reinforced by a first hand understanding of what it means to bear and raise a child. And although all these proposed laws are driven by the opposition to abortion, abortion is not all they’re about. These are women’s lives we’re talking about. And girls’ lives, too. Girls like our daughters, who may be living in a very different reproductive future.

photo: Steve Rhodes/flickr

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Esperanza Spalding Best New Artist Grammy 2011

2011-02-14T03:01:00.000-08:00

On Sunday night, Jazz singer Esperanza Spalding who is not really known by the main stream media was named the Best New Artist during the 53rd ceremony of Grammy Awards, that were held at Los Angeles’ famous Staples Center.

Spalding, 26, who is a well respected bassist and fusionist, managed to nab the prestigious award for her third CD called Chamber Music Society (she previously released Esperanza in 2008 and Junjo in 2006) from the pop phenomenon known as Justin Bieber, Drake, Florence + The Machine, and Mumford & Sons.

The African-American/Welsh and Spanish singer, who is originally from Portland, Oregon said after winning:

“I know I don’t have a lot of time, so first, thank you to the Academy for even nominating me in this category.”

The youngest artist to enter the prestigious Berklee School of Music in Boston Massachusetts, added:

“I take this honor to heart so sincerely, and I’ll do my damndest to make a whole lot of great music for all of you.It’s such a blessing and an honor. God bless. Thank you.”

This is the very first time in 35 years history of the music organizeration that the Best New Artist trophy has been handed to a jazz artist.

The neo soul artist might be unknown to the general public but she has played twice at the White House, and is one Barack Obama’s favorite artists and was asked to play at the Nobel Prize for Peace reception in Oslo in 2009 when the president was being honored.
Esperanza Spalding Best New Artist Grammy 2011

Self-Administered Epidurals?

2011-02-14T01:15:00.000-08:00

Posted by Rebecca on February 10th, 2011 at 11:46 am

The epidural as we know it is pretty much an all or nothing experience. The infusion of drugs is administered and controlled by an anesthesiologist, and generally consists of a fairly constant influx of pain relievers and narcotics through a tube installed in the spinal cord. There are times when the level of medication will be adjusted at the indication of the attending physician. But women themselves rarely have any control over the level of medication they receive. And they don’t always have much control over when they receive it, either—it’s not unheard of for a woman to be pressured into getting a high dose epidural relatively early in labor, just in case the anesthesiologist isn’t available once the going gets really rough. This can leave them unable to move around for the remainder of the birth process.

A new study tried out a different birth pain relief tactic: letting the women decide how much pain relief they needed, and letting them administer the medication themselves.

The study involved 270 birthing women in Long Beach California. The initial process remained the same, but once the epidural was in place, half of the women were allowed to control the amount of medication they received throughout the birth.The study found that the women who were able to control their pain medication used 30% less medication than the ones with a traditionally administered constant epidural.

This self-monitoring and delivery of drugs is not new in the hospital setting. Patients are commonly given control over their pain relief after surgery or in recovery from injury. But in childbirth, pain relief is generally a top down phenomenon. At least in America—other countries allow women to self-administer nitrous oxide for labor pain relief, for example. Studies show pretty much across the board that when people have control over their pain medication, they use less than they would if they don’t have control, but feel equally soothed. According to the author of the study, both sets of women were satisfied with their level of pain relief, even though the actual medication amount was lower. I can think of a few reasons for this.

One: When it comes to pain relief during childbirth, more is not necessarily more. A too-high dose of drugs can leave moms feeling incapacitated, even paralyzed. This can create anxiety, which is counterproductive to the birthing process. And other irritating side effects are less likely to be a problem with a lower dose of drugs.

Two: A lower dose of drugs makes it more likely that a woman would be able to shift her body weight, move around somewhat, and feel more physically connected to what’s going on throughout the birth. More physical control and a greater range of motion can help with pain relief, positioning, and getting that baby out.

Three: Control inspires confidence, and confidence can make a huge difference during childbirth. Just having the power to give themselves relief ( instead of being at the mercy of a not-always-available doctor) could factor into a woman’s sense of satisfaction with her birth experience, pain relief included.

Less meds with the same level of relief? What’s not to like here? A lower dose of medication with adequate pain management would benefit both moms and babies. I find this study so exciting because it opens up new possibilities for women as active participants, not just passive patients, in hospital births. It’s ideas like these that may help us progress toward a hospital birth model that takes into account the needs of both babies and the mothers who give birth to them.

[via netdoctor UK]

photo: Pat David/flickr

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Utah Jazz Coach Jerry Sloan To Resign: Bad Timing, Jerry!

2011-02-13T20:15:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is my last day of work here at FOX in Salt Lake City before I go on maternity leave.

I’m having Braxton Hicks contractions constantly, leaking pee every time I cough and am just plain miserable. Kind of tough to focus on the day’s news with piss pants, you know?

I drove to work today exhausted, just praying for a slow news day, and what’dya know? The longest tenured coach in American professional sports, Utah Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan, decides to resign. Bad timing, Jerry! Couldn’t you wait until I was safely on maternity leave?

For most of you, Jerry Sloan’s resignation probably means nothing. For me it means the longest news day of my life. Breaking news press conferences, coordinating reporters, photographers and live shots, and pretty much the busiest day ever. It is definitely one of the biggest stories in Utah this year.

How long did you work when you were pregnant? Or how long do you plan to work? Who are these women who work right up until their water breaks and how do they do it? I’m hanging by a thread!

Here we go:

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Lady Gaga Grammys 2011

2011-02-13T18:14:00.000-08:00

Lady Gaga didn’t walk down the Grammys 2011 red carpet. She was carried. In an egg. Yup, the princess of pop decided not to do meat, not to do sequins, she did Lady Gaga the Egg. She was carried by men in yolk colored shorts and skirts along with a Vana White-ish model along side. But arriving in an egg? What kind of meaning does this have? Here are some theories.

- Lady Gaga can’t wait until Easter. Maybe she’s forgoing Valentine’s day and can’t wait for Easter egg hunts and the other Easter high jinx.

- Lady Gaga is going hatch and do some kind of rebirth?

- Lady Gaga is feeling trapped by her game.

- Lady Gaga just wants to surprise and shock us yet again. Yeah, she knows how to get the press!

Lady Gaga Grammys 2011

Why It Doesn’t Bother Me When Strangers Rub My Pregnant Belly

2011-02-10T21:15:00.000-08:00

Posted by admin on February 10th, 2011 at 2:43 pm

Teresa Strasser is an Emmy- and Los Angeles Press Club Award-winning writer and radio and television personality. The following is an excerpt from her new book from Penguin, Exploiting My Baby: A Memoir of Pregnancy and Childbirth.

We pregnant girls are united in what some might call “acquired situational narcissism,” but what I prefer to think of as a harmless case of “It’s all about us.” Who else would even bother pretending to care about nuchal fold measurements or leg cramps?

We need each other. We really do.

That’s why I really hate to turn on my own kind.

It seems kind of petty, I know, but I just want to haul off and smack pregnant ladies who get all bent out of shape when people rub their stomachs. You really need to lighten up and get over yourself, two pieces of advice I myself have never been able to take, but which seem very fitting in light of the low level of affront that is actually being done to you. Someone is patting your belly. That’s it. It’s not like strangers are walking up to you and ambushing you with a trip to third base. That would be rude, and unsanitary. No, they are just grazing your shirt, keeping many layers of fabric, skin, fat, muscle and fascia between their fingers and your future child.

And generally, it is not some belly-molesting evil-doer trying to attack you, but rather a nice, well-meaning person experiencing the magnetic pull of your irresistible, giant bump.

If you don’t see why that mesmerizes people, you just don’t understand the miracle of childbirth. C’mon. Take a step back. A baby grows in your stomach and comes out of your vagina and then goes to nursery school and becomes a full-fledged human being, who may very well create other full-fledged human beings. If you think about it, and I don’t suggest you do this high, it’s mind-blowing.

I see where you’re coming from, I really do. You don’t think people should invade your body bubble just because you’re pregnant; after all, they wouldn’t do this horrible thing to you if you weren’t pregnant, wouldn’t dream of it. Yes, your body is still your own, absolutely. I just don’t quite grasp the near religious fervor that seems to screech, “Don’t touch me, because I’m so special that if your grubby hand goes anywhere near my precious child, I’m going to get regular people cooties!”

Do you really need the righteously indignant and borderline sanctimonious “Hands Off My Bump” maternity t-shirts and others like it that are available online and also in hell, where ironic maternity t-shirts are very popular? Talk about literally wearing your aggression and smugness on your sleeve.

If you want to hear a chorus of pregnant women shout “Hallelujah,” just start going off about strangers or even relatives touching your stomach, which is why I really wish I could relate or at least fake agree; I’d love a chorus behind me and I think it’s patently obvious I need validation like my fetus needs folic acid. I just can’t lie, though. Women who wear those bitter message t-shirts bother me. Getting riled up about this isn’t nearly as adorably sassy as some women think it is.

It would be nice to think of those of us on the verge of becoming mothers as warm, cuddly, open creatures who will endeavor to make our babies feel safe and cozy in the world, not as rigid rule-makers and enforcers who will crumble the first time some poop lands on our pristine white changing table pad or perhaps works its way into our giraffe-themed nursery throw rug.

I hear tell childbirth is going to be a messy business. Hands will be on us, grabbing or cutting out a kid and possibly helping to shove our nipples into their little mouths.

My specialty is whining about nothing, and this annoys even me. Pregnant ladies, quit wearing “Hands Off” t-shirts and start recognizing that your personal space is going to be invaded from here on out. Or just get some crime scene tape and carry it around with your everywhere you go. And don’t be mad at me. I’m just trying to point out what a high-quality, first-world problem this really is. “Hands Off” being intolerant and shrill and maybe “hands around” the concept that your belly is just so compelling it makes nice people toss away their manners.

*For our readers on the west coast, Teresa will be signing books at Green Apple Books in San Francisco on February 25th.

Lindsay Lohan White Dress-NewsEngineInfo

2011-02-10T17:20:00.000-08:00

White, tight Kimberly Ovitz dress: $575; black Chanel 5182 sunglasses; $320; wearing a dress that sells out hours after you appear in court: priceless.

So much for the speculation about whether Lindsay Lohan is going back to jail; now it's all about her white hot court dress. How can you get one? The dress is from designer Kimberly Ovitz's pre-fall collection and retails for $575 according to Ovitz's spokeswoman Alexandra Gordon.

Along with other blogs and news outlets, US Weekly asked its readers, "Was Lindsay Lohan's Court Dress Appropriate?"

But shoppers seem to be eating the dress up. The "Glavis" design from Ovitz' pre-Fall collection is sold out at every online boutique that carries Ovitz's designs. The super-snug number retails for $575, but only if you can find a retailer that still has it available.

White, tight Kimberly Ovitz dress: $575

In addition to the body-hugging dress, Lohan sported her signature black Chanel 5182 sunglasses to avoid eye-contact with the paparazzi as she made her way into the hearing. Judging from the response to her dress it's no wonder the starlet was escorted into court by 21 LAPD officers.

Lohan responded to the attention to her courtroom attire Thursday, tweeting, "fyi- i would never steal, in case people are wondering. I was not raised to lie, cheat, or steal... also, what i wear to court shouldnt be front page news. it's just absurd. god bless"

In Photos: Lindsay Lohan

On Wednesday, Lohan pleaded not guilty to felony grand theft for allegedly stealing a $2,500 necklace from a jewelry store in California, then received a stern lecture from Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Keith L. Schwartz. "Miss Lohan, let me just tell you a couple things, so we have no misunderstandings," Schwartz said. "You need to follow the laws just like everybody else. Look around this room. Everybody needs to follow the law. You're no different than anyone else, so please don't push your luck."

Asked if she understood him, Lohan replied, "Yes, sir,"

Despite the nature of the charges against her, Lohan sported plenty of bling. She wore what appeared to be pearl earrings, a sparkly flower ring and a black leather bracelet. On her feet: black pumps, likely Christian Louboutin, the brand of shoes she chose for a September, 2010 court appearance.

Lindsay Lohan White Dress

Eliza Kruger: Mark Sanchez's 17-Year-Old Girlfriend! (NewsEngineInfo)

2011-02-09T16:40:00.000-08:00

Rumors that New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez is dating a 17-year-old high school student have been floating around online for weeks now.

It looks like they're accurate, and his girlfriend's name is Eliza Kruger!

Eliza claims she hooked up with Mark Sanchez, 24, with Deadspin and also on Facebook, bragging about getting texts from “MARK F–ING SANCHEZ.”

Mark Sanchez Picture

The daughter of Connecticut hedge funder Konrad “Chip” Kruger also reportedly texted pals who she met at NYC nightclub Lavo on New Year’s Eve.

“You know I’m 17, right?” Eliza recounted of their first conversation.

Mark replied, “Well, we can still talk, but I can’t see you until you’re 18," to which Eliza Kruger helpfully reminded him, “17 is legal in New York.”

They kept in touch and Mark gave her tickets to the Jets vs. Bills game. Later that week, they went on a date and after the date, they hooked up.

Asked if the had relations, she said, “Yeah. We went back to his place in Jersey after dinner. He lives on a golf course. There was a big storm.”

Eliza also said she made sure to research the legality of dating a minor - 17 being the legal age of consent in New York and 16 in New Jersey.

“He’s a really nice guy,” Eliza said. “He’s a genuine person.”

She says he last texted her at 2 a.m. on Jan. 24, after he returned home from Pittsburgh where the Jets lost in the AFC Championship Game.

Being a school night, Eliza Kruger declined.

Kruger has since lawyered up, wary of having her name plastered across the Internet, compared it to to the Ashton Kutcher mistress situation.

“I don’t want that image,” she said.

It might be a bit too late for that.

Sanchez has yet to comment, but Jets did release a statement last week in response, saying: “We are not going to discuss Mark’s private life.”

What is it with Jets QBs? It was during his one year in New York that the Brett Favre-Jenn Sterger scandal took place. Then Sanchez took over.

What do you think? Okay to date a 17-year-old?

Leave your comment below.

Remembering Marvin Sease: What Happened to the Blues Legend? (SONGS)

2011-02-08T17:30:00.000-08:00

The blues community lost an important member this week. At the age of 64, just 8 days shy of his birthday, the blues legend Marvin Sease died.

Marvin Sease started his career singing gospel, and he always thought of himself as a gospel singer singing in groups in his teens and joining the Gospel Crowns as an adult. He then started his own R & B band with his brothers aptly named Sease. After a couple of years he struck out on his own and had hits such as “Ghetto Man,” he began working what is called the “chitlin circuit,” in the South. He had another hit with his racy song Candy Licker, that was a big on juke boxes and in clubs but couldn’t be played over the air due to the explicit content.

He passed away on February 8th. Although there is no official cause of death issued as of yet, there is speculation that he died from complications from pneumonia.

Check out a couple of his songs here.

NewsEngineInfo