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Top 10 Hated Person In Pakistan

2013-10-01T07:12:00.000-07:00

Pakistani people are different from the world. They sometime even do not believe in the media and easily identify the traitors to their country۔ They watch different news on media from a different angle of thoughts. They also recognize the conspiracies against Pakistan and expose them on Social. Social Media also show with the proof of images and videos while exposing such a people For example, Dr. Amir Liaqat of Geo Aalim Online program was exposed by social media when people watched a leaked video of Dr. Aamir Liaqat who was using abusive language and abusing acting just before recording of his program Aalim Online. Below is the list of most disliked people in Pakistan.

10. Hamid Mir

Hamid Mir is a popular Anchorperson of a popular Private news channel. He is the top 10th most disliked person in Pakistan. He was criticized by Pakistani social media because they considering him as a RAW agent. He is also criticized because he did not arrange any program about the Kashmir issue still know. Zaid Hamid claimed that he is a CIA agent. Pakistani social media claims that he is the son of Waris Mir who was the biggest traitor of Pakistan in 1971.

9. Najam Sethi

Najam Sethi is a news analyst of private news channel Geo News. He is extremely criticized by social media of Pakistan because of his secular ideology and and friendly trend towards India. According to Najam Sethi the 1965 war was lost by Pakistan. He is also blamed responsible for the 2013 election rigging in Punjab province as he was nominated caretaker CM of Punjab by Muslim League Noon.

8. Hussain Haqqani

Hussain Haqqani was the Pakistani ambassador to the United States from 13 April 2008 – 22 November 2011. He got the public attention when he was found the principal accused in the MEMO GATE scandal. He has also used abusive language in the US against Pakistan recently.

7. Meera

Meera is a popular Lollywood actress. Pakistani social media blasted against her when she migrated to Bollywood where she signed and acted in Bollywood movies and found her in the bold kissing scenes. Meera is also famous for her different controversial scandals. According to Pakistani Social Media, Meera has severely damaged the true image of Pakistan.

6. Marvi Sirmed

Marvi Sirmed is one of the most disliked people in Pakistan. She is a journalist and blogger. Pakistanis hate her for his secular Ideologies. According to Marvi Sirmed, the founder of Pakistan Mr. Mohammad Ali Jinnah was secular, and he actually wanted a secular Pakistan. She was also criticized when she used abusive language on twitter.

5. Asma Jahangir

Asma Jahangir is a lawyer and advocate of Supreme Court of Pakistan. Pakistani people hate her because of her secular ideology and friendly trend towards India. Some people say that she is Qadiani. She is also against the Hudood Ordinance and blasphemy law of Pakistan.

4. Malala Yousufzai

Malala Yousufzai is a 16 years old girl but Pakistanis hate her becaus they think that the Malala has done nothing some special for her country and the media raised her to the top because she used to write a secret documentary for BBC. Pakistanis says that Malala is a CIA agent as she along with her father were found with some CIA officers.

3. Altaf Hussain

Altaf Hussain is the Leader of a political party of Pakistan who is residing in London. Pakistanis consider him responsible for target killing in Karachi, Pakistan. The anger of Pakistani raised more when Zulfiqar Mirza severely exposed Altaf during in a press conference in which Zulfiqar Mirza showed some documents to the media as a proof and told that Altaf Hussain wanted to divide Pakistan.

2. Veena Malik

Veena Malik is also a Pakistani film star who went to India to start her Bollywood career but she has broken all records immorality. Pakistanis got anger against her when she has done a bold photoshot in bikini. She claims that she is actually enlightening the name of Pakistan while Pakistanis say that she is a prostitute who has destroyed the real image of Pakistani women.

1. Shakil Afridi

Shakil Afridi is a local doctor who played the most important role to trace out Usama Bin Laden. He is behind the bars now. Shakil Afridi is the most disliked and hated person in Pakistan now a days because he was working for CIA. According to the people of Pakistan, he is responsible for the illegal Abbottabad operation by the US forces.

Six Popular Online Degrees for Shy People

2013-09-05T09:42:00.002-07:00

Is your shy personality preventing you from going back to school? Check out these degrees that you could pursue online.

By Terence Loose

Want to go back to school, but worried your shy personality will hold you back? Maybe you're terrified at the thought of learning in a room full of students...

Good news: classrooms and lecture halls are no longer prerequisites of higher education. In fact, shy people can go back to school from the privacy of their own home, thanks to online education.

"I think online education is a great tool for those who are shy," says Dr. Suzanne Anthony, a clinical psychologist and former college instructor and administrator. She adds that online education allows shy students to "speak up" or present their work in an environment that's more comfortable for them.

Think online education is right for your shy personality? Check out these six degrees...

Online Degree #1 - Bachelor's in Business Administration

Do you hope to one day join the boardroom at a successful business firm, but aren't quite ready to join the classroom? An online bachelor's degree in business administration might be just the thing to satisfy both those needs.

Why it's Right for the Shy: Anthony says taking courses online might help those who are anxious about the face-time of an in-classroom program. She adds that "a degree in business administration is such a versatile degree that I could see these graduates going into a wide range of fields and positions. So they might be able to pick a career that perfectly fits their personality."

Click to Find the Right Online Business Administration Program Now.

But just what might you study? According to the College Board, a nonprofit research organization that promotes higher education, a business administration and management degree could teach you how to help an organization plan and organize their activities. Common courses might include financial management, business statistics, human resources management, economics, and marketing.

Related Careers:* Financial Analyst, Human Resources Manager, Financial Manager

Online Degree #2 - Bachelor's in Computer Science

Do you find the schmooze-free world of computers a wonderful place to be? Then you may want to consider pursuing an online degree within this techie industry. Specifically, a bachelor's degree in computer science.

Why it's Right for the Shy: "I could see a shy person really gravitating toward computers," says Anthony. "And in today's world of social media, [a degree in computer science] can still offer a lot of social interaction, so it could be a very healthy choice for the shy."

As for what you'll study, here's what the College Board has to say: You'll likely learn how humans and computers interact, from a scientific perspective. Courses such as artificial intelligence, software engineering, digital system design, and the theory of formal languages are typical.

Click to Find the Right Online Computer Science Program Now.

And it's a degree that lends itself to online learning since it has to do with computers - which are instrumental in the online educational experience, says Velvet Miscione, a counselor at Coastline Community College in California.

Related Careers:* Computer Programmer, Software Developer, Computer Systems Analyst

Online Degree #3 - Associate's in Paralegal Studies

Are you fascinated with the law? Have you thought about pursuing a degree in the field, but aren't too keen on having all eyes on you during a classroom mock trial? You might consider earning an associate's degree in paralegal studies online, where mock trials aren't the focus of the program.

Why it's Right for the Shy: "A majority of a paralegal's coursework - how to research the law, how to write and prepare legal documents, and use law libraries and computer programs - would be a good fit for a shy person because they don't require presentations in front of others and such. The fact that it's online as well only makes that more true," says Anthony.

Click to Find the Right Online Paralegal Studies Program Now.

Considering the College Board's description of this major, Anthony's assessment rings true. The College Board lists courses like civil procedure, ethics, litigation, and legal research and writing as typical for the degree. It also adds that students could pick up legal research skills, conduct investigations, write legal briefs, and keep legal records.

Related Careers:* Paralegal, Legal Assistant

Online Degree #4 - Bachelor's in Graphic Design

Are you eager for your creative side to thrive, but not so pumped about the idea of being on stage or performing? Pursuing an online bachelor's degree in graphic design could be the perfect tool to express your creativity - while staying in your comfort zone.

Why it's Right for the Shy: "Many creative people are actually shy as well. And since graphic design relies a lot on computer work, but also allows a person to fulfill their creative side, I can see this as a great choice for those creative shy types," says Anthony. "And since it relies so heavily on computer work, this degree seems a great fit for online learning as well."

Click to Find the Right Online Graphic Design Program Now.

As for what graphic design students study, the College Board says they work on both design and computer skills to help them create a look for books, magazines, CD covers, websites, and more. Students may also get the chance to study coursework that includes graphic design techniques, history of graphic design, Photoshop for designers, and typography.

Related Careers:* Graphic Designer, Desktop Publisher

Online Degree #5 - Bachelor's in Accounting

We're going out on a limb here, but we're guessing that most accounting majors don't need to minor in performing arts or speech. In other words, if you're shy - and you love numbers - an online bachelor's degree in accounting may be the role you've been waiting for.

Why it's Right for the Shy: "Accounting programs work with online education very well," says Miscione, who adds that it's "a very attractive field of study for the shy because students tend to work with numbers more than people."

Click to Find the Right Online Accounting Program Now.

And from the look of the commonly offered courses in this degree, Miscione's observation seems to hold true. The College Board says typical major courses in this field include auditing, cost accounting, and tax accounting. You'll probably also learn how to analyze, record, interpret, and communicate an organization's financial information, adds the College Board.

Related Careers:* Accountant, Auditor, Personal Financial Advisor

Online Degree #6 - Associate's in Health Information Technology

Have you always wanted to study something related to medicine and patient care, but want to avoid face-to-face time with patients? Then here's something to consider: With an online associate's degree in health information technology, your studies will likely focus more on data than bedside manners.

Why it's Right for the Shy: This major is a very good choice for the online and shy student who wants to prep for a career in the health care field, but doesn't necessarily like the hands-on aspect that the nursing field might require, says Miscione.

Click to Find the Right Online Health Information Technology Program Now.

Still don't know if this degree is right for you? Maybe this bit of info will help: Typical courses, according to the College Board, are medical terminology, health care law, introduction to coding, and health care statistics.

Related Careers:* Medical Records Technician, Health Information Technician

*All potential careers information comes from the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition. Related careers were determined on the basis of the Handbook, which referenced the degree as being either required, preferred, or good preparation for the related career.

Five Careers That Aren't Going Away

2013-09-05T09:32:00.004-07:00

Looking for a career that will be around till your retirement - and then some? Check these five out.

By Terence Loose

Unless you've got a rich uncle or plan on winning the Lottery, you need your career to last a while. Decades would be nice. And for that to happen you have to find a career that will actually be needed decades from now. But what types of careers are those?

For staying power, think careers that are ingrained in our society's infrastructure, says Deb Hornell, a business and management consultant with 25 years of experience.

"These are jobs that are needed for society to function and thrive," she says. Jobs like nurse, police officer, and even software developer make the list.

Wondering what other careers will likely be around for your lifetime, and your kids'? Keep reading to learn about five jobs that aren't going away.

Everlasting Career #1: Registered Nurse

Projected Job Growth 2010 to 2020: 26 percent, with 711,900 new job opportunities.*

Let's face it, we humans aren't exactly perfect. Unlike the Man of Steel, we get sick, injured, old - and that's with routine check-ups. So the occupation of registered nurse is not only a noble calling, but one that will be needed for the foreseeable future, says Hornell.

And it's not all drawing blood and patching up wounds. Nurses also consult with doctors on patient care and management, help perform diagnostic tests, educate families and patients on health, and even provide emotional support in times of need, says the U.S. Department of Labor.

Why It's Everlasting: "There will always be a need for personal care in medicine, no matter how sophisticated medicine gets," says Hornell. And nursing is a very hands-on profession, she says, one that no amount of technology will be able to replace in full.

No wonder the Department of Labor says that not only will registered nurses' job prospects be "excellent," but they are number one on the list of the Department's list of occupations with the largest numeric growth projected from 2010-2020. That's a healthy prognosis.

NEXT STEP: Click to Find the Right Nursing Program.

Education Options: The Department of Labor says there are three educational paths prospective nurses follow: a bachelor's of science in nursing (BSN), an associate's in nursing (ADN), or a diploma from an approved nursing program. They must also be licensed.

Everlasting Career #2: Police Officer

Projected Job Growth 2010 to 2020: 8 percent, with 54,600 new job opportunities.*

Unfortunately, we do not live in Shangri-La; crime happens. So until human nature changes a whole lot and we all turn into Good Samaritans, Hornell says we'll need law enforcement and police officers.

But despite what you may see on TV, police work is not all high-speed chases and shootouts. Yes, they give tickets, patrol areas, and arrest bad guys, says the U.S. Department of Labor. They also write detailed reports (the infamous paperwork TV cops always complain about), prepare cases, testify in court, and even give first aid to accident victims.

Why It's Everlasting: "Being a police officer is a very tough job, so these are people for whom it's a calling. It's part of their moral fiber, and that's good, because we will always need them," says Hornell.

She says public safety is always high on the [government's] list of priorities, so this job will never be cut out of society.

NEXT STEP: Click to Find the Right Criminal Justice Program.

Education Options: Police officers must have a high school diploma and graduate from their department's training academy, the Department of Labor says. In addition, many agencies may require some college or a college degree. The Department also says that many colleges have programs in criminal justice.

Everlasting Career #3: Elementary School Teacher

Projected Job Growth 2010 to 2020: 17 percent, with 248,800 new job opportunities.*

As much as some of our dilapidated public schools might suggest it, as a society, we really don't want dumb kids. In fact, education will always be a primary - if underfunded - part of the American infrastructure, says Hornell. So we will always need teachers.

Elementary school teachers do everything from making lesson plans to preparing students for standardized tests to helping individual pupils challenge themselves to gain new skills, says the U.S. Department of Labor. There's also a bit of disciplinary action, as the Department says they enforce classroom rules to teach kids proper behavior. We all remember that.

Why It's Everlasting: "There is a correlation between success in reading in the early grade levels and high school graduation rates and college graduation rates," says Hornell. "So elementary teachers are vital to give kids a strong foundation in learning and success in the early grades. So teachers will always be needed."

And the U.S. Department of Labor says because of the significant number of older teachers reaching retirement age, between 2010 to 2020, the coming years will see new openings for the next generation of teachers.

NEXT STEP: Click to Find the Right Elementary Education Program.

Education Options: Elementary (and kindergarten) teachers must have a bachelor's degree in elementary education and be licensed if they want to teach in public schools, says the Department of Labor. Other requirements vary by state, some of which might require a bachelor's degree in the subject taught, such as math or science.

Everlasting Career #4: Accountant

Projected Job Growth 2010 to 2020: 16 percent, with 190,700 new job opportunities.*

As long as there's a monetary system, there will be a need to keep track of income and expenses. And you know what they say about death and taxes. So count on accountants being around for the duration, says Hornell.

Accountants do a variety of things to help individuals and organizations, such as examine financial records, prepare taxes, and recommend cost-reducing strategies, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Why It's Everlasting: "Accountant may not be the sexiest of jobs, but it's absolutely essential to business. And my sense is that, after some of the scandals that have happened over the last 10 or 15 years, and people being attuned to our businesses being ethical, the need for ethical accounting is very important to businesses," says Hornell.

She adds that the occupation of accountant is part of an essential "economic infrastructure," and therefore will always be needed in our society.

NEXT STEP: Click to Find the Right Accounting Program.

Education Options: According to the Department of Labor, most accountant jobs require applicants to have at least a bachelor's degree in accounting or a related field.

Everlasting Career #5: Software Developer

Projected Job Growth 2010 to 2020: 30 percent, with 270,900 new job opportunities.*

When was the last time you got through an entire day without interfacing with something that used computer software? In fact, how about a single hour? The fact is, computers are now key to just about every segment of society, from the register that rang up your morning Starbuck's to the smartphone you used to Tweet how good it was.

Software developers are the creative minds behind those programs and apps, says the U.S. Department of Labor. They analyze people's needs, then design and test computer software to meet them, says the Department of Labor. I guess that means we actually needed talking phones and the ability to know what Paris Hilton was up to every four minutes.

Why It's Everlasting: "This is another infrastructure job, from the standpoint of technology. It's part of the foundation of our society and so it will always be in demand." says Hornell.

The Department says that mobile technology, the health care industry, and concerns over cyber security will all result in the need for more programs to be developed. It all spells an increasing demand for software developers.

NEXT STEP: Click to Find the Right Computer Science Program.

Education Options: The Department of Labor says that software developers usually have a bachelor's degree in computer science, computer engineering, or a related field. Mathematics is also acceptable, they say.

* All job growth statistics come from the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-2013 edition.

Pakistani British boxer Amir Khan Gets married to Faryal Makhdoom

2013-06-16T03:50:00.003-07:00

LONDON: Pakistani British, boxer Amir Khan, is getting hitched with his US-born fiancée, Faryal Makhdoom, in New York City today (Friday).

Extravagant nuptials will be held in Faryal’s hometown, New York, at the grand five star hotel Waldorf Astoria.

Reports have it that Khan will whisk his bride back to Bolton, England, for another wedding bash to be attended by 4,000 guests before they head on a honeymoon.

Amir, 26, says: “It’s time to settle down and hopefully it will settle me down a bit.

“We get on really well, and I know she will help me in my boxing career as well. I’m excited more than anything.”

After his points victory against Julio Diaz, Amir is back in title fight contention, but admits he won’t be looking at heading back to the boxing ring until December.

He will first enjoy his honeymoon with 20-year-old Faryal, and then observe Ramadan before getting back into training for his next bout towards the end of the year.

The couple only met last July, but have had a whirlwind romance and earlier this year held a glitzy engagement party in front of 1,000 people at the Reebok Stadium, home of Amir’s beloved Bolton Wanderers.

They’ve had a long-distance relationship so far with Faryal based in New York, but Amir has pledged his future to Bolton and aims to welcome his bride to a new life in the north west.

Also, Amir Khan has been focusing on his dancing skills ahead of his wedding.

The 26-year-old posted a picture of him and his friends, learning Bollywood dance steps to surprise his guests at the wedding.

The Bolton-born ace tweeted: “I’m now on way to my gym. The boys are practicing a dance for the mehndi and wedding. This is going 2be fun.”

“Dance routine was tough but it will be good. Very tiring it was like a 2hr workout,” he later added.

Ankeet Chavan released from Tihar Jail

2013-05-31T09:40:00.000-07:00

New Delhi: Suspended cricketer Ankeet Chavan, who was arrested on allegations of spot-fixing, was today released from Tihar Jail, a day after a court granted him bail to solemnise his marriage.

"Chavan was released from Jail Number 1 at 8:05 PM," Tihar Law officer Sunil Gupta told PTI.

Chavan had sought bail on the ground that his marriage is fixed for June 2 and if the wedding does not take place it will harm his reputation and that of his fiancee.

He was granted bail till June 6.

Chavan had to deposit two sureties of Rs 1 lakh each and a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh with the court before he was granted bail.

The cricketer was directed to surrender his passport and not to make any direct of indirect inducement to any person related to the case. He was arrested on May 16.

Indian cricket's reputation not affected by spot-fixing scandal: Dhoni

2013-05-31T09:37:00.003-07:00

Birmingham: Addressing a press conference in Birmingham ahead of the Champions Trophy, Indian captain MS Dhoni again decided to evade questions on the spot-fixing scandal.

However, when an indirect question related to spot-fixing was thrown at him he said that “I have not answered the Indian media about this issue there is no reason why I will answer you.’’

The Indian captain though assured everybody that he will answer all questions when the right time comes. He also said that Indian cricket's reputation has not been affected by the spot-fixing scandal.

He also said that some people are mentally weaker than others and all cricketers should not be judged by the same yardstick.

Answering questions related to the Champions Trophy, Dhoni said that there is a point to prove in every tournament. He refused to blame the IPL for India's poor performance in series played immediately after the conclusion of the IPL.

He said that Bhuvneshwar Kumar, with his ability to swing the ball, would prove to be an asset to the team. He also expressed satisfaction with the kind of form that their openers were in.

The Indian skipper added that Rohit Sharma would be used as a back-up opener. He said that the practise matches would help them to get used to the conditions. He also said that Ravindra Jadeja would play a key role in the team.

IPL spot-fixing: Srinivasan convenes BCCI Working Committee meeting

2013-05-31T09:35:00.003-07:00

Mumbai: Buckling under relentless pressure on him to quit, BCCI President N Srinivasan on Friday convened an emergency meeting of the Board`s all-powerful working committee on June 8 to discuss the current crisis arising out of betting and spot-fixing in IPL.

The beleaguered President`s decision came after three important members called him up to convene such a meeting and asked him to announce it by the evening in what is seen as the first step towards possibly ousting him.

Significantly, the Working Committee at best could only pile more pressure on Srinivasan to quit as it had no powers to vote him out, which only a Special General Body meeting consisting of members of all the state associations can do.

Sources said there was also a hint of threat of resignation by the three office-bearers--Secretary Sanjay Jagdale, Joint Secretary Anurag Thakur and Treasurer Ajay Shirke--if no decision on working committee came by the evening. However, sources close to Srinivasan denied any threat to him.

The decision on working committee meeting came on a day when more embarrassing information came out from Mumbai Police that Srinivasan`s son-in-law and CSK`s Team Principal Gurunath Meiyappan told them that ICC had warned him at the start of the IPL to keep away from suspicious characters.

Mumbai Police sources claimed that during interrogation Gurunath, arrested on charges of betting, had told investigators that he was warned by officials of the anti-corruption unit to keep away from suspicious characters.

They said Gurunath did not use the word bookies apparently because it was obvious to him and to the police that he was dealing with a bookie like Vindoo Dara Singh and allegedly placing bets.

"Be careful, I have been warned," Meiyappan had told actor Vindoo Randhawa who is also under arrest in the case. This is part of Meiyappan`s statement to the crime branch, the source said, adding Vindoo has corroborated it.

The source declined to reveal the name of the Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) official and said they were yet to corroborate it with the ICC.

"We are yet to corroborate Meiyappan`s statement with ICC and we at the moment don`t even know if any person by that name (given by Meiyappan) exists," he said.

The ACSU keeps players, team members and umpires under surveillance in order to check malpractices in the game.

Crime Branch sources said that at no stage BCCI was informed about the "dubious" activities of Meiyappan.

"The ACSU official was in direct communication with Meiyappan. BCCI was not informed about it," they said.

Sources said when Meiyappan was asked why such warning was issued to him, he (CSK owner) replied "probably because of the company (Vindoo and other bookies) I kept."

When contacted, Srinivasan said that the BCCI did not receive any warning from ICC on Gurunath or anybody else. He said he had checked with BCCI officials who also told him that there was no such warning to them.

BCCI joint secretary Anurag Thakur also said there was no such communication from ICC to the Board.

Sachin Tendulkar labels news of spot-fixing in Indian Premier League as "shocking and disappointing" Read more: http://www.foxsports.com.au/cricket/sachin-tendulkar-labels-news-of-spot-fixing-in-indian-premier-league-as-shocking-and-disappointing/story-e6frf3g3-1226654798852#ixzz2UtAd7RDr

2013-05-31T09:31:00.002-07:00

India's master batsman Sachin Tendulkar is shocked at the recent spot-fixing allegations that led to the arrest of Test teammate Shantakumaran Sreesanth and two other players.

"It has always hurt me when the game of cricket is in the news for the wrong reasons,'' Tendulkar said in a statement issued on Friday.

"The developments in the last two weeks have been shocking and disappointing. As cricketers we're always taught to go out, fight hard, give our very best and play in the true spirit of the game."

The 40-year-old Tendulkar, who holds most batting records in international cricket including most runs and centuries in both Tests and one-day internationals, urged administrators to take charge of the situation.

"During this difficult phase, I join every cricketer, from the boys in the (fields) across the country to those who represent clubs, states and the country, who trust the authorities to take sincere steps to get to the root of the issue," he said.

"The faith reposed by the millions of fans should be justified and we owe it to them to ensure that Indian cricket is all about pride and joy."

Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan were arrested two weeks ago for allegedly manipulating certain parts of IPL games involving their Rajasthan Royals team and receiving money from bookmakers in return.

Chennai Super Kings official Gurunath Meiyappan, the son-in-law of Indian cricket board chief Narainswamy Srinivasan, has also been arrested by police for being in touch with illegal book-makers.

Sreesanth has denied his involvement in spot-fixing but charges of cheating, criminal conspiracy and criminal breach of trust have been brought against all three players and they stand suspended by the BCCI pending an inquiry.

Sreesanth and Chandila are in jail while Chavan has been given interim bail as he is getting married on June 2.

Imran Khan gets injuries as falls from lifter in Lahore

2013-05-09T06:08:00.002-07:00

After an extensive election campaign throughout the country, Imran Khan stumbled and fell down from a lifter resulting in some injuries.
Just after the fall, Khan was rushed to hospital in a bit unconscious condition. He had just reached area for election procession and was getting on the top when he fell down from the lifter with his two guards.
He was rushed to a nearby Gulber hospital, but was referred to Jinnah Hospital for proper treatment. According to hospital sources, head of Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf was bleeding and he was in bit unconscious condition. Party leaders while setting aside any conspiracy say that they would investigate the matter.
"We would also put pressure on Khan to take rest unless the injuries do not recovered." Eyewitnesses say that nephew of PTI chairman was crying while going with his uncle, but hospital sources insisted that there were only some injuries on head. PTI Punjab president Ejaz Chaudhry while talking with media made it clear that Imran Khan's condition was of danger.
"It was just an accident and it shouldn't be called a conspiracy." "Lifter got imbalanced due to large number of people on lifter," Chaudhry said and added that people always gathered around their beloved leader. Medical sources said that Imran Khan would be shifted to Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital for further treatment after doctors advice.
Imran has fallen from a 20 feet height, The News Tribe Urdu reported. According to reports, family members of Imran Khan are reaching the hospital with their face tense over the incident.

Tahirul Qadri's long march sets positive traditions

2013-01-18T08:07:00.002-08:00

PESHAWAR: While the Tehrik-e-Minhajul Quran’s sit-in at Islamabad has raised the political temperature in the country and forced the political friends and foes on joining hands, the historical long march and sit-in have also set some positive traditions of holding protests in a civilised way.

The track record of protests and long marches in the country has not been so pleasant in the past. Not only the protesters often turn violent but the law enforcing agencies lose patience on such occasions and resort to baton-charge and teargassing.

In the mid-1990s, participants of the PPP long march were severely baton-charged by the Nawaz Sharif government and besides other leaders and workers the party co-chairperson Begum Nusrat Bhutto was beaten to the extent that the head injury she suffered paralysed the elderly lady for the whole of her life.

The PPP government adopted the same way for dispersing the Jamaat-e-Islami Dharna and police severely manhandled the party Amir Qazi Hussain Ahmad along with his supporters. The worst example of violence during protests was the recent violence by the religious parties’ activists against the blasphemous movie produced and released in the United States.

However, Dr Tahirul Qadri’s long march and sit-in set a precedent in the history of Pakistan and gave a positive message not only to the people in the country but to the world that ours is a peaceful nation and protest can be held without damaging public and private properties.

It also gave a message that Pakistanis can render any kind of sacrifice for the just cause right from facing harsh weather and bearing the expenditures of boarding and lodging on their own against the wrong perception of being beggars. The third positive message is of holding such a long and big protest in a disciplined way.

Another positive outcome of the sit-in is the union of all the political forces either in the government or opposition for defending democracy against any unconstitutional move. It was probably for the first time that the parties in power and opposition including those who always welcomed dismissal of elected government in the past put their heads together to defend democratic process at all costs.

Raising a united voice for defending democracy could be termed a good omen, but the political forces should at least learn a lesson from Qadri’s sit-in that protest can be held in a civilised way and breaking and setting on fire public and private properties was not the solution to problems. It is also a lesson for the religio-political parties, if their claim about the participants of the long march and sit-in is accepted, that how the students of seminaries could be guided to follow the instructions of their leaders and not resort to violence.

Long march ends: Tahirul Qadri, govt agree on terms for electoral reforms

2013-01-18T08:05:00.000-08:00

ISLAMABAD: Prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has signed the agreement reached between the government’s delegation, and Dr Tahirul Qadri, bringing to an end the “million-man” march Express News reported on Thursday.

Ashraf signed on the Islamabad declaration with the agreed terms. President Asif Ali Zardari also approved the document.

Qadri and Naek then read out the terms of the Islamabad Long March Declaration in Urdu and in English respectively. It states that assemblies will be dissolved at any time before March 16, 2013 and elections will be held within 90 days thereafter.

The terms agreed to unanimously include a provision of 30 days for pre-clearance and scrutiny of nomination papers by the Election Commission per Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution.

The treasury benches will submit two names for the caretaker prime minister who will be honest and impartial candidates for the post. Further deliberations on the composition of the Election Commission will be held on January 27, 2013 in Lahore.

It was also agreed to implement electoral reforms as contained within the Constitution and Supreme Court order of June 8, 2012.

The terms agreed to also ensured the end of the long march and sit in and an amnesty for long march participants.

Earlier in the evening, after an agreement was reached between the government’s delegation and Qadri, three of the members returned to prime minister house to have the document signed.

“Just give them some space, Khurshid Shah, Qamar Zaman Kaira and Mushahid Hussain are going to prime minister house to have it [agreement] signed by all the leaders. They will be right back with the signed document and then the Islamabad declaration will be read out.”

Qadri had accepted the government’s request for negotiations with talks beginning at 3:45pm.

The committee was headed by Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain includes Farooq Sattar, Afrasiyab Khattak and Khurshid Shah.

The government ordered the deputy commissioner Islamabad to ask Qadri for more time to respond to his demands.

An hour before the government announced the decision to form a committee, the Minhajul Quran International (MQI) chairman had given a final deadline for his demands to be fulfilled.

The deadline ended at 3pm Thursday. Rangers were deployed around the Parliament House and President House to heighten the security.

Qadri asked President Asif Ali Zardari to send a delegation to hold talks over his demands or “lose the last chance of saving peace”. “We have already given too many chances to law, to democracy and to peace”.

Qadri also announced that he will end the sit-in in Islamabad by Thursday night.

He criticised the government for not sympathising with the women and children present at the long march. “I had asked the women to not participate, but they insisted and debated with us. They have come here on their own will.”

Qadri’s protest rally, which began from Lahore on January 13, has threatened to destabilise the nuclear-armed country as it inches towards what would be the first democratic transition of power between two civilian governments at elections due by May this year.

The government has not announced any date for polls other than saying that parliament will disband in mid-March to make way for a caretaker government and elections within 60 days under the constitution.

Qadri wants parliament dissolved now and a caretaker government set up in consultation with the military and judiciary to implement key reforms such as setting up a new election commission and banning corrupt candidates.

Was Manti Te'o a schemer or prey?

2013-01-18T07:58:00.002-08:00

Serial liar Lance Armstrong will supposedly bare part of his soul on Thursday evening. Eventually, Manti Te'o will be asked to do the same. Television cameras will become their separate confessionals and, once both have spoken, they'll have told their versions of the truth.

Armstrong, the disgraced cyclist and career cheater, we were prepared for. His deceit was decades in the making.

But until the mushroom cloud of a Deadspin report enveloped his life Wednesday, Te'o was considered to be all that was right and good about college football. He was more than an All-American linebacker from Notre Dame; he was an ideal, a template for integrity, compassion and humility.

Te'o might still be all of those things. Or none of them. We still don't know for sure.

We do know he issued a statement saying that he was the victim of an elaborate online and telephonic deception. We know that his "girlfriend," and her death from leukemia, were the figments of someone's depraved imagination. What we don't know is whether Te'o's imagination was involved in the deception.

Notre Dame says it wasn't. ND athletic director Jack Swarbrick did more than vouch for Te'o's reputation; he all but dared anyone to question it. The victim, said Swarbrick, wasn't simply Te'o himself, but also Te'o's innocence, his unconditional desire to help others.

"There's a lot of tragedy here," said Swarbrick in a Wednesday evening news conference. "There's a lot of sorrow here. But the thing I am most sad of, sad about -- sorry … That the single most trusting human being I've ever met will never be able to trust in the same way again in his life. That's an incredible tragedy."

Swarbrick had to compose himself during the middle of that statement. Such is the level of his admiration for Te'o and the level of contempt for those whom he said did this to the Notre Dame star.

There was no wiggle room in Swarbrick's comments. He gave his unequivocal support and did so after citing the results of a private investigation commissioned by the university. In the end, said Swarbrick, Te'o was on the wrong end of a "very sophisticated hoax perpetrated for reasons we can't fully understand, but had a certain cruelty at its core."

I sat across from Te'o in the fall and listened to him tell his story of heartbreak. You know the details by now: On the same horrific day, he had learned that his grandmother had died, followed hours later by what he said was the news that his girlfriend -- the apparently fictitious Lennay Kekua -- had also passed away.

If he was lying, it was a performance for the ages. And if he wasn't, then clearly he believed, with all his heart, that both his beloved grandmother and Lennay had died within six hours of one another.

There remain those who simply can't believe that Te'o wasn't somehow complicit in the hoax. Nobody, they say, could be that naive, that trusting.

And despite Swarbrick's reasoned, passionate and mostly convincing defense of Te'o, there remain more than a few questions about the details of this bizarre, surreal story. Swarbrick's explanations were plausible, even believable, but in some instances, the Notre Dame AD said he couldn't comment on certain questions. Instead, he deferred to Te'o.

This can play out only two ways. Either Te'o is telling the truth or he's a Lance Armstrong-caliber liar. Either he is a victim of a pitiless hoax or part architect of it.

I want to believe Swarbrick. I want to believe Te'o. I want to believe there is a special place in hell for those who would prey on a person's better angels.

This is a story like no other. Armstrong … Te'o. You can't make this stuff up.

Oh, wait -- apparently you can.

Poisoned Lottery Winner's Kin Were Suspicious

2013-01-12T21:27:00.001-08:00

Urooj Khan had just brought home his $425,000 lottery check when he unexpectedly died the following day. Now, certain members of Khan's family are speaking publicly about the mystery -- and his nephew told ABC News they knew something was not right.

"He was a healthy guy, you know?" said the nephew, Minhaj Khan. "He worked so hard. He was always going about his business and, the thing is: After he won the lottery and the next day later he passes away -- it's awkward. It raises some eyebrows."

The medical examiner initially ruled Urooj Khan, 46, an immigrant from India who owned dry-cleaning businesses in Chicago, died July 20, 2012, of natural causes. But after a family member demanded more tests, authorities in November found a lethal amount of cyanide in his blood, turning the case into a homicide investigation.

"When we found out there was cyanide in his blood after the extensive toxicology reports, we had to believe that ... somebody had to kill him," Minhaj Khan said. "It had to happen, because where can you get cyanide?"

In Photos: Biggest Lotto Jackpot Winners

Authorities could be one step closer to learning what happened to Urooj Khan. A judge Friday approved an order to exhume his body at Rosehill Cemetery in Chicago as early as Thursday to perform further tests.

Moments after the court hearing, Urooj Khan's sister, Meraj Khan, remembered her brother as the kind of person who would've shared his jackpot with anyone. Speaking at the Cook County Courthouse, she hoped the exhumation would help the investigation.

"It's very hard because I wanted my brother to rest in peace, but then we have to have justice served," she said, according to ABC News station WLS in Chicago. "So if that's what it takes for him to bring justice and peace, then that's what needs to be done."

Khan reportedly did not have a will. With the investigation moving forward, his family is waging a legal fight against his widow, Shabana Ansari, 32, over more than $1 million, including Urooj Khan's lottery winnings, as well as his business and real estate holdings.

Khan's brother filed a petition Wednesday to a judge asking Citibank to release information about Khan's assets to "ultimately ensure" that [Khan's] minor daughter from a prior marriage "receives her proper share."
Ansari may have tried to cash the jackpot check after Khan's death, according to court documents, which also showed Urooj Khan's family is questioning if the couple was ever even legally married.

Ansari, Urooj Khan's second wife, who still works at the couple's dry cleaning business, has insisted they were married legally.

She has told reporters the night before her husband died, she cooked a traditional Indian meal for him and their family, including Khan's daughter and Ansari's father. Not feeling well, Khan retired early, Ansari told the Chicago Sun-Times, falling asleep in a chair, waking up in agony, then collapsing in the middle of the night. She said she called 911.

"It has been an incredibly hard time," she told ABC News earlier this week. "We went from being the happiest the day we got the check. It was the best sleep I've had. And then the next day, everything was gone.

"I am cooperating with the investigation," Ansari told ABC News. "I want the truth to come out."
Ansari has not been named a suspect, but her attorney, Steven Kozicki, said investigators did question her for more than four hours.
"Absolutely, positively, you know, she had nothing to do with her husband's death," Kozicki said.
Despite the legal battle over the estate, Minhaj Khan said the family "can't really point fingers or we can't really speculate until a further investigation is done."
"When they are exhuming his body, I really hope the truth does come out, and our family finds some peace and we get to the bottom of this," he said. "Because everybody has to go one day, but the way that he died was not the way to go."
Urooj Khan won $1 million in a scratch-off Illinois Lottery game in June, though he elected to take the lump sum payout amounting to $425,000 after taxes. He said he planned to use the money to pay off his bills and mortgage, and make a contribution to St. Jude Children's Research Center.
Minhaj Khan remembered his uncle as that sort of giving person.
"He had a successful business, he was a great father, he was a great uncle to us and we knew him since the late '80s, since he came here [to the United States]," he said. "We lived with him. My kids used to play with him too, you know? I have two little girls. He was a really big family man and everybody loved him.
"He was the life of the party," he said, "always joking around, always joking with us and the family."

ABC News' Susanna Kim contributed to this report.

Evan Rachel Wood, Jamie Bell expecting first child

2013-01-12T21:24:00.000-08:00

NEW YORK (AP) — Evan Rachel Wood is going to be a mom.

Wood's publicist, Amanda Silverman, said Friday the 25-year-old actress and her husband, Jamie Bell, are expecting their first child later this year. She said Wood and Bell are "thrilled."

The couple married last year. They first dated in 2005 but broke up the following year.

Wood's breakout role was in 2003's gritty film "Thirteen." In 2011, she co-starred with Kate Winslet in the HBO miniseries "Mildred Pierce." Both roles earned her Golden Globe nominations.

Bell, 26, is best known for his starring role in "Billy Elliott." His film credits also include "King Kong" and "The Adventures of Tintin."

Us Weekly first reported Wood's pregnancy.

6 Superfoods You're Not Eating

2013-01-12T21:21:00.004-08:00

by SHAPE Diet Doctor Mike Roussell, phD
Power through your workout, boost your health, and lose weight with these common, yet oft-overlooked foods.

Seaweed
Perhaps most commonly eaten wrapped around a sushi roll, nori is loaded with iodine, a mineral essential for proper thyroid function. While iodized salt was introduced in 1924 to prevent goiter, the increased emphasis on low-sodium diets and the popularity of sea salt, which often doesn't contain iodine, have recently resurfaced concerns about getting enough iodine. This trace mineral isn't the only benefit of sea vegetables. Nori contains high levels of vitamin K and iron, micronutrients essential for proper cellular function. Look for nori pieces in the international section of your supermarket and crumble them on top of chili, soups, and salads. (This will add a little extra salty flavor, so if you are salt sensitive, use less in your recipe.)

Sauerkraut
Considering cabbage is low-carb, high-fiber, and contains cancer-fighting 3-indole carbinol and d-glucarate, a compound that works to clear excess estrogen, the veggie is already a superfood. Fermenting it into sauerkraut, however, puts it on nutritional steroids. The probiotics that drive fermentation also help repopulate your digestive system with healthy, hardworking good bacteria that lower inflammation, improve digestion, and maybe even aid in weight loss. Plus fermentation increases the bioavailablity of the antioxidants found in cabbage, and the longer cabbage ferments, the higher the levels of antioxidants become, meaning your body can better absorb and use them.

Hemp Seeds
No, these will not make you high. While hemp and marijuana are kissing cousins, the amount of THC in hemp is almost nonexistent. In 2004, the DEA's ban on hemp seeds and oil due to their trace THC content was overruled, and hemp is not considered a drug. The seeds are powerful, however, as two tablespoons contains 400 milligrams of anti-inflammatory gamma-linolenic acid and 2 grams of omega-3 fats, plus all nine essential amino acids, compounds that help maximize recovery from workouts.

Shirataki Noodles
Pasta lovers, it's time to throw an Italian feast: Now you can enjoy your noodles for 20 calories and 5 carbs (and some brands have even less of both!) per serving. Shirataki noodles are made from the konjac plant, the same plant that we get the fiber and satiety supplement glucomannan from-read: They keep you full. Shirataki don't have much flavor and come in every shape from angel to fettuccine to penne and more, so you can use them in any pasta recipe. Just take them out of the bag, rinse thoroughly, and heat, and they're ready to toss into stroganoff, primavera, or whatever you're craving.

Beets
After a study showed that beets can improve performance and reduce the amount of oxygen needed to complete a cardio session, the sports and fitness community has been raving about the root veggie and its juice. Beets contain nitrates, which are used in the production of nitric oxide, a compound that makes blood vessels dilate, allowing more blood and oxygen to flow to your working muscles. Enjoy them raw, cooked, or juiced.

Asparagus
Vitamin K is important for blood clotting and B vitamins are necessary for energy metabolism, and you can find both in asparagus. Not only is a stalk only three calories, but a recent study in the Journal of Food Science reported that asparagus can aid the body in accelerating the metabolism of alcohol. Next time you host a cocktail party, serve this superfood wrapped in prosciutto for tasty, low-carb, high-protein hors d'oeuvres that will help your guests wake up hangover-free in the morning.

Is Kasaab Still Alive?

2012-11-23T23:01:00.002-08:00

The jail officials hanged him and the medical officers declared him dead but the fact is that Kasaab is not dead. He is alive and with full spirit, he is busy working on his agenda somewhere near us. I am saying this because for me Kasaab is not the name of some Pakistani but it is the mindset which not just exists but spreading fast as well.

As an author put it that we were told by the western media outlets and a number of other people that the bearded lot is the real threat to the mankind and humanity but what we see in Pakistan, it is the social media addict westernised youth which seems to be the real threat. These people, graduated from some of the best universities in Pakistan have made up their mind that if a name of Pakistani comes up in an act of terrorism, it can only be a conspiracy against Pakistan hatched by, as usual, America, Israel or India. Just today after Kasaab was hanged, another educated young guy working in a well known advertisement agency updated his Facebook status in which he ‘declared’ that ‘Kasaab’ was nothing but an Indian drama. I said ‘declared’ because while you have so many evidences that came up supporting the argument that he was a Pakistani, you don’t have a single reason to deny it but still he stood by his opinion just because a certain mindset doesn’t allow a person to admit that his fellow countryman can be involved in an act of cross-border terrorism.

I’ve seen people posting pictures and articles saying that Malala incident was nothing but an excuse for the operation in North Waziristan. Then there were those who keep asking media why it never raised the issue of Dr. Afia Siddiqui with the same spirit. First of all, I fail to understand that even if it was a drama; doesn’t an act of terrorism, for whatsoever the purpose, need to be condemned? Why these people forget that it was the media, which first took up the issue of ‘Pakistani prisoner in Afghanistan’. I still remember the front page of Daily Jang, Karachi that carried this news. But perhaps the ‘Kasaab’ mentality shakes heir beliefsr that not everything in this country is a conspiracy. For me, these posts show only one thing that the supporters of ‘Malala conspiracy theory’ think that Taliban can never go against Pakistan’s interests.

The same old, new crop, during the recent Israeli attack on Gaza, dedicated almost all of their space on Facebook to the innocent Palestinians. There is nothing wrong in showing solidarity with them but then I saw the posts appealing the Government of Pakistan to immediately send its troops and all arms, missiles and whatsoever to help the innocent citizens, obviously by attacking Israelis. Excuse me! who are we to interfere in the matters of two states? If the USA comments on the situation in Balochistan, its an attack on our sovereignty. If India (As believed) is engaged in terrorism in the tribal belt or Balochistan through its consulates in Afghanistan, its cross-border terrorism but if we do so, it is justified. Doesn’t it prove that we, the Pakistanis believe in cross-border terrorism in our interest and that was what Kasaab did in Mumbai.

I was the one to show anger over Indian media projection of Balasaheb thackerey as a heroic personality but then making fun of his religion is something strongly unacceptable for me. But for this young lot, it is ‘cool’ to make fun of other religions and what if a follower of other religion does the same to ours. Obviously they are the first one to call him names and a fatwa for his murder will be issued from ‘Facebook madarassah’ immediately. It’s not just an assumption but a truth and I’ve seen it myself.

I don’t know how the attitude of the generation, raised amid anti-India media and hate based curriculum; can be brought to a neutral level when there is no hope of state giving any attention towards it. These people with the ‘Kasaab’ mindset are the easiest targets of the groups operating almost everywhere in the country who brainwash (if needed) them and send them on the ‘holy cause’ and on their back are the thousands of social media experts ‘Kasaabs’ waiting to save Pakistan from the international conspiracies.

‘People’ Magazine’s Sexiest White Man Alive: Channing Tatum

2012-11-15T06:31:00.003-08:00

Yesterday, Channing Tatum was anointed People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive. And while it’s true that 2012 was really Tatum’s year, with three successful movies at the box office—The Vow, Magic Mike, and 21 Jump Street—Tatum is part of a 26-year long tradition of anointing square-jawed white men as the hottest in the land.

The one exception: when they chose a square-jawed black man—Denzel Washington in 1996.

And during the last four years, when there has been an African-American president (who, if he were a Hollywood hunk, should surely have topped the list), it seems preposterous that no other men of color have been picked as the winner. In 2008, square-jawed Aussie, Hugh Jackman took the top honor. In 2009, Johnny Depp and his rotting teeth were selected for a second time. Last year, nobody’s favorite, Bradley Cooper, walked away (shirtless) with the crown. And the year before, perhaps in anticipation of the release of Green Lantern (which bombed), Ryan Reynolds was bestowed this dubious honor. Call it the Sexiest Milquetoast Man Alive.

Where are the Blair Underwoods, the Taye Diggses, the Morris Chestnuts? The Terrence Howards, the Jesse Williamses, the Idris Elbas?

Well, they are inside, scattered throughout like chocolate sprinkles on a vanilla ice cream cone. And if you believe People magazine’s official line, it is what’s inside that counts.

A representative for the magazine wrote, in part, via email: “People Magazine is sensitive to representing people of color in its pages; our Sexiest Man Alive issue is no exception. Every section in this year’s issue includes a diverse group of men.”

How diverse? In recent years, men like LL Cool J, Eddie Cibrian, Usher, Drake, Vin Diesel, John Cho, and Mario Lopez have been featured.

Brett R. Johnson, associate editor of the website The Root wasn’t surprised by the magazine’s stance. “That response is expected,” he wrote via email. “They can’t come out and say black men don’t sell magazine covers.”

Though there are some sports celebrities, like David Beckham, most of the picks skew toward Hollywood. There are very few music celebrities—and then, those picks tend toward teen dreams like Justin Bieber or the Jonas Brothers. If the magazine featured more men from sports and music—they might have had a choice of a few more men of color big enough to push cover stand sales. Kanye West, Kobe Bryant, or Michael Jordan during their primes would have been fine cover stars.

A rep for People explained: “The cover subject is chosen solely on the following criteria: Is he hot at the moment? Is he sexy? Is his career on fire this year? Channing Tatum fits that criteria this year, which is why he was named 2012 Sexiest Man Alive.”

“People’s response places the blame on Hollywood. That’s a copout. They have a lot of power as a media outlet, but their response is akin to throwing up their hands like, ‘Who me?—Not I!’”

The list, then, said Jezebel editor-in-chief, Jessica Coen in an IM interview, isn’t the “sexiest man in general, just—‘handsome man who’s getting the most work right now,’” she said. “What makes the choice so strange is that People is not a trade mag.”

If People’s list is really a barometer for who’s hot in Hollywood, the list is even more distressing. It serves as a mirror to Hollywood’s one-dimensional idea of who can be a leading man. (Hint: he’s a white dude. Or, Denzel Washington.)

“Denzel is the lazy choice,” said Coen. “He’s obligatory. And that’s because whenever there’s a discussion of race in Hollywood and dearth of black leading men, someone always argues that Denzel Washington is ‘proof’ that there’s no race problem. Like, ‘But, but, but here’s this one guy!’”

Coen wasn’t buying the magazine’s PR, response either: “People’s response places the blame on Hollywood. That’s a copout. They have a lot of power as a media outlet, but their response is akin to throwing up their hands like, ‘Who me?—Not I!’ Hollywood and the media—and that includes People—have a highly symbiotic relationship. Putting a man of color on the inside is like saying, ‘He’s hot, sure, but just not hot enough for the cover. Only a white man can be number one,’” she added. “Which is kind of how the world has worked for the past couple centuries.”

Or to put it more clearly: there are no men of color to put on the cover because there are no leading men of color, save Washington and Will Smith.

“They’re pretty much the only black men who Hollywood deems worthy of being able to carry a big-budget movie as its lead,” said Johnson. “Other top black actors such as Sam Jackson, Morgan Freeman, and Laurence Fishburne do consistently great work but they’re rarely regarded as get-the-girl-type leading men—or perhaps more likely they just don’t fit People’s definition of sexy.”

People’s list is problematic for other reasons—the magazine has simply missed the zeitgeist on a number of occasions. For instance, as Buzzfeed pointed out picking Tom Cruise in 1990, years after he was truly hot—post-Risky Business or Top Gun; or celebrating Matthew Mc Conaughey in 2005, when he was in the middle of the most banal part of his career, starring in middling romcoms with Kate Hudson. Alarmingly, Jon Hamm, the man all women want to sleep with—and the man all men want to be—has never made the cover; nor, has feminist favorite and Oscar nominee, Ryan Gosling.

People also missed a big opportunity in 2010 by not choosing Old Spice spokesperson Isaiah Mustafa—a man who arguably really was the sexiest man of the moment, striding into women’s living rooms topless and riding a white horse, and turning tickets into diamonds. Instead, he was relegated to the “25 Chests To Be Thankful For” spread.

This, for a man whose video at the time had more than 13 million YouTube views. (Now up to 45 million.)

People magazine and other old media outlets, as Coen pointed out, could stand to take a few risks, and they might actually change social mores in the process.

“When you don’t regularly expose an audience to men of color as sex symbols, they’re less likely to think of men of color as sex symbols,” she said. “We need to see these men to know they’re out there—and not seeing them because they’re not being presented to the audience as much as white men.”

It becomes a chicken vs. the egg problem. She said: “Then you get into this vicious circle: studios expose audiences to white guys, audiences respond to white guys, so studios cast more white guys. But that would change if the casting were more balanced. Studios expose audiences to a mixed cast, audience responds to a mixed cast, studios continue to cast people of color. I think Shonda Rhimes’s shows [Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice] are a great example of how easy it is to make that work. Visuals are very powerful, consciously and subconsciously.”

Johnson agreed. He thinks stars like Idris Elba, Michael Ealy, Terrence Howard, and Blair Underwood could be perfect choices for People’s cover—but, he said: “They just need to get the right film roles that will put them over the top in terms of having crossover appeal,” he said.

“If Idris Elba, for example, landed a couple roles in big-budget, box-office winners and had a blowout year, I can see him on the cover. He could be an undeniable choice. The stars would have to align just right, though.”

People—and the media, by extension—could take the bull by the horns and lead by example. The issue is a hot seller regardless of who graces the cover—thanks to the loads of shirtless, soft-focused-lens photo shoots featuring topless men—and to the mag’s well-oiled PR machine.

Said Coen: “They could put a panda on the cover and it’d probably sell just as well.”

The lack of nonwhite Sexiest Man Alive winners, though, doesn’t necessarily reflect Americans’ aversion to men of color, just Hollywood’s.

“If white and mixed audiences can listen to and follow and even swoon over black musicians like Trey Songz or Chris Brown, then why can’t they just as easily find common ground and connect to a wider variety of black actors on the screen?” said Johnson. “American moviegoers and mag buyers should be given more credit.”

Like The Daily Beast on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for updates all day long.

Tricia Romano is an award-winning writer who has written about pop culture, style, and celebrity for The New York Times, The Village Voice, Spin, and Radarmagazine. She won Best Feature at the Newswomen’s Club of New York Front Page Award for her Village Voice cover story, about sober DJs and promoters in the nightlife industry, “The Sober Bunch.”

Hope Solo, Jerramy Stevens marry

2012-11-15T06:28:00.002-08:00

U.S. women's soccer team goalkeeper Hope Solo and former NFL tight end Jerramy Stevens were married Tuesday, according to reports, after an altercation that left Stevens in jail and their wedding plans up in the air.
KING5.com in Seattle reported Solo and Stevens were married Tuesday night in a small ceremony near Snohomish, Wash. Only close family and friends were in attendance, with one of Solo's friends describing the wedding as "beautiful," the station reported.

Dave Mahler, a sports-talk radio host on Seattle's KJR, also tweeted: "Confirmed: Jerramy Stevens and Hope Solo were married tonight. Events of yesterday morning didn't change plans. Sounds like more facts comin."
Stevens was arrested early Monday for fourth-degree domestic violence assault but was not charged. He was eventually released when a Kirkland Municipal Court judge ruled there was no evidence connecting him to an assault.
Kirkland police said the case was still under investigation, and charges could be brought later if prosecutors and police find other evidence, a police spokesman told The Associated Press.
Stevens, 33, and Solo, 31, applied for a marriage license Nov. 8, according to King County records.

In the police report, Stevens said he and Solo had been arguing over whether they would live in Washington or Florida after the marriage.
Solo appeared in the courtroom Tuesday but left without saying anything to reporters, according to KING-TV.
Police in Kirkland responded to a disturbance at a home around 3:45 a.m. Monday involving a physical altercation between eight people during a party, said Kirkland Police Lt. Mike Murray.
He said officers contacted several people in the home who appeared intoxicated and didn't cooperate with police, but determined based on information and observations that there was probable cause to arrest Stevens for investigation of fourth-degree assault. Murray didn't identify the alleged victim, but court records show it was Solo, who received a cut to her elbow.
Court documents show that Solo's 34-year-old brother, Marcus, called 911, and that he and Solo told officers there was a party and blamed the disturbance on two to three unknown men who were at the party. Marcus Solo told police he used a stun gun on one of the men, who left the party before police arrived, according to court records.
According to court documents, a police officer found Stevens, "who appeared to be hiding," lying between the bed and the wall in an upstairs bedroom. Stevens told officers he was sleeping on the floor and didn't hear the fight. The officer saw signs of a fight, and dried blood on Stevens' shirt.
The officer noted in his affidavit for probable cause for arrest that he arrested Stevens based on his admission that he argued with Hope Solo, the injury to her elbow, signs of a fight in the bedroom where Stevens was found, and blood on Stevens' shirt.
One 32-year-old woman was taken to the hospital for treatment of a hip injury, and another man suffered multiple bumps, scrapes and contusions, Murray said.
"If officers find that an assault may have taken place, then we have to make an arrest on who we determine is the primary aggressor," Murray said.
Stevens was selected with the No. 28 pick of the 2002 draft by the Seattle Seahawks after playing at the University of Washington. But he also was involved in incidents away from football that included reckless driving charges for crashing into a nursing home.
He was mostly a first-round bust with the Seahawks, except for the 2005 season when he started a career-high 12 games and had 45 receptions as the Seahawks won the NFC championship.
He also was arrested on reckless driving charges in 2003 in a Seattle suburb and in 2007 when he was charged with driving under the influence in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Stevens' most recent arrest came in 2010, while he was playing for Tampa Bay; he was arrested the night before a game for possession of marijuana. He was released almost immediately by the team.

Google's Nexus 4: Understanding your carrier options

2012-11-15T06:26:00.001-08:00

Can you believe it? After months of waiting and anticipation, Google's new Nexus 4 phone is finally here.

The Nexus 4 is available now (when it's in stock, at least) at $299 for an 8GB version or $349 for a 16GB model. For those of us in the U.S., that setup is a bit different from what we're used to with smartphone sales: Rather than being sold through a carrier, subsidized and on contract, Google is focusing on direct and unlocked sales with its Nexus 4 phone.

That means you buy the device outright from Google -- no contracts, no subsidies, and no commitments to anyone. Youcan buy the Nexus in a more traditional manner, if you want -- T-Mobile is selling the phone for $200 after a $50 mail-in rebate and with a new two-year contract -- but for most people, the unlocked route will be the better option.

Why? Simple: By going unlocked, you can opt to use the device with any compatible service provider you want. That includes prepaid providers, which offer the same basic service as the big boys at a fraction of the cost. And since you aren't signing a contract, you're under no obligations; if you decide you aren't satisfied with your service or find someone else offering a better rate, you're free to jump ship at any point with no penalties, fees, or hassles.

(By using an unlocked phone, you can also easily utilize native Android features like Wi-Fi hotspot or USB tethering without having to pay more. Your phone is a Google phone, not a carrier phone -- and it has true pure Google software without any carrier crippling or unnecessary meddling.)

So who should you use for service -- and how do you sign up? There are several possible options, but two carriers in particular stand out for their excellent plans and solid reputations:

1. T-Mobile Monthly 4G

If you can manage with a low pool of monthly minutes (and with free Google services, it's more feasible than you'd think), T-Mobile Monthly 4G is about as cheap as you can get for smartphone service. The company's marquee prepaid plan -- which I use myself -- is $30 a month for 100 anytime minutes, unlimited texting, and unlimited data (with the first 5GB per month at 4G HSPA+ speeds).

You pay up front each month, and the total cost is literally $30 plus basic tax -- no 911 fees, no "universal service charges," no "regulatory charges," and no "administrative charges." You can either pay manually at the start of each month or set up an account and have T-Mobile charge you automatically.

Any minutes over your allotment cost 10 cents apiece. Being that this is prepaid service, you'll never get any unexpected bills; instead, additional monthly minutes are available only if you opt to leave an extra balance on your account. (I typically leave about 20 bucks on mine in case I go over.)

You don't have to go for 100 minutes a month, either. T-Mobile has several Monthly 4G plans, including $60- and $70-per month options that include unlimited voice minutes.

To get started, all you need to do is order is a prepaid SIM card activation kit from T-Mo; it costs a whopping 99 cents, shipping included. (The Nexus 4 utilizes a micro-SIM, so make sure you order that type of card.) Once you get the SIM, you'll just pop the card into your phone and follow the included instructions to activate your account. The whole process takes about five minutes.

(If you want to port in an existing cell phone number, you should be able to find an option to do so within the online activation process. If you have trouble, you can always call T-Mobile's customer support after you initialize your new account to get things squared away. Either way, just be sure not to cancel your old cell phone service until after that procedure has taken place.)

2. Straight Talk

Straight Talk is a Wal-Mart-affiliated provider that offers service on your choice of AT&T's or T-Mobile's network. Its best plan is $45 a month for unlimited minutes, unlimited texting, and unlimited data.

There is an asterisk, though: While Straight Talk labels its data as "unlimited," some users have reported being throttled down to slower-than-4G-level speeds after hitting the 2GB mark. Straight Talk doesn't have a clear policy about this, so it's somewhat of a gray area. The vast majority of people don't come close to hitting 2GB of data in a single month, but if you do, that's something to consider.

To get service with Straight Talk, just order a SIM from the company; they're currently 10 bucks, shipping included. With the Nexus 4, you need to make sure you get a micro-SIM, which leads us to one last footnote:

Straight Talk currently offers micro-SIMs only for AT&T. If you want to use Straight Talk with AT&T's network, you're golden. If you want to use it with T-Mobile service, though, you'll have to order the regular-sized T-Mobile SIM and then take matters into your own hands.

The standard carrier plan options

Not keen on the whole prepaid concept? You can use the Nexus 4 with a standard carrier smartphone plan -- even without signing a contract. Since the Nexus 4 is a GSM/HSPA+ phone, it'll work with either T-Mobile or AT&T in the U.S. All you'll have to do is get a micro-SIM from the carrier you prefer and then contact them to activate an account.

(If you already have an account with one of them, you should be able to simply move the SIM card from your current phone into the Nexus 4 and be good to go. If your current SIM card is a regular-sized SIM instead of a micro-SIM, you'll just need to go to one of the carrier's stores to swap it out; most carrier retail locations will do that at no cost if you're a current customer.)

AT&T's individual plans start at 70 bucks a month for 450 minutes and 3GB of data. That doesn't include texting and does include the usual smattering of shady surcharges; realistically, you're probably looking at a minimum of 80 bucks a month. If you want 5GB of data per month instead of 3GB, the cost goes up by $20 -- giving you a grand total of at least $100 a month with all the various fees.

This is precisely why I say most people will do better by going prepaid.

(T-Mobile's standard plans are a bit less painful but still generally less beneficial to most customers than the prepaid alternatives.)

Jill Kelley, key figure in David Petraeus scandal, led lavish life

2012-11-15T06:22:00.001-08:00

When Jill Kelley believed a reporter was trespassing at her white-columned mansion in a wealthy neighborhood this week, the Tampa socialite called 911 and claimed diplomatic immunity.

"I'm an honorary consul general, so I have inviolability," an exasperated Kelley told the dispatcher in recordings released by police. "I don't know if you want to get diplomatic protection involved as well."

Kelley isn't a diplomat; she holds the ceremonial title of "honorary consul" for South Korea, one of many informal ties to prestige and power that the energetic 37-year-old mother of three has brandished to climb to the top rungs of the social ladder in this conservative military community.

Kelley, the wife of a cancer surgeon, has a thin resume, a troubled family, shaky finances and a reputation for being, as one acquaintance here put it, "Tampa Kardashian." Now she is central to an unfolding scandal that has forced out David H. Petraeus as CIA director, threatens the career of Marine Gen. John Allen, commander of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan, and cast previously unknown figures and a sex affair into international notoriety.

Kelley's complaint to the FBI last summer that she was being harassed by email triggered the investigation that uncovered Petraeus' extramarital affair with his biographer, Paula Broadwell, author of those emails. The inquiry also uncovered what the Pentagon has called 20,000 to 30,000 pages of possibly "inappropriate communication" between Kelley and Allen, whose nomination to a prestigious assignment overseeing all NATO military has been put on hold.

Allen "intends to fully cooperate with the inspector general investigators and directed his staff to do the same," his lawyer, Col. John Baker, the chief defense counsel of the Marine Corps, said in a statement Wednesday. "To the extent there are questions about certain communications by Gen. Allen, he shares in the desire to resolve those questions as completely and quickly as possible."

The Army suspended Broadwell's security clearance, which gave her access to classified information. She is a lieutenant colonel and intelligence officer in the Army Reserve.

President Obama said at a White House news conference that he had seen "no evidence at this point" that classified information had been compromised, but noted that the FBI investigation was continuing. He praised Petraeus, who resigned Friday, for his "extraordinary career" in the military and CIA. "We are safer because of the work Dave Petraeus has done," he said.

From 2008 to 2010, Petraeus headed Central Command, which runs U.S. military operations in the Middle East, including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The command is based at MacDill Air Force Base, on a spit of land that juts into Tampa Bay. The base also is home to U.S. Special Operations Command and hosts representatives from 60 nations that joined together to fight terrorism after Sept. 11, 2001.

Balmy weather, a sparkling bay and a military-friendly population have made Tampa a welcome posting for officers and a favorite spot for retirees like Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, who led the 1991 Persian Gulf War. The late New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner had a booth at the Palm steakhouse, where his caricature adorns the wall — along with those of two other regulars, Scott and Jill Kelley.

Life here was a step up for Jill Kelley. Born in Beirut, she moved in the mid-1970s with her family to northeast Philadelphia, where they were the "oddballs" in a mostly Irish and German neighborhood, said Kelley's brother, David Khawam. The family opened restaurants in the area, he told reporters.

Scott and Jill Kelley moved to Tampa about a decade ago when Scott, who specializes in surgery foresophageal cancer, was hired by a local hospital. In June 2004, they purchased a 5,500-square-foot red-brick home on Bayshore Boulevard in the city's ritziest neighborhood.

With her dark tresses, high-wattage smile and gregarious personality, Kelley was a natural hostess. She became known for holding Champagne-and-caviar parties on a manicured front lawn, complete with billowing white tents and valet parking. Civic leaders rubbed shoulders with military brass from MacDill, a base so crucial to the local economy that generals were treated like rock stars.

In some cases, they acted that way too.

In February 2010, Petraeus and his wife, Holly, attended their first Gasparilla Pirate Festival, a local version of Mardi Gras. He arrived at the Kelley home with a 28-motorcycle police escort and wore a long string of beads around his neck.

"They became close friends with the general," said former Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio, who was a guest at multiple Kelley bashes. "The parties were purely social. It was a way, particularly with the coalition members, to just be a gracious hostess, to say, 'We're glad you're in Tampa.' There's nothing more to it than that."

Allen and Petraeus stayed in close touch with Kelley after they left Tampa. Although it might seem odd for a general running a war to stay in touch with a hostess back home, it's not unusual in the military world, where officers and their families frequently move and need to promote good relations with community leaders.

"She was part of that social connective tissue for generals and flag officers," said one officer.

Two years ago, Kelley strapped herself into a harness and made a tandem parachute jump with Special Operations troops, another official said. She was named an "honorary ambassador" by allied countries at Central Command and even secured a pass that allowed her to enter MacDill during daylight hours without an escort. That pass was revoked this week.

Even before the scandal broke, she had begun to wear out her welcome, flooding senior officers' inboxes with emails and requests for help organizing her social functions. Her constant presence caused some officers' aides to worry about the appearance of an attractive, outgoing woman cozying up to senior military leaders.

Kelley had other ambitions as well.

At the Republican National Convention in Tampa in August, New York energy entrepreneur Adam Victor was introduced to Kelley. She was described as "a very close friend of Gen. Petraeus," who had helped Kelley become South Korea's honorary consul.

Victor, who was looking to establish a major coal project in South Korea, invited Kelley to New York in mid-September. There, she again played up her Petraeus ties. Victor then flew Kelley to Hawaii to meet with a South Korean delegation to help pave the way for negotiations.

But then, Victor said, Kelley asked for 2% of the gross cost of the project for her compensation. Informed that would mean a fee of about $80 million, Kelley persisted until Victor ended the relationship. An industry standard compensation would be no more than $1 million, Victor said.

"It was such an astronomical figure that it suggested she had no experience in negotiating these types of deals," Victor said. "Gen. Petraeus had a lapse in judgment in using his influence to put her in that position."

The Kelleys were making questionable business decisions and falling into financial trouble at home as well.

In 2007, the Kelleys, along with Jill's twin sister, Natalie Khawam, founded the Doctor Kelley Cancer Foundation to "conduct cancer research and to grant wishes to terminally ill cancer patients." The charity filed just one tax return, saying it had raised $157,284 in 2007.

None of the three drew a salary — Scott Kelley said he was devoting 30 hours a week to the charity — but most of the money went for expenses, including $43,317 for meals and entertainment, $36,610 for travel and $5,000 for telephone costs. By the time the return was filed, the charity was already defunct, records show.

The Kelleys formed a property company, Kelley Land Holdings, but in 2010 Central Bank brought a foreclosure suit against them involving an office building they'd purchased in downtown Tampa. Public records showed they owed the bank $2.2 million. A judge ordered the property put up for sale last year.

They also fell behind in payments on their Bayshore Boulevard home, with Regions Bank filing a lawsuit in 2010 saying it was owed $1.7 million and hadn't received any payments since September 2009. They remain in arrears.

Khawam also had legal troubles with a contentious divorce and debts totaling more than $3.6 million. She owed $800,000 to the Kelleys, $600,000 to a St. Petersburg, Fla., man and $53,000 to the IRS. She said she had sold a $15,000 sable coat and a $25,000 Rolex watch and used the proceeds to live on, according to court records.

City police also received dozens of calls from the Kelleys. Their police file, released Wednesday, fills nearly 100 pages, with reports of bike thefts, burglaries, prowlers and harassing callers.

On Tuesday, Tampa police released recordings of five 911 calls placed by the Kelleys since Sunday that complained about trespassers.

Kelley remained secluded in her house Wednesday. A throng of TV cameras waited outside, hoping for a shot of her driving her Mercedes 500 sedan with the license plate "1JK" and an emblem that reads "Honorary Consul."

Not letting whooping cough gain ground

2012-11-15T06:19:00.002-08:00

Whooping cough is making a comeback. The good news is that it can be prevented and treated when it's caught early. According to whoopingcough.net, "Whooping cough is a contagious bacterial disease chiefly affecting children and characterized by convulsive coughs followed by a whoop."

The "whooping" sound is the noise a person's voice box makes when they can take a breath again after the coughing subsides.

Whooping cough is more severe than an ordinary cough and early on it can be difficult to tell the difference between the two, says Dr. Richard Krieger, chairman of the Infection Control Committee at Chilton Hospital.

"In the first one to two weeks of the illness, it can look like a common cold," Krieger says, explaining, "Unless there is a history of exposure to a family member or other close contact with whooping cough, it is very hard to differentiate at this point. When the cough develops, it generally occurs as severe paroxysms (sudden attacks) which can be followed by characteristic "whoop" (typically in children 6 months to 5 years old) on inhalation after a coughing spell. If a cough lasts over 14 days in the setting of an outbreak, that raises suspicion.

"There are lab tests that can identify the infection or the bacteria (bordetella pertussis) can be identified on culture of respiratory secretions, but these tests will not give an immediate diagnosis, as it may take days to get the results," Krieger says. "Generally, x-rays are not helpful.

"Whooping cough is very contagious. Up to 80 to 90 percent of susceptible persons who are exposed to it will develop the infection," states Krieger.

The good news is that whooping cough is preventable. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website (cdc.gov), the United States has seen more than 32,000 cases and 16 deaths from whooping cough in recent years.

The CDC recommends that the best way to prevent whooping cough in children is to immunize them with the vaccine DTap (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis). This vaccine is normally given in five increments, the first three doses given to children at 2, 4 and 6 months of age; the fourth dose between 15 and 18 months; and, the last dose between 4 to 6 years old. Adults and children 11 – 12 years of age should have the Tdap booster for continued prevention.

Krieger concurs wit the CDC guidelines and recommends that adults receive booster shots every 10 years, whether it is given in conjunction with a tetanus shot or not.

"A few years ago, the state of New Jersey made it a requirement for children entering middle school to receive the Tdap booster before sixth grade," says Donna Dericks, school nurse at Hillview Elementary School in Pompton Plains. "Fortunately, I've only seen maybe two cases of whooping cough in the past five years."

If someone does contract whooping cough, Krieger says that "antibiotic therapy, such as Erythromycin or Clarithromycin, will help if given early in the course of the infection. However, usually by the time the characteristic cough develops it is too late to have an effect on the course of the illness, though it can at least decrease the period of contagiousness.
"In the general population, there has been a rise in whooping cough cases in recent years. Adults generally don't get too sick from whooping cough that they can't function. Healthy older children won't get disabled from the cough, but they do tend to spread it. Whooping cough is much more serious in young children. Immunization is the way to go to prevent whooping cough."

How does Track Changes in Microsoft Word work?

2012-10-31T06:23:00.001-07:00

How does Track Changes in Microsoft Word work?

There are four steps to tracking changes:

Tell Word to track changes.
Tell Word to display Tracked Changes.
Tell Word how to display Tracked Changes.
Tell Word to accept or reject the changes.

Contents of this page

What is track changes, and why would I want to use it?

How to turn track changes on and off

How to display the tracked changes

How to hide (but not delete) track changes

How to remove tracked changes

Printing tracked changes

Working with more than one author or reviewer: Who did what?

Security issues with tracking changes

How to copy text containing tracked changes

Other issues with track changes

What is track changes, and why would I want to use it?

Q: What is Track Changes?

Track Changes is a way for Microsoft Word to keep track of the changes you make to a document. You can then choose to accept or reject those changes.

Let's say Bill creates a document and emails it to his colleague, Lee, for feedback. Lee can edit the document with Track Changes on. When Lee sends the document back to Bill, Bill can see what changes Lee had made.

Track Changes is also known as redline, or redlining. This is because some industries traditionally draw a vertical red line in the margin to show that some text has changed.

Q: What do I need to know to use Track Changes?

To use Track Changes, you need to know that there are three entirely separate things that might be going on at any one time:

First, at some time in the past (last week, yesterday, one millisecond ago), Word might have kept track of the changes you made. It did this because you turned on Track Changes. Word then remembered the changes you made to your document, and stored the changes in your document.
Second, if Word has stored information about changes you've made to your document, then you can choose to display those changes, or to hide them. Hiding them doesn't make them go away. It just hides them from view. (The only way to remove the tracked changes from your document is to accept or reject them.)
Third, at this very moment in time, Word may be tracking the changes you make to your document.

Just to make the point:

Word may, or may not, be currently keeping track of the changes you make.
At the same time, Word may, or may not, have stored changes you made to the document at some point in the past.
And, at the same time, Word may, or may not, be displaying those tracked changes. Turning off (ie, hiding) the tracked changes doesn't remove them. It just hides them. To remove the tracked changes from the document, you must accept or reject them

How to turn track changes on and off

Q: How do I tell Word to track the changes I make to my document?

To turn on Track Changes (that is, to tell Word to track each change you make in your document), do one of the following:

In all versions of Word: Ctrl+Shift+e
In Word 2007 and Word 2010: on the status bar, click "Track Changes: Off" to turn on track changes. If you can't see "Track Changes" on the status bar then right-click the status bar and click Track Changes.
In Word 2007 and Word 2010: Review > Track Changes. When the button is highlighted, Word is tracking changes.
In Word 2003 and earlier versions: Double-click the TRK text in the status bar at the bottom of the screen. If TRK is black, Word is tracking changes.
In Word 2002 and 2003: Tools > Track Changes.
In Word 2000 and earlier versions: Tools > Track Changes > Highlight Changes. Tick Track Changes while editing.

Q: How can I tell if Word is tracking changes in my document?

Look at the Status Bar at the bottom of the screen. In Word 2003 and earlier versions: look for "TRK". If it's black, Word is tracking changes. If it's dimmed, Word is not tracking changes. In Word 2007 and Word 2010, look for "Track Changes: On" or "Track Changes: Off". If you can't see "Track Changes" on the status bar, then right-click the status bar and click Track Changes.

But… turning Track Changes on or off doesn't affect whether you can seethe tracked changes. So read on…

How to display the tracked changes

Q: I want to see the tracked changes in my document. How do I turn on the display of tracked changes?

There are several ways to do this, depending on what you need:

In Word 2007 and Word 2010, on the Review tab, use the little menus in the Tracking group. Final: Show Markup or Original: Show Markup will show what changes you have made. But check the selected items on the Show Markup menu to be sure that Word is showing you the right things.
In Word 2002 and 2003, on the Reviewing toolbar, choose Final with Markup or Original with Markup. This will show you what changes have been made. If you are using balloons to display track changes (there's information about balloons, below), then:
- Original Showing Markup displays insertions in balloons.
- Final Showing Markup displays deletions in balloons.
In Word 2000 and earlier, Tools > Track Changes > Highlight Changes. Tick Highlight Changes on Screen.

Q: How do I control how Word displays tracked changes?

Word 2003 and earlier versions

Do Tools > Options. Click the Track Changes tab. Here you choose how to display tracked changes when you are displaying tracked changes.

To learn more about how Word displays tracked changes in Word 2002 and Word 2003, see How to use the Reviewing Toolbar in Microsoft Word 2002 and Word 2003.

[Just to recap: Turn on the display of tracked changes by choosing Final with Markup or Original with Markup. Having turned on the display, tell Word howto display the tracked changes using Tools > Options > Tracked Changes.]

Word 2007 and Word 2010

In Word 2007 and Word 2010, on the Review tab, click the bottom half of the big Track Changes split button and choose Change Tracking Options. (In my view, this menu item is mis-named. The options are not about the tracking. They are about how to display the effects of the tracking. It's a subtle difference, but it's got a lot of people into hot water over the years!)

[Just to recap: Turn on the display of tracked changes by choosing Final: Show Markup or Original: Show Markup. Refine the choice of what to show using the Show Markup menu. Having turned on the display, tell Wordhow to display the tracked changes using Review > Track Changes > Change Tracking Options.]

How to hide (but not delete) tracked changes

Don't accidentally distribute documents containing tracked changes!

In Word 2002 and 2003, Tools > Options. On the Security tab, make sure you have ticked two important boxes.

Tick the "Warn before printing, saving or sending a file that contains tracked changes or comments" box.
Tick the "Make hidden markup visible when opening or saving" box.

In Word 2007: File > Word Options. In Word 2010: File > Options. In both Word 2007 and Word 2010: From the Word Options dialog, click Trust Center, then Trust Center settings. In the Trust Center dialog box click Privacy Options. And now, exhausted from your long trip through the labyrinth of dialog boxes, tick the "Warn before printing, saving or sending a file that contains tracked changes or comments"

Turning these off is akin to removing the battery from the smoke alarm in your house.

Q: I want to hide the tracked changes in my document. How do I turn off the display of tracked changes?

There are several ways to do this, depending on what you need:

In Word 2007 and Word 2010, on the Review tab, in the Tracking group, choose Final. This displays your document as if you had accepted all the tracked changes in the document. It hides (but does not remove) the tracked changes.
In Word 2007 and 2010, on the Review tab, in the Tracking group, choose Original. This displays your document as if you had rejected all the tracked changes in the document. It hides (but does not remove) the tracked changes.
In Word 2002 and 2003, on the Reviewing toolbar, choose Final. This displays your document as if you had accepted all the tracked changes in the document. It hides (but does not remove) the tracked changes.
In Word 2002 and 2003, on the Reviewing toolbar, choose Original. This displays your document as if you had rejected all the tracked changes in the document. It hides (but does not remove) the tracked changes.
In earlier versions of Word, Tools > Track Changes > Highlight Changes. Un-tick Highlight Changes on Screen. This displays your document as if you had accepted all the tracked changes. It hides (but does not remove) the tracked changes.

But… if you turn off the display of tracked changes, it doesn't mean they're not there. The tracked changes are just hidden. Anyone could open your document and choose to view your tracked changes. To remove the tracked changes from your document, read on…

How to remove tracked changes

Q: How do I delete tracked changes from my document?

To delelete a tracked change, either accept it or reject it.

Q: How do I accept or reject one tracked change?

In any version of Word, right-click on the tracked change and choose Accept Insertion or Reject Deletion or Accept Change or Reject Format Change etc.
The menu you see when you right-click text depends on the context. Generally (though not always) if you right-click on a tracked change that Word deems to be a spelling error, you'll get the menu appropriate to spelling errors, not the menu appropriate to tracked changes. If that's the case, use the menus or the ribbon to accept or reject the tracked change.
In Word 2007 and Word 2010, to accept or reject one tracked change, click within the change and on the Review tab, click Accept or Reject.
To accept one tracked change in Word 2002 or Word 2003, click within the change and then on the Reviewing toolbar, click the Accept Change button (it's the one with the blue tick). To reject (ie delete) one tracked change in Word 2002 or Word 2003, on the Reviewing toolbar, click the Reject Change button (it's the one with the red cross).
In Word 2000 and earlier, Tools > Track Changes > Accept or Reject Changes. Click one of the Find buttons (with the green arrow) to go through the changes one by one. Accept or reject the change.

Turn on track changes before making any big changes to your document

If you're about to make a really big change to your document, turn on track changes and then make the change.

If you don't like the result of your change, you will be able to reject the changes easily.

For example, AppScoutsuggests turning on track changes before a global search and replace of HTML tags.

Q: How do I accept or reject all tracked changes in the document in one step?

Word 2007 and Word 2010

To accept all changes in the document, on the Review tab, click the bottom half of the Accept button and choose Accept All Changes in Document.

To reject all the changes in the document, on the Review tab, click the bottom half of the Reject button and choose Reject All Changes in Document.

Word 2002 and Word 2003

To accept all changes in Word 2002 or Word 2003: on the Reviewing toolbar, hover over the Accept Change button (the one with the blue tick). Click on the arrow you see to the right of the button. Choose Accept all Changes in Document.

To reject (or delete) all changes in Word 2002 or Word 2003: on the Reviewing toolbar, hover over the Reject Change button (the one with the red cross). Click on the arrow you see to the right of the button. Choose Reject all Changes in Document.

Note: If you have Word 2002 or 2003, and you liked the old Accept or Reject changes box from earlier versions, you can reinstate it. A sensible place to put this button is on the Reviewing toolbar. Tools > Customize. Click the Toolbars tab. Make sure that Reviewing is ticked. Now, click the Commands tab. In the Categories list, choose All Commands. In the Commands list, find ToolsReviewRevisions. Drag it to the Reviewing toolbar. Click Close to close the Customize dialog. There will now be a new button on the Reviewing toolbar called Accept or Reject Changes. If you're later prompted to save Normal.dot, say yes.

Word 2000 and earlier

In Word 2000 and earlier, Tools > Track Changes > Accept or Reject Changes. You can choose to accept or reject all the changes in the document.

Printing tracked changes

Q: How do I print out my document showing the tracked changes?

Word 2002 and before: Tools > Track Changes > Highlight Changes. Tick Highlight Changes in Printed Document.

Word 2002 and 2003: File > Print. In the "Print What" box, choose Document showing Markup.

Word 2007: Round Office button > Print. In the "Print What" box, choose "Document showing markup".

Word 2010: File > Print. Under Settings, click the first button (that probably says 'Print All Pages'). On the subsequent menu, choose 'Print Markup'. See Figure 1.

Figure 1. In Word 2010, print markup using the Print menu. Click the first button under 'Settings' (which probably says Print All Pages). On the menu, tick Print Markup.

Q: How do I print out my document without showing the tracked changes?

Word 2002 and before: Tools > Track Changes > Highlight Changes. Un-tick Highlight Changes in Printed Document

Word 2002 and 2003: File > Print. In the "Print What" box, choose Document.

Word 2007: Round Office button > Print. In the "Print What" box, choose Document.

Word 2010: File > Print. Under Settings, click the first button (that probably says 'Print All Pages'). On the subsequent menu, un-tick Print Markup. See Figure 1.

Q: How do I print a list of the tracked changes in my document?

Word 2000 and earlier: This functionality is not available in Word 2000 or earlier versions. But you can print just the comments. File > Print. In the "Print What" box, choose Comments.

Word 2002 and 2003: File > Print. In the "Print What" box, choose List of Markup.

Word 2007: Round Office button > Print. In the "Print What" box, choose List of Markup.

Word 2010: File > Print. Under Settings, click the first button (that probably says 'Print All Pages'). On the subsequent menu, tick List of Markup.

Working with more than one author or reviewer: Who did what?

Terminology trap!

Once upon a time, Microsoft invented "Track Changes". "Authors" put "changes" into their documents.

More recently, "Reviewers" make "revisions" to their documents. And "revisions" are one kind of "markup".

In Word 2002 and later versions, you display the work of a "Reviewer", but you may do so by choosing the colour "By Author".

You can accept or reject a "Change", show a list of "Revisions" in the Reviewing pane, but print a list of "Markup". And they're all the same thing.

Q: How do I see which changes were made by which author (also known as a reviewer)?

If several authors have reviewed the document while Track Changes was on, then you can identify the author (or reviewer) in several ways:

In any version of Word, hover the mouse over the tracked change. A balloon will appear that shows you the name of the author.
In Word 2002 or later versions, if you are using balloons to display tracked changes, hover the mouse over the balloon.
In Word 2002 and Word 2003, on the Reviewing toolbar, click the Reviewing Pane button. You can now see a pane at the bottom of the screen that identifies the author of each change.
In Word 2007 and Word 2010, on the Review tab, click theReviewing Pane button. This displays a pane at the left of the screen that identifies the author of each change. Or, click the little arrow beside the Reviewing Pane button to choose to display the Reviewing Pane at the bottom of the screen.

Q: How do I display each author's changes in a different colour?

In Word 2003 and earlier versions: Tools > Options. Click the Track Changes tab. In any of the Color boxes, choose "By Author".

In Word 2007 and Word 2010: on the Review tab, click the bottom half of the Track Changes button and choose Change Tracking Options. In the Track Changes Options dialog, in any of the color boxes, choose "By author".

Q: How does Word choose which colour to allocate to which author?

You can choose to display tracked changed in any of 16 colours. But if you want Word to display different reviewers' revisions in different colours (that is, if you choose to display using the "By Author" color), then Word only provides 8 colours with which to distinguish authors.

In theory, Word allocates colours to reviewers in the following order: red, blue, green, violet, dark red, teal, dark yellow and grey. For the 9th and subsequent reviewers of a document, Word cycles through the colours again. But in practice, as reviewers come and go (as their revisions are accepted or rejected), the allocation of colours to reviewers ends up, in effect, random.

You can test this out by changing the user's name, turning on tracked changes and making some changes to your document. To change the user's name, in Word 2003 and before use Tools > Options > User Information. In Word 2007 and Word 2010, on the Review tab, click the bottom half of the Track Changes button and choose Change User Name.

Q: Can I allocate a specific colour to each author?

No. Word allocates colours to authors (who are also called reviewers).

Q: If Fred's revisions are shown in red on my machine, will they also be red on someone else's machine?

Maybe, maybe not. Don't rely on any one author's revisions being displayed in a particular colour from day to day, or from machine to machine. Word likes to be creative, and you can't control its creative urges!

Q: Where does Word get the author's name from?

Word attributes a tracked change to the name of the author specified at Tools > Options > User Information (in Word 2003 and earlier) or Review > Track Changes > Change User Name (in Word 2007 and Word 2010).

Q: How do I display only the changes (or revisions) made by one author (or reviewer)?

In Word 2007 or Word 2010, on the Review tab, in the Show Markup menu, choose Reviewers, and then tick or un-tick names to choose the reviewers whose changes you want to see.

In Word 2002 or 2003, on the Reviewing toolbar, Show > Reviewers, and tick or un-tick names to choose the reviewers whose changes you want to see.

There is no equivalent functionality in earlier versions of Word.

Security issues with tracking changes

Q: I've heard that using track changes is a security threat. Is that right?

Well… yes and no. Electricity is powerful, and dangerous. Just don't go sticking your finger in the power outlet. Using Track Changes is powerful, and dangerous. Just don't email or publish documents containing tracked changes you wouldn't want the world to see.

Unfortunately lots of people have made this mistake. Don't be like one of these people.

A reasonably balanced overview of security issues and track changes by Donna Payne was published by law.com in August 2006.

Q: How can I tell if there are Tracked Changes in my document?

In Word 2000 and earlier, Tools > Track Changes > Accept or Reject Changes. Click one of the Find buttons (with the green arrow). If it doesn't find anything, there's nothing to find.¹
In Word 2002 and Word 2003, on the Reviewing toolbar, click the Next button (it's the one with the blue arrow). If the message box says "The document contains no comments or tracked changes", then there are no comments or tracked changes. Otherwise, the insertion point will move to the first tracked change in the document.
In Word 2007 and Word 2010, on the Review tab, click the Nextbutton. If the message says "The document contains no comments or tracked changes" then there are no comments or tracked changes. Otherwise, the insertion point will move to the first tracked change in the document.
Word 2007 and Word 2010 also have a Document Inspector.
- To inspect a document:
  - In Word 2007: Round Office button > Prepare > Inspect Document > Inspect.
  - In Word 2010: File > Info > Check for Issues > Inspect Document > Inspect.
- You'll get a report of your document that will tell you about revisions (aka tracked changes). If there are tracked changes in the document, Word will give you a Remove All button.
  
  This is a bit ruthless for my taste. It seems to me that the only reason you would use the Document Inspector to look for tracked changes is if you don't know what tracked changes are in the document. And if I don't know what's there, I don't want to click a button that will delete the lot in one fell swoop. It doesn't even tell me if "remove" means "accept" or "reject". (It means "accept".)
  
  If I do know what tracked changes are in the document, then the tools on the Review tab give me more information and more options than the Document Inspector.
  
  I'm an absolute fanatic about security and privacy. But the Document Inspector does sometimes report messages akin to "Warning! You have windows in your house! Remove all?".

Q: How can I make sure that Word always displays tracked changes when I open a document.

Word 2007 and Word 2010: In Word 2007 start with the round Office button > Word Options. In Word 2010 start with File > Options. In both versions, from the Word Options dialog, choose Trust Centre > Trust Centre Settings > Privacy Options. In the "Document-specific settings" section, tick the box "Make hidden markup visible when opening or saving".

In Word 2003, Tools > Options > Security. Tick "Make hidden markup visible when opening or saving."

This functionality isn't available in earlier versions of Word.

Q: Can Word warn me before I email a document containing tracked changes?

Word 2007 and Word 2010: In Word 2007 start with the round Office button > Word Options. In Word 2010 start with File > Options. In both versions, from the Word Options dialog, choose Trust Centre > Trust Centre Settings > Privacy Options. In the "Document-specific settings" section, tick the box "Warn before printing, saving or sending a file that contains tracked changes or comments".

In Word 2003 and Word 2002, Tools > Options > Security. Tick "Warn before printing, saving or sending a file that contains tracked changes or comments".

This functionality isn't available in earlier versions of Word.

Q: I want to send my document outside the company. I want to leave tracked changes in the document, but I don't want anyone to see who made the tracked changes or whenthey were made. How do I do that?

Word 2002 and earlier

In Word 2002 and earlier, you can't. The author (or reviewer) information and the date information are permanently attached to the revision when the revision was tracked. You can't change them, even in macro code.

Word 2003

In Word 2003, Tools > Options > Security. Tick the box "Remove personal information from file properties on save." In spite of the name, this does more than just remove information in the file properties. If this box is ticked, Word removes the name of the author of a tracked change, and it removes the date and time that the change was made when you save your document. But it leaves the tracked change itself. All tracked changes and comments will be now attributed to an anonymous "Author".

In Word 2007 and Word 2010

For one document at a time, you can remove the personal information about tracked changes. To do that:

In Word 2007: Round Office button > Prepare > Inspect Document > Inspect.
In Wor 2010: File > Info > Check for Issues > Inspect Document > Inspect.

After the Inspector does its thing, you will see several 'Remove All' buttons.

The Remove All button for Comments, Revisions etc removes comments and accepts all tracked changes.
The Remove All button for Document Properties and Personal Information just assigns the name "Author" to your tracked changes, and removes the date and time the tracked change. This is the one you need if you want to retain the tracked changes, but remove the author's name and the date and time the tracked change was made.

The Remove All button for Document Properties and Personal Information sets the 'Remove personal information from file properties on save' option for the document. So next time you save, your name will again be removed from tracked changes. If you don't want that, then:

Iin Word 2010 do File > Info. In the 'Prepare for Sharing' section you will now see a note telling you that personal information will be removed on save. Click 'Allow this information to be saved in your file' to turn the setting off.
In Word 2007 and Word 2010 you can turn off this option in the Privacy Settings in the Trust Center. The option is greyed out and disabled unless (a) you have a document created in an earlier version of Word that used this setting or (b) you run the Document Inspector from the File (or Office Button) menu and choose to remove Document Properties and Personal Information.

Q: How can I be absolutely sure that there is no tracked changes information left in my document?

One way to do this is to use Microsoft's Remove Hidden Data Tool. You can download the Office 2003/XP Add-in: Remove Hidden Data tool. However, be aware of the Known issues with the Remove Hidden Data tool.

The Hidden Data Tool morphed into the built-in Document Inspector in Word 2007 and Word 2010. To inspect a document:

In Word 2007: Round Office button > Prepare > Inspect Document > Inspect.
In Word 2070: File > Info > Check for Issues > Inspect Document > Inspect.

What other kinds of information might be saved in my document?

Your documents might contain various kinds of hidden information that could compromise your security. Microsoft uses the term "metadata" (that is, data about the data) to refer to this kind of information. Here are links to information about how to minimize metadata in your documents:

Word 97: Microsoft knowledge base article 223790

Word 2000: Microsoft knowledge base article 237361

Word 2002: Microsoft knowledge base article 290945

Word 2003: Microsoft knowledge base article 825576

Word 2007: Remove hidden data and personal information from Office documents

Word 2010: Remove hidden data and personal information by inspecting documents

How to copy text containing tracked changes

Q: How do I copy text to another document withoutcopying the track changes?

In the donor document, turn on Track Changes. (In Word 2003 and earlier, ensure that TRK on the status bar is dark. In Word 2007 and Word 2010, ensure that the status bar says "Track Changes: On".)

In the recipient document, turn off Track Changes. (In Word 2003 and earlier, ensure that TRK on the status bar is dimmed. In Word 2007 and Word 2010, ensure that the status bar says "Track Changes: Off".)

Now copy and paste.

Q: How do I copy text to another document with the tracked changes?

In the donor document, turn off Track Changes. (In Word 2003 and earlier, ensure that TRK on the status bar is dimmed. In Word 2007 and Word 2010, ensure that the status bar says "Track Changes: Off".)

In the recipient document, turn off Track Changes. (In Word 2003 and earlier, ensure that TRK on the status bar is dimmed. In Word 2007 and Word 2010, ensure that the status bar says "Track Changes: Off".)

Now copy and paste.

However, Clare discovered that if you have a table containing tracked changes, and you select only the table, then the tracked changes won't copy into the new document.

The workaround is to select a paragraph before or after the table as well as the table itself. Make sure Track Changes is turned off, and then copy. Now, the tracked changes will copy along with the text.

Other issues with track changes

Q: When I use Tracked Changes the numbering of my captions gets mixed up. Caption numbering seems to skip some numbers. How do I stop that?

If track changes is on, and you delete a figure caption, Word marks the caption for deletion. It waits for you to accept or reject that change before it really deletes the text from your document. So while track changes is on, the numbering appears to be wrong. When you think about it, Word is doing exactly what you would want. When you accept or reject all the changes, do ctrl-a then press F9. That will update all fields in the document and the caption numbers will be fixed.

Acknowledgment

Thanks to Microsoft Office MVP Beth Melton for reminding me about some of the security features of Word 2003 and to several readers who pointed out typos in the page.

^1. Yes, Geoff. I know you can't prove the null hypothesis. Gimme a break!

State Fair Icon 'Big Tex' Burns

2012-10-22T08:05:00.001-07:00

DALLAS—Big Tex, a 52-foot-tall cowboy who greeted visitors to the State Fair of Texas for 60 years, went up in flames Friday, leaving throngs of distraught Texans across the state.

After the blaze was put out, all that was left of the iconic automaton was his metal frame, his arms (still clad in western shirt sleeves), and his 50-pound belt buckle.

With his 75-gallon hat and Texas drawl, Mr. Tex was the symbol of the largest state fair in the country, a 24-day extravaganza of livestock exhibits and jam competitions, twirling rides and flashing lights.

Concession stands offer all kinds of deep-fried concoctions, including butter, beer and bubble gum, to more than two million visitors a year.

"All of Texas mourns today," wrote one fan on Facebook.

"We'll miss ya big fella," said another.

Enlarge Image

John McKibben

An electrical malfunction may have caused the fire at Big Tex.

It had already been a rough year for Mr. Tex. A 60th birthday party planned by fair organizers got rained out.

His mechanized hand—which in years past waved as he greeted visitors with his trademark "Howdy folks!"—stopped moving.

Then on Friday morning, at the beginning of the fair's final weekend, his neck started smoking. Officials believe an electrical malfunction caused the fire; investigators are still looking into it.

"Got a rather tall cowboy, all his clothes burned off," firefighters reported from the scene.

Mr. Tex's remains were disassembled and stored while fair officials decide what to do with him.

One thing is clear, said Sue Gooding, a spokeswoman for the fair: Some version of Mr. Tex will stand again on his usual spot when the event opens next September.

Big Tex has had makeovers before. He began life as a giant mechanical Santa Claus in 1949, took on his current persona in 1952, and has undergone multiple bouts of cosmetic surgery over the decades, including procedures to add wrinkles and gray hair to show his age.

Every three years, he gets a new shirt and jeans. His newest outfit, which included a blue and red shirt decorated with Texas stars, was selected through an online poll.

Mr. Tex's voice is supplied by Bill Bragg, who sits in a sound booth near Mr. Tex's giant boots. Mr. Bragg comes up with Mr. Tex's folksy lines live every day from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Mr. Bragg said someone came in and told him the structure was on fire. He stepped outside the trailer and watched Big Tex burn, the Associated Press reported. "It was a quick end," said Mr. Bragg, who is a radio engineer outside the three weeks a year that he works at the fair.

Williamson-Dickie Manufacturing Co., which supplies Mr. Tex's western wear, vowed on Twitter to help bring the cowboy back.

Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings, too, is talking about Mr. Tex's return. "We will rebuild Big Tex bigger and better for the 21st Century," he wrote on his Twitter account.

But his comments already have ignited a debate about the new Big Tex, with many clamoring for a fireproof replica of the original.

Ms. Gooding, the fair spokeswoman, said that he will be improved, but still recognizable. One change under consideration, she said: Making him 60 feet tall, in honor of his 60th birthday this year.

Orionid meteor shower wows weekend stargazers

2012-10-22T07:58:00.001-07:00

Orionids are one of two meteor showers created by Halley's Comet each year!

The Orionid meteor shower is raining bits of the famed Halley's Comet on Earth this weekend to the delight of stargazers around the world.

The 2012 Orionid meteor shower peaked early Sunday, with forecasters predicting up to 25 meteors an hour for patient stargazers with clear skies well away from city lights. Based on accounts sent into SPACE.com, the meteor shower did not disappoint.

In Norway, photographer Tommy Eliassen captured a spectacular view of the Orionids and Earth's dazzling northern lights.

"An Orionid meteor streaking over the sky, the aurora borealis in the northern horizon and the Milky Way over my camp," Eliassen told SPACE.com in an email from Korgfjellet, Hemnes in Norway. "A very cold but perfect night to photograph the Orionid meteor shower." [Amazing Orionid Meteor Shower Photos of 2012]

In Clinton Township, Mich., observer Dale Mayotte said this year's Orionid meteor display was extra special for him since he finally managed to catch a meteor on camera.

Dale Mayotte

Observer Dale Mayotte snapped this photo of a meteor during the peak of the 2012 Orionid meteor shower on Oct. 21, from Clinton township in Michigan. It was Mayotte's 38th birthday, an "excellent present," he said.

"It only took me about 700 pictures to get this one beautiful meteor, but this is the first one I have ever captured and it happened on my 38th birthday for an EXCELLENT present to myself," Mayotte told SPACE.com in an email. "Sitting in the cold for 2.5 hours was well worth this result."

The Orionid meteor shower occur every October when the Earth passes through a stream of dust left over by Halley's Comet. They appear to radiate out of the well-known constellation Orion, which is why they are called the Orionids.

The meteors flare up in brilliant displays when they streak through Earth's atmosphere at about 65 kilometers per second (that's nearly 150,000 mph), according to NASA astronomer Mitzi Adams.

Adams assured her Web chat audience that there will be Orionid meteors visible in the night sky tonight night and early Monday, just not as many as at the peak time between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. local time this morning.Adams hosted a live Web chat of the Orionid meteor shower late Saturday and early Sunday from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., where a camera beamed live views of the "shooting stars" display across the Internet.

The Orionids are one of two meteor showers created by Halley's Comet each year. The Earth passes through a second stream of the comet's debris in May, leading to the Eta Aquarid meteor shower.

The next major meteor shower to light up the night sky will be the annual Leonid meteor shower in mid-November. It will peak on Nov. 17.

Careers Where Quiet People Are Assets

2012-10-21T08:11:00.000-07:00

Feel like your quiet personality makes you the office outsider? Here are six careers where a reserved nature is an asset, not a limitation.

By Amy Howell Hirt
Does the phrase "small talk" make you cringe? If you're a quiet person, navigating the social niceties of the professional world could be a real drag. You may even feel like your personality is holding you back from getting a leg up in your current career.
But don't count yourself out just yet. A quiet demeanor could conceal great powers of observation or analysis.
"People who are quiet might focus on data and things, rather than people, so there are some occupations [in which] they might be able to do a better job," says Laurence Shatkin, a career expert and author of several books, including "50 Best Jobs for Your Personality."
Ready to let your quiet attributes do the talking? Consider pursuing these careers where your natural inclinations could be your greatest assets.

Career #1: Accountant

When data talks, are you usually listening? An ability to sit quietly while poring over numbers could serve you well as an accountant.
"Shhhh!" Factor: If you prefer to keep quiet and focus on the details, this number-driven occupation could play to your strengths, Shatkin says. Reviewing financial statements, computing taxes, and reviewing accounting systems are some of the duties required of accountants, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
Accountants carry out their duties in either an office or at home, according to the Department of Labor. Sounds like you'll have plenty of quality time to spend with your number-friends.
Click to Find the Right Accounting Program Now.
Just keep in mind that this job may require meeting face-to-face with clients on occasion, in order to provide recommendations or explain your findings, the Department notes.
Education Options:*

Bachelor's degree in accounting or a related field
Master's degree in accounting, or business administration with a concentration in accounting

Career #2: Graphic Designer

Would you rather express yourself through images than words? Your skills as a visual communicator could take center stage in a graphic design career.
"Shhhh!" Factor: Quiet people are often considered better listeners, Shatkin says, which means they may have an advantage in this creative field.
Why do graphic designers need active listening skills? In order to "really focus on what the client is trying to convey with the graphic," Shatkin says.
But taking direction from clients isn't the only time you'll find yourself keeping mum. As a graphic designer, you might spend much of your time figuring out the best way to use colors, images, text, and layouts to communicate ideas, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
Click to Find the Right Graphic Design Program Now.
Sounding a little lonely? Don't worry, graphic designers aren't completely solitary. Being able to work in teams is also an important quality, as graphic designers often collaborate directly with a client or in conjunction with marketers, programmers, or other graphic designers, the Department of Labor notes.
Education Options:*

Bachelor's degree in graphic design or a related field
Bachelor's degree in another field and technical preparation in graphic design

Career #3: Software Developer

If you come up with your best ideas during quiet contemplation, a career as a software developer could deliver rewarding work.
"Shhhh!" Factor: "Software developers are the creative minds behind computer programs," according to the U.S. Department of Labor. While they may work in teams, most of the day-to-day work is solo, Shatkin says.
Daily tasks might include designing computer applications such as word processors or games, or creating the operating systems used in consumer electronics, the Department of Labor reports.
Click to Find the Right Computer Science Program Now.
Still, software developers don't work in a vacuum. They will need to address feedback from customers about programs they develop, says the Department.
The good news: if a customer finds a problem with a program, it's likely back to the quiet drawing board for the software developer, where he or she will work independently to fix it.
Education Options*:

Bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related field such as mathematics

Career #4: Database Administrator

Do you like to quietly and thoroughly think over the task at hand before taking action? If so, you may want to think over a career as a database administrator.
"Shhhh!" Factor: Talk about the need for quiet concentration: According to the U.S. Department of Labor, in this career "a minor error can cause major problems."
That's because database administrators are responsible for organizing large amounts of data for important processes, like credit card transactions, the Department of Labor reports.
Click to Find the Right Database Technology Program Now.
Of course, where there are important databases, there are also users of those databases, which is why this career can also require "a fair amount of collaborative work," Shatkin notes.
Education Options*:

Bachelor's degree in management information systems (MIS) or a computer-related field
Master's degree in business administration, with a concentration in information systems

Career #5: Writer

Do you feel most comfortable when you're up to your eyeballs in research and facts - with not a person in sight? Then you might have a calling as a writer.
"Shhhh!" Factor: Quiet people often have a great ability to concentrate on slogging through information, Shatkin says. This kind of endurance can be a prized skill for writers, who, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, need to demonstrate strong research and proper citation methods to establish credibility in their work.
Writers produce work for many different mediums. In addition to writing for books and magazines, writers might create content for an advertisement, website, or TV or film script, according to the Department of Labor.
Click to Find the Right Communications Program Now.
Yes, writing is often a solitary endeavor, but a supporting cast is needed to see manuscripts through to publication. As a writer, you would likely communicate regularly with an editor or client, the Department notes.
Education options*:

Bachelor's degree, preferably in English, journalism, or communications

Career #6: Survey Researcher

Surveys are used regularly to help organizations test the waters of public opinion, but did you ever wonder who designs the questions? Survey researchers - that's who. If you're one for long hours of quiet contemplation, this could be the career for you.
"Shhhh!" Factor: The listening skills that seem to go hand-in-hand with quiet personalities can be the key to designing surveys that deliver reliable, meaningful results, Shatkin says.
No, surveys won't tell you how they should be designed, but your employers might. "Part of [survey research] is finding out what someone needs to learn from the survey, and that requires really listening," Shatkin says.
As a survey researcher, you could enjoy a good amount of silent work - like researching the survey topic, determining the best method for accurately capturing the desired information, or using statistical software to analyze the results, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
Click to Find the Right Business Administration Program Now.
Just note that you won't be spending all of your time on Silent Street. Survey researchers can also be responsible for conducting surveys themselves by facilitating focus groups or interviewing people over the phone or in-person, according to the Department of Labor.
Education Options*:

Bachelor's degree in business, psychology, or political science
Master's degree in business administration