sports& cellibrity

Canadian Football League

2011-07-30T12:27:00.000-07:00

Calgary

vs.

Saskatchewan

Match scheduled: Last updated:	31-07-2011 from 03:30 until 06:30 30-07-2011 on 10:14
Week 5 - CFL Regular Season Games 2011

Huddersfield Giants vs. Hull Kingston Rovers

2011-07-30T12:20:00.000-07:00

Huddersfield Giants

vs.

Hull Kingston Rovers

Match scheduled: Last updated:	30-07-2011 from 20:00 until 22:30 30-07-2011 on 20:16
Week 23 - Engage Super League 2011

Biodata of Olivia Wilde

2011-07-29T03:38:00.000-07:00

	Olivia Wilde
Born	Olivia Jane Cockburn March 10, 1984 (age 27) New York City, New York, U.S.
Nationality	American
Citizenship	American and Irish
Occupation	Actress, model
Years active	2003–present
Spouse	Tao Ruspoli (2003–present; filed for divorce)

Early life

Wilde was born in New York City on March 10, 1984. Her mother, Leslie Cockburn, is a 60 Minutes producer and journalist. Her father, Andrew Cockburn, who was born in London, England, and raised in Ireland, is a journalist, as are her uncles Alexander Cockburn and Patrick Cockburn. Her older sister, Chloe Cockburn, is a civil rights attorney in New York; her late aunt, Sarah Caudwell, was a writer, and her paternal grandfather, Claud Cockburn, was a journalist.

Career

Wilde has appeared in the films The Girl Next Door, Alpha Dog, Conversations with Other Women and Turistas. She became known for her role on The O.C. as Alex Kelly, although she originally auditioned for the role of Marissa Cooper.

In 2009 Wilde was ranked No.1 on Maxim magazine's Hot 100. It was an honor which was included as an inside joke during the House episode "The Tyrant", where House, upon hearing about Foreman's recent firing of Wilde's character, sarcastically teased, "My condolences. Although, it's not like she's the hottest woman in the world."she was also ranked No.95 on the FHM 100 Sexiest Women of 2006.She was one of the key models in Abercrombie & Fitch's "Rising Stars" campaign in summer of 2004.

In 2007, Wilde was a part of the ensemble cast of the short-lived NBC mid-season drama The Black Donnellys. Her character, Jenny Reilly, was the lone principal female character in the series following the lives of an Irish-American family tied to organized crime in New York City. Also in 2007, Wilde appeared in the play Beauty on the Vine, a political thriller, playing three different characters. On October 7, 2008, Wilde appeared in a video on funnyordie.com showing how much she enjoys registering early for the 2008 Presidential election, "Olivia Wilde Does It Early". Wilde appeared alongside Jack Black and Michael Cera in the 2009 comedy Year One. Wilde joined the cast of the Fox medical drama House in autumn 2007, playing a young internist, Dr. Remy Hadley, nicknamed Thirteen, who works closely with Dr. House.
She played Quorra in Disney's Tron: Legacy, which opened on December 17, 2010. In the December 2010/January 2011 issue of "Details" Wilde was quoted as saying she freaked out the first time she saw her costume for the movie, "I saw the boobs on the suit and I said, 'Oh hell no.

Personal life

Wilde has dual citizenship in the United States and Ireland. She derived her stage name "Wilde" from Irish author Oscar Wilde. She changed her surname while in high school, she is a vegan.She married Italian-American documentary filmmaker, flamenco guitar player, and son of an Italian prince, Tao Ruspoli, on June 7, 2003, in Washington, Virginia, on a school bus with only a pair of witnesses, when she was 19 years old. On February 8, 2011, she and her husband announced that they were separating. Wilde has filed for divorce in Los Angeles County Superior Court citing "irreconcilable differences."

Political activism

Wilde is a board member of Artists for Peace and Justice, which provides education and health services in Haiti. In the fall of 2008, Wilde campaigned with actors Justin Long and her former House castmate Kal Penn for the 2008 Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama.

She also appeared in the Moveon.org mock-PSA "supporting" the right of the healthcare insurance industry.

Casey Anthony Mask Sparks

2011-07-29T03:18:00.000-07:00

Casey Anthony Mask sparks $20,000 bidding war broke out on Ebay on Wednesday. One eBay bidder is apparently willing to spend nearly one million dollars to look like Casey Anthony on Halloween. A pre-owned latex mask bearing the so-called "Tot Mom's" image sold after 105 bids Wednesday for $999,900.

The mask, said to be extremely rare, had a starting bid of $25 and is billed as "a significant piece of crime history."
The Ebay seller claims the mask -- described as "a significant piece of crime history" -- was sculpted to precision for a parody video by a pop artist and sculptor named Torro, and was one of only nine in existence.
Whether you're looking to get a head start on a Halloween costume, planning a neighborhood effigy burning, into weird, ripped-from-the-headlines sex games, or just want to scare the crap out of your delinquent kid, this is the Casey Anthony mask for you. According to the eBay listing, the "Tot Mom" mask is one of only nine in existence.
The description stated, "Halloween is only a few months away. Forget Freddy, Jason, Meyers, here's your chance to scare the *#&% out of everyone and win every costume contest with this amazing Tot Mom latex rubber mask, possibly the most frightening mask on the planet."Only nine masks were made for the video, and the seller apparently managed to grab a few after the production wrapped. This mask was number six in the series.

The winning bidder's identity was protected on eBay, displaying only "9***6. " The mask was the only item the member has bid on in the past 30 days.The bidding started modestly but by Wednesday morning the price exceeded $20,000, although most of the larger bids appear to have been placed by one bidder.Casey Anthony was recently acquitted in the murder of her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee, sparking outrage across the country.

The seller -- named "Prophunter" with a 100 percent record -- said it was, "One of the best Halloween masks I've ever seen."Other items up for auction on the site Wednesday included Casey Anthony trial tickets, newspapers, T-shirts, and a trial DVD set

Gene Simmons proposes to Shannon Tweed

2011-07-28T07:43:00.000-07:00

The longtime couple got into a tiff so nasty on "The Joy Behar Show" in mid-June that it won a spot on our list of the top 10 best interview "walk-offs." You see, Simmons, lothario that he's rumored to be, joined in a joke about his philandering ways, ticking Tweed off so much that she stormed off the set.

It looks like Gene Simmons and Shannon Tweed have managed to smooth things over.But in an upcoming episode of "Gene Simmons Family Jewels," the KISS star is trying to put a ring on his love of 28 years.

He tells her, "I come with so much baggage, but you're the only friend I've got, you're the only one I've ever loved...I've never said those words to anybody. It's funny, I used to watch movies where they say I can't live without you, but for me it's true."As seen in a clip of the show, Simmons sets up a romantic scene with Tweed by heading to Belize.

And then Simmons drops down on one knee as Tweed gives a gasp of surprise. Although she looks like she's about to shed tears of what we hope is joy, the clip ends before we get to see her answer. We've got an idea on how it all plays out, but you'd have to watch the episode tonight on A&E at 10 p.m. to find out.

2011-07-28T07:13:00.000-07:00

Background information
Gene Simmons
Birth name
Also known as	"The Demon"
Born	August 25, 1949 (age 61) Tirat HaCarmel, Israel
Genres	Heavy metal, hard rock, glam metal
Occupations	Musician, songwriter, producer, actor, entrepreneur
Instruments	Bass, vocals, Guitar, piano
Years active	1963–present
Associated acts	Kiss, Wicked Lester

Gene Simmons is a rock bassist, singer, songwriter, musician, actor, and businessman, Known as "The Demon".

Early life

1.Gene Simmons) was born at the Rambam Hospital in Haifa, Israel in 1949. The family emigrated to Jackson Heights, Queens in New York City when he was eight years old.

2.His mother Flóra Klein was born in Jánd, Hungary.

3.Florence and her brother, Larry Klein, were the only members of the family to survive the Holocaust. His father, Feri Witz, also Hungarian-born, remained in Israel.

4.In the United States, Simmons changed his name to Eugene Klein adopting his mother's maiden name.

Music career

Simmons became involved with his first band, Lynx, then renamed The Missing Links, when he was a teenager. Eventually, he disbanded The Missing Links to form The Long Island Sounds, the name being a play on words relating to the estuary separating Long Island from Westchester County, New York, Connecticut and Rhode Island.Simmons formed the rock band Wicked Lester in the early 1970s with Stanley Harvey Eisen and recorded one album, which was never released. Kiss released its self-titled debut album in February 1974.
In 1983, while Kiss' fame was waning, the members took off their trademark make-up and enjoyed a resurgence in popularity that continued into the 1990s. The band hosted their own fan conventions throughout 1995, and fan feedback about the original Kiss members reunion influenced the highly successful 1996–1997 Alive Worldwide reunion tour. In 1998, the band released Psycho Circus,. Since then, the original line-up has once again dissolved, with Tommy Thayer replacing Ace Frehley.

Film and television career

My Dad the Rock Star, a cartoon by the Canadian animation company Nelvana, about the mild mannered son of a Gene Simmons-like rock star;
Mr. Romance, a show created and hosted by Simmons on the Oxygen cable television channel;
Rock School, a reality show in which Simmons tries to make a rock band out of a group of students of Christ's Hospital School in the first season, and in the second, a group of kids from a comprehensive school in Lowestoft;
Gene Simmons Family Jewels reality show documenting the personal lives of Simmons, his girlfriend and his son and daughter.

Personal life

He became a science fiction fan and published several science fiction fanzines, among them Sirruish, Id, Cosmos (which eventually merged with Stilletto to become Cosmos-Stilletto and then Faun), Tinderbox, Sci-Fi Showcase, Mantis and Adventure. He also contributed to other fanzines, among them BeABohema.

In the late 1960s, he changed his name to Gene Simmons, after legendary rockabilly performer Jumpin' Gene Simmons' legal name after arriving from Israel is Gene Klein.

Awards and recognition

On January 28 in 2011, Simmons was presented the key to the city in Dallas, Texas and a street, Gene Simmons Boulevard, was named for him. On June 15 of the same year he was given the key to the city by Winnipeg, Manitoba.

ATP Challenger Astana

2011-07-27T06:12:00.000-07:00

ATP Challenger Astana

Match scheduled: Last updated:	27-07-2011 from 07:00 until 16:00 27-07-2011 on 09:23
Day 3 :: Challenger Tour 2011 - Presidents Cup Astana 2011 :: Astana, Kazakhstan Schedule of Play, Centre Court will be shown live, can be found HERE

watch New Zealand vs Fiji rugby live streaming online International Rugby Events match

2011-07-27T06:03:00.001-07:00

wacth watch New Zealand vs Fiji rugby live streaming online International Rugby Events matchwatch New Zealand vs Fiji rugby live streaming online International Rugby Events match

2011 ESPY Awards!

2011-07-25T12:49:00.000-07:00

The 24-year-old tennis ace, who took to Los Angeles’ Nokia Theater in a picturesque cut-out black and gold dress with sparkling gold heels, joined NBA pro Amar’e Stoudemire and actress Rachel Nichols to present the evening’s “Best Upset” award.
She’s one of the world’s top athletes, and tonight (July 13) Maria Sharapova helped to honor a fellow elite sportsman at the 2011 ESPY swards.
Meanwhile, word that the Maria will not be returning to New Zealand’s ASB Classic this January has made waves around the tennis community.
Instead, Sharapova will prepare for the Australian Open by heading to the Brisbane International – this move upgrades her winnings as the tournament has been deemed premier status by the WTA.

Debt deal to avoid stock plunge

2011-07-23T23:11:00.000-07:00

Desperate to show enough progress to head off a plunge in stock prices when Asian markets open ahead of the U.S. workweek.Republicans sought as much as $4 trillion in deficit cuts over a decade as a condition for raising the nation's debt limit.
"Their unwillingness to compromise is pushing us to the brink of a default. ... We have run out of time for politics," he said in a sharply worded statement.But after hours of staff negotiations followed by a meeting of Congress' top four leaders, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., accused GOP leaders of intransigence, adding he would not accept anything less than a deal that raised the debt limit through 2012.President Obama met earlier in the day with the Republican and Democratic leaders - but only briefly- the day after House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, abruptly broke off his own once-promising compromise talks with the White House.Another $1.4 trillion in additional borrowing authority would be needed to satisfy Obama's demand that any deal extend into 2013.
More urgently, Boehner told rank-and-file Republicans in a conference call he hoped to be able to announce a "viable framework for progress" by 4 p.m. EDT today, before the stock markets open in Japan and elsewhere in Asia, according to two participants.Liberal Democrats are opposed to cuts in Medicare and Social Security, while Obama hopes to use the negotiations to appeal to voters who want big cuts in federal deficits.

manifesto from Norway

2011-07-23T22:30:00.000-07:00

While the title page of the document says "By Andrew Berwick," the writer goes on to later to identify himself as Anders Behring Breivik, the suspect in the Norwegian terrorist attacks."If you are concerned about the future of Western Europe you will definitely find the information both interesting and highly relevant," the author writes, adding later that the work took him nine years to complete.

The document, which is part political diatribe, part confessional and part action plan, details Breivik's background and his plans to commit Friday's attacks. It also contains various photos of him.

A rambling, 1,500-page manifesto purportedly written by the suspect in Friday's bloody terror attacks in Norway lays out right-wing extremist views and vows that a "European civil war" will lead to the execution of "cultural Marxists" and the banishing of Muslims.

The document is titled "2083: A European Declaration of Independence," a date that the author later explains is the year he believes an European civil war will end with the execution of cultural Marxists and the deportation of Muslims.

Between 2030 and 2070, he calls for "more advanced forms of resistance groups (and the) preparation of pan-European coup d'etats." The final stage features the deposition of Europe's leaders and "implementation of a cultural conservative political agenda.""our Serbian brothers (who) wanted to drive Islam out by deporting the Albanian Muslims back to Albania."Another reference blasts Norway, home of the Nobel awards, for awarding a peace prize to former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

From July 2 on, though, the author becomes more business-like and complains that going off his testosterone supplements had ramped up his "aggressiveness." He then digs up his guns and prepares the bombs. It all leads up to July 22, the date of the Norway terror attacks.

Oddmy Estenstad, an employee at a Norwegian agricultural cooperative, told CNN that Breivik bought six tons of fertilizer from her company in May."The old saying 'if you want something done, then do it yourself' is as relevant now as it was then," he writes. "In many cases; you could do it all yourself, it will just take a little more time. AND, without taking unacceptable risks. The conclusion is undeniable.

Michele Bachmann says 'easily controlled'

2011-07-19T13:39:00.000-07:00

The presidential candidate read a prepared statement Tuesday afternoon while at a campaign stop in Aiken, S.C., to respond to a report by the Daily Caller that said the Minnesota congresswoman has been victimized by such intense migraines that they would periodically incapacitate her and require her to be hospitalized or seek medical care. The story said that Bachmann relied on medication to keep the migraines at bay.

Michele Bachmann saysher migraine headaches are “easily controlled” with medication, that the episodes have not slowed her on the campaign trail and that they would not affect her ability to function as president should she be elected.

Bachmann noted that 30 million Americans suffer from migraines—and “while I appreciate the concern for me and my health, the greater concern should be the debate that is occurring in Washington over whether or not we will increase our debt, spending and taxes.”

“Since entering the campaign, I have maintained a full schedule between my duties as a congresswoman and as a presidential candidate traveling across the nation to meet with voters in the key, early primary and caucus states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina,” Bachmann said.

Time magazine is reporting that after Bachmann delivered her statement, her aides aggressively prevented ABC News investigative reporter Brian Ross from asking follow-up questions about Bachmann’s health.

Can't tolerate safe

2011-07-19T13:29:00.000-07:00

The US used an Indian forum to deliver a stern message to Pakistan, reminding it of its obligation to punish the 26/11 masterminds, but also acknowledged that there were limits to what it could do to goad Islamabad to take action against the perpetrators of the ghastly 2008 terror attacks on Mumbai.

"We cannot tolerate a safe haven for terrorists anywhere," US secretary of state Hillary Clinton said,
While expressing support for the India-Pakistan dialogue, Clinton made a forceful pitch to bring the perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai attacks to justice. "In the aftermath of the attacks of 2008 in Mumbai, we made it very clear that there was an absolute international responsibility to cooperate to bring the perpetrators to justice, we have made that equally forcefully clear to Pakistan that it has a special obligation to do so transparently, fully and urgently," she said.

"Obviously, there is a limit to what both the US and India can do but we intend to continue to press as hard as possible," she added. "Pakistan must act on its own behalf first and foremost to protect its own territory and sovereignty and to protect the lives of the people of Pakistan," Clinton said, adding, "We do not believe that there are any terrorists who should be given safe haven or a free pass by any government, because left unchecked, the consequences of that kind of terrorist activity or intimidation can become very difficult to manage and control."

Clinton's remarks show the degree to which US-Pakistan relations have soured recently. In 2009, she made tough remarks on Pakistan while in India, only to mellow after reaching Pakistan. The balancing act dulled the impact of the stern statement she made in India on Pakistan. This time, there was no such hesitation.

Clinton repeated US determination to go after terrorists inside Pakistani territory, saying, "When we know the location of terrorists whose intentions are clear, we need to work together in order to prevent those terrorists from taking innocent lives and threatening our institutions of the state

Clinton's remarks on Pakistan come a day after the CIA pushed the ISI and won visas for 87 of its operatives to go back and work inside Pakistan. Islamabad had held up visas for 100 operatives and cancelled training programmes. In retaliation, the US cancelled $800 million in military aid to Islamabad which created a storm inside Pakistan. After ISI chief Shuja Pasha's visit to the US, it was clear that Pakistan had to blink.

Same-sex marriages

2011-07-19T13:21:00.000-07:00

New York is implementing a lottery for any couple wishing to marry Sunday, the day the state's same-sex marriage law goes into effect.
The city said has made 764 slots available for Sunday, which would be the highest number of marriages "on any single day in city history," to handle burgeoning demand for marriage licenses and for weddings at city clerk's offices.
It will open for entries at noon Tuesday and will close at noon Thursday. The lottery winners will be notified by e-mail or phone by noon Friday."We've done our homework, and it's clear that the number of couples who want to marry on Sunday is more than the city clerk's offices could possibly handle. And the last thing we want is for couples to wait on line for hours and hours, only to walk away upset on what was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives."
The lottery slots available, by borough, are 400 in Manhattan, 112 each in Brooklyn and Queens, 98 in the Bronx and 42 in Staten Island. The lottery guarantees winners access to one of the city clerk's five offices for either opposite-sex or same-sex couples.
It will open for entries at noon Tuesday and will close at noon Thursday. The lottery winners will be notified by e-mail or phone by noon Friday.
"The fairest way to determine who gets the chance to wed on Sunday and ensure everyone can properly plan for their own big day is through an even-handed lottery system. Nobody puts on big events like New York
As of Tuesday morning, the clerk's office "had received 2,661 online applications since July 5, of which the Clerk has estimated that 1,728 are from same-sex couples."
The city said in a statement that its data "showed that 54 percent of the online applicants planned to visit the Clerk's Office on July 24th for their marriage license.
Couples who have registered for the marriage license must enter the lottery if they want to marry Sunday.
"There is no advantage to registering quickly for the lottery -- all applicants who register in time will have an equal opportunity to be randomly selected. There will be a separate lottery for each of the City Clerk's five borough offices and lottery applicants must specify one -- and only one -- office where they wish to marry," the statement said.
The previous highs for weddings in one day were 621 marriages on Valentine's Day 2003 and 610 marriages on August 8, 2008.
New York legalized same-sex marriage in June. The Marriage Equality Act was a priority for Gov. Andrew Cuomo after winning election in November. The law was passed under a Republican-led Senate after days of delays and negotiations between the two parties.

Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont and New Hampshire also allow same-sex marriage, as does the District of Columbia.

Syrian troops kill 16 people in Homs

2011-07-19T13:09:00.000-07:00

Spiralling violence took hold of the Syrian city of Homs on Tuesday as troops and militiamen loyal to President Bashar al-Assad killed 16 people in an apparent escalation of a security crackdown against a focal point for pro-democracy protests.

This brings the death toll in the country's third biggest and most mixed city in the past few days alone to at least 40 people, in addition to an estimated 1,500 killed since the Syrian uprising began five months ago.

The latest fatalities added to mounting concern that events in Homs.

In a grimly familiar pattern, Tuesday's dead included three mourners at a funeral for 10 people who were killed by security forces on Monday, activists told.

Bodies were taken to a mosque in the eastern Khalidiya district, which is dominated by Sunni tribes, while an adjacent neighbourhood is home to many security forces personnel from the Assad family's minority Alawi sect.

Rami Abdulrahman, director of the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said Homs had seen intense battles since security forces stepped up a crackdown on Monday. Fighting erupted after three regime supporters who were kidnapped last week were killed and their dismembered bodies returned to their relatives.

Another Homs resident said: "There are troops and armoured vehicles in every neighbourhood. The irregular forces with them are death squads. They have been firing indiscriminately since dawn with rifles and machine guns. No one can leave their homes."

The Syrian authorities have expelled most foreign journalists from the country, making it hard to verify either witness accounts or official statements.

Some residents have admitted they are now fighting back after losing relatives or having their homes raided. Many claim that pro-government gangs of Alawis from surrounding villages have been threatening people and fuelling tensions.Residents in Homs and the coastal cities of Latakia, Banias and Jableh have reported Alawis being armed by the regime and armed gangs known as shabiha (ghosts) roaming the streets and helping to crush protests.

The use of these groups has increased the propensity for violent conflict and sectarianism as Syria's protests enter their fifth month. Many Homs residents have armed themselves with guns and homemade molotov cocktails after warning that the regime's crackdown could lead to wider violence.

Members of the network of local co-ordinating committees have claimed that sectarianism is being deliberately stoked by the regime.

Analysts warned that the violence and reports of sectarian tensions should not be overplayed while admitting that the Homs situation is potentially explosive. "It is really worrying," said one dissident in the capital. "There are growing problems. But the violence is regime-provoked and we shouldn't take this to mean there will be a civil war.

"Members of the network of local co-ordinating committees have claimed that sectarianism is being deliberately stoked by the regime.

Bill to end DOMA

2011-07-19T12:54:00.000-07:00

The White House on Tuesday publicly supported a bill that would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled Wednesday to hear testimony about the marriage legislation, the Respect for Marriage Act, introduced by Sen.

“The president has long called for the legislative repeal of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act,” White House press secretary Jay Carney told reporters. “He is proud to support the Respect for Marriage Act.”

Patrick Leahy, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said in a statement that he celebrates Obama’s position and appreciated the show of support before Wednesday’s hearing.

The Human Rights Campaign, the country’s biggest gay advocacy group, immediately thanked Obama for his support. “By supporting this legislation, the President continues to demonstrate his commitment to ending federal discrimination against tens of thousands of lawfully married same-sex couples,” the group’s president, Joe Solmonese, told in the statement.

Obama has said he supports efforts toDefense of Marriage Act calling it a “discriminatory” law that violates the Constitution. “It’s time for us to bring it to an end,” he said at a reception for LGBT pride month in June.

He has yet to publicly support gay marriage.

Israeli navy claims success

2011-07-19T12:44:00.000-07:00

At 5.30pm on Tuesday, roughly seven hours after being intercepted on international waters 50 miles off the coast of Gaza.The boat had been stopped by Israeli naval forces after refusing to break its course for Gaza. It was boarded by a force of elite naval commandos and taken over without incident.

Ben Yedua told the Telegraph: "[Today was] a success because the naval blockade wasn't breached and because we didn't give any opportunity to open a supply way to smuggle arms into Gaza. "Everyone must remember this attempt doesn't stand by itself. It's part of a much bigger campaign to open a supply line via the sea to Gaza. We can't be selective. If we want to ensure terrorists won't be able to smuggle arms into Gaza, we must keep this blockade in place."
Rear Admiral Roni Ben Yehuda, deputy commander of the Israeli Navy, watched its progress from the vantage point of Jonah Hill, used by British soldiers during the mandate era as a look out for Jewish ships attempting to dock illegally in Palestine.

In Athens, where there are hundreds of activists still hoping to sail for Gaza, the IDF stance was met with derision by flotilla organisers.

Obama sees new hope

2011-07-19T12:32:00.000-07:00

The prospects for a significant debt-ceiling compromise were revived Tuesday, as President Obama signaled possible support for a plan being offered by the so-called Gang of Six senators that includes both steep spending cuts and an overhaul of the tax code.
"We don't have any more time to engage in any more symbolic gestures," the president said. "We don't have any more time to posture."Making a surprise appearance in the White House press briefing room, Obama said the package crafted by the bipartisan group is "broadly consistent with the approach I've urged.
An executive summary of the Gang of Six plan outlines an immediate $500 billion in spending cuts, with a total of $3.7 trillion in deficit. Obama also told reporters that time is running out to reach a deal and avert what would be a catastrophic default.
"There's going to have to be a broader agreement on the part of all the leadership that we're going to get this done in a serious way, and we've got a tight deadline to do it," Obama said.
The proposal is based on recommendations from the bipartisan deficit commission that Obama commissioned last year, which he had initially been cool to.

Obama cautioned that he had not yet seen full details of the Gang of Six plan, and Press Secretary Jay Carney later said the White House would study the proposal to ensure it was consistent with the president's principles. The NBC News/Wall Street Journal survey found that 55% of respondents said they believe that not raising the ceiling would be problematic, while just 18% say it would not be a real and serious problem.

New Senate Debt Plan

2011-07-19T12:18:00.000-07:00

Barack Obama on Tuesday backed a $3.7 trillion deficit-reduction plan after it gained fresh momentum from a bipartisan group in the Senate.

Mr. Obama said the proposal, which was designed by a group of lawmakers known as the "Gang of Six," represents a balanced approach to cutting the deficit that he has pushed for all along.

Mr. Obama, speaking at a White House press briefing, praised the deficit-reduction proposal as "a very significant step" and said there's been progress generally in the protracted deficit discussions. He asked congressional leaders to begin crafting a final plan Wednesday.

The plan is sweeping in its scope but was thought for months to be both overly ambitious and slightly ambiguous, which nearly led the effort to collapse in recent weeks. But the plan was revived, in part by its lead authors—Sens. Mark Warner (D., Va.) and Saxby Chambliss (R., Ga.)—and the flood of bipartisan support coming out of the meeting surprised them both, the lawmakers told.

"I think the vibe in the room was very positive," said Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R., N.H.), who attended the meeting. "My first impression is that this is a very credible plan."

The plan to slow the deficit by $3.7 trillion over 10 years would come from roughly 74% spending cuts and 26% new taxes, Mr. Conrad said.

Central parts of the plan would:

• Impose immediate spending cuts and caps that reduce the deficit by $500 billion over 10 years.

• Make changes to Social Security to make the program solvent over 75 years.

• Direct key congressional committees to find specific levels of deficit-reduction within their areas of jurisdiction. If the committees fail, then five Democratic and five Republican senators would be able to offer their own deficit-reduction plan as a replacement.

Meantime, House Republicans are embarking on a largely symbolic political mission, pushing for legislation that would cut spending by $5.8 trillion over 10 years, cap future spending and require Congress to approve a constitutional amendment to balance the federal budget before raising the debt ceiling by $2.4 trillion.

The White House issued a written statement Monday saying Mr. Obama would veto such a bill, although it is unlikely to reach his desk.

Emma Watson Plans

2011-07-19T08:43:00.000-07:00

I'm still a student at Brown,” Watson, 21, told the Virginia Pilot recently while promoting her new movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. "It's just that I'll spend my third year abroad – at Oxford."

Emma Watson is ready for more school – and plans to have a quintessential college experience: studying abroad.
The actress announced in April that she had planned to transfer from Brown to a then-unnamed school. Her rep said at the time that the Harry Potter star planned to take courses that the Ivy League university didn't offer, but noted that Watson "absolutely loved her time at Brown."

"Then," she said, "I'll return to Brown to complete my last year."

Or at least that's the plan for no

Elin Nordegren stunned to learn

2011-07-19T08:31:00.000-07:00

Many months, Elin Nordegren is furious that she’s back in the spotlight — thanks to new boyfriend Jamie Dingman.

Even though Dingman’s dalliance with Uchitel predated his relationship with Nordegren, she is devastated she was blindsided by all this — especially since Dingman didn’t tell her about the creepy connection until after the news broke.

“I think she’s worried she’s stumbled on another ‘Tiger,’ ” said a close Nordegren friend Monday.

Uchitel denies she violated the agreement but reportedly was persuaded by Allred to pay back most of that settlement — believing she’d risk it all if Woods’ team sued and she lost.

† Meanwhile, as TMZ first reported, Uchitel is considering suing her former attorney, the ever-present Gloria Allred. Apparently, Uchitel believes Allred was in cahoots with Woods’ legal team — who were claiming Uchitel’s contacts with TMZ and her appearances on “Celebrity Rehab” violated the terms of her confidentiality agreement with Woods. That’s the deal signed when Woods paid Uchitel a reported $10 million settlement to keep quiet about their affair.

“I think she’s worried she’s stumbled on another ‘Tiger,’ ” said a close Nordegren friend Monday.

Justin Bieber is reportedly so concerned some of the threats against girlfriend Selena Gomez — coming from a handful of insanely jealous (and delusional) Bieber fans — that he’s paid for additional bodyguards to protect his young love.

J. LO UPDATE: As Jennifer Lopez hunkers down to ride out the media firestorm she ignited by confirming her split with husband Marc Anthony, the Cuban telenovela star she tapped for her sexy “I’m Into You” music video is denying he’s the cause of the couple’s breakup.

Zac Efron — currently filming “Heartland” with Dennis Quaid in Iowa (and later in our area) — slipped into Sunda for a quick drink with friends before heading over to the Underground Sunday night. . . . “Mad Men” star Vincent Kartheiser was spied at Sunda earlier in the weekend. . . . Danny Pudi from NBC’s “Community.” a grad of Second City’s Training Center, was back there Saturday doing a Q&A with the current crop of students. . . . Bears and ex-Bears made the scene at the House of Blues’ Foundation Room — including Devin Hester, Earl Bennett, Caleb Hanie, Tommie Harris and Fred Harris. . . . Speaking of Da Bears, Lance Briggs was seen at Public House. . . . Hawks Corey Crawford and Bryan Bickell got their steak fix at Chicago Cut, where (separately) newly engaged Bull Kyle Korver and family celebrated the happy news with two bottles of Cristal champagne on the steakery’s patio. . . . JBar was the weekend party place for the Chicago Fire’s Jon Conway, Cory Gibbs, Jalil Anibaba and Dasan Robinson — plus the Bulls’ Omer Asik.

Rupert Murdoch Tells Parliament

2011-07-19T08:05:00.000-07:00

"Mr. Murdoch do you accept you are ultimately responsible for this whole fiasco?" asked Jim Sheridan, a member of Parliament.
"No," replied Murdoch, explaining that people he hired and trusted and the people who they hired and trusted were responsible. He mentioned Les Hinton, the publisher of the Wall Street Journal, who resigned on Friday. Hinton and Murdoch have worked together for 52 years, including while Hinton was chief executive of News International, Murdoch's British newspaper publisher.
In answer to a number of questions, Rupert Murdoch said he did not recall exact details and paused for moments before responding.
"We have broken our trust with our readers," Rupert Murdoch said.

James Murdoch interrupted several times to ask if he could instead answer questions, but Watson said he preferred to ask the elder Murdoch questions regarding corporate governance.
Sir Paul Stephenson, who quit as head of the Metropolitan Police, also known as Scotland Yard, testified first about his involvement with the case. He fielded questions from MPs about the department's relationship with the Murdoch papers.
"God, I wish I had done something different," Yates told the committee.
Rebekah Brooks is also set to appear before British Parliament on Tuesday morning about the phone hacking at their defunct tabloid, The News of the World.
Members of Parliament and the media reignited the scandal earlier this month after reports the tabloid's journalists hacked the phone of a murdered teen, Milly Dowler. Journalists and a hired private investigator allegedly deleted some voicemail messages in her full mailbox, to hear new ones from concerned family members.
"God, I wish I had done something different," Yates told the committee.
"We have broken our trust with our readers," Rupert Murdoch said.

yria's Opposition Seeks

2011-07-19T05:56:00.000-07:00

Assad blames the unrest on Sunni militants, "armed gangs" and "64,000 outlaws," suggesting that these elements are now pervasive in a state long cowed and controlled by an army of not-so-secret police deployed on every corner and in every café. Even as his security forces mete out bloody punishment to those who dare to protest, Assad has sought to engage elements of this opposition — most recently in a national-dialogue conference boycotted by most opposition elements, who derided the initiative as disingenuous while tanks remain in the streets. The increasingly dangerous stalemate has polarized the situation between pro- and antiregime elements, thinning the once sizable middle ground and with it, the prospects of stable political reform.
After 19 weeks and some 1,800 deaths — including those of over 350 members of the security forces — mainly unarmed protesters continue to challenge the state's fearsome security forces despite the near certainty of a violent response, while Assad steadfastly refuses to relinquish power. (The opposition insists that the security forces' dead were killed by fellow soldiers for refusing to fire on demonstrators, while the regime blames armed Sunni extremists.) Assad promises vast reforms but has yet to deliver, and has played on deep-seated fears by suggesting that his secular regime is all that stands in the way of sectarian chaos.
The assembly had intended to elect 50 members from inside Syria and 25 exiles to serve on a National Salvation Council, but the Damascus gathering (which was to be held simultaneously) was called off after security forces targeted the venue ahead of the event. Instead, the Istanbul meeting elected the 25 exiles, but there was discord, according to Radwan Ziadeh, a visiting scholar at the Institute for Middle East Studies at George Washington University, who attended the Istanbul gathering and declined appointment to a position on the board of exiles. A group of Kurdish delegates walked out, he said, angered by the use of the term Syrian Arab Republic, which they felt failed to acknowledge the country's long-marginalized ethnic Kurdish population. Tribal representatives also left the meeting.
"The opposition is counting on the economy causing elite members to defect and the country to fall out of government control progressively," says Joshua Landis, a Syria expert at the University of Oklahoma. "So long as the military and state elites stick together to fight the opposition, it will be very difficult to bring down the regime."
Damascus needs the vital foreign-exchange earnings to help fund its security forces, "maintain market subsidies and deliver payoffs to patronage networks," Tabler told a U.S. House of Representatives committee last week. Choking energy exports would also force the regime "to borrow more from the Damascene and Aleppine business elite that support it, which in turn could lead to elite defections as the cost and risk of doing business with the Assad regime dramatically increases," he said.

Waiting on Congress

2011-07-19T05:43:00.000-07:00

A USAs A TODAY's Richard Wolf and your truly report, the U.S. House is set to vote on a plan that includes a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution, a plan Obama has vowed to veto.
Good morning from The Oval. On this day in 2005, President George W. Bush nominated John Roberts for the U.S. Supreme Court.
Senate leaders, meanwhile, are developing a plan that would allow Obama to raise the debt ceiling on his own, while also accepting a package of budget cuts.
It's a light public schedule so far for President Obama, as he and aides watch Congress wrestle with efforts to raise the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling. The president has a string of private meetings, but no public appearances.A new USA TODAY/Gallup Poll shows low ratings for Obama and Congress on the debt talks, writes Susan Page and Mimi Hall of USA TODAY.
The parties are seeking an agreement by Aug. 2 -- two weeks from today -- when the Treasury Department loses borrowing authority and faces default.
A year after passage, Obama's new financial transaction rules are still under fire.
We're all in the clear here at The Oval as report on Obama's deal. so please join us in the hours ahead. And have a good day.
'

Obama nominee is a champion

2011-07-19T05:30:00.000-07:00

In unveiling his choice to head up the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Obama cited an impressive Cordray resume that includes stints as Ohio treasurer, state attorney general ... and a big winner on one of America's most popular game shows.

Question: This Obama administration nominee is a former Jeopardy champion.
Answer: Who is Richard Cordray?
In introducing Cordray, Obama couldn't resist the obvious joke.
Cordray became a five-day Jeopardy champion in 1987, reportedly winning $45,303 that helped pay his way through law school.