News and Articles

Plaxico Burress has family, then football on his mind after nearly two years behind bars

2011-06-06T11:24:00.001-07:00

Plaxico Burress plans to play in the NFL again, but first the former New York Giants star wants to spend time with his family, including a daughter who was born during the two years he spent in jail on a gun charge.

"I just want to thank God for bringing me through one of the most trying times in my life," Burress said to reporters after being released from Oneida Correctional Facility in central New York on Monday morning. "It's a beautiful day. It's a beautiful day to be reunited with my family. I want to go home and spend some quality time with them."

He hugged and shook hands with his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, before getting into a black Range Rover and heading for the Rome, N.Y., airport. Burress, 34, was expected to take a flight home to Florida to spend time with his wife and two children.

"He's learned an awful lot," Rosenhaus said. "He knows that he obviously made a mistake. To miss two NFL seasons in the prime of your career. To not be with your family, most importantly. To lose out on millions and millions of dollars. These are things that have forced him to certainly evaluate his life.”
Nine months after making the game-winning catch with 35 seconds remaining in Super Bowl XLII, Burress accidentally shot himself in the thigh with an unlicensed handgun he had tucked in the waistband of his pants at a Manhattan nightclub. He pleaded guilty to attempted criminal possession of a weapon in August 2009 and was sentenced to two years in prison.

Now he's on parole for two years and is required to find and keep a job. His attorney, Peter M. Frankel, says Burress plans to work out while awaiting the end of the NFL labor dispute.

"He's going to be a top free agent," Rosenhaus said. "There are going to be multiple teams interested in signing him. I expect him to get a good contract. I expect him to absolutely be playing."

Burress said: "As far as football is concerned, if and when everything gets settled, when they get back on the field, I'll be ready."
(Source: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2011/06/plaxico-burress-family-football.html)

Halo 4 confirmed accidentally by Microsoft

2011-06-06T11:10:00.000-07:00

Everyone expects E3 to be dominated by details of the Wii 2 and probably some more information on Sony’s PS Vita handheld. But Microsoft may just steal the attention of attendees and the gaming press with news of Halo 4 actually existing and being in development. That development must be some way along if Microsoft intends to demo the game at the show this week.

The surprise announcement has accidentally been revealed early through a headline on Xbox.com that introduced the game as news that millions of Halo fans had been waiting for, “Halo 4 is on the way.” Here’s the boxout someone on the Xbox.com team made live too early today.

News that a fourth game in the series is in development should come as no surprise at all. Halo is a cash cow and a system seller for Microsoft, and they will keep it running for as long as it remains popular. What we don’t know is what the plan for the game is, but it seems likely this will be an Xbox 360 game rather than a launch title for a new machine.

We don’t have long to wait to find out more as E3 is the intended place for the game’s announcement so we will know specifics in a few hours. Let’s hope it’s more than just a teaser video running on a loop.
(Source: http://www.geek.com/articles/games/halo-4-confirmed-accidentally-by-microsoft-2011066/)

Nikki Reed, Paul McDonald Are Engaged

2011-06-06T10:57:00.000-07:00

They sure looked the part of the happy couple on Sunday night at the 2011 MTV Movie Awards, but what the world found out before "Twilight" took the night's top awards is that star Nikki Reed and "American Idol" finalist Paul McDonald have reportedly made it official.

After less than two months of dating, Reed was sporting a sparkling engagement ring on the red carpet, and a source reportedly confirmed that the pair are going to take the plunge. "He's the one. He's the one," Reed, 23, said of the bearded Nashville singer who came in eighth place on the show this year, according to E! Online.

When McDonald was eliminated from "Idol" in April, he admitted they were an item, calling Reed "super-cool" and saying that she'd been very supportive of his musical ambitions. Us Weekly reported two weeks ago that the pair had shacked up at Reed's Los Angeles home and that she has been trying to help him land a recording contract.

While Reed was hush-hush about her own impending nuptials on the red carpet at the Movie Awards, she did weigh in on the eagerly anticipated wedding in the upcoming "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1."

"It was beautiful," said co-star Jackson Rathbone.

"It was stunning; it was like a dream," added Reed, who admitted that she was napping in her trailer when paparazzi helicopters buzzed the set during the shoot to get a peek at the fictional wedding.

E! Online, which first broke the engagement story, quoted Reed as saying that McDonald has been writing a bunch of songs dedicated to her and that he's planning on releasing a "Nikki Reed EP."

MTV News has all of the highlights from the 2011 MTV Movie Awards. Relive the best moments, watch red-carpet interviews with your favorite stars and read all about what went on behind the scenes on the big night.
(Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1665222/paul-mcdonald-nikki-reed-engaged.jhtml)

Windows 8 previewed at Conferences

2011-06-02T03:24:00.001-07:00

Microsoft has shown off early releases of the next version of Windows.

Demonstrations of Windows 8 running on tablets, phones and desktop computers were given at separate conferences in the US and Taiwan.

As expected, the software can be used via either traditional keyboard and mouse or by gestures on a gadget's touchscreen.

No date has been given for the release of Windows 8 but it is expected to be available before October 2012.

The start screen for Windows 8 seen at the demonstrations closely resembles the tiled layout seen on Microsoft's newest mobile operating system. The live tiles, that link to popular applications and data streams, can be manipulated via pressing on a screen.

The demo suggests that Windows 8 will have a unified look even though it will run on phones and tablets as well as portable and fixed computers.

The system has been designed first and foremost around touch and gesture, said Microsoft, but would also be manipulable by more traditional methods.

Despite rival Apple's success with its iPad tablet, Microsoft declared that it was not "out of the game" in that market.

The demos were given at the D9 conference in California and Computex in Taipei.

In a bid to speed up its efforts to get more tablets running Windows in the hands of consumers, Microsoft has reportedly demanded that hardware firms work with a single chip maker as they produce their gadgets.

Typically, laptop and notebook makers take chipsets from different suppliers as they build up a product range.

Firms expected to be producing chipsets for tablets include Qualcomm, Texas Instruments, Nvidia, Intel and others.

The news did not go down well with computer firms.

"This industry doesn't belong to Microsoft or Google, it belongs to all the participants," said Jim Wang, president of Acer, at a Computex press conference. "So they can't make the decision for all of us. That's the problem."
(Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13627037)

After 19 years in the NBA, Shaquille O'Neal announced today that he is retiring

2011-06-02T03:14:00.000-07:00

After 19 years in the NBA, Shaquille O'Neal announced today that he is retiring. Deets inside plus see a behind the scenes preview of Trina's video for "Hit It Right"....

At age 39, Shaquille O'Neal is the oldest active player in the NBA...or should I say was the oldest player as he announced earlier today, via twitter, that he is retiring.

By posting a video to his Twitter account, Shaq bid farewell to his fans saying....

"We did it. Nineteen years, baby. I want to thank you very much. That's why I'm telling you first that I'm about to retire. Love you. Talk to you soon."

In a mini-tribute to the baller, The LA Times said this about Shaq:

"The 7-foot-1, 325-pound former No. 1 overall draft pick of the Orlando Magic in 1992 center averaged 23.7 points and 10.9 rebounds in his career but played sparingly in his final season with the Boston Celtics.

O'Neal was a 15-time All-Star, four-time NBA champion -- three with the Lakers, one with Miami -- and the 1999-2000 MVP. He is considered one of the most dominant players to have played the game."

I'm sure he and his girlfriend Nicki "Hoopz" Alexander will be living a comfy post-NBA life
(Source: http://theybf.com/2011/06/01/shaquille-oneal-announces-his-retirement-after-19-years-of-nba-ballin-trinas-behind-the-s)

What Kind of Impact Will Ricky Rubio Make?

2011-06-02T03:02:00.000-07:00

Ricky Rubio has reportedly agreed to become a part of the Minnesota Timberwolves organization next season.

Under normal circumstances, fans would not cheer over the signing of their fifth overall pick.

The Rubio situation has been far from normal. Fans have waited two years for him to commit to the small-market team. If he would have never played a minute in a Timberwolves uniform, the 2009 draft would have gone down as the worst in franchise history.

There is one particular person that is celebrating the most tonight: David Kahn.

Kahn has been rightly criticized for making a terrible pick after Rubio, claiming Jonny Flynn would be able to play off the ball alongside the Spaniard. The worst part was that the hands-down most versatile scorer was available in Stephen Curry. He was making the argument for the wrong player.

Still, he does deserve some credit for fighting through the critcism and staying the course amidst the Rubio drama. The day after the draft, Kahn went around answering questions about the rumors involving Rubio's willingness to play in Minnesota the following year, or maybe ever. He remained consistent in stating that the organization would be patient.

Although players that get drafted usually suit up the following year, Kahn finally has his man. He was thoroughly criticized for this move, and some people within the league said Rubio would never play for Minnesota. Maybe Kahn knew something we did not.

So, now that Rubio will be running the show in Minneapolis, we can now analyze what type of impact he will make.

The 'Wolves still have a number of holes to fill. They just made one check mark on a summer to-do list that might be one of the longest in the league.

Still, with the current roster, Rubio can do some damage.

He has a number of athletes to distribute to on the break. Anthony Randolph showed great potential last year, albeit in an inconsistent manner. Fans will love watching him slam home alley-oops from Rubio.

Kevin Love will find his points a little easier to come by. Rubio will hopefully be able to keep the ball moving, which will only lead to more open threes for Love. It is hard to remember Love getting any easy lay-ins after a play made by his point guard, but he may receive more of those this year as well.

Michael Beasley will probably not be affected as much as most people think. He does not score all that often within the offense. A lot of his scoring comes through one-on-one iso situations. Still, the hope is, Rubio will still make life easier for the 'Wolves best true scorer.

Overall, Rubio brings stability to the 'Wolves on the court. The last time this organization had a stellar point guard was when Sam Cassell helped take them to the Western Conference Finals.

Maybe the biggest impact that Rubio will bring to the organization is excitement. Even if he turns out to be a below average point guard, fans can scratch it up as a bad pick. If they would have never seen him in a Minnesota uniform, it would have been tough to regain the trust of the community.

For now, at least until the season starts, the Timberwolves fans can hold on to the hope of what Rubio might be. They can go to sleep, dreaming of Rubio picking Russell Westbrook's pocket, leading the fast break and whipping a behind-the-back pass to Beasley for a dunk. Until the season starts, 'Wolves fans will sleep well.

This is what makes this situation so great in the end. After two tense years of uncertainty, the anticipation to see Rubio in action is at an all-time high.

So, whether he makes an impact or not, fans will be filling the Target Center to find out.

Nice work, Mr. Kahn.
(Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/720852-minnesota-timberwolves-what-kind-of-impact-will-ricky-rubio-make)

Icelandic Volcano Erupts, Ash Plume Forces International Flights to Divert

2011-05-22T02:14:00.000-07:00

A volcanic eruption in Iceland, underneath Europe’s largest glacier, forced international flights to divert south of the north Atlantic island as an ash plume rose to 50,000 feet (15,240 meters).

“A no-fly zone which covers a 120 nautical mile radius around the eruption has been put in place,” Hjordis Gudmundsdottir, spokeswoman for Isavia Ltd., told Icelandic broadcaster RUV late yesterday. “The eruption might have some impact on international air traffic.” Isavia operates air traffic control for Iceland’s airspace.

The eruption begun at about 6 p.m. yesterday in a crater underneath Vatnajokull Glacier, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) southeast of Iceland’s capital of Reykjavik. The volcano is the most active in Iceland and its last eruption ended in 2004.

“The ash is very fine and is now drifting to the southeast,” Iceland’s Civil Protection Department said in a statement on its website.

An eruption in Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull in April of last year grounded 100,000 flights in the first six days, costing airlines $1.7 billion in lost sales, according to industry figures.

Further bursts of ash closed airspace across a wide area of Europe, raising concern that the event might mirror the last one in 1821, when the crater remained active for more than a year.
(Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-21/icelandic-volcano-erupts-ash-plume-forces-international-flights-to-divert.html)

Preakness Stakes 2011: Shackleford proves to be a fighter in a weak field

2011-05-22T02:04:00.000-07:00

Shackleford isn’t going to be remembered as a great Preakness winner, or even an above-average Preakness winner. He and the other 3-year-olds this season constitute one of the weakest thoroughbred crops in years. Yet give the colt credit: He’s a gutsier fighter than the vast majority of horses who may have more raw ability.

After he turned into the Pimlico stretch Saturday, Shackleford should have been ready to surrender after a grueling early battle for the lead. Animal Kingdom had begun to accelerate on the turn and was launching the kind of rally that had carried him to victory in the Kentucky Derby. The second leg of the Triple Crown appeared within his grasp. But the resolute Shackleford held him off by a half-length, disappointing the many fans who hoped that Animal Kingdom would be the colt who ended the 33-year drought without a Triple Crown winner.

Animal Kingdom had no excuse. The Preakness had looked as if it might present him with an ideal setup because of the presence of the fast sprinter Flashpoint. He was almost certain to set a faster pace than the moderate tempo in the Derby, and a hot pace figured to hurt the horses chasing Flashpoint and help the stretch-runners.

Conventional wisdom suggested that the ideal tactics for the speedy Shackleford might be to let Flashpoint go and settle into a stalking position behind him. But Shackleford himself had other ideas. In the paddock and in his pre-race warmup, the colt was sweaty and manifestly unrelaxed. NBC’s knowledgeable commentator-on-horseback, Donna Barton Brothers, observed: “Shackleford is hot and wound up. I don’t like anything I’m seeing.” Analyst Gary Stevens predicted that jockey Jesus Castanon wasn’t going to be able to restrain his mount: “There’s going to be a hot pace.”

However, Dale Romans, Shackleford’s trainer, was unperturbed about his 3-year-old’s demeanor at Pimlico. “He’s been like that in almost all of his races,” Romans said.

As soon as Flashpoint popped out of the gate and went to the lead, Castanon let Shackleford go after him, and the two speedsters raced the first quarter in 22.69 seconds. This was the fastest opening quarter in the Preakness since 1999. The three horses who set the pace that year wound up finishing seventh, eighth and 10th. That’s what usually happens when horses set a sizzling pace at a classic distance.

However, the racing world has now learned that this is Shackleford’s best game. When he ran in the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park this winter, Shackleford was dismissed at odds of 68 to 1 against a field of fast front-runners (including Flashpoint), but he battled for the lead and disposed of all the other speed horses. When the stretch-running Dialed In hooked him, he fought back tenaciously. He lost a close photo finish, but he was ennobled by the defeat, and established himself as a contender for the Kentucky Derby.

However, his performance at Churchill Downs seemed to contradict the normal logic of handicapping. He set an extraordinarily slow pace, by Derby standards, which should have left him with reserves of energy after he turned into the stretch with the lead. But he surrendered and faded to finish fourth. Why did he run poorly under seemingly favorable circumstances?

Romans had a theory. “I’m a firm believer,” he said, “that when the pace is slow you keep the closers in the race. The closers flew home in the Derby. But [in the Preakness] they didn’t have the same kick.”

Graham Motion and John Velazquez, the trainer and jockey of Animal Kingdom, agreed that the faster pace put their colt in a less comfortable position that he had enjoyed in the Derby. At Churchilll Downs, Velazquez said: “I was right behind the other horses” in clear striking position. But after the first quarter-mile at Pimlico the whole field was strung out, and Animal Kingdom found himself 13th in the field of 14, with dirt flying in his face and 18 lengths to make up. This was going to be a test.

Shackleford and Flashpoint raced head-and-head for three-quarters of a mile, slowing down in the second and third quarters as several of their rivals — Midnight Interlude, Astrology and Dance City — moved within striking distance. But none of them had a big kick to deliver. Shackleford inherited the lead and, Castanon said, “I knew I still had some horse.”

But how much?

All eyes watching the races searched for the green and red silks of Team Valor International. Moving three-wide, Velasquez guided Animal Kingdom through traffic on the turn, passing nine horses. In the stretch, he still had 31 / 2 lengths to make up. He couldn’t do it.

Motion said: “He ran huge. I’m thrilled with how he ran.” But, in truth, Animal Kingdom’s race was not huge. Shackleford’s time of 1:56.47 for the 13 / 16 miles was the slowest in the race since 1993. Because of the circumstances of his victory, the winner is probably a better racehorse than the raw numbers suggest, but a worthy Triple Crown aspirant should have been able to catch him.
(Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/horse-racing/in-a-weak-field-shackleford-proved-to-be-a-fighter/2011/05/21/AFB52i8G_story.html)

Earthquake In New Zealand Hits, Just As Harold Camping Predicted?

2011-05-22T01:46:00.000-07:00

While Harold Camping’s proclamation of the rapture coming May 21, 2011, it’s safe to say we have all survived. We did not see Judgement Day and most families today are thankfully still making plans for the school and work week ahead.

Most people jokingly referred to the world ending on Facebook and Twitter but went on with their regular schedules. While some had end of the world parties, while others made end of the world confessions, radio DJs played R.E.M.’s “It’s The End Of The World As We Know It” about a million times.

But still no doomsday.

Yet one of Camping’s prophecies has come true. New Zealand did have an earthquake today according to the United States Geological Service.

USC reports that a 6.1 earthquake occurred on the the islands of Kermadec:

The 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck the uninhabited islands on Sunday at 9 a.m., New Zealand time. The islands are about 500 miles northeast of New Zealand’s North Island.

Since the islands are about 500 miles northeast, the quake clearly did no damage to the North Island.

So while some may think that Camping’s earthquake prediction for New Zealand did kinda come true, there’s two things wrong with it.

First of all, thank goodness no one was hurt and the quake hit an island that was uninhabited. Secondly, while it is May 21 here, the earthquake technically hit May 22 in New Zealand.

Like today’s volcano in Iceland which some speculated might be the start of the rapture, this seems to be another case of pure coincidence. Earthquakes are quite common in New Zealand anyway. My kids have been saying all week how something will happen that will cause people to proclaim that Camping’s predictions were somehow related. Their teachers have been reassuring them all week that they will indeed see them all on Monday.

To the majority of us, today has been an event to snicker about and have fun with. So it looks like tomorrow will be back to business as usual. And luckily, no zombie sightings have been reported anywhere!
(Source: http://blogs.babble.com/strollerderby/2011/05/21/earthquake-in-new-zealand-hits-just-as-harold-camping-predicted)

Judgment Day May 21: When will the world actually end?

2011-05-18T19:56:00.000-07:00

Will the world actually explode on May 21? There's no way to prove that it won't! One man says Judgment Day is coming this Saturday.NASA/Newscom/File

Judgment Day May 21: Harold Camping, the head of the Family Radio broadcasting network, has calculated that the apocalypse will begin on May 21. Do his numbers add up for a judgment day this weekend?
As you may have learned from one of the 2,000 billboards worldwide, May 21, 2011, is Judgment Day, upon which the righteous – which totals 3 percent of humanity – will be whisked away to the sweet hereafter, leaving the rest of us to weather five months of extreme natural disasters until Oct. 21, whereupon God destroys the entire universe and everyone left in it.

At least that's what Harold Camping says. The head of Family Radio broadcasting network, which boasts 150 outlets in the United States, has what his website calls "infallible, absolute proof" that there's no point in making plans for Memorial Day weekend. It goes like this:

Camping says that because Jesus was crucified on Friday, April 1, 33 AD, and that it takes exactly 365.2422 days for the earth to complete one orbit of the sun, we can conclude that, on April 1, 2011, Jesus was crucified exactly 722,449.07 days ago. Add 51 days to this to get to May 1, and you get a figure of 722,500.07.

Round that down to the nearest integer, and you get 722,500, which is an important number because it is the square of 5 x 17 x 10 . The number five, says Camping, represents atonement. Ten represents completeness, and 17 represents heaven. Multiply all these together – twice – and you get 722,500. Therefore the apocalypse kicks off on Saturday, May 21.

Skeptics of Camping's method might ask why the date of the end of the world is linked to that of Jesus' crucifixion, why the numbers five, 10, and 17 represent what Camping claims they represent, why they should be multiplied together, why they should then be squared, and, for that matter, why the Bible would contain esoteric numerological references predicting the end of the world in the first place. They could also point out that April 1, 33 AD was actually a Wednesday, and that, under Camping's method, April 1, 2011 gets counted twice.

Others use different methods to calculate the last day. For example, Dec. 21, 2012 marks the end of the 5,125-year-long cycle in the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar, leading some people – particularly those who believe that the dating systems of pre-Columbian Americans can predict events hundreds of years in the future – to believe that the world will end on that date.
(Source: http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2011/0518/Judgment-Day-May-21-When-will-the-world-actually-end)

Ralph Lauren to U.S. Polo: Stop Copying Me!

2011-05-18T17:27:00.000-07:00

More proof that that there is a massive conspiracy in fashion to take over the entire world. What? You haven't heard of it? Maybe that's because I just made it up. But given the latest move by Ralph Lauren, one would forgive me if I feel this particular designer is attempting a major power grab, simply because he once had the idea to design clothing for rich, preppy people by putting a man on a horse, holding a stick, in the top left corner of a collared shirt.

It seems the all-American designer sued to stop the U.S. Polo Association from using the word "polo" and any images of a person playing polo. I know, talk about kicking the gift horse in the mouth. But guess what? He WON.

Personally, I've never been a fan of the Polo shirts. Don't even get me started on those giant Polo logos that popped up a few years ago on his shirts. Fugly, right? So perhaps I'm just not getting the importance of maintaining the image for his brand. But suing so a sports organization -- where you found the initial inspiration for your brand -- can no longer use their own image and language seems completely insane and the height of narcissism. It's like if I decided to sue all calendar makers for using my name.

Do you think Lacoste will sue the state of Florida? Or Nike will ask the makers of forms to stop asking people to check the box? Maybe Starbucks will sue Disney and ask them to stop talking about The Little Mermaid. Oh, wait, it's usually Disney that goes around suing people ...

Regardless, this fashion dude has gone way too far. And I, for one, will not be buying his shirts anymore. Oh, crap, I forgot, I already hate them.
(Source: http://thestir.cafemom.com/beauty_style/120506/ralph_lauren_to_us_polo)

'Survivor' winner Rob Mariano: His win was 'really, really satisfying'

2011-05-16T13:00:00.001-07:00

"Boston" Rob Mariano finally climbed the "Survivor" mountain, taking home the grand prize and the title of Sole Survivor. He tells us in his exit interview about his experience this fourth time around on the show.

On his strategy and his game being called "textbook" or "perfect":

"First of all, coming from Jeff Probst, it's definitely a huge compliment, considering he's seen every episode of every single season first hand. I feel like I played the game to the best of my ability. Having said that, there's been hundreds of people who have played 'Survivor' and 21 different people have won the game, so different people have had different strategies and there's no clear-cut strategy that works for everyone ... It was the only way I could play the game, which is an aggressive, right-out-there, strategic strategy and not everybody could have pulled that off. I played to the best of my ability ... There's a lot of ways to win 'Survivor,' but the way I did it, for me, was really, really satisfying."

On why he chose Natalie and Phillip for the end:

"Natalie, I chose very early on. The first day. Just the perception, the perceptive read I had on her and part of it was her situation. She's 19 years old ... if I were 19 years old and coming into this game and didn't know what I was doing, I'd want somebody to take me under their wing who had played the game. And in exchange I wanted her loyalty. I saw something in her that I saw in Amber. I knew she would be loyal."

"Phillip was a bit different ... he almost adopted a 'If I can't beat him, I'll join him' strategy and he realized that as long as he kept it up, I would keep him around. Either way, I think both of them thought at the end they would be able to beat me, where in all actuality I don't think I would've been able to beat anybody other than the two I was standing with at the end."

Would he ever align with Russell?

"I don't think Russell and I play a similar game. I don't think we're on the same level when it comes to strategy, but if the opportunity presented itself where I could work with Russell, where it would be to my advantage, I would use him. Of course I would. But I don't think I could ever trust RUssell. That's just my read. I felt bad for Russell this time around. I think he needs some space from the game. He's played 3 times in a year and half, I've played 4 times in 10 years. It's a bit different ... I thought it was pretty classy that he stood up and shook my hand last night."

On how hard his game was this time around:

"The more I've done it over the years, the easier [the physical aspect] has become. You know what to expect. But the difficult part, the hard work I did behind the scenes, was the constant checking on the strategy and making sure that my alliances felt like they were intact and making sure everybody else was checking in with each other. I would give them a tidbit of information that was inconsequential ... just so they felt like they were getting something from me and in return, you saw time and time again they would come to me with information that was critical. It was a constant game of going back and forth. Making sure the alliance was good and that nobody was talking to each other."

And what does he have to say to the critics who thought Rob's win was like taking candy from babies?

"I'd like to see them do it [laughs] If they want to try to take something away from me, go ahead, but the check is in my account."

"Survivor" will be back on CBS at the end of September 2011.
(Source: http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2011/05/survivor-winner-rob-mariano-his-win-was-really-really-satisfying.html)

Santana Scolds Georgia For New Immigration Law

2011-05-16T11:37:00.000-07:00

Grammy-winning guitarist Carlos Santana gestures after receiving the Major League Baseball Beacon of Change Award during a pregame ceremony during the annual Civil Rights Games before the Atlanta Braves game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Sunday, May 15, 2011, in Atlanta.

ATLANTA (AP) - Carlos Santana on Sunday used baseball's annual Civil Rights Game as a platform to admonish Georgia and Arizona for their new immigration laws.

Santana received the Beacon of Change Award before the Braves-Phillies game.

The Grammy-winning musician said he was representing immigrants before adding: "The people of Arizona, and the people of Atlanta, Georgia, you should be ashamed of yourselves."

Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal on Friday signed a bill that cracks down on illegal immigration in the state. The bill requires many employers to check the immigration status of new hires and authorizes law enforcement officers to check the immigration status of some suspects.

Georgia's new law shares some similarities to one enacted last year in Arizona.

"This law is not correct. It's a cruel law, actually," Santana said in an impromptu news conference after the ceremony. "This is about fear. Stop shucking and jiving. People are afraid we're going to steal your job. No we aren't. You're not going to change sheets and clean toilets."

Added Santana: "This is the United States. This is the land of the free. If people want the immigration laws to keep passing, then everybody should get out and leave the American Indians here."

Rev. Jesse Jackson presented the Beacon of Life Award to Cubs Hall of Famer Ernie Banks.

"I haven't done anything to earn it, but I appreciate it," Banks said.

Former Dodgers pitcher Don Newcombe presented the Beacon of Hope Award to actor Morgan Freeman, who wore a Braves jacket and a Negro Leagues Atlanta Black Crackers cap.

Al Roker, co-host of NBC's The Today Show, was the moderator for the ceremony and introduced a video tribute to Braves Hall of Famer Hank Aaron, who received a standing ovation from his hometown fans.

The Braves and Phillies wore throwback uniforms from the 1974 season, the year Aaron broke Babe Ruth's career home run record.

Two leaders of the civil rights movement in Atlanta, former Mayor Andrew Young and the Rev. Joseph Lowery, went to the mound for the ceremonial first pitches, thrown to two African-American stars - Phillies slugger Ryan Howard and Atlanta's Jason Heyward.

Baseball commissioner Bud Selig attended the ceremony.

This is baseball's fifth Civil Rights Game. The first event was in Memphis in 2007.

"Anytime you can honor the people that changed the game, it's a good thing," said Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro.

The game also will return to Atlanta in 2012.

"I think it's the perfect city to host this," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said.
(Source: http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_16003/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=7P7uVbfg)

Disney Cruise Line: A world of Entertainment

2011-05-15T19:01:00.000-07:00

The Disney Cruise Line experience has something for everyone regardless of age, says Edward Park.

Can a cruise be any more family-friendly than this? When you book with Disney Cruise Line, you not only receive world-class hospitality, you get an on-board entertainment experience that only Disney can offer - for the whole family to enjoy.

From live Disney shows to meet-and-greets with Disney characters, from fun-filled children’s clubs to relaxing adults-only spaces, Disney Cruise Line offers something for all the family, so you can savour that all-important time as a group and still indulge in your much-deserved time alone.

DISNEY CRUISE LINE FAMILY ACTIVITIES
For family time together, top billing goes to deck parties such as Pirates IN the Caribbean, which boasts a fireworks display at sea that’s exclusive to Disney Cruise Line – and to headline acts you can catch at the Walt Disney Theatre on board your ship, such as The Golden Mickeys or Toy Story - the Musical.

But throughout the day there’s so much else to enjoy as a family, such as first-run movies at the on-board cinema, swimming pools and entertainment clubs such as Studio Sea (on Disney Magic and Disney Wonder), a venue themed like a TV studio where you can sing, dance and play games as a family.

These special places give you the opportunity to enjoy time together but there are also clubs targeted specifically at children.

DISNEY CRUISE LINE CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES
These range from nurseries such as Flounder’s Reef on the Disney Magic, a day-care centre themed around the Little Mermaid for children aged three months to three years, all the way through to Edge and Vibe, spaces where 11-13 year-olds and 14-17 year-olds respectively can enjoy music and TV or play the latest video games.

In between, Disney’s Oceaneer Club and Disney’s Oceaneer Lab are two clubs designed for children aged three to 10 and are fully supervised by trained Disney Youth Coordinators.

On Disney Magic, for example, Disney’s Oceaneer Club is designed to look like Captain Hook's Pirate Ship – giving kids the chance to dress up as their favourite hero and a crow’s nest slide and rope bridge for exploring.

The Oceaneer Lab on Disney Dream is inspired by Toy Story and has a reading area and interactive “laboratory”.

Best of all, at the themed activities in these venues, siblings and friends of different ages are able to play together. While activities may be aimed at certain age groups, participation is based on a child’s interest level and maturity. Everything is superbly imagined and designed to make sure that each member of the family has a wonderful time, whatever their age or tastes.

Of course, it would not be Disney without the opportunity to interact with much-loved Disney characters, though it’s in a relaxed and personalised way so you can immerse yourself into the experiences as and when you want to. There’s never any pressure.

Characters appear at deck parties and at kids’ clubs, so children can meet them and have photos taken. There are also sessions for signing autographs.

Add it all up and there’s almost an entire deck dedicated to children on Disney Magic, Disney Dream and Disney Wonder, so there’s no chance for boredom.
see more
(Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/travel/disney/8509938/Disney-Cruise-Line-A-world-of-entertainment.html)

Canon U.S.A. commemorates setting of the last segment of steel for new headquarters

2011-05-15T12:17:00.000-07:00

Joe Adachi, president and CEO, Canon U.S.A., and Seymour Liebman, executive vice president, chief administrative officer and general counsel, Canon U.S.A., raise the commemorative steel beam for the Canon Americas new headquarters in Melville, N.Y

Canon U.S.A. Inc., Lake Success, N.Y., celebrated the setting of the last segment of steel for its new headquarters during a “topping off” ceremony in Melville, N.Y. Joe Adachi, president and CEO, Canon U.S.A, and Seymour Liebman, executive vice president, chief administrative officer and general counsel, Canon U.S.A., were joined by state and local officials to commemorate this milestone in the development of Canon’s new facility which will serve as headquarters for North and South America.

“Today we are celebrating yet another milestone towards completion of the new Canon Americas Headquarters,” says Joe Adachi, president and CEO, Canon. “I look forward to the day when we open the doors to One Canon Park and provide our employees a world-class facility in which to grow and succeed.”
(Source: http://pmanewsline.com/2011/05/13/canon-u-s-a-commemorates-setting-of-the-last-segment-of-steel-for-new-headquarters/)

Billy Graham: Professor Shakes Student’s Faith

2011-05-11T23:19:00.000-07:00

DEAR BILLY GRAHAM: I’m taking a religion class in college, and before Easter, my professor (who says he’s an agnostic) said there are lots of ancient myths about gods who died and rose again from the dead, and the story of Jesus rising from the dead is just another myth. Have you ever heard of this idea? It’s kind of shaken my faith. — J.L.

DEAR J.L.: With all due respect, your professor has let his own prejudice about Jesus influence his teaching, and you need to realize this. He wants to persuade you to believe (or disbelieve) just like he does and has selected his material with this in mind.

What he told you isn’t new; I encountered it myself when I was in college. The difference is that I had a brilliant professor who was also a devout believer, and he pointed out the error of equating Jesus with the mythological gods of the ancient pagan world.

The key is this: Jesus Christ was a real, living person, unlike the mythological gods. He lived in a real place; his actions were observed by real people; his life was carefully recorded by real historians. As one of them wrote, “We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty” (2 Peter 1:16).

Pray for those around you who don’t know Christ, and ask God to help you be a bold but loving witness to them. Most of all, stay firm in your faith. Ask God to help you find other believers on your campus to encourage and help you.
(Source: http://www.kansascity.com/2011/05/11/2865260/billy-graham-professor-shakes.html)

May 21st: Judgment Day

2011-05-11T23:06:00.000-07:00

May 21, 2012 will be Judgment Day. If you believe in the Mayan prophecies or the religious such as Reverend Camping, the world will be ending in about a week in a half. So what do you have to do to get ready for the rapture? We at pnosker.com have you covered!

First of all, the History Channel tells me that these Mayan prophecies are real. Well at least I think they do since they always air shows about them and Nostradamus and all that stuff that they have to be real. They also aired a special on drugs and Hitler and that was real so this must be too. The History Channel doesn’t usually air anything besides Nazi-related programming besides their reality shows so it must be legitimate.

Second of all, when have the religious ever been wrong? Creationism’s real right? Right? /Looks up in science books. Okay maybe not. But what about Adam and Eve? Well that would’ve required incest assuming Cain and Able were their only kids so I guess they wouldn’t be down with that. Oh and Scientologists are religious too so that doesn’t exactly help them.

Still they’re closer to God just ask them. Point organized religion.

So what are you supposed to do over the next ten days? Say goodbye to your loved ones? Why? If this is actually happening you’re getting pulled up to heaven or dropped to hell right with them so there’s no point in that. You should do something awesome instead.

You should do something like try to capture animals and domesticate them so you can be a real life Pokemon trainer. Awesome. You should eat lots and lots of things that are bad for you like cheeseburgers, fat sandwiches, donuts, and whatever else you can think of. Make milksteak with a side of jelly beans, raw.

Ask out that woman you’ve always been in love with. Sure she’ll say no but hey it’s the old college try.

Go streaking somewhere inappropriate. Everyone will be too caught up in the freaking rapture to give a damn about your micropenis.

Go burn down a Subway since their sandwiches suck and are soggy and Jared’s a jerk. Some of us don’t get endorsement deals for losing weight on our own.

Steal Snooki’s money. She didn’t earn it. Better yet, act out the bank robbery scene from the introduction to the Dark Knight where everyone has masks on except YOU get to be the Joker and kill everyone else. Then use that money to go crazy and wipe yourself with $100 bills.

Try to see if you can get hit by a car and survive. That’d be a badass story if the world doesn’t end. The other side of it….it’s your own risk. It’s the rapture after all. Die now or later.

Go to Fox and burn the last 10 seasons of the Simpsons. Nobody needs to see those EVER AGAIN. And burn the last five years of Family Guy too. And all of the Cleveland Show.

Try to help bring back Reese’s Crunchy Cookie Cups and Surge!

There’s really so much I want you to do you want to do in your life that you should make it all happen over the next ten days while you’re still amongst the living. Sure you can get Phil Hartman to act out your script of NewsRadio in the afterlife but until then, you’ve just got us and we’ve got you.

Tell the world to shove it and do some awesome karate moves and beat some guys up. It’s your world and you might only have it for ten more days.
(Source: http://www.pnosker.com/news/tech/1122-may-21st-judgment-day)

‘Celebrity Apprentice’ Recap: Nene Leaves and Meatloaf Has An Emotional Breakdown!

2011-05-08T21:52:00.000-07:00

A lot went down this week between the final contestants and emotions seem to be getting the best of everyone. Get the scoop!

The show had to begin by addressing the conflict between Nene Leakes and Star Jones from last week, but Nene claimed they “couldn’t work it out,” so Donald decided to have Nene and Meatloaf switch teams.
The first of two challenges was to promote and sell tickets to a comedy show. The teams are now: John Rich, Lil’ John, Layota Jackson, and Nene vs. Meatloaf, Marlee Matlin, and Star.

Star pulled some strings to get Tracy Morgan to make a video appearance. LaToya wanted to make a big splash as team leader because it was her first time on the boy’s team and also her first week back since begging Donald to let her back on the show.

Nene disappeared for no reason other than that she just wanted to “be alone,” and Ivanka Trump expressed her disappointment in the lack of participation. After multiple unanswered calls, Nene sent a text to LaToya saying that she couldn’t stand the negative working environment of the show, so she needed to quit for good.

John pulled strings for his team with his friend, Jimmy Fallon, who agreed to do a bit for the comedy show.

Despite Meatloaf’s weirdness and constant crying throughout the episode, his stage presence was awesome. He really pulled through even though his teammates had low expectations. Marlee’s comedy segment was hilarious from what the TV audience could tell, but it was so heavily edited that it left us wanting more.

Best quote of the episode: “If you don’t offend people, then you probably aren’t funny”- Tracy Morgan

LaToya’s team did a great job too, especially when Jimmy Fallon came out and performed, in which he sang a song he wrote called “You’re fired!” He even brought a check for $10,000 to charity and managed to reference Omarosa during the song.

During the board meeting, Meatloaf cried AGAIN, and basically begged for Donald to give his charity money even if his team didn’t win. Donald reminded him that even though the show is about charity, it is more about winning. Marlee stood behind the ‘loaf and said he was a vital team member.

LaToya took an equally impartial stance and vouched that both her team members, John and Lil’ John worked equally.

Meatloaf ended up winning the competition and $190,000 dollars for his charity, the Painted Turtle children’s camp. When Donald pushed LaToya to throw someone under the bus, she wouldn’t and kept insisting that they were all equal players — leading to her second “You’re fired!’ LaToya was not only the only person in Celebrity Apprentice history to be allowed back on the show, but is now the only person to be fired TWICE.

Thanks to this week’s three hour time slot, there was another entire competition to enjoy, this one for the company OnStar. Their goal was to emphasize safety and constant availability, not only for new cars but old models as well. You can now buy OnStar across the country at all (product placement) Best Buy stores. Team leaders this time were Marlee and John Rich because both have been fundraising power-houses throughout the show.

The OnStar execs were very clear on what they were looking for in a commercial, but both teams had their flaws. John Rich wanted to blame his poor performance throughout the decision-making process on his sinus infection, which was apparently debilitating from the montage of “Sick John.”

Their flaws in the final product were that the actress in the commercial was featured driving a car without a seat belt, big No-No, and that at times it seemed like Lil’ John’s yelling at the camera was more appropriate for a discount home appliance ad than for an upscale safety feature.

Marlee let an over-enthusiastic Meatloaf take the reigns for creative control, which seemed odd because he pitched an idea about a cop and a doughnut shop. Their commercial wound up being cheesy and overall not what the OnStar execs were looking for.

The men’s team won, so, like every previous episode, they proceeded to take shots to the face in the green room while Donald, Ivanka, and another random Trump son deliberated over who to fire.

After an emotional shouting match between Star and Meatloaf, during which Meatloaf pressed a button by calling her “Sweetie,” Star was fired from this week’s episode.
(Source: http://www.hollywoodlife.com/2011/05/09/celebrity-apprentice-recap-may-8-donald-trump-fired-star-jones-meatloaf-latoya/)

Red Wings avoid elimination, force Game 6 vs. Sharks

2011-05-08T21:45:00.000-07:00

The Wings rallied from a third-period deficit to win 4-3 and trail 3-2 in the second-round series. Game 6 is Tuesday in Detroit.

Howard faced 30 shots through 40 minutes and 42 in all. Datsyuk assisted on three goals, helping the Wings score three times in a little more than 10 minutes during the third period.

"Howie got us to the third period," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. "Our D was good and our goaltending was good, but we weren't competitive enough up front."

Niklas Kronwall and Jonathan Ericsson each scored immediately after goals from the Sharks to ebb their momentum. Danny Cleary and Tomas Holmstrom each scored their first goals of the series to tie and then get the Wings their only lead.

"We just kept battling," captain Nicklas Lidstrom said. "They got their third goal within a minute of the start of the third period, but we just kept battling and found a way to score. We just kept going after them. We weren't giving up at all."

Datsyuk was especially relentless on the winning goal, taking the puck away from Patrick Marleau and finding Lidstrom.

"He just plays with that determination that you can't take the puck away from him," Lidstrom said of Datsyuk. "It's great to see that he's skating hard with the puck, too, whether it's forechecking or backchecking."

The Wings' penalty kill came through for the second consecutive game, denying the Sharks on four opportunities.

"We made some adjustments the other night, back at home before Game 4, and they seem to be working for us," Howard said.

The Wings are trying to become the fourth team in NHL history to overcome a 3-0 deficit. They're halfway there after exerting their will in a game the Sharks had in control up until early in the third period.

"At the end of the night, we lost the game," Sharks coach Todd McLellan said. "That's the most disappointing thing. We didn't play a poor game and that's hard to swallow. We didn't give up many opportunities and I thought we had some poise and composure in the third period. They took advantage of some of our mistakes and they put it in the net."

Devin Setoguchi scored late in the first period and Joe Pavelski late in the second, and Logan Couture made it 3-1 on a breakaway 54 seconds into the third.

"We found a way to dig ourselves out of the mess," Kronwall said.

The third-period rally began with Datsyuk backhanding a pass out front to Henrik Zetterberg, who had his shot blocked. Ericsson quickly pounced, slipping the puck behind Antti Niemi. Cleary showed his tenacity less than two minutes later when he picked the puck up behind the net, wrapped it around to the right post and then kept whacking until he got it into the net.

Holmstrom tipped Lidstrom's shot at 13:52, silencing the crowd and showing the Sharks the Wings weren't done yet.

"I think we realized the situation," Cleary said. "We had a good push. They got that quick goal to make it 3-1, and we got a big goal by E and then I got one and then we kept coming. We didn't sit back. We tried to be aggressive and force the issue.

" Great play by Pav, for sure. He's a great player. He works hard. That work ethic and his skill level combined, that's why he's so good."
(Source: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/nhl/2011-05-08-red-wings-sharks_N.htm)

TV Open Thread: Sister Wives - “The Brown Family Decision"

2011-05-08T20:31:00.000-07:00

As the Browns prepare for Christmas, they learn the police investigation results were turned over to the county prosecutor. The sister wives put up Christmas lights, flirt with a Christmas tree vendor, and make presents for the kids, all while they struggle to figure out what they are going to do to protect their family. Finally they head to a snow-bound cabin in the mountains to get away from the pressure. Once they arrive in this winter wonderland, they reveal a decision that will affect the rest of their lives.

Dear Sister Wives fans,

I hate to miss this one, but I have to attend a family event and I won’t, if you can believe it, be anywhere near either a TV or computer on the night of Sunday, May 8th.

This means that I won’t be able to post my regular TV Open Thread column Sunday night, but I will be back on the following Sunday at about 10 PM, commenting on the new episodes of the season.

We should be hearing something about Robyn’s pregnancy before long! I hope you will all forgive me, please use comment space to rant and rave about tonight's Sister Wives; I will be back in the saddle as soon as possible.

Happy Mother’s Day!
(Source: http://blogcritics.org/video/article/tv-open-thread-sister-wives-the3/)

If Jennifer was a Contestant.....

2011-05-05T19:53:00.000-07:00

I don’t think Jennifer Lopez would crack the top 10 of American Idol if she was competing. Not that that’s entirely a bad thing for careers — Lady Antebellum was on the show tonight performing their new single and it turns out that Hilary, one of the lead singers, auditioned for Idol years back and didn’t even get to the judges. Ahh well, we can’t win them all.

Tonight, Ryan says we might be surprised by who is going home. This means Jacob’s not it. Damn. 60 million votes came in, and I sent 59 of them. I can’t do this power texting/calling thing, guys. I’m not a teenage girl! I can’t. My ADD kicks in and I have to do something else. Like write recaps. Or watch shiny videos of David Cook on Idol.

So! The whole point of this show. To find the next great — what’s this, more promotional time for our aging rock star and aging dance star? Jennifer, go ahead and perform your awful single on the stage. And what’s this? A preview of your new single and video? How generous of you! And Steven, you wrote a book? Wow. This self-promotion isn’t getting out of hand at all.

Under the Cut we get America’s Next Great Omelette, the twitter quotes of the evening, and the swan song of one of our “treasured” Idols.

The Top 5 get to sing “Happy Together,” and while Lauren and Haley blend well together, the song lacks punch and the guys sound rubbish together. Grateful when that one ended and we could move on to our Ford Music Commercial. They also mentioned audition dates for this summer. It’s my last year of eligibility, and I can sing better than Jennifer Lopez without autotune, so I should audition, yes?

Gordon Ramsey, last seen on Idol dissing Stefano Langone’s mom, re-appears and makes the contestants cook him things. Jacob’s song to his omelette is better than anything he put out on the stage last night. Friend Tweet of the Night: “Is Gordon Ramsey judging an omelette competition on Idol, or am I going mad?”

Lady Antebellum performs, and I enjoy them again. The first time I had ever heard of them was last year when they also performed on Idol, singing “Need You Now.” It is currently my text ringtone.

Jimmy “the Tool” Iovine gets to discuss the Idols’ performances from last night. I definitely didn’t listen to him, because he is a Giant Tool. James is up first, and he is told to stand in one corner of the stage.

Lauren comes up next, and Ryan makes her stand on the opposite corner. I see where this is going, Idol. Ryan promises more results after Jennifer Lopez and Pitbull perform. Friend’s tweet of the night: JLo is going to teach these contestants the fine art of the lip synch.#AmericanIdol

Back to Fun Times in Gordon Ramsay’s kitchen. Jacob and Lauren, the “Winners” of America’s Next Top Idol Chef get to do a blind taste test. Which was actually pretty funny. Jacob insisted “a hot dog is a kind of sausage!” Yeah, in the same vein Jacob, you’re as much of a singer as Kelly Clarkson.

Then Jennifer performed and the woman has mad dancing skills. I am guessing she’s lip syncing most of it, but she did sound out of breath at one point, so who knows?

Then Ryan gets to the point of the whole show. Jacob joins Lauren and Haley joins James. Jimmy tries to claim he’s on Team Haley. No, it is too late for you, Jimmy the Tool.

Then Ryan summons Scotty, tells him he’s safe, and that he’s always been safe, and tells him to pick his group. Scotty adamantly refuses. Ryan drags him over to Haley and James and we saved Haley! Hurray! Lauren is a mess. (I get it, the kid is 16 and it’s a tough spot for her to be in, so no hating here). Jacob hugs her and tries to comfort her a bit and Ryan tries to fake comfort her.

After another commercial break, we find out that Jacob is going home and the shock Ryan alluded to was Lauren being in the bottom 2. Not so shocking when you realize that Lauren was probably in the bottom 2 last week as well — they covered it up by giving the results in “random” order. The fact is that a large part of her voting block was affected by the storms in the South, so I’m not surprised that she suffered from lower votes last week.

The top 4, America: Scotty, Lauren, James, and Haley. Scotty’s still got a lead on winning this thing, as does James. I can see either of the women sneaking into the finale, but I think we’ll be with an all guy finale once again. Place your bets now! I’ve a Scotty-James finale, and if Haley’s fans whip up in a frenzy next week again she’ll get 3rd. Lauren’s armies might marshal though and put her through to top 2.
(Source:

Maryland basketball coach Gary Williams retires

2011-05-05T19:42:00.000-07:00

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – After sweating through crisp white shirts and expensive suits for more than three decades, Maryland basketball coach Gary Williams is finally ready to take it easy.

Williams announced his retirement Thursday, saying "it's the right time" for him to end a career in which he led his alma mater to the 2002 national championship.

Williams coached for 33 years, the last 22 at Maryland, where he played as a guard from 1964-67.

"My entire career has been an unbelievable blessing. I am fiercely proud of the program we have built here," Williams said. "I couldn't have asked any more from my players, my assistant coaches, the great Maryland fans and this great university. Together, we did something very special here."

His career record is 668-380, including 461-252 at Maryland. Under his direction, the Terrapins went to the NCAA tournament 14 times, won or shared three Atlantic Coast Conference titles and reached the Final Four twice.

Williams was a fiery competitor who despised losing and loved the challenge of competing against the best teams in the nation — including Duke, which usually got the best of him. But the Terrapins never went down without a fight, and rarely did Williams ever take a seat on the bench.

His frenzied style, and his propensity to sweat on the sideline more than his players, was as much a part of his legend as wins and losses.

"I love Gary. What he has done for Maryland and for college basketball is remarkable," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "He is one of the great coaches of all time. He is a coaches' coach and an ultimate competitor. His retirement is a big loss for the ACC and for college basketball."

Williams, 66, arrived at Maryland in 1989, when the program was still struggling under the weight of NCAA violations. The Terps endured two straight losing seasons before reaching the NCAA tournament for the first time under his direction in 1994, and he never had another sub-.500 season the rest of the way.

"Gary Williams is a legend," Maryland athletic director Kevin Anderson said. "His accomplishments on the court have earned him a place among the elite in college basketball history. But Gary's legacy here at Maryland goes far beyond basketball. From his philanthropic efforts to his tireless work with fans and alumni to his impact with our students, Gary has left an indelible mark of excellence on this university."

Since 2004, Williams has served as the scholarship co-chair for Great Expectations, Maryland's $1 billion fundraising campaign. His efforts on behalf of Maryland students have helped raise over $240 million for scholarships at the school.

The retirement announcement comes one season after the Terrapins endured a 19-14 record and missed both the NCAA tournament and the NIT. Also, on Wednesday, standout center Jordan Williams formally entered the NBA draft with two years of eligibility left.

Williams began his college coaching career at American University in 1978. He went to Boston College in 1982 and then spent three seasons at Ohio State, from 1986-89, before coming to Maryland.

He had a chilly relationship with Debbie Yow, who served as athletic director at Maryland from 1994-2010. But Yow and Williams were both in Atlanta in 2002 when Williams guided the Terrapins to their lone NCAA title in men's basketball.

"Gary is one of the best X and O coaches in college basketball. He will be greatly missed by Terps everywhere," said Yow, now the athletic director at North Carolina State. "I trust that he will be selected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame soon. Also, his name should be on the Comcast Center floor, as was proposed a year ago."

Williams will stay on with Maryland as assistant athletic director and special assistant to Anderson.

During his time at Maryland, Williams dueled with many of the ACC's most successful coaches. He ranks third in the ACC in wins behind only Dean Smith of North Carolina and Krzyzewski.

"Gary has been an iconic figure in the ACC," ACC commissioner John Swofford said. "His resurrection of the Maryland program to national championship status was huge, not only for the University of Maryland, but the Atlantic Coast Conference as well. His long term consistent success is what I admire the most about Gary. His accomplishments are of Hall of Fame caliber."

Williams, Anderson and University President Dr. Wallace D. Loh will attend a press conference on campus Friday for the formal announcement of the coach's retirement.

Some of the outstanding players to play under Williams at Maryland included NBA stars Walt Williams, Juan Dixon, Joe Smith, Greivis Vasquez and Steve Blake.

"What Gary did at Maryland was amazing for the basketball program, the university, but most of all for the players who he coached," said Jimmy Patsos, Williams' former assistant and now head coach at Loyola (Md.). "I would not be a head coach if not for Gary, and there are a lot of NBA players who would not be in the league if not for him.

"I think what epitomizes Gary as a coach is to look at the NBA playoffs now and see Steve Blake and Greivis Vasquez. A lot of people never expected them to be great players, even in college, but through Gary's coaching, they became All-Americans at Maryland and great NBA players."

Williams' decision to step down began a buzz that covered much of the state of Maryland.

"Gary's leadership and outstanding coaching and recruiting abilities have developed the talents and skills of some of today's best athletes, and helped them to become great professionals and individuals with confidence and character — on and off the court," Maryland governor Martin O'Malley said. "In 2001, he led the Terps to their first Final Four in school history, and in 2002, they brought home an NCAA national championship.

"Though it will be difficult to imagine men's basketball at College Park without Gary Williams, we certainly wish him much success in the future."
(Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110505/ap_on_sp_co_ne/bkc_maryland_williams_retires)

Oprah Honors Freedom Riders

2011-05-04T22:03:00.000-07:00

The year was 1961. John F. Kennedy was sworn in as America's 35th president, and the Camelot era was, for many, a time of hope and optimism. That same year, the United States put its first man into space, and popular TV shows like Leave It to Beaver and The Andy Griffith Show depicted the all-American life.

But those idyllic images were not reflective of life for many African-Americans, especially in the Deep South. Despite efforts to end segregation, Jim Crow laws still forced black people to use separate water fountains, public restrooms and waiting rooms. And on buses and trains, black citizens were told to sit in the back.

In 1946 and again in 1960, the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed these racist practices, but many white southerners continued to follow their own set of rules.

Then, in the spring and summer of 1961, a courageous coalition of men and women—black and white, young and old—boarded buses in protest of these discriminatory practices. They called themselves the Freedom Riders.

"For many of you watching, I know that this may be the first time you're even hearing about the Freedom Rides, but let me tell you, if it were not for these American heroes, this country would be a very different place right now," Oprah says. "The lives of millions of you watching at home would be dramatically different. I know my life would be were it not for them."
Continue reading...
(Source: http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Oprah-Honors-Freedom-Riders)

Biography: Osama bin Laden

2011-05-04T21:31:00.000-07:00

Jihadist leader. Born Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden on March 10, 1957, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to construction billionaire Mohammed Awad bin Laden and Mohammed's 10th wife, Syrian-born Alia Ghanem. Osama was the seventh of 50 children born to Muhammad bin Laden, but the only child from his father's marriage to Alia Ghanem.

Osama's father started his professional life in the 1930s in relative poverty, working as a porter in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. During his time as a young laborer, Mohammed impressed the royal family with his work on their palaces, which he built at a much lower cost than any of his competitors could, and with a much greater attention to detail. By the 1960s, he had managed to land several large government contracts to build extensions on the Mecca, Medina and Al-Aqsa mosques. He became a highly influential figure in Jeddah; when the city fell on hard financial times, Mohammed used his wealth to pay all civil servants' wages for the entire kingdom for a six-month period. As a result, Mohammed bin Laden became well respected in his community.

As a father, he was very strict, insisting that all his children live under one roof and observe a rigid religious and moral code. He dealt with his children, especially his sons, as if they were adults, and demanded they become confident and self-sufficient at an early age.

Osama, however, barely came to know his father before his parents divorced. After his family split, Osama's mother took him to live with her new husband, Muhammad al-Attas. The couple had four children together, and Osama spent most of his childhood living with his step-siblings, and attending Al Thagher Model School at the time the most prestigious high school in Jedda. His biological father would go on to marry two more times, until his death in a charter plane crash in September 1967.

At the age of 14, Osama was recognized as an outstanding, if somewhat shy, student at Al Thagher. As a result, he received a personal invitation to join a small Islamic study group with the promise of earning extra credit. Osama, along with the sons of several prominent Jedda families, were told the group would memorize the entire Koran, a prestigious accomplishment, by the time they graduated from the institution. But the group soon lost its original focus, and during this time Osama received the beginnings of an education in some of the principles of violent jihad.

The teacher who educated the children, influenced in part by a sect of Islam called The Brotherhood, began instructing his pupils in the importance of instituting a pure, Islamic law around the Arab world. Using parables with often-violent endings, their teacher explained that the most loyal observers of Islam would institute the holy wordeven if it meant supporting death and destruction. By the second year of their studies, Osama and his friends had openly adopted the attitude and styles of teen Islamic activists. They preached the importance of instituting a pure Islamic law at Al Thagher; grew untrimmed beards; and wore shorter pants and wrinkled shirts in imitation of the Prophet's dress.
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(Source: http://www.biography.com/articles/Osama-bin-Laden-37172)

Watch The Royal Wedding live on Yahoo! News

2011-04-28T10:41:00.000-07:00

Whether you will be watching every moment or just want to see the ceremony, Yahoo! will be your one stop for all royal wedding updates. You won't miss a thing. Here's what you can expect:

Live streaming video: No TV? No problem, just come back to this page, starting at 1 a.m. PT/4 a.m. ET on Friday morning, where we'll have live video of every moment of the event courtesy of ABC News, hosted by Diane Sawyer and Barbara Walters. Live coverage will continue through 7 a.m. PT/10 a.m. ET

Here is a full schedule:

8.15 a.m. London time (12.15 a.m. PT/3.15 a.m. ET) - According to royal officials, the general congregation will arrive at Westminster Abbey between 8.15 a.m. and 9.45 a.m.

9.50 a.m. London time (1.50 a.m. PT/4.50 a.m. ET) Governors-General and Prime Ministers of Realm Countries, the Diplomatic Corps, and other distinguished guests arrive at the Abbey.

10.10 a.m. London time (2.10 a.m. PT/5.10 a.m. ET) Prince William and Prince Harry leave Clarence House for Westminster Abbey. They arrive at the Abbey at 10.15 a.m.

10.20 a.m. London time (2.20 p.m. PT/5.20 p.m. ET) Carole Middleton and Kate's younger brother James leave the Goring Hotel for Westminster Abbey. They arrive at the Abbey at 10.27 a.m.

10.35 a.m. London time (2.35 a.m. PT/5.35 a.m. ET) The following members of the royal family leave Buckingham Palace for Westminster Abbey: Princess Anne and Vice-Admiral Timothy Laurence; Prince Andrew, Duke of York; Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice; Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Sophie, Countess of Wessex. They arrive at the Abbey at 10.40 a.m.

10.38 a.m. London time (2.38 a.m. PT/5.38 a.m. ET) Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall leave Clarence House for Westminster Abbey. They arrive at the Abbey at 10.42 a.m.

10.40 a.m. London time (2.40 a.m. PT/5.40 a.m. ET) The Queen and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh leave Buckingham Palace for Westminster Abbey. Let's hope the queen doesn't sleep through her alarm.

10.48 a.m. London time (2.48 a.m. PT/5.48 a.m. ET) The bridesmaids and pages leave the Goring Hotel for Westminster Abbey. They arrive at the Abbey at 10.55 a.m.

10:51 a.m. London time (2:51 a.m. PT/5:51 a.m. ET) - Kate and her father Mike Middleton will depart the Goring Hotel via car, a somewhat controversial decision as it is the first time since 1963 that a royal bride has not arrived at the church by horse-drawn carriage. Their car will travel along The Mall, passing by Clarence House, Whitehall, and Parliament Square before arriving at the Abbey.

11 a.m. London time (3 a.m. PT/6 a.m. ET) - The service begins at 11:00 a.m. sharp, so turn off your cell phones and throw some butter on your popcorn. While the Dean of Westminster will conduct the church service, William and Kate will actually be married by Rowan Douglas Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury. The marriage service will be relayed by audio speakers along the procession route.

12.15 p.m. London time (4.15 a.m. PT/7.15 a.m. ET) - Following the ceremony, Prince William and Princess Catherine, now husband and wife, will return to Buckingham Palace in a procession of horse-drawn coaches (with the newlyweds in the 1902 State Landau carriage), passing by the thousands of well-wishers who will be lining the streets.

12.30 p.m. London time (4:30 a.m. PT/7:30 a.m. ET) - Once back at the Palace, the newlyweds will be met by the queen and enjoy a swanky champagne reception.

1.25 p.m. London time (5.25 a.m. PT/8.25 a.m. ET) - The couple and their families will take a moment to appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony. Chances are William and Kate will share a kiss for the crowds and cameras.

1.30 p.m. London time (5.30 a.m. PT/8.30 a.m. ET) - The royals watch a flypast by the Royal Air Force and Battle of Britain Memorial Flight before returning inside for the queen's reception.

7 p.m. London time (11 a.m. PT/2 p.m. ET) - Following that epic soiree, the Prince of Wales (William's father, Charles) will host a private dinner and dance, also at Buckingham Palace. This event will be for just the bride and groom's closest friends and family. If ever there was an opportunity for the Queen to bust out the Electric Slide, this will be it.
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(Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_royals/watch-the-royal-wedding-live-on-yahoo-news)