Today's U.S.A: The Latest and Hottest News......

2009-03-19T07:36:00.000-07:00

A Long and Long Recession

2009-03-08T08:27:00.000-07:00

They all say about the same thing: it isn’t going to be over soon. A. Michael Spence, who won the Nobel prize in economics in 2001, says we will have an unusually long and deep recession through 2010. This includes many of the countries of Europe where “banks have American-style problems with toxic assets.” Goldman Sachs has predicted a deep global recession, with worldwide gross domestic product shrinking 0.6 percent this year. The billions of dollars that have evaporated in this country will be multiplied many times over in European and Asian markets. Not just our economy, but the world economy is being reshaped.

Each day brings additional declines in the U.S. economy – some of the losses are record-setting. Many Americans are quite literally shell-shocked: their jobs gone, their savings wiped out or nearly so, and the number of homes in foreclosure unrelenting. Americans, reassured by lenders that all was well, went on a drunken binge overborrowing and overspending.

Those who whistle in the dark and say things are as bad as they are going to be, and that an upturn is just around the corner. But one need only observe that people simply aren’t buying – anything. Niall Ferguson, a professor of finance at Harvard says, “My strong suspicion is that we are now in something more like a Great Recession. It won’t produce as steep a fall in American output as the Depression did, but it may prove to be as prolonged.”

What has been proposed – and it has met with caution cynicism – are new taxes on the rich (those earning over $250,000 a year) and strict limits on tax deductions. Charitable organizations especially are already feeling the pinch. There are fewer dollars left over on payday for charitable contributions. “Payday” presupposes that the majority of Americans will remain employed. The unemployed will create a domino effect on the housing market, health care, organized labor, pension funds, and leisure activities.

I titled a recent blog, “We’re beginning to look a lot like France.” I stand corrected by Patrick Buchanan who wrote recently in Real Clear Politics, “We are not headed down the road to socialism. We are there.”

Why, then, are we being lied to and told we’re already beginning to see an upturn? It’s like losing a limb - it ain’t gonna grow back!

Job numbers to show cost of economic downturn

2009-03-08T08:15:00.000-07:00

OTTAWA -- The coming week will feature data on last month's job situation in Canada, and it's not expected to be pretty.

Analysts are expecting a smaller number than the record 129,000 job losses Statistics Canada reported for January. But heavy losses are still expected as Canada endures a recession sparked by a full-blown economic crisis in its largest trading partner, the United States.

"Canada's employment elevator is heading down, so the only question is just how many floors it dropped in February after plunging so steeply the prior month," Avery Shenfeld, an economist with CIBC World Markets, wrote in a report released Friday.

Shenfeld's forecast is for a loss of 45,000 jobs, slightly more optimistic than the market consensus of 47,500. He estimates that will put Canada's unemployment rate at 7.5 per cent, which would be the highest since November 2003.

"January's slide was so off the charts that we expect a lighter, if still formidable, loss of 45,000 positions in February, taking the unemployment rate to 7.5 per cent," he said. "Manufacturing (losses) likely can't match January's pace, but construction could be worse, and financial services could be a new area of weakness."

Canada's job numbers are due this coming Friday, a week after figures from the U.S. showed 651,000 jobs lost there in February. That pushed its unemployment rate to a 25-year-high of 8.1 per cent.

On Tuesday, Canadians might get some hints of near-future job prospects as staffing agency Manpower Inc. releases its quarterly outlook based on employers' plans to add to or subtract from their headcounts this spring.

Coinciding with the labour-force survey on Friday, Statistics Canada will release merchandise-trade figures for January. In December, Canada ran its first trade deficit in more than 30 years - taking $458 million more in imports than what was exported - and that deficit is believed to have widened the following month.

Shenfeld is expecting a trade deficit of $1.08 billion for January, along the lines of what other analysts are saying. He's also expecting Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. on Monday to report that housing starts were down about six per cent in February from the previous month to an annual rate of 145,000.

Millan Mulraine, economics strategist with TD Securities, has an identical forecast for housing starts.

"Both single-family and multi-family units should post declines," he wrote in a research note. "And with labour-market and domestic economic conditions continuing to weaken, we expect further moderation in residential-building activity."

Shenfeld said the Canadian economic data over the coming week will be "simply more evidence that the recession will be biting hard in Q1."

Such data will follow up on recent figures that showed Canada's GDP shrinking 3.4 per cent in 2008's fourth quarter.

On a brighter note, Shenfeld said he expects a relatively light week in the way of disastrous reports on the U.S. economy, which might give stock markets a "one-week respite from the torrent of bad data."

Some of the U.S. reports to be released in the coming week include February's retail sales numbers on Thursday, and that country's trade figures on Friday.

Shenfeld said U.S. retail numbers might provide a "pleasant surprise," since they won't include auto fleet sales, which contributed heavily to declines in the most recent data for auto sales. CIBC is expecting a 0.2 per cent decline in U.S. retail sales for February, somewhat more optimistic than the market consensus of a 0.5 per cent drop.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich hints at 2012 presidential run

2009-03-06T12:08:00.000-08:00

Now that would be real change. Newt Gingrich may be gearing up for a 2012 run for the presidency.

The former House Speaker and conservative icon dropped hints about his political aspirations this week.

"Callista [Bisek] and I will look seriously, and we'll probably get our family totally engaged, including our two grandchildren, probably in January 2011, and we'll look seriously at whether or not we think its necessary to do it," Gingrich told the Richmond Times-Dispatch Thursday.

"And if we think it's necessary we'll probably do it," he said.

In an issue that ran last weekend, Gingrich told The New York Times magazine, that he is "a contributor to my country and to my times. If it turns out that there’s a moment when it makes sense to run, then I'll run."

On his Web site, newt.org, Gingrich sounds like a candidate, with the slogan, "Real Change Requires Real Change." But the 65-year-old remains a deaply polarizing figure after he led a Republican Congress into multiple showdowns with the Clinton Administration during his tenure as House Speaker the mid '90s.

Gingrich, however, did tell the Times-Dispatch that there are rising stars in the GOP that would be qualified to take up the mantle, including Virginia Rep. Eric Cantor.

Charlie Chaplin's son, Sydney, dies at 82

2009-03-06T12:04:00.000-08:00

Sydney Chaplin, the oldest surviving son of film legend Charlie Chaplin and a Tony-award winning actor in his own right, has died at the age of 82, the Los Angeles Times reported on Friday.

Chaplin, who starred opposite Barbra Streisand in "Funny Girl" on Broadway, died on Tuesday at his home in the California desert community of Rancho Mirage, due to complications from a stroke, the Times reported.

The second son of Charlie Chaplin and his second wife, Lita Grey, Sydney Chaplin was born in Beverly Hills in 1926 and recalled in interviews that he didn't know his father very well as a child.

After serving in World War Two he turned to acting, co-founding the Circle Theater in Los Angeles and taking a number of stage and screen roles.

He won a Tony award for the 1950s musical "Bells are Ringing" and appeared in the last film his father directed, 1967's "A Countess From Hong Kong."

The British-born Charlie Chaplin was one of Hollywood's first and greatest stars and a pioneering filmmaker, perhaps best remembered for his "Little Tramp" character.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters)

Schwarzenegger to sign budget Friday

2009-02-19T20:23:00.000-08:00

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger this afternoon thanked the Legislature for its "difficult but courageous" vote in finally approving a $41 billion budget package of steep tax increases and spending cuts designed to prevent the state from sliding into insolvency.

"This is the perfect medicine for our ailing economy and it will boost public confidence in California, reassure the financial community, and allow us resume selling our bonds and rebuild our state," Schwarzenegger told a Capitol news conference.

"Let's be clear, that our work is not over," he added, referring to a soon-to-be launched campaign to pass ballot measures that were tied to the budget vote.

He will sign the budget — to last through June 2010 — on Friday.

The breakthrough, after more than five full days of sometimes round-the-clock negotiations in the Legislature, came around 1 a.m. when Senate Democrats agreed to meet the key demands of GOP Sen. Abel Maldonado in exchange for his vote to support $14 billion in temporary tax increases. The deal pushed the budget plan over the two-thirds threshold it needed to pass.

At the last minute, the tax hike was reduced to $12.8 billion by eliminating a 12-cents-per-gallon excise on gasoline that Maldonado had opposed — funding that will be made up with California's share of federal economic stimulus money.

About three hours after the compromise agreement hatched between legislative Schwarzenegger, the Senate and Assembly began voting on the budget package, which consisted of more than two dozen pieces of legislation, and the state's historic budget standoff came to an end. The impasse lasted more than three months and halted funding for public works projects across California, delayed tax refunds for millions of taxpayers, and caused the state's credit rating to be downgraded.

Tax refunds and other payments are now on track to be released in late February or early March, according to state Controller John Chiang.

"Today's budget agreement is a long overdue step that does not immediately fill our treasury that has run dry," Chiang said in a statement. "Because I have been forced by this situation to delay paying $3.3 billion this month to local governments, state contractors and even taxpayers themselves, the State still owes them the gratitude for their patience and for shouldering the real burden of gridlock."

The budget compromise deal between Maldonado, a moderate Republican whose district includes parts of Silicon Valley, and Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, cleared the way for votes early this morning to put California on sound financial footing again.

The agreement involved some raw political horse-trading.

In exchange for Maldonado's vote to raise taxes, Democrats agreed to place on the June 2010 ballot a pair of political reforms long sought by the senator: an overhaul of the state's electoral system to do away with partisan primaries and a refusal to raise lawmakers pay when the state is running a deficit.

One assemblyman called the deal "blackmail, extortion, and skulduggery." Another labeled it "political ransom." But with no end in sight to the budget nightmare, Steinberg and other Senate Democrats decided to swallow hard and meet Maldonado's demands.

"I'm a realist and I understood we needed a two-thirds vote," Sen. Elaine Alquist, D-San Jose, said of the tradeoff. "I did what I had to do."

Many legislators from both parties oppose a so-called "open primary" that would allow Democrats and Republicans to run in the same primary elections, with the top two vote getters advancing to the general election even if both are from the same party. (Alquist is a rare supporter of the system within her party.) Democrats also agreed to eliminate the proposed gas tax, part of a host of tax increases that led to a Republican revolt.

Schwarzenegger helped negotiate the agreement over lunch and cigars with Maldonado on Wednesday afternoon.

Amid those discussions, U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer warned that the stalemate could jeopardize the state's share of the multibillion-dollar federal stimulus package.

Republicans shook up the Capitol early Wednesday with the surprise ouster of Senate Minority Leader Dave Cogdill of Fresno. Cogdill — who was once firmly against taxes but in the past week agreed to raise them — was replaced by Sen. Dennis Hollingsworth, whose district includes parts of Riverside and San Diego counties. The new Senate Republican leader immediately vowed to fight the tax increases that are a cornerstone of the proposed budget solution.

"Anyone that runs around and says that this can be done without raising taxes, I think, has not really looked at it carefully, or has a math problem and has to go back and take Math 101," a frustrated Schwarzenegger told reporters.

Two-thirds vote

But the leadership shift did little to change the course of the budget-vote standoff, which could be resolved only with a two-thirds majority vote, including three Republicans in each chamber. Even after his ouster, Cogdill remained committed to raising taxes, as did Sen. Roy Ashburn, R-Bakersfield, which left Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders to rely on Maldonado.

Schwarzenegger has expressed his support for a nonpartisan primary, and the governor later vowed to push for a ballot measure to create such a system. So Democrats calculated that placing the measure on the ballot, where interest groups would likely spend tens of millions to defeat it, was worth the price of passing the budget.

Years of overspending and months of declining revenue have pushed California to the brink, which the budget plan would fix by cutting — according to figures amended in the pre-dawn hours this morning — $14.9 billion in spending, $12.8 billion in taxes and $11.4 billion in borrowing. Those increases include a temporary 1-cent sales tax beginning in April, a personal income tax surcharge, and a vehicle license fee increase.

Before the compromise was reached, the budget called for $15.1 billion in cuts and $14.4 billion in tax increases.

The budget is intended to close a projected $40 billion deficit through mid-2010. It includes a tax break that benefits the high-tech and biotech industries. Parts of the plan depend on a series of ballot measures voters will be asked to approve in a special election in May. One proposition would seek to expand the state lottery and borrow $5 billion against the expected increased revenues.

Another would impose a cap on future state spending of roughly 4 to 6 percent annually. If voters approve the spending limit, most of the taxes would last for four years. If it fails, the taxes would expire after two years.

The overall budget deal involved major tradeoffs for both parties that they would never have agreed to absent the state's financial crisis. For Democrats, the spending cap was high on that list. Republicans who voted for billions in new taxes acknowledged that it could be a career-ender.

"I don't think anybody's happy with this," said Sen. Denise Moreno Ducheny, "other than we get to go home and sleep."

Caroline Kennedy interested in Hillary Clintons Senate seat

2008-12-06T03:52:00.000-08:00

Appleton/News

Caroline Kennedy speaks at the 2008 Democratic Convention in Denver.

Arbogast/AP

[Barack Obama with Caroline Kennedy earlier this year.]

Caroline Kennedy has her eyes on the prize - the U.S. Senate seat Hillary Clinton will leave when she becomes secretary of state.

Kennedy, the daughter of former President John F. Kennedy, has called Gov. Paterson to discuss the two-year appointment and is "seriously considering" the job, her cousin, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., told the Daily News.

RFK Jr., whose father once held that Senate seat, said Caroline Kennedy and Paterson have spoken several times. He said the whole Kennedy clan would support her if she takes the seat and then runs for election in 2010.

"If she ran [in 2010], you would see the whole state flooded with Kennedys campaigning for her," RFK Jr. said. "There would be Kennedys no one even heard of. Our whole family would be delighted."

The Associated Press quoted two sources as saying Caroline Kennedy and the governor are expected to meet privately to discuss the matter today, when Paterson travels to Washington for a dinner.

RFK Jr. said that although his 51-year-old cousin has shied away from politics, she's more open to the idea now because her kids are grown.

Paterson told New York 1 Friday night he "took a call" from Caroline Kennedy on Wednesday. He refused to detail the conversation, though he said, "We talked about a number of things, and the seat did come up in the conversation."

Paterson spokesman Errol Cockfield said the governor is seeking counsel from various people and "will move quickly to fill [the] Senate seat once the position becomes officially vacant."

Clinton has said she won't resign until after she is confirmed. Cockfield denied Paterson and Caroline Kennedy had plans to meet today.

A senior Democrat said a Kennedy in that seat is Sen. Chuck Schumer's "nightmare" because he again would be overshadowed by a junior colleague. "He would hate that."

On the other hand, President-elect Barack Obama, who won the endorsement of much of the Kennedy clan, including Caroline Kennedy, is clearly a fan. She campaigned for Obama, worked on the vice presidential search committee and spoke at the convention.

Obama spokesman Stephanie Cutter said the President-elect "has a very high regard for Caroline Kennedy. He has not spoken with Gov. Paterson or Caroline Kennedy about the race."

Caroline Kennedy, who could not be reached for comment Friday night, would be an immediate front-runner, Democrats said. She is the cousin of the ex-wife of Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, who is also considered a possibility for the Senate seat.

Winter weather advisory brings snow, slippery road conditions

2008-12-01T03:58:00.000-08:00

Mother Nature is giving western Illinois a glimpse of what's going to be more common soon.

Snowfall that began late Saturday night is expected to continue into Monday morning, heavy at times, with a total of up to seven inches possible. That total is updated from early Sunday morning when the forecast called for 2 to 5 inches of snow. Now the minimum amont of snow weather forecasters are predicting for the Galesburg area is 5 inches.

The National Weather Service has issued a WINTER STORM WARNING until Monday at 12 p-m. The system that's dropping the snow across the area is expected to be gone by sometime Monday and make way for a warmer day on Tuesday.

The snow that's fallen on Sunday is making for very slippery travel on Galesburg area roads, especially the secondary roads. Knox County deputies have been busy tending to several accidents, including a vehicle that was reportedly on its top near the Knoxville exit on Interstate 74. No injuries were reported in that mishap.

Drivers are urged to take their time, even allow a little extra time to get to where you are going, buckle up and slow down when out on the roads Sunday and Monday.

An early morning look down a snowy East Simmons Street.

Pictures of the downtown Galesburg area late Sunday morning as the snow continues to fall:

A look south down Willard Street:

(photos by Mike Perry and Will Stevenson, WGIL)

Obama Poised to Name Hillary Clinton to State Post

2008-12-01T03:43:00.000-08:00

U.S.A.

President-elect Barack Obama today will formally announce a national security team that is led by his one-time chief Democratic rival and includes a top member of President Bush's cabinet -- a daring gamble on an eclectic group of personalities to confront a turbulent world.

Obama plans to introduce the entire team at a press conference in Chicago scheduled to begin at 10:40 a.m. eastern time. Sen. Hillary Clinton traveled to Chicago to be introduced as Secretary of State, ending for good the bitter rivalry that blossomed during the long Democratic primary. As Obama's top diplomat, Clinton will be the face of his efforts to remake the country's foreign policy.

Obama and Clinton had each claimed to be the best candidate to restore the nation's reputation abroad, end the Iraq war and engage the new global economy as president. Now, they will try to do that together, though under Obama's direction.

Aiding in the effort will be Bush cabinet member Robert Gates, who will continue as Defense Secretary despite having overseen a war policy that was the subject of withering criticism from both Obama and Clinton during the campaign.

To be successful, Gates and Clinton will have to forge a working relationship that often eludes the secretaries of State and Defense even when they are members of the same party. Gates and Clinton will each have their own power base and have each sought assurances of access to Obama.

But Obama clearly believes the pair can work together, especially on the difficult task of withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq. To help in coordinating the competing views, Obama will turn to former Marine Gen. James Jones, who will serve as national security adviser.

Jones, who will operate inside the White House, will be charged with melding military and diplomatic policy and with helping Obama navigate the two bureaucracies.

The trio that Obama will introduce today represents a centrist team that has already angered some of the president-elect's most ardent liberal supporters, who had expected a foreign policy team with clear, left-leaning credentials.

But like his economic team, Obama has favored experience over ideology as he formed his national security cabinet. At a news conference last week, the president-elect defended his choices, saying that his nominees do not undercut the direction that voters chose on election day.

"Understand where the vision for change comes from, first and foremost," he told reporters. "It comes from me. That's my job, to provide a vision in terms of where we are going, and to make sure, then, that my team is implementing."

Obama will also announce today Eric Holder as Attorney General and Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano as the Secretary of Homeland Security. The pair will lead the effort to protect the country against terrorist attacks while stepping back from Bush Administration torture and interrogation policies that riled many in the country and became the subject of fierce attack during the campaign.

As a border-state governor, Napolitano will be in charge of efforts to revamp immigration policy. A former state attorney general, she has been a moderate and pragmatic governor with little interest in satisfying the left wing of the party.

Holder is a former judge, U.S. Attorney and deputy attorney general, and will become the first African American Attorney General. He is close to Obama, having co-led the search for a vice presidential candidate during the campaign.

Obama will also announce that Susan Rice, a close friend and adviser, will become the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, assuming a role that will once again become a cabinet-rank position in the Obama administration.

The decision to name Clinton as Secretary of State was made after working out an agreement with former president Bill Clinton regarding his global charity efforts. That agreement calls for Clinton to release the names of 208,000 donors to his foundation, and a willingness to refer questions about conflicts of interest to the State Department ethics office and to the White House counsel's office.

____Source: Google News

Holiday shoppers are spending

2008-11-30T03:03:00.000-08:00

Under these circumstances, to start off the season in this fashion is truly amazing and is a testament to the resiliency of the American consumer, and undeniably proves a willingness to spend. See Some of the Holiday shoppers Pictures.....

Shoppers rush to grab hot deals on electronics like
flatpanel TVs and Blu-Ray players at Wal-Mart.

Discount hunters hit a J.C. Penney store at 4 a.m.
Friday at the Columbia Mall in Grand Forks, N.D.

The Nike outlet in Woodburn Company Stores in
Woodburn, Ore., opened its doors to shoppers
on Thanksgiving Day.

'Twilight': Where does the fandemonium lead now?

2008-11-30T02:52:00.000-08:00

(Entertainment Weekly)

Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson strike sparks in "Twilight."

The moderator at a Sherman Oaks, California, movie theater was paying homage to Catherine Hardwicke. The director had just stunned "Twilight" fans by appearing for a surprise Q&A after a sold-out screening of her movie last Saturday night. The audience screamed as if Zac Efron -- or "Twilight's" own Rob Pattinson, for that matter -- had just strode on stage and dropped his drawers.

''OMG, OMG,'' the girls stuttered, trying desperately to remember their questions. Hardwicke cheerfully navigated the swarm on the way to the stage, comparing their united passion to what it used to be like following the Grateful Dead on tour -- and proceeded to dazzle them.

One 50-year-old woman asked the director what she thought it was about Pattinson's Edward that made women of all ages swoon. A "Twilight" mom in the audience shouted, ''He's gentlemanly and caring and unattainable and mysterious all at the same time!''

Hardwicke laughed and shrugged her shoulders. She said that when she brought her 70-year-old mother to the set she asked her mom if she'd like to meet Pattinson and his costar, Kristen Stewart. To which her mom promptly replied: ''Just Rob.''

The first movie to be adapted from Stephenie Meyer's breakout hit -- about the chaste romance between rebel vampire Edward and a shy high school girl named Bella -- left many, if not all, of the author's fans in a state of religious ecstasy. (The unconverted, though, most likely spent the weekend plugging their ears, willing themselves to their happy places where fangirls and vegetarian vampires never roam free.)

Made for less than $40 million, "Twilight" far exceeded box office predictions, pulling in a dizzying $69.6 million over opening weekend. ''Up until this week, everyone was thinking this would be a one-quadrant movie,'' says a top female studio executive. ''The men in this industry are still chasing the young boys -- even after 'Sex and the City.'''

--Source: CNN

Christmas train to Santa Paula is ready to board

2008-11-30T02:45:00.000-08:00

Every December, Michelle Corral participates in a family ritual: driving from her home in Ventura to the Santa Paula Christmas Tree Farm in search of the perfect pine to cut down and take home. The tradition began before she was old enough to walk.

"It's always been a nice place to come," Corral says. "There's always families all over the place picking out their trees, kids running around having a good time."

Michelle is 24 now and has a family of her own. But next weekend, the tradition will continue as she, her husband, Robert, and their two children embark on the annual quest. For the Corrals, a fake tree just won't do, nor will a real one that's been baking in a parking lot.

Farm owner Dan Roatman says that despite the sputtering economy, he expects to sell about 4,000 trees by Christmas Eve. In growing numbers, his customers are enjoying an unusual -- and fun -- means of reaching his place; they're traveling by train.

Twice each Saturday and Sunday through Dec. 21, hundreds of people will climb aboard restored passenger cars -- run by the Fillmore & Western Railway -- to make the eight-mile journey from Fillmore to Roatman's farm. There, within a few feet of the track, thousands of trees await.

Passengers have 90 minutes in which to find a tree and saw it down. Once it's wrapped in netting and paid for, the tree is loaded onto a flatcar. Anywhere between 90 to 120 trees accompany their buyers on the return trip.

Onboard, Santa Claus moves from car to car, greeting youngsters, handing out candy canes and posing for photos.

"We have people who come out year after year," says Dale Bolms, the railway's onboard service manager who stands in for St. Nick when he's busy at the North Pole. "It becomes a tradition for them and their family to go out and cut down their own Christmas tree."

The brightly decorated train travels through orange groves and vegetable fields on the journey to the tree farm.

"It's a family experience. That's what we create," he adds.

Roatman expects most of his customers the weekends of Dec. 6 and 7 and 13 and 14, when the trains are likely to be packed. Some dates are already filling up. Others planning to make the trip are encouraged to call for reservations now.

"Most people want to have a tree up 10 days to two weeks before Christmas," he said.

Bill Clinton agrees to release donor's names

2008-11-30T01:47:00.000-08:00

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Former President Bill Clinton has agreed to make public the names of more than 200,000 donors to his foundation as part of a deal with President-elect Barack Obama to clear the way for Sen. Hillary Clinton to become secretary of state, The New York Times reported on Sunday.

Citing Democrats close to Clinton and Obama, the newspaper reported Clinton had decided to publish his contributor list to avoid an appearance of conflict of interest with his wife's duties as secretary of state.

Her appointment is expected to be announced on Monday.

A member of Obama's transition team confirmed the conditions of the agreement as reported by the Times.

The contributors' list is one of nine conditions that Clinton agreed to in his discussions with Obama's representatives, the newspaper reported.

Clinton turned over the names of all 208,000 individuals and organizations that have given money since 1997, the Times said, while the agreement holds that his foundation will release them publicly by year's end.

Future donors will also be disclosed as long as Hillary Clinton is in the cabinet, it said.

The former president has also agreed to submit his speeches and business dealings in advance to State Department ethics officials for their review, as well as to the White House counsel's office if need be, the Times reported.

The Obama team said it expected Clinton's concessions would defuse any potential controversy, the report said.

Sunday Conversation: Ray Stevenson of 'Punisher: War Zone'

2008-11-29T12:54:00.000-08:00

HERO’S ROLE: Ray Stevenson is hoping that “Punisher: War Zone” leads to a successful movie franchise.

Ray Stevenson stars as Frank Castle in the "Punisher: War Zone" reboot of the Marvel Comics-based franchise. He played Titus Pullo in HBO's "Rome."
He's hoping a successful movie franchise can be built.

US, UK AND EU CONDEMN AIRPORT CLOSURES

2008-11-29T12:34:00.000-08:00

BANGKOK POST AND AFP

The United States, Britain and the European Union have issued statements urging anti-government protesters to vacate Bangkok's airports, saying the rallies are inappropriate and "seriously damaging" Thailand's image.

The US statement by Gordon Duguid, acting deputy spokesman of the Department of State said: "The US is deeply concerned about the actions of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) in seizing Bangkok's international and domestic airports, preventing the free movement of people and goods.

"While we respect the right to freedom of expression, seizing an airport is not an appropriate means of protest.

"We urge the PAD to walk away from the airports peacefully.

"We hope that this situation can be resolved without violence and in accordance with the law."

Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister Bill Rammell said yesterday that the situation facing the many British nationals stranded in Bangkok is frustrating and deeply concerning.

"Our priority is to help them get home, and I am grateful for the support provided by the Thai authorities to those affected," he said.

"Our consular teams on the ground and in London are doing all they can to help. They are taking numerous calls and are meeting as many British nationals as possible. Our travel advice is regularly updated and I urge people to monitor it closely.

"I call on all parties in Thailand to take steps to resolve the crisis and restore public order, respecting the rule of law and the country's democratic institutions.

"The events of the last few days have damaged Thailand's international reputation, so I welcome the announcement that negotiations will take place with demonstrators tomorrow," Mr Rammell said.

A statement from EU ambassadors in Bangkok called on all parties to resolve the political crisis peacefully and in line with democratic institutions but it focused on the acts of the demonstrators.

"While respecting the right of protesting and without interfering in any way with the internal political debate in Thailand, the EU considers that these actions are totally inappropriate," the statement said.

"They are seriously damaging the international image of Thailand."

The statement said more than 100,000 passengers had been left stranded as a result of the anti-government protests.

The ambassadors "urge the protesters to evacuate the airports peacefully without delay in order to avoid a major consular crisis and its economic consequences for Thailand", the statement said.

Suspect arrested in TV anchor's slaying

2008-11-27T14:07:00.000-08:00

A suspect was arrested Wednesday night in connection with the death of Little Rock, Arkansas, television news anchor Anne Pressly, police said.

[Anne Pressly, 26, was a popular morning news

anchor at KATV-TV in Little Rock, Arkansas]

She died days later in a hospital. She had been sedated and unable to speak to police or family members, and suffered massive brain swelling, her family said. Her condition had seemed to be improving shortly before her death.

Police earlier said Pressly might have been the victim of a burglary because her purse was missing. Her credit card was used at a gas station sometime this week, police said.

Pressly's left hand was broken, possibly as she tried to fight off her attacker.

During the investigation, detectives combed the area around Pressly's home in the Heights neighborhood, a mix of bungalows and mansions near the Little Rock Country Club. Source: CNN

The world's oldest person woman dies at 115

2008-11-27T14:03:00.000-08:00

SHELBYVILLE, Ind. (AP) — Edna Parker, who became the world's oldest person more than a year ago, has died at age 115.

Edna Parker holds a rose that she was given during a birthday party for her in Shelbyville, Ind., in this Friday, April 18, 2008 file photo. Parker passed away Wednesday Nov. 26, 2008 at a nursing home in Shelbyville, Ind., UCLA gerontologist Dr. Stephen Coles said. Parker was born April 20, 1893 and was 115 years, 120 days old. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

UCLA gerontologist Dr. Stephen Coles said Parker's great-nephew notified him that Parker died Wednesday at a nursing home in Shelbyville. She was 115 years, 220 days old, said Robert Young, a senior consultant for gerontology for Guinness World Records.

Parker was born April 20, 1893, in central Indiana's Morgan County and had been recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's oldest person since the 2007 death in Japan of Yone Minagawa, who was four months her senior.

Coles maintains a list of the world's oldest people and said Parker was the 14th oldest validated supercentenarian in history. Maria de Jesus of Portugal, who was born Sept. 10, 1893, is now the world's oldest living person, according to the Gerontology Research Group.

Parker had been a widow since her husband, Earl Parker, died in 1939 of a heart attack. She lived alone in their farmhouse until age 100, when she moved into a son's home and later to the Shelbyville nursing home.

Although she never drank alcohol or tried tobacco and led an active life, Parker didn't offer tips for living a long life. Her only advice to those who gathered to celebrate when she became the oldest person was "more education."

Parker outlived her two sons, Clifford and Earl Jr. She also had five grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and 13 great-great-grandchildren.

"We don't know why she's lived so long," Don Parker said before his grandmother's 115th birthday. "But she's never been a worrier and she's always been a thin person, so maybe that has something to do with it."

Parker taught in a two-room school in Shelby County for several years after graduating from Franklin College in 1911. She wed her childhood sweetheart and neighbor in 1913.

(This version CORRECTS that Parker graduated in 1911 and got married in 1913 instead of both events happening in 1913.))

'Milk' is a terrific film

2008-11-27T02:05:00.000-08:00

Source: CNN-Sean Penn and Gus Van Sant have a proposition for us: a biopic dedicated to the memory of San Francisco activist and City Supervisor Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California, who was murdered by a fellow supervisor in 1978.

[Sean Penn plays San Francisco City Supervisor

Harvey Milk in "Milk," directed by Gus Van Sant.]

The subject may be a tricky sell, but the timing feels right -- a few weeks late to save Californians' same-sex marriage rights, admittedly, but the need to keep on fighting through adversity may be Milk's most important legacy.

And "Milk" is a powerful movie that will stir more than a few hearts and minds.

An audiotape Milk records "just in case" is screenwriter Dustin Lance Black's convenient structuring device, foregrounding the story's tragic outcome and allowing Milk to narrate his own life story.

In this telling, it's a life that begins at 40 -- when he picks up Scott (James Franco), falls in love, comes out and drops out. The year is 1970, and San Francisco beckons. Their Castro Street camera store soon becomes a focal point for the booming gay community, and it's not long before Milk makes the first of several unsuccessful runs for district supervisor.

Civic elections might seem like small beer, but the persecution that compelled Milk to run for office is no trivial matter. The gay rights movement's most critical accomplishment, the film suggests, is how it liberated gays to be themselves.

As Milk tries to explain to his heterosexual colleague Dan White (Josh Brolin), this isn't about principles, it's about people's lives -- three of his lovers had threatened suicide. One of them, Jack Lira (Diego Luna), goes through with it. The political can't get more personal than that. Ironically, the devoutly "normal" White is the one who is truly messed up.

Here's another irony: To earn the recognition and validation of the voters, Milk has to shed his reborn hippie uniform and ponytail, put on a suit and get a haircut. Making the same calculation, director Gus Van Sant has axed the long takes and experimentalism that made "Elephant" and "Paranoid Park" arresting but decidedly marginal experiences and turned in his most conventional movie since "Finding Forrester." In other words, he's playing it straight this time.

The strategy is sound; the execution, nearly flawless. Van Sant captures the time and the place with unobtrusive precision, seamlessly mixing in reams of archival news reports. (She may not know it, but Anita Bryant has a co-starring role in this movie.)

Penn is studied and thoughtful, impassioned and immediately sympathetic as Milk. It's easy to see how he attracts so much support -- and how his drive and commitment don't leave enough time for a "real" life. When Penn smiles, there's always pain there -- it's almost a wince -- and he smiles a lot here.

"Milk" may be a little too homogenized for some tastes. Like "Philadelphia" and "Brokeback Mountain," it's careful how it advances its agenda (and it does have one).

But it's not just a single-issue movie. In its conviction that "change" isn't effected through rhetoric alone, but through the hard slog of campaign work, persuasion, inspiration, inclusion and good old, bad old politicking, "Milk" says something about how progress is achieved in America. In that respect, it evokes the best aspirations of the country -- and, for that matter, of filmmaking.

100 more were killed in India

2008-11-27T01:40:00.000-08:00

BREAKING NEWS

Hostages held, Mumbai death toll climbs

Indian police were still battling to free hostages Thursday morning, a day after gunmen carried out brazen attacks across southern Mumbai, taking hostages in multiple locations. More than 100 people are dead, and at least 314 are reported wounded. Nine gunmen were killed in gunfire exchange with police.

US Car Maker Companies are in Crisis

2008-11-26T04:33:00.000-08:00

November 25, 2008 -- Updated 1448 GMT (2248 HKT)

Stakes high as carmakers fight for survival

U.S. car makers are battling to stay in business amid plummeting sales and huge financial challenges. The Big Three of Detroit -- General Motors, Ford and Chrysler -- say they are running out of cash and may not survive beyond 2009 unless they receive a bailout of $25 billion.

Obama Cabinet vetting historically fast: CNN

2008-11-26T03:57:00.000-08:00

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President-elect Barack Obama is already making presidential history by naming -- or at least his transition team is leaking to the press -- his Cabinet picks faster than nearly all of his predecessors.

[N.Y. Federal Reserve President Tim Geithner is President-elect Barack Obama's choice for treasury secretary.]

"If we do not act swiftly and boldly, most experts believe that we could lose millions of jobs next year," Obama said Monday.

With an economic crisis spiraling out of control and a lame duck in the oval office, presidential scholars say the next commander in chief simply had no choice.

"This is really unprecedented. But it's an unprecedented situation," said Larry Sabato, a presidential scholar at the University of Virginia. "Obama is doing what the public and the markets demand be done -- and that is to show that the next president is really in charge before he even takes the oath of office."

The conventional wisdom by observers was that the Obama transition team's vigorous vetting requirements would slow down the selection process, or scare away talent altogether.

After all, in addition to the already invasive FBI background check, the Obama team is requiring prospective candidates to complete a seven-page questionnaire that requires the disclosure of nearly every last private detail.

In addition to the obvious questions involving past criminal history, candidates are asked about personal diaries, past blog posts and the financial entanglements of extended family members.

"This questionnaire they've been giving to people who are thinking about signing up for a government job is extremely invasive," said David Gergen, a CNN senior political analyst and adviser to four past presidents.

"I've never seen anything like this at the presidential level before -- the FBI asks these kind of questions, but to have the presidential transition team asking these questions requires ... great volumes of records that have to be checked out."

The most recent victim of the process appears to be Chicago businesswoman Penny Pritzker, the longtime Obama supporter and major Democratic fundraiser who was said to be the president-elect's top choice for commerce secretary.

Pritzker publicly took herself out of the running on Thursday, issuing a statement saying she had submitted no information to begin the vetting process and citing "obligations here in Chicago that make it difficult for me to serve at this time."

Sources close to the Obama transition say Pritzker's decision is not surprising given the nature of the vetting process, one they themselves have described as stressful.

Nonetheless, potential Cabinet and high-level White House posts are filling up fast.

Sources close to the Obama transition team say New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson accepted Obama's offer to be commerce secretary; Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano has also been tapped and agreed to become the nation's next homeland security secretary.

"Nobody believes that these individuals, Larry Summers for example, has produced every e-mail that might be embarrassing to the president-elect or the new administration. There simply wasn't enough time," Sabato said.

In recent times, only President George H.W. Bush moved more quickly, but that was to name confidant James Baker to secretary of state just days after the election.

Both Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton waited until December for their first picks.

But two of Clinton's choices for attorney general -- Zoe Baird and Kimba Wood -- were scuttled over revelations they had hired undocumented workers.

The embarrassing debacle came at the worst time for the new president, already facing criticisms over his shaky and seemingly disorganized transition.

"You'd rather have a smooth transition than a bumpy one," said Paul Begala, a former top aide to President Clinton and an analyst for CNN. "But a bumpy start does not necessarily presage a bad presidency."

The Obama team, observers said, started early to avoid getting blindsided by unexpected problems.

"There's no question that plenty of work was done in anticipation of victory," said Kenneth Gross, a vetting attorney for political appointees.

It's a delicate balancing act. But vetting experts said the early rollout of Obama's economic team Monday could calm markets -- as long as there aren't any surprises.

After the announcement Monday, the Dow Jones industrial average gained 397 points, or 4.9 percent, after having been up 552 points earlier in the afternoon.

The market also rallied Friday when news leaked that Obama would name his economic team. The two-session gain of 891.10 points was the biggest two-session gain ever, according to Dow Jones.

"I think calling it a high wire act is a good term because this is high stakes," Gross said. "These are high-profile positions and the last thing you want is something to blow up in your face."

Obama is not out of the woods yet. There are confirmation hearings coming. And one prominent Republican is promising an old-fashioned Capitol Hill grilling, saying in times of crisis, the public deserves nothing less.

Ex-first lady Barbara Bush hospitalized for tests

2008-11-26T03:46:00.000-08:00

(CNN) -- Former first lady Barbara Bush will spend the night in a Houston, Texas, hospital Tuesday night after falling ill, according to a family spokeswoman.
Former first lady Barbara Bush has been admitted to a Houston, Texas, hospital.

Former first lady Barbara Bush has been admitted to a Houston, Texas, hospital.

Spokeswoman Jean Becker said Bush, 83, was admitted to Methodist Hospital for testing after complaining of stomach pain for several days.

She arrived at the emergency room at about 5:30 p.m. Central Time.

After feeling ill, Bush called her husband, former President George H.W. Bush, at his office urging him to take her to the hospital.

The former president's Secret Service detail drove them both to the hospital, Becker said.

Jim McGrath, a spokesman for Bush's husband said all of the tests were negative.

"She's fine," McGrath said.

Bush has been diagnosed with the thyroid condition Graves' Disease. It was not known whether the condition had any relation to her hospitalization on Tuesday.

Bush, the mother of President George W. Bush, was first lady during her husband's term as president from January 1989 to January 1993.
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Born in New York in 1925, Bush, born Barbara Pierce, married her husband in 1945. She is the great-great-great niece of Franklin Pierce, who served as president from 1853 to 1857.

She and the former president split their time between Houston and Kennebunkport, Maine.

Indiana Pacers Vs Dallas Mavericks

2008-11-26T03:13:00.000-08:00

The Dallas Mavericks were missing No. 2 scorer Josh Howard, and Dirk Nowitzki was getting extra attention from Indiana's defense. So Jason Terry and Jason Kidd came to the rescue.

Terry scored 16 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter and Kidd hit a pair of key 3-pointers to help the Mavericks rally from a 13-point second-half deficit for a 109-106 victory over the Pacers on Tuesday night.

Dallas stretched its winning streak to five games as Terry and Kidd combined for all of its points in a decisive 18-8 spurt.

"Kidd and Terry just made play after play,'' Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said. "Our veterans willed us to a win. You've got to give credit to them.''

Nowitzki added 24 points and 12 rebounds and Antoine Wright scored a career-high 24 for the Mavericks, who played without Howard for a third straight game because of a left ankle injury. There is no timetable for his return.

Kidd finished with 11 points and 13 assists as Dallas won its second consecutive home game after dropping the first four. The Mavericks reached .500 (7-7) for the first time since splitting their first four games.

"We kept fighting,'' Kidd said. "We relied on our defense and got some stops.''

Danny Granger's 22 points and Troy Murphy's 21 points and 14 rebounds led the Pacers. Brandon Rush added 18 points off the bench and ex-Maverick Marquis Daniels contributed 14 points and 11 rebounds for Indiana, which has lost three in a row and five of six.

Indiana held a 95-88 lead with 5:05 left, but Terry scored Dallas' next six points to narrow the gap to 97-94.

After Rush's basket, Kidd made a 3-pointer, Terry hit a 17-footer to tie the score at 99 and Kidd drained another 3 with 1:22 left to give the Mavericks a 102-99 advantage.

Indiana was unable to get closer than 106-103 the rest of the way.

Dallas had been 2-for-16 from the 3-point line before connecting on its final three.

"We were due,'' Terry said with a laugh.

Murphy scored his team's first eight points of the third quarter, including a pair of 3s as Indiana stretched its lead to 64-51.

Dallas cut the deficit to 83-77 heading into the fourth quarter, then opened the period with an 8-2 spurt to tie it at 85.

The Pacers went on a 10-3 run capped by Rush's 15-footer with 5:06 left to open a seven-point advantage, but Terry and Kidd took control. They had to, because Nowitzki was held to two points in the final quarter.

"We had to stay positive even though we were down,'' Terry said. "We were at home and had to ride the energy of our crowd. We stood our ground and made the plays we needed down the stretch.''

Indiana built a 56-49 halftime edge, but once again the Pacers failed to finish off an opponent.

They've led at halftime in 12 of 13 games, but have only five victories.

"We just can't seem to close teams out,'' Granger said.

Indiana had no defensive answers for Terry and Kidd down the stretch as Terry went 6-for-8 from the field in the fourth quarter while Kidd was hitting two of three shots, both 3-pointers.

"Terry's an awful good player,'' Pacers coach Jim O'Brien said, "and Kidd has been a clutch player his whole career.''

Notes: Wright's previous career high was 21 points. ... Indiana had 10 offensive rebounds in the first quarter leading to 14 second-chance points. ... Dallas missed its first 10 3-pointers before Kidd hit from long range early in the third quarter. ... The Mavericks have beaten the Pacers in seven of the last nine meetings.

Arkaic vs Kulez with Subtitles

2008-11-25T16:31:00.000-08:00

We are not saying this is a good idea but so many people from US complain about not understanding UK MC Battles. Does it help anyone better understand what is being said? Is it pointless? Should people who prefer watching UK battles like this just learn the language better?

Mike Schneider interview with Jim Rogers P1

2008-11-25T16:18:00.000-08:00

The U.S. dollar will be ``devalued'' as policy makers seek to weaken it, undermining the greenback's role as an international reserve currency, said Jim Rogers, chairman of Rogers Holdings in Singapore.

``They think that if you drive down the value of your money, it makes you more competitive, now that has never worked in history in the long term,'' said Rogers. The ICE's Dollar Index has gained 19 percent since Rogers said in an interview on April 27 he expected a dollar rally ``about now.''

The dollar advanced against 15 of the 16 most-traded currencies since the end of June, losing out only to the yen, as a global financial crisis drove investors to the perceived safety of Treasuries. U.S. politicians want to reverse those gains to revive growth, Rogers said.

The dollar is ``going to lose its status as the world's reserve currency,'' Rogers said yesterday in a televised interview with Bloomberg News. ``It will be devalued and it will go down a lot. These guys in Washington, they want to debase the currency.''

Rogers said that he is buying the Japanese yen. All of the 16 most-active currencies have weakened against the yen since June, led by a 39 percent drop in the Australian dollar.

The ICE's Dollar Index, which tracks the greenback against the currencies of six major trading partners, traded at 86.147 as of 7:30 a.m. in London from 86.081 late in New York yesterday. It reached 88.463 on Nov. 21, the highest level since April 2006.

Plan to Exit Dollars

Rogers predicts the U.S. currency's rally ``will probably go into next year'' and said he plans to cut the remainder of his dollar holdings during this period.

``If I were doing it today, and what I have done today, is buy the yen,'' Rogers said. ``But, it is also an artificial move that's going on. It's a difficult problem to find out what is a sound currency.''

Democratic lawmakers including Senator Charles Schumer of New York said this weekend they plan to put an economic stimulus package as large as $700 billion before President-elect Barack Obama on his first day in office. Obama has called for a sizeable enough plan to jolt the economy, saying the U.S. faces the loss of ``millions of jobs'' unless immediate steps are taken to stimulate growth and rescue the nation's automakers.

Buying Commodities

Rogers also is buying commodities, saying their ``fundamentals have not been impaired and, in fact, are improved.'' He correctly forecast in April 2006 that the oil price would reach $100 a barrel and gold $1,000 an ounce.

``In mid-October, I started buying commodities, I started buying China and I started buying Taiwan,'' he said. ``I bought them all, but I've been focusing more on agriculture. I mean sugar is 80 percent below its all-time high. It's astonishing how low some of these prices are.''

The Rogers International Commodity Index Total Return has plummeted 52 percent from a record in July, including an 11 percent slide this month. The index has risen 124 percent over the past seven years.

Sugar surged the most in two weeks yesterday amid speculation that higher crude-oil prices will boost demand for alternative fuels, including ethanol made from cane.

Raw-sugar futures for March delivery rose 0.44 cent, or 3.9 percent, to 11.72 cents a pound on ICE Futures U.S. in New York yesterday. The gain was the biggest for a most-active contract since Nov. 4. Sugar has declined in each of the past three weeks.

Twilight - Baseball Scene

2008-11-16T12:19:00.000-08:00

Part of the baseball scene from the movie Twilight, shown on MuchMusic. Thanks to JCAddict at lion............

Truth TV P-Town Oregon! US GOV/BUSH PLANNING NEXT TERROR ATTACK!!

2008-11-15T22:33:00.000-08:00

Barack Obama is warned to beware of a huge threat from al-Qaeda
Security officials fear a spectacular during the transition period
Am American flag flies near the base of the destroyed World Trade Center in New York
Tom Baldwin in Washington and Michael Evans, Defence Editor

Barack Obama is being given ominous advice from leaders on both sides of the Atlantic to brace himself for an early assault from terrorists.

General Michael Hayden, director of the CIA, this week acknowledged that there were dangers during a presidential transition when new officials were coming in and getting accustomed to the challenges. But he added that no real or artificial spike in intercepted transmissions from terror suspects had been detected.

President Bush has repeatedly described the acute vulnerability of the US during a transition. The Bush Administration has been defined largely by the 9/11 attacks, which came within a year of his taking office.

His aides have pointed to al-Qaedas first assault on the World Trade Centre, which occurred little more than a month after Bill Clinton became President in 1993. There was an alleged attempt to bomb Glasgow airport in Gordon Browns first days in Downing Street and a London nightclub attack was narrowly thwarted.
Related Links * Obama in secret talks with Clinton over top job * Sarkozy calls for rethink over US defence system * Two thirds of Obama staffers come from Clinton era

Multimedia * BLOG: Obama's runners and riders

Lord West of Spithead, the Home Office Security Minister, spoke recently of a huge threat, saying: There is another great plot building up again and we are monitoring this.

Intelligence chiefs on both sides of the Atlantic have indicated that such warnings refer more to a general sense of foreboding than fear of an imminent or specific plan.

Referring to the attacks in 1993 and 2001, General Hayden told a Washington think-tank on Thursday night: For some people two data points create a trend line. For others, there may be more hesitation to call it that. He said that the chief danger comes from remote areas in Pakistan that border Afghanistan.

Today virtually every major terrorist threat that my agency is aware of has threads back to the tribal areas. Whether its command and control, training, direction, money, capabilities, there is a connection to the Fata [Pakistans Federally Administered Tribal Areas].

General Hayden said that al-Qaeda remained a determined, adaptive enemy operating from its safe haven in Pakistan. He added: If there is a major attack on this country it will bear the fingerprints of al-Qaeda.

He said that the border region remained the base of al-Qaedas leadership, which had developed a more durable structure and a deep reserve of skilled operatives. AlQaeda, operating from its safe haven in Pakistans tribal areas, remains the most clear and present danger to the safety of the United States, General Hayden said.

The hunt for al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden is very much at the top of CIAs priority list, he added. Because of his iconic stature, his death or capture clearly would have a significant impact on the confidence of his followers.

The CIA chief also suggested that the terror group was seeking to recruit Western-looking operatives who would not cause attention if they were standing in airport screening queues.

Hours after he spoke, a suspected US missile attack killed 12 people in Pakistan, including five foreigners. Such strikes are hugely controversial, with Islamabad claiming that they fuel anti-American extremist groups. But Mr Obama has been clear that he wants to pursue al-Qaeda aggressively across the Afghan border.

In Britain, security officials say that there is genuine concern that alQaeda will attempt a spectacular in the transition period, but suggest that it may be aimed more at Mr Bush than Mr Obama.

Astronaut Buzz Aldrin Recounts Apollo 11 UFO Encounter

2008-11-15T01:31:00.000-08:00

Buzz Aldrin talks about the 'UFO' which the Apollo 11 crew saw on their way to the moon.

U.S. Shot Another One Down!

2008-11-15T01:28:00.000-08:00

U.S. Military trying to start a war with anybody they can. Download and spread around fast!

Paulson Changes The Rules

2008-11-13T11:11:00.000-08:00

"Although the financial system has stabilized, both banks and non-banks may well need more capital given their troubled asset holdings, projections for continued high rates of foreclosures and stagnant U.S. and world economic conditions," Paulson said.

US HipHop Today "Love Story"

2008-11-13T11:04:00.000-08:00

Taylor Swift (CMA awards 2008) [LIVE] Love Story 42nd country hip-hop rnb rock pop

The vision of Obama is for Pakistan

2008-11-13T05:16:00.000-08:00

Tariq Amin-Khan: Plan espoused by Obama's top Pakistan adviser is ill-advised

Guitar Hero World Tour

2008-11-13T04:52:00.000-08:00

RT user Leafshinobi7 shows us how to get five secret achievements in Guitar Hero: World Tour: Inked, One of a Kind Axe, Custom Beats, Warrior of Rock, and Rock Maiden