LAS VEGAS -- Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama opened a big campaign push here on Friday, rallying Democrats in an effort to recover from a narrow loss in New Hampshire.
"Since I'm in Las Vegas, I'm going to say: I'm the jackpot. My bet is paying off," Obama told thousands of supporters in a high school gymnasium decorated with a homemade banner draped with Christmas lights and reading "Nevada for Change."
FOR THE RECORD:
Jackpot: This article misquoted presidential candidate Barack Obama as saying, "Since I'm in Las Vegas, I'm going to say: I'm the jackpot." It should have read, "I hit the jackpot." —
The senator from Illinois plans to spend most of the next week in this state, where Jan. 19 caucuses are next on the national primary schedule. They are seen as an important indicator of Obama's ability to appeal to Western voters, especially Latinos.
Obama staffers said they hoped that momentum built here would carry on to subsequent primaries -- South Carolina on Jan. 26 and the potentially decisive Super Tuesday balloting in large states, including California, on Feb. 5.
"We're going to show America that what happens in Vegas, it's not going to stay in Vegas anymore," Obama earlier told members of the Culinary Workers Local 226, whose endorsement this week has boosted his organizing ability, especially in the city.
Obama picked up a key Western endorsement Friday from Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, a Democrat who introduced the senator at Del Sol High School, saying her state had much in common with Nevada.
"We understand in the West, perhaps more than anywhere else in the country, the value of change," Napolitano said. "And we need change."
In a town-hall-style meeting at the school, Obama fielded questions on immigration, healthcare and divesting from Sudan. He also told the capacity crowd of about 2,000 that he opposed the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste storage facility.
Thousands more supporters lined up outside the school, unable to fit inside. Obama took a few minutes before the event to cheer them.
"If you could not get in today, I don't want you to think that you are not precious to this campaign," Obama said, clutching a hastily commandeered microphone and standing on a small box. "We need you caucusing for us. We need you standing up for us. We're in a defining moment of our history. Our nation is at war, our planet is at peril. This is our chance."
Earlier, in a stuffy union hall with ceiling fans whirring futilely overhead, Obama rallied union members by translating his new rallying cry into Spanish.
"We are ready to start the next chapter in American history, starting with those three words: Sí, se puede," Obama said.
"Sí, se puede" -- which means "Yes, we can" -- was the slogan of the huge pro-immigration rallies that mobilized Latinos in Los Angeles and around the country two years ago.
"Sí, se puede," the workers shouted in response.
Source: Los Angeles Times
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Big Wave Contest Goes to Californian
HALF MOON BAY, Calif (AP) — A 24-year-old California surfer topped a daredevil contest Saturday that had competitors riding waves more than four stories tall.
Greg Long of San Clemente was among two dozen elite surfers who took part in the Mavericks Surf Contest — considered the Super Bowl of big-wave competitions — in Half Moon Bay, about 20 miles south of San Francisco.
After the contest was whittled down to six finalists, Long was crowned the winner. Grant "Twiggy" Baker of South Africa was second, and Jamie Sterling of Hawaii third. Baker won the event in 2006, the last time it was held.
On his first wave in the final heat of the competition, Long barely held his balance on his 9-foot, 6-inch royal blue surfboard. He took a late drop down the towering 40-foot wave before landing on the bottom and carving a fast turn to dodge a wall of whitewater crashing behind him.
He said he felt nearly weightless as he fell down the face of the wave, and thought, "I'm either going down hard or going to get a good one. Luckily it was the latter of the two."
Before the last wave, Long and his five fellow finalists agreed to split the $75,000 pursue, which would've been divvied up with the winner taking home $30,000 and the other finalists sharing the rest.
The original 24 entrants were broken into four groups of six surfers who competed in 45-minute heats during which each rider caught up to 10 waves. They were whisked out on jet skis to conquer the giant swells about a half-mile offshore.
Surfers were judged on their best two waves, and the top three scorers in each heat advanced to the semifinals.
Contest organizer Jeff Clark, who is credited with "discovering" Mavericks in 1975 and being the only person to surf there for the next 15 years, buzzed around near the competitors on a jet ski.
"The waves are good. The surfers are happy," Clark said from his jet ski. "That's the best part, the surfers are happy,"
Half Moon Bay surfer Ion Banner walked in from the first heat with a big smile across his face. He had air-dropped down a couple of waves during his heat — meaning the wave was so steep he and his board lost contact with the water.
"I somersaulted down a couple of them," Banner said.
Worried about traffic in the small coastal town, organizers and local officials asked fans to watch the contest on the Web or a live broadcast at AT&T Park in San Francisco.
About 800 people were at the ballpark watching the big wave surfers, oohing and awing as they flew down the waves.
Jacob Towery of Palo Alto started surfing a couple of years ago and figured he could learn something from the big-wave riders, while avoiding large crowds at the beach.
"I think it's awesome," he said. "It's amazing. Huge waves, their cool moves and how they charge the waves."
Closer to the action in Half Moon Bay, thousands of spectators came out. Some perched on cliffs to watch the surfers through binoculars, while others gathered in front of a big screen on the beach.
The crowd groaned when Evan Slater, known for his spectacular wipeouts at Mavericks, took off late on a massive swell and fell through the air to the bottom of the wave. He was sucked back up into the churning mass of whitewater and tossed around. He surfaced quickly and was back in the lineup in seconds.
At least 30,000 people had logged onto the event's webcast, and during the second heat 1,000 new users per minute were logging on, contest organizers said.
Each winter, when huge, storm-generated swells batter the Northern California coast, the world's top big-wave riders are put on notice for Mavericks, which was first held in 1999. Organizers wait for ideal conditions before giving invitees little more than 24 hours to travel from wherever they are in the world to Half Moon Bay.
Source: Associated Press
Greg Long of San Clemente was among two dozen elite surfers who took part in the Mavericks Surf Contest — considered the Super Bowl of big-wave competitions — in Half Moon Bay, about 20 miles south of San Francisco.
After the contest was whittled down to six finalists, Long was crowned the winner. Grant "Twiggy" Baker of South Africa was second, and Jamie Sterling of Hawaii third. Baker won the event in 2006, the last time it was held.
On his first wave in the final heat of the competition, Long barely held his balance on his 9-foot, 6-inch royal blue surfboard. He took a late drop down the towering 40-foot wave before landing on the bottom and carving a fast turn to dodge a wall of whitewater crashing behind him.
He said he felt nearly weightless as he fell down the face of the wave, and thought, "I'm either going down hard or going to get a good one. Luckily it was the latter of the two."
Before the last wave, Long and his five fellow finalists agreed to split the $75,000 pursue, which would've been divvied up with the winner taking home $30,000 and the other finalists sharing the rest.
The original 24 entrants were broken into four groups of six surfers who competed in 45-minute heats during which each rider caught up to 10 waves. They were whisked out on jet skis to conquer the giant swells about a half-mile offshore.
Surfers were judged on their best two waves, and the top three scorers in each heat advanced to the semifinals.
Contest organizer Jeff Clark, who is credited with "discovering" Mavericks in 1975 and being the only person to surf there for the next 15 years, buzzed around near the competitors on a jet ski.
"The waves are good. The surfers are happy," Clark said from his jet ski. "That's the best part, the surfers are happy,"
Half Moon Bay surfer Ion Banner walked in from the first heat with a big smile across his face. He had air-dropped down a couple of waves during his heat — meaning the wave was so steep he and his board lost contact with the water.
"I somersaulted down a couple of them," Banner said.
Worried about traffic in the small coastal town, organizers and local officials asked fans to watch the contest on the Web or a live broadcast at AT&T Park in San Francisco.
About 800 people were at the ballpark watching the big wave surfers, oohing and awing as they flew down the waves.
Jacob Towery of Palo Alto started surfing a couple of years ago and figured he could learn something from the big-wave riders, while avoiding large crowds at the beach.
"I think it's awesome," he said. "It's amazing. Huge waves, their cool moves and how they charge the waves."
Closer to the action in Half Moon Bay, thousands of spectators came out. Some perched on cliffs to watch the surfers through binoculars, while others gathered in front of a big screen on the beach.
The crowd groaned when Evan Slater, known for his spectacular wipeouts at Mavericks, took off late on a massive swell and fell through the air to the bottom of the wave. He was sucked back up into the churning mass of whitewater and tossed around. He surfaced quickly and was back in the lineup in seconds.
At least 30,000 people had logged onto the event's webcast, and during the second heat 1,000 new users per minute were logging on, contest organizers said.
Each winter, when huge, storm-generated swells batter the Northern California coast, the world's top big-wave riders are put on notice for Mavericks, which was first held in 1999. Organizers wait for ideal conditions before giving invitees little more than 24 hours to travel from wherever they are in the world to Half Moon Bay.
Source: Associated Press
Pack Lead Seahawks 42-20 in 4th Quarter
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Ryan Grant redeemed himself after two early fumbles, rushing for 201 yards and three touchdowns as the Green Bay Packers rallied to take a 42-20 lead over the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth quarter of Saturday's NFC divisional playoff game at snow-streaked Lambeau Field.
Grant earned most of the credit for a revitalized Packers running game in the second half of the season, but his mistakes helped put the Packers in an early 14-0 hole.
But Brett Favre, Grant and the Packers rallied with touchdowns on their next five offensive possessions — a scoring avalanche that at times rivaled the heavy white flakes falling from the sky.
Favre was 18-of-22 for 173 yards and three touchdowns through three quarters.
He began the big rally by throwing a touchdown pass to wide receiver Greg Jennings, and Grant did the heavy lifting on Green Bay's second scoring drive.
The Packers scored again on another touchdown pass by Favre to Jennings early in the second quarter to take a 21-14 lead.
Josh Brown's 29-yard field goal midway through the quarter cut the deficit to 21-17, but Favre answered with another touchdown drive just before halftime that included one of the three-time MVP's signature moments.
Facing third-and-8 at the Seattle 14, Favre scrambled away from pressure by defensive tackle Brandon Mebane and flipped the ball underhanded to tight end Donald Lee, who leaped for a first down that set up first-and-goal at the Seattle 3.
Grant then scored his second touchdown, putting the Packers up 28-17 with 26 seconds left in the half.
After a three-and-out by the Seahawks to begin the second half, the Packers scored again on a 13-yard swing pass to running back Brandon Jackson that gave the Packers a 35-17 lead.
Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck drove the Seahawks deep into Packers territory on their next possession, but had to settle for a 27-yard field goal by Brown to cut the Packers' lead to 35-20 with 2:46 left in the quarter.
Green Bay's offense went conservative from the start, but it still managed to bite them. Favre threw a swing pass to Grant on the right side, which the running back managed to haul in after bobbling the ball. Linebacker Leroy Hill then stripped the ball from Grant, and Lofa Tatupu recovered to give the Seahawks first-and-goal at the Green Bay 1.
Hasselbeck immediately handed the ball to Shaun Alexander, who plunged in for a touchdown behind a block by center Chris Spencer to put the Seahawks ahead 7-0.
The Packers didn't shy from feeding the ball to Grant on their second possession, and it cost them again. Grant was stripped of the ball by Brian Russell on the second play of the possession, and Jordan Babineaux recovered to give the ball back to the Seahawks offense at the Green Bay 49.
Grant fumbled only once in the regular season.
Hasselbeck drove the Seahawks deep into Packers territory, then threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Bobby Engram between Packers defensive backs Charles Woodson and Jarrett Bush to put Seattle ahead 14-0 with 10:59 left in the quarter.
With the snow getting heavier and Packers fans beginning to panic, Favre rallied the Packers for a 69-yard touchdown drive.
Favre's 31-yard completion to James Jones on third down midfield, set up a 15-yard touchdown to Jennings that cut Seattle's lead to 14-7 with 7:08 left in the quarter. Favre was 5-for-5 on the drive.
After a three-and-out by Seattle, the Packers relied on runs of 26 and 15 yards by Grant. He then scored on a 1-yard run, allowing Green Bay to tie it at 14.
Source: The Associated Press
Grant earned most of the credit for a revitalized Packers running game in the second half of the season, but his mistakes helped put the Packers in an early 14-0 hole.
But Brett Favre, Grant and the Packers rallied with touchdowns on their next five offensive possessions — a scoring avalanche that at times rivaled the heavy white flakes falling from the sky.
Favre was 18-of-22 for 173 yards and three touchdowns through three quarters.
He began the big rally by throwing a touchdown pass to wide receiver Greg Jennings, and Grant did the heavy lifting on Green Bay's second scoring drive.
The Packers scored again on another touchdown pass by Favre to Jennings early in the second quarter to take a 21-14 lead.
Josh Brown's 29-yard field goal midway through the quarter cut the deficit to 21-17, but Favre answered with another touchdown drive just before halftime that included one of the three-time MVP's signature moments.
Facing third-and-8 at the Seattle 14, Favre scrambled away from pressure by defensive tackle Brandon Mebane and flipped the ball underhanded to tight end Donald Lee, who leaped for a first down that set up first-and-goal at the Seattle 3.
Grant then scored his second touchdown, putting the Packers up 28-17 with 26 seconds left in the half.
After a three-and-out by the Seahawks to begin the second half, the Packers scored again on a 13-yard swing pass to running back Brandon Jackson that gave the Packers a 35-17 lead.
Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck drove the Seahawks deep into Packers territory on their next possession, but had to settle for a 27-yard field goal by Brown to cut the Packers' lead to 35-20 with 2:46 left in the quarter.
Green Bay's offense went conservative from the start, but it still managed to bite them. Favre threw a swing pass to Grant on the right side, which the running back managed to haul in after bobbling the ball. Linebacker Leroy Hill then stripped the ball from Grant, and Lofa Tatupu recovered to give the Seahawks first-and-goal at the Green Bay 1.
Hasselbeck immediately handed the ball to Shaun Alexander, who plunged in for a touchdown behind a block by center Chris Spencer to put the Seahawks ahead 7-0.
The Packers didn't shy from feeding the ball to Grant on their second possession, and it cost them again. Grant was stripped of the ball by Brian Russell on the second play of the possession, and Jordan Babineaux recovered to give the ball back to the Seahawks offense at the Green Bay 49.
Grant fumbled only once in the regular season.
Hasselbeck drove the Seahawks deep into Packers territory, then threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Bobby Engram between Packers defensive backs Charles Woodson and Jarrett Bush to put Seattle ahead 14-0 with 10:59 left in the quarter.
With the snow getting heavier and Packers fans beginning to panic, Favre rallied the Packers for a 69-yard touchdown drive.
Favre's 31-yard completion to James Jones on third down midfield, set up a 15-yard touchdown to Jennings that cut Seattle's lead to 14-7 with 7:08 left in the quarter. Favre was 5-for-5 on the drive.
After a three-and-out by Seattle, the Packers relied on runs of 26 and 15 yards by Grant. He then scored on a 1-yard run, allowing Green Bay to tie it at 14.
Source: The Associated Press
Body found on Indiana golf course identified as MSU student
CHESTERTON, Ind. — A woman's body found on the grounds of a northern Indiana golf course has been identified as that of a 20-year-old Michigan State University student.
The body of Rylan Cotter of Okemos, Mich., was found fully clothed Wednesday afternoon by workers at the Brassie Golf Club in Chesterton, about 15 miles east of Gary.
Detective Lt. David Cincoski of Chesterton Police said positive identification was made late Friday morning when he showed a photograph of the body to her parents in Michigan.
Porter County Coroner Victoria Deppe has ruled that Cotter died from massive blunt trauma to the chest and abdomen. But she said the manner of Cotter's death — whether it was a homicide, suicide or accident — remains unknown and tests are pending.
"It's going to take several weeks to determine the manner of death," Deppe said.
When golf club employees found the body, they found no signs of foul play. Deppe said Cotter's internal organs sustained "a lot of trauma."
Officials said it appears the body had been at the golf course for 36 hours or less.
Deppe said the registration of an abandoned car with Michigan plates found in a park's parking lot about a half mile away from Cotter's body was traced to a Michigan home, and Cotter's family soon confirmed the body's identity.
Cincoski said Cotter's parents "have no clue whatsoever" why she would have visited Chesterton or the golf course.
Police are trying to determine who Cotter was with and what she did during the last few days of her life. Authorities said she spent the night Monday in Benton Harbor, Michigan.
Source: Chicago Tribune
The body of Rylan Cotter of Okemos, Mich., was found fully clothed Wednesday afternoon by workers at the Brassie Golf Club in Chesterton, about 15 miles east of Gary.
Detective Lt. David Cincoski of Chesterton Police said positive identification was made late Friday morning when he showed a photograph of the body to her parents in Michigan.
Porter County Coroner Victoria Deppe has ruled that Cotter died from massive blunt trauma to the chest and abdomen. But she said the manner of Cotter's death — whether it was a homicide, suicide or accident — remains unknown and tests are pending.
"It's going to take several weeks to determine the manner of death," Deppe said.
When golf club employees found the body, they found no signs of foul play. Deppe said Cotter's internal organs sustained "a lot of trauma."
Officials said it appears the body had been at the golf course for 36 hours or less.
Deppe said the registration of an abandoned car with Michigan plates found in a park's parking lot about a half mile away from Cotter's body was traced to a Michigan home, and Cotter's family soon confirmed the body's identity.
Cincoski said Cotter's parents "have no clue whatsoever" why she would have visited Chesterton or the golf course.
Police are trying to determine who Cotter was with and what she did during the last few days of her life. Authorities said she spent the night Monday in Benton Harbor, Michigan.
Source: Chicago Tribune
Pack Lead Seahawks 21-14 in 2nd Quarter
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Ryan Grant overcame two lost fumbles with a short touchdown run, Brett Favre threw two scoring passes to Greg Jennings, and the Green Bay Packers surged to a 21-14 lead over the Seattle Seahawks in the second quarter of their NFC Divisional playoff on Saturday.
Shaun Alexander scored on a 1-yard touchdown run and Matt Hasselbeck threw an 11-yard scoring pass to Bobby Engram for the Seahawks, each score coming after Grant lost a pair of fumbles in the opening minutes.
Seattle's 53-man roster has a combined 240 games of postseason experience. Green Bay, the NFL's youngest team, has a total of 94.
The Seahawks start 10 players — including kicker Josh Brown and his battery powered heating pants — who started the Super Bowl 23 months ago. Engram will make it 11 if receiver D.J. Hackett isn't able to start after aggravating a sprained ankle late in the week.
A total of 12 Packers starters, including kicker Mason Crosby and punter Jon Ryan, will be playing in their first playoff game.
But the Seahawks aren't sure their top-to-bottom experience advantage outweighs the fact the Packers have wily old Brett Favre. And they're playing at Lambeau after a bye week.
And Favre, who will make his 21st postseason start, said some of the Packers' unexpected success this season can be attributed to the fact their young players don't get caught up in what they're not supposed to be able to do.
Among Packers starters making their first postseason starts Saturday will be Grant, wide receiver Greg Jennings, linebackers A.J. Hawk and Brady Poppinga and safeties Atari Bigby and Nick Collins.
Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren has coached in 33 postseason games. He won a Super Bowl for Green Bay to end the 1996 season, and has reached two others.
Packers coaches have spent this week prodding young players to make the most of this opportunity because there's no way to know when it might come again. They brought up quarterback Dan Marino, who went to the Super Bowl in his second season but never got back there.
Aside from their graying quarterback, the Packers are a young team on the rise. But the window to win a championship might be closing for the Seahawks, who are making their fifth consecutive postseason appearance.
Former Colts tight end Marcus Pollard is the Seahawks' most experienced playoff player with 12 appearances. Deion Branch, a former Super Bowl MVP with the Patriots has 10, tied with longtime Seahawks right guard Chris Gray and recently signed long snapper Jeff Robinson.
Source: The Associated Press
Shaun Alexander scored on a 1-yard touchdown run and Matt Hasselbeck threw an 11-yard scoring pass to Bobby Engram for the Seahawks, each score coming after Grant lost a pair of fumbles in the opening minutes.
Seattle's 53-man roster has a combined 240 games of postseason experience. Green Bay, the NFL's youngest team, has a total of 94.
The Seahawks start 10 players — including kicker Josh Brown and his battery powered heating pants — who started the Super Bowl 23 months ago. Engram will make it 11 if receiver D.J. Hackett isn't able to start after aggravating a sprained ankle late in the week.
A total of 12 Packers starters, including kicker Mason Crosby and punter Jon Ryan, will be playing in their first playoff game.
But the Seahawks aren't sure their top-to-bottom experience advantage outweighs the fact the Packers have wily old Brett Favre. And they're playing at Lambeau after a bye week.
And Favre, who will make his 21st postseason start, said some of the Packers' unexpected success this season can be attributed to the fact their young players don't get caught up in what they're not supposed to be able to do.
Among Packers starters making their first postseason starts Saturday will be Grant, wide receiver Greg Jennings, linebackers A.J. Hawk and Brady Poppinga and safeties Atari Bigby and Nick Collins.
Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren has coached in 33 postseason games. He won a Super Bowl for Green Bay to end the 1996 season, and has reached two others.
Packers coaches have spent this week prodding young players to make the most of this opportunity because there's no way to know when it might come again. They brought up quarterback Dan Marino, who went to the Super Bowl in his second season but never got back there.
Aside from their graying quarterback, the Packers are a young team on the rise. But the window to win a championship might be closing for the Seahawks, who are making their fifth consecutive postseason appearance.
Former Colts tight end Marcus Pollard is the Seahawks' most experienced playoff player with 12 appearances. Deion Branch, a former Super Bowl MVP with the Patriots has 10, tied with longtime Seahawks right guard Chris Gray and recently signed long snapper Jeff Robinson.
Source: The Associated Press
Ex-Tech standout Williams expects to be tested in playoff game today
GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Green Bay Packers defensive back Tramon Williams isn't offended by the suggestion that the Seattle Seahawks will try to go after him this afternoon.
If he were Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, he'd do the same thing.
"We've got Charles (Woodson) and we've got Al (Harris), two of the top cornerbacks in the league," Williams said this week. "I'm expecting them to come at me the whole game."
Williams, 24, a first-year player out of Louisiana Tech, will be the Packers' nickel back if Will Blackmon is unable to overcome a foot injury and play in the NFC divisional playoff game at Lambeau Field.
Williams also is preparing to return punts.
Williams played in all 16 regular-season games and made his first start in the finale against Detroit when the Packers opened in their nickel defense. But he hasn't been tested quite the way he will be Saturday, in the rarefied air of the playoffs.
"You definitely have to tell yourself it's another game," he said. "When you get to the game you may feel a little different. But when the game starts, it's just another game. That's basically what you've got to tell yourself.
"I want to go out there and have poise, not try to do too much or think I need to show the fans what I can do. I just want to go out there and just play a great, solid game."
On the small side at 5 feet 11 inches and 182 pounds, Williams was not drafted coming out of Tech in 2006. The Packers signed him to their practice squad after he was released by Houston.
This year, he earned a spot on the roster with a solid exhibition season and has contributed mainly on special teams. He has returned a team-high 30 kickoffs for a 22.8-yard average. Against Carolina on Nov. 18, he returned a punt 94 yards for his first career touchdown.
But Williams has seen extensive action as a defensive back in only a couple of games. When the Seahawks use multiple-receiver formations, he could be a target because of his inexperience.
"They may catch a couple passes on me but I'm definitely going to make a couple plays," he said. "That's the way I feel about the situation. I'm not one to take negative and fold. I have a lot of confidence in myself."
Packers receiver Ruvell Martin, who goes up against Williams every day in practice, said the defensive back had made steady improvement this season.
"He's a good player," Martin said. "He's got pretty good strength for a smaller corner. He can definitely muscle up guys. He's good at anticipating and being in the right position. He does a good job breaking on balls and getting his hands in the air and disrupting stuff."
After Williams had four tackles and his first career interception Dec. 30 against the Lions, McCarthy praised him as an example of a young player who had grown into his role and taken advantage of opportunities.
"I can't say enough about him," McCarthy said. "I think he's a perfect example of what you want to accomplish with your young players. . . . Every opportunity he gets, he continues to improve."
Will that hold true in the post-season, when the stakes go up and every mistake is magnified? Safety Atari Bigby said he wasn't concerned Williams would freeze under the glare of the playoff spotlight.
"I feel great about Tramon," Bigby said. "I feel very comfortable with him."
Source: Associated Press
If he were Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, he'd do the same thing.
"We've got Charles (Woodson) and we've got Al (Harris), two of the top cornerbacks in the league," Williams said this week. "I'm expecting them to come at me the whole game."
Williams, 24, a first-year player out of Louisiana Tech, will be the Packers' nickel back if Will Blackmon is unable to overcome a foot injury and play in the NFC divisional playoff game at Lambeau Field.
Williams also is preparing to return punts.
Williams played in all 16 regular-season games and made his first start in the finale against Detroit when the Packers opened in their nickel defense. But he hasn't been tested quite the way he will be Saturday, in the rarefied air of the playoffs.
"You definitely have to tell yourself it's another game," he said. "When you get to the game you may feel a little different. But when the game starts, it's just another game. That's basically what you've got to tell yourself.
"I want to go out there and have poise, not try to do too much or think I need to show the fans what I can do. I just want to go out there and just play a great, solid game."
On the small side at 5 feet 11 inches and 182 pounds, Williams was not drafted coming out of Tech in 2006. The Packers signed him to their practice squad after he was released by Houston.
This year, he earned a spot on the roster with a solid exhibition season and has contributed mainly on special teams. He has returned a team-high 30 kickoffs for a 22.8-yard average. Against Carolina on Nov. 18, he returned a punt 94 yards for his first career touchdown.
But Williams has seen extensive action as a defensive back in only a couple of games. When the Seahawks use multiple-receiver formations, he could be a target because of his inexperience.
"They may catch a couple passes on me but I'm definitely going to make a couple plays," he said. "That's the way I feel about the situation. I'm not one to take negative and fold. I have a lot of confidence in myself."
Packers receiver Ruvell Martin, who goes up against Williams every day in practice, said the defensive back had made steady improvement this season.
"He's a good player," Martin said. "He's got pretty good strength for a smaller corner. He can definitely muscle up guys. He's good at anticipating and being in the right position. He does a good job breaking on balls and getting his hands in the air and disrupting stuff."
After Williams had four tackles and his first career interception Dec. 30 against the Lions, McCarthy praised him as an example of a young player who had grown into his role and taken advantage of opportunities.
"I can't say enough about him," McCarthy said. "I think he's a perfect example of what you want to accomplish with your young players. . . . Every opportunity he gets, he continues to improve."
Will that hold true in the post-season, when the stakes go up and every mistake is magnified? Safety Atari Bigby said he wasn't concerned Williams would freeze under the glare of the playoff spotlight.
"I feel great about Tramon," Bigby said. "I feel very comfortable with him."
Source: Associated Press
Seattle's Branch injured again, Scobey carted off on first play
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Seahawks wide receiver Deion Branch injured his left knee and was doubtful to return after he limped off the field in the first quarter of Seattle's divisional playoff game against the Green Bay Packers on Saturday.
Branch, the former Super Bowl MVP with New England, returned to practice Wednesday for the first time since Dec. 26 due to a strained right calf, but was hurt away from a 7-yard pass play from Matt Hasselbeck to D.J. Hackett and limped off the field on his own power.
Branch, tied for second on the Seahawks' roster for most playoff appearances behind Marcus Pollard, arrived in 2006 after a preseason holdout with the Patriots.
He then signed a $39 million, six-year contract with the Seahawks that included $13 million in a bonus and other guarantees, but he spent most of that year trying to catch up in learning the offense instead of starring.
This season, he's been plagued with injuries, including a badly sprained right foot that caused him to miss four games and the strained calf that caused him to miss the last game of the regular season and Seattle's victory against Washington last week.
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For the season, Branch has 49 catches for 661 yards and four touchdowns.
Josh Scobey injured his left ankle and was carted off the field on the first play. He was on kick coverage and tried to join the tackle of returner Tramon Williams when Green Bay's Koren Robinson rolled over the back of his leg.
Scobey immediately reached for the lower part of his leg, and couldn't get up on his own. He did not try to walk on the leg, waiting instead with trainers for the cart to be taken to the locker room.
Scobey signed with Seattle on Dec. 4 after being released earlier in the year by Buffalo, where he had five kickoff returns for 112 yards.
Source: The Associated Press
Branch, the former Super Bowl MVP with New England, returned to practice Wednesday for the first time since Dec. 26 due to a strained right calf, but was hurt away from a 7-yard pass play from Matt Hasselbeck to D.J. Hackett and limped off the field on his own power.
Branch, tied for second on the Seahawks' roster for most playoff appearances behind Marcus Pollard, arrived in 2006 after a preseason holdout with the Patriots.
He then signed a $39 million, six-year contract with the Seahawks that included $13 million in a bonus and other guarantees, but he spent most of that year trying to catch up in learning the offense instead of starring.
This season, he's been plagued with injuries, including a badly sprained right foot that caused him to miss four games and the strained calf that caused him to miss the last game of the regular season and Seattle's victory against Washington last week.
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For the season, Branch has 49 catches for 661 yards and four touchdowns.
Josh Scobey injured his left ankle and was carted off the field on the first play. He was on kick coverage and tried to join the tackle of returner Tramon Williams when Green Bay's Koren Robinson rolled over the back of his leg.
Scobey immediately reached for the lower part of his leg, and couldn't get up on his own. He did not try to walk on the leg, waiting instead with trainers for the cart to be taken to the locker room.
Scobey signed with Seattle on Dec. 4 after being released earlier in the year by Buffalo, where he had five kickoff returns for 112 yards.
Source: The Associated Press
Parmele playing in Hula Bowl tonight
HONOLULU, Hawaii -- Jalen Parmele has had a fantastic college career.
Now he's ending it with a flourish.
The Dow High graduate and University of Toledo senior running back will play on the East team in tonight's Hula Bowl, the annual college football all-star game, in Honolulu, Hawaii. The game is at 6 p.m. and will be broadcast on Versus network.
Parmele has been in Honolulu since Sunday. He and the other players have signed autographs for kids and toured Pearl Harbor, among other activities.
"I've met a lot of people and had some fun in the sun," he said.
The 6-foot-0 Parmele had his best season in 2007 with 1,511 yards rushing on 276 carries -- an average of 5.5 yards per carry -- and 14 touchdowns. For his Toledo career, he has 3,119 yards rushing and 28 TDs.
Parmele is one of five running backs on the East squad -- coached by Ron Zook of Illinois -- and doesn't know how much playing time he will get. He does know that the game will be taped by a scout and the tape will be distributed to all the teams in the National Football League.
"It's a chance to see what you can do against top competition from all around the nation," Parmele said.
When the game is over, Parmele will return to Irvine, Calif., where he is training in preparation for the NFL combine Feb. 20-26 in Indianapolis. That's where NFL scouts evaluate top college players to help teams decide whom to draft in April.
Parmele has decided to take next semester off from his studies at Toledo in order to focus on getting ready for the combine.
"I need to be completely focused on working out and be the best I can be at the combine," he said. "I decided to take the semester off.
Parmele is represented by agents Bruce Tollner and Ryan Tollner of the sports agency Rep 1 Sports in Irvine.
Source: Dan Chalk, Midland Daily News 2008
Now he's ending it with a flourish.
The Dow High graduate and University of Toledo senior running back will play on the East team in tonight's Hula Bowl, the annual college football all-star game, in Honolulu, Hawaii. The game is at 6 p.m. and will be broadcast on Versus network.
Parmele has been in Honolulu since Sunday. He and the other players have signed autographs for kids and toured Pearl Harbor, among other activities.
"I've met a lot of people and had some fun in the sun," he said.
The 6-foot-0 Parmele had his best season in 2007 with 1,511 yards rushing on 276 carries -- an average of 5.5 yards per carry -- and 14 touchdowns. For his Toledo career, he has 3,119 yards rushing and 28 TDs.
Parmele is one of five running backs on the East squad -- coached by Ron Zook of Illinois -- and doesn't know how much playing time he will get. He does know that the game will be taped by a scout and the tape will be distributed to all the teams in the National Football League.
"It's a chance to see what you can do against top competition from all around the nation," Parmele said.
When the game is over, Parmele will return to Irvine, Calif., where he is training in preparation for the NFL combine Feb. 20-26 in Indianapolis. That's where NFL scouts evaluate top college players to help teams decide whom to draft in April.
Parmele has decided to take next semester off from his studies at Toledo in order to focus on getting ready for the combine.
"I need to be completely focused on working out and be the best I can be at the combine," he said. "I decided to take the semester off.
Parmele is represented by agents Bruce Tollner and Ryan Tollner of the sports agency Rep 1 Sports in Irvine.
Source: Dan Chalk, Midland Daily News 2008
Favre, Grant rally Packers to 28-17 halftime lead vs. Seahawks
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) -Ryan Grant redeemed himself after two early fumbles, rushing for 91 yards and two touchdowns as the Green Bay Packers rallied to take a 28-17 halftime lead on the Seattle Seahawks in an NFC divisional playoff game at snow-streaked Lambeau Field on Saturday.
Grant earned most of the credit for a revitalized Packers running game in the second half of the season, but his mistakes helped put the Packers in an early 14-0 hole. But Brett Favre then got going, throwing a touchdown pass to wide receiver Greg Jennings, and Grant did the heavy lifting on Green Bay's second scoring drive.
The Packers scored again on another touchdown pass by Favre to Jennings early in the second quarter to take a 21-14 lead.
Josh Brown's 29-yard field goal midway through the quarter cut the deficit to 21-17, but Favre answered with another touchdown drive just before halftime that included one of the three-time MVP's signature moments.
Facing third-and-8 at the Seattle 14, Favre scrambled away from pressure by defensive tackle Brandon Mebane and flipped the ball underhanded to tight end Donald Lee, who leaped for a first down that set up first-and-goal at the Seattle 3.
Grant then scored his second touchdown, putting the Packers up 28-17 with 26 seconds left in the half - completing the offense's recovery from an ice-cold start in the snow.
Green Bay's offense went conservative on its first play from scrimmage, but it still managed to bite them. Favre threw a swing pass to Grant on the right side, which the running back managed to haul in after bobbling the ball. Linebacker Leroy Hill then stripped the ball from Grant, and Lofa Tatupu recovered to give the Seahawks first-and-goal at the Green Bay 1.
Matt Hasselbeck immediately handed the ball to Shaun Alexander, who plunged in for a touchdown behind a block by center Chris Spencer to put the Seahawks ahead 7-0.
The Packers didn't shy from feeding the ball to Grant on their second possession, and it cost them again. Grant was stripped of the ball by Brian Russell on the second play of the possession, and Jordan Babineaux recovered to give the ball back to the Seahawks offense at the Green Bay 49.
Grant fumbled only once in the regular season.
Hasselbeck drove the Seahawks deep into Packers territory, then threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Bobby Engram between Packers defensive backs Charles Woodson and Jarrett Bush to put Seattle ahead 14-0 with 10:59 left in the quarter.
With the snow getting heavier and Packers fans beginning to panic, Favre rallied the Packers for a 69-yard touchdown drive.
Favre's 31-yard completion to James Jones on third down midfield, set up a 15-yard touchdown to Jennings that cut Seattle's lead to 14-7 with 7:08 left in the quarter. Favre was 5-for-5 on the drive.
After a three-and-out by Seattle, the Packers relied on runs of 26 and 15 yards by Grant. He then scored on a 1-yard run, allowing Green Bay to tie it at 14.
Favre was 15-of-19 for 133 yards and two touchdowns in the half.
Source: USATODAY 01/12/2008 - 6:39 PM
Grant earned most of the credit for a revitalized Packers running game in the second half of the season, but his mistakes helped put the Packers in an early 14-0 hole. But Brett Favre then got going, throwing a touchdown pass to wide receiver Greg Jennings, and Grant did the heavy lifting on Green Bay's second scoring drive.
The Packers scored again on another touchdown pass by Favre to Jennings early in the second quarter to take a 21-14 lead.
Josh Brown's 29-yard field goal midway through the quarter cut the deficit to 21-17, but Favre answered with another touchdown drive just before halftime that included one of the three-time MVP's signature moments.
Facing third-and-8 at the Seattle 14, Favre scrambled away from pressure by defensive tackle Brandon Mebane and flipped the ball underhanded to tight end Donald Lee, who leaped for a first down that set up first-and-goal at the Seattle 3.
Grant then scored his second touchdown, putting the Packers up 28-17 with 26 seconds left in the half - completing the offense's recovery from an ice-cold start in the snow.
Green Bay's offense went conservative on its first play from scrimmage, but it still managed to bite them. Favre threw a swing pass to Grant on the right side, which the running back managed to haul in after bobbling the ball. Linebacker Leroy Hill then stripped the ball from Grant, and Lofa Tatupu recovered to give the Seahawks first-and-goal at the Green Bay 1.
Matt Hasselbeck immediately handed the ball to Shaun Alexander, who plunged in for a touchdown behind a block by center Chris Spencer to put the Seahawks ahead 7-0.
The Packers didn't shy from feeding the ball to Grant on their second possession, and it cost them again. Grant was stripped of the ball by Brian Russell on the second play of the possession, and Jordan Babineaux recovered to give the ball back to the Seahawks offense at the Green Bay 49.
Grant fumbled only once in the regular season.
Hasselbeck drove the Seahawks deep into Packers territory, then threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Bobby Engram between Packers defensive backs Charles Woodson and Jarrett Bush to put Seattle ahead 14-0 with 10:59 left in the quarter.
With the snow getting heavier and Packers fans beginning to panic, Favre rallied the Packers for a 69-yard touchdown drive.
Favre's 31-yard completion to James Jones on third down midfield, set up a 15-yard touchdown to Jennings that cut Seattle's lead to 14-7 with 7:08 left in the quarter. Favre was 5-for-5 on the drive.
After a three-and-out by Seattle, the Packers relied on runs of 26 and 15 yards by Grant. He then scored on a 1-yard run, allowing Green Bay to tie it at 14.
Favre was 15-of-19 for 133 yards and two touchdowns in the half.
Source: USATODAY 01/12/2008 - 6:39 PM
Friday, January 11, 2008
CARPENTER: 'WRITERS STRIKE HAS LEFT ME PENNILESS'
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER star CHARISMA CARPENTER is "too poor" to pay for her divorce from ex-husband DAMIEN HARDY.
The 37-year-old actress married Hardy in October 2002 and the couple became parents to son Donovan Charles, now four, the following March (03), before announcing plans to divorce last month (Nov07).
Now Carpenter is claiming the ongoing Hollywood writers strike has left her unemployed - and as a result, she's pleaded the Los Angeles Supreme Court to make hotel worker Hardy pay her legal bills.
She says, "At the present time, my husband has the ability to work full-time and make more money than I am currently making."He should be paying my lawyers' (fees)."
Source: World Entertainment News Network
The 37-year-old actress married Hardy in October 2002 and the couple became parents to son Donovan Charles, now four, the following March (03), before announcing plans to divorce last month (Nov07).
Now Carpenter is claiming the ongoing Hollywood writers strike has left her unemployed - and as a result, she's pleaded the Los Angeles Supreme Court to make hotel worker Hardy pay her legal bills.
She says, "At the present time, my husband has the ability to work full-time and make more money than I am currently making."He should be paying my lawyers' (fees)."
Source: World Entertainment News Network
Godfather of Hip-Hop Grows up
Russell Simmons is an innovator and an entrepreneur. Often called the godfather of hip-hop, Simmons might be better termed an urban-wear mogul or a marketing guru. Credited with bringing rap to the mainstream, Simmons founded Def Jam Records in the early 1980’s alongside Rick Rubin, going on to launch the careers of Run-D.M.C., the Beastie Boys and LL Cool J. In the 1990’s Simmons produced “Def Comedy Jam.” The HBO show ran for 7 years launching the careers of many famous comics.
Simmons knows how to combine the appropriate amount of panache and sophistication with just enough urban grit to make his products unique and appealing. Founding urban clothing line Phat Farm in 1992 (Baby Phat followed), Simmons sold parent company Phat Fashions LLC to the Kenwood Company in 2004 for a reported $140 million but stayed on as CEO, managing the day-to-day operations of the company up until recently.
Simmons, now 45, is starting his own fashion lines for the sophisticated urban man. Argyle Culture and Atman are designed for the hip-hop generation now grown up; fashionable in a classic way yet still seeking that bit of urban flare. The argyle pattern itself has been associated with country club prep and the Ivy League yet this iconic cuspidate pattern and sophisticated fabrics such as herringbone and houndstooth have been incorporated into Argyle Culture’s premier collection, subtly enhanced with Simmons iconoclastic urban aesthetic. Atman is an even higher end men’s boutique line.
As human beings, the minute we stop learning and growing, we lose that essence that makes us dynamic and effective. Russell Simmons is a prime example of what ingenuity, hard work and insight can achieve in the span of two decades.
Source: Sonshine Communications
Simmons knows how to combine the appropriate amount of panache and sophistication with just enough urban grit to make his products unique and appealing. Founding urban clothing line Phat Farm in 1992 (Baby Phat followed), Simmons sold parent company Phat Fashions LLC to the Kenwood Company in 2004 for a reported $140 million but stayed on as CEO, managing the day-to-day operations of the company up until recently.
Simmons, now 45, is starting his own fashion lines for the sophisticated urban man. Argyle Culture and Atman are designed for the hip-hop generation now grown up; fashionable in a classic way yet still seeking that bit of urban flare. The argyle pattern itself has been associated with country club prep and the Ivy League yet this iconic cuspidate pattern and sophisticated fabrics such as herringbone and houndstooth have been incorporated into Argyle Culture’s premier collection, subtly enhanced with Simmons iconoclastic urban aesthetic. Atman is an even higher end men’s boutique line.
As human beings, the minute we stop learning and growing, we lose that essence that makes us dynamic and effective. Russell Simmons is a prime example of what ingenuity, hard work and insight can achieve in the span of two decades.
Source: Sonshine Communications
Dr. Drew: 'Spears could end up like Anna Nicole'
Britney Spears is "Anna Nicole Smith in real time" according to celebrity psychiatrist Dr. Drew Pinsky - who fears she could end up dead like the Playboy playmate.
Pinsky - who is treating troubled former American Idol star Jessica Sierra - is convinced Britney needs treatment for more than one condition, and could die if she goes untreated.
He tells PageSix.com, "She has, in my opinion, more than one possible diagnosis which could include bipolar disorder, addiction to some substance, and post-partem depression, among others. There isn't just one diagnosis with her."
Pinsky recommends Spears seeks "at least one year of inpatient in-depth treatment".
He adds, "This is a very treatable young lady whom, if she were to receive sustained medical treatment, would stand a much better chance of success."
Source: World Entertainment News Network
Pinsky - who is treating troubled former American Idol star Jessica Sierra - is convinced Britney needs treatment for more than one condition, and could die if she goes untreated.
He tells PageSix.com, "She has, in my opinion, more than one possible diagnosis which could include bipolar disorder, addiction to some substance, and post-partem depression, among others. There isn't just one diagnosis with her."
Pinsky recommends Spears seeks "at least one year of inpatient in-depth treatment".
He adds, "This is a very treatable young lady whom, if she were to receive sustained medical treatment, would stand a much better chance of success."
Source: World Entertainment News Network
Gandolfini, Others, Propose Marriage over the Holidays
The Sopranos is done, but with that door closed, another one opens for James Gandolfini. For Mr. Soprano himself, that door is the gate to holy matrimony.
Gandolfini, 46, proposed to his girlfriend of two years, former model Deborah Lin, in the Bahamas over the holidays.
It was an offer she couldn't refuse.
Assuming the two do in fact get hitched, it will be the award-winning actor's second marriage. He and wife, Marcella married in 1999, had a son together, but divorced in 2002. While on the production of The Mexican soon after the split, Gandolfini fell in love with crewmember Lora Samoza. They were engaged in Jan. 2004, but their relationship ended before they could tie the knot.
So the actor that made $1 million per episode as Tony Soprano is giving romance another shot.
He's not the only celeb to get engaged in late '07/early '08.
Days of Our Lives' Eric Winter popped the question to Without a Trace actress, Roselyn Sanchez, over the final weekend of 2007.
Westlife's Kian Egan asked actress Jodi Albert, girlfriend of four-and-a-half years to take his hand in marriage just after Christmas.
Australian Idol winner, Guy Sebasitan, got down on one knee in Queensland and asked his girlfriend of nearly a decade, Jules Egan, to marry him that same week.
And most recently, at a New Year's Eve party, Survivor: Pearl Islands contestant Jon Dalton (better known to fans as Jonny Fairplay) proposed to America's Next Top Model contestant, Michelle Deighton.
Source: Actress Archives
Gandolfini, 46, proposed to his girlfriend of two years, former model Deborah Lin, in the Bahamas over the holidays.
It was an offer she couldn't refuse.
Assuming the two do in fact get hitched, it will be the award-winning actor's second marriage. He and wife, Marcella married in 1999, had a son together, but divorced in 2002. While on the production of The Mexican soon after the split, Gandolfini fell in love with crewmember Lora Samoza. They were engaged in Jan. 2004, but their relationship ended before they could tie the knot.
So the actor that made $1 million per episode as Tony Soprano is giving romance another shot.
He's not the only celeb to get engaged in late '07/early '08.
Days of Our Lives' Eric Winter popped the question to Without a Trace actress, Roselyn Sanchez, over the final weekend of 2007.
Westlife's Kian Egan asked actress Jodi Albert, girlfriend of four-and-a-half years to take his hand in marriage just after Christmas.
Australian Idol winner, Guy Sebasitan, got down on one knee in Queensland and asked his girlfriend of nearly a decade, Jules Egan, to marry him that same week.
And most recently, at a New Year's Eve party, Survivor: Pearl Islands contestant Jon Dalton (better known to fans as Jonny Fairplay) proposed to America's Next Top Model contestant, Michelle Deighton.
Source: Actress Archives
All-star Trump cast to compete in new series
AN all-star cast of faded celebrities, athletes and personalities will compete in the new series of The Apprentice. Each week, one celebrity will get the catch-cry "You're fired" from Donald Trump.
In a bid to boost the series, billionaire tycoon Donald Trump has recruited such names as actor Stephen Baldwin, Olympic legend Nadia Comaneci, KISS lead singer Gene Simmons, former TV star Marilu Henner and ex-boxer Lennox Lewis for The Celebrity Apprentice.
Each week, one celebrity will get the catch-cry "You're fired" from Trump.
Contestants will not be vying for a job with Trump, but be working towards raising more than $1 million for their charities during the season.
Source: Herald Sun
In a bid to boost the series, billionaire tycoon Donald Trump has recruited such names as actor Stephen Baldwin, Olympic legend Nadia Comaneci, KISS lead singer Gene Simmons, former TV star Marilu Henner and ex-boxer Lennox Lewis for The Celebrity Apprentice.
Each week, one celebrity will get the catch-cry "You're fired" from Trump.
Contestants will not be vying for a job with Trump, but be working towards raising more than $1 million for their charities during the season.
Source: Herald Sun
Grey's Anatomy Music
Watching Grey's Anatomy last night reminded me that I've been meaning to get the music soundtrack. I love their music. The show itself is pretty wonderful too, as I rarely miss an episode.
Anyway, I located some very good deals for the soundtrack at Amazon. If you enjoy this music as much asI do, hop over there and purchase one for yourself. Just click below and you'll be taken there.
Anyway, I located some very good deals for the soundtrack at Amazon. If you enjoy this music as much asI do, hop over there and purchase one for yourself. Just click below and you'll be taken there.
'Celebrity Rehab' just feeds fans' addiction
The new series "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew" (10 p.m., VH1, TV-14) appears to have been created to answer one question: "Just where do you go when you can't behave on 'The Surreal Life?' "
The bond between celebrity doctors and celebrity dysfunction seems to defy all reason. How else do you explain the unseemly haste with which Dr. Phil rushed, uninvited, to the sad bedside of the shackled Britney Spears? And how else do you excuse this exercise in TV malpractice?
The word depressing does not even begin to describe this cautionary tale of nine boldfaced names in search of sobriety and serenity. Jeff Conaway, the once-handsome star of "Taxi," appears here in a wheelchair, and within 40 minutes descends from slobbering incoherence to whimpering cries of pain. Deprived of his daily diet of illicit and prescribed narcotics, he's sent into a state of shock and delirium and dispatched in an ambulance. Will he return? Stay tuned.
Other familiar faces in this house of horrors include "Surreal Life" veterans Brigitte Nielsen and Chyna. Drug and alcohol abuse is not pretty. "American Idol" participant and mugshot poster girl Jessica Sierra shows up, as does "Family Matters" veteran Jaimee Foxworth, whose daily (make that hourly) marijuana consumption has taken its toll on her career drive, not to mention her lungs.
Another resident includes an exhibitionist adult-film star whose alcohol abuse seems incidental to her mental and emotional problems, and a rocker who is hooked on crack cocaine as well as tattoos. Dr. Drew warns them that they may not all make it through his tough-love program, or the program's eight one-hour episodes (whichever comes first).
To give you an idea of just how low the bar has been set, Daniel Baldwin quickly assumes the role as the show's moral center. He claims to have been clean and sober since late 2006 and just wants to show up to use his "celebrity" to do some good and set an example for viewers.
Of course, he does admit to residual amounts of cocaine in his system. It has been stored, he explains to Dr. Drew's profound disbelief, "In my fat cells."
Last week on "The Celebrity Apprentice" (9 p.m., NBC), the male team won a hotdog-selling contest because the long-tongued rocker Gene Simmons convinced enough rich friends to pay $10,000 for a frankfurter. Now that's a valuable lesson for us all.
We also saw the lengths the Donald would go to find a scapegoat (some Playmate named Tiffany) so he could avoid firing Omarosa, a veteran villain and proven ratings catnip. Her entertaining mix of managerial jargon, self-absorption and complete delusion must remind many viewers of the business-schooled incompetents they report to every morning.
Source: Kevin McDonough, SouthCoastTODAY.com
The bond between celebrity doctors and celebrity dysfunction seems to defy all reason. How else do you explain the unseemly haste with which Dr. Phil rushed, uninvited, to the sad bedside of the shackled Britney Spears? And how else do you excuse this exercise in TV malpractice?
The word depressing does not even begin to describe this cautionary tale of nine boldfaced names in search of sobriety and serenity. Jeff Conaway, the once-handsome star of "Taxi," appears here in a wheelchair, and within 40 minutes descends from slobbering incoherence to whimpering cries of pain. Deprived of his daily diet of illicit and prescribed narcotics, he's sent into a state of shock and delirium and dispatched in an ambulance. Will he return? Stay tuned.
Other familiar faces in this house of horrors include "Surreal Life" veterans Brigitte Nielsen and Chyna. Drug and alcohol abuse is not pretty. "American Idol" participant and mugshot poster girl Jessica Sierra shows up, as does "Family Matters" veteran Jaimee Foxworth, whose daily (make that hourly) marijuana consumption has taken its toll on her career drive, not to mention her lungs.
Another resident includes an exhibitionist adult-film star whose alcohol abuse seems incidental to her mental and emotional problems, and a rocker who is hooked on crack cocaine as well as tattoos. Dr. Drew warns them that they may not all make it through his tough-love program, or the program's eight one-hour episodes (whichever comes first).
To give you an idea of just how low the bar has been set, Daniel Baldwin quickly assumes the role as the show's moral center. He claims to have been clean and sober since late 2006 and just wants to show up to use his "celebrity" to do some good and set an example for viewers.
Of course, he does admit to residual amounts of cocaine in his system. It has been stored, he explains to Dr. Drew's profound disbelief, "In my fat cells."
Last week on "The Celebrity Apprentice" (9 p.m., NBC), the male team won a hotdog-selling contest because the long-tongued rocker Gene Simmons convinced enough rich friends to pay $10,000 for a frankfurter. Now that's a valuable lesson for us all.
We also saw the lengths the Donald would go to find a scapegoat (some Playmate named Tiffany) so he could avoid firing Omarosa, a veteran villain and proven ratings catnip. Her entertaining mix of managerial jargon, self-absorption and complete delusion must remind many viewers of the business-schooled incompetents they report to every morning.
Source: Kevin McDonough, SouthCoastTODAY.com
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Scott Base mourns Sir Edmund Hillary
The national flag was lowered to half-mast at a ceremony at New Zealand's southern-most outpost today to pay respect to Antarctic pioneer Sir Edmund Hillary.
Staff at Scott Base lowered the flag to half-mast to mourn their hero and inspiration, said Antarctica New Zealand's senior representative at Scott Base, Dean Peterson.
"It was quite a short service, we said a few words and then had a moment of silence before lowering the flag," he said.
The mood of the base had quickly turned sombre as the news of Hillary's death spread.
Plans are being made for a fitting tribute to Sir Edmund, who is truly a hero to many on the ice, which will take place tonight, by which time another 20 visitors to the Antarctic base would have landed.
"This may sound a bit strange," Peterson said this afternoon, "but one suggestion was that we find out what Sir Ed's favourite food was and have that as a dinner for him. It turns out that his favourite food was bangers and mash, which we had for lunch - the chef must have had a premonition."
A service will be held at the nearby United States
On the Scott Base noticeboard, where news of Sir Edmund's death was first posted, crew from the base have posted photographs of various visits there.
"His memories are all over this place," said Petereson, "there's a climbing axe that we had framed and presented to him last time he was here. He signed it and gave it straight back to put on the wall of the cafeteria."
Sir Edmund's last visit to Scott Base, which he was instrumental in establishing, was only last year.
"Many people were here for his final visit last year, and of course remember him very fondly," said Peterson, who time with the legendary adventurer three years ago.
"It was a very special time," he said. "He was a great gentleman who had a huge amount of tenacity not to mention a lot of willpower and boundless courage. This was in someone incredibly gentle and caring - an extremely rare combination of qualities."
"This is not going to be an easy day for any of us, or any New Zealander," said Peterson.
Antarctica New Zealand Lou Sanson said in a statement this afternoon: "Ed was a towering legend in
The
"The most recent visit was for the Scott Base 50 year anniversary celebrations where Ed was the centre of attention. He was able to visit the
"On his last night at Scott Base he was able to entertain the flight crew of a RNZAF P3 Orion who were attached to the squadron which he was member of during the Second World War.
"During an earlier visit to Scott Base in November 2004, Sir Ed gave a talk at the United States McMurdo Station where the entire base turned out to hear his account of the trek to the South Pole as part of the 1957/58 Trans-Antarctic Expedition."
Source: The
Thomas Jonathan Jackson (1824-1863)
Next to Robert E. Lee himself, Thomas J. Jackson is the most revered of all Confederate commanders. A graduate of
Upon the outbreak of the Civil War he was commissioned a colonel in the
Leaving Harpers Ferry, his brigade moved with
That winter he launched a dismal campaign into the western part of the state that resulted in a long feud with General William Loring and caused
Detached from Lee, he swung off to the north to face John Pope's army and after a slipshod battle at
In the invasion of
Following the amputation of his arm, he died eight days later on May 10, 1863, from pneumonia. Lee wrote of him with deep feeling: " He has lost his left arm; but I have lost my right arm." A superb commander, he had several faults. Personnel problems haunted him, as in the feuds with Loring and with Garnett after Kernstown. His choices for promotion were often not first rate. He did not give his subordinates enough latitude, which denied them the training for higher positions under Lee's loose command style. This was especially devastating in the case of his immediate successor, Richard Ewell. Although he was sometimes balky when in a subordinate position,
Source: "Who Was Who in the Civil War" by Stewart Sifakis
Microsoft Unit President to Retire
SEATTLE (AP) — Microsoft Corp. said Thursday that Jeff Raikes, the top executive in its business software division, will retire in September.
Stephen Elop, chief operating officer at networking equipment maker Juniper Networks Inc., will replace Raikes, the software maker said.
Raikes, 49, was recruited to Microsoft from Apple Inc. by Chief Executive Steve Ballmer in 1981.
Raikes was named president of Microsoft Business Division in 2005. Since then, he has been responsible for a wide swath of some of Microsoft's most profitable applications, including the Office suite, Microsoft's server software and applications that help businesses track customers and business processes.
In the first fiscal quarter of 2008, the division brought in $4.1 billion in sales, or about a third of Microsoft's total revenue.
Elop, 44, will report to the company's
"With Bill Gates' pending retirement, he was pretty much the No. 2 guy at Microsoft, certainly within product development," said Matt Rosoff, an analyst at the independent research group Directions on Microsoft.
But Raikes, who also owns a stake in the Seattle Mariners, may not have wanted more.
"I don't think Steve Ballmer is planning to step aside any time soon, but even if he did, I'm not sure Jeff Raikes wants the CEO job," Rosoff said.
In an e-mail to employees, Ballmer wrote that Raikes "was one of the earliest and most vocal proponents of the importance of diversity at the company."
"He embodies everything that makes this company a great place to work," Ballmer added.
Before Juniper, Elop headed global sales for Adobe Systems Inc. and was CEO of Macromedia Inc., the company that developed Flash.
Microsoft and Adobe have been encroaching on one another's traditional turf recently, with Microsoft releasing Silverlight, a competitor to Flash, and Adobe eyeing software that runs on the desktop.
Shares of Microsoft dipped 8 cents to $34.25 in after-hours electronic trading, after closing Thursday at $34.33.
Source: JESSICA MINTZ, The Associated Press
Bank of America in talks to buy Countrywide
Deal would be risky bet on mortgage market, but offers big
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Bank of America is in advanced talks to acquire Countrywide Financial, possibly stepping in to save the struggling mortgage lender, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday, citing unidentified people familiar with the matter.
"Absent a deal, I have a sell rating on [Countrywide] because there are serious concerns about credit quality and liquidity," Shanley said. "They need to have enough cash to fund mortgages, run their loan servicing business and pay off maturing debt obligations."
Mean Mom Sells Son's Car After Misdeed
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Jane Hambleton has dubbed herself the "meanest mom on the planet." After finding alcohol in her son's car, she decided to sell the car and share her 19-year-old's misdeed with everyone — by placing an ad in the local newspaper.
The ad reads: "OLDS 1999 Intrigue. Totally uncool parents who obviously don't love teenage son, selling his car. Only driven for three weeks before snoopy mom who needs to get a life found booze under front seat. $3,700/offer. Call meanest mom on the planet."
Hambleton has heard from people besides interested buyers since recently placing the ad in The Des Moines Register.
The 48-year-old from Fort Dodge says she has fielded more than 70 telephone calls from emergency room technicians, nurses, school counselors and even a Georgia man who wanted to congratulate her.
"The ad cost a fortune, but you know what? I'm telling people what happened here," Hambleton says. "I'm not just gonna put the car for resale when there's nothing wrong with it, except the driver made a dumb decision.
"It's overwhelming the number of calls I've gotten from people saying 'Thank you, it's nice to see a responsible parent.' So far there are no calls from anyone saying, 'You're really strict. You're real overboard, lady.'"
The only critic is her son, who Hambleton says is "very, very unhappy" with the ad and claims the alcohol was left by a passenger.
Hambleton believes her son but has decided mercy isn't the best policy in this case. She says she set two rules when she bought the car at Thanksgiving: No booze, and always keep it locked.
The car has been sold, but Hambleton says she will continue the ad for another week — just for the feedback.
Source: Associated Press
The ad reads: "OLDS 1999 Intrigue. Totally uncool parents who obviously don't love teenage son, selling his car. Only driven for three weeks before snoopy mom who needs to get a life found booze under front seat. $3,700/offer. Call meanest mom on the planet."
Hambleton has heard from people besides interested buyers since recently placing the ad in The Des Moines Register.
The 48-year-old from Fort Dodge says she has fielded more than 70 telephone calls from emergency room technicians, nurses, school counselors and even a Georgia man who wanted to congratulate her.
"The ad cost a fortune, but you know what? I'm telling people what happened here," Hambleton says. "I'm not just gonna put the car for resale when there's nothing wrong with it, except the driver made a dumb decision.
"It's overwhelming the number of calls I've gotten from people saying 'Thank you, it's nice to see a responsible parent.' So far there are no calls from anyone saying, 'You're really strict. You're real overboard, lady.'"
The only critic is her son, who Hambleton says is "very, very unhappy" with the ad and claims the alcohol was left by a passenger.
Hambleton believes her son but has decided mercy isn't the best policy in this case. She says she set two rules when she bought the car at Thanksgiving: No booze, and always keep it locked.
The car has been sold, but Hambleton says she will continue the ad for another week — just for the feedback.
Source: Associated Press
Former Dem Nominee Kerry Endorses Obama
CHARLESTON, S.C. - John Kerry, the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee, gave Barack Obama a timely endorsement Thursday, snubbing Hillary Rodham Clinton as well as his own vice presidential running mate.
Kerry came to South Carolina to embrace Obama, two weeks before the state's primary and with Obama needing a boost after Clinton's emotional victory over him in New Hampshire.
Quoting a black American hero in endorsing the man who hopes to be the first black president, Kerry told a cheering crowd, "Martin Luther King said that the time is always right to do what is right." Now is the time, Kerry said, to declare "that Barack Obama can be, will be and should be the next president of the United States."
The Massachusetts senator said there were other candidates he had worked with and respected but Obama was best able to bring Americans together.
"Who better than Barack Obama to turn a new page in American politics so that Democrat, independent and Republican alike can look to leadership that unites to find the common ground?" Kerry said. "That's what this is about."
Former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina, the third contender in the Democratic presidential race, was Kerry's vice presidential running mate in 2004. Despite their political alliance, the two men were not close personally and differed behind the scenes on campaign strategy in a race that President Bush won.
Edwards responded to word of the endorsement with a diplomatic statement: "Our country and our party are stronger because of John's service, and I respect his decision. When we were running against each other and on the same ticket, John and I agreed on many issues."
Edwards defeated Kerry in the 2004 South Carolina Democratic primary. Kerry had considered running again but decided a year ago he would not.
Kerry dismissed Obama critics who say the Illinois senator lacks the experience to be president. And he took a swipe at Clinton, saying, "Some have suggested in this campaign that Barack is guilty of raising 'false hopes.' ... My friends, the only charge that rings false is the one that tells you not to hope for a better tomorrow."
In a debate in New Hampshire, the New York senator said in comparing her ability and Obama's to fulfill pledges to bring about change: "I think it is clear that what we need is somebody who can deliver change. And we don't need to be raising the false hopes of our country about what can be delivered. The best way to know what change I will produce is to look at the changes that I've already made."
Returning to the subject, Obama said when he took the microphone from Kerry: "In the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope."
Obama supporters were hoping the timing of Kerry's endorsement could give him a lift as he seeks to put his New Hampshire primary loss behind him.
Obama praised Kerry's Vietnam War service, calling him a patriot and a man of conviction.
Kerry was Obama's political benefactor once before, selecting the relatively unknown Illinois senatorial candidate to deliver the keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston. It was Obama's first turn in the national spotlight and helped launch him on a remarkable ascent that has made him one of two leading contenders for the party's presidential nomination only four years later.
Kerry had withheld his endorsement, hoping to have an impact on the race and avoid the fate of fellow Democrat Al Gore, the 2000 nominee who endorsed Howard Dean in 2004 shortly before the former Vermont governor's campaign imploded. Gore has made no endorsement so far this year.
While Kerry has been close to Clinton's husband, the former president, he was incensed in 2006 when she chided him after Kerry suggested that people who don't go to school "get stuck in Iraq." Aides said Kerry meant to jab at Bush and say "get us stuck in Iraq," and that he didn't appreciate Clinton piling onto the criticism he was already getting for the remark.
Kerry's own hopes to run for president this year fizzled with that botched comment. For many Democrats, his words revived bitter memories of his missteps in 2004. troop withdrawal deadlines. In another area, he has backed environmental causes, writing a book with his wife on the issue.
Kerry should be able to provide some organizational and fundraising muscle to Obama.
Since losing the 2004 race, Kerry has kept a national network of supporters intact. He has an e-mail network of 3 million supporters, according to aides. He also has traveled extensively raising millions of dollars for Democratic candidates nationwide.
The Republican National Committee was dismissive about Thursday's endorsement, branding Kerry and Obama "liberal soul mates."
Source: Associated Press
Kerry came to South Carolina to embrace Obama, two weeks before the state's primary and with Obama needing a boost after Clinton's emotional victory over him in New Hampshire.
Quoting a black American hero in endorsing the man who hopes to be the first black president, Kerry told a cheering crowd, "Martin Luther King said that the time is always right to do what is right." Now is the time, Kerry said, to declare "that Barack Obama can be, will be and should be the next president of the United States."
The Massachusetts senator said there were other candidates he had worked with and respected but Obama was best able to bring Americans together.
"Who better than Barack Obama to turn a new page in American politics so that Democrat, independent and Republican alike can look to leadership that unites to find the common ground?" Kerry said. "That's what this is about."
Former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina, the third contender in the Democratic presidential race, was Kerry's vice presidential running mate in 2004. Despite their political alliance, the two men were not close personally and differed behind the scenes on campaign strategy in a race that President Bush won.
Edwards responded to word of the endorsement with a diplomatic statement: "Our country and our party are stronger because of John's service, and I respect his decision. When we were running against each other and on the same ticket, John and I agreed on many issues."
Edwards defeated Kerry in the 2004 South Carolina Democratic primary. Kerry had considered running again but decided a year ago he would not.
Kerry dismissed Obama critics who say the Illinois senator lacks the experience to be president. And he took a swipe at Clinton, saying, "Some have suggested in this campaign that Barack is guilty of raising 'false hopes.' ... My friends, the only charge that rings false is the one that tells you not to hope for a better tomorrow."
In a debate in New Hampshire, the New York senator said in comparing her ability and Obama's to fulfill pledges to bring about change: "I think it is clear that what we need is somebody who can deliver change. And we don't need to be raising the false hopes of our country about what can be delivered. The best way to know what change I will produce is to look at the changes that I've already made."
Returning to the subject, Obama said when he took the microphone from Kerry: "In the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope."
Obama supporters were hoping the timing of Kerry's endorsement could give him a lift as he seeks to put his New Hampshire primary loss behind him.
Obama praised Kerry's Vietnam War service, calling him a patriot and a man of conviction.
Kerry was Obama's political benefactor once before, selecting the relatively unknown Illinois senatorial candidate to deliver the keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston. It was Obama's first turn in the national spotlight and helped launch him on a remarkable ascent that has made him one of two leading contenders for the party's presidential nomination only four years later.
Kerry had withheld his endorsement, hoping to have an impact on the race and avoid the fate of fellow Democrat Al Gore, the 2000 nominee who endorsed Howard Dean in 2004 shortly before the former Vermont governor's campaign imploded. Gore has made no endorsement so far this year.
While Kerry has been close to Clinton's husband, the former president, he was incensed in 2006 when she chided him after Kerry suggested that people who don't go to school "get stuck in Iraq." Aides said Kerry meant to jab at Bush and say "get us stuck in Iraq," and that he didn't appreciate Clinton piling onto the criticism he was already getting for the remark.
Kerry's own hopes to run for president this year fizzled with that botched comment. For many Democrats, his words revived bitter memories of his missteps in 2004. troop withdrawal deadlines. In another area, he has backed environmental causes, writing a book with his wife on the issue.
Kerry should be able to provide some organizational and fundraising muscle to Obama.
Since losing the 2004 race, Kerry has kept a national network of supporters intact. He has an e-mail network of 3 million supporters, according to aides. He also has traveled extensively raising millions of dollars for Democratic candidates nationwide.
The Republican National Committee was dismissive about Thursday's endorsement, branding Kerry and Obama "liberal soul mates."
Source: Associated Press
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