Quote It Now: December 2008

Friday, December 19, 2008

The History of the Christmas Tree

Christmas trees are just about everywhere you look this time of year.

But did you ever wonder why?

Believe or not, the history of the Christmas tree goes back before Christianity even existed.

But here in the United States, Christmas trees didn't even start becoming popular until the mid-1800s.

Before that, they were considered "pagan" by many Christians.

In fact, the Christmas tree has its roots in many pre-Christian celebrations in Europe.

Historians say many of the people who lived in Europe before Christianity existed believed that evergreens had magical powers.

After all, the evergreens remained green when all the other plants withered and died.

According to historians, the Druids of northern Europe decorated their temples with evergreen boughs because to them, evergreens symbolized everlasting life.

And historians say the Romans decorated their homes with clippings from evergreen shrubs to celebrate a holiday called Saturnalia.

Saturnalia was celebrated at the winter solstice, which happens right around December 21st.

(The winter solstice is the day of the year with the fewest hours and minutes of sunlight.)

Obviously, that's just a few days before December 25th.

So it's easy to see how traditions from pre-Christian solstice celebrations became incorporated into the observance of Christmas.

According to the National Christmas Tree Association, the first written record of a decorated Christmas tree dates back to the year 1510 in Riga, Latvia.

(Latvia is one of those little European countries along the Baltic Sea that used to be part of the Soviet Union.)

According to the association's website, some Latvian men decorated a tree with artificial roses, put it up in a marketplace and danced around it.

(Roses are said to be symbols of Mary, Jesus' mother.)

Then, they set the tree on fire.

Please don't try this at home or anywhere else, for that matter.

Many historians say the tradition of bringing evergreen trees into the home as part of the Christmas celebration began in Germany in the 1500s.

And it wasn't until German immigrants started coming to the United States in the mid-1800s that Christmas trees became popular here.

(In fact, according to one historical account, the Puritans of Massachusetts passed a law in 1659 that forbade Christmas trees and any other form of Christmas celebration other than prayer in church. Obviously, that law no longer exists.)

According to the National Christmas Tree Association, the trees were first sold commercially in the United States in 1851.

It’s important not to overlook the real story of Christmas

Most of us enjoy this festive time of year, but are we becoming more secular and agnostic regarding the Christmas season? For many with an 'atheistic' view of Christmas, it is presents and parties, tinsel and turkey, banqueting and booze.

Many are prepared to tolerate a 'sprinkling' of religion provided the festive season isn't exclusively focused on the Biblical events of that first Christmas.

Of course, in this world of political correctness it would be considered ill-mannered or bad taste to offend those from different faiths or none by sending greeting cards depicting 'The Christmas Story'. Far better to send sentiments of 'Happy Holidays' with a robin in the snow, or 'Winter Wishes'.

And is this Christmas story just a story, promoted by well meaning folk to cheer us amid the gloom of 'the bleak mid-winter'? And what is fact or falsehood? The little drummer boy, sung and adored by many, is not mentioned in the Gospels. But what of the donkey Mary rode from Nazareth to Bethlehem? No donkey appears in the Biblical account. Mary and Joseph probably walked.

And the three kings who followed the star to the manger to greet the new born baby Jesus -- incorrect on all counts. They weren't kings but magi (from the Greek word, magol 'wise men') -- and we don't even know how many of them brought the three gifts as they stopped at Mary and Joseph's house in Bethlehem when Jesus was a child (possibly as old as two years). And was our Lord born on December 25? We don't know.

But none of this should detract from the truth of the Gospel message encompassed in this beautiful Christmas story -- that of a virgin birth of God's only son, who by his life, work, witness and death on a cross provides us with the lasting gift of salvation for those who just believe. So this December 25 will it be just another 'Merry Xmas' for you and yours or, perhaps for the very first time, a special, meaningful, wonderful, peaceful and deeply significant 'Happy CHRISTmas'? source>>>

Christians in the northern Indian state of Orissa are preparing for a violent Christmas.

Recently, Hindu extremists have asked for a statewide shutdown in all sectors of society on Christmas Day, which could result in attacks by extremists against anyone publicly celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. The latest development follows months of attacks against Christians and churches by radical Hindus.

At least 60 Christians have been killed since the summer, with hundreds injured in the coordinated attacks. K. P. Yohannan, founder of Gospel for Asia, says Christians in Orissa state face a dangerous Christmas.
K.P. Yohannan
"The entire Orissa crisis happened because of radical fundamentalists planning and plotting to kill off Christians and to stop all Christian activities," he points out. "As a matter of fact, some 15,000 people marched into the government office demanding that they ban all Christian work in Orissa forever, and their demands are very fearsome."

The lower house of the Indian Parliament recently approved two draft laws concerning the prevention of criminal acts against Christian source>>>

Bush throws lifeline to auto industry worth 17.5 Billion

President George W. Bush announced $17.4 billion in emergency loans to faltering U.S. carmakers on Friday in a dramatic step to guard the industry from imminent collapse and save hundreds of thousands of jobs from falling victim to a deep recession.

Bush, seeking to bolster his legacy and bucking some fellow Republicans who would prefer the car industry work out its problems without government aid, said it would be irresponsible in a time of economic crisis to let carmakers die.

The government will offer up to $17.4 billion in loans to the ailing U.S. automakers and expects General Motors and Chrysler LLC to access the money immediately, a senior administration official said.

Ford Motor Co, the other firm in Detroit's storied Big Three, said its liquidity is adequate for now and it did not need a loan at this point.

"If we were to allow the free market to take its course now, it would almost certainly lead to disorderly bankruptcy and liquidation for the automakers," Bush said, warning that to do nothing would deepen and prolong the U.S. recession.

U.S. stocks rose on the news of the lifeline to the sector, with GM shares jumping 16 percent.

Some $13.4 billion of the total package will be made available in December and January from a $700 billion Wall Street bailout fund that was originally designed to rescue struggling financial institutions.

Democratic President-elect Barack Obama, who takes over from Bush on January 20, supported the move, calling it a "necessary step." continue>>>

Rick Warren Nature Inclines Me To Have Sex With Every Beautiful Woman But That Doesn't Make It Right

Rick Warren had a surprisingly candid response to Ann Curry's question as to whether he would change his views on homosexuality if it were established that people are born gay. The pastor of the Saddleback Church, explaining why such a finding wouldn't cause him to change his position, observed that he is inclined to want to have sex with every beautiful woman he sees, but that that doesn't make it right.

Curry interviewed Warren for a Dateline segment that will be aired tonight on NBC. As noteworthy as Warren's candor was Curry's ostentatious display of righteous liberal anger, captured in the screengrab, while asking Warren whether he is homophobic.

ANN CURRY: Your position [on gay marriage] has raised the spectre that you are homophobic.

Warren responds with a hearty laugh.

CURRY: You laugh, but that is why gay people are angry.

RICK WARREN: Well, I could give you a hundred --

CURRY: Are you homophobic?

WARREN: I don't know any church in America that's done more to help the gay community, particularly with AIDS, than Saddleback. But the hate speech against me is incendiary.

CURRY: If science finds that this is biological, that people are born gay, would you change your position?

WARREN: No, and the reason why is because we all have biological predispositions. I'm naturally inclined to have sex with every beautiful woman I see. But that doesn't mean it's the right thing to do.

Back in the studio, Willie Geist couldn't suppress a chuckle as he let viewers know the rest of the interview could be seen tonight at 9. That in turn led to his repartee.

JOE SCARBOROUGH: Are you a member of that church, Willie?

WILLIE GEIST No, sir. No I am not, sir.

The married Geist, clearly wanting nothing to do with Warren's pronouncement on men's nature, quickly threw the discussion to the morning's guests.

Credit Warren for his candor. At the same time, it's instructive to watch Curry go after the pastor. You can almost hear her inner dialogue: "OK, Ann, your liberal constituencies are watching. Here's where I really have to go after this guy and display my righteous anger." Her facial expression is both telling and, in its seeming artifice, amusing. source>>>

Survey says most Americans believe in multiple paths to salvation

A majority of American Christians believe that at least some non-Christian faiths can lead to eternal life, says a new survey by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.

Even among evangelicals, a branch of Protestant Christianity identified with the idea that an individual must be "born again" into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ in order to be saved, nearly as many Christians said many religions can lead to eternal life (47 percent) as those who believe theirs is the one true faith (49 percent).

The survey, released Dec. 18, followed up an earlier poll that found that seven Americans in 10 believe many religions can lead to salvation while less than one quarter say their faith is the only one that is true. Critics of that study questioned those findings, suggesting that for many Christians, "other religion" might have meant a different Christian denomination instead of a non-Christian faith.

The new study asks those who say many religions can lead to eternal life questions about specific faiths. Sixty-nine percent said Judaism can lead to eternal life, compared to 52 percent for Islam, 53 percent for Hinduism, 42 percent for atheists and 56 percent for people with no religious faith.

"Responses to these questions show that most American Christians are not thinking only of other Christian denominations when they say many religions provide a path to eternal life," the study found. "To the contrary, among those who say many religions provide a path to eternal life, strong majorities believe that both Christian and non-Christian faiths can lead to eternal life."

While white evangelicals are more exclusive in their beliefs about salvation than the general public, nearly two-thirds said it is possible for a Jewish person to go to heaven (64 percent) and a third said the same about Muslims (35 percent) and Hindus (33 percent). One in four evangelicals said atheists could attain eternal life (26 percent) and a third (35 percent) said it is possible for people with no religious faith.

Power meters help homeowners track and cut their energy use

Out on the high frontier of energy efficiency, John Petersen sees a future where every home has a "building dashboard" and an "energy orb" to help Americans shift from electricity-gulping ignorance to power-sipping sophistication.

Many aim to reduce global warming by using low-carbon renewable energy sources. But Dr. Petersen, a professor of environmental science at Oberlin College in Ohio, also targets energy waste in buildings. They gobble about 40 percent of the nation's energy, much of it electricity generated by burning fossil fuels that contribute to global warming.

But America's high-voltage diet could be chopped if people thought more about their energy use, he says. Like the miles-per-gallon readout in some hybrid cars, gauges could be put in homes so residents can know whether their energy use is pedal-to-the-metal or proceeding at a reasonable clip. "You've got dashboards in your car, but until recently nobody had really created one for buildings," he says. "It's all about citizens being better informed about energy use - understanding the context of one's actions."

Peterson says the orb and the dashboard he helped invent cater to four E's - "engage, entertain, educate, and empower." Numerous studies show that given the opportunity to save money by curbing energy use - and given the technology to take action to reduce it - consumers will take action.

Modeled after a device that notifies investors how their stocks are doing, Petersen's energy orb reminds people to check in on the building dashboard. At their computer terminal, a resident can view the dashboard to find out how much money, or tons of carbon dioxide has been saved.

An energy orb now hangs in the lobbies of six Oberlin dorms, glowing fiery red to remind students when energy use in a dorm is soaring or cool green when consumption falls. During a recent competition, Oberlin students, who don't even pay electric bills directly, whacked 56 percent off their power consumption by becoming hyperaware of how much they were using.

"I had an [energy] orb in my dorm last year, and it really did affect the way I thought about my energy use," writes Pichaya Winichakul, an Oberlin sophomore in an e-mail interview. "Having it there was a constant reminder when I left for class or meals that I can always do more to reduce. I even rearranged part of my room so that I only needed to use one outlet that could be switched on and off to save energy."

So how much energy and dollars could homeowners who watch their utility bills save? It's a question the electric industry is asking. Utilities have been busy giving homeowners in some regions their own personal in-home power meters that make it easier to track basic electricity use.

But in the past two years, a dozen pilot studies have involved more intense efforts providing "real-time pricing" (an hour-by-hour rate with higher prices for peak times) along with "smart meters" deployed in several thousand residences. Instead of a flat rate on a monthly bill, utilities told residents in advance when rates would rise the next day and gave them technology to monitor consumption as well as programmable thermostats and other energy-saving gear. Overall, the studies saw peak demand drop 27 to 44 percent, according to a Brattle Group report last month.

That's great news for utilities trying to level power demand and curb the need for new power plants. But it's also a harbinger. Within those "smart-grid" pilot studies, a gaggle of technology companies have been working on dashboard-like energy-information devices, says Ahmad Faruqui, the energy expert who analyzed the studies for the Brattle Group, headquartered in Cambridge, Mass.

"We are definitely seeing a shift toward smart meters and real-time pricing," Mr. Faruqui says. "Without a doubt, [building dashboards] are where the future is.... Right now homes have a meter outside that's the same variety as the one that was on [turn-of-the-century inventor Thomas] Edison's house. In a few years, though, new homes will be equipped with them as a design feature."

In an "optimistic scenario," such meters could lead to a 10 percent reduction in peak demand in US homes over the next 10 to 15 years, reducing the need to build some 30 new power plants, Faruqui says.

The smart-metering of America has begun. In California, all homes will have smart meters by 2012. A pilot test in Illinois has begun informing more than 6,000 residential customers of the real-time hourly prices they will pay the next day. This allows them to set their appliances or home heating to avoid peak-pricing times.

Lucid Design Group, in Oakland, Calif., developed the "building dashboard" in use at Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y., and a number of other campuses. It's focusing on school and government buildings because the dashboard technology, which requires installing many sensors, is too costly for widespread installation in individual houses. Single homes remains the goal, however.

"What we're doing is the next level, not individual users but communities of users, comparing energy across different homes, buildings, and groups of buildings," says Michael Murray, president of Lucid.

One application he expects the company to deploy soon will involve a Facebook application that lets you compare your energy use automatically with other Facebook users. source>>>

Sal DiMasi's Accountant, Richard Vitale, Indicted

Sal DiMasi's accountant, Richard Vitale, has been indicted on charges of campaign finance and lobbying violations, a result of cozying up to ticket brokers seeking deregulation. A Suffolk County jury indicted Vitale this afternoon. Martin Weinberg is representing Vitale and affirms no wrongdoing. Vitale received $60,000 from the Massachusetts Association of Ticket Brokers. There have also been allegations of payments to Vitale's company by Cognos, a software company that obtained a state contract in 2007. source>>>

" Evenflo Majestic" High Chairs recalled due to fall and choking hazards. Is your child safe

- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Evenflo Majestic™ High Chairs

Units: About 95,000

Manufacturer: Evenflo Company Inc., of Miamisburg, Ohio

Hazard: Plastic caps and metal screws on both sides of the high chair can loosen and fall out, posing both fall and choking hazards to children. Plastic caps and screws that become loose and fall out can cause the seatback to suddenly fall back or detach from the high chair. Children can fall out or collide with objects and suffer broken bones, abrasions, cuts and bruises. Detached plastic caps and metal screws also pose a choking hazard to children.

Incidents/Injuries: Evenflo has received 140 reports of seatbacks reclining, falling back and/or detaching unexpectedly, which resulted in at least 47 reports of bumps and bruises to the head, two reports of broken bones, and at least 45 reports of other injuries including abrasions, cuts, and bruises. Evenflo has received more than 1,000 reports of plastic caps and screws falling out of the high chairs, including seven incidents in which caps and screws were found in children's hands or mouths but were removed before choking occurred.

Description: The recall involves Evenflo Majestic™ high chairs made before January 23, 2007. The recalled high chairs have the following model numbers: 3001395A, 3001583, 3001633A, 3001669, 3001700A, 3001713, 3001713A, 3001730A, 3001732, 3001732A, 3001733, 3001742, 3001742A, and 3001756. The model number and production date can be found on a white label on the seatback. "Evenflo" is printed on the label and on the push button on the front of the tray.

Sold at: Juvenile product and mass merchandise stores nationwide, including Toys R Us, Babies R Us, Burlington Coat Factory and Shopko, and on-line at walmart.com from January 2006 through May 2007 for between $80 and $110.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the high chairs and contact Evenflo to receive a free repair kit.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Evenflo at (800) 233-5921 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit www.majestichighchair.com

Help stop Bush's giveaway of America's Redrock Wildernes

You can't put a price on silence or solitude. You can't quantify the beauty of wilderness. And yet that's not going to stop the Bush administration from trying to sell off what should be the birthright of future generations.

In three days, this Friday, 110,000 acres of majestic Utah wild lands go on the auction block, to be sold to the highest bidders in the oil and gas industry. It's a last-ditch effort by a corrupt administration to further enrich its friends in the dirty fuels business. If they succeed, they'll leave a wasteland behind them.

Never mind that we the People of the United States just rejected the failed energy policy of "drill, baby, drill!" Never mind that once industrialized, these precious lands will be marred for centuries. Ravaging these places will put cash in the pockets of greedy speculators, even if it won't solve our energy problems.

The miraculous thing about America though, is that we the People have options. And one of those options is to take a corrupt and foolish administration to court.

This morning I stood with my friends at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA) to announce an emergency lawsuit aimed at stopping this wanton destruction of Utah wilderness. Sharon Buccino, the head of NRDC's lands program, has been fighting the Bush administration for eight years, holding the line against an industrial juggernaut. She says it's illegal under federal law for the Bureau of Land Management to just snap its fingers and sell off national treasures. In its rush, BLM just ignored the rules.

Sharon's case will be among the last lawsuits NRDC ever files against the Bush administration. Most of those lawsuits have been successful. I don't know the odds on this one, but my fingers are crossed. It could be our last chance to protect these irreplaceable lands.

Bush may be a lame duck president, but he can still quack. source>>>

David Copperfield: An Intimate Evening of Grand Illusion, January 29th, 2009 ,Orlando

Imagine if you could win the lottery, travel to your perfect place in the blink of an eye, own your dream car, or turn back the hands of time. It all becomes a reality, every night.

David Copperfield comes to the Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre in Orlando for two performances only. David Copperfield: An Intimate Evening of Grand Illusion plays Thursday, January 29th, 2009, with performances at 5:30pm and 8:30pm.

Tickets for David Copperfield go on sale Friday, December 19th at 10:00am, and range from $39.75 to $59.75. Tickets are available at the SunTrust Broadway Across America - Orlando Box Office, Amway Arena Box Office and all Ticketmaster locations. To Charge-By-Phone, call 1-800-982-2787. Groups of 20 or more should call (407) 423-9999 x17 or (800) 950-4647. Order tickets online at www.BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com or www.TicketMaster.com.

True to its title, Grand Illusion is the logical and incredible evolution of this conjurer's art. Copperfield's goal in Grand Illusion is to take one's dreams (and maybe a few nightmares) and make them become reality using his state of the art wizardry.

"For magic to be relevant," explains Copperfield, "it has to evolve so it keeps up with, or even surpasses, the best film and theater. I want to base my work on what people really dream about. Most of us don't dream of pulling a rabbit out of a hat. But what affects people is realizing personal dreams, dreams almost everyone shares, that they thought were impossible. In the cinema the audience watches the characters' dreams come true."

Copperfield adds, Grand Illusion was partly inspired by an unfulfilled wish of my grandfather's that a lot of people share: winning the lottery and finally owning that one special thing you always dreamed of. We call it an 'intimate' evening of grand illusion partly because it's interactive. In one of the pieces, for example, the audience discovers how to predict lottery numbers that will come up that night. They get to participate in illusions that blur the line between magic and reality."

Copperfield delights audiences when he magically brings an ordinary necktie to life, only to find out the tie has a mind of its own! The show will also feature the spectacular and death defying feat of David attempting to walk through the rotating blades of a giant industrial fan - and live to tell the tale - Grand Illusion on a massive scale.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

KILLER
In an "unplugged" moment of pure sleight-of-hand Copperfield performs "close-up" magic with a lethal black African scorpion. One of the most original, startling -- and dangerous -- effects ever, this unforgettable display of sleight-of-hand presents Copperfield with a true challenge to his will and dexterity, in a test not to be tried at home.

David Copperfield
SQUEEZEBOX
Copperfield takes liposuction to a whole new level as the six foot one "King of Magic" gets squeezed into a bite-sized piece that could fit into a Prada shoebox.

Caroline Meeting With Politicians & Power Brokers In Bid To Replace Clinton

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Caroline Kennedy. (File)

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Caroline Kennedy has expressed serious interest in Hillary Clinton's Senate seat. Would you like to see her fill the vacancy?
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* Bloomberg Praises Caroline Kennedy For Senate (12/8/2008)
* Caroline Kennedy Considering N.Y. Senate Seat (12/6/2008)

The Jewish Past as Told by the Records We Have Loved and Lost.”

Roger Bennett and Josh Kun are the authors of "And You Shall Know Us by the Trail of Our Vinyl: The Jewish Past as Told by the Records We Have Loved and Lost."

Our book is the product of five years of obsessively collecting vinyl from across the country -- a work of passion that took over our lives. Believe it or not, after tracking down thousands of lost albums and chasing down the performers who once recorded them (now mostly in their 80s and 90s), we still can't quit the music. Below are some of our favorites that dominate our iPods. Consider it a Chanukah top 12.

1) Havana Nagila, the Irving Fields Trio

All quests need their ground zero and for us it began with a 1959 Decca LP, "Bagels and Bongos," by the amazing Irving Fields Trio. Fields turned his days playing cruise ships in Puerto Rico and Cuba into a Jewish-Latin musical love affair; when we heard his mambo and merengue versions of Jewish staples, we were convinced there was a lost kingdom of sound waiting to be rediscovered. It was this LP that sent us scurrying to thrift stores and garage sales and that sent us into late night eBay auction battle. I guess you could say our book was born in bagels and bongos.

2) Kol Nidre, Johnny Mathis

Admittedly, we started looking for explicitly "Jewish" albums, which in most cases meant albums by artists we knew (or assumed) to be Jewish. But we quickly learned that the history of American Jews in popular music goes far beyond Jewish communities as such. A whole chapter in our book is devoted to non-Jews taking cracks at Jewish material (Perry Como, Connie Francis, Charleton Heston), and another is devoted to the rich back-and-forth between Jews and African-Americans. The legendary Johnny Mathis plays a role in both stories. On his 1958 album for Columbia, "Good Night Dear Lord," he lends his signature hot-cocoa voice not only to the great Yom Kippur show-stopper "Kol Nidre" but also to the Yiddish theater hit "Eli Eli" and "Where Can I Go?," a song written about the Warsaw Ghetto that became an honorary member of the African-American songbook.

3) Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen, the Barry Sisters

Mike Huckabee says it is culturally acceptable in America to persecute Christians.

-- Former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee says it is culturally acceptable in America to persecute Christians.

In an interview with the Florida Baptist Witness, the former Arkansas governor cited foot baths provided for Muslims at the University of Michigan as evidence that accommodations are made for people of "every faith except Christians."

"It's perfectly legitimate in our culture today to engage in outright persecution against Christians with seemingly no social penalty for doing it, whether it's tearing a cross out of a lady's hand in California who happened to support Proposition 8 or the denigration of Christian values by not allowing even the traditional Christmas carols to be sung at a school," Huckabee said.... "[W]e shouldn't have special rules for everybody but Christians and then those rules are pushed and we become the persecuted."

Huckabee, an ordained Baptist minister and past president of the Arkansas State Baptist Convention, preached at a Florida church while on tour promoting his new book, Do the Right Thing: Inside the Movement That's Bringing Common Sense Back to America. He also has his own show on Fox News.

The former dark-horse presidential contender said he hasn't decided whether he will run again in 2012. He gave Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin high marks, calling her "a wonderful person" with a "bright future in the Republican Party."

Huckabee said Barack Obama won the presidency in part because he swayed some conservative voters. "The large, simple answer is that Republicans did not close the deal and make a case, because they had not lived up to the advertising of balancing budgets, standing against corruption, being champions for the family and for life as they have been in the past," Huckabee said. "Obama was able to convince people that he was a centrist."

Huckabee said many people told him they supported him but voted for another candidate in the primary because they did not believe he could win the general election.

"Christians should never involve themselves in politics based on the process," he said. "It ought to be the principles, and what this last election revealed was that there were many people who had fallen into the trap of worshipping at the altar of process instead of adhering to the idea of godly principles."

"What I hope is that Southern Baptists in particular and evangelicals in general will recognize that if they are not the voice for life and traditional marriage, then don't expect the secularists to take up the cause," Huckabee said. "If we don't adhere to what we believe to be our biblical and eternal principles, then we have no reason to complain when we lose those principles in the public marketplace." source>>>

Bernard Madoff With $50 Billion; Under House Arrest In $7 Million Home

Home detention with electronic monitoring is what Bernard Madoff will get for being accused of the largest case of fraud in U.S. history. Madoff is going to remain free instead of going to jail after being accused of $50 billion scheme that took investors for a ride.

Under house arrest in his $7 million Park Avenue apartment, Madoff was given a slap on the wrist by federal prosecutors under the terms of an agreement announced just today. Just last week Madoff couldn't meet the conditions of his bond set by a federal magistrate, which required him to get four people to sign a personal recognizance bond. Only his wife and brothers were willing to vouch for him. So, instead, he will remain under house arrest, living in luxury.

Madoff will serve his sentence in his upper east side Manhattan apartment fitted with an electronic monitoring device and be under curfew from 7PM to 9AM daily. In addition, Madoff's wife will place their mansions in Palm Beach, Florida and in Montauk on New York's Long Island in her name under the terms set by the court.

FBI agents were able to get Madoff to admit to single handedly scamming tons of investors in a Ponzi scheme that resulted in $50 billion made by Madoff.
As a former chairman of NASDAQ, Madoff served as an investment advisor who served a small number of high net worth clients. One of Madoff's former clients told ABC news that even though Madoff was under investigation by the feds; he was still sought after by this group of high ticket investors.

Madoff was go skilled at investing, that his clients normally received double digit returns no matter if the market was up or down. As recently as two months ago, Madoff was turning new business away.
Documents filed by the SEC in January of this year, Bernard Madoff Investment Securities had around 25 clients for the fiscal year ending October 2007 and was managing $17 billion in assets using 23 different accounts.

Madoff's firm was the 23rd largest market maker on NASDAQ as of October, responsible for daily averages of 50 million shares a day. The firm took orders for some of the largest companies in the U.S. Madoff specialized in handling orders from online brokers that included General Electric and Citigroup. Citigroup has been suffering recently in this financial crisis and is under government oversight at the moment.

Evening Christmas choir concert cancelled over health and safety fears

An evening Christmas choir concert in a rural church has been cancelled over health and safety fears that one of the congregation could fall in the dark and sue its organisers. The 16-strong Collegium Vocale has spent weeks practising Handel's Messiah for the festive performance at tiny St Stephen Church near Wimborne in Dorset.

But organisers have cancelled the event after deciding that the quaint countryside church could be "dangerous" on a winter's night.

Although the 100-year-old building has electric lighting they feared that a member of the audience could injure themselves if there was a power cut.

Choirmaster Ian Davis carried out a risk assessment of the venue and also found the unlit tree-lined avenue leading up to it could also cause problems.

Mr Davis, 43, feared his voluntary choir, which has performed in Westminster Abbey and Chichester Cathedral in the past, could have faced legal action due to the "absurd" health and safety laws and decided to pull the concert instead.

He said: "The law states that a dark church is dangerous if it does not have relevant health and safety procedures in place.

"The church is only small and is right in the middle of the countryside so could, according to the law, lead to slipping and tripping in the dark.

"If there was to be an incident and the lights went out, someone could fall over and hurt themselves.

"The walk up to the building is in darkness at night and the law states that we need lighting outside in case there are potholes and rocks.

"I understand why the law is in place but it does highlight the absurdity of how far it has gone - I am sure we are not alone.

"Clearly for an amateur performance you can't take the risk of it coming back on us or the vicar if someone does injure themselves.

"Luckily I had been to do a risk assessment before we started selling the tickets so nobody has been left out of pocket by it."

St Stephen Church is located in the grounds of the Kingston Lacy Estate near Wimborne.

The historic building was constructed in 1906 at the top of a long tree-lined avenue and can seat up to 120 people.

Which group owns Jesus more?

I'm a Biblical archeology fan. I love learning how the people of the Ancient Near East lived and saw their world. Understanding something of the Bible's original context is hugely important for a deep and proper understanding of Scripture.

But we live now, where we're still as goofy as ever.

The folks at Biblical Archeology Review recently posted a news item (covered by the BBC) about monks fighting at the tomb of Jesus. The Holy Sepulchre is maintained by groups from several different Christian traditions, by what appears to be a rather testy agreement. So it seems the Greek clergy had tried to post one of their monks as a 'guard' inside an inner chamber where Armenians were in the middle of a service. This fight had been brewing for a long time, and it erupted into a fistfight between clergy in full robes, to the point where Israeli police had to step in. (Here's the video.)

There's so much to say here about relics, and ecumenism, and Christian witness, that I'm really just left speechless. It's really the sort of ironic thing you'd expect to see in Lark or the Onion.

But before we point any more fingers, which one of us hasn't been caught up in in-fighting? What congregation doesn't have factions that play power politics in order to do get things their way? Why do the New Testament writers keep calling for humility and unity in the church?

We are screwed-up people, especially we Christians, who ought to know better. But though we are Christ-followers, though we seek to be transformed by the Spirit to be more of the way we were intended to be, we are still broken. We still push and then shove for our way of doing things.

Wouldn't it be cool, if instead of claiming we sin less than anyone else, we demonstrate that we try hard to forgive? Wouldn't it be a powerful witness if we publicly reconciled with those whom we fight? If we apologized for being a mess? If we welcomed back to our midst as co-sinners those who had scandalously sinned? Is church a place for proper people to pass source>>>

Israel's anti-Christian discrimination

Cranmer may be a friend of Israel, but he is not uncritical. He is dismayed to receive a report from the Anglican Friends of Israel which indicates that Christians of Jewish heritage - who almost invariably support Israel - sometimes get a worse deal than Christian leaders who are ambivalent towards the state or occasionally downright hostile towards it. Incidents like this one, reported in the Jerusalem Post, play straight into the hands of Israel's enemies. One might think, with it being Christmas, that the Israeli authorities might express a little more shalom.

Messianic Jews detained at Ben-Gurion
Dec. 14, 2008
Matthew Wagner , THE JERUSALEM POST

A director of the US Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations and his wife were detained Sunday at Ben-Gurion Airport by Interior Ministry officials amid allegations he is involved in illegal Christian missionary activity.

It is illegal in Israel to proselytize among minors. It is also prohibited to engage in missionary activities among adults when economic incentives are offered.

After over eight hours of detention, Jamie Cowen, a former president of the union, and his wife, Stacy, were permitted to enter Israel only after they agreed to sign a document that they would not engage in missionary activities during their stay.

The Cowens are in Israel to visit their two daughters, one of whom is an Israeli citizen. The other is in the process of obtaining citizenship after she and a group of other Messianic Jews won a Supreme Court case against the state.

The Cowens and their daughters all identify as Jews but believe that Jesus is the messiah.

"This type of religious discrimination would be expected of Iran, not Israel," said Jamie Cowen, a US immigration lawyer, a few hours after he was released by immigration police.

"In the US we imprison individuals suspected of terrorism. Here apparently one can be jailed for his religious convictions. This is a case of blatant discrimination against basic rights. It is a story of a bureaucracy run amok. Someone has to crack down and bring in people of integrity."

Cowen said he had visited Israel about 10 times, and had been active in social causes via the Knesset Social Lobby.

"I've brought $100,000 in humanitarian aid to Israel. We've provided lone IDF soldiers with about $50,000 in aid. This is unbelievable," he said.

The Interior Ministry, which directed the police to arrest the Cowens, said they had classified information regarding missionary activity.

"The Immigration and Population Authority has reliable information that the Cowens were involved in missionary activity prohibited by Israeli criminal law during their last visit to Israel," a ministry spokesman said.

"This is the reason they were detained. As soon as they agreed to refrain from any missionary activity they were allowed in."

The Cowens arrived in Israel on a flight from Frankfurt at 3 a.m. They were arrested at passport inspection and placed in detention at the airport.

"As an immigration lawyer I have visited many detention facilities for illegal immigrants. This one was particularly dirty, smelly and overcrowded," Cowen said.

Madoff cheats at golf too

It looks like Bernard Madoff's hedge fund wasn't the only place where he was cooking the books. Evidence suggests the country's newest symbol of greed gone wild may have been fudging his golf scores too.

CNBC dug up the data on Madoff's performance on the links from his three country clubs, Fresh Meadow and Atlantic Golf Club in New York as well as the Palm Beach Country Club in Florida, and did some analysis. Turns out that after consistently shooting between 84 and 86, he took a year off but only lost a single stroke on his game. CNBC writes:

He played 18 times in 1998 and was pretty consistent. ... He doesn't play for an entire year and still shoots one shot worse than what he shot in his last round of golf, a year before. His index is 9.8, which means his handicap is 12. That's an interesting number considering Madoff's clients would get around a 12% return.

Clusterstock's Joe Weisenthal called the numbers "eerily consistent," leading one of his readers to comment on how hard it is to keep a consistent game when playing as infrequently as Madoff. So it looks like all those clients he roped in on the golf course may have been cheated twice over. source>>>

Willie Nelson speaks out for Farm Aid to help the family farmers f

As you gather with family and friends to share a meal to celebrate the holidays and usher in the new year, I want to ask you to make a special year-end tax-deductible gift to Farm Aid to help the family farmers who produce our food and care for our land.

So many farmers have had a tough time of it this past year -- from high fuel prices to weather disasters to difficulties in getting the credit they need to plant their next crop during these tough economic times. Calls on our farmer hotline and web inquiries through our Farmer Resource Network have increased, which means that even more farmers are reaching out to Farm Aid for help. They count on Farm Aid to be there with the answers they need to hold onto their land.

That's why your gift is so urgently needed.

Will you please make aspecial year-end donation of $35, $100, $250, or $500 to Farm Aid right now?

Don't wait. Visit our secure donation page to make your most generous tax-deductible contribution to Farm Aid now.

With help from friends like you, Farm Aid is the oldest and most respected organization helping the American farmer who grows the food that you and I eat. And you're a big part of that success.

Thanks again for your help and Happy Holidays.

Stay Strong and Positive,Willie Nelson signature

Willie Nelson

P.S. Donate $50 or more and we'll send you a free Farm Aid t-shirt. You pick the size, we pick the shirt! It's our way of saying "thank you." Please, help our American farmers by making a secure online contribution today. Thanks again. source>>>

Reuters strikes deal with US political website Politico

Reuters has teamed up with the US political website Politico to benefit from the group's news coverage of US politics, Congress, lobbying and the White House.

The initiative will mean that more than 120 Washington-based journalists will be reporting full-time for Reuters and Politico by the time president-elect Barack Obama takes office in January. There are currently 30 Politico journalists reporting in Washington.

In return, Politico will offer a broad selection of Reuters news to its 60 newspaper and 40 broadcasting partners under a revenue-sharing agreement. Under the contract, any media company can join the enhanced network in exchange for allowing Politico to sell online advertising on their site.

Media organisations also have the option to incorporate full Reuters and Politico news feeds.

Christoph Pleitgen, the global head of Reuters News Agency, said: "This cooperation allows US newspapers and other media organisations immediate access to clearly differentiated global and national news coverage under a choice of models that recognises the changing nature of the industry."

Politico is a Washington-based online political journalism network launched in January 2007 by the Capitol News Company. It distributes news content via the internet, newspaper, television and radio and has a vertical online ad network arm.

Members of the Politico ad network include the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Arizona Republic, the Denver Post and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Politico Network makes the website's content available in exchange for advertising placement. Papers and broadcast outlets utilise the content for their own sites in exchange for placing advertisements provided by Politico, with revenue shared by both. source>>>

Zoo elephants die sooner than elephants in the wild, study says

A small paper in North America's most prestigious scientific journal is sending a stampede of controversy through the zoo world by suggesting captive elephants are doomed to live shorter lives than their wild counterparts.

Zoo elephants are living truncated lives, as little as one-third the lifespan of pachyderms in protected preserves, says the study, which was co-authored by a top University of Guelph veterinarian.

The paper, which looked at 4,500 elephants, appears today in the journal Science.

But news of the research has already been trumpeted throughout the international zoo community.

Zoo officials charge the paper is based on living conditions that no longer exist in prestigious facilities and does not take into account the North American experience with elephant care.

University of Guelph vet Dr. Georgia Mason, the senior study author, says her research looked at 45 years of breeding data from African game parks, Burmese logging operations and zoos across Europe to reach its "counterintuitive" conclusion.

That is, despite facing predators, parasites and the occasional drought, wild elephant life spans can be triple those of their pampered and doctored zoo counterparts, Mason says.

African elephants lived a median of about 17 years in captivity, while those in Kenya's Amboseli National Park averaged 56.

Indeed, Mason says, zoos appear to be so bad for the animals that even Indian elephants raised to be bulldozers in the Burmese logging industry have longer lives. Captive Indians lived about 19 years in zoos while the logging animals lived an average of 42 in the forests.

But Dr. Bill Rapley, head of conservation and research at the Toronto Zoo, was highly critical of the paper and said it did not reflect the elephant experience in modern North American facilities like his.

"This paper, I think, it's sort of like you can take a machine gun and shoot holes through it," says Rapley, the zoo's original veterinarian, who questioned the study's accuracy and findings.

Rapley says his African elephant sisters Tara and Tessa are already 40, while Iringa is 39, Toka, 38 and Thika, the youngest, 28.

He says that's far older than the zoo Africans found in the study. The zoo did, however, lose the female Tequila, Thika's mother, at 38, last September.

A local zoo did draw praise, however, from Mason for its elephant record. The African Lion Safari near Cambridge was particularly praised for its infant survival rates.

Safari elephant superintendent Charlie Gray says the size of their park, and the ability of the elephants to utilize much of its 300 hectares has helped his herd thrive.

As well, the herd of 15 has a dynamic social structure with ages that vary from a few months to 47.

Steve Feldman, a spokesperson for the powerful Association of Zoos and Aquariums, also criticized the paper. His biggest criticism was that it relies on European data and that the standard of care there may not be as high as in North American facilities.

Any association affiliate, such as the Toronto Zoo, must meet mandatory elephant care standards that include large enclosures with varied terrains and activities.

California's air-quality board approved the nation's most sweeping plan to combat global warming

California's air-quality board today approved the nation's most sweeping plan to combat global warming by curbing emissions, a blueprint for changes in the next 12 years that will affect the products residents buy, the cars they drive and where they live.

In a unanimous vote, the California Air Resources Board unanimously approved a roadmap for how the state implements its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, about a 30 percent reduction.

California is "taking on a global responsibility that can be a model for others," said Mary Nichols, who chairs the air board. "It's a sample of what we think can and should be done" by the administration of President-elect Barack Obama, she added.

The plan sets emissions-reduction targets for a wide range of industries, will require local governments to reduce sprawling development and creates an elaborate cap-and-trade program to place a firm ceiling on emissions. Specific regulations to lower greenhouse gases will be created by the board in the coming months.

Most of the reductions will come from fuel efficiency standards for new vehicles that have been blocked by the Bush administration. Consumer appliances and new and existing buildings also will be subject to higher efficiency standards. Utility companies such as PG&E would have to provide 33 percent of their electricity from renewable sources.

The cap-and-trade program, under which participants are allotted so-called carbon credits that they can trade with others who exceed their limits, would cover 85 percent of greenhouse gas-emitting sources in the state, including electricity generation, large industrial sources and residential and commercial use of natural gas.

Details of the program were the subject of testimony during today's meeting.

Environmental organizations want participants to buy the credits in an auction, while affected businesses and organizations such as the California Taxpayers Association want them for free. The European Union, which has the largest cap-and-trade program in the world, allots some credits for free but its leaders want to charge all participants.

Nobel Winner Urges Obama to Push for Mideast Settlement

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Martti Ahtisaari, poses with his medal and diploma at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo, 10 Dec 2008
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Martti Ahtisaari is urging U.S. President-elect Barack Obama to focus on solving the Middle East conflict in the first year of his presidency.

The former Finnish president and veteran diplomat spoke Wednesday in Oslo, Norway as he received the 2008 prize for decades of global peace-making efforts.

In his acceptance speech, Mr. Ahtisaari said U.S. partners in the so-called quartet - the European Union, Russia and the United Nations - must also remain committed to a peace deal that encompasses the larger region as well. He said the credibility of the international community is at stake.

Laureates of the 2008 prizes in literature, economics, medicine, physics and chemistry also received their awards in the Swedish capital, Stockholm Wednesday.

French scientists Luc Montagnier and Francoise Barre-Sinoussi were honored for AIDS research, along with German researcher Harald zur Hausen, who discovered the virus that causes cervical cancer.

The literature prize went to French author Jean-Marie Le Clezio, while Princeton University professor and newspaper columnist Paul Krugman won for economics. Japanese-American physics laureate Yoichiro Nambu, 87, and his two Japanese co-laureates, Makoto Kobayashi and Toshihide Maskawa, were honored for their research on the nature of sub-atomic particles.

The chemistry prize went to U.S. researchers Martin Chalfie, Roger Tsien, and Japanese colleague Osamu Shimomura for work on fluorescent proteins.

Recipients get a diploma, a medal, and a $1.2 million cash prize. The awards are traditionally given out on December 10, the anniversary of the death of Alfred Nobel, the industrialist and inventor of dynamite, who created the prize endowments. source>>>

'Walking With Dinosaurs' live event big hit with kids of all ages

Millions of years ago, the Tyrannosaurus rex ruled the Earth, and Wednesday night was a return to form for the towering predator.

The vicious reptile was a dominating force in "Walking With Dinosaurs," a unique theatrical event that opened for a crowd of about 5,000 people Wednesday night at Van Andel Arena. The show runs through Sunday.

It almost seems cliche to peg the T-rex as the star of the show, but it didn't become one of the best-known dinosaurs by being dull. Those big teeth, the terrifying roar and teeny, tiny little arms; the T-rex is a fascinating creature, and the show's creators have done it justice with a state-of-the-art arena presentation.

More than a dozen dinosaurs get their time in the spotlight in this original stage show based on an award-winning BBC-TV series that first aired in 1999. The $20 million dollar production features 10 species of dinosaurs spanning the creatures' 200-million-year reign. The "cast" is a mix of huge, driver-controlled dinosaurs and smaller "suit" dinos.

It's an unusual project, with elements of education, drama, light comedy and "Jurassic Park" theatrics. Top-notch sound and lighting effects -- and some nifty staging with inflatable plants that appear to grow and die -- serve to enhance the presentation of the stunning dinosaurs.

The audience is seated on three sides of the bowl and the first few rows are closed off, slightly reducing the seating capacity inside the arena. The fourth side is closed off with two massive moving screens that open and close for the dino stars to enter and exit.

Part of the fun is the creative way in which each dino lumbers -- or sprints, or flies -- onto the stage for its appointed storyline. The audience is given time to appreciate the scale and magnitude of the reptiles and the humans who painstakingly recreated them for the behemoth show.

The only visible human star of the night is a "paleontologist," who serves as a tour guide, introducing the dinosaurs and giving quick science lessons that are informative and easy-to-understand. Special credit belongs to the unseen human stars who operate the huge dinos or leap around in the 40-pound raptor, baby T-rex and liliensternus suits.

The show is marketed as being appropriate for all ages, and seems to fit the bill. The closing scenes with the big T-rex, baby T-rex and two heavily armed herbivores were fairly intense and drew some cries from a nearby toddler, but a little well-timed humor quickly lightened the mood. For the most part, kids seemed enthralled with the dino action.

"The T-Rex was really impressive," said Nathanael Edwards, 11, of Grand Rapids.

The young dino-enthusiast said he learned a few things from the show and enjoyed the way the background elements combined with the dinosaurs.

"One of my favorite parts was the (Ornithocheirus) and the way it moved with the land (on the screen) as it flew," Edwards said.

Shelly Van Dyke, of Wyoming, and her husband said it was well-suited for all ages.

"The show was awesome," Van Dyke said. "I would recommend it to anybody. Take your children. Take your grandchildren."

Van Dyke said her young grandson -- who was seated elsewhere during the show -- was awestruck at the experience.

"He was glowing," Van Dyke said. "I've never seen him so excited." source>>>

Obama urges Illinois governor to step down

- Seeking to distance himself from an evolving scandal causing political headaches even before he takes office, president-elect Barack Obama on Wednesday called on Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to resign over allegations he tried to sell the state's vacant Senate seat for personal profit.

"The president-elect agrees . . . that under the current circumstances it is difficult for the governor to effectively do his job and serve the people of Illinois," Obama's chief spokesman, Robert Gibbs, said in a statement.

But even as Obama joined others calling for Blagojevich to relinquish his power to appoint the state's next U.S. senator, the case further disrupted a presidential transition that had been proceeding smoothly since the Nov. 4 election.
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich faces charges of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and solicitation of bribery.

Republicans seized on the corruption charges against Blagojevich, a Democrat, to demand a more fulsome explanation from Obama about the relationship he and senior members of his inner circle had with the disgraced politician.

In particular, the scandal on Wednesday ensnared Illinois Representative Jesse Jackson Jr., Obama's national campaign co-chairman during the presidential election and the son of Rev. Jesse Jackson.

Several U.S. news organizations identified Jackson as the "Senate Candidate 5" who Blagojevich referred to in private conversations taped by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

According to an affidavit sworn by FBI agent Daniel Cain, Blagojevich claims an emissary of "Senate Candidate 5" approached him with a "pay to play" scheme in which the congressman would contribute $1 million to Blagojevich in exchange for being appointed to Obama's vacant Senate seat.

Jackson, who has served in Congress since 1995, has publicly lobbied to replace Obama but on Wednesday adamantly denied any wrongdoing in his quest to become a senator.

"I did not initiate, or authorize anyone at any time to promise anything to Gov. Blagojevich on my behalf," Jackson said at a Capitol Hill news conference. "I never sent a message, or an emissary, to the governor to make an offer, to plead my case or to propose a deal about a U.S. Senate seat, period."

Jackson confirmed he personally met with Blagojevich to discuss the Illinois Senate seat on Monday, prior to the governor's arrest. It was their first meeting "in four years," Jackson said.

"I thought mistakenly that the governor was evaluating me and other Senate hopefuls based upon our credentials and qualifications," he said. "I presented my record, my qualifications and my vision . . . Despite what he may have been looking for, that's all I had to offer, and that's what we discussed."

Jackson said he has spoken to federal prosecutors and was told he was "not a target of this investigation and that I am not accused of any misconduct."

Blagojevich and his chief of staff, John Harris, were charged Tuesday with conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and solicitation of bribery.

Prosecutors allege Blagojevich sought to sell or trade the Senate appointment in exchange for a position in Obama's cabinet, an ambassadorship or high-paying union or corporate jobs for him and his wife.

U.S. attorney Patrick Fitzgerald has cautioned journalists and the public against concluding Blagojevich's taped remarks about other individuals as truthful representations of their actions.

Obama has said he had "no contact" with Blagojevich or his office about the vacant Senate seat, and prosecutors say they are not alleging any wrongdoing by the president-elect.

Obama's statement, however, has not satisfied Republican party officials. They pointed to a Nov. 23 statement by senior Obama adviser David Axelrod, who told a Chicago television statement the president-elect had "talked to the governor and there are a whole range of" potential Senate candidates. Axelrod released a statement late Tuesday saying he was "mistaken" and Obama had no communication with Blagojevich.

"President-elect Barack Obama's carefully parsed and vague statements regarding his own contact and that of his team with Gov. Rod Blagojevich are unacceptable," Mike Duncan, chairman of the Republican National Committee, said Wednesday.

Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. Responds to Arrest of Gov. Blagojevich

I was shocked and saddened to learn that Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was arrested yesterday by federal law enforcement officials.

The details of the corruption charges were staggering and stunning. If these allegations are proved true, I'm appalled by the pay-to-play schemes hatched at the highest levels of Illinois state government.

I think that I can speak for all Illinois residents when I express outrage at the thought that Illinois' now-vacant senate seat may have been put up for sale, offered to the highest bidder.

Sadly, yesterday's criminal complaint casts another dark cloud over a state already beleaguered by corruption and scandal. Clearly, the people of Illinois deserve better. They deserve to have their trust and confidence in government restored.

In light of yesterday's criminal indictment, I believe that the Governor -- in the best interest of our state -- should resign and forfeit his authority to make the senate appointment. The fact is: anyone appointed by the Governor at this point would be too severely tainted to serve the state effectively and without suspicion in the U.S. Senate.

Meanwhile, the Governor's fate is in the hands of the justice system. We must allow the process to run its course.

As it does, I want to address the rumors and reports about me and my involvement in this process.

I want to make this fact plain: I reject and denounce pay-to-play politics and have no involvement whatsoever in any wrongdoing.

I did not initiate nor authorize anyone -- at any time -- to promise anything -- to Governor Blagojevich on my behalf. I never sent a message or an emissary to the Governor to make an offer or to propose a deal about the U.S. Senate seat (period).

I thought -- mistakenly -- that the process was fair, above board and on the merits. I thought -- mistakenly -- that the Governor was evaluating me and the other senate hopefuls based on our credentials and qualifications. I thought -- mistakenly -- that the Governor was going to make a decision in the best interest of the state as well as the nation.

Joe the Plumber: McCain "Appalled Me," Made Me Feel "Dirty"

Think Progress reports that Joe Wurzelbacher isn't a huge fan of the man who made him famous. He told conservative radio host Glenn Beck that he felt "dirty" after "being on the campaign trail and seeing some of the things that take place."

"I honestly felt even more dirty after I had been on the campaign trail and seen some things that take place. It was scary, man," Wurzelbacher said. He told Beck he asked McCain "some pretty direct questions" about the bailout, and wasn't pleased with the response. "They appalled me, absolutely. You know, I was angry. In fact, I wanted to get off the bus after I talked to him.

Asked why he didn't leave McCain's campaign if he was "appalled" by the candidate, Wurzelbacher said, "Honestly, because the thought of Barack Obama as president scares me even more."

While Wurzelbacher was critical of McCain, he gushed about Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. "Sarah Palin is absolutely the real deal," he said.

You know, I only got to spend a short amount of time with her but, you know, it was been asked if I felt any presence when I was with John McCain or Barack Obama. You know, with Sarah Palin, I don't want to say I felt a presence but she definitely had energy and she definitely went to work for American people, and it disgusts me on how often they try to bash her just for her sincerity. It's just, you know, she really wants to work for America and I mean, I wish people would listen to her and let them, and let her work for us. You know, she wants to serve us. She's not looking for power. source>>>

convenience charge.,,That’s an additional 23 percent over the ticket price of $42.50

If you bought a ticket through Ticketmaster to see the Wu-Tang Clan last Friday, you were helping Ticketmaster's bottom line almost as much as you were patronizing the House of Blues.

If you bought a $42.50 ticket through Ticketmaster, you also had to pay $10.05 to cover Ticketmaster's "convenience charge." That's an additional 23 percent over the ticket price, and all that money went to Ticketmaster.

In August of 2007, Live Nation announced it was ending its relationship with Ticketmaster as of January 1, 2009. Live Nation is the largest concert company in the U.S. In 2007 Live Nation concerts brought in $150 million for Ticketmaster, or 15 percent of its $1 billion 2007 income.

In announcing its separation from Ticketmaster, Live Nation said it would be selling its own tickets and in turn save its clients money.

San Diego, however, is one of the few cities where Ticketmaster will still have its teeth in Live Nation's business throughout 2009.

That's because when Live Nation (formerly Clear Channel Entertainment) took over House of Blues Entertainment and its quiver of four venues (HoB, Cricket Amphitheatre, Cox Arena, and Open Air Theatre), those properties came with contracts that said that Ticketmaster would be involved until January 1, 2010.

The Belly Up Tavern, Soma, and the Casbah have long since given up on Ticketmaster and use their own ticketing service.

AEG Live, operators of the Sports Arena and Qualcomm Stadium's outdoor venue, have not announced any plans to stop using Ticketmaster.

"I wonder about Live Nation suggesting it will save people money." said one music-industry insider. "I'm sure Live Nation will eventually find a way to get that ticket-charge money for themselves." source>>>

The Day the Earth Stood Still the remake

Scott Derrickson could have saved a fortune if he had written his message on a placard. Admittedly, his multimilliondollar remake of Robert Wise's 1951 classic The Day the Earth Stood Still is a far more entertaining way to shout "the end of the world is nigh". But will anyone actually care? The pleasure here is evenly split between the miraculous sci-fi effects and Keanu Reeves's hypnotic performance as a human possessed by a humourless alien. Klaatu (Reeves) lands in a giant sphere in Central Park, and is cut out of a large lump of jelly by a nervous surgeon.

There are moments of deadpan comedy as the paranoid American authorities try to torture information out of their guest, and blow his orb to smithereens. Fools. Klaatu has far more important things to attend to, such as the destruction of the human race before it poisons what's left of the fragile Earth. But the apocalypse may not be a foregone conclusion when Klaatu starts to admire the shapely charms of a top astro-biologist, (Jennifer Connelly). It's divine tongue-in-cheek tosh. source>>>

R.B. Thomas, Jr, the Disgraced former Charleston Fire chief Appears On Local News singing a song.

R.B. Thomas, Jr, the former Charleston chief at the center of a report concluding Charleston was led poorly and had antiquated tactics appeared on the news singing a song. Local media had a laugh over it but firefighters, family members of the Charleston 9 and fire chiefs were upset over the appearance.

Back on June 18, 2007, Thomas was in command of the sofa super store fire in which nine brave Charleston firefighters died. An expert panel brought in after public pressure found the department lacking in as many categories as they could find. Forced out, Thomas has kept a fairly low profile up until now.

Emotions run high among family members and firefighters when Thomas is mentioned. From some advocating future legal action to others who shake their head in disgust the reactions are always in the extreme. Thomas has his share of supporters including a few in the media who are well known to be supportive. Remember who they are and adjust your viewing habits if you desire.

Firefighters must focus on the future. In order to correct a legacy of errors firefighters will have to continue to improve. From training to responses Charleston firefighters are far ahead of what they once were. That is a huge moral victory to go from poor leadership to excelling in areas of concern over a short period of time. Further, while Thomas may have to answer for the past he is no longer a Charleston firefighter. His opinions, thoughts and ideas are no more valid than a person scalping tickets to a basketball game.
source>>>

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