Bernie Mac dies at age 50

Comic actor Bernie Mac died early Saturday of complications from pneumonia, according to a family member and his publicist. He was 50.

He had been hospitalized in Chicago, Illinois, for more than a week with the lung infection.

Danica Smith, the comedian's publicist, had said Thursday that Mac's condition was "stable," The Associated Press reported.


This is a complete shock. Bernie Mac has been one of my favorite actors since he played Frank Catton in Ocean's 11, one of those movies I could watch (and did) over and over again without getting bored or sick of it.

Here are some interesting facts abut Bernie Mac courtesy of imdb.com:

Started his career in stand-up comedy in 1977. His first professional comedy gig was at The Cotton Club in Chicago. He was so broke, he had to borrow a suit from his brother.

His daughter, Je'Niece, is now 27 years old and has a masters degree in mental health counseling and has been married for 3 years.

His mother and two only brothers have passed away. His mother died from breast cancer during his sophomore year of high school.

He used to be a boxer.

John Edwards Admits to Affair

Former U.S. senator and Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards admitted Friday to an extramarital affair. He denied being the father of the woman's child, as had been alleged in tabloid reports.


"In 2006, I made a serious error in judgment and conducted myself in a way that was disloyal to my family and to my core beliefs," he said in a written statement. "I recognized my mistake and I told my wife that I had a liaison with another woman, and I asked for her forgiveness."

In an interview set to air Friday night on ABC's "Nightline," Edwards acknowledged the affair with 42-year-old Rielle Hunter, which began after she was hired to make documentary videos for his campaign, ABC said.


"You cannot beat me up more than I have already beaten up myself. I have been stripped bare and will now work with everything I have to help my family and others who need my help," he added in the statement.

He said he has not taken a paternity test but that the timing of the affair rules out the possibility that he could be the father of Hunter's 5-month-old daughter. Edwards said Friday night he is "truly hopeful" that a paternity test will be done to squelch the rumors.

Andrew Young, a former Edwards campaign aide who is married, has publicly said he fathered the child. The Washington Post reported Friday that Hunter acknowledged Young as the father.

When the tabloid the National Enquirer first reported the affair in October, Edwards flatly denied it, calling the claims "false" and "ridiculous."

Speaking in support of Obama in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Friday, Edwards' former rival Sen. Hillary Clinton responded briefly to a reporter's question about what, if any, impact the revelation of the affair would have on Democrats.

"My thoughts and prayer are with the Edwards family today," she said. "That's all I have to say."

Article from CNN.com

History in the making for "So You Think You Can Dance"

"So You Think You Can Dance" made history tonight in more way than one in the 2 hour finale of season of season 4 that aired tonight. Joshua, an untrained street dancer won the $250,000 cash prize and a role in the upcoming movie "Step Up 3-D," not exactly a role I'd be champing at the bit to star in, but hey it's a movie role.


This was the first year that an untrained dancer has one the title of "America's favorite dancer." Twitch, runner up was also an untrained dancer, two of my favorite male dancers that have ever been on the show.

As a dance teacher and dancer myself, I love watching trained dancers and I have always appreciated watching a well trained dancer compete. Will this season was extraordinary. I was in awe of him every time he got on stage no matter which partner or choreographer he worked with.

For the first time on "So You Think You Can Dance" I thought that the top two dancers, Joshua and Twitch were amazing. They blew me away with how graceful they were during the slow romantic numbers and how "buck" (in the words of Little C) they could be during the hip-hop numbers.

My favorite number of the season was the "door" piece with Twitch and Katee. I could watch it 80 times (which I kind of did already).

Tight Security in Beijing

Ten thousand athletes have gathered in China for the Olympics, along with hundreds of thousands of fans and 30,000 journalists. All are being watched over by 100,000 security forces.

In Beijing, heavily armed police roam the airport. Subway passengers must submit to bag checks and go through X-ray machines. The National Stadium is protected by anti-aircraft guns.


"The Chinese are clearly hyper-focused and hyper-worried about security, and this is something they've been working on for at least three or four years by now," said David Finklestein, an expert on China who serves as the director of the China Studies Center.

Officials stepped up security measures after an attack Monday in the city of Kashgar killed 16 police officers and wounded 16 others. Kashgar is 2,500 miles from Beijing in northwestern China.

The Olympics opening ceremony is Friday at Beijing National Stadium.

Olympic spokesman Sun Weide told the Daily Telegraph of London: "We have strengthened security work in all Olympic venues and in the Olympic village. We are well-prepared in security for the upcoming games."

Steve Vickers, a security assessment expert, said the Chinese security apparatus is more than prepared.

"I've never seen such an extraordinary security effort," said Vickers, the president of International Risk. "We think the Olympics will proceed and they will proceed smoothly and well. We think the Chinese have got it covered as far as humanly possible."

Article from CNN.com

Is there earthly life on mars?

Scientists working with NASA's Phoenix Lander are reasonably sure they have detected a toxic chemical in the soil near the north pole of Mars.

But they say hearty strains of microbes might be able to live there anyway -- and even thrive on it.

"This is an important piece of the puzzle as we attempt to determine whether habitable conditions exist for microbes on Mars," said Phoenix principal investigator Peter Smith, of the University of Arizona. "In itself, it is neither good nor bad for life."

The chemical, perchlorate, is an oxidant widely used in solid rocket fuel, but can also be naturally occuring on Earth. It is found in soil of Chile's barren Atacama desert -- generally believed to be one of the most lifeless places on Earth -- but scientists have been able to isolate strains of bacteria living in that soil.


Such organisms are known as "extremophiles," because they have evolved to live in harsh environments. And if it could happen on Earth, why not Mars?

"This desert is a hyper-arid environment that rarely sees rain, and has no vascular plants, and is often used by scientists as a matter of fact as a Martian 'analog' site," Smith said Tuesday.

"These compounds are quite stable in soil and water and do not destroy organic materials under normal circumstances. In fact there are species of perchlorate-producing microbes that live on the energy provided by this oxidant."

Researchers are still puzzling over the results, and say they have as many questions as answers right now about what this all means. More data collection, analysis, and review is needed, Smith said.

Article from CNN.com

Morgan Freeman Seriously Injured in Car Accident

Morgan Freeman is one of my favorite actors. When I saw his face on the CNN homepage I became worried, no one has their picture on the CNN homepage unless something terrible or major happens.

Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman was in serious condition but in "good spirits" Monday at a Tennessee hospital after a car wreck near his home in northern Mississippi, his business partner said.

Sunday night's wreck -- in which Freeman flipped a car owned by his passenger, according to a witness -- left him with a broken left upper arm, other fractures and neck and shoulder injuries, Bill Luckett said.


"He's in good spirits, but he's in a lot of pain," said Luckett, who co-owns a restaurant and blues club with Freeman.

Freeman and a woman were extracted by paramedics after the 11:30 p.m. wreck and airlifted to the hospital, according to Angie Underwood, a Mississippi Highway Patrol spokeswoman.

The condition of the woman, Memphis resident Demaris Meyer -- whom Luckett described as a mutual friend of his and Freeman's -- wasn't released.

Freeman may have surgery as early as Monday evening and could need three to four months to recover, Luckett told reporters outside the Regional Medical Center in Memphis.

The wreck happened on a state highway about five miles outside Charleston, Mississippi, where Freeman has a home. A witness said Freeman was driving Meyer's car when it flipped.

"I heard a noise outside that sounded like a car sliding," said Bill Rogers, who lives on the highway where the accident happened. "I turned around and looked out the window real quick, and I saw a car flipping bumper-to-bumper, head over heels."

Rogers, a former police officer and sheriff's deputy, said Freeman and Meyer were unconscious when the car came to rest on its wheels. But by the time he returned from calling an ambulance, both were talking, he said.

"He wanted to get out of the car and lay on the ground," Rogers said. "I told him no, he needed to stay put until the rescue people got there."

A spokeswoman for the Memphis hospital, Milla Borden, confirmed that Freeman was in serious condition there Monday.

The cause of the wreck is being investigated, the Highway Patrol said. But Rogers said it had rained earlier in the evening, and he saw no sign of alcohol or drug use at the scene.

"My understanding of it is she was going to give him a ride home and she did not know the way, so he was going to drive the vehicle," Rogers said.

Rogers said the car flew about 45 feet before it landed on its trunk, smashing open the compartment and scattering papers.

"The car was torn up so bad I couldn't tell what it was," he said.

According to The Associated Press, Mississippi Highway Patrol spokesman Sgt. Ben Williams said Freeman was driving a 1997 Nissan Maxima. Meyer and Freeman were wearing seat belts, Williams said.

The crash site is about 90 miles south of Memphis and 35 miles southeast of Clarksdale, Mississippi, where Freeman and Luckett own the Madidi restaurant and the Ground Zero blues club.

Freeman and Meyer were at Luckett's home in Clarksdale before the crash happened, Luckett said.

Freeman won an Academy Award for best supporting actor in 2005 for his role in the gritty boxing film "Million Dollar Baby." He has been nominated for Oscars three other times, for the movies "Street Smart," "Driving Miss Daisy" and "The Shawshank Redemption."
He's currently appearing on movie screens in the action film "Wanted" and in the Batman film "The Dark Knight."

11 Killed After Avalanche On K2

Eleven climbers died on Pakistan's K2 mountain after an ice avalanche knocked down a fixed rope climbers were using to reach the summit, a mountaineer at their base camp said Sunday.

Among the dead was a sherpa who had gone up K2 -- the world's second tallest mountain -- to help in rescue efforts, said mountaineer Fredrik Strang, who also assisted in the rescue attempts.

The deaths happened after 17 climbers, in different expeditions from around the world, had come together to make it to K2's peak on Friday, said Pat Falvey, a climber in Ireland who was in touch with some of the 17.


As the 17 were descending early Saturday, a "moving river of ice broke loose ... like an iceberg breaking loose from a glacier," knocking down the fixed rope the group had been using to move from higher reaches to a camp at a lower altitude, Falvey said.

The rope's collapse caused three climbers to fall to their deaths, said Falvey, who was posting online updates for one of the expeditions.

Two climbers decided to go on and managed to return to base camp, but the rest decided to wait and hope rescuers could reach them, Falvey said.

The avalanche had created "icy, dangerous conditions" on the slope, Falvey said. As time went on and rescuers didn't come, the remaining climbers decided to continue their descent, but some of them fell to their deaths in the mountain's "bottleneck" area, Falvey said.

Among the killed climbers were Dutch, Irish, Italian, French, Norwegian, Korean, and Nepalese citizens, Falvey said.

One of the killed was Irish climber Gerard McDonnell, Falvey said.

The bodies of the 11 may never be recovered, but rescuers and the mountaineers who made it down are certain the 11 are dead, Strang said.

The site of the accidents, about 5 miles up the mountain, is what climbers call the "Dead Zone" because the body would never recover if stuck in such freezing conditions with so little oxygen, Falvey said.

Strang said Sunday the death toll was not expected to rise, because no one else was believed to be missing.

Strang said the deaths could have been avoided. Too many people were climbing together "at a very slow speed" and should have begun their descent sooner, he said.

"Coming down at dawn, in the dark, with little oxygen is very, very dangerous," he said.


Though K2 is the world's second-highest mountain, many climbers consider it more technically challenging than Mount Everest, the world's highest peak.

Statistics compiled by AdventureStats.com suggest this was the deadliest incident at K2. The site says 66 people -- not counting those in the latest incident -- have died on the mountain since 1939.

Article from CNN.com

A chart compiled by viewfinderpanoramas.org lists 284 climbers as having ever reached the summit of K2.

First Double Arm Transplant

Doctors at the Technical University of Munich have conducted the world's first double-arm transplant on a 54-year-old farmer who had lost both his arms in an accident, officials said.


The operation was conducted at the university's "Klinikum rechts der Isar" last week, the clinic said in a statement Friday, following several years of preparatory work.

The man's condition "is very good under the circumstances," the statement said.

"Now it is a matter of avoiding future wound healing disorders, infections, strong side-effects caused by the drugs and in particular any rejective reaction."

A team of 40 people participated in the transplant surgery, conducted July 25 and 26. The donor matched the host in sex, age, skin color, size and blood group, the statement said.

The transplant subject had lost both his arms at the upper arm level six years ago, and two attempts with artificial limbs had been unsuccessful.

Article from CNN.com

Some People Aren't So Lucky When It Comes To First Names

When you hear the name "Indiana Jones," you think of an archaeologist carrying an idol and dodging a giant boulder. When you hear about "Dow Jones," you might wonder if it's up or down that day. However, in this case, Indiana and Dow Jones are siblings, 12 and 7 years old, respectively.

Indiana Elizabeth Jones shared her story and we spoke with her mother, Jennifer Jones. The Port Deposit, Maryland, resident says Indiana got her name simply because her husband's family is from that state.

As for Dow Joseph Jones, there was serious talk of naming him Jack Ryan Jones, to keep the Harrison Ford theme. (Jack Ryan is the character Ford played in a series of action movies.) Instead, her husband named their son Dow on a dare while Jennifer was asleep in the hospital bed after giving birth.


She said she cried when she found out and even thought about having Dow's name changed.

CNN.com asked users to share their unusual names after a 9-year-old New Zealand girl named Talula Does the Hula from Hawaii won the right to change her name.

Dozens of members of iReport.com community explained the stories behind their odd names, as well as what they've experienced in their day-to-day lives.

Some names might not seem problematic until they're actually used on a daily basis. Open Weaver Banks of Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey (speaking of odd names), says that she shared her story with iReport.com in hopes that parents would think twice before giving their children an unusual name.

Open is an unusual name, but it's not necessarily a name that one might expect to cause regular difficulties. Weaver Banks, however, says that she often has problems with it.

"I have a hard time using my credit cards for personal items, because clerks will accuse me of using a business card. I cannot tell my name to someone without having to explain it. Some days, it is exhausting, and I can't even disguise the annoyance in my voice."

Banks' childhood was "painful" because of her name, too. "I still give my mother a hard time about the name choice, and she tries to explain that she was young, she liked how it sounded, it was 1970 and various other reasons," she explains. "I actually tried going by another name for a year, and I realized that as much as I truly hate my name, it is embedded in me and so much a part of my experience."

Some people avoid the use of their name altogether to avoid questions, confusion or embarrassment. "At times, for the sake of avoiding an uncomfortable conversation or throwing someone off guard, I answer to the names of 'Mary' or 'Kelly'," says Bluzette Martin of West Allis, Wisconsin. At restaurants, "the thought of putting an employee through the pain of guessing how to spell and pronounce 'Bluzette' just isn't worth it to me."

Martin was named after "Bluzette," an up-tempo jazz waltz written by Jean "Toots" Thielemans. Despite her daily problems with this name, it certainly has its perks, like when she met Thielemans in 1987 at a club in Los Angeles. "When I met [him], he thanked my mother," she says.

She called her mother in the middle of the night and told her that she had a surprise for her. She gave the phone to Thielemans, and he started doing his famous whistling, to the tune of "Bluzette."

Even celebrities aren't immune to the use of unusual names. Take boxer George Foreman's children, all named George. (Or actor Jason Lee's son, Pilot Inspektor, or comedian Penn Jillette's daughter, Moxie CrimeFighter.) These are just-plain bizarre names, like that of iReporter Holden Holden.

Holden, a sophomore at Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania, says that having a double name has its pros and cons. He says he has a face people will remember because his name is easy to remember. Unfortunately, he says, he's not very good about remembering names himself, so it can lead to some awkward moments.

Holden's grandfather died a month before he was born but was always called by his last name as a nickname. "My last name is my mother's maiden name, which she reverted to after she divorced," he explains.

Holden also says that he plans to run for president in 2036. "Since my name is pretty easy to remember, it'll be easier to garner votes that way."

As for Dow Jones' mother, she didn't go through with changing his name. Now she sees it as something unique for someone with the very common last name "Jones." And perhaps that's the bright side to having an unusual name: It sets you apart from the crowd.

Dow's sister doesn't seem to mind.

"There is a new Indiana Jones movie out this year, so all my friends think it's pretty cool," she says.

Story from CNN.com

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Trailer Released

Today the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince trailer was released online for avid fans to see a preview of J.K. Rowling's much anticipated sixth Potter book on the big screen.


Starting with Dumbledore handing Harry the memories of Tom Riddle, the newly released trailer shows a dark side of the Potter series setting the stage for the unraveling history of the malevolent wizard Voldemort's beginning. The moment where the young Tom RIddle is telling Dumbledore the frightening things that are happening to him reminds us of the powers that slowly overcome this villain.

Book six was my favorite in the series, I cannot wait to see if this is my favorite movie!

The film comes out in November but you can see the trailer here: http://www.warnerbros.com/#/page=home&asset=065964/Harry_Potter_and_the_Half-Blood_Prince&type=video/

Obama Compared to Britney Spears?

John McCain's presidential campaign on Wednesday released a withering television ad comparing Barack Obama to Britney Spears and Paris Hilton, suggesting the Democratic contender is little more than a vapid but widely recognized media concoction.

Obama's campaign quickly responded with a commercial of its own, dismissing McCain's complaints as "baloney" and "baseless."

McCain's ad, titled "Celeb" and set to air in 11 battleground states, intercuts images of Obama on his trip to Europe last week with video of twenty-something pop stars Spears and Hilton — both better known for their childish off-screen antics.


"He's the biggest celebrity in the world, but is he ready to lead?" the voiceover asks, noting the Illinois senator's opposition to offshore oil drilling and suggesting he would raise taxes if elected.

It was the latest effort by the GOP hopeful to cast Obama as a lightweight with little experience in leadership or governing. It also was risky for McCain's campaign to both acknowledge Obama's worldwide fame and depict it as a weakness rather than a strength.

Campaigning in Missouri, Obama said the ad was the latest example of McCain's negativity — a theme his campaign has tried to stress lately.

"He doesn't seem to have anything positive to say about me, does he?" Obama said. "You need to ask John McCain what he's for, not just what he's against."

Obama also said the link to Hilton shows Republicans are leaving no stone unturned in their attempts to tarnish him.

"I've never even met the woman," he said.

The Obama campaign ad, released hours after McCain's, shows images of the Arizona senator with President Bush and accuses McCain of practicing "the politics of the past." The campaign said it could air as soon as Thursday.

It was the second Obama ad in as many days responding to negative spots by McCain. But it was unclear how broadly the campaign intended to run it. The campaign typically identifies states where its ads air, but on Wednesday only said this ad would appear "in some markets."

Kathleen Hall Jamieson, a communications professor at the University of Pennsylvania, said McCain's comparison of Obama to Spears and Hilton likely would not persuade many voters.

"The typical viewer will fail to see the analogy," she said. "Voters believe Sen. Obama is a celebrity, but not in the same sense as Britney Spears and Paris Hilton. So when you are asking, 'What are they doing in the ad?,' it distracts attention from the message of the ad."

McCain did not mention the ad at a town-hall meeting in Colorado, but reiterated many of his complaints about Obama.

"The beauty of his words have attracted many people, especially among the young to his campaign," McCain told workers at Wagner Equipment, which rents and sells heavy farm machinery. "My concern with Sen. Obama is with issues big and small. What he says and what he does are often two different things."

From the Associated Press

Gymnastic Gold Medalist Paul Hamm Not Going to Beijing

The reigning Olympic gold medalist announced Monday that he is withdrawing from the U.S. team because he is not sufficiently healthy enough to compete. Besides his broken right hand, he strained his left rotator cuff in his accelerated recovery effort."This has been the hardest decision I've ever had to make. But I have too much respect for the Olympics and my team to continue on when I know the best thing for everyone is for me to step aside," Hamm said.
"I did everything I possibly could," the 25-year-old added. "There just wasn't enough time. I feel like if I had another month, I would have been able to get the job done."


The U.S. men are scheduled to leave Wednesday, and competition begins Aug. 9.
Hamm's injury is a blow to the Americans, who were fourth at last year's world championships and hoped his return — and that of twin brother Morgan — would get them back on the podium. It also clears the way for China's Yang Wei in the all-around race. Yang, the two-time defending world champion, is so technically superior that Hamm is believed to be the only one who could challenge him.


"When you go into the Olympic Games, you're supposed to be in the best shape of your life," Hamm said. "Not the worst shape."
He broke his hand May 22 at the national championships, just 11 weeks before the start of the games. He had surgery five days later and pushed his recovery in hopes he'd be healthy enough to help the Americans win a medal and defend his all-around title."His inspiring comeback to win the Olympic gold medal in 2004 was one of the signature moments of the Athens Olympic Games," said Jim Scherr, chief executive officer of the U.S. Olympic Committee. "Equally inspiring is the manner by which Paul worked to try to regain his full competitive form for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games."

Excerpts from CNN.com

Yet Another Type of Art

So, while watching the "Today Show" this morning Kathie-Lee was talking about a new kind of tattoo that I had never heard of before: Tooth Tattoos. For $100 to $500 (depending on the difficulty of the design) you can get a custom painting on your crown, a tooth tattoo on your molar that no one can see unless you pull your cheek back.


They come in numerous designs, animals, celebrities, logos, you name it, you can get it on your tooth! I never liked the permanence of tattoos, with this new creation, if you decide that you don't like it you can go in and get it buffed off. Wonder if it'll catch on.

2 Dead After Tennessee Church Shooting

A shotgun-wielding man opened fire at a Unitarian church during a children's play Sunday morning, killing two adults and wounding seven others before being overpowered by worshippers, officials said.

Deputy Police Chief Bill Roehl said a suspect was taken into custody at the church Sunday.

One of the victims, Linda Kraeger, 61, died at University of Tennessee Medical Center several hours after the shooting, Knoxville municipal spokesman Randall Kenner said.

Also killed was Greg McKendry, a 60-year-old usher and board member at the church, police said earlier in the day.

A suspect, Jim Adkisson, 58, of Powell, Tennessee, was charged with one count of first-degree murder, Kenner said Sunday evening.


Adkisson is not believed to have been a member of the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville, and investigators have not determined a motive for the shooting, Knoxville Police Chief Sterling Owen told reporters.

"[The motive] is one thing we're obviously aggressively pursuing," Owen said.

Five others were hospitalized in either critical or serious condition, police said.

This is an excerpt from CNN.com

Movie Review: Step Brothers

Until I was carded buying the ticket (I am 20, not 17, and still getting carded, pretty crazy) I had no idea that "Step Brothers" was rated "R." I was reminded of it's over 17 rating when I witnessed Will Ferrell rubbing his manly parts all over John C. Reilly's drum set.


Besides the part when step brothers Brennan Huff (Ferrell) and Dale Doback (Reilly) create terrible and dangerous homemade bunk beds, the movie does not have as many belly busting laughs as the duo's last movie "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby." There are many awkward moments where you don't know whether to be grossed out or laugh. Also, their sister in-law who decides to push herself on Reilly's character was just plain strange.

My advice would be to watch the "Can We Build A Bunk Bed?" clip here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92794521&ps=bb1 and then pop in the "Talladega Nights" DVD.

The "last lecturer" passes

Randy Pausch, the professor whose "last lecture" became a runaway phenomenon on the Internet and was turned into a best-selling book, died Friday of pancreatic cancer.

Pausch, 47, a computer science professor, delivered the lecture, "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams," at Carnegie Mellon in September 2007, a month after being told he had three to six months to live because his cancer had returned.


The lecture has been viewed more than 3.2 million times since it was posted on YouTube in December.

The university's president, Jared Cohon, described Pausch as "a brilliant researcher and gifted teacher." Pausch describes Cohon urging him to talk about having fun in his lecture, and telling him it's difficult because it's like asking a fish to talk about water.

Excerpts from CNN.com

WNBA Court Turns Into a Cat Fight!

I have followed Candace Parker since the beginning of her college basketball career with the Tennessee Lady Volunteers, through her record breaking slam dunks and two NCAA Championship titles. Today she broke a new and shocking record by being a part of the first WBNA brawl.


The following was reported by the Los Angelos Times:

The incident occurred with 4.5 seconds left in an 84-81 victory by the Sparks, which ended a five-game road losing streak.

The skirmish began when Parker and Shock forward Plenette Pierson tangled arms as they headed up the floor following a successful free throw by Sparks guard Marie Ferdinand-Harris, causing both players to tumble to the floor. Pierson quickly rose to her feet and stood over Parker, who then pulled Pierson to the ground.

As both benches emptied, the Sparks' Lisa Leslie came to Parker's aid but was pushed away by Shock assistant coach Rick Mahorn, causing her to fall to the hardwood floor. Sparks forward DeLisha Milton-Jones then slapped Mahorn in the back.

"I was trying to protect the whole game, the integrity of the game," Mahorn told the Associated Press.

At the same time, Shock forward Cheryl Ford appeared to injure her knee while pulling Pierson away from the fracas and had to be taken away in a wheelchair.

"When I looked back, I saw Candace was on the floor and [Pierson] was on top of her and my thought was just to run over and try to get her off of her," Leslie said in a television interview immediately after the game. "Then, on my way running back, the coach just stepped in and he pushed me down and I have no idea why he did that."

After the referees huddled in front of a video replay screen for several minutes, they ejected Parker, Milton-Jones, Mahorn and Pierson.

"It's just really sad that happened," said an obviously upset Leslie after the game. "This is not the way we want to represent ourselves."

WNBA President Donna Orender watched the fight unfold on television and shared Leslie's disappointment.

"It was clear emotions were running high," she said. "It's unfortunate that when emotions run over the top, something like this had to happen."

Orender, who has been in the league office since 2005, said she doesn't recall any on-court violence "to this degree."

"We'll spend a lot of time evaluating the tape and reviewing it," she said.

The game was physical from the start but tensions didn't escalate until Parker grabbed a defensive rebound with 8.3 seconds left and the Sparks leading by two points.

Parker was immediately fouled and Ford then reached in and tore the ball from Parker's grip. Parker walked toward Ford and both players had to be separated.

Parker then missed both free throws, but the second miss was batted out to Ferdinand-Harris, who went to the line with 5.2 seconds left. Ferdinand-Harris made both free throws to seemingly seal the game, but that's when Parker and Pierson became entangled.

Leslie was also critical of the officials for letting the game get out of hand.

"It was a very physical game from start to finish and it escalated," she said. "This is the type of game to see if we're doing our best job to really control the physicality of the game."

Eye of Hurricane Dolly Reaches Land

This afternoon, Hurricane Dolly reached land on South Padre Island, Texas according to the National Hurricane Center. Tornados have been spotted on land and a tornado watch is in effect for most of Southern Texas.


The hurricane center said Dolly is expected to produce from 8 to 12 inches of rain, with up to 20 inches in some isolated spots, and widespread flooding is likely in the area. It predicted coastal storm surges of 6 to 8 feet above normal tides.

People in the path of the storm stacked sandbags around their homes, nailed plywood over windows and prepared generators to keep power going in the event of a blackout. In addition the average wait for a bag of sand in Brownsville Texas was two hours on Tuesday.


More than two dozen state agencies and organizations such as the Red Cross are on standby to help with evacuations and other needs.

The National Guard has set up staging areas in Houston, Austin and San Antonio, officials said. As many as 1,200 National Guardsmen have been called to help, and 700 are already deployed to targeted areas.

An incident management team has been pre-positioned in south Texas, including six UH-60 helicopters, to provide support to first responders.

Golden Girl Estelle Getty Died at 84

I grew up watching the Golden Girls. When I was old enough to have a TV in my room it was the only thing I was allowed to watch past 10pm. Today when I saw the news feed on CNN that Estelle Getty passed away my jaw dropped. Sophia, played by Getty, was my favorite character. Her flashbacks to Sicily were about the funniest stories I ever heard.


She was the second youngest out of the four "Golden Girls" with Betty White (Rose) and Bea Arthur (Dorothy) both 86 years old. Yet Getty played the obnoxious Italian mother of Dorothy, the one to dish out relationship advice and dress up as Sonny Bono for the mother daughter pageant at the retirement center (the episode where Dorothy was of course dressed up as Cher). Even though she was 2 years younger than her co-stars her make up and acting skills made her a realistic 90 year old granny.



Before landing the role of Sophia, Getty was a struggling actress living paycheck to paycheck. She refused to be promoted in her low paying office job for fear of being hooked into a business other than acting.

Her wit and enthusiasm kept me watching every episode of the Golden Girls. She was truly an inspiration and will truly be missed.

Getty is survived by son Carl; Barry Gettleman of Miami, Florida; a brother, David Scher of London, England; and a sister, Rosilyn Howard of Las Vegas, Nevada.

Date for Leno's Departure Announced

It was announced today that Jay Leno's last night as host of "The Tonight Show" on NBC will be Friday May 29th, 2009. I can't imagine Monday nights without "headlines." My whole family gathers together to laugh at the crazy things people send in from crazy news stories and ads. I love Conan O'Brien but I fear that "The Tonight Show" is going to turn into "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" and is going to lose the charm of Jay Leno's well oiled evening show.


Jimmy Fallon, the goofball formerly from "Saturday Night Live" is set to take over O'Brien's show in March 2009.
It has been speculated that Leno is being pursued for a light night show on ABC. Leno told CNN that he is ready to "jump ship." NBC competitors sure aren't going to let Leno leave late night television forever.

New Discovery, surprisingly not about Pluto this time

According to the New York Times yesterday, the International Astronomical Union named the third plutoid in our solar system. A plutoid is subplanet, and there are currently three within our solar system, Pluto (the former planet), Eris and now Makemake.

Makemake (pronounced MAH-keh MAH keh) is its name, and it is a red methane-covered dwarf planet formerly known as “Easterbunny” upon its discovery in 2005. “The orbit is not particularly strange, but the object itself is big, probably about two-thirds the size of Pluto,” stated Dr. Michael E. Brown of the California Institute of Technology.


Dr. Brown is responsible for the discovery and naming of this third plutoid. While searching for a mythological god, he came upon the name Makemake, the chief god among the people of Easter Island, and thought it would be suitable based upon its previous classified name. Should be interesting to see what the next discovery is. It is amazing to think that in the year 2008 we are still finding significant new discoveries.

Brittany Hoke contributed to this report.

Is our identity ever really protected?

In the beginning of July I received a mailer from my school, The University of Maryland, it wasn't until July 17th when I checked my e-mail that learned the fine print of what was written on the front of the ad: my social security number. This is how the e-mail began: On July 1, 2008, the University of Maryland's Department of Transportation Services sent all registered students, by U.S. mail, a brochure with on-campus parking information. On July 8, 2008, the University discovered that the labels on that mailing included the addressees' Social Security numbers.

Now, it isn't marked by the words "social security number" or "SNN," but the nine digits above my name on the mailer could be threat to my privacy.

Now, might I add that I am not the only one that received an ad in the mail with this major mistake, all 35,000+ students registered at UMD received the same mailer with their own SSN printed above their name. I thought that colleges used "directory Id's" or numbers that distinguish them so that the risk of SSN's being used are eliminated.

The aspect of this mix up is not that someone saw my Social Security Number on the mailer while it was on the way to my house, but the fact that all of the registered students at the University of Maryland have their Social Security Number stored somewhere other than the University of Maryland. Can we really ever trust who we give our information to? Even our College?

The rest of the e-mail stated the steps we must take on our own to protect ourselves from the University's unfortunate mistake:

Although there is no current information that anyone's Social Security number has been misused, the University suggests that you take the following precautionary steps:

* Immediately place a free 90-day fraud alert on your consumer credit file. A fraud alert is a consumer statement dded to your credit report. This statement alerts creditors of possible fraudulent activity within your report. It also requests that creditors contact you prior to establishing any accounts in your name. Once the fraud alert is added to your credit report, all creditors should contact you prior to establishing any account in your name. If you opt to contract for the Equifax service, you can place a fraud alert through Equifax, as explained below; or you can do it by contacting the U.S. Federal Trade Commission ("FTC".) To place a fraud alert through the FTC: Go to the FTC's Web site, http://www.ftc.gov/idtheft/ or call 1-877-ID-THEFT (438-4338).

* You may also place a security freeze on your credit file. A security freeze prevents potential credit issuers from accessing your credit file without your consent, and makes it unlikely that credit will be issued in your name. Information about how to place a security freeze can be found at the FTC's Web site at http://www.ftc.gov/idtheft/ (look under Consumers on the menu, and select "DETER: MINIMIZE YOUR RISK") or by calling the FTC at 1-877-ID-THEFT (438-4338).

The University is also offering a 12-month Equifax credit monitoring service, at no charge to you, to ensure that you have support necessary to monitor the security of your personal data. This program allows you to contract directly with Equifax for access to your credit report, credit monitoring, customer care, and fraud expense reimbursement insurance. To do this, you must select your choice of Equifax service, and enroll with Equifax by September 10, 2008. You can choose either Equifax Credit Watch Gold, an online service, or Equifax Credit Watch by Mail, a service done through the U.S. Mail. Program services and enrollment information are described at http://www.transportation.umd.edu/parkingmailer.

For additional information about this incident and Equifax services, please visit the University's Web site at http://www.transportation.umd.edu/parkingmailer. You may e-mail questions to the University at parkingmailer@umd.edu. If you don't have Internet access, or you wish to speak with someone at the University, call toll-free, 1-877-935-2428, Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., EST.

$10 Movie Tickets and no mercy

Summer is here and so are $10 movies. When I went to buy a student ticket tonight I was shocked to find out that Thursday nights after 7pm is the only time that students get any sort of discount on tickets. In addition to this, you can never buy student tickets online because they are unable to check your ID.


What's with this? Aren't movie tickets expensive enough? While seeing the Dark Knight tonight (which by the way is my favorite movie this year so far) I didn't see any slack in movie ticket sales. But during the year and especially as our country's economy continues to decline, I think that movie theaters are going to have to rethink their greedy movie ticket policies.

Rock the Reception

While flipping through the channels before bed the other night I found myself stopping on TLC where a couple was breaking it down to "Can't Touch This." I was cracking up. When they stopped the camera panned over to Tabitha and Napoleon, my favorite choreographers from So You Think You Can Dance. It was amazing!

This brand new show named Rock the Reception on TLC showcases engaged couples as they plan and carry out an elaborate first wedding dance. World-class hip-hop choreographers and couple Napoleon and Tabitha (better known by fans as NappyTab) work with bride, groom and bridal party to create an outrageous first dance that will knock the socks off their wedding guests.


The first dances are choreographed to songs that range from the likes of "Thriller" to "Baby Got Back." With the couples having only a limited amount of time to learn an elaborate dance while also preparing for their wedding, tensions are sure to run high. No matter the outcome, the wedding guests reactions are hilarious, the first dance is always a complete surprise. You have to tune in Tuesday nights at 8:30/7:30 C to watch the dances for yourself! If you can't wait, youtube "rock the reception!"

Check out the website at: http://tlc.discovery.com/tv/rock-the-reception/rock-the-reception.html

Are test posting sites ethical?

As a college student I am always looking for study materials and better ways to learn what I need to know. I am always extremely excited when a professor posts previous tests for their students to study from. The newest craze in the college education world are the websites where people (professors, students, bookstores) can post prior exams for current students to study. Two of the most popular are koofers.com (a site named after the bins tests are kept in at universities) and PostYourTest.com.





The biggest question when it comes to these sites are if they are ethical or not. Is it okay to look at previous tests?
For students it feels like the most amazing thing ever. But are they even helpful if the professor changes the exams for every semester? I guess if it reinforces the subject they could be great practice sets. But is this process fair for those professors who do not change their tests every semester? Is this another way to cheat for those students looking for more than just another study tool?

Tying the Knot

There are websites for meeting people, socializing and everything in between. Now there is a website for planning the special day once you meet the love of your life: knot.com.



I was amazed when I clicked on the link and read the profile for the wedding I am going to. It starts with a picture of the couple followed by "about me" paragraphs for both the bride and the groom. There is even a space for the couple to put their engagement story.
On the planning side of things, knot.com has planning tools such as a wedding checklist, budgeter and guest list as well as help with vows, hairstyles and tips on how to get in shape. Here is just highlight of awards and praise for knot:

It is the #1 wedding website with 3.2 million unique visitors a month

3,000 + new members join TheKnot.com each day

Exclusive wedding content provider to MSN and CompuServe

Brand extensions in all media: Internet, magazines, books, streaming video and broadband.

Leading retailer of wedding favors and supplies on the Internet

Named "Best Wedding Hub" four years in a row by Yahoo! Internet Life

Voted "Forbes Favorite" Online Gift RegistrySocializing

98 Degrees Summer Fashion Don'ts

Yes, today while walking along I witnessed a "fashion emergency" moment. A girl my age was wearing a yellow CABLE KNIT SWEATER and PLAID SHORTS!


Not exactly what I would characterize as a summer outfit.

Another thing I have noticed lately is the random places people plan to hang/stuff their sunglasses. On their head, under their chin, on the back of their shirt, hooked on their purse. Anywhere but on their face when they are out in the sun.

The biggest pet peeve I have is pregnant bellies hanging out. At the mall today I saw three baby bellies hanging out. What's with that?
Lets hope it isn't the latest craze!

You are now ranked #60 for "prettiest"

Yes, this is the title of the e-mail I received today. I just shrug them off, if your friends don't participate in the "contest" you are automatically entered in by having a facebook then you end up getting e-mails saying that you dropped 30 spots to #60. With the Internet becoming more and more an everyday part of the modern teenager's day, facebook has turned into the social networking tool that the 15+ in the population depends on.



I believe that it is the safer of the social networking sites, you have to be in high school in order to have a facebook. No elementary or middle schoolers dressed up and posing suggestively like myspace. I just think that the e-mails judging people based on looks, or "sexiness" is a little extreme.



Teenagers take these sites to heart. Just last year Megan Meier, a 13-year-old girl killed herself over an online hoax on myspace. You cannot take anything you learn on a social networking site too seriously. You never know who someone really is.

Miracle cardiovascular surgeon dies at 99

Michael DeBakey, the world famous cardiovascular surgeon died Friday at the age of 99. He underwent surgery to repair his damaged aorta in February 2006. The amazing aspect of that surgery is that he created it. If DeBakey had not created the procedure for repairing damaged aortas, not only DeBakey would have died but the many more lives that are saved everyday from the life saving surgeries he developed.



DeBakey helped turn Baylor College of Medicine in Houston from a provincial school into one of the nation's great medical institutions. While still in medical school in 1932, he invented the roller pump, which became the major component of the heart-lung machine, beginning the era of open-heart surgery. The machine takes over the function of the heart and lungs during surgery.

Information from CNN.com

Obsessed with technology

People starting lining up in the US as early as Wednesday night in order to get their hands on the new Apple iphone 3G when it went on sale at 8 a.m. this morning. The new phone starts at $199, which is $300 cheaper than the previous version. It has GPS, instantaneous e-mail access and is overall faster and sleeker.


In Tokyo, at Softbank Corp.'s store there were 1,300 people waiting outside to buy their new phone. Apple is hoping to continue the frenzy and sell 10 million 3G iphones this year alone.

The many faces of John McCain

So, I was reading CNN today reading one of the many articles on John McCain and I noticed that in every picture he is making a different odd face.


The presidential nominee is always in the news. Earlier today a reporter asked McCain about a vote that he made on the Senate to include Viagra as a covered by health care but not birth control.
He froze and said that he would not comment on that question. He added that he does not remember voting on it either.
So much for that "pact" he made to always attempt to answer any question served his way.

















































It has been said that McCain in the White House would be four more years of Bush. I don't know about that but I think the pics will let you judge for yourself.

Beyond Blockbuster

The days of traveling to the video store to rent a movie for the night are over. With Blockbuster now renting online like Netflix and Redboxe renting movies for $1 a night in your local grocery store or McDonalds, the need to go to Hollywood video is no longer an issue. The world of movies got even easier when Hulu was established. Hulu.com was created in a partnership by NBC and ABC and includes 120 full length movies that you can start in an instant by pressing play. No signing up and absolutely no fees (it's completely legal as well, which is an added bonus). Even newer movies such as fever pitch are on Hulu with new movies added daily.



One of me and my brother's favorite things are the SNL digital shorts. I love Youtube but sometimes it is impossible to weed through all of the videos that people made themselves in order to find a 2 minute clip you saw on SNL that you want to share with someone. On hulu you simply type in SNL and an entire page with skits and mock commercials pop up. I was able to find my favorite skit of last season in less than a minute.

Is Gardasil worth the risk?

In 2006, Gardasil was approved as a vaccine for females aged 9-26 to guard against four strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV) which can cause cervical cancer. Since its inception there have been over 78,000 medical reactions and reports of complaints. The complaints include blood clots, nausea, genital warts and even death.


The most recent issue is very frightening: the vaccine is being blamed for a teen's paralysis. Parents of Jenny, a 13 year old girl from Northern California, say that their daughter was healthy until 15 months ago, the date when she received her final installment of the vaccine. There is no medical confirmation that the link is connected but the timing seems to suggest that the vaccine cause Jenny to experience signs of degenerative muscle disease. Now she is almost completely paralyzed.

Can this medicine be trusted? Obviously this is not an isolated event. I was considering looking into the vaccination due to my family history but with 78,000 complaints and a discovery such as this one I am going to wait a while for some convincing studies to appear before I get vaccinated.

The Bachelorette chooses JESSE!!!!!!

Wow, shocker on the Bachelorette. Deanna passed up Jason, the handsome and amazing single Dad for Jesse the geeky snowboarder from Colorado. These shows always make you believe in one happy ending and then totally and completely flip flop to end in a shocking engagement. The filming is very deceptive.


Jason, an accounting executive from Washington has a 3 year old son Ty. It seems really unfair that Deanna dragged Jason along and kept him from his son when she wasn't going to marry him. Why didn't she keep Jeremy and let Jason go back to his life.









Jesse the snowboarder is an entirely different personality. Stepping out of the limo on the first night in a paisley jacket and pink shoe laces Jesse was an unpredictable choice for the man to be on his knee in the end. My jaw was on the floor when she said yes. I can only hope that the next bachelor show finds a woman for Jason!

Heath Ledger to possibly win Oscar posthumously

The reviews and speculations surrounding Batman have been hitting the Internet since the trailer came out last December, just a month before Heath Ledger died at 28 from an accidental overdoes. Recently it has been said that Heath's performance as the Joker is one for the record books. "Ledger's performance in the Batman tale The Dark Knight is so remarkable that next January 22, the one-year anniversary of his death, he could become just the seventh actor in Oscar history to earn a posthumous nomination," said the Associated Press.

Usually this is an honor for any actor but this scenario is one surrounded by mixed emotions. Is it right to praise the work of someone who himself body and soul into a role that led him to seek the help of prescription drugs? This is a tricky situation, you don't want to ignore the fact that his performance is extraordinary, but you don't want to give the impression that the dedication Ledger gave to the role of Joker is what must be done to get a thumbs up from Ebert and Roeper.

This role has been one to drive people to the edge before. Jack Nicholson, who played the dark Batman character in 1989, warned Ledger of the dark thoughts that come with the dream role of playing the joker.

In an interview published in the NY Daily News Ledger told reporters that he "slept an average of two hours a night" while playing the "psychopathic, mass-murdering, schizophrenic clown with zero empathy ..."I couldn't stop thinking. My body was exhausted, and my mind was still going."

Will cell phone courtesy month work?

Over 250 million cell phone subscribers in the US will be urged to pay attention to their manners when it comes to using their cell phones in public this month. July is National Cell Phone Month, a time to put the cell phone on mute during movies and not text during summer school.

Etiquette expert and author Jacqueline Whitmore who gets several calls a day from CEOs wanting to polish their phone manners and communication skills created the event in 2002 hoping to encourage cell phone users to watch those around them.

When you walk into a restaurant it is hard not to notice the increasingly popular texting and loud remarks of those on their cell phones. I must admit that although I try to have good etiquette I often find myself texting during a movie or talking in my "reporter voice" at a restaurant.

In order to begin the process of giving good manners to America, Whitmore says we should take the following steps:

1. Be all there. When you’re in a meeting, performance, courtroom or other busy area, let calls go to voicemail to avoid a disruption. In some instances, turning your phone off may be the best solution.

2. Keep it private. Be aware of your surroundings and avoid discussing private or confidential information in public. You never know who may be in hearing range.

3. Keep your cool. Don’t display anger during a public call. Conversations that are likely to be emotional should be held where they will not embarrass or intrude on others.

4. Learn to vibe. Use your wireless phone’s silent or vibration settings in public places such as business meetings, religious services, schools, restaurants, theaters or sporting events so that you do not disrupt your surroundings.

5. Avoid “cell yell.” Remember to use your regular conversational tone when speaking on your wireless phone. People tend to speak more loudly than normal and often don’t recognize how distracting they can be to others.

6. Follow the rules. Some places, such as hospitals or airplanes, restrict or prohibit the use of mobile phones, so adhere to posted signs and instructions. Some jurisdictions may also restrict mobile phone use in public places.

7. Excuse yourself. If you are expecting a call that can’t be postponed, alert your companions ahead of time and excuse yourself when the call comes in; the people you are with should take precedence over calls you want to make or receive.

8. Send a message. Use Text Messaging to send and receive messages without saying a single word.

9. Watch and listen discreetly. New multimedia applications such as streaming video and music are great ways to stay informed and access the latest entertainment. However, adjust the volume based on your surroundings in much the same way that you would adjust your ringer volume. Earphones are a great way to avoid distracting others in public areas.

10. Alert silently. When using your phone’s walkie-talkie feature, send the person you’re trying to reach a Call Alert before starting to speak. If you’re around other people, turn off your phone’s external speaker and use the vibration setting to minimize any disturbance and to respect your contact’s privacy.

Now all we need to do is make hands free headsets in the car a National law...maybe then we can be completely well mannered.

Information from prleap.com

4th of July things you might not know

4th of July is a time for fireworks, barbeques, and celebrating our independence. Here are 10 things that I bet you don’t know about this day in July…

(1) The first public Fourth of July celebration took place at the White House in 1801.

(2) We all know that Betsy Ross sewed the first U.S. flag but who designed it? The Betsy Ross House says that it was designed by Francis Hopkinson, a New Jersey Delegate to the Continental Congress and a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

(3) The words "under God" were not added to the Pledge of Allegiance until 1954.

(4) The Liberty Bell is tapped, not rung, every 4th of July.

(5) Of the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence 24 were lawyers and jurists, 11 were merchants, 10 were farmers and large plantation owners.

(6) The formal adoption of the Declaration of Independence was on July 4th, 1776 but it was not declared a legal holiday until 1941.

(7) The iron framework of the Statue of Liberty was designed by the French Engineer who also built the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel.

(8) Benjamin Franklin wanted the Turkey to be the national animal but was outvoted by John Adams and Thomas Jefferson who chose the Bald Eagle.

(9) More than 74 million Americans will barbeque today.

(10) Calvin Coolidge is the only president who was born on July 4th although, there are three presidents who have died on July 4th: John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe.