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.

Tiger Woods Takes a Break

When at the driving range today I couldn’t help but feel good when my ball hit the black and white car marked by a 150 yard sign. This was a personal victory for me, it’s not gonna win me a title but it sure does feel good considering the fact that I wasn’t at the PGA championships and never will be. The backyard and the Rocky Gorge driving range is about it for me.

One man that America cannot let take a break (or hit less than 150 yards) is Tiger Woods. The poor guy limped through 91 holes at the U.S. Open after having knee surgery just a few weeks earlier. This week Tiger is not in attendance at the PGA Tour tournament in Washington D.C.



Tiger is doing what the doctor ordered, six to eight months without golf after a tendon in his right hamstring was removed and made into a new anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. This is the longest break he has had away from the TV golf world, especially during a tournament season. After a well needed rest maybe Tiger will come back even better…ummm never mind, can he get any better?

Where have all the good samaritans gone?

As a journalism student, watching the nightly news and setting CNN as my homepage has become second nature. Lately I couldn’t help but notice an increasingly common story that has been appearing more and more frequently in the past month - people ignoring those in need. Just today as I gazed the CNN homepage I noticed an alarming story lead in bold writing: Woman Dies Ignored on Hospital Waiting Room Floor. Esmin Green, 49, waited in the emergency room for 24 hours on June 19 before she fell off of her chair and landed face down on the floor. She laid on the floor for over an hour before an emergency medical staff member got to her and pronounced she was dead:



A similar instance happened just two weeks before when an elderly man was hit by a car while several witnesses stood there and did not assist him:

Since when did Americans stop wanting to help each other? Can’t we pick up the phone and dial 9-1-1? Whatever happen to “do onto others as you would want them to do to you?”