diversity wins britain s got talent

diversity wins britain s got talent

LONDON (Reuters) - Street dance troupe Diversity said on Sunday it was still in shock after beating runaway favorite and Internet sensation Susan Boyle in the final of the popular "Britain's Got Talent" television contest.

Boyle, 48, had been heavily backed to beat nine other finalists late on Saturday after clips of her first appearance on the show in April were downloaded nearly 200 million times and she was hailed the world over as a superstar.

The Scottish spinster who joked she had never been kissed and who challenged people's notion of what a celebrity should be came second behind Diversity in a final which attracted a peak audience of 19.2 million people in Britain.

Although the average viewing figure will be lower, at its peak the ITV show commanded 72 percent of the total television audience.

Nearly four million people phoned in to choose a winner, and Diversity won 24.9 percent of the vote ahead of Boyle's 20.2 percent. Saxophonist Julian Smith was third with 16.4 percent.

The 11 dancers, led and choreographed by 20-year-old Ashley Banjo, had been the bookmakers' sixth favorite to win before the show, and said on Sunday the result was still sinking in.

"I think I fell over," said Banjo. Diversity comprises three sets of brothers and friends aged between 13 and 25.

"I had my speech ready, you know, 'Well done Susan'," he told a news conference.

"Then they said 'Diversity', and honestly, my legs actually gave way. I'm really tall and there's a long way to fall. I hit the floor and honestly words can't describe how I felt."

Perry Kiely, who at 13 is the joint-youngest member of the troupe formed two years ago, said he was "gobsmacked."

Diversity wins 100,000 pounds ($160,000) and will appear at the Royal Variety Performance before the Queen.

tender buttons

tender buttons

Whatever the case, a familiar face will aid him in his quest to build on the Allen/Paar/Carson/Leno legacy: That would be former "Late Night" sidekick Andy Richter, who'll serve as announcer (and partaker in comedy bits). First guest/Conan pal Will Ferrell should put our host at ease -- or at least make him appropriately uncomfortable -- before Pearl Jam plug in as the musical guests.

Good luck, Mr. O'Brien: May you have this big gig all the way until the year 2000.

Here are more EW Picks for the week of June 1:

"I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!" season premiere (Monday, NBC, 8 p.m. ET) Stephen Baldwin, Janice Dickinson, Sanjaya Malakar and seven other D-listers abandoned in a remote Costa Rican jungle: dream come true? More like a reboot of the 2003 celebrity reality show. "I love the fact that I'm going to be shooting spitballs at Sanjaya and pushing Janice's buttons," says Baldwin, who's traveling with underwear, socks and a Bible. "I'm praying the American masses will enjoy the antics of Stevie B."

jasper national park

jasper national park

Sterling (May 30, 2009) - Park View High School celebrated the NCAA Division I signing of senior Karita Brown on Thursday.

Brown, the school's all-time shot blocker, will play for the Manhattan Jaspers of Riverdale, N.Y.

More on Brown from PV coach Kim Grigley: *Broke the school's record for Most Blocks in a Career -previous record was set in 1989 by

A. Land with 116 career blocks. Karita broke the record with 120 in 3 years. She also tied the record for Most Blocks in a Game (7) at least 4 times this year. Karita has set a new record for Most Blocks in a Season, a total of 81. One of her personal goals this season was Blocks, Blocks, and more Blocks! Great work Karita, "you made that happen."

Release from Manhattan:

RIVERDALE, N.Y. – Karita Brown (Sterling, Va.) has signed a National Letter of Intent to join the Manhattan College women’s basketball program for the 2009-10 season, Head Coach John Olenowski announced today. Brown, who received the final scholarship the Lady Jaspers had available, completes Manhattan’s four-member recruiting class.

A 5-foot-11 forward/center, Brown was a four-year letterwinner at Park View High School and is the Patriots’ all-time leader in career blocks. She earned the team’s Defensive Player of the Year award in 2007-08 and was named Rookie of the Year following her freshman campaign. Brown was also selected to the honor roll.

“We are delighted to have Karita join our Jasper family,” Olenowski said. “She plays hard and can score inside & outside. She is also a tremendous rebounder and shot blocker.”

Brown joins Maggie Blair (Briarcliff, N.Y.), Toni-Ann Lawrence (Elmont, N.Y.) and Ondya Morgan (New Brunswick, N.J.) in Manhattan’s Class of 2013.

belize earthquake

belize earthquake

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) — A strong earthquake killed at least one man early Thursday as it collapsed homes in Honduras and Belize and sent people running into the streets in their pajamas as far away as Guatemala City.

The magnitude-7.1 quake struck at 3:24 a.m. (0824 GMT) at the relatively shallow depth of 6 miles (10 kilometers), according to the U.S. Geological Survey in Golden, Colorado. The epicenter was 80 miles (130 kilometers) northeast of La Ceiba, Honduras.

"People were running for the door," said Alfredo Cedeno, an employee at the Gran Hotel Paris in La Ceiba. "You could really feel it and you could see it — the water came out of the pool."

A man died after his house collapsed in Pineda de la Lima, 120 miles (200 kilometers) north of the capital, Tegicugalpa, according to Carlos Gonzalez, deputy director of Honduras' Permanent Emergency Commission. A neighbor's house also collapsed, he said.

"Dozens of workers have been evacuated from factories in San Pedro Sula (in northern Honduras) because the buildings have cracks," he said. "There are cracks in the roads in several cities."

Juan Sevilla, a spokesman for Honduras' firefighters, said wooden homes collapsed in Puerto Cortes, 120 miles (200 kilometers) north of Tegucigalpa, as did a stadium wall in Comayagua, 60 miles (100 kilometers) north of the capital.

Osman Hernandez, a spokesman for the mayor of El Progreso, told Radio Satelite there was "serious damage" to Democracy Bridge, a 1957 span across Honduras' biggest river, the Ulua. He did not provide details of the damage.

Tegucigalpa Mayor Ricardo Alvarez appealed for calm as officials reported electricity, telephones and Internet connections were cut across a large part of Honduras.

"It was an earthquake of great proportions that was felt in almost the entire country," said Ana Maria Rivera, spokeswoman for the emergency commission.

In Belize, people rushed from their homes as glasses and framed pictures crashed off of shelves. At least five wooden houses on stilts collapsed in three towns and a water tower toppled in the town of Independence, local officials said. Electricity was out all the way to the Mexican border.

"I urge you not to panic, but to remain calm," National Emergency Minister Melvin Hulse said on the radio. "Your government is monitoring the situation and will be keeping you informed."

A tsunami watch was discontinued for Honduras, Belize and Guatemala.

Raul Gonzalez, a receptionist at the Gran Hotel Sula in San Pedro Sula, said guests ran into the streets in their pajamas.

"I ran out of the building and kept going for about a block before I looked back and everything had calmed," he said. "It was really strong. I have never felt anything like that."

He said the hotel did not suffer damage.

A two-story warehouse caught fire in San Pedro Sula but no injuries were reported, according to firefighter Lt. Col. Daniel Flores.

People ran into the streets as far away as Guatemala City, but firefighter Byron Juarez said a survey of firefighting offices throughout Guatemala revealed no reports of major damage.

The quake occurred in a region where the North American and Caribean plates come together, according to Gonzalo Cruz, head of geophysics at Honduras' National Autonomous University.

The USGS said a magnitude-4.8 aftershock struck off Honduras about three hours after the quake.

academic earth

academic earth

IT is well known that many university staff list to port and try to engineer a brave new world. The cash cow climate institutes now seem to be drowning in their own self-importance.

In a wonderful gesture of public spiritedness, seven academics who include three lead authors of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and a former director of the World Climate Research Program wrote to Australian power generating companies on April 29 instructing them to cease and desist creating electricity from coal.

In their final paragraph, they state with breathtaking arrogance: "The unfortunate reality is that genuine action on climate change will require the existing coal-fired power stations to cease operating in the near future.

"We feel it is vital that you understand this and we are happy to work with you and with governments to begin planning for this transition immediately.

"The warming of the atmosphere, driven by human-induced emissions of greenhouse gases, is already causing unacceptable damage and suffering around the world."

No evidence is provided for this statement and no signatory to this letter has published anything to support this claim.

These university staff are unctuously understanding about the plight of those who face employment extinction in the smokestack towns of Australia.

They write: "We understand that this will require significant social and economic transition that will need to be managed carefully to care for coal sector workers and coal-dependent communities.". This love for fellow workers brings tears to the eyes.

powerball winner

powerball winner

The big winner in Wednesday's $232 million Powerball jackpot drawing was sold in the South Dakota town of Winner, but a ticket worth $1 million was sold in Covington, lottery officials say.

State lottery officials say the big winner has yet to come forward but they plan to hold a news conference this morning in Pierre to offer details.

They say it’s the ninth-largest Powerball jackpot ever.

A dozen players came close to the big money by matching five numbers. They’re worth at least $200,000.

The Covingotn ticket was one of those, and since the player chose the Power Play option, the ticket is worth $1 million.

Powerball is played in 30 states, Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

jetamerica.com

jetamerica.com

Low cost airlines start to fly in the travelers' radar as Jet America Airlines introduces 9 dollar fares and will start operations on July 13. One wonders how is Jet America going to make money with 9 dollar fares? Or is this only to create some initial buzz?

Jet America Airlines 9 dollar fares will get the discount travelers from Newark, NJ to Toledo. There will be only nine seats in each flight that will cost nine dollars each. According to Tampabay Jet America Airlines will make money from additional fees, just like other low cost airlines.

Jet America Airlines opens for business today and some aspects of its business is modeled by other low cost successful European airlines such as Ryanair. Tampabay.com writes that "Jet America will charge an additional $20 for a round-trip with an assigned seat, $20 to buy a ticket by phone and $10 to book on the Web site (www.jetamerica.com). The airline will begin with one leased jet and grow to four planes in a year, said chief executive John Weikle, former boss at now-defunct Skybus. The four initial cities — Toledo, Ohio, South Bend, Ind., Lansing, Mich., and Melbourne on Florida's east coast — are subsidizing Jet America by waiving airport fees and helping with marketing and advertising."

According to Jaunted.com Jet Ameria Airlines is on track to deliver passengers on July 13 in a Boeing 737-800 jet from Toledo to Newark, N.J., Melbourne, Fla., Lansing, Mich., and South Bend, Ind.

By the way, don't confuse Jet America Airlines with the private jet service Jet America LTD. The later's website is Jetamerica.net while the website of Jet America Airlines is Jetamerica.com, which we could not access at this point. Probably many travelers are trying to book a flight.

bonnie sweeten

bonnie sweeten

PHILADELPHIA — Police have issued an Amber Alert for a 9-year-old girl who they believe is may be in the trunk of a sport utility vehicle with her mother after being carjacked in suburban Philadelphia.

The carjacking happened Tuesday afternoon following an accident in Upper Southampton Township, Bucks County.

A 38-year-old Feasterville woman, Bonnie Sweeten, called 911 later Tuesday afternoon and said she was the victim of that carjacking. Sweeten told a dispatcher that she and her 9-year-old daughter, Julia Rakoczy, were in the trunk of a Cadillac. That call was traced to a cell phone tower in downtown Philadelphia.

Authorities are looking for Sweeten's gold or silver GMC Yukon Denali, which has Pennsylvania license plate GYK-8998. They're also looking for a black 1990s Cadillac.

sinkthevandenberg.org

sinkthevandenberg.org

A ship last used by the U.S. Air Force to track missiles and spacecraft has been sunk in the Florida Keys, creating a new artificial reef for sport divers and anglers.

The Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg sank in less than two minutes Wednesday morning, after demolition experts triggered a series of explosives that lined the both sides of the ship.

Key West City Manager Jim Scholl says he believes the 17,000-ton, 523-foot-long ship settled on the bottom of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary in an upright position, but he was waiting for confirmation from divers.

The ship was first built as a cargo ship in World War II. Officials in the Florida Keys expect it to generate up to $8 million in tourism-related revenue, mostly from divers and related businesses.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) — A ship last used by the U.S. Air Force to track missiles and spacecraft will soon become the world's second-largest intentionally sunk artificial reef.

Crews plan to sink the decommissioned Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg on Wednesday morning about seven miles off Key West. Officials hope it will attract fish and divers and relieve recreational pressure on nearby natural reefs.

Explosives will be detonated to flood the 17,000-ton, 523-foot-long ship that was first built as a cargo ship in World War II. It's expected to settle on the sandy bottom in 140 feet of clear water.

Officials in the Florida Keys expect it to generate up to $8 million in tourism-related revenue, mostly from divers and related businesses.

mike tyson daughter

mike tyson daughter

The 4-year-old daughter of former heavyweight boxing champ Mike Tyson was critically injured on Monday in what police said was a tragic accident at home. According to Fox News, Exodus Tyson was found by her 7-year-old brother hanging from the cord of a treadmill. At press time was reported to be in "extremely" critical condition and on life support at St. Joseph's Hospital.

The toddler was reportedly playing near the exercise equipment in the family's Phoenix home while her mother was elsewhere in the house cleaning on Monday morning. When her mother sent the boy to look for Exodus, he found her tangled in the cord. He alerted the mother, who immediately called 911 and began performing CPR.

"Somehow the little girl got something caught across her throat, she became unresponsive, the boy went and got the mother, and the mother came out and found the child," Phoenix Police Sgt. Andy Hill told the Phoenix Fox affiliate.

Tyson, who has been promoting a documentary about his life for the past month, "Tyson," was in Las Vegas at the time of the accident and reportedly flew home immediately upon receiving word of it.

Police are calling the mishap a "tragic accident." A police spokesperson told Fox News that there was "nothing in the investigation that revealed anything suspicious."

nocall.wisconsin.gov

nocall.wisconsin.gov

If you want a little more peace and quiet, you have until Sunday to put your phone number on Wisconsin’s do not call list for telemarketers.

The list is updated four times a year.

And to stay on it, you must renew your registration at least once every two years.

Those who sign up by Sunday will have their names added to the new list on July 1.

The list won’t be updated again until October.

Glen Loyd of the state’s consumer protection agency says folks should not wait until the last minute.

He says up to 100,000 registrations a day are made just before each deadline and that bogs the system down.

Wisconsin has had a no-call list since 2003.

Cell phones were added a few months ago.

You can register online at NoCall.Wisconsin.gov. Leave the “www” out.

benjamin cardozo

benjamin cardozo

President Barack Obama has chosen Judge Sonya Sotomayor of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit as his nominee for the Supreme Court to replace retiring Justice David Souter. The formal announcement will be made by the president later this morning.

It should come as no surprise to anyone that Obama would continue playing identity politics by nominating an Hispanic woman. Sotomayor, 54, is also of the most radical liberal activist judges he could have nominated.

In a presentation that will likely lean heavily on style over substance, Sotomayor’s background will allow the administration to again play class warfare with their presentation of her biography. The daughter of Puerto Rican parents growing up in the South Bronx, her father was a manual laborer and her mother a nurse. Her father died when she was 9.

Sotomayor went on to attend Princeton and then Yale Law School before working as a New York assistant district attorney. Former Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan worked a confirmation deal with the first President Bush to nominate Sotomayor to the Second Circuit.

In one of the biggest sources of the coming Sotomayor controversy, is her conduct in the New Haven, Connecticut firefighter case that’s now on appeal to the Supreme Court.

In Ricci v. DeStefano, Sotomayor sided with the City of New Haven that was alleged to have used racially discriminatory practices to deny promotions to firefighters. Sotomayor joined a per curiam opinion that went so far as to bury the white firefighters’ crucial claims of unfair treatment. Judge Jose Cabranes, a Clinton appointee, chastised her in writing for apparently missing the entire host of Constitutional issues that were before the court.

susan boyle may 23

susan boyle may 23

When Simon Cowell stood up for Adam Lambert on "American Idol", it was not the only one he would like to give out this year. The notoriously acid-tongue and blatant judge got up from his seat for Susan Boyle on another talent show he's judging "Britain's Got Talent" after the 47-year-old woman delivered her rendition of "Memory".

Boyle, whose first audition performance received millions of hits on YouTube, went through to the semi final round on Saturday, May 23 and amazed judges and audience once again on Sunday, May 24 with her performance of the Broadway piece. All the three judges, along with the in-studio audience gave her a standing ovation and rave applause after she finished.

Host Ant & Dec asked what she's feeling in the past few weeks with all the publicity in both U.K. and U.S., and she said "unbelievable". Further asked whether it added up pressure to the night's performance, Susan answered "What pressure? It was really good tonight, I really enjoyed it ... I'm very happy to be here and thank you all for your support."

Cowell then offered a word of apology to Susan. He said, "You know what, I just want to apologize because of the way we treated you before you sang the first time. You made me and everyone else look very stupid and I'm very happy for you, very proud for you."

After the Sunday round, Susan was declared one of the two contestants that have won a ticket to the finals. The live final will be held on Saturday, May 30.

diane borchardt

diane borchardt

Diane Borchardt was a former teacher’s aide/study hall monitor at Jefferson High School in Wisconsin. She was convicted of hiring three of her students to murder her estranged husband, Ruben Borchardt, on Easter morning in 1994.

Ruben Borchardt was a widower with two kids who married Diane in 1979. They were living happily till 1993 when Ruben wanted to divorce Diane as he was going around with someone else. Diane then approached three of her students for murdering Ruben and offered the youths $20,000 from a life insurance policy, her wedding and engagement rings and two cars in exchange for the killing.

Although Diane had a good alibi, one of the murderers spoke out of the plot as Diane as the mastermind of the plot. At her trial, Diane Borchardt was found guilty of first degree intentional homicide. She was sentenced to life in prison.

wesley eure

wesley eure

On a routine expedition, Ranger Rick Marshall (Spencer Milligan) and his kids Will and Holly (Wesley Eure and Kathy Coleman) met the greatest earthquake ever known. High on the rapids, it struck their raft and plunged them down a thousand feet below to the “Land of the Lost.” Take a journey back in time with the Marshall family through this incredible world of breathtaking wonder. Only in the “Land of the Lost” will you battle dinosaurs one day and encounter beings from other dimensions the next. The Pylons, the Pakuni, evil energy storms … all are part of the awesome television adventure created by legendary producers Sid and Marty Krofft.

Relive your favorite Saturday morning thrills as you rediscover all 43 action-packed original episodes of Land of the Lost: The Complete Series and get $7.50 in Hollywood Movie Money(TM) to see the all-new Land of the Lost movie starring Will Ferrell in theaters June 5.

Fans can own the entire series collectible limited-edition lunchbox featuring retro artwork from the celebrated 1970s television series for the ultimate experience.

beef recall

beef recall

WASHINGTON - More than 96,000 pounds of potentially contaminated beef have been recalled by an Illinois meat producer.

Ground beef produced by Valley Meats LLC of Coal Valley, Illinois is the subject of a federally-mandated recall. The Department of Agriculture (web | news) has determined that the beef may be contaminated with E. coli bacteria.

An outbreak of illness associated with E. coli was first reported by the Ohio Health Department, and illness has also been reported in connection with Valley Meats ground beef in Pennsylvania and Illinois.

wnua

wnua

It's official. Clear Channel Radio's former smooth jazz WNUA-FM switches today to a Spanish hot adult contemporary format, and the station will be known as Mega 95.5.

The station's new call letters are yet to be announced.

The station playlist will feature artists such as Juanes, Mana, Shakira, Enrique Iglesias, Paulina Rubio and Alejandro Fernandez.

Clear Channel executives blamed their inability to sell advertising against the smooth jazz format in the current radio environment for the need to switch formats at WNUA. Indeed the most recent industry sales figures suggest the station was pulling in about a third of the ad revenue a month that it did as recently as a year ago.

Clear Channel believes it can do better appealing to Hispanics, who according to United States census, now represent approximately 15.2 of Illinois' total population. For the declining number of listeners who will miss smooth jazz,

Clear Channel said it will continue to offer that format on its HD radio signal at 95.5 HD2 and online at www.yoursmoothjazz.com.

memorial day

memorial day

Gas prices continued to inch higher in Greater Cincinnati this week in advance of the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

The average price for a gallon of regular gas was $2.42 in Cincinnati on Thursday, compared to $2.37 a week ago, according to the American Automobile Association’s Daily Fuel Gauge Report. One month ago, a gallon of regular gas was selling for $1.98 on average in Cincinnati.

In Covington, the price for a gallon of regular gas is up slightly, to $2.43 from $2.40 a week ago. One month ago, regular gas was selling for $2.04 a gallon in Covington.

Prices are still far below the $3.85 per gallon in Cincinnati and $3.86 in Covington that drivers were paying a year ago on this date.

The Fuel Gauge Report is compiled for the AAA by the Oil Price Information Service with the help of Wright Express.

laura waring

laura waring

Laura Waring: Real Housewife of OC

By Kendra Phillips, Community Contributor -- Published: May 21, 2009

Laura Waring, a housewife on the show Real Housewives of Orange County, is suing her ex husband for $12,000 in expenses per month to help supplement her reported $400 a month income.

Ex Husband Phil Waring earns about $360,000 a year according to Laura. Laura reports that she is working two jobs as an actress and insurance agent. Laura Waring is now married to George Peterson, a real estate tycoon.

When laura isn't busy being an actress, insurance agent, or ruthless ex-wife she finds time to keep herself in great shape. Laura, a mother of 3 looks great for her age andreportedly achieves her slim phsyique through healthy eating and physical exercise.

There have been some rumors that she has undergone multple plastic surgeries, but the origin and truth of the allegations are unknown. The picture below is supposedly a before and after shot of Laura in which her face changes noticably.

If you prefer the healthy way of getting fit you should stick to cardio, stretching/yoga and a natural weight supplement like Acti veZyme.

nephew tommy

nephew tommy

A shooting at a high school graduation may be shocking to the public, but in the gang world gun-wielding violence at high-profile events is not uncommon, says a community activist and former gang member.

"The more brazen the action of a gang member, it creates the mentality in Latino gangs that he's a vato loco or crazy guy. To African-American gangs, it may be that he's hard-core or a straight-up gangster," said Tommy Vallejos, a former gang member turned pastor.

"To get the label of being hard and not afraid of law enforcement, not afraid to bust a cap, that's a legend that's in the gang allure that somebody's a crazy guy."

Police think that's what happened Monday when a gunman fatally shot Andreus Taylor, 21, after the Maplewood High School graduation ceremony at Tennessee State University's Gentry Complex. Investigators say Taylor was not a member of a gang but he socialized with the Bloods street gang — and that may be what got him killed. He was also wearing a red shirt, the color worn by the Bloods.

Taylor was shot in the face and upper body as he left the auditorium's lobby. The shooting sparked pandemonium as the crowd fled from the sound of gunfire, and the gunman disappeared in the commotion. He was wearing a purple shirt and black pants, but those are not colors associated with any gang. Still, police think there is a gang connection.

"We do know when a lot of gang members do get together it's usually not a planned event,'' said Capt. Todd Henry of the Metro gang unit. "They may know each other's gonna be there, but it's just a spur-of-the- moment action that takes place. It could be because one gang thinks another gang is disrespecting them. It could be the throwing of hand signs or the wearing of colors. Most times, these gang members aren't so sophisticated that they make plans to do this. Unfortunately, they come prepared for trouble, which is apparently what happened" Monday.

Schools beef up security

Metro's gang unit investigators hit the streets in search of the shooter or a tipster who would provide a lead. With more graduations scheduled for Tuesday, schools stepped up security by requiring metal detectors and searching purses and bags.

nko

nko

The Navy is one step closer to combining two Supply ratings: Storekeeper and Postal Clerk. In a Naval message released April 24, an outline of the new training initiative was set forth that will combine the two legacy ratings under the rating of Logistic Specialist (LS).

For Postal Clerks, the first of a two-part planning track will come in the form of a self-paced computer-based training course. This course will deliver apprentice-level SK training and will be available via Navy Knowledge Online (NKO) E-learning beginning June 30.

The second is a five-day, face-to-face PC/SK Difference Training course.

For PCs in the San Diego area, CSS learning Site San Diego will deliver the difference training on the following dates:
May 25 – 29
June 15 – 19
July 20 – 24
August 10 – 14
September 14 – 18

As set forth in NAVADMIN 124/09, commands are highly encouraged to support Sailors in attending training. Sailors affected by the merger should maximize all training to the highest extent possible.

The training manual provides another key part to the merger. Formerly known as the Rate Training Manual, the Logistics Specialist Non-Resident Training Course will be completed by June 30. Any changes on this and other dates will be updated on the PC and SK rating NKO website.

Any additional training dates and locations will be posted on NKO under the ‘PC Rating’ webpage as they become available. Sailors interested in obtaining school quotas can do so on NKO, under CANTRAC CID: A-554-0020.

The SK rating badge of two crossed keys will continue as the LS rating badge. All PC personnel are required to convert uniform rating badges to the LS rating badge no later than Oct. 1, 2011.

All training-related questions for the San Diego area can be directed to PC1 Vernita Foster, CSS Learning Site San Diego at (619) 556-8950 or vernita.foster@navy.mil This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

navy helicopter crash

navy helicopter crash

Three members of a U.S. Navy helicopter crew were killed after their helicopter went down in the waters off San Diego, California, a Navy spokeswoman said Wednesday.

Rescuers are still searching for the two remaining crew members from the helicopter, which went down late Tuesday night, U.S. Navy spokeswoman Karin Burzynski said.

No further details concerning the deaths were immediately available.

Burzynski said the helicopter was operating from the USS Nimitz. The Navy received word that the helicopter went down around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, she said.

It crashed about 20 miles off the Mexican coast, the Navy said.

Coast Guard spokesman Henry Dunphy told CNN earlier that Coast Guard helicopters and boats, as well as vessels from other agencies, were helping in the search.

fleet week 2009

fleet week 2009

Fleet Week in New York City begins on Wednesday and lasts through Memorial Day. There are many military demonstrations, performances and events throughout Fleet Week, as well as the opportunity to see sailors all around New York City. The USS Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum hosts many events during Fleet Week making it a popular destination with visitors, but it is also a great place to visit throughout the year.

shawn johnson bikini

shawn johnson bikini

There it was, sitting right in front of the judges: the "ultimate symbol of televised ballroom greatness," in host Tom Bergeron's words. It was the splendidly sparkly and tragically tacky disco-ball trophy awarded to the winner of ABC's "Dancing with the Stars," an appropriate prize for a show whose charm lies in its total lack of seriousness. (Except for Samantha Harris, who sometimes seems to think she's on a different show.)

A few highlights and lowlights of Monday night's final:

Paso the salt: The three finalists performed a side-by-side paso doble, complete with long solo segments. By this point, we know everybody's strengths and weaknesses, and the paso illustrated them:

Shawn Johnson, with partner Mark Ballas, had her game face on; she was focused and precise but perhaps a bit careful. Melissa Rycroft, with Tony Dovolani, was limber and graceful. Gilles Marini, with Cheryl Burke, was dramatic and elegant, which is hard to do when you're wearing white pants trimmed with black lace. The judges' rankings: Gilles first, Melissa second, Shawn third.

cemetery

cemetery

ERIE, Pa. - Police say they're looking for a young man who sneaked up on and attacked a 65-year-old man who was planting flowers on his mother's grave at Erie Cemetery.

Police on Tuesday say they haven't made an arrest in the attack which happened about 1:15 a.m. Saturday.

Police aren't releasing the victim's name. They suspect the attacker may have planned to rob the man, but he ran away when the victim started yelling for help.

The victim was treated for a gash on the back of his head.

The cemetery's manager says this is the first time he can remember an attack like this.

smoot hawley

smoot hawley

Looking up from their particular circle of Hell, Senator Reed Smoot (R-Utah) and Representative Willis C. Hawley (R-Oregon) must be laughing.

They must realize that President Obama and congressional Democrats are infinitely clever Alinsky students, saying one thing in front of the TV cameras and then doing the opposite behind the scenes. Together, the Obama administration and liberal lawmakers have in a sense revived by stealth the disastrous Smoot-Hawley tariff that exacerbated the Great Depression by encouraging other countries to erect trade barriers.

During the election campaign, after some policy fine-tuning and unexpected drama that took the campaign off-message, Obama begrudgingly conditionally endorsed free trade. Or so it seemed.

His statement came a few months after that bit of intrigue with economic advisor Austan Goolsbee, who now serves Obama in the White House. Goolsbee caused a furor on both sides of the 49th Parallel by telling the Canadian consul general in Chicago that Obama's anti-free trade rhetoric was just the candidate playing up to his left-wing base. Goolsbee said Obama's words were "more reflective of political maneuvering than policy," Fortune reported.

Then, after blasting NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) as "devastating" and "a big mistake," Obama backtracked. "Sometimes during campaigns the rhetoric gets overheated and amplified," he conceded to a Fortune reporter last summer. "Politicians are always guilty of that, and I don't exempt myself," he said.

Of course Obama also needed to genuflect before Big Labor and Big Green so he added the potentially critical proviso that he favors "opening up a dialogue" with trading partners Mexico and Canada "and figuring out how we can make this work for all people."

klippel trenaunay syndrome

klippel trenaunay syndrome


Carla Sosenko, a well known copy editor and freelance writer has publicly announced that she is suffering from a rare disease called Klippel-Trenaunay Syndrome (KTS). Carla says she was born with the disease, which is a congenital circulatory disorder characterized by hemangiomas, arteriovenous abscesses, and varicose veins, mainly on the limbs.

The disease is painful and life-threatening but there are several treatments that work with varying success.
Surgical: Debulking is the most widely used treatment for the syndrome, but it is very invasive and is generally only used as a last resort.

Non-Surgical: Sclerotherapy is a treatment for individual veins in the affected area. Sclerotherapy involved injecting checmicles into the veins that will open them up to allow normal blood flow to resume.

Compression garments and massage therapy are also used to treat Klippel-Trenaunay Syndrome.

blame it on the economy

blame it on the economy

Despite all the talk about the auto moguls, the bankers and the Wall Street manipulators, the real cause of the worldwide recession was the incredible jump in oil prices. High fuel prices kept people from buying cars and trucks, put many airlines near bankruptcy, brought the trucking industry to its knees, caused a big jump in consumer prices because of shipping costs, led to layoffs that led to housing mortgage problems, etc. And the oil tycoons' greed is showing up again with gas prices once more climbing while ships loaded with oil sit offshore for lack of on-shore storage space. It's the energy issue, stupid!

Robert M. Lee,
Rapid River

Thank Sheila Cockrel

Kudos to Detroit City Councilwoman Sheila Cockrel! As a metro Detroiter who is a great believer in Detroit and the region still having a bright future, I want to express sincere thanks, admiration and appreciation for all that Cockrel has contributed to progress that has been made, often in very difficult circumstances. I hope that she will, in some capacity, continue to contribute to the future of this region.

Richard Thibodeau
Waterford Township

Delray threatened

When I read the May 5 letter "Don't let bridge harm Windsor neighborhood," I wondered why the writer was not pleading to stop the construction of the governments-financed bridge that was going to destroy the Delray community in southwest Detroit and force hundreds of home owners and businesses to relocate. All he was doing was worrying about his side of the river.

Perhaps one should consider, instead, that the Detroit International Bridge Co. proposal will not require the taking of property on either side of the river and will not require U.S. and Canadian taxpayers to spend billions of dollars that could be used for other projects to boost the economy.

Doesn't that make a lot more sense, especially when traffic volumes have collapsed, the whole reason for building the Detroit River International Crossing bridge in the first place?

ethan zohn

ethan zohn

He survived Africa, but now he'll face an even more frightening foe: cancer.

Ethan Zohn, the winner of Survivor: Africa, the series' third cycle, has begun a fierce battle with the disease, the 35-year-old tells People.

"This is the ultimate game of Survivor and there's really only one outcome, and that's to win," he says. "There's no other option."

Night sweats and strange itching led the reality-TV star to think he had some sort of skin condition until, on April 30, he was diagnosed with stage two Hodgkin's disease. Shortly after a swollen lymph node and a mass on the left side of his chest were found, doctors declared Zohn had a rare form of the disease called CD20-positive Hodgkin's lymphoma.

He began chemotherapy treatments last Friday.

"My life flashed before my eyes," Zohn says of hearing his diagnosis. Both he and his longtime girlfriend, Survivor season-six winner Jenna Morasca, have lost parents to cancer.

However, the pair have good reason to be hopeful—survival rates are up to 90 percent.

Still, not unlike Farrah Fawcett, Zohn will lose his signature curly hair within the next few weeks. However, instead of watching it fall out Izzie-style, he's planning a date with an electric razor.

"My hair is my identity," he told the magazine. "I'll get a Mohawk or something fun that I've always wanted to do…I'll roll with the punches as it comes to me. That's how I work," he says. "I'm not getting voted out of this one.

la bamba movie

la bamba movie

It was announced today that Lou Diamond Phillips would be joining the (intentionally bad?) cast of the upcoming I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! My initial reaction: "Wait, isn't Lou Diamond Phillips too good for this?" When your resume includes La Bamba, Courage Under Fire, and a stint on 24, can you really join the ranks of the dreaded Speidi? But then I wondered: Am I giving LDP way too much credit? Maybe he has joined the Z-list ranks faster than I'd noticed. I mean, how on Earth did I miss cinematic gems like Bats or Route 666?!

While most of the other cast members on Celebrity (which is set to begin June 1 on NBC) have had prior reality-show experience, these are uncharted waters for Phillips, and I sorta wish he'd stayed out. What about you, PopWatchers? Does this casting surprise you? Or did Phillips have a date with reality-TV destiny all along?

www.pbskids.org

www.pbskids.org

With summer vacations rapidly approaching and out-of-town jaunts to exotic locations seeming out of reach, families looking for ways to keep children engaged while staying home can find some help online at PBS Kids. In addition to numerous free online games and activities, which can be found at www.pbskids.org, the site also offers two premium services: PBS Kids Play! and PBS Kids Island, which are well worth checking out.

PBS Kids Play!(5 stars out of 5; for ages 3 to 6; $9.95 a month or $79 a year)

Launched in March 2008, PBS Kids Play! is a subscription service of exclusive, high-quality educational computer games and activities for kids ages 3 to 6. For $9.95 a month, parents get access to a safe online destination where their preschoolers can play and learn with some of their favorite characters, including Curious George, Bob the Builder, Thomas the Tank Engine and the Berenstain Bears. There are also characters from Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, Franny's Feet, Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies, and the online exclusive property called Wumpa's World.

What makes this subscription worth paying for is its ability to adapt to children's needs, track what they do on the site, and then make recommendations about what they should play next, based on their past performance. Unlike free games offered on the PBS Kids website, the games on this service save your progress and offer you harder levels only when you have mastered the content presented. The quality of the games is comparable to what you would expect to find on edutainment CD-ROMs that retail for $20 to $30.

PBS Kids Play! provides an online "walled garden" in which to play where, once kids are logged into the service, they can safely and easily move around, switching among favorite characters to explore new activities. The service offers 35 games, most of which can be played on three levels of difficulty. As kids play through the content, characters make recommendations about what they should check out next. The site also has a special parent section that provides these recommendations as well as a summary of the child's progress.

preakness stakes 2009

preakness stakes 2009

Only a few hours left until the gates open for the 2009 Preakness Stakes race and we will take a final look at the odds on the Preakness contenders. Will the lone filly Rachel Alexandra win the 2009 Preakness Stakes with favorite odds or will Mine That Bird move a leg closer to winning the Triple Crown, despite long odds? We will find that out tonight at 6:15pm when the Preakness Stakes 2009 is set to start. But let's check the latest Preakness Stakes odds as posted by the popular online sportsbook Bodog Sports, don't forget that the bookmaker is offering $134 free bonus for those Preakness Stakes 2009 bettors who deposit and wager $100 on the Pimlico race tonight.

The 2009 Preakness Stakes odds at Bodog Sports still have Rachel Alexandra as the ultimate favorite to win the second leg of the Triple Crown. At the bookmaker Rachel Alexandra is listed with odds 8/5 to win the famous horse race, way ahead of any competition. The only filly to race in the 2009 Preakness Stakes will have Calvin Borel as her jockey, one of the many factors working in favor of this Preakness contender. Rachel Alexandra has been the odds-on favorite Preakness Stakes contender since the very first time odds were posted on the 2009 Preakness race, but in all honesty, the filly did open with the much better EVEN odds. Betting action later on, however, lengthened her odds a bit to the current 8/5. Here is the full list of the 2009 Preakness Stakes odds, as posted at the online sportsbook Bodog Sports:

Big Drama - 10/1 odds
Mine That Bird - 6/1
Musket Man - 8/1
Luv Gov - 50/1
Friesan Fire - 6/1
Terrain - 30/1
Papa Clem - 12/1
General Quarters - 20/1
Pioneer of the Nile - 5/1
Flying Private - 50/1
Take The Points - 30/1
Tone It Down - 50/1
Rachel Alexandra - 8/5 odds

And although a lot of bettors still believe that the filly has what it takes to win the Preakness Stakes 2009, a lot of people are looking for the great payout at tonight's race, much in the same way Mine That Bird delivered two weeks ago. Pioneer of the Nile is currently holding second best odds to win the Preakness Stakes race, followed by Friesan Fire and Mine That Bird, both sharing odds 6/1 to win the horse race at Pimlico tonight. The odds on Musket Man are sitting at 8/1 and the rest of the contenders are paying out on double digits, including Papa Clem, whose odds went from 8/1 when the betting sheets opened, to the current long-shot 12/1 odds to win the Preakness. Even General Quarters, with opening odds 9/1, is now holding 20/1 odds. Bottom line, almost all of the contenders have seen a negative shift in odds from the time wagering opened until now, the latest 2009 Preakness Stakes odds. The only two exceptions are Pioneer of the Nile, managing to hold on to 5/1 Preakness odds since the beginning, as well as Friesan Fire, paying out on 6/1 odds if this contender wins the 2009 Preakness Stakes.

nemenhah band

nemenhah band

A Minnesota judge is expected to decide whether a family can refuse chemotherapy for a 13-year-boy's cancer and treat him with natural medicine, even though doctors say it's effectively a death sentence.

With chemotherapy, Daniel Hauser has a 90 percent chance of surviving his Hodgkin's lymphoma, according to his cancer doctor. And without it?

"It is almost certain that he will die," said Dr. Bruce Bostrom, a pediatric oncologist at Children's Hospital and Clinics of Minnesota. Bostrom, who diagnosed the disease, is an ally of the legal effort in southwestern Minnesota's Brown County to make Hauser submit to chemotherapy even though he and his parents believe it's potentially more harmful than the cancer itself.

District Judge John Rodenberg was expected to rule Friday on Brown County's motion.

Bostrom said Daniel's chance of survival without chemotherapy is about 5 percent. Nevertheless, parents Colleen and Anthony Hauser are supporting what they say is their son's decision to instead treat the disease with nutritional supplements and other alternative treatments favored by the Nemenhah Band. The Missouri-based religious group believes in natural healing methods advocated by some American Indians.

"This is about the right of a 13-year-old young man to be free from acts of assault on his body," said the family's attorney, Calvin Johnson. The Hausers did not return several phone messages left at their home Thursday.

Bostrom diagnosed Daniel Hauser with Hodgkin's lymphoma in January, and recommended he undergo chemotherapy treatments once a month for six months, followed by radiation. Daniel became gravely ill about a week later and was taken to an emergency room, Bostrom said, and the family consented to the first chemotherapy treatment

sickles high school yearbook photo

sickles high school yearbook photo

A Sickles High School Yearbook Photo is making news today after a 16 year old student says she didn’t wear panties to school the day the photos were taken because she didn’t want panty lines showing up in her yearbook photos. However, the end result of going commando has meant an eyeful for thousands who have copies of the Sickles High School yearbook.

After the Sickles High School yearbooks were handed out on Monday, students began noticing that the pottery club photo showed a side of one teenage girl they’d never seen before.

Sickles High School Yearbook Photo

Here’s a copy of the Sickles High School yearbook photo everyone is talking about. We’ve covered the goods in the photo because the girl is a minor.

popcorn park zoo

popcorn park zoo

She was a writer and songwriter, being honored by the Popcorn Park Zoo and the Associated Humane Society for writing and producing the "Popcorn Park Zoo" album in 1997. She also received an accommodation letter from Al Gore the next year for her Earth Day album, "Mother Earth Is Crying." She was an avid supporter of "no kill" animal shelters. She was one of only three high-speed hypnotists in the world at age 22. She taught hypnosis and entertained at her children's parties and the local schools through the late 1960s. She had her first poem published when she was 12 years old. She was an accomplished ballroom dancer. She was always there to help the less fortunate and gave away hundreds of holiday turkeys at their store during Thanksgiving and Christmas. She was loved and admired by all who knew her, and will be sadly missed by her family and friends.

She is survived by her husband, Bobbie V. Davis of Jensen Beach, Fla.; daughters, Valerie (David) Adelman and Holly (Tom) Brady of Las Vegas; son, Gary B. Davis of Jensen Beach, Fla.; grandchildren, Amanda and Kelly Davis of Port St. Lucie, Fla.; stepgrandchildren, Lori Maddox, and Jennifer, Lauren and Michael Brady; sisters, Gail (Robert) Donaghy of Villas and Margaret Musto of Buena; and sister-in-law Millicent Salamanca of Vineland.

She was predeceased by her parents, George and Grace Thomas.

susan day

susan day

On a warm Sunday in front of a Mother's Day sellout of 43,646, the Angels showed their support for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure movement by swinging pink bats and wearing pink arm bands.

In one of the season's most spectacular plays, center fielder Torii Hunter soared above the wall in left-center to take a home run away from Royals catcher Miguel Olivo in the ninth inning and preserve a 4-3 victory.

"My pink arm band is going to be on all the replays, right?" Hunter said, grinning. "That means a lot. It's a great cause, and to do something like that on Mother's Day, it's special."

Most of the pink bats eventually went back in the rack, players reverting to their more familiar bats, but the arm bands remained throughout the day.

helen phillips biggest loser

helen phillips biggest loser

140 pounds! Yes! Yes!" exclaimed Helen Phillips, 48, on tonight's season finale of The Biggest Loser: Couples upon learning how many pounds she lost.

With a 54.47% total weight loss and current weight of 117 pounds, the retired retail manager and mother of two from Sterling Heights, Mich., was named The Biggest Loser, took home the $250,000 prize and came away with a brand new attitude.

"I haven't worn a dress in at least 10 years," she said on tonight's show. "It was just wonderful. I actually feel beautiful today. I haven't felt that in a really long time."

Here's how the finale went down…

It was an emotional night as the contestants and trainers looked back on 20 hard weeks of tears, meltdowns, and lots of yelling (remember when trainer Bob Harper told Joelle Gwynn to "Shut the f@#$ up?!") First up were the results of America's choice for who would be the third contestant to join Helen and Tara Costa in the top three. The two ladies already secured their place in the final three with the previous week's weigh-in. It was down to the father/son team of Ron and Mike Morelli for that coveted third spot.

bryce howard

bryce howard

Ron Howard, formerly Ronnie Howard, is a grandpa.

Not to begrudge Howard the joy of seeing his children having children of their own, but to millions of baby boomers it's deeply disturbing to think that the one-time kid star is 55 now and that his daughter, actress Bryce Dallas Howard, has a 2-year-old.

For Howard, though, her son Theo ranks up there with his finest productions.

"It's not scary at all to me," Howard said, speaking by telephone from an editing bay at Columbia Pictures' studios in Culver City, Calif. "It's big fun. It's a lot of laughs. I'm proud to say that, in terms of my ability to cope with infants and toddlers, I've still got it. I can work in a sprint and don't have to be the long-distance runner. I can throw all my energy behind a few hours or a half-day, and then it's up to Bryce and (her husband) Seth to carry the ball. But I love it."

foxy knoxy

foxy knoxy

Key forensic evidence will be under the spotlight as the trial of Amanada Knox for the murder of British student Meredith Kercher resumes.

Meredith, 20, was found with her throat cut after apparently refusing to join in a drug-fuelled sex game at their shared flat in the Italian city of Perugia, the court has heard.

Her flatmate Knox, 21, and Knox's ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, 25, deny murdering and sexually assaulting her.

Today fingerprint expert Agatino Giunta is expected to describe how only one fingerprint of Knox was found at the scene - on a glass - even though she lived in the flat.

This may suggest the flat was cleaned after the murder, the court will hear.

The trial usually sits on a Friday and Saturday but the court is sitting today becase Saturday is a public holiday in Italy.

The case is expected to last until at least October.

alpha natural resources

alpha natural resources

Alpha Natural Resources will buy Foundation Coal for about $1.4 billion, the companies announced Tuesday, creating one of the nation's largest coal producers.

Foundation shares jumped 27 percent in premarket trading, or $6.26, to $29.50. Alpha shares fell 34 cents to $28.52.

A number of large coal companies have said that they are scouting for acquisitions, including Alpha, as the industry wrestles with weak demand.

The all-stock buyout of Foundation, assuming $530 million in debt, is valued at about $2 billion by the companies. The combined company would have had pro forma revenue of $4.2 billion last year.

The companies would control 59 coal mines and 14 preparation plants and have combined reserves of more than 2.3 billion tons of coal, making the combined entity the nation's third largest producer.

Alpha, based in Abingdon, Va., was itself the target of a takeover last year, but the proposed $2.7 billion offer by Cliffs Natural Resources was scuttled in November as the recession worsened.

mark landon

mark landon

Little House on the Prarie star Michael Landon's eldest son Mark was found dead in his Los Angeles home on Monday, the AP reports. His age was reported as 60. The cause of death was not immediately clear, but police say there is no evidence of foul play. Mark Landon appeared in three movies, including Us, a CBS television movie written and directed by his father in 1991 just before he died of cancer at age 54, as well as the TV shows Bonanza and Highway to Heaven.

forever stamps

forever stamps

Forever Stamp holders, try not to gloat.

Those of us less shrewd who paid for books and rolls of 42-cent stamps will be stuck trying to scare up the two-cent difference.

The reason? The price of a first-class stamp goes up to 44 cents today.

Forever Stamps were available from the U.S. Postal Service, illustrated with a Liberty Bell, for the going rate - either 39 cents or 42 cents since 2007.

”Forever Stamps are good for as long as you need,” said Maureen Marion, a USPS spokeswoman for New England. “Buy it today, use it two years from now. You don't even have to ask how much this is worth. It's designed for the customer to skip the trip to the post office the next time the rates change.”

baba booey first pitch

baba booey first pitch

Howard Stern's long time producer Gary Dell'Abate is infamously known as Baba Booey. The history of the nickname comes from a mistake Dell'Abate made in the studio many years ago.

Saturday, Baba Booey messed up again. Big time. Watch it.

Ouch, Gary.

This pitch just makes me cringe. I watched it live about 15 times. As someone who pitched for 10 years, he should have called me and not a sports psychologist, as he claims. The key is to put zip on the ball, Gary. And throw over the top. I really can't decide what it looked like -- maybe a boomerang throw? But I've never thrown a boomerang. It just looks horrible.

Howard Stern through the years

Continuing to pile on, it's one of the most unathletic things I've ever seen from a grown man.

It ranks second to this pitch.

new postage rates

new postage rates

Two cents may not buy much nowadays, but it will help a first-class letter mailed Monday reach its destination under new U.S. Postal Service postage rates.

The cost of mailing a letter rose from 42 cents to 44 cents for the first ounce -- about five sheets of paper -- a move necessitated by rising production costs, the USPS said in announcing the hike in February. Postcards now cost 28 cents while large envelopes cost 88 cents for the first ounce to mail, rates on the USPS Web site show.

One way consumers can hedge against the rising costs of snail mail is by using so-called "Forever Stamps," postage without a cent designation that can be used any time for a 1-ounce letter. Forever stamps sell at the going postage stamp price, but can be used when the rate is increased without additional postage.

ihop

ihop

WICHITA - A 1-year-old girl suffered burns over her chest and abdomen after she pulled a coffee pot onto herself in the IHOP at 515 S. Ridge Road this morning.

The accident occurred at about 9:11 a.m., a Sedgwick County dispatch supervisor said. The child was taken to Via Christi Regional Medical Center-St. Francis Campus burn unit, treated and released.

She suffered second-degree burns to about 10 percent of her chest and abdomen, the supervisor reported.

sermon spice

sermon spice

Coverage begins at 8am on Friday 1 May and will continue right through until midnight on Sunday 3 May.

By the time of writing over 8,000 information leaflets have been delivered to homes in Ballymoney and the surrounding area.
Just in case you did not receive one why not take a bit of time to familiarise yourself with what is on offer.
It is 150 years since the famous Ulster revival and at 8pm on the Friday you can hear the thoughts and views on the subject as local man Mervyn Storey MLA is interviewed.

Then bright and early on the Saturday breakfast show tune in for an interview with former Northern Ireland footballer, Stuart Elliot, as he discusses his faith.
At 3pm on Saturday the Rev John Kirkpatrick, known as the motorcycle chaplain, brings us up to date with what he does as we approach the North West 200.

At 5pm on Saturday Philip and Catherine Campbell share a very heart-breaking yet hopeful story in Under the Rainbow.
The 'Panel' programmes on Friday and Saturday evening should provoke some thought.
There will be youth programmes run by the young people of the church and the favourite request programmes will be hoping you ring in often enough to dedicate your favourite hymns.

Finally, it would be well worth your while to tune in for the ever popular 'My Story' programmes as you will hear how an extraordinary God works in the lives of the ordinary people.
Sunday, will be especially significant for the fellowship as their new pastor, Colin Adams will preach at the morning and evening services.
All are welcome to come to the church on the Ballymena Road to listen to the sermons, but if that is not possible then please tune in on 105.3fm.

And don't forget if you can't get a good radio reception then you can log on to www.ballymoneybaptistchurch.org, view the programme schedule and follow the weekend on the internet.
All daily programmes will be repeated again throughout the evening on the internet for the benefit of friends and relations abroad.

Yes, there is a lot of variety over the weekend, but there is one common theme which should become clear, if you tune in, listen carefully, and maybe your life will not be the same again.

The full article contains 416 words and appears in n/a newspaper.

las mananitas

las mananitas

At the beginning there were a few short speeches (by a couple of the teachers, all of whom are men) about appreciating our mothers, who gave us life, and fed us and loved us. It was sweet. Then a couple of students recited poems they wrote for their mothers. Then, the first dance was from Chiapas, 3 girls with big skirts and 3 boys with woven bags did their dance, and then the boys knelt down in a circle, the girls shielded them with their skirts, and when the music ended, the boys rose up with a shout and released 3 pigeons, one white, who immediately flew up into the rafters.

Then there were the pre-school and kindergarten kids, so cute in their little white blouses and flowered skirts and red headbands, the boys all in white. There was a lot of shaking and shimmying and spinning around. Our friend Octaviano’s son Aron, 16 dressed in a white shirt, tight black jeans, belt (with the oversized buckle), boots, and white sombrero, took the mike like a pro and sang Cielito Lindo, with lots of heart and hand gestures. Everyone like him so much, he did an encore – a bolero, smooth and romantic. His voice hasn’t totally finished changing yet, so every once in a while there was a squeak instead of a full throated sound. I loved it.”

Karen Hursh Graber writes “Here in Mexico, the month of May brings many holidays: workers’ Day (3rd), Cinco de Mayo (5th), Teachers Day (15th), and the day set aside to honor Mama, Mother’s Day, always celebrated on May10. Mexicans observe Dia de las Madres wholeheartedly and enthusiastically. Cynical comments about another “Hallmark holiday” and complaints about retailers’ ad campaigns are not heard here. Instead, the day is celebrated with flowers, presents, and special programs. School children proudly invite their mothers to plays, dances and recitals. Stores, movie theatres and supermarkets all give out little recuerdos, or remembrances, to the mothers who come in during the day. One of the most charming customs of all is that practiced in many Mexican churches, the early morning singing of Las Mañanitas.”

myspace mothers day comments

myspace mothers day comments

* DANNY R & SMOOTH GROOVE performs hits from Motown, plus the '50s and '60s, at 7:30 p.m. May 30 at NORWALK MAIN STREET THEATRE, 57 E. Main St., Norwalk. Tickets are $5, available starting Saturday at the theatre box office, Berry's Restaurant (located in the Historic District of Uptown Norwalk) and the Main Street Office, 10 W. Main St., Norwalk. For more information, call 419-668-8048.

* Celebrate Mother's Day with dinner at SAVANNAH BAR & GRILLE. Then stay for a performance by THE FOUR LADS at 5 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call 440-892-2266.

* LA SALA NIGHTCLUB, 939 Broadway, hosts a LATIN MUSIC NIGHT each Saturday, and a Wii GAMING CONTEST runs every Wednesday night with monthly cash prizes for best score.

statue of liberty

statue of liberty

The Statue of Liberty’s crown, which was closed after the 9/11 attacks, will reopen to the public on July 4, the White House announced on Friday morning. The decision, by the Obama administration, is a reversal of the previous policy.

Under the Bush administration, the Interior Department, which includes the National Park Service, had insisted that visitors could not be permitted because the crown — reachable only by a very narrow, 12-story-high spiral staircase with a low guardrail — did not meet modern fire, building and safety codes.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is to formally announce the decision at a news conference at 9 a.m. on Ellis Island. In a phone interview on Friday morning, Darren Boch, a spokesman for the National Park Service, confirmed that the crown will reopen, but said that operational details would be forthcoming from the Interior Department.

The decision to reopen the crown is a significant victory for Representative Anthony D. Weiner, a Queens Democrat who has been arguably the most vocal proponent of giving the public access to the crown.

The statue’s torch was closed in 1916 after being damaged by a saboteur’s bomb. The entire statue, including the crown, was closed after the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

leeza gibbons

leeza gibbons

In her book “Take Your Oxygen First,” Leeza Gibbons shares the story of her mother, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. With the help of medical professionals, Gibbons provides a guide for caregivers to take care of themselves first. An excerpt.

Leeza: Bad news has no regard for timing. Your bubble of domestic bliss is not immune, nor is your job or career. I was happily mothering my children and producing and hosting my own talk show on Paramount’s Stage 26 when Mom's stage went dark. My anxiety spread to every aspect of my life and as much as I tried to present a facade of calm and acceptance, my persona never lasted past my driveway and once home, I became as tightly wound up as an angry fist. I snapped at the kids, withdrew from my husband and stayed up until dawn searching and searching for the latest treatments, the slimmest hope.

As Mom declined, I was trapped on a tilt-a-whirl of emotion. I managed to convince myself that if I just did more, she would be O.K. The talk show ended its run and I immediately went on to the next stop on my career train, hosting the nightly entertainment news magazine Extra. I was all coifed and poised in front of the camera as I delivered the latest celebrity headlines, but the minute the lights went out on the stage, I fell apart. I spent most afternoons leaving through the back door of the lot to wander the neighborhood streets trying to reclaim some control over myself. But bad news can't be controlled and I realized that I was no match for its increasing shadow over my life. My marriage was strained to the breaking point and I was depressed. I needed to let go of the way things were and accept this beast which had pulled up a chair to my dinner table.

dom dimaggio

dom dimaggio

Dom DiMaggio, who despite having to share an outfield with Ted Williams and a name with his older brother Joe became a diamond standout in his own right, earning All-Star status seven times during 11 seasons with the Red Sox, died this morning. He was 92.

DiMaggio was surrounded by his family when he died at his Massachusetts home, his wife, Emily, said. She did not give a cause of death but said her husband had been ill recently. "He was the most wonderful, warm, loving man," his wife of 61 years told The Associated Press. "He adored his children, and we all adored him."

The author David Halberstam described Mr. DiMaggio as “probably the most underrated player of his day.” Playing in the shadow of the era’s two biggest superstars made that inevitable, perhaps. But neither of his great contemporaries failed to appreciate Mr. DiMaggio’s talents. Williams considered him “the best leadoff man in the American League,” and his older brother called him “the best defensive outfielder I’ve ever seen.”

Elected to the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 1995, Mr. DiMaggio spent his major league career in Boston, playing for the Sox from 1940 to 1942, then from 1946 to 1953. He lost three seasons to wartime service in the Navy.

ola raye

ola raye

LOS ANGELES - The former Playboy centerfold who played Michael Jackson's crush in his legendary "Thriller" video wants a jury to end her nightmare of trying to collect royalties.

Ola Ray, 48, filed a lawsuit in Santa Monica, Calif., Tuesday claiming Jackson deadbeat when it comes to paying for her her famous strut and blood-curdling scream in the 14-minute zombie fest.

"She just wants to get her fair share of payments from this extremely successful project that she's very proud of," her lawyer Jason Feldman told the Daily News. "She did receive some payments early on, but we don't believe they were complete, and they were never timely."

national day of prayer

national day of prayer

Though President Barack Obama insists that prayer is a private act, he will follow in the footsteps of previous presidents today, signing a proclamation to declare the National Day of Prayer then moving on to other business of the day. At the same time, the president has asked a federal court in Wisconsin to dismiss an attempt to abolish the special occasion.

In a lawsuit filed during the Bush Administration, the Freedom From Religion Foundation claims the day violates the separation of church and state. It asks the judge to declare the law unconstitutional and to order presidents and governors to stop issuing prayer proclamations such as the one expected from Obama today.

But the lawsuit also claims federal and state governments work too closely with the National Day of Prayer Task Force, a conservative Christian group led by Shirley Dobson, the wife of Focus on the Family founder James Dobson. The task force calls for the prayer proclamations, the suit says, and suggests specific Scripture to quote in them.