hgsi

hgsi

U.S. stocks were rising Monday as the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.6% to 8798, the S&P 500 rose 0.6% to 946 and the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.8% to 1901. Among the companies whose shares are actively trading in the session are Human Genome Sciences Inc. (HGSI), CIT Group Inc. (CIT) and Orexigen Threapeutics Inc. (OREX)

CIT Group ($1.26, +$0.56, +80.00%) was close to securing $3 billion in last-minute rescue financing from its bondholders Sunday in a deal that should keep the struggling lender out of bankruptcy court, people familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal.

Human Genome Sciences ($10.26, +$6.94, +209.04%) said its experimental drug Benlysta met the goals of a late-stage study in treating lupus, a notoriously hard-to-treat autoimmune disease that hasn't seen a new therapy in decades. The success surprised many analysts and investors who were expecting the drug to fail, as it did in an earlier mid-stage study. Citigroup believes the trial's success makes the company a takeover target of partner GlaxoSmithKline PLC (GSK, $37.57, +$1.21, +3.33%). The companies split Benlysta, which the firm sees having $1.3 billion in 2013 U.S. sales, and Human Genome has potential for royalties on two other Phase III drugs from Glaxo

Orexigen Therapeutics ($6.75, +$1.06, +18.63%) said its Contrave drug showed strong results in three large late-stage studies in treating obesity, a potential multibillion-dollar market.

BMO Capital markets downgraded its investment rating on Tyson Foods Inc. (TSN, $11.44, -$1.20, -9.41%) to market perform from outperform. The firm said the company's "near-term stock upside has become somewhat limited as its stock price reflects improved chicken margins, the company's internal improvements, and lower feed prices." Meanwhile, Sanderson Farms Inc. (SAFM, $41.42, -$4.28, -9.37%) was cut to market perform from outperform by BMO Capital Markets. The firm said in a note to clients that it's cautious on further chicken margin expansion as chicken demand has weakened and the effects from hot weather in the South were more muted than expected.

Wabash National Corp. (WNC, $0.72, +$0.18, +33.31%) announced it was getting a $35 million investment from a division of private-equity firm Lincolnshire Management Inc., which created a new entity Trailer Investments LLC, to buy a series of preferred stocks and warrants for new common stock. Trailer Investments will also get to put five board members on Wabash's 12-person board. "This capital infusion will fortify our balance sheet, allowing us to put in place a capital structure that meets the needs of the Company during this economic downturn, including to obtain needed accommodations under our existing credit agreement," Chief Executive Dick Giromini said in a statement.

Other Stocks In Focus:

California-based East West Bancorp Inc. (EWBC, $6.84, -$0.15, -2.15%) announced plans to sell at least 11 million shares as the company said it has completed a capital-raising effort that so far has generated $168.9 million.

Construction machinery reached a cyclical bottom during the second quarter, Bank of America-Merrill Lynch said while upgrading Caterpillar Inc. (CAT, $36.42, +$2.43, +7.15%) to buy. Caterpillar's results Tuesday are likely to be weak and potentially come with lower guidance for future quarters, "but we don't think that matters," BofA-Merrill said, as there's limited downside to the stock given low expectations. BofA-Merrill's dealer channel checks show reduced machinery inventories setting the stage for restocking going into 2010, and the firm predicts Caterpillar's multiple will expand to historical levels after its operations stabilize in the second half of this year.

Bank of America Corp.'s (BAC, $12.62, -$0.27, -2.09%) "normalized" earnings picture got cloudier after its second-quarter earnings, Fox-Pitt said, downgrading Bank of America to in line from outperform and sharply cutting earnings estimates. The firm had forecast normalized earnings per share of $2.80, or about 1% return on assets, but now says BofA will continue to struggle to generate positive EPS due to credit and revenue headwinds. Fox-Pitt swings its 2009 EPS view to loss of 46 cents a share from previous view of a 48-cent profit, and cut its 2010 view to 55 cents a share from $1.32 a share. Bank of America is unlikely to repay its Troubled Asset Relief Program loans soon, Fox-Pitt also added.

Eaton Corp.'s (ETN, $49.00, +$4.05, +9.01%) second-quarter profit plunged 91% on slumping sales and margins as results missed expectations.

Extreme Networks Inc. (EXTR, $2.07, +$0.07, +3.50%) signed an alliance with Internet-security giant McAfee Inc. (MFE, $43.06, +$0.07, +0.16%) to work on network security for customers for both McAfee and Extreme Networks, which works in Ethernet based networks.

Halliburton Co.'s (HAL, $21.98, +$0.60, +2.81%) second-quarter earnings fell 48% on weak demand and lower prices, but results were better than feared.

Hasbro Inc.'s (HAS, $26.28, +$0.90, +3.55%) second-quarter earnings rose 4.8% amid strong sales of most of its toy brands, including those related to the Transformers movie sequel, but revenue fell just short of Wall Street's expectations while profit topped estimates.

Johnson Controls Inc. (JCI, $23.42, +$1.90, +8.83%) posted its first profitable quarter since last autumn as the auto-parts and heating-systems maker saw cost cuts partially take the sting out of tumbling demand, which fell more than expected.

M&T Bank Corp.'s (MTB, $56.48, +$2.04, +3.75%) second-quarter profit plunged 75%, reflecting charges from its acquisition of Provident Bankshares and special payment toward the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s deposit-insurance fund.

Investors should buy Peabody Energy Corp. (BTU, $34.99, +$1.83, +5.52%) ahead of earnings Tuesday, FBR analysts said in a note, as Peabody will be supported by long-term steel and energy demand in China and India. China continues to import coking coal to improve its steel quality and conserve its domestic resources, and demand will be sustained by strong real estate construction, the firm says. Meanwhile, India's power generation has been growing every month this year and aggressive economic expansion efforts by India could increase coking coal imports by 75% by 2012.

PetMed Express Inc. (PETS, $17.36, +$0.71, +4.26%) recorded a 23% increase in second-quarter profit as sales jumped 13% and both figures exceeded expectations. The animal pharmacy and operator of the 1-800-petmeds number and Web site said that it added 297,000 new customers and saw online and reorder sales both rise.

Ruby Tuesday Inc. (RT, $7.35, -$0.15, -2.00%) will offer at least 10 million shares as the restaurant operator joins a wave of companies in recent months looking to take advantage of investor appetite for new shares to raise cash. The offering would dilute shares outstanding by about 19%.

Spectrum Pharmaceuticals Inc. (SPPI, $5.81, +$0.26, +4.68%) shares gained Monday following news the U.S. Food and Drug Administration accepted for review the company's resubmission of its application for its cancer drug, Zevalin. The agency accepted the drug as a Class 1 submission and established Sept. 7 as a decision date, the oncology-focused biotechnology company said.

Weatherford International Ltd.'s (WFT, $18.80, -$1.14, -5.69%) second-quarter earnings fell 89%, with results missing analysts' expectations, as international growth failed to offset a steep drop in North American demand.

106.7 the fan

106.7 the fan

Washington returned to having two sports talk radio stations as of midnight. WJFK-FM is now known as “106.7 The Fan” and they seem ready to challenge longtime sports force ESPN 980 in what should become a very interesting battle for metro-area sports fans.

Chris Kinard, the program director of 106.7 The Fan, is very confident that listeners are ready to hear their sports from different voices.

What is the philosophy of 106.7 The Fan when it comes to sports talk?

Kinard » “We are all local, all day. Washington sports fans want to hear their sports from people who are knowledgeable, passionate, and most of all, are well versed in all local sports. We know that this is a Redskins town and we will give fans the best Skins coverage. But we also feel that Nationals, Caps, Wiz, D.C. United and many college teams fans are underserved. Washington is a very sophisticated and diverse sports town and we feel we can do a great job of reaching all the fans in the region.”

What else do you have planed?

Kinard » “We have Liz Drabick as our lead update anchor. We plan on adding a local primetime night show in the not too distant future. The Junkies will be doing a Redskins pregame show prior to all the games this season. We plan on launching more local weekend shows as we continue to grow.”

You are the new flagship for the Wizards. What about adding more teams?

Kinard » “We are proud to be the new radio home of the Wizards. We have great plans for them and we can’t wait to get started. We have added the NFL on Westwood One package so we will have plenty of football. Of course, we are the home of University of Maryland sports which has been great for us. But we really will go all out in adding the Nationals, Capitals or any local team. We feel that with our clear FM signal and our ability to offer quality support programming that we would be high on any teams list as a flagship station.”

espy winners 2009

espy winners 2009

Last night saw the ESPY Awards ceremony aired, which took place at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles last Wednesday 15th July, with veteran Hollywood actor Samuel L. Jackson as the evening’s host. And there were definitely some deserving winners.

According to Daily Contributor, there appeared to be one individual that was the biggest winner of the night. And that individual was multiple Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps, who walked away with not one or two, but four awards of the night.

Not only did he take home the award for Best Male Athlete, which golfer Tiger Woods has won for five years in a row, but he also took home awards for Best Male Olympian, Best Championship Performance and one for Best Record-Breaking Performance.

jeff locker

jeff locker

A motivational speaker from Long Island was found strangled and stabbed in his car in East Harlem Thursday, hours after he was seen buying condoms.

Jeffrey Locker, 52, had his hands tied behind his back and a cord wrapped around his neck and tied to the headrest. He had been stabbed in the chest and robbed, police sources said.

Investigators suspect there were two killers in his 2007 Dodge Magnum in the Wagner Houses - one in the backseat with the cord and one in the front passenger seat with the knife.

Teens on the block said they saw Locker park the car on Second Ave. and walk into the nearby Wagner Deli about 3 a.m.

"He got out of the car and bought a bottle of water and a pack of Trojan condoms. He seemed cool, relaxed," said Whitney Young, 19. "The next time we see him, he's here dead."

Cops said they are checking to see if Locker had regularly visited a prostitute in the Wagner Houses on Wednesday nights.

Locker's wife, Lois, reported him missing Wednesday night when he did not return to his Valley Stream home.

It's unclear why he was in East Harlem.

"He was going into the city and coming home. He was supposed to be coming home," she said, without elaborating. "He was supposed to come home. He wasn't there by choice."

The victim was a father of three and a motivational speaker who ran "life-fulfillment" workshops and published self-help books, his Web sites said.

"He probably trusted someone," said his mother-in-law, Annette Serota. "He was a very trusting person. That's probably how it happened. You could sell him the Brooklyn Bridge."

Neighbor Robert Levine, 52, often took bike rides with Locker. "He was a nice, really great guy," he said. "He was a really wonderful father."

Locker was sued in April as an investor who profited from a $300 million, decade-old Ponzi scheme run by Lou Pearlman, former manager of boy bands including the Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync.

Pearlman pleaded guilty in March 2008 to conspiracy, money laundering and presenting a false claim in bankruptcy court.

A bankruptcy trustee sued Locker to recoup roughly $371,000 he received from Pearlman's investment company, according to court papers filed in Orlando.

"I am mortified to be accused ... of participating knowingly in a Ponzi scheme," Locker wrote the court in May.

gina salamino

gina salamino

The NY Post reports that the 20-year-old Hugo Boss model who first stepped into the spotlight for shacking up at age 17 with 37-year-old second grade teacher Gina Salamino, was arrested Thursday morning for his involvement in a New York City crime spree. Joshua Walter and his three cronies have confessed to the robbery of 15 gas stations and delis and the theft of $12,000-$15,000.

The spree began June 14 and ended on Sunday at a Dunkin' Donuts on Horace Harding Expressway, where Walter allegedly pistol-whipped one of the victims, sources said.

The crime spree include gas stations, a 7-11, bodegas, and fruit and vegetable stands around Queens and Brooklyn. The four were charged with robbery and criminal possession of a firearm.

Walter took up with Salamino when he was a 17-year-old high school student. She subsequently lost her job because he was a minor.

When Department of Education investigators questioned Walter about Salamino, he said, "I'm tapping that ass and there's nothing you can do about it."
He said he considered the older woman "my shorty."

tour de france stage 13

tour de france stage 13

VITTEL, France — Levi Leipheimer, an American rider on the Astana team, withdrew from the Tour de France on Friday morning with a broken right wrist.

On his Twitter page, Leipheimer, who is Lance Armstrong’s teammate, wrote that he was about to have surgery, so doctors could insert a screw into the wrist to stabilize it.

“I can’t describe how disappointed I am,” he wrote on his page before Stage 13, a 124-mile, or 200-kilometer stage, that ended in the town of Colmar, not far from the Germany border. “Good luck to all my friends in the race and most of all my brothers on Team Astana.”

Leipheimer, from Santa Rosa., Calif., had been in fourth place over all, just 39 seconds back from the race leader Rinaldo Nocentini of Italy, when he crashed late in Thursday’s stage. He had had been one of Astana’s four riders in the top six over all, and had been one of the strongest riders pegged to help either Armstrong or his teammate Alberto Contador win.

In the closing moments of Stage 12, though, Leipheimer said he was surprised by a sudden turn and lost control of his bike. He ended the day with bruises on his right wrist and back and road rashes on his shoulder and back.

“I couldn’t quite save my bike from sliding out, so I slid out and hit the curb,” he said Thursday. “Surprisingly, I’m O.K. It could have been much worse.”

On Friday morning, X-rays showed that he had broken his wrist in the fall.

On his Twitter page, the team manager Johan Bruyneel called Leipheimer’s injury “not good.”

terrell suggs

terrell suggs

The Baltimore Ravens have agreed to a six-year contract with Terrell Suggs, their standout defensive end and outside linebacker, the team has announced.

The deal is worth approximately $63 million, according to several reports.

The agreement comes just before today's deadline for NFL teams to sign their franchise players to longterm contracts.

The 26-year-old Suggs is one of the sport's top pass-rushers. He had 12 sacks last season and has 53 sacks in his six seasons with the Ravens.

"Getting a deal done with Terrell is consistent with our history of retaining our best Pro Bowl players, like Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Jonathan Ogden, Todd Heap and Jamal Lewis," General Manager Ozzie Newsome said in a written statement released by the Ravens. "Securing Terrell for six seasons gives us a premier pass-rusher whose ability to stop the run does not get enough credit."

The agreement was completed late Tuesday night, according to the team.
The Ravens placed their franchise player tag on Suggs in February, entitling him to a salary of $10.17 million this season if he'd signed his one-year franchise player deal.

"I am glad it is over, and now we can get back to football," Suggs said, according to a written announcement by the Ravens. "Getting this done took compromises on both ends. I wanted to stay in purple and black, the Ravens wanted to keep me in purple in black, and they stepped up and showed me that. This means a lot to me and my family. Now I can be a Raven for the better part of my career."

Said Ravens Coach John Harbaugh, according to the team's written release: "This is such good news. I was already excited to start training camp, and now having Terrell there makes it that much better. He is a great player, a tremendous person and an outstanding young leader. You guys know that he energizes our practices. He brings that vitality to the game, and he makes the locker room fun. He's a foundation for our defense to stay at the highest level. Having him in training camp will take him to higher levels."

Suggs is a three-time Pro Bowl selection and a former NFL defensive rookie of the year. He's never missed a game in his six NFL seasons.

swine flu symptoms checker

swine flu symptoms checker

Swine flu news is abundant in the media. As health authorities are asking the families and individuals to prepare for the upcoming flu season let's take a quick looks at a swine flu symptoms checker to see what signs and symptoms to watch for.

Great Britain's NHS, which is one of the largest publicly funded health services agency in the world has published a Swine Flu Symptoms Checker writes that good hygiene is the "single most effective way to slow the spread of diseases such as swine flu." Washing hands, cleaning surfaces, using tissues to cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze and putting the tissue in the bin as soon as you use it are the key factors of preventing swine flu.

Below are the swine flu symptoms checker published by NSH, however, according to BBC "those with children under five are specifically advised not to use the symptom checker on the NHS Direct website and contact the service directly."

While the sine flu (H1N1) symptoms are the same as the regular symptoms they may or may not cause more severe complications, according to NHS. Swine flu is different from seasonal flu in that most serious illnesses have been in younger age groups, as happened in all three 20th-century influenza pandemics.

The typical symptoms are:

* sudden fever, and
* sudden cough.

Other symptoms may include:

* headache,
* tiredness,
* chills,
* aching muscles,
* limb or joint pain,
* diarrhoea or stomach upset,
* sore throat,
* runny nose,
* sneezing, and
* loss of appetite.

NHS Swine Flu Symptoms Checker

If you have flu-like symptoms and are concerned that you may have swine flu:

* Read up on swine flu symptoms then use the NHS Direct swine flu symptom checker.

* If you are then still concerned, stay at home and call your GP.

* If the GP confirms swine flu by telephone, they will give you a voucher reference number entitling you to antiviral medication.

* Give this number to a healthy friend or relative and ask them to pick up the antivirals for you from a designated local collection center.

Go to the Treatment page for information on the treatment of swine flu.

In the United States an information fact sheet about swine flu, published by Mass.gov (pdf) informs that parents should call a doctor or seek medical care if your child has trouble breathing, has behavior changes like increased restlessness, anxiety and irritability, or isn’t drinking enough fluids. Be alert for skin rashes, dehydration or any other signs that your child is more uncomfortable than you would expect with the flu.

maria del carmen bousada

maria del carmen bousada

A Spanish woman, Maria del Carmen Bousada, deceived a U.S. fertility clinic about her age, then became the oldest woman to give birth. She has died at 69 leaving her 2-year-old twins behind. They were born in December 2006. And I thought I was an old dad at 53!

Maria del Carmen Bousada is not, however, the oldest woman to give birth.

I think that honor would go to Sarah, wife of Abraham. See Genesis 17.

Sarah was 90 years old when she bore Isaac.

No doubt, some of the more ancient folks, pre-flood wives were even older. Back then they lived in a perfect world and could do that sort of thing.

With Sarah, it was a miracle.

With Maria, it was a lie and a miracle that modern science performs...sorta.

reid from the bachelorette

reid from the bachelorette

So yeah, there's no other way to say it: Tonight, my favorite bachelor couldn't get it up. Don't worry, I won't reveal which guy is the softie for those of you who haven't seen it, but wow -- Jillian really has not had much luck with this crew, has she? Either way, we're down to the final two. Both guys are in it to win it, but who do you want to see take home the trophy wife? Post your comments below, and enjoy the latest episode of EW.com's highly disturbing and entertaining series, The Doll Bachelorette. Then, click over for my full Bachelorette TV Watch recap and Chris Harrison's exclusive EW blog.

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid29155241001?bclid=29107116001&bctid=29365351001

brock lesnar vs frank mir full fight

brock lesnar vs frank mir full fight

The UFC 100 was a truly amazing night and produced some great fighting. One fight that is proving very popular is the Brock Lesnar vs Frank Mir. For those of you who did not get a chance to catch the fight on July 11, 2009, then view the full fight video here.

We know that Lesnar won the fight against Mir and when Lesnar won, he thought that he would flip the crowd. He thought that he would do this as they had been booing him since the referee decision. Did you agree with that decision?

The UFC 100 title fight looked as if it was going to go Frank Mir’s way as he landed some superb hits, but Brock Lesnar managed to pull the win off, by doing so took his title back from Lesnar who had beaten him in a precious fight.

bastille day 2009

bastille day 2009

July 14 is Bastille Day, a big holiday celebrated in France. Of course, France isn't the only country that has fun and celebrates on Bastille Day. Read on for some history, crafts, books, and movie ideas to share with your kids.

History
A simple history of Bastille Day is this: Bastille Day is considered the first day of the French Revolution in 1789. On the morning of July 14, French citizens armed themselves and stormed the Bastille Fortress, which mainly housed political opponents to the French government. The citizens viewed it as their first victory against the government, which they felt was corrupt, and the revolution began. Bastille Day was proclaimed a French national holiday in 1880 and its motto is "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity."


Crafts
Stick Eiffel Tower: This craft is for older children as it's a little difficult. Adults will need to be on hand as some of the materials include a hot glue gun and a sharp knife (really, it's a cute craft!). The end result is a an Eiffel Tower complete with fireworks.

Make a French Flag: Get a piece of white construction paper and using a rule make two lines that will divide the paper into thirds. With blue, white, and red paint, crayons, or markers, color in the vertical stripes appropriately (look at the flag here to be sure). Kids can get creative and make it sparkly with glitter, too!

Printable coloring pages
The Color has some great pages that you can print out, including one of the Eiffel Tower.

Fete-enfants has loads of pages to color for Bastille Day!

Crayola has a printable of the French flag and US flag.

Movies
Ratatouille: Pixar's movie about a rat who wants to cook is set in Paris. While the idea of a rat making your dinner may make you squeamish, it's a lovely film that has Paris as the backdrop and kids will get a kick out of it!

The Tale of Despereaux: This might be too scary for young children, but older kids will like the story and antics the mouse finds himself in.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Beauty and the Beast: These are put together because they are classics by Disney, however, they may scare very young children with some of the action. Older kids who haven't seen them before (or may just want to see them again) will enjoy the stories of the films as well as the songs!

Books
Madeline: Who can forget the story of a house covered in vines with twelve little girls in two straight lines? Madeline will take kids through the streets of Paris so they can see the sights while they are enchanted by the little girl herself, not to mention all of her friends and Miss Clavel.

Gigi & Jacques Adventures in Paris and Gigi & Jacques Starry Night in Paris tells the story of two French dogs who meet and roam the city of Paris, seeing the sights, and getting into all sorts of trouble. very cute but may be hard to find. Check your local library.

peachtree city ga

peachtree city ga

PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. (MyFOX ATLANTA) - Peachtree City police said they were searching for a hit-and-run driver Sunday who left a family in shambles. Johnnie Moore and her two daughters had just relocated to the Atlanta area from California for a new job when Moore was hit.

"My knee busted open and they put metal here, they put metal in my leg here and then I have stitches from here to here," described Moore after her ordeal.

Moore said doctors told her she will have a long road back to health. Moore broke her leg and arm, hurt her back and suffered internal injuries when she was struck by a hit-and-run driver on Highway 74 in Peachtree City last April.

Moore said she left a hotel to get food at a nearby restaurant across the highway.

"They basically left me for dead," said Moore.

Moore said she remembered coming back from the restaurant with food. Moore said she stopped in the middle of the road when she was struck by a vehicle.

"I woke up and police were around me and a helicopter was around me and they said someone had been hit and I said who and they said me," recalled Moore.

Moore's two daughters are now helping her with her medicine, cooking and other chores at the Atlanta hotel where they have been staying.

Peachtree City police said they didn't have many clues in the case, but based on eyewitness accounts they suspect an SUV or similar vehicle struck Moore.

Now Moore is working with social service agencies for medical and financial help to get back on her feet.

"I don't know how somebody can be so cold to hit somebody and leave," said Moore.

Moore said the accident happened before she got to start her new job as a caterer.

Police said they asked workers at area auto repair shops to be on the lookout for a car with damage that may be from the hit-and-run.

arturo gatti wife picture

arturo gatti wife picture

Arturo Gatti’s wife is in custody while police suggest they have the murder weapon and location.

But if they do proceed in a case against Gatti’s wife, as of Sunday, one thing police have yet to indicate is motive.

Is there a motive? Why would Arturo Gatti’s wife murder the former boxer, on the couple’s second honeymoon, in her native country of Brazil?

LALATE was the first to break you the shocking death of Arturo Gatti on Saturday. Less than 12 hours later, police had a suspect - his wife - in custody. But why?

Police have indicated Gatti may have died from strangulation. The weapon? A purse strap, says police reports Sunday. Yet, other reports suggest Gatti also died of a blow to the head. Officials say no bullet or knife wounds were found. But they are reportedly allegedly that Amanda Rodrigues was inconsistent in her statements during an interrogation. How (and why) so many alleged details of an investigation were released to press less than 24 hours after the announced death is unknown.

Police claim Gatti’s wife had no explanation how she was inside the same room 10 hours with Arturo and never noticed he was dead. Police found Gatti with blood on his body, laying on the floor in his underwear.

Yet still no motive.

But indications of marital problems exist. Saturday news of a reported statement by family friend Acelino “Popo” Freitas describing the couple’s marriage crumbling. Freitas tells Globo TV that he recently “knew they were having some sort of problem and were about to separate.”

Freitas’ statement is coupled with reported witness statements the same day that the Gattis were jealous of each other, and allegedly fought Friday night before the murder.

money magazine best places to live

money magazine best places to live

Chanhassen, Minn. was named #2 on the list of Best Places To Live according to Money Magazine.

The announcement was made on NBC's Today Show Monday morning. The magazine used schools, good jobs and affordable housing along with a low crime rate to base its decision.

Boasting a population of 23,700, Chanhassen was beat out by Louisville, CO.

Money Magazine says Chanhassen's low unemployment rate and its genuine small-town feel contributed to the #2 ranking of American's best small towns.

Money also took into consideration the many lakes, parks and Minnesota's Landscape Arboretum in its rankings.

Last year Plymouth, Minn. was named the best place to live by Money Magazine.

throgs neck bridge fire

throgs neck bridge fire

The Throgs Neck Bridge was closed Friday morning - and is expected to be closed for hours - as firefighters fought a blaze on a construction platform under the bridge connecting Queens to the Bronx, officials said.

The incident has morning rush-hour traffic backed up for miles with delays on the Cross Island Parkway causing snarls as far back as the Long Island Expressway.

The fire broke out under the Queens side of the bridge sometime around 5 a.m., FDNY officials said. Officials first closed some lanes, but the New York State Department of Transportation said the entire bridge was closed by 6:30 a.m.

The bridge was expected to be closed at least four hours, according to the NYSDOT.

It is unclear if the fire has caused any structural damage to the bridge or if it will need repairs before it can be reopened to traffic.

The NYSDOT is recommending motorists plan on using alternate crossings Friday.

However, a scan of traffic maps shows that traffic is already at a crawl on the nearby Whitestone Bridge Friday.

The NYSDOT said traffic on the Bruckner Expressway is being diverted to the Whitestone while access to the westbound Cross Bronx Expressway remains open.

However, traffic on the eastbound Cross Bronx is being diverted to Whitestone Bridge.

In addition to the Cross Island Parkway exit ramp to the Throgs Neck Bridge being closed, the northbound Clearview Expressway is closed at Northern Boulevard - with traffic being diverted off the roadway.

Entrance ramps at 26th Avenue, 35th Avenue, Northern Boulevard and all ramps connecting the northbound Clearview to the Long Island Expressway also were closed.

mayara tavares

mayara tavares

"I'm a little disappointed that our president is a bit of a pig," said Michele McGinty in BeliefNet. The photo currently making the rounds on the Internet and on TV clearly shows President Obama checking out a girl—Mayara Tavares, 16, of Brazil—at the G8 conference. After close scrutiny of the "Obama looking at a girl" photo, the only thing that can be said in the president's defense is that he wasn't leering as badly as French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

The "Obama looking at girl" photo certainly looks bad, said Lynn Sweet in the Chicago Sun-Times. But if you look at ABC News' video, you can see what President Obama was really doing as Mayara Tavares—whose name some outlets spelled Mayora Tavares—walked by. "Conclusion: Obama was not looking; Sarkozy maybe."

The video does appear to absolve the American president in "O-bum-a-gate," said Germany's Bild.com. The real cad caught in the "Obama looking at girl" photo is Nicolas Sarkozy. The video shows President Obama looking down not at the behind of Mayara Tavares, or Mayora Tavares, but at the hand of another young delegate he is helping down a step where the youth delegates posed with leaders for a group photo. Obama wasn't checking out a girl, but the video doesn't look good for the leering Sarkozy.

obama checking out girl

obama checking out girl

There is a photo making the rounds of President Obama and French President Sarkozy at the G8 meeting that appears--for that frozen moment--to have the men checking out a young lady going past them. ABC's videotapeplays what was happening before and after the still photo was taken. Conclusion: Obama was not looking; Sarkozy maybe.

ethyl acrylate

ethyl acrylate

Effects on Humans: Ethyl acrylate is a strong irritant of the eyes, skin, mucous membranes, respiratory system, and gastrointestinal tract in humans [Clayton and Clayton 1982; Hathaway et al. 1991]. At a concentration of 50 ppm, for a period of exposure described only as "prolonged," exposure to ethyl acrylate caused drowsiness, headache, and nausea [ACGIH 1991; Hathaway et al. 1991]. Ethyl acrylate causes sensitization in some exposed individuals; a 4 percent concentration in petroleum jelly caused skin sensitization in 10 of 24 volunteers [ACGIH 1991; Hathaway et al. 1991].

* Signs and symptoms of exposure

1. Acute exposure: Acute exposure to ethyl acrylate vapor may cause irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, with tearing, runny nose, and burning of the throat.

2. Chronic exposure: Chronic exposure to ethyl acrylate may cause skin sensitization, with redness, swelling, and itching of the affected areas.

tour de france 2009 standings

tour de france 2009 standings

Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland continued to lead the Tour de France 2009 standings after stage 3 of the 21 stage "race". Race is not quite the right word for it...maybe trek, marathon or torture. Torture is probably the most fitting as the Tour de France winds 2,149 miles through the mountains of France finishing in Paris on July 26 after 21 stages over 23 days, with only two days of rest.

I don't know about you but about a 10 mile bike ride is just about the max for me. Then my legs start getting tired, my ass starts getting sore (even with my nice cushy seat), and I really start craving a nice cold beer. Okay, so maybe I'm soft, but I'd rather look at it as these guys doing the Tour de France being hardcore. Check out the first three stages of the Tour:

Stage 1 - Monaco - 9.63 miles (I'm hanging in at this point, dead last but still riding)

Stage 2 - Monaco to Brignoles - 116.2 miles (Okay, I'm done)

Stage 3 - Marseille to La Grande Motte - 121.8 miles (I'm back in America already, screw the Tour de France)

And then these riders still have 18 stages to go and about 1,900 more miles. Have fun.

The overall winner for stage 3 was Mark Cavendish, who had also won stage 2. Lance Armstrong, 37 years young, was able to close in on the yellow jersey by moving up seven places into third place. He is still 40 seconds behind the leader Cancellara, but only 7 seconds behind second place Tony Martin of Germany.

nicole bobek mugshot

nicole bobek mugshot

PHOTO! Here is Nicole Bobek’s MugShot Picturer! The mugshot for Nicole Bobek, the famed U.S. skater of the 1990s, comes as Bobek was charged for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Bobek was extradited from Florida to New Jersey.

The image comes via a closed circuit arrangement at which Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio said the following:

“She played a significant role in this operation. She was actively involved.”

If found guilty, Bobek could spend 10 years in jail and a $150,000 fine. Bobke is being held in the jail on a $200,000 cash or bond bail.

Bobek was a former U.S. Champion and World Figure Skating Championship bronze medalist. Bobek has yet to comment about the charges.

peter king

peter king

A New York congressman says Michael Jackson was a “pervert” and calls on society to stop “glorifying” the late entertainer in a YouTube video.

Rep. Peter King said Jackson — whom he called a “low-life” — is being glorified in the days after his death while society ignores the efforts, of teachers, police officers, firefighters and veterans. In the two-minute video, King claims the “day in and day out” coverage of Jackson’s death is “too politically correct.”

“Let’s knock out the psychobabble,” King said in the video taped outside an American Legion Hall on New York’s Long Island. “He was a pervert, a child molester; he was a pedophile. And to be giving this much coverage to him, day in and day out, what does it say about us as a country? I just think we’re too politically correct.” For more on this story, click here.

patrick cudahy fire

patrick cudahy fire

CHICAGO, July 6 (Reuters) - Firefighters brought under control a fire on Monday at Smithfield Foods Inc's (SFD.N) Patrick Cudahy meat packing plant in Wisconsin, authorities said.

An official of the Cudahy fire department, who declined to be named, said he did not have details on whether anyone was injured in the fire that broke out on Sunday night.

Media reports said people living within a 1-mile (1.6 km) area of the plant south of Milwaukee were asked to evacuate their homes because of low levels of ammonia seeping into the air.

Patrick Cudahy specializes in branded packaged meats, including bacon, ham and sliced meats. One of its most popular brands is the Sweet Apple-Wood Smoke Flavor bacon.

steve mcnair and sahel kazemi

steve mcnair and sahel kazemi

The wife of slain quarterback Steve McNair may have only learned about the gridiron star's affair with a gorgeous young woman after the clandestine couple's grisly deaths, sources close to the football player said Sunday.

"She's blindsided by this," one source said of Mechelle McNair, who was holed up in her family's home just 6 miles from the condo her husband used to bed his mistress. "She's crushed. Her whole world is shattered."

Nashville cops confirmed that Steve McNair, 36, was killed by four bullets fired at close range, two of which hit him in the head, and ruled his death a homicide.

His lover, Sahel Kazemi, 20, died of a single gunshot from the same semiautomatic found on the floor under her body, police also said.

They stopped short of calling the slayings a murder-suicide carried out by Kazemi, but said they are not looking for any suspects.

Cops ruled McNair's death a homicide and have not ruled on Kazemi's death, citing the need for more tests.

Kazemi and McNair, a dad of four boys, were dating for several months, friends told cops; McNair apparently kept the affair a secret from his wife.

Photos obtained by TMZ.com show a smiling McNair parasailing on a recent tropical vacation with the curvy Kazemi, whom he met as she waitressed at a Dave & Buster's sports bar.

"He started to talk to her a little," Kazemi's aunt Sepideh Salmani told The Tennessean newspaper. "They exchanged phone numbers, and started dating from there."

Salmani said her beautiful, raven-haired niece believed that McNair was in the process of getting a divorce.

Kazemi's sister told The Florida Times-Union of Jacksonville that Kazemi had expected to wed McNair.

"She said they were planning to get married," Soheyla Kazemi told the paper."

County records do not indicate that a divorce is pending, but the McNair family home is up for sale for $3 million.

Investigators said McNair had been drinking at a pair of Nashville bars - Blue Moon Lagoon Bar and Loser's Bar - into the early-morning hours of Saturday and then returned to the downtown condo he shared with a pal.

Although neighbors have not reported hearing gunshots, cops believe McNair and Kazemi died about 2 a.m., nearly 12 hours before their bodies were found.

There was no sign of forced entry at the condo, and investigators are checking whether the couple had been having a "lovers' quarrel," cops said.

It was not immediately known whom the pistol belonged to, although McNair did have a permit to carry a gun, police said.

Kazemi, who was raised by an aunt in Florida after her parents were killed in Iran, moved to Nashville with her ex-boyfriend, Keith Norfleet.

Norfleet, whom investigators want to interview, had a "volatile" relationship with Kazemi but was trying to win her back from McNair, Norfleet's stepmother said.

"They had a lot of jealousy in their relationship and they'd fight and break up a lot," said Trudie Norfleet. "He loved her. ... He's awful torn up about it."

The quarterback, renowned in Nashville for his extensive work in the community, rented the condo overlooking the Titans stadium with sporting goods dealer Wayne Neeley, who called McNair's best friend after seeing the bodies sprawled on a couch.

"It's a picture I'll never get out of my head," a weeping Robert Gaddy told the Daily News. "It's the most terrible sight I've ever seen."

"This was a great man, a man who'd do anything for you," said Gaddy, who had been friends with the Heisman finalist since meeting him at Alcorn State University.

declaration of independence text

declaration of independence text

Each Fourth of July is celebrated in the time-honored way -- fireworks, parades, cookouts and, oh yes, recommitment to the fine principles laid out in the Declaration of Independence: those "self-evident" truths and "unalienable" rights.

It is curious, however, that so much of the inherited lore around the Fourth of July is based in misapprehension.

For starters, the day itself, July 4, isn't exactly America's Independence Day. John Adams believed that July 2 would become the significant day in the new republic's calendar of celebration. That's because it was on July 2, 1776, that delegates from the 13 Colonies at the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia in fact voted to proclaim independence from King George III and his ministers.

What happened two days later? A decision to make the July 2 decision public. The delegates gave the statement they'd agreed on to a printer, and the "broadsides" he published carried the July 4 date.

Not surprisingly perhaps, the physical document revered as the Declaration of Independence, a vellum scroll kept in the National Archives in Washington with 57 signatures proudly sitting at its foot, has no claim on being the unique founding document. It was hand-copied later. As to the signatures of those who pledged their lives, fortunes and sacred honor, they were added later still -- some were inscribed by new congressional delegates, men who hadn't even been in the room on July 2.

Moreover, although generations of American schoolchildren have learned that the declaration's author was Thomas Jefferson, this is also a slightly inaccurate portrayal of the facts. Jefferson did indeed draft the text, but others in the Continental Congress had their own views about the best form of words to use. The last paragraph, for example, containing the words "that these united colonies are and of right ought to be free independent states," was in fact penned by another Virginian, Richard Henry Lee.

In 1776, there was no public proclamation, no formal "declaration" read to the Colonists on either July 2 or July 4. And the news that resolutions against the king had been adopted could of course only travel at the speed of the fastest horse and rider. Therefore, the celebration of any selected day as the birth of the nation could only ever be a convenient fiction.

Nevertheless, in 1777, the members of the Continental Congress did decide to note July 4 by not meeting. A small and very low-key celebration was mounted, and everyone went to church. There was some talk of muskets being fired, but gunpowder was in short supply as the Colonies were at war.

Each subsequent year, celebrations were held in towns and cities, and each began to develop traditions for observing the day. The text of the declaration was read aloud. Dinners were held, often in the open air, with elaborate toasts, commonly 13 in number representing the original Colonies. Fireworks were from early on a feature of the day. Parades of the local great and good took place in town squares. By the time of the 50th anniversary in 1826, the traditions of the public celebration were fully established.

Perhaps it is best to see the Fourth of July as a story that, although not strictly speaking true, nevertheless conveys a belief: that the nation came into being on a particular day in 1776, signed, sealed and delivered. And each and every Fourth of July, as if for the first time, the story is both celebrated and instantiated, "America" -- by simple force of a declaration -- is founded again.

Today most of you will take the day off, put some hot dogs on the grill and open a few cans of beer. Some, like the astronauts aboard the space shuttle Columbia in 1992, will unfurl the Stars and Stripes and sing "Happy Birthday." But however one chooses to celebrate independence, may it also be remembered that the birthday of the nation, and the declaratory act that founded it, created and continues to create an architecture of belief. In 1776, it had the power to change the world. For good or ill, it still does.

Peter de Bolla, a professor of cultural history and a fellow of King's College at Cambridge University, is the author of the recently published "The Fourth of July and the Founding of America."

tour de france tv schedule

tour de france tv schedule

On its 3,500km (2,187-mile) odyssey from Monaco to Paris, the Tour de France passes through hundreds of towns and villages.

The race is divided into 21 stages, or "etapes", and being a town at the start or finish of an etape is a great honour and much sought after.

Tonnerre - a two-hour train ride south of Paris - is one such town.

It will become a "ville-etape" for the first time on 16 July, when the 211km (131-mile) 12th stage to Vittel begins there.

Tonnerre, sleepy but picturesque, will see its population of 6,500 more than double as the "caravan" - the travelling circus that accompanies the Tour de France - moves in.

The riders, technicians, support personnel, organisers, sponsors and journalists make up around 4,500 alone.

Add to that thousands of spectators arriving to cram up against the metal barriers lining the streets.

Meanwhile, millions more will watch on television as Tonnerre enjoys its five minutes of fame, with captivating aerial shots relayed round the world.

The benefits of being a ville-etape are - at first glance - easy to see, though the longer-term economic rewards are more difficult to calculate.

Aside from the income from visitors on the day, the hope is that tourism will grow in the days and months that follow.

Tonnerre does not lack attractions, such as the intriguing Fosse Dionne - a wide natural well more than 300m (900 ft) deep whose source remains a mystery despite numerous diving expeditions.

Economic downturn

Most of the costs of hosting the Tour, such as payments to the organisers, the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), and putting new tarmac on the local roads, are borne by the regional government of the Yonne Departement.

Tonnerre itself is paying 15,000 euros (£12,000) on decorations and giving the town a general spruce up.

The town's mayor, Andre Fourcade, thinks the money will more than repay itself.

"The head of the regional council tells me that for every one euro that is spent, four euros will come back," he says.

"After the Tour de France and in the coming months, I will get the reaction of various businesses, which I hope will have benefited."

There is no doubt that Tonnerre could use some more tourism revenue.

While attractive, the streets betray the signs of economic downturn. Several shops and a hotel have closed down.

Even before the current recession, Tonnerre was hit a few years ago by the closure of a factory belonging to a subsidiary of the giant Thomson group. Over time, 1,000 jobs were lost.

"It's true that the consequences for the town were terrible and that the centre has a rather worrying appearance," says Mr Fourcade.

"I hope the Tour de France will provide the opportunity to give a push in the right direction."

Young recruits

Regulars at Le Balto bar in Tonnerre see the arrival of the Tour as a good thing, although there are some grumblings about the extensive road closures involved.

"For us, if it's fine weather, it'll be a great opportunity," says Brigitte Cligny, the bar's manager. "I hope we will attract a lot of tourists because we have a town which is very pretty, with lots of things to see."

Local cyclists will be among those taking front-row seats when the Tour comes to town.

Among them will be Maurice Cornu, 59, a French champion in his category in Cyclosportives - mass participation events open to the amateur and serious aspiring racer alike.

Mr Cornu, vice-president of a local Cyclosportive club, is involved in several events staged by the town in the run-up to 16 July.

He is hoping the tour will attract young people to the sport of cycling.

"We're trying to train young people because we're in a club that's starting to get old," he says.

"Unfortunately, with the price of bikes, it's difficult for the parents to afford the latest models."

I spent the final minutes of my stay in Tonnerre cycling the first couple of kilometres of the route of what will be the 12th stage with another local enthusiast, Marc Calonne.

"I think it will bring a lot of life," he says.

We cycle along a stretch of minor road he knows well - now freshly resurfaced, the tarmac barely cooled down.

"It's something which will last after the passage of the Tour de France," he says.

One of several benefits brought by the Tour that Tonnerre hopes will remain long after the last spectators have left.

sarah palin federal indictment

sarah palin federal indictment

Sarah Palin Indictment - Alaska Governor Sarah Palin reportedly resigned because of a federal indictment pending in an embezzlement scandal that allegedly involves her receiving huge financial favors from Spenard Building Supplies.

If the news is true, the upcoming Sarah Palin indictment would have crippled her ability to govern effectively.

Her resignation was said to be so sudden that her own children were not aware she was resigning until they heard her speak the words. Prior to the announcement, Palin had given every indication that she intended to complete her tenure as governor, including 36 hours earlier during a meeting with Senator Mark Begich.

The embezzlement scandal revolves around the large, $12.5 million sports complex that Sarah Palin pushed through during her last term as Mayor in Wasilla.

Federal investigators believe the cost of the sports complex was inflated to provide free building materials and labor for the Palin home being constructed close by. Both structures, it is said, feature the “same windows, same wood, same products.”

The sports complex's architect and contractors reportedly have strong links and ties to Palin.

Spenard Building Supplies is the largest building supply company in Alaska - and they were also the supplier and contractor for ex-Senator Ted Stevens cabin.

Federal investigators have been looking into this since last October and now indictments on charges of public corruption and embezzlement appear to be imminent.

diana taurasi

diana taurasi

PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix police say leading Phoenix Mercury scorer Diana Taurasi (tohr-AH'-see) was cited for drunken driving just a few hours after the club's win over the Seattle Storm.

Phoenix police spokesman Luis Samudio says an officer stopped Taurasi at about 2:30 Thursday morning for allegedly speeding. A police statement says the officer smelled alcohol and gave her several field sobriety tests.

Taurasi was then driven to a mobile DUI van where she gave a blood sample, then was cited and released. Authorities did not know her blood alcohol content.

Taurasi, a guard, scored 22 points and blocked four shots in Wednesday night's 93-81 win over the Storm. She is the WNBA's leading fan vote-getter ahead of the league's July 25 All-Star game.

little giant 15 foot ladder system

little giant 15 foot ladder system

Little Giant 15 Foot Ladder System Once upon a time there were three bears. And a little girl named Goldilocks. Goldilocks hated her parents, because they named her Goldilocks. The other children teased her constantly, and Goldlilocks found that very upsetting. Soon Goldilocks began experimenting with drugs and alcohol, and also began making out with other women in public. She wasn’t actually attracted to women, she just did it to upset her parents. And then, one day, Goldilocks stole a Little Giant 15 Foot Ladder System and went into the forest.

Goldilocks knew that the police in three states were looking for her because of her actions, so she decided to take her Little Giant 15 Foot Ladder System to this little house she knew about. It was the house where the bears lived. Goldilocks had bought pills from there before so she knew the way.

When Goldilocks arrived, she knocked on the door. No one was at home. Goldilocks decided to set the Little Giant 15 Foot Ladder System to the extension ladder position and climbed up to the second story window. The u-shaped locking rods let her adjust the height of the Little Giant 15 Foot Ladder System so that she could reach the window and let herself inside.

Once there, Goldilocks hauled up the Little Giant 15 Foot Ladder System and looked around. Everywhere she looked, there were shelves full of money! One shelf was too low. And one shelf was too high. And one shelf was just right. But Goldilocks knew that the shelf which was just right was a trap and was wired with an explosive device.

So Goldilocks used the spring-loaded knobs to set the Little Giant 15 Foot Ladder System to the stepladder position. Still easily adjustable, Goldilocks found the correct height, then locked the rods in place. She quickly scrambled to the top and began helping herself to the money.

Just then, the door opened! It was Papa Bear! Goldilocks screamed and slid down the Little Giant 15 Foot Ladder System, quickly returning it to the closed position. She grabbed it, and since it was made from aircraft-grade aluminum, it was easy for her to lift. But who ever heard of a ladder that was easy to hold while running? Certainly not Goldilocks, because she was torn apart by Papa Bear’s mighty paws.

As Goldilocks died, she cursed the world, especially her parents, who had trapped her in this inescapable destiny. Her last thought was of the Little Giant 15 Foot Ladder System, and how much she would miss it. As Mama Bear and Baby Bear began to devour her torso, Goldilocks wondered if there were Little Giant 15 Foot Ladder Systems in Heaven. She was sure in her very last thoughts that there would be.

Warranty: Lifetime Manufacturer

Features:
Unique design allows ladder to be extended in both step ladder and extension ladder configurations
Unmatched feeling of stability in any configuration thanks to aircraft-grade aluminum, wide-flared legs, and high quality construction
Hinged middle connection has two permanent spring-loaded knobs that press in to adjust the ladder between the closed position, the step position and the extension position
U-shaped spring-loaded steel rods lock inside section of ladder to outside section
Unlock U-shaped spring-loaded steel rods to allow inside section of ladder to slide and lock every 12″
Multiple configurations, including A-frame, extension, 90-degree access and six different scaffolding positions—buy one ladder to do the job of five
The right ladder for the right job every time and avoid 95 percent of all ladder-related safety issues.
Access to the toughest areas such as the space above the staircase, vaulted ceilings; and use your ladder over and around obstacles
OSHA and ANSI compliance and is rated to hold up to 250 lbs.
Storage height is 4 Feet 7 Inches
Ladder weighs 29 lbs.

Stepladder Heights:
Lowest Height: 4 Feet
First Extended Height: 5 Feet
Second Extended Height: 6 Feet
Highest Extended Height: 7 Feet

Extension Ladder Heights:
Lowest Height: 9 Feet
First Extended Height: 10 Feet
Second Extended Height: 11 Feet
Third Extended Height: 12 Feet
Fourth Extended Height: 13 Feet
Fifth Extended Height: 14 Feet
Highest Extended Height: 15 Feet

crystal defanti video

crystal defanti video

California teacher Crystal Defanti sent her students home with a video of class memories, but the DVD contained certain "memories" that were not appropriate for the students to see, Associated Content reports.

The class memories DVD contained six seconds of the teacher having sex on a couch spliced between shots of the children, students at Isabelle Jackson Elementary School in California, sharing their memories in class.

The teacher learned that the sex clip had been included in the DVD when a parent called to let her know. She then called parents to alert them of the sex clip and ask them to get rid of the DVDs, the Associated Press reports.

"Just destroy them," Elk Grove Unified School District spokeswoman Torrey Johnson said of the DVDs.

The students went to Isabelle Jackson Elementary, a school south of Sacramento, California.

CBS News reports that Defanti will probably not lose her job.

kyle eckel

kyle eckel

Former players in the N.F.L.: 5 – WR Tyree Barnes (New England Patriots), FB Kyle Eckel (Philadelphia Eagles), FB Eric Kettani (New England Patriots), OG Mike Wahle (Seattle Seahawks), RB Shun White (New England Patriots).

Top five N.F.L. players from Navy: Navy is entitled to a pass here, just like we gave to Army for its lack of alumni in the N.F.L. And yes, by and large, the Mids have not put a plethora of ex-players into the pro ranks. But one, of course, was Roger Staubach, one of the great quarterbacks in N.F.L. history. So, in addition to graduating a United States president (Jimmy Carter), a man who walked on the moon (Alan Shepard), an Arctic explorer (Richard Byrd) and countless others who have made their mark on American life, Navy has given us a Super Bowl-winning quarterback.

1. QB Roger Staubach (Dallas; 1969-79)
2. OG Mike Wahle (Green Bay, Carolina, Seattle; 1998-present)
3. OT Max Lane (New England; 1994-2000)
4. WR Phil McConkey (Giants, Green Bay, San Diego, Phoenix; 1984-89)
5. RB Napoleon McCallum (Los Angeles; 1986-94)

wmmr

wmmr

A four-minute interview with VELVET REVOLVER/ex-GUNS N' ROSES bassist Duff McKagan conducted on May 17, 2009 by the Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania radio station 93.3 WMMR can be viewed at this location.

Duff McKagan's current project, DUFF MCKAGAN'S LOADED, kicked off its European tour Wednesday night (June 3) at Virgin Oil in Helsinki, Finland. The group was joined on stage by former HANOI ROCKS frontman Michael Monroe to perform the songs "It's So Easy", "Attitude", and "New Rose".

"Sick", the new full-length album from DUFF MCKAGAN'S LOADED, sold around 1,400 copies in the United States in its first week of release, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The CD landed at position No. 43 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

"Sick" was released in North America on April 7 via Century Media Records. An e-card for the CD, which was produced by Martin Feveyear (PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, KINGS OF LEON), is available at this location.

michael jackson last will

michael jackson last will

Michael Jackson's will sets family trust, funeral sketchy

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A will signed by Michael Jackson putting his multimillion-dollar estate in a trust for his children and mother was filed in court on Wednesday, as details of his highly-anticipated funeral remained sketchy. Some media outlets reported a memorial service would take place this coming Tuesday at Los Angeles' Staples Center arena and others pointed to the city's Coliseum sports stadium, but a spokesman for Jackson's family could not confirm those reports nor could officials with the venues.

David Carradine died of asphyxiation: pathologist

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The medical examiner who oversaw a private autopsy on David Carradine said on Wednesday that the "Kung Fu" star died from asphyxiation and the way the actor's body was bound allowed him to rule out suicide. Carradine was found hanging in the closet of his Bangkok hotel suite on June 4 and his family hired New York-based forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden to conduct a follow-up death investigation to the one handled by Thai authorities.

Hipster factor poses challenges for movie marketers

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - Batten down the hatches -- the hipsters are coming. Even as Hollywood studios increasingly aim at the broadest possible audience, a few companies are experimenting with the opposite approach in these summer months and beyond: They're making smart, quirky movies for a sophisticated young audience.

"Transformers" looks unstoppable at box office

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - The 'bots are still on the trot. The mega-successful bow last week by Paramount's action sequel "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" has so transformed the competitive box-office landscape, it's hard to see either of two rival movies opening at No. 1 this weekend.

O'Neal leads mourners at Farrah Fawcett funeral

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actor Ryan O'Neal led friends and family in a private funeral service on Tuesday for actress Farrah Fawcett, who died last week aged 62 after a long and public battle with cancer. O'Neal, the long-time companion of the "Charlie's Angels" star, was one of the pall-bearers and gave a reading at the service at Los Angeles Roman Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.

Kevin Jonas, of Jonas Brothers, engaged

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Kevin Jonas, the eldest member of the teen heartthrobs the Jonas Brothers, may soon be able to shed his purity ring as Wednesday People magazine reported the 21-year-old pop star is now engaged. Danielle Deleasa, a 22-year-old former hairdresser who Jonas met two years ago in the Bahamas, quickly said yes to his proposal, but the two have not set a wedding date yet.

Oscar winning actor Karl Malden dies at 97

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Oscar winner Karl Malden, the bulbous-nosed character actor acclaimed for film roles in "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "On the Waterfront" before gaining TV fame as a leading man in "The Streets of San Francisco," died on Wednesday at age 97. Also remembered as the commercial spokesman for American Express travelers checks, sternly warning tourists, "Don't leave home without them," Malden died in his sleep at his Los Angeles-area home, according to his longtime agent, Budd Moss. He said the actor had been in failing health in recent years.

UK comedy actress Mollie Sugden dies at 86

LONDON (Reuters) - British actress Mollie Sugden, best-known for her role as Mrs Slocombe in the television comedy series "Are You Being Served?," has died at the age of 86. Her agent Joan Reddin told newspapers Sugden died on Wednesday after a long illness. "She was a lovely, lovely person. She was a great professional," Reddin said.

Jolie, Aniston are Hollywood's top-earning actresses

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Angelina Jolie is Hollywood's top earning actress, banking $27 million in the past year to beat out her partner Brad Pitt's ex-wife Jennifer Aniston, who raked in $25 million, a Forbes.com study showed on Wednesday. Most of Jolie's income came from her share of the profits from her action film "Wanted," but she was also paid a large upfront sum for her role in "Salt," the study said. Jolie and Pitt have six children.

Neverland could rival Graceland as tour attraction

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Abandoned by Michael Jackson after a humiliating child molestation trial in 2005, the late singer's Neverland Ranch could now become one of the biggest draws in the world as a memorial to the King of Pop. Jackson's family has said there are no plans for a funeral or burial of his body at the ranch in central California after his death last week.

wimbledon quarter finals

wimbledon quarter finals

Germany's Tommy Haas reached the quarter-finals of Wimbledon for the first time in his career with a straight-sets victory over Russia's Igor Andreev. Haas, the 24th seed, won a thrilling five-set match against Marin Cilic in the third round but needed only three sets today to see off the 29th seed, winning 7-6, 6-4, 6-4.

He will face the fourth-seeded Novak Djokovic in the last eight after the Serb raced to a straight-sets victory of his own against Israel's Dudi Sela. Djokovic, who lost to Haas in the final of the Halle tournament on grass earlier this month, was rarely troubled on the way to a 6-2, 6-4, 6-1 win.

The No 6 seed, Andy Roddick, won relatively comfortably against the 20th-seed Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic 7-6 (7-4), 6-4, 6-3 and will now face Lleyton Hewitt in the quarter-finals. The Australian overcame a two-set deficit and fitness concerns to continue his impressive challenge here at Wimbledon. Hewitt appeared to be struggling with a thigh problem early on in his fourth-round meeting with Radek Stepanek and lost the first two sets. However, with Stepanek having injury problems of his own in the form of a troublesome left knee, Hewitt hit back for a 4-6, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 success in almost three hours.

Spain's Juan Carlos Ferrero became the first wild-card entry to reach the quarter-finals since eventual champion Goran Ivanisevic did the same in 2001 after an impressive victory over Gilles Simon. Ferrero, who knocked out 10th seed Fernando González in the previous round, disposed of Simon on Court Three, winning 7-6, 6-3, 6-2 in just under two hours.

Roger Federer secured his quarter-final place with a straight-sets win over Sweden's Robin Soderling, 6-4, 7-6, 7-6, taking both tie-breaks 7-5.

The world No2 thus needed only a single break of serve to win his fourth-round match, which was a repeat of last month's French Open final.

Federer will now play Ivo Karlovic after the big-serving Croat beat Spain's Fernando Verdasco, seeded No7 here at Wimbledon, in a four-set match 7-6 (7-5), 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 7-6 (11-9).

carlisle 3 piece luggage set

carlisle 3 piece luggage set

Protocol Carlisle 3 piece luggage set is for free spirited people and for those who do not want to take care of their luggage any more. Carlisle luggage carriers can endure the rigidity of traveling. However, you are one of the kind, who just need some luggage, which will mostly just be sitting in the boot of the car while you drive, Carlisle 3 piece luggage set is the right choice for you.

A comparatively sturdy material 600D polyester fabric, used to make Carlisle 3 piece luggage set. It is better than most of those luggage carriers that are available out there in the market, but if you try to compare these bags with those high-end luggage sets, these bags certainly does not stand a chance.

On the other hand, most of you guys out there, those who cannot buy such an expensive luggage sets Carlisle 3 piece luggage set is the one for you. If some friend of yours is going out on a vacation and you have promised him to watch his pet and take care of his house while he enjoys his vacation out there in the Caribbean, and all you want to pack is some t-shirts and few jeans, Carlisle 3 Piece Luggage Set is the perfect luggage set for you.

Carlisle 3 piece luggage set is made of Durable 600D polyester fabric, full polyester inside layer keeps your clothing orderly and protected. It has 360-degree whirlwind wheel system, which makes it easy to move along the way. Carlisle 3 piece luggage set also have top and bottom handles just for your ease.

kidd

kidd

By the time the Knicks take Jason Kidd on a grand tour of Madison Square Garden Wednesday, Mark Cuban will have already made an offer to keep the veteran point guard in Dallas.

Cuban, the Mavs owner, confirmed to The News in an e-mail Tuesday that he planned to meet with Kidd at 12:01 a.m., the official start of the free agent recruiting period. It is believed that the Mavs will offer Kidd a contract starting at $8 million per over two years with an option for a third.

Unless the Knicks negotiate a sign-and-trade with Kidd and Dallas, the club can offer him only its mid-level exception starting at approximately $5.8 million. Knicks president Donnie Walsh and coach Mike D'Antoni are hoping to convince Kidd that he can rejuvenate a doormat franchise the same way he did nearly 10 years ago in New Jersey.

Kidd is intrigued by the possibility of playing and living in New York, which is both good and bad for the Knicks. He would provide leadership, assuming the 36-year-old point guard is committed to the team and not just spending the twilight years of his career enjoying Manhattan.

The Knicks, however, believe the addition of Kidd would bring instant credibility and would strengthen their chances of possibly adding LeBron James or Dwyane Wade when the two superstars become free agents in 2010.

By the time Walsh meets with Kidd he will have already reached out to restricted free agents David Lee and Nate Robinson to officially tell them the team wants to re-sign both. There are conflicting reports on how much the Knicks are willing to spend on Lee, who is certain to attract plenty of interest.

A team source claims the Knicks will offer Lee a four-year deal worth $32 million, which is below his asking price of $10 million per season. The Knicks have the right to match any offer given to Lee, as well as Robinson, but the club wants to remain fiscally responsible as it pertains to the summer of 2010.

"There's no question he'd love to stay in New York," Lee's agent, Mark Bartelstein said yesterday. "But you are only a free agent so many times in our career, especially in the prime of your career."

Portland is expected to make a strong push for Lee, who averaged career bests in scoring (16 points) and rebounds (11.7). Detroit and Oklahoma City also have the cap room to make Lee a substantial offer.

It is no coincidence that the Knicks drafted a power forward (Jordan Hill) and a guard (Toney Douglas) as insurance in case they lose Lee and Robinson. Of the two, the Knicks seem more committed to keeping Lee. Robinson could stick around if he were to accept the Knicks' $2.9 million qualifying offer. The Knicks also have the option of working out a sign-and-trade with either Lee or Robinson.

If Walsh can't land Kidd, the Knicks would pursue Milwaukee restricted free agent guard Ramon Sessions, who once played summer ball in South Carolina for Knicks assistant coach Dan D'Antoni.

The Knicks, according to a source, also intend to talk to Suns free agent Grant Hill. However, Phoenix is looking to re-sign Hill, who has expressed an interest in returning to the club.