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10/19/10

Crystal Cathedral files for bankruptcy protection

The glass megachurch in Garden Grove decides to file for Chapter 11 after some of its creditors sued for payment. Church officials said the 'ministry will continue as usual.'

The Crystal Cathedral megachurch in Garden Grove has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. (Brian van der Brug, Los Angeles Times / October 17, 2010)

First came the layoffs, then the cutbacks in programming. Now the Crystal Cathedral, the beleaguered glass megachurch in Orange County, has filed for bankruptcy protection.

The church decided to file for Chapter 11 after some of its creditors sued for payment, according to church officials. Hundreds of creditors could be owed between $50 million and $100 million, according to documents filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Santa Ana on Monday.

"Our ministry will continue as usual," said Senior Pastor Sheila Schuller Coleman, speaking under an overcast sky Monday afternoon at the church's sprawling 40-acre Garden Grove campus. She said that if anything, the recent troubles will give the church's messages more meaning.

Willow Smith Whip My Hair Music Video

Willow Smith Whip My Hair Music Video – Willow Smith has just premiered the music video for her very catchy song called “Whip My Hair“ which was directed by Ray Kay who normally works with Lady Gaga.
The song which is considered as the hottest thing since Beyonce’s 2009 mega hit “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” which was written by the tiny diva and produced by Jukebox a rookie in the game is set to be featured on the preteen’s upcoming CD.
Willow who is only 9 years old and was born to be a star as the daughter of Hollywood power couple Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith can be seen in the clip whipping her hair that is full of paint and restoring life to an old white and plain class room where the students looked bored to death.Willow who said that she wants to collaborate with Miss Gaga is set to her debut performance of her hit song that is burning up the charts on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Tuesday (November 2).
What do you think of the Willow Smith Whip My Hair Video?
Watch the video here

Arizona: Racketeering Suit Filed Against Speed Cameras By The Newspaper on October 13, 2010

A motorist is using federal anti-racketeering statutes to go after the red light camera and speed camera program in Tempe, Arizona. Dan Gutenkauf filed his complaint last week in the US District Court for the District of Arizona and happened to land the same judge, Frederick J Martone, who presided over the recent American Traffic Solutions (ATS) vs. Redflex case which is currently under appeal. The suit names Redflex employees, police officials, politicians and judges as defendants.
“I feel this lawsuit is very comprehensive and I have spent a lot of time over the last two years doing the legal research, gathering evidence and drafting the complaint,” Gutenkauf told TheNewspaper. “And I have my appeal victory from the lower court propelling me into federal court.”

In his filing, Gutenkauf carefully laid out the circumstances of his February 17, 2009 trial in Tempe Municipal Court before Judge Mary Jo Barsetti. Traffic aide Bianca Gallego and Tempe Police Officer Aaron Colombe both testified that they had no way to confirm whether Dan Gutenkauf or his identical twin brother, Dennis, had been behind the wheel, based on the photographic evidence and that no attempt at positive identification was made before the ticket was issued. Both Gutenkauf brothers are listed on an insurance policy for the van that was photographed.
Barsetti found him guilty over numerous objections Gutenkauf made about the admissibility of the evidence provided by Redflex. Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Eartha K. Washington overturned the ruling on appeal, and Gutenkauf received a refund check in December 2009 for the $197 fine, but Gutenkauf wanted to recover the additional $699 he spent in filing the appeal. Tempe agreed to pay back the $699, but only if Gutenkauf signed a contract containing language preventing him from filing suit against Redflex. Gutenkauf refused, knowing the company’s manuals direct employees to “issue citation” based solely on a match between the sex of the driver in the photograph and the vehicle registration records, not on the positive identification required by Arizona statute.
“Matthew Degraw knew that the photo speed enforcement citations sent to Daniel Gutenkauf through the mail by Redflex’s back office citation program contained knowingly false representations, creating the false impression that the actual driver had been identified, in a fraudulent scheme and artifice for the purpose of obtaining money from him by false pretenses,” Gutenkauf’s filing stated.
Gutenkauf argues that the police officer who certified the citation violated the same law requiring positive identification before approving the ticket. This violation, combined with his inability to cross-examine the witnesses against him represented a deprivation of his constitutional right to due process, he argued. Tempe officials have not yet filed a response.

DONALD ROBERT REED

Mr. Donald Robert Reed, 99 of Swanton, died peacefully at the St. Albans Health and Rehab in St. Albans, Oct. 11, 2010.
Mr. Reed was born Aug. 16, 1911 in Sheldon, the son of the late Bessie Crowe Reed and George Reed.
Mr. Reed is survived by his wife of 71 years, Mabel Reed of Swanton, Vermont, and leaves eight children: Robert Reed and his wife, Iona; George Reed and his wife, Donna; Ronald Reed and his wife, Gina; Kathryn Pelkey and her husband, Phillip; Barbara Sexton and her husband, Jimmie; Linda Wells; Lorraine Lawrence and her husband, Joseph; and Thomas Reed. Mr. Reed also leaves 27 grandchildren, 30 great-grand children, and 1 great-great grandchild.
Visiting hours will be at Brady and Levesque Funeral Home, 86 South Main Street St. Albans on Friday, Oct. 15, 2010 from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Funeral services will be held at St Mary’s Catholic Church on Fairfield St., Saturday Oct. 16 at 11 a.m. with interment to follow at St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Fairfield. Online condolences may be sent to his family at the funeral home website: www.bnlfh.com. Arrangements are entrusted to the Brady & Levesque Funeral Home and Commemorative Services.

New Interview: VersaEmerge Talk Disney World, Broadway And Warped Tour

New Interview: VersaEmerge Talk Disney World, Broadway And Warped Tour
(Credit: Circe Baumgartner/MTV) More rock and roll from Florida! It feels like every awesome new band we come across these days come from the Sunshine State. Hey Monday, Orange Avenue and now Port St. Lucie (winter home of the New York Mets!) group VersaEmerge. On their debut full length, Fixed At Zero, VersaEmerge, led by enigmatic singer [...]
Read more on MTV

10/14/10

Coons & O'Donnell debate turns ugly

The nationally televised debate between Republican Christine O'Donnell and Democrat Chris Coons tackles a number of issues and even turns downright nasty at times.
hris Coons came under fire and was asked to defend his record on raising taxes in New Castle County.

"One of the attacks my opponent's made repeatedly is that I've driven the county to the edge of bankruptcy. Nothing could be further from the truth. New Castle County has a surplus, which has made it possible for us to continue to have a AAA bond rating."

That prompts O'Donnell to jump on Coons' credibility.

"You inherited that good rating."

Coons then jabs at O'Donnell's lack of political experience.

"Every time you get a bond rating, you earn the bond rating Ms. O'Donnell's not familiar with how bond ratings work." But she didn't let it get her down.

"How can you justify cutting our policemen pay when you wastefully spent so much money appeasing the special interest groups?"

O'Donnell headed into Wednesday night's debate down by double digits in every major poll, and University of Delaware political science professor Dr. David Wilson says her performance last night won't likely change those numbers. 

'South Park' review: 'It's a Jersey Thing' kills 'Real Housewives,' 'Jersey Shore,' and Osama bin Laden

Killing three birds with one stone, South Park took on Jersey Shore, The Real Housewives of New Jersey, and Osama bin Laden this week. When animated versions of Teresa from Housewives and Snooki from Shore invaded South Park, Colorado, the citizenry became enraged. It’s one thing for Cartman and his buddies to be crude and vulgar; it’s another thing when the crudity and vulgarity emanates from reality-show cretins.
The first half of this South Park was at once predictable and funny. As soon as I saw cartoon-Teresa, I was waiting for her to turn over a dinner table, and sure enough, she flipped out. Stan complained of these new neighbors, “All they do is hump and punch each other.” South Park reserved particular scorn for Snooki, making her a hilariously, hideously crouching, rutting figure. (Seeing her atop Cartman was scarier than most horror movies.)
Kyle and his mom returned to their previously-undisclosed Jersey roots (Sheila was shown to have led a wild youth as “S-Woww”), and it looked as though the half-hour was going to be a good-not-great snipe-hunt with an easy, if deserving, target.
But then South Park made one of its great leaps in logic and world-historical criticism: Randy decided that the solution to the Jersey “problem” (orange-skinned Jersey-ites overrunning the entire country) was to send a taped appeal to Osama bin Laden. The dessicated terrorist watched in mute fascination as Randy fawned over him (“You have witnessed the very worst of mankind”) and begged for Al-Qaeda aid.
Soon, suicide bombers were crashing into South Park’s Jersey population, and it looked as though bin Laden would be the hero of this piece, but… blam! A uniformed American sniper put a bullet in bin Laden’s head. “We got him!” Randy shouted triumphantly.
See? It was all a clever plan to lure bin Laden into the open and dispatch him. Well, him and bad reality-TV. By conflating the two, South Park managed to trump all the bad taste it was satirizing with its own. On the show’s terms, that was its real triumph.

10 Thoughts On South Park – It’s a Jersey Thing – Episode 14-9

by Widro

10 Thoughts On South Park – It’s a Jersey Thing – Episode 14-9
And we are back with the second new episode in the second wave of South Park season 14. This time they are “tackling” the issue of Jersey Shore. Did they succeed? Here are my 10 thoughts!
  
1. And it’s the obligatory Jersey Shore/Housewives episode. Seems like another obvious/easy target for the second week in a row.
2. Muff cabbage!
3. I really liked the “interview” type segments with the Jersey people. I hope they do some with the South Park characters by the end of the episode.
4. Jersey, like a plague, has spread across the entire US. They have a map where there is a gigantic red NEW JERSEY, and Randy Marsh warns the town that South Park might become West Jersey.
5. There we go – Kyle’s Mom does an interview and reveals… she’s from Jersey! Then the other characters ask who she’s talking to. Awesome.
6. Kyle makes a Jersey transformation, cutting and gelling his hair, then pulling off his sleeves to create a cut-off.
7. They shoe-horned Arnold Schwarzenegger into one scene, with a shot on the California state budget. Odd and not overly funny.
8. The town decides to settle their differences with Al Qaeda, so that they can enlist their help in the fight against Jersey. ultimately Al Qaeda does fly over South Park and crashes planes into the Jersey people, murdering them all. Unbelievably Awesome!!
9. They made Snooki into a rat/beast of some sort that wandered around Sizzler wanting “smush smush” from everyone while humping them. Totally disgusting but hilarious at the same time.
10. They actually have a press conference to thank Osama Bin Laden for saving South Park. Then he is shot in the head and killed by the US Army at the end for warm fuzzies all around.
Overall
I’m sure there will be those think this is a second episode with an easy target, but the last 10 minutes with AL Qaeda helping South Park defeat Jersey were epic and classic South Park. Just in case there would be some extreme outrage at the idea of using planes as weapons in a comedic sense, Matt and Trey made sure to kill off Osama Bin Laden at the end. Will that be enough to avoid controversy? I guess we’ll find out tomorrow.
Quotes:
Cartman: You know what you do when you want a family to move away? Every night, you go and take a crap on their doorstep
Kyle: Is that why there’s crap on my doorstep every morning?
Cartman: Oops, busted
Cartman: You’re a ginger, you’re a Jew and you’re from Jersey – Strike Three, Kyle, you’re out!
Kyle’s Mom: You can take the fetus out of Jersey, but you can’t take the Jersey out of the fetus
Kyle (as jersey Kyle): Put that cabbage in your f[beep]cking muff!
(edited to correct Kyle’s Mom)



10/13/10

Vlade Divac has found peace drazen petrovic

Check out these most recent drazen petrovic headlines. Find all of the drazen petrovic info here!
Drazen Petrovic updates:Vlade Divac has found peace
The 30 for 30 ads usually begin with the hypothetical “what if I told you…” They’re questions posed to an audience waiting in rhetorical bliss. But the catch is these are not hypothetical. They’ve all happened. They’re more historical than hypothetical. So what if I told you a budding friendship rooted in national pride could be ripped apart by something completely beyond the control of the …
Read more on ESPN Blogs

Drazen Petrovic Going At Michael Jordan as told by Kenny Anderson http://tinyurl.com/2cunu26 – by Cary9969 (Chanda Blackmon)

NBA High-5: In a radio face-off, Ducks trump Blazers for the stronger FM signal
Plus, Kendrick Perkins getting restless, ESPN documentary looks good, players going overseas, Blazers’ center issues.
Read more on The Oregonian30 for 30: Once Brothers -Vlade Divac and Drazen Petrovic — … http://tinyurl.com/262c9se – by Cary9969 (Chanda Blackmon)


Divac and Drazen
Vlade Divac never had the chance to repair a friendship torn apart by war.
Read more on Columbia Daily Tribune

Icerocket blog search: drazen petrovic: Blogs Search from IceRocket.com http://tinyurl.com/2aqe849 – by Laci2584 (Laurene Bourgeois)
Talking Points 10/12
What’s the buzz from the world of sports? Here are some items that will have people talking:
Read more on The Columbian

Democrats see glimmers of hope in election gloom kristi noem

Read the latest kristi noem news items. Find your kristi noem information here!
Kristi Noem news:Democrats see glimmers of hope in election gloom
With only weeks left in the campaign, some staggering Democrats have jumped back into contention in congressional and gubernatorial races around the country, giving the party glimmers of hope that Election Day won’t also be doomsday.
Read more on Laramie Boomerang

The hottest Republican House candidate in the country is Kristi Noem (go Kristi go!!) – by Nick091 (Nick)

Democrats see glimmers of hope in election gloom
With only weeks left in the campaign, some staggering Democrats have jumped back into contention in congressional and gubernatorial races around the country, giving the party glimmers of hope that Election Day won’t also…
Read more on News West 9 Midland

Kristi Noem :: Meet Kristi: The official site for Kristi Noem, US House candidate from South Dakota. View up… http://tinyurl.com/2em5amu – by Celina9459 (Terra Velazquez)

The official site for Kristi Noem, US House candidate from South Dakota. View updates, take action, contribu… http://tinyurl.com/2em5amu – by Shanda7835 (Delois Fritz)

The most recent Kristi Noem headlines.

'Back to the Future' Starring Eric Stoltz (Video)

It is well know that Eric Stoltz was the first choice to play Marty McFly in "Back to the Future", which opened twenty five years ago (oh the humanity!) The director, Roger Zemeckis and the producer, Steven Spielberg, explain what went wrong. Also, some footage of Stoltz in the role that Michael J. Fox made famous.

Stoltz is now appearing in a slightly grimmer SF series, "Caprica."

Finding the Authentic Supra TK Society (terry kennedy)

By John Ehimare Platinum Quality Author

Since I myself took a look at them earlier last year, I have been a fan. The sleek exterior usually covered in a patent leather or Italian leather style finish along with the ankle cut sets them off so perfectly in my eyes. My, my, feel remorse for the heart of the woman who witnesseth your boy in these. Slim will be the sweet nothings I whispereth in her ear, my shoes will do the talking. Equipped in countless, beautiful, unique colorways, Supra sneakers are in my opinion world class pieces of footwear.
Now someone like me has an image to uphold when I do step out. I can't be in the eye of the public domain with tennis shoes that have no consistency in color and style design. Not I. The sophistication of these Supras (and all Supras for that matter) is tremendous. When your shoes are sophisticated, you look sophisticated....It's a proven fact. Well not really.
Also what adds to these shoes are their origin, designed for the professional skateboarder Terry Kennedy (Compton ass Terry or TK). It took Terry Kennedy about thirty seconds to learn skateboarding, a couple months to get sponsored, and only three years to go pro. Growing up in the streets of Long Beach and skating with pros from Baker skateboards definitely helped, but it's undeniable-TK's got what we call talent. The TK Society Supra sneakers totally embody what Terry Kennedy is as an athlete.
Now along with every great shoe of course comes a very GREAT bootlegging wave. It is important that you find these sneakers in their correct form-authentic. I took the time to purchase them from a particular store online (read on for url), and within a week I had exactly what I expected. I have noticed a lot of fakes and variants across ebay, so I prefer to stay away from there for the most part.
The Supra TK Society are monumental shoes. They're unique design is captivating, and they're material is flawless. If you're looking for a legit pair of skate sneakers that are far more than your average, visit get your TK's as soon as you can.
That's all for me.
John Ehimare is a business review expert reviewing new businesses every day. Interested in having your business reviewed? Use the contact author feature to contact him. Find Authentic Supra TK Society, Air Jordan Retros, Nike Air Force 1's, Supras, Creative Recreation, YMCs, and much more at KIXCOME.COM
John Ehimare - EzineArticles Expert Author

Diggy Simmons Lists His Top 3 MC’s, Picks Jay-Z Over Nas diggy

Read these latest diggy headlines. Get all of the diggy updates here!
Diggy updates:Diggy Simmons Lists His Top 3 MC’s, Picks Jay-Z Over Nas
Hip-hop tyke Diggy Simmons has counted the top rappers that inspired him to rhyme; and despite gaining a buzz off his “Made You Look” freestyle, Nas was not listed. [Visit SOHH.com for more information]
Read more on SOHH.com

@BillyBlancO_ I like Diggy tho… his voice is different… and he knows how to use it… good flow… u can tell he listens to Wiz – by OFF_JDaJuiceman (Wayman Tinsdale III)

Videos: BET Hip Hop Awards Cyphers ft. Kanye West, Common, Diggy Simmons & More
BET came through once again with the BET Hip Hop Awards cyphers this year. The final cypher was performed by Kanye West’s G.O.O.D music artists that included Common, Pusha T, Big Sean, CyHi Da Prynce. “Too many Urkels on your team, that’s why your wins low” -Kanye Check out more Cyphers that included the likes [...]
Read more on Necole Bitchie

RT @mishelly888: Twitter we're going to need to get better words for "did well". Diggy killed and Rev Run killed are just not acceptable TT. – by CalizFynestz00 (sophia Elizabeth)


Diggy’s Five Fall Fashion Essentials
Sign Up for the latest news and exclusive offers from VIBE! 2 years (12 issues) for only $ 14.95 Save 75% off the newstand price!
Read more on Vibe Magazine

RT @GaryJBusey: Twitter says they pulled Ice Cube's Sons, Rev Run, Diggy, Killa Cam, & Martin Lawrence out of the Chilean mine. I say put'em back in. – by chefboyeb (Dzuksie Joe Hooker)

Holding Down The Crown: 10 Celebrity Kids Set To Blow
While a number of celebrities try to keep their children out of the spotlight, there are a select few whose talent and star power drive them in. From Willow Smith to Diggy Simmons, click here to check out HipHopWired.com’s list of celebrity kids next in line to blow.
Read more on Bossip

The newest Diggy news.

Is Inspectah Deck Dead? Uh, No. Rumors Flow at BET Hip-Hop Awards

The 2010 BET Hip-Hop Awards took place on Tuesday, October 12. One of the things that came out of the award show is a rumor that Wu-Tang Clan member Inspectah Deck is dead.

So is Inspectah Deck Dead?

Uh, no. By all accounts, Inspectah Deck is alive and well. While Wikipedia is hardly the final word on such matters, there is no reference on the Inspectah Deck Wikipedia page about his death. There are also no reports from major media sources about the death of Inspectah Deck.

So how did the Inspectah Deck death rumor get started?

Here's what seems to have happened. During Raekwon's performance at the 2010 BET Hip-Hop Awards, the fellow Wu-Tang member said, "“Yo stop the music Premier…yo rest in peace my brother from the Wu, Inspectah Deck."

It appears that Raekwon was referring to the fact that Inspectah Deck's mother recently passed away. Sadly, the passing of Inspectah Deck's mother may have spawned an unpleasant rumor.

10/12/10

TrendHotNews: Hurricane Paula 2010 Forms, Heads Toward Mexico

TrendHotNews: Hurricane Paula 2010 Forms, Heads Toward Mexico

Hurricane Paula 2010 Forms, Heads Toward Mexico

Hurricane
CANCUN, Mexico — A strengthening Hurricane Paula roared toward Mexico's resort-dotted Yucatan Peninsula on Tuesday.
The hurricane smashed homes and forced schools to cancel classes in Honduras early Tuesday, then grew into a Category 2 storm with top sustained winds of 100 miles per hour (160 kph) on it way to the Yucatan, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said.
Moving north-northwest at near 10 mph (17 kph), Paula's center was pass just to the east of Cancun on Wednesday morning, and could near Category 3 strength by then, according to the Hurricane Center.
It warned that preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion.
Dozens of boat owners in Cancun hauled yachts and other vessels to shore, while sea tour operators canceled reservations. At least one company, Transbordadores del Caribe, canceled ferry trips from Playa del Carmen to the resort island of Cozumel south of Cancun, though others were still operating while the still-mild weather.
Armando Galmiche closed down his water-skiing tour business in Cancun and canceled 15 reservation he had for Tuesday afternoon.
"It's already low season for tourism and with this hurricane, things are going to get worse," he said, lamenting the loss of revenue.
Early Tuesday, heavy rains and high winds destroyed 19 homes in northeastern Honduras, said Lisandro Rosales, head of Honduras' emergency agency. Officials closed schools along the country's Atlantic coast and some airports were reported closed.
Tuesday afternoon, the hurricane was centered about 140 miles (220 kilometers) south-southeast of Cozumel.
Paula was expected to dump from 3 to 6 inches (8 to 15 centimeters) of Honduras, northern Belize, eastern portions of the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico and parts of western and central Cuba.
The government of Mexico issued a hurricane warning for the country's Caribbean coast from Punta Gruesa north to Cabo Catoche, including the island of Cozumel. Warnings are issued when hurricane conditions are almost certain to occur.
Forecasters warned of possible flooding and landslides and suggested residents avoid fishing trips or water sports.
Forecasters said the storm would produce heavy rains that could cause flash floods and mudslides, especially in the mountains of Nicaragua and Honduras. It said isolated, mountainous areas in Honduras could get as many as 10 inches (25 centimeters) of rain.
Coastal flooding from heavy waves was also expected along the eastern coast of the Mexican Yucatan Peninsula.

New Gap Logo, Despised Symbol of Corporate Banality, Dead at One Week

The new Gap logo, which was unveiled last week to a chorus of caustic criticism, died yesterday at the age of one week. The logo passed after a brief and ignominious battle with stage IV banality.
Brought into the world on Gap.com on October 4, 2010, the logo was supposed to signify Gap’s transition from “classic, American design to modern, sexy, cool,” according to company spokesperson Louise Callagy. The gods of graphic design though, had other plans. “It looks like the emblem of some failed low-fare spinoff of a major airline,” wrote Slate’s Tom Scocca. Refinery29 compared the logo to “that awkward cap-sleeved tee with the rhinestone letters you find while thrift shopping that’s neither vintage nor new, but definitely not cool.” The advent of a create-your-own-Gap-logo Web site called “Crap Logo Yourself” dragged the design ever closer to the brink of death.
After suffering emotional injuries sustained upon reading the satirical Gap Logo Twitter feed, the infantile imprint was rushed to Facebook, where it underwent an emergency resuscitation attempt. “We know this logo created a lot of buzz and we’re thrilled to see passionate debates unfolding!” Gap’s Facebook status reported on October 6. “So much so we’re asking you to share your designs. We love our version, but we’d like to see other ideas. Stay tuned for details in the next few days on this crowd sourcing project.”
Details would come less than one week later; crowd sourcing would come never. “We’ve learned just how much energy there is around our brand, and after much thought, we’ve decided to go back to our iconic blue box logo,” Callagy, the spokesperson, told Bloomberg.com of the logo’s passing.

The new Gap logo is survived by its antagonistic Twitter feed and a dozen “failed branding strategies” slide shows, in which it will be archived in the annals of history. To heaven, the Helvetica now ascends.

Pfizer to Acquire King Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

-- Will advance Pfizer's strategic objectives by strengthening its position within the rapidly growing pain relief market

-- Transaction expected to be accretive to Pfizer's adjusted diluted earnings per share(1) and will provide additional revenue diversification across existing business units

-- Acquisition expected to have no impact on Pfizer's 2010 Financial Guidance(2) and company reaffirming its 2012 Financial Targets(2)

-- Pfizer conducting an analyst and investor conference call/webcast Tuesday, October 12, 2010 at 9:30 am Eastern Time to discuss the transaction

NEW YORK and BRISTOL, Tenn., Oct. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Pfizer Inc.(NYSE: PFE) and King Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE: KG) today announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement.  Under the terms of the agreement, Pfizer will acquire King, a diversified specialty pharmaceutical discovery and clinical development company, for $3.6 billion in cash, or $14.25 per share, which represents a premium of approximately 40% to King's closing price as of October 11, 2010, and 46% percent to the one-month average closing price as of the same date.  The transaction was approved by the boards of both companies and is expected to be accretive to Pfizer's adjusted diluted earnings per share(1) by approximately $0.02 annually in 2011 and 2012, and approximately $0.03 - $0.04 annually from 2013 through 2015.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100416/PFIZERLOGO )
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100416/PFIZERLOGO )
The transaction will further expand Pfizer's business profile, providing immediate, incremental diversified revenues generated by King's portfolio, including a prescription pharmaceutical business focused on delivering new formulations of pain treatments designed to discourage common methods of misuse and abuse, the Meridian auto- injector business for emergency drug delivery, which develops and manufactures the EpiPen® and is a long-term, critical supplier to the U.S. Department of Defense, and an animal health business that offers a variety of feed additive products for a wide range of species.  King's three key businesses are not only complementary to Pfizer's businesses, but are also strategically aligned with Pfizer's Primary Care, Established Products and Animal Health business units, enabling a seamless combination that will maximize King's assets with Pfizer's global organization's scale and resources.
This strategic combination will allow Pfizer to leverage its existing commercial capabilities and expertise to create one of the leading broad portfolios for pain relief and management in the biopharmaceutical industry, offering both currently marketed opioid and non-opioid products, as well as a pipeline spanning stages of clinical development.  In addition to Pfizer's current treatments for pain – which include Lyrica and Celebrex – King will bring Avinza, the Flector Patch and the recently launched Embeda, the first approved opioid pain product with design features intended to discourage misuse and abuse, two compounds in registration, which have the potential to lower the risk of abuse, as well as other compounds in development.
"We are highly impressed by King's innovative products and technology in the pain relief disease area, as well as by its success in advancing promising compounds in its pipeline.  The combination of our respective portfolios in this area of unmet medical need is highly complementary and will allow us to offer a fuller spectrum of treatments for patients across the globe who are in need of pain relief and management," stated Jeffrey Kindler, Pfizer's chairman and chief executive officer.  "In addition, the revenue generated by King's portfolio will further diversify Pfizer's business, while at the same time contributing to steady earnings growth and shareholder value."
"By bringing together King's capabilities in new formulations of pain treatments, designed to discourage common methods of misuse and abuse, with Pfizer's commercial, medical and regulatory expertise, global strength in patient services and reimbursement, and global scale and resources, we believe Pfizer can build on our foundation and take our business to the next level," said Brian Markison, chairman and chief executive officer of King.
The market for pain relief and management treatments is increasing, with physicians in the U.S. writing approximately 320 million prescriptions to treat pain in 2009.  However, the widespread misuse and abuse of prescription pain treatments is a major public health issue and a growing economic burden for the entire industry.  King's leadership in new formulations of pain treatments designed to discourage common methods of misuse and abuse will provide Pfizer with multiple new drug delivery platforms, while providing potential long-term upside.
In addition, Pfizer anticipates the transaction to yield initial cost savings from operating expenses of at least $200 million, which are expected to be fully realized by the end of 2013.  The transaction is not expected to impact Pfizer's 2010 financial guidance(2).  Pfizer continues to expect to achieve its 2012 financial targets(2).
Under the terms of the definitive merger agreement, Pfizer will promptly commence a cash tender offer to purchase all of the outstanding shares of King common stock for $14.25 per share in cash.  The agreement also provides for the parties to effect, subject to customary conditions, a merger to be completed following the completion of the tender offer which would result in all shares not tendered in the tender offer being converted into the right to receive $14.25 per share in cash.  As is customary, the completion of the tender offer is conditioned on Pfizer acquiring sufficient shares to own a majority of the shares of King on a fully-diluted basis.
In addition, the tender offer is subject to regulatory approval in the U.S. and other jurisdictions. The companies are targeting a late fourth-quarter 2010 or first-quarter 2011 closing assuming execution of the tender process and receipt of the appropriate regulatory clearances.
Pfizer's financial advisor for the transaction was J.P. Morgan Securities LLC while Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP was its legal advisor.  Credit Suisse served as King's financial advisor, while Covington & Burling LLP served as its legal advisor.
Conference Call/Webcast
Pfizer will be conducting an analyst and investor conference call/webcast Tuesday, October 12, 2010 at 9:30 am Eastern Time to discuss the transaction. To view and listen to the webcast, visit the Investor Presentations section of Pfizer's website, www.pfizer.com.  You can also listen to the conference call by dialing either (866) 395-3896 in the United States or (706) 634-2365 outside of the United States. The password is "Pfizer."
(1)  "Adjusted income" and its components and "adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPS)" are defined as reported net income and its components and reported diluted EPS excluding purchase-accounting adjustments, acquisition-related costs, discontinued operations and certain significant items. "Reported net income" is defined as net income attributable to Pfizer Inc. in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. "Reported diluted EPS" is defined as reported diluted EPS attributable to Pfizer Inc. common shareholders in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
The adjusted income and its components and adjusted diluted EPS measures are not, and should not be viewed as, substitutes for U.S. GAAP net income and its components and diluted EPS.
(2) Reconciliations of full-year 2010 guidance and 2012 targets for adjusted income(1) and adjusted diluted EPS(1) to full-year 2010 guidance and 2012 targets for reported net income(1) and reported diluted EPS(1) are set forth in Pfizer's Current Report on Form 8-K dated August 3, 2010.
About Pfizer:
Pfizer Inc.: Working together for a healthier world™
At Pfizer, we apply science and our global resources to improve health and well-being at every stage of life.  We strive to set the standard for quality, safety and value in the discovery, development and manufacturing of medicines for people and animals.  Our diversified global health care portfolio includes human and animal biologic and small molecule medicines and vaccines, as well as nutritional products and many of the world's best-known consumer products.  Every day, Pfizer colleagues work across developed and emerging markets to advance wellness, prevention, treatments and cures that challenge the most feared diseases of our time. Consistent with our responsibility as the world's leading biopharmaceutical company, we also collaborate with health care providers, governments and local communities to support and expand access to reliable, affordable health care around the world.  For more than 150 years, Pfizer has worked to make a difference for all who rely on us.  To learn more about our commitments, please visit us at www.pfizer.com
More information is available at www.pfizer.com.
About King:
King, headquartered in Bristol, Tennessee, is a vertically integrated branded pharmaceutical company.  King, an S&P 500 Index company, seeks to capitalize on opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry through the development, including through in-licensing arrangements and acquisitions, of novel branded prescription pharmaceutical products and technologies that complement the Company's focus in specialty-driven markets, particularly neuroscience and hospital.  King's wholly owned subsidiary, Alpharma, LLC, is also a leader in the development, registration, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceutical products for food producing animals.
DISCLOSURE NOTICE: This release contains "forward-looking statements" related to Pfizer, King and the acquisition of King by Pfizer that are not historical facts. Pfizer and King have identified some of these forward-looking statements with words like "believe," "may," "could," "would," "might," "possible," "will," "should," "expect," "intend," "plan," "anticipate," or "continue," the negative of these words, other terms of similar meaning or the use of future dates. Forward-looking statements in this release include without limitation Pfizer's 2010 financial guidance and 2012 financial targets, statements regarding the expected timing of the completion of the acquisition of King by Pfizer, the effect of the transaction on Pfizer's business and competitive position, Pfizer's future innovation, market growth and Pfizer's future financial performance and financial condition. Investors and security holders are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of risks and uncertainties.
Risks and uncertainties related to the acquisition of King by Pfizer that could cause results to differ from expectations include: uncertainties as to the timing of the transaction; uncertainties as to how many of King's shareholders will tender their shares in the offer; the risk that competing offers will be made; the possibility that various closing conditions for the transaction may not be satisfied or waived, including that a governmental entity may prohibit, delay or refuse to grant approval for the consummation of the transaction; the effects of disruption from the transaction and the fact that the announcement and pendency of the transactions may make it more difficult to maintain relationships with employees, customers, vendors and other business partners; the risk of shareholder litigation in connection with the transaction and the related significant costs of defense, indemnification and liability; other business effects, including the effects of industry, economic, political or regulatory conditions outside of Pfizer's and King's control; transaction costs; actual or contingent liabilities; Pfizer's ability to realize the projected synergies from its acquisition of King; and other uncertainties related to the business of King and Pfizer.  In addition, the compounds described in this release are subject to all risks inherent in the drug development process, and there can be no assurance that the development of these compounds will be commercially successful. 
Risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from Pfizer's 2010 financial guidance and 2012 financial targets include: the success of research and development activities, including, without limitation, the ability to meet anticipated clinical trial completion dates and regulatory submission dates for product candidates; decisions by regulatory authorities regarding whether and when to approve Pfizer's drug applications as well as their decisions regarding labeling, ingredients and other matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of Pfizer's products; the speed with which regulatory authorizations, pricing approvals and product launches may be achieved; the success of external business-development activities; competitive developments, including the impact on Pfizer's competitive position of new product entrants, in-line branded products, generic products, private label products and product candidates that treat diseases and conditions similar to those treated by Pfizer's in-line drugs and drug  candidates; the ability to meet generic and branded competition after the loss of patent protection for Pfizer's products or competitor products; the ability to successfully market both new and existing products domestically and internationally; difficulties or delays in manufacturing; trade buying patterns; the impact of existing and future legislation and regulatory provisions on product exclusivity; trends toward managed care and healthcare cost containment; the impact of U.S. healthcare legislation enacted in 2010 – the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act; U.S. legislation or regulatory action affecting, among other things, pharmaceutical product pricing, reimbursement or access, including under Medicaid, Medicare and other publicly funded or subsidized health programs, the importation of prescription drugs from outside the U.S. at prices that are regulated by governments of various foreign countries, direct-to-consumer advertising and interactions with healthcare professionals, and the use of comparative effectiveness methodologies that could be implemented in a manner that focuses primarily on the cost differences and minimizes the therapeutic differences among pharmaceutical products and restricts access to innovative medicines; legislation or regulatory action in markets outside the U.S. affecting pharmaceutical product pricing, reimbursement or access; contingencies related to actual or alleged environmental contamination; claims and concerns that may arise regarding the safety or efficacy of in-line products and product candidates; significant breakdown, infiltration, or interruption of Pfizer's information technology systems and infrastructure; legal defense costs, insurance expenses, settlement costs and the risk of an adverse decision or settlement related to product liability, patent protection, government investigations, consumer, commercial, securities, environmental and tax issues, ongoing efforts to explore various means for resolving asbestos litigation, and other legal proceedings; Pfizer's ability to protect its patents and other intellectual property both domestically and internationally; interest rate and foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; governmental laws and regulations affecting domestic and foreign operations, including, without limitation, tax obligations and changes affecting the tax treatment by the U.S. of income earned outside of the U.S. that result from the enactment in August 2010 of the FMAP/Education Bill and that may result from pending and possible future proposals; changes in U.S. generally accepted accounting principles; uncertainties related to general economic, political, business, industry, regulatory and market conditions including, without limitation, uncertainties related to the impact on Pfizer and its lenders, customers and suppliers and counterparties to its foreign-exchange and interest-rate agreements of weak global economic conditions and recent and possible future changes in global financial markets; any changes in business, political and economic conditions due to actual or threatened terrorist activity in the U. S. and other parts of the world, and related U. S. military action overseas; growth in costs and expenses; changes in Pfizer's  product, segment and geographic mix; and the impact of acquisitions, divestitures, restructurings, product withdrawals and other unusual items, including Pfizer's ability to realize the projected benefits of its acquisition of Wyeth and of its cost-reduction initiatives.
Forward-looking statements in this release should be evaluated together with other risks and uncertainties discussed in Pfizer's and King's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), including the "Risk Factors" sections of Pfizer's and King's most recent annual report on Form 10-K and subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, as well as the tender offer documents to be filed by Parker Tennessee Corp., a subsidiary of Pfizer, and the Solicitation/Recommendation Statement to be filed by King. Neither Pfizer nor King undertakes any obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as expressly required by law. All forward-looking statements in this announcement are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The tender offer described in this release has not yet commenced, and this release is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell securities. At the time the tender offer is commenced, Pfizer will cause a new subsidiary, Parker Tennessee Corp., to file a tender offer statement on Schedule TO with the SEC. Investors and King shareholders are strongly advised to read the tender offer statement (including the offer to purchase, letter of transmittal and related tender offer documents) and the related solicitation/recommendation statement on Schedule 14D-9 that will be filed by King with the SEC, because they will contain important information. These documents will be available at no charge on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. In addition, a copy of the offer to purchase, letter of transmittal and certain other related tender offer documents once they become available may be obtained free of charge by directing a request to Pfizer at www.pfizer.com. A copy of the tender offer statement and the solicitation/recommendation statement will be made available to all shareholders of King free of charge at www.kingpharm.com.
SOURCE Pfizer Inc.
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10/8/10

China: Liu Xiaobo’s Nobel Spotlights Rights Deficit

(New York) - The awarding of the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize to the Chinese writer and human rights activist Liu Xiaobo underscores the urgent need for rights reforms in China, Human Rights Watch said today.
Human Rights Watch reiterated its longstanding call for the release of Liu, whom a Beijing court sentenced to an 11-year prison term on December 25, 2009.  His spurious "subversion" charges stemmed from his role in drafting and circulating Charter '08, an online petition which advocates putting human rights, democracy, and the rule of law at the core of the Chinese political system. Originally signed by 303 Chinese citizens, including rights defenders and legal activists, it has been widely circulated online and has now collected thousands of signatures. Prior to his formal arrest on June 23, 2009, Liu had been held incommunicado since his detention on December 8, 2008.
"This award will no doubt infuriate the Chinese government by putting its human rights record squarely back into the international debate," said Sophie Richardson, Asia advocacy director at Human Rights Watch. "But this Nobel Prize honors not only Liu's unflinching advocacy; it honors all those in China who struggle daily to make the government more accountable."
Human Rights Watch has characterized Liu's arrest as politically motivated, and determined that the conditions of his detention did not meet minimum standards of fairness and due process. A former professor of literature, Liu spent nearly two years in prison following the crackdown on the June 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. Following his detention in December 2008, which violated the minimum procedural guarantees specified under Chinese law, a group of prominent signatories, including several Nobel Prize winners, sent an open letter to Chinese President Hu Jintao urging him to secure Liu's release.
Liu's imprisonment is part of wider political hardening in China which began in the run-up to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Since that time, the government has imposed long prison terms on high-profile dissidents on baseless state secrets or "subversion" charges, expanded restrictions on media and Internet freedom, and tightened controls on lawyers, human rights defenders, and nongovernmental organizations. Since early 2007, the Chinese government has also broadened controls on Uighurs and Tibetans; arbitrary detentions and enforced disappearances swelled both in Xinjiang and Tibet, and the practice of detaining people unlawfully in secret facilities known as "black jails" has continued.
"The Nobel Committee made an important decision this year to highlight a reality few want to acknowledge about China - that its government continues to persecute human rights advocates, lawyers, and journalists," said Richardson. "Liu Xiaobo epitomizes the Nobel Peace Prize ideals by never deviating from his belief in peacefully expressing universal ideals and speaking truth to power."
Human Rights Watch also reiterated its call for the Chinese government to release Liu and other jailed or "disappeared" activists including Hu Jia, Gao Zhisheng, Tan Zuoren and Huang Qi. Liu is arguably the most well-known government critic currently in prison, but he is one among many suffering similar - or worse - persecution.
"The Chinese government should see Liu Xiaobo as the Nobel Committee clearly does: not as an enemy or an embarrassment, but rather as someone whose courageous advocacy embodies the best of China," said Richardson.

10/7/10

Roberto Alomar


Roberto Alomar The New York Post reported Thursday that Alomar Maria del Pilar Rivera in Florida has presented documents stating Alomar “knew before their first sexual contact with him (her) that the application of HIV-positive.The is the second in two years in charge Alomar unprotected sex while knowingly carrying the virus. A former girlfriend, Ilya Dall, filed a lawsuit in February 2009, accusing him of having unprotected sex with her for four years. Dall search Alomar $ 15 million, and the case was finally settled last girlfriend May.Alomar ‘at the time, Rivera defended at the time, the call request Dall is “a lie infamous.

Roberto Alomar woman has accused the former baseball star steps in unprotected sex with her knowing she is HIV positive. New traffic and best of NY.Before marriage “in 2009, according to the complaint, said Alomar within Girl” has been tested for sexually transmitted diseases and the tests were negative. ”
Shortly after her marriage, she discovered that this is not true, and the costume said. She said it was “aware of evidence” that HIV, court documents say.

According to Dall, Alomar was told by two different doctors to get tested for HIV as early as 2004 due to severe symptoms showed that ordinary people were HIV positive. Dall said Alomar refused for years and even went so far as to say to get tested and the tests were negative. Finally, according to Dall been tested in Ohio in 2006, only after reaching the stage of the disease-blown AIDS. According to Dall, she stopped unprotected sex with him when he learned he had AIDS and who separated in October 2008. When the complaint was filed in early 2009, then-girlfriend Maripily Alomar lashed the allegations, but now.

Deion Branch Trade Rumors

If you haven’t heard by now, there are several trade rumors involving the Seattle Seahawks and wide receiver Deion Branch.
The rumors surfaced following speculation from the Boston Herald, and continue today — although recent reports suggest any trade talks are preliminary and nothing more.
Ian Rapoport, a beat writer for the Boston Herald who covers the New England Patriots, fueled speculation earlier this morning via Twitter:
Patriots always in discussions with teams. Considering they lost a WR, that’s a focus. 1 team on preliminary talks is Seahawks

Rapoport followed up his initial report on The Boston Herald with an article published today:
But it may be time to add another familiar face to the discussion. The Patriots have been having preliminary talks with the Seahawks concerning former Pats receiver Deion Branch, I’m told.
At this point, the talks are not close and nothing is imminent. It’s more exploratory than anything. But there is no doubt that, within the team, this would be celebrated.
The Branch-to-the-Patriots discussions have been kicking around for a while, with Branch even saying he’d welcome a return recently.
“I still love Coach Belichick,” Branch told the Herald in February, “and if the opportunity presents itself to come back, I would love to be there.”

Karen Owen's PowerPoint List Troubling on Many Levels

By FanHouse Staff
Karen Owen's PowerPoint list is more famous now than she ever could have imagined. Owen, a Duke graduate of 2010, has become an internet sensation after a mock-thesis titled, "An education beyond the classroom: excelling in the realm of horizontal academics," went viral around the internet and propelled her into the mainstream media spotlight.

Since creating the now widely-seen list -- a project rating her sexual conquests during her time at Duke -- Owen has been thrust to the forefront of discussions about sex on college campuses and amongst American youth, including stories on prominent outlets such as CBSNews.com and on NBC's The Today Show, as well as garnering huge attention in the blogosphere.

Most notably, Deadspin featured the full, unedited PowerPoint presentation, but quickly received a bombardment of angry emails and phone calls from the players, parents, and even the author herself demanding, at the very least, that the real names be immediately removed. Deadspin printed a transcript of her email, saying:

"As the ashamed author of this slide show, I am horrified at your choice to include all the names that you did. While I cannot stop you from publishing it, this item was never meant to be seen outside of a very small circle of people. Obviously, it has gone viral. However, your inclusion of the real names are causing this awful situation to escalate even further and is actually starting to affect peoples' lives in ways that go far beyond mere embarrassment. Remove the names immediately, or I will be adding your blog post to the list of things I discuss with my attorney when we meet. If you would like to talk further, please include your numbers in your response and I will contact you as soon as I can. Again, including real names is simply cruel of you and you will black them out immediately"
In addition to what seems a clear breach of internet privacy, another problematic issue arises. The list mainly contained varsity athletes, complete with full names and pictures of each "subject," and at a prominent university that has had major issues with the image of its athletics. The level of detail is far too great to go into here, but certainly creates problems for the Duke PR team as it involves accounts of athletes exposing themselves in classrooms and public spaces, extremely vulgar "sexting" transcripts, and general recounts of very intimate details that few would want in the public realm.

Owen said in an interview with women's blog Jezebel that she never intended this presentation to go beyond a select group of friends. "I regret it with all my heart," she reportedly told the website. "I would never intentionally hurt the people that are mentioned on that."

Hope Witsell

Above is video of a CNN piece that aired about Hope Witsell, a 13-year-old girl who hung herself after being viciously bullied following the dissemination of a picture of her breasts she texted to her boyfriend.

This story is similar to the more widely-discussed Tyler Clementi case in a very important way: Sexual images of Witsell were distributed without her consent, so it was not merely bullying, or "cyberbullying," that Witsell experienced, but sexual assault. And, also like the Clementi case, any discussion of sexual assault aspect is being eclipsed by the current media meme about bullying.

But the way in which Witsell's situation is being framed here is meaningfully different from the way Clementi's case was framed by mainstream commentators, who clearly laid the responsibility at the feet of his roommate. Here, we hear instead of Witsell's "mistake," and how she'd been warned by her mother about "the dark side of cell phones and computers," but "sexted" a private sexual photo to her boyfriend nonetheless. Curiously, it is never explained how the image privately sent to the boy ended up being in the hands of a female classmate, who then widely disseminated the photo, nor are either of them held accountable for the grave breach of Witsell's trust. Welcome to the rape culture, where it's just taken as read that people will violate you, so it's your responsibility not to do anything to make yourself vulnerable. And if you do, that's your "mistake."

No one with any decency suggests Clementi shouldn't have trusted his roommate not to secretly film him. But suggesting that Witsell shouldn't have trusted her boyfriend not to pass along a private image is not only considered acceptable, but the obvious conclusion for how the whole thing could have been avoided.

If we lived in a different (better) culture, we would use the sad and entirely avoidable death of Hope Witsell to have a national referendum on how slut-shaming and victim-blaming, specifically in association with young women's sexuality, is as damaging to (and frequently deadly for) young straight women as homo/bi/transphobic bullying is to LGBTQI youth. There is so much crossover between misogyny, homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia, particularly at the intersection of demonized sexuality, of which expressions of young straight women's sexual agency remains firmly a part, that these are not separate issues, nor competing issues—they are inextricably linked. Consent. Autonomy. Respect. Dignity.

Of course, if we lived in a different (better) culture, I wouldn't be writing this post at all.

    Randi Kaye, CNN Correspondent (in voiceover, over photographs of Hope Witsell): Hope Witsell was a good student, but about a year ago Hope did something so unexpected, so out of character, it changed everything. (onscreen): Friends and family say this all started in the spring of 2009 at the end of the school year when Hope sexted a picture of her breasts to her boyfriend. Another girl at school they say got her hands on that photo and sent it to students at six different schools in the area. Before Hope could do anything about it, that photo had gone viral.

    Donna Witsell, Hope's Mother: —and to just love everybody.

    Kaye (in voiceover): Hope's mother, Donna, says she warned her many times about the dark side of cell phones and computers. (onscreen, sitting with Donna Witsell): So after all those conversations, you never imagined that she would sext a photo of herself to someone.

    Witsell: No. No. No. Absolutely not.

    Kaye (in voiceover): The photo made Hope a target. She was in middle school—11, 12 and 13-year-olds, and suddenly bullies everywhere.

    Kayla Stitch, Hope's Friend (sitting at a table with other friends of Hope's, being interviewed by Kaye): They would walk up to her and call her like a big slut and whore, and, like, they would—sometimes they would, like, call her skank and, like, just be really, like, cruel to her.

    Kaye: Hope hid her pain from her family and school officials. They knew about the photo, but she never told them about the ridicule. And she couldn't escape it. Online, friends say bullies wrote horrible things about Hope. On a MySpace page called "The Shields Middle School Burn Book," anonymous bullies created a "Hope Hater" page to taunt her.

    Abby Hudson, Hope's Friend: Every time I see it I think back to Hope and what people were saying about her.

    Kaye (in voiceover): And it got worse. In school friends formed a human shield for her.

    Lexi Leber, Hope's Friend: People would try to come by and like hit her or push her into a locker or something.

    Kaye: So you walked as a—like a crowd?

    Stitch: Yes.

    Kaye: Protecting her.

    Leber: She was, like, afraid to walk alone because she was afraid that somebody was going to do something to her, or like verbally attack her, so we always—so she'd always have somebody come with her.

    Kaye (in voiceover): Her parents did not know what was going on. (onscreen): Did you see a change in her behavior? Could you tell something wasn't quite right?

    Witsell: I could tell that she was struggling to overcome this mistake that she made.

    Kaye (in voiceover): On a Saturday, as school was starting last year, Hope helped her dad mow the lawn, ate dinner with her parents, and then went upstairs to her room. Her parents turned on a TV show.

    Witsell: When we had finished watching the program, and I went upstairs to go in her room and kiss her goodnight, like I always do, is when I found her.

    Kaye: What happened when you walked in her bedroom?

    Witsell: I—I screamed for my husband as I was putting her on the bed. And doing CPR.

    Kaye (in voiceover): It was too late. Hope was already dead. The 13-year-old hanged herself from her canopy bed. She used her favorite scarves. (onscreen): The day before she died Hope met with a social worker at school. A spokesperson for the school said the social worker was concerned that Hope may have been trying to harm herself, so she had her sign what's called a "no harm" contract in which Hope promised to speak to an adult if she was considering hurting herself. Her mother told me she was never told about that contract. She found it crumpled in the garbage in Hope's bedroom after she had died. (in voiceover): The school told us that the social worker had tried calling Hope's parents, but the parents say the school dropped the ball. And still, incredibly, the bullying was not over. After Hope's suicide, her sister Samantha found more cruel comments posted on Hope's MySpace page.

    Samantha Beattie, Hope's Sister: There was people putting comments on there like, oh, my god, did Hope really kill herself, I can't believe that whore did that, you know, just obscene things that I would never expect from a 12-year-old or 13-year-olds.

    Kaye: Obscene things written by children. So terrible, Hope Witsell thought there was only one way to escape. Randi Kaye, CNN, Tampa, Florida.

Mario Vargas Llosa Wins Nobel Literature Prize By DAVE ITZKOFF

Mario Vargas Llosa, the Peruvian writer and author of novels including “The Time of the Hero,” “The Green House” and “Conversation in the Cathedral,” won the 2010 Nobel Prize in Literature on Thursday. In its citation, the Swedish Academy hailed Mr. Vargas Llosa, 74, “for his cartography of structures of power and his trenchant images of the individual’s resistance, revolt and defeat.”

In a report for The New York Times, Julie Bosman wrote that Mr. Vargas Llosa “is one of the most celebrated writers of the Spanish-speaking world, frequently mentioned with his contemporary Gabríel Garcia Márquez, who won the literature Nobel in 1982, the last South American to do so.”

Peter Englund, the permanent secretary of the academy, told The Associated Press that Mr. Vargas Llosa “is a divinely gifted story-teller,” whose writing touches the reader. “He is one of the big authors in the Spanish-speaking world,” Mr. Englund added.

In an essay published in The New York Times in 1984, Mr. Vargas Llosa addressed the question of whether his fiction “was true,” writing:

    In fact, novels do lie – they can’t help doing so – but that’s only one part of the story. The other is that, through lying, they express a curious truth, which can only be expressed in a veiled and concealed fashion, masquerading as what it is not. This statement has the ring of gibberish. But actually it’s quite simple. Men are not content with their lot and nearly all – rich or poor, brilliant or mediocre, famous or obscure – would like to have a life different from the one they lead. To (cunningly) appease this appetite, fiction was born. It is written and read to provide human beings with lives they’re unresigned to not having. The germ of every novel contains an element of non-resignation and desire.

A New York Times profile of Mario Vargas Llosa from 2002 written by Mel Gussow can be found here.

A New York Times magazine profile of Mr. Vargas Llosa from 1989 written by Gerald Marzorati can be found here.

Karen Owen List

Karen Owen List, Duke University college athletes are taking another man beating. Duke University ’10 alumna Karen Owen wrote a mock thesis  called “An education beyond the classroom. Excelling in the field of academics horizontal,” His thesis reveals details of 13 about his S-EX-ual conquests with leading high-profile athletes.
Owen emailed the PowerPoint presentation to three friends and had no intentions of becoming the e-mail when viral. However, within hours, the Power Point presentation was all over the web on listservs and Web sites like Gawker and Jezebel.com Deadspin.com.
The power of Owen Point was designed in a case study format. She “researched” 13 subjects. The research involved S-EX-ual experiences with them. Their subjects were evaluated on the basis of their personality, physical characteristics, S-EX-ual experience and behavior during the “investigation.”
Then compiled a list and ranked each on the basis of their scores.
When I first saw the presentation in Power Point, the identity of each subject were disclosed. She had pictures, names and full description of their meeting. I was impressed by the fact that none of their identities had been concealed.
I’m sure the 13 players in basketball, lacrosse and tennis considers that an invasion of privacy. The anguish and disappointment of their mothers who were more than what they were hoping to deal with when “Hitch” with Karen Owen.
More importantly, what will it look like the employment potential for these athletes? Owen did these young people seem gentleman.
In fact, his Power Point made many of them seem to idiots who do not respect women.
Furthermore, delivery was something funny, and clearly demonstrated his ability to write well. If anything good can come of this, would be that she can write a book later and will probably sell.
According to deadspin.com, the main producing organisms such as William Morris and in contact with Owen in the hope of turning this into a movie. She has received many accolades and attention to S-EX-ual freedom, especially because she is a woman and despises the men who supported the controversial double standard between men and women.

Verizon to sell Apple iPhone from early 2011

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Apple Inc plans to begin making a new iPhone by the end of the year, and Verizon Wireless will begin selling them in early 2011, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

AT&T is the sole U.S. carrier for the popular smartphone, and investors and consumers alike have long speculated over when Apple will expand distribution.

Verizon Wireless and Apple representatives were not immediately available for comment on the report.

A recent study by Deloitte found that close to half of Apple iPhone users would be interested in switching over to Verizon Wireless, owned by Verizon Communications Inc and Vodafone, if that option were available.

(Reporting by Sinead Carew and Ritsuko Ando. Editing by Robert MacMillan)

Mark Teixeira Received Cortisone Injection in Thumb in Mid-September

New York Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira has been hurting from two separate injuries since late-August -- a broken pinkie toe and a bruised right thumb.

The thumb injury has greatly affected Teixeira's swing, sapping power away from the slugger and lowering his batting average -- he hit .232 over the months of September and October.

The Yankees tried to get Teixeira as much rest as possible, and until Wednesday, the general public was only aware of that rehabilitation method. Prior to Game 1 of the American League Division Series in Minnesota, Yankees manager Joe Girardi told reporters that Teixeira also had a cortisone shot in his thumb on Sept. 17.

"After he got the shot, he seemed to start swinging the bat a lot better," Girardi said. "His hand was feeling better."

That's a very true statement from Girardi. Even though Teixeira hit .232 over the final month, in the nine games after his cortisone shot, he hit .297 and blasted all three of his September home runs. He also drove in seven of his 12 runs after the injection.

Teixeira says that he played through the pain for a month, and could have continued to do so. But he admitted the cortisone shot helped, "a little bit."

While Girardi said that he was encouraged with the progress in Teixeira's swing after the injection, he's still worried about the first baseman re-injuring himself in the field.

"The danger part for him is when he dives after a ground ball. His instincts are always going to tell him to dive. You hope that it doesn't happen a whole lot here."

Michael Feinstein

Long ago, a young guy from Ohio worked for an old master from Brooklyn.

"That was my college education," Michael Feinstein says. "(Ira) Gershwin taught me a lot."
Today, 32 years after meeting Gershwin, Feinstein focuses on classic songs. He sings them, collects them, heralds them; that's all part of "American Songbook," his three-part PBS series.
We see Feinstein performing and searching for missing recordings, notes and more. "It's definitely an obsession," he says. "I stay up 'til ... 3 or 4 in the morning."
Much of his material will go to a new cultural center in Carmel, Ind., where he will also be artistic director and create a Great American Songbook Festival.
Michael Feinstein grew up in Columbus, Ohio. He learned the piano at 5 and became passionate about music; his parents sat back and let it unfold.
He played at piano bars and, at 20, moved with his family to Los Angeles. There, he met composer Oscar Levant's widow, who introduced him to Gershwin, who hired him as a secretary.
"Ira was 80 and very isolated," Feinstein says. He would read while Feinstein did paperwork. "I started whistling an obscure Gershwin song. He said, 'Where did you hear that?'"
A six-year friendship began. "He started getting up a little earlier, talking more."
Feinstein sees hope in modern writers and singers. Amber Edwards, the producer of the PBS series, followed him to concert halls and flea markets and to sessions where he taught singers.
It's a positive approach to music and life. It's pure Feinstein.

Roy Halladay as close to perfect as you can get

PHILADELPHIA -- When the Yankees' Don Larsen etched his historic perfect game in the record books in the 1956 World Series, the newspaper lead was "A perfect game by an imperfect man."
I thought about those oft-repeated words Wednesday as the Phillies' Roy Halladay joined Larsen with only the second no-hitter in postseason history, a magnificent 4-0 victory over Cincinnati in the first game of the National League Division Series.
Doc Halladay also pitched a perfect game on May 29, a brilliant 1-0 gem over the Florida Marlins.
What should my lead be?
Since Halladay is going to be in the record books right next to Larsen, maybe this works: "The perfect man pitched an imperfect game." After all, Halladay walked one batter, Jay Bruce, with two out in the fifth. Other than that, he retired every Red he faced.
Everything about the way Halladay approaches baseball seems to be perfect. Larsen had his problems off the field and was basically a journeyman pitcher -- before the perfect game.
Halladay's demeanor, his focus, his approach, not to mention his pitches, are about as perfect as the ace of any staff can be. When it's his turn to pitch, he reminds me of a method actor preparing for a part. He puts his game face on and doesn't falter.
Don't even say "Hello" to him on his day of work.
Before Wednesday, I'd covered 11 no-hitters, from Jim Bunning to Sandy Koufax to Nolan Ryan. Ironically, one of the 11 was the last time the Reds were no-hit -- by the Phillies' Rick Wise on June 23, 1971.
Wednesday's at delirious Citizens Bank Park was by far the best and most important I've seen as a reporter. I was in college when Larsen threw his perfect game against the Dodgers and watched on a snowy TV set.
The significance of what Halladay achieved cannot be overstated. The last time a pitcher threw two no-hitters in one season was Ryan in 1973.
Start with the importance of winning the first game in the treacherous best-of-five series against an underdog team searching for confidence in its first postseason since 1995. Halladay kept that from happening.
He threw first-pitch strikes to 25 of the 28 batters he faced.
"Any time you do that with the stuff he has, then he can go to work on you after that," sighed Cincinnati manager Dusty Baker. "Tonight, it was like a situation where you're almost helpless because the guy was dealing. It's the second time he's done that against two pretty good hitting teams [Florida and Cincinnati]."
Of his 104 pitches, none were in the middle of the plate. Just two balls had the potential to ruin the no-hitter. Pitcher Travis Wood hit a sinking liner to right fielder Jayson Werth to end the third inning and Joey Votto, the NL's leading MVP candidate, drilled a ground ball deep into the hole that shortstop Jimmy Rollins gloved to end the fourth.
The sellout crowd of 46,411, which, like the players, had to endure cold rain showers in the third and fourth innings, became louder and louder, waving their white rally towels, chanting and riding on every Halladay pitch. They were on their feet almost all of the last two innings.
Halladay's perfect game was in Florida. He said he was well aware of the excitement in the stands as the game neared its end.
"When it gets that loud, it's hard to ignore," he said. "I thought especially the last three innings, it seemed to get louder every inning. It's one of the most electric atmospheres I've ever been in. It was pretty neat."
Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said by the fifth or sixth inning, the dugout got very quiet because something very important was unfolding.
"After the sixth inning, things just kind of went quiet, like they did when he was pitching in Florida," said Manuel. "People just stayed in their seats and sat there and watched the game. He came in and went down to the end of the dugout, sat in his chair and didn't say a word. And at the end of the inning, he'd get up and go back out on the field."
Tongue in cheek, Manuel added: "It was great managing; that's what I call great managing tonight!"
Halladay, a 21-game winner during his first season with the Phillies, said by the middle innings, the no-hitter was within reach.
"You're definitely closer," he said. "I think throughout the whole game, though, it's not something you're trying to do. I think as soon as you try and do it, it kind of takes you out of your plan a little bit. I was definitely aware of it, knew what was going on in the fifth or sixth inning."
It was mentioned to Halladay that his name now goes next to Larsen, a baseball legend for pitching the only no-hitter in the World Series.
For now, Halladay is more concerned about helping the Phillies advance in the postseason and return to the Fall Classic.
"I think these are the types of things that once the season is over, you're able to soak it all in and enjoy it. Right now, it's easy to keep your focus on the team knowing we need a couple more wins to move on.
"Being able to win the game comes first," he added. "That's your only focus until it's over with. I think once it ends, it's a little bit surreal to know some of that stuff."
To anyone who watched Halladay on Wednesday, what he accomplished was more than surreal and they don't have to wait to enjoy it.
"This is the best pitched game I've seen since I've been going to the playoffs and World Series," said Baker.
On second thought, maybe my lead should be: "A perfect day for a perfect man."

Twins vowed they'd be tougher, deeper this postseason, but against Yankees, it doesn't look like it

MINNEAPOLIS – Well, look on the bright side, Minnesotans. The Vikings got Randy Moss!
As for the Twins? The team that opened the playoffs with so much hope for something other than the usual Yankees whitewashing? Sorry, but that’s probably going to end like a bad movie.

One you’ve seen 59 times already.

The Twins knocked around a shaky Yankees ace CC Sabathia in Game 1. They took an early three-run lead, making rival manager Joe Girardi look like he swallowed his famous postseason binder.
They had 42,032 fans rocking in their beautiful new ballpark, scoring on a 419-foot home run and a bases-loaded walk and a wild pitch, outhustling the road team for most of this pivotal opener.
The Twins did all that and still lost. And now, all of the tormented sports fans in this state can only dab their eyes with their spare homer hankies and wonder:
How will Brett Favre get along with his new receiver?
“There’s no need for us to stand here and talk about the Twins curse against the Yankees,” Twins second baseman Orlando Hudson said, which was interesting, since nobody asked about it.
“But you’re never over the hump with these guys. I’ve been playing against them for eight and a half years, and I’ve seen it again and again. That’s a great ball club that believes one through nine.”
If this is all starting to sound familiar, it is. The Twins vowed that they had made the necessary changes to their roster in the offseason, that they were tougher and deeper than before, that they had the home-field advantage in this series. That this October would be different than all the others
.
Well, it looks like all the others. This series isn’t over, not after one 6-4 loss, not with Yankees Game 2 starter Andy Pettitte still a question mark after spending most of the summer on the disabled list.
Pettitte, who has allowed 10 runs in 13 1/3 innings of work since returning from the disabled list, faces Carl Pavano. The disgraced former Yankee might have found a new life here in Minneapolis, but that is a pitching matchup the visiting team will gladly take every time.
“I understand the huge responsibility I have here,” Pettitte said. “I understand the challenge I have ahead of me. I want to be good for this team, this organization, this city. I hope I can help us out.”
The Twins needed to steal this opener against Sabathia to feel good about their chances, and it was right there for them. But, as always seems to happen when these teams meet, the Yankees found a way.

This time, it was Curtis Granderson with the crushing two-run triple and Mark Teixeira with the winning two-run home run. This time, it was Target Field and not the Metrodome.

This time, the Twins even got the unthinkably bad umpiring call in the outfield, a ball that clearly landed in the glove of a lunging Greg Golson that was called a game-extending single.
The names might change. The details might change.

The Twins still lose.

“We had a lot of opportunities,” said manager Ron Gardenhire, who is now 55-18 against his tormentors in an otherwise stellar career, “and we couldn’t come up with that big hit.”

Sabathia did his best to help them. He plunked Jim Thome in the second and gave up a long home run to Michael Cuddyer to spot the Twins the lead. The Yankees took it back, but the ace walked rookie Danny Valencia – a light-hitting No. 8 hitter – on four pitches with the bases loaded in the sixth to bring home the tying run.
The Twins have lost games to the Yankees on blown saves and blown fair/foul calls and every other way imaginable over the past decade. But this time, the Twins just blew it, period.

They had their tormentors on the ropes in Game 1, had their rival ace scuffling, and let the victory slip away.
Again.
The series isn’t over yet, but Minnesotans might want to dig those Randy Moss jerseys out of the closet. Just to get ready.