Kim Kardashian Song

Kim Kardashian Song - The Kim Kardashian song: Go ahead. Find something good to say about it. The New Jersey Nets may have just landed star point guard Deron Williams, but they also have another star associated with the team, and her name is Kim Kardashian.

The girlfriend of Nets forward Kris Humphries, the famous (infamous?) reality TV show star released her debut single on the airwaves recently, titled Jam.

For starters, It's been autotuned so severely that it may have turned Kardashian's actual vocals inside out and back again. Yet she still sounds off key.

For another thing, its lyrics appear to have been penned by a third grader who is writing a short story about what adults do when they go clubbing.

Also, It makes Ke$ha sound like the Bob Dylan of party pop.

Look, I could do this all day. And apparently so could everyone on the Internet, since the song has been blasted online since it made its debut Wednesday on Ryan Seacrest's radio show.

Shahbaz Bhatti

Shahbaz Bhatti Pakistan minister Shahbaz Bhatti shot dead in Islamabad

Shahbaz Bhatti a Christian critic of Pakistan's blasphemy laws killed by assassins who left leaflets signed 'Taliban al Qaida'

Self described Taliban gunmen have shot dead Pakistan's minorities minister, Shahbaz Bhatti, an advocate of reform of the country's blasphemy laws, as he left his Islamabad home.

Two assassins sprayed the Christian minister's car with gunfire, striking him at least eight times, before scattering pamphlets that described him as a "Christian infidel". The leaflets were signed "Taliban al Qaida Punjab".

Dismayed human rights activists said it was another sign of rising intolerance at hands of violent extremists. "I am sad and upset but not surprised," said the veteran campaigner Tahira Abdullah outside Bhatti's house. "These people have a long list of targets.

Florida wildfire closes portion of I-95

Florida wildfire closes portion of I-95 Firefighters battling a central Florida blaze were scrambling Wednesday to get ahead of gusty winds that could hamper efforts to battle the fire, which has burned more than 16,000 acres and closed a stretch of Interstate 95 Wednesday.

The fire, which began Monday in northern Brevard and southern Volusia counties, has destroyed a mobile home, several outbuildings and several camp structures, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said.

More than 150 personnel have been deployed to help fight the blaze, called the Iron Horse Fire, according to the Florida Division of Forestry.

The fire is 25% contained, said Cliff Frazier, a wildfire mitigation specialist with the Florida Division of Forestry, and has burned 16,144 acres.

Firefighters were making progress on a second blaze that has burned close to 2,000 acres in St. Johns County, south of State Road 206 on Interstate 95 below St. Augustine, officials said.

Kimberley Prosser of the Brevard County Fire Department said the agency sent two emergency strike teams as a precaution to two communities near the fire, Lake Harney Woods in Volusia County and Blountes Ridge in Brevard County.

A voluntary evacuation in the city of Mims was lifted Tuesday evening and shelters were closed, according to the Brevard County Office of Emergency Management. The agency reported a Brevard firefighter suffered second-degree burns to the face.

The cause of both fires is not yet known.

Kevin O'Brien blazed the fastest century in Cricket World Cup history as Ireland pulled off an astonishing victory ove

Kevin O'Brien blazed the fastest century in Cricket World Cup history as Ireland pulled off an astonishing victory over England in Bangalore.

Ireland won with five balls to spare as they finished on 329 for seven after England, who had made 327 for eight, had been cruising when they reduced non test playing Ireland to 111 for five.

He smashed 113 off 63 balls as Ireland recovered from 111-5 to overhaul their target of 328 with five balls to spare and three wickets in hand. Earlier, fifties from Kevin Pietersen, Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell had driven England to an imposing 327-8. But O'Brien's stunning assault powered Ireland to a famous triumph. That meant he'd obliterated former Australia opener Matthew Hayden's previous fastest World Cup century record off 66 balls against South Africa at St Kitts in 2007.

James Levine

James Levine James Levine steps down as music director of Boston Symphony Orchestra.
The Phoenix has learned that James Levine will step down as music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra tonight.

On Monday, Levine withdrew from the remainder of his BSO commitments this season two programs at Symphony Hall, including the world premiere this week of a BSO commissioned violin concerto by British composer Sir Harrison Birtwistle, and an East Coast tour that included dates at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center citing the ill effects from a recent procedure addressing his ongoing back issues, further complicated by a viral infection.

Levine, 67, was named BSO music director designate in October 2001, and took over the orchestra's artistic leadership in 2004. His tenure has been marked by artistic brilliance and critical acclaim when he was on the podium. Myriad health problems, including a torn rotator cuff suffered in a 2006 on stage fall, 2008 kidney surgery to remove a cancerous cyst, and back surgery, have forced the cancellation of numerous concerts. Last season, he was forced to miss half of the BSO's season, and all of Tanglewood.

Coco Crisp

Coco Crisp Coco Crisp was hauled into jail this morning on suspicion of DUI in Scottsdale, Arizona and was cruising in a vehicle that costs more than $400,000 when the arrest went down.

The statement released by the team: "Coco Crisp was arrested and detained early this morning under the suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. He was released from the city of Scottsdale jail this morning and arrived at Phoenix Municipal Stadium on time for team pregame drills. The A's are aware of the situation and take such matters seriously. The team and Coco will have no further comment until further details are available."

In his first season with the A's in 2010, Crisp hit .279 with a .342 on-base percentage, eight homers, 38 RBIs and 32 stolen bases. He is a career .277 hitter in his nine major league seasons. Crisp is eligible for free agency following the 2011 season.

Brooke Mueller & Charlie Sheen

Brooke Mueller & Charlie Sheen Charlie Sheen just can’t stop talking, can he? Over the weekend, he invited cameras into his home and introduced them to his two “goddesses” a porn star named “Rach” and a model named “Natty” the two women who are living in his home, which Sheen has now fittingly dubbed the “Sober Valley Lodge.”

Charlie swears. “These women don’t judge me. They don’t lead with opinion. They don’t they don’t they don’t lead with their own needs all the time,” he explained. “Maybe the three of us will get married. I don’t know. It’s a polygamy story. It’s a polygamy story. All my guy friends are gonna like throw tomatoes at me. It’s like an organic union of the hearts.”

Did Charlie Sheen Threathen to Cut Off Brooke Muellers Head?

Charlie Sheen is all sorts of crazy. He’s a tiger blooded, Adonis DNA possessing, frickin’ rockstar from Mars. And with those characteristics apparently also bring along with it a quite a temper, and a violent one at that.

He has a history of alleged domestic violence and several women have spoken out about his physical abuse and threats. And these situations aren’t just from his past drug fueled days. His estranged wife Brooke Mueller has claimed that Charlie threathened to cut off her head! A threat that led to the Charlie Sheen’s children being taken from his home on Tuesday night.

But there is some speculation that Brooke made these claims in order to get a restraining order to get her twins back. Charlie Sheen said her claim was “colorful” and that he did not say that he would cut off her head. She said that Charlie had said he was not going to return their boys to her. This was her way to get them back, my filing for a restraining order. And it’s a move that took Sheen by surprise.

Serena Williams

Serena Williams Tennis star Serena Williams underwent emergency treatment for a blood clot in her lungs on Monday, and was recovering Wednesday at Cedars Hospital in Los Angeles, according to People Magazine.

Nicole Chabot, a Williams spokeswoman, said the 29-year-old tennis champion “underwent emergency treatment for a hematoma suffered as a result of treatment for a more critical situation. Last week, Serena suffered from a pulmonary embolism which was discovered upon her return to L.A. She had been in New York for doctor appointments for the ongoing issues with her foot.

Williams has not played a match since winning Wimbledon last July 3. She said she cut her right foot on glass at a restaurant in Germany in the days after Wimbledon, and has since had complications related to the injury and two surgeries one in July and one in October

Serena Williams, the former world no.1 American player, who was out of action due to an foot injury is aiming for a return in the French Open 2011 which is scheduled to be held later in the month of May. Williams, 29, hasn’t played a WTA Tour match since winning Wimbledon last July, and her ranking has dropped to No. 11.

Serena Williams had her walking boot taken off in the past few weeks and hopes to be back on the practice court soon. She has already been withdrawn from the Nike Clash of Champions exhibition which is being held at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oreland on March 8, 2011.

If Serena Williams, who is presently ranked No. 11, might not get into action until Roland Garros, she will be seeing her ranking drop somewhere out of the top 17, as she is shielding points at Rome and Madrid.

She was hoping to return to training in recent weeks, and remains on the entry list for the Sony Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne, set for March 22 to April 3, but tournament director Adam Barrett said he doesn’t expect her to play.

Apple expected to announce release date of iPad 2

Apple expected to announce release date of iPad 2 - Apple is expected to announce the much anticipated iPad 2 Wednesday at 11 a.m. after much speculation about the device’s features and release date.

More than a year after the first iPad was announced, the sequel to Apple’s best seller will reportedly be showcased at an event this morning in San Francisco.US retailer Best Buy has reportedly deleted the original iPad from its retail inventory, suggesting that the second gen version will hit shops immediately after it's announced, which has happened previously.


The new iPad is expected to have the same 9.7 inch screen as its predecessor, which sold nearly 15 million copies, but the device will likely feature faster processor speeds.

It is also rumored that Apple will replace the aluminum backing of the first iPad with a lighter carbon fiber casing and lighter profile, significantly faster processors, a nice bump in "memory" (referring to RAM, we assume) and have a "powerful graphics processor", along with a rear camera for photos and a front facing camera for FaceTime.

The iPad 2 – What to expect

Slimmer than original
Higher resolution display
Front and back-facing cameras for Facetime video chats
Lighter than first iPad
9.7 inch screen

Bank of America Online

Bank of America Online - The Bank of America website was down for nearly an hour on Tuesday morning and is still experiencing problems.

The site, where customers can conduct banking functions, was first down around 9 am Tuesday. The bank's Twitter account had many messages about the problems.

The web site was back up around 10:20 am, but was down again around 11:15 am. and there was a message on the site about an outage.

This recent outage is just 6 weeks after a severe problem hit the website on Jan. 14. Then, the site was down for nearly the entire day and sparked coverage from CNN and the Wall Street Journal.

Customers were also upset in the January outage and there was a torrent of Tweets and comments from customers about the issue.

On Tuesday, the bank acknowledged the issue on the site and responded to various customers on their Twitter "help" page.

The bank said that Merrill Lynch accounts would likely not be affected. They also sent users to a list of Bank of America branch locations.


Donbot botnet generates Bank of America phishing scam
A threat analyst with M86 Security claims that, whilst phishing attacks against bank customers are nothing new, his research team has observed the Donbot botnet generating volumes of spam against Bank of America online account users.

This is one of the first observed cases where a botnet has been used to generate dynamic bank account phishing spam, Infosecurity notes, as whilst low-level botnets have been used to generate so-called pharma spam, the addition of financial scamming to the mix is a new move.

According to Rodel Mendrez, the phishing spam requires recipients to download the attachment and fill out a form for an 'online security measure.'

In the email sample shown in his security blog, Mendrez notes that the attachment - BillingVerification.exe - is a self-extracting WINRAR archive that contains an HTML phishing form.

The M86 Security researcher went on to say that a couple of files on the server contained sensitive information, such as IP addresses, credit card info, social security numbers, challenge questions & answers, online banking IDs and the passwords of those who had been deceived by this phishing campaign.

Ihop Locations

Ihop Locations - Today is National Pancake Day at IHOP locations in West Chester Twp., Springdale and Forest Park. From 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., diners will receive a free short stack of pancakes and in return will be asked to consider donating to the Children’s Miracle Network, according to the restaurant chain. Donations will benefit Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, said Jennifer Pendergrass, an IHOP spokeswoman.

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital has a location in Liberty Twp.

Customers visiting IHOP locations today in Sioux Falls, Aberdeen and Watertown receive a complimentary short stack of pancakes with a donation to the Children's Miracle Network Hospital benefiting Sanford Children's Hospitals.

Participating restaurants include 3308 E. 10th St. and 4510 W. 41st St. in Sioux Falls, 2402 Sixth Ave. S.E. in Aberdeen and 3313 Ninth Ave. S.E. in Watertown.

National Pancake Day is celebrated at participating IHOPs across the country. The goal is to raise more than $2.3 million this year for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.

Christina Aguilera & Matt Rutler’s Arrest

Christina Aguilera & Matt Rutler’s Arrest They were released from custody this morning, and Christina Aguilera and Matt Rutler had quite an evening together.

According to a report, the “Genie in a Bottle” songstress was “severely intoxicated” when the LAPD pulled over the car she was riding in around 2:45am this morning. Rutler was the driver.

The police report stated that Christina “was not able to care for her safety and no one was available to ensure her safety... so she was taken into custody.”

"She (Aguilera) was not involved in any criminal activity and will be released when she can safely care for herself,” the report added.

Seussville: Getting Ready For Dr. Suess’ Birthday!

Seussville: Getting Ready For Dr. Suess’ Birthday! - One of the most beloved child authors would be 107 this Wednesday. March 2nd is a great day for many people who were fans of the great Dr. Suess. The biggest celebration is of course going to be in Suessville.

Seussville has already announced a plethora of activities aimed at celebrating our multi-colored, and faceted friend too.

There is plenty of fun to be had at the site but it is taking a little time to load since there are so many people going to the site. No matter what you are looking for you can find out a lot of different fun and facts. There are even games that you can play on Suessville.

Why not take a little time to play with your kids on the site? They are sure to have fun and it’s free so why not!? There is plenty of rhyming, simplicity and fun just like Dr. Suess would have wanted it. I know he would have loved the Seuessville website.

First Day of Spring 2011

The official first day of spring 2011 is March 20th. Also known as the Vernal Equinox. And once spring hits, soon to follow will be endless days of bright yellow sunshine, tall glasses of iced tea, sun dresses, frolicking in the park, birds chirping, Farmer’s Markets, blossoms blooming in all shades of pink.

Favorite Spring Jackets











Favorite Spring Shirt

Happy birthday, Dr. Suess

Happy birthday, Dr. Suess - Children and parents are invited to join the Apache County Library District during the month of March as they celebrate Read Across America and Dr. Seuss' 107th birthday.

Dr. Seuss, whose birthday is celebrated on March 2, is a name that rings a tone of recognition for people across the world. His fanciful depictions of imaginative worlds have endeared his works to millions of children; many of his works have been adapted widely in both television and motion pictures, and bookstores still devote considerable shelf space to his works. Though now well-known for books such as "Horton Hears a Who!" and "The Cat in the Hat," Dr. Seuss was not always recognized for his contributions to children's literature, though that's certainly where his greatest influence lies.

The celebration begins Wednesday, March 2, during story times at the Round Valley and St. Johns Public libraries and continue throughout the month at other locations. Check with your local Apache County Library for days and times of celebrations. There will be games, puzzles, coloring pages, books, and a special visit by a surprise guest.

Jane Russell

Sexy Screen Legend Jane Russell Dies at 89 - Facts about Hollywood actress Jane Russell, who died at her home in Santa Maria, California, on Monday, aged 89.

Known for her voluptuous hourglass figure, the brunette beauty became a pinup queen and movie star in the mold of Marilyn Monroe, Rita Hayworth and other icons but managed to avoid any major upheaval or scandal in her personal life.

Russell's vampy breakout role was in the 1943 Western The Outlaw, directed by eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes. WWI soldiers were huge fans of the busty brunette, who wore low-cut costumes and swimsuits in countless photos.

Other Russell hits included comedy western The Paleface ( 1948 ) with Bob Hope, Double Dynamite with Frank Sinatra, and Gentleman Prefer Blondes, a musical in which she went toe to toe ( and sang ) with Monroe. ( Russell also starred in 1955 sequel, Gentlemen Marry Brunettes, without the world famous blond ).

* Howard Hughes discovered Russell when she was participating in theatrical workshops in Hollywood. The billionaire quickly cast her in his 1943 film "The Outlaw," the story of Old West outlaw Billy the Kid.

* Russell became notorious even before "The Outlaw" was released due to her sexy pose in a low-cut blouse in promotional pictures for the movie. While the film was tame by contemporary standards, Hollywood and state censors held up its release for almost three years. The issue ended up in court, with one judge saying Russell's breasts "hung over the picture like a thunderstorm over a landscape. They were everywhere."

* After an abortion at age 18, Russell was unable to have children. She and first husband Bob Waterfield later adopted three children and in the 1950s she founded the World Adoption International Fund, known as WAIF.

* Russell, whose sexpot image conflicted with her Christian faith, helped start the Hollywood Christian Group, a Bible study class. She was proudest of her work for children's causes.

* In order to play Hughes in the 2004 film "The Aviator," Leonardo DiCaprio spent a day talking with Russell about the mogul.

National Pancake Day 2011

National Pancake Day 2011 Like your breakfast topped with butter and syrup? If so, you're in for a real treat. National Pancake Day 2011 is being celebrated today at International House of Pancakes (IHOP) locations all over the country. The chain is giving away FREE short stacks of pancakes all day today.

The pancake ought to be celebrated. It is a gloriously fattening treat that somehow escaped the dessert menu and wound up as breakfast. Breakfast, of course, is the biggest lie society, the FDA, and whatever co-conspirators you could imagine have going. Ninety-nine percent of breakfast foods are just god awful garbage you really shan’t be pumping into your delicate human system.Pancake Day is also known as Shrove Day, which is the last day before Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. Why pancakes when observing Shrove Day? It's an attempt to cram as much high-fat food in your belly as possible before the fasting of Lent. Techhhhnically, Shrove Day isn't until next Tuesday, but it seems IHOP decided to get a leg up on the holiday today.

Thankfully, IHOP isn't just making it about the food. They're also asking their patrons to make a donation today to the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. Last year, IHOPs served over 4 million pancakes to mark National Pancake Day and raised more than $2.1 million for children's charities.

Let’s start with cereal. Anytime you need a cartoon character to market something, whether it’s food or life insurance, it’s evil. If your cereal is not already pure sugar on the way in, your body will process it is such rather swiftly, leaving you bloated and tired.

Starbucks loves this because you’ll buy more coffee. You ever wonder why there is an incredible deficit of protein and vegetables at Starbucks, yet an unlimited supply of “breakfast” foods like muffins, bear claws, bagels, croissants, and donuts? They supply you with the refined sugar crash and the pick-me-up. Maybe the most successful companies really do think like drug dealers?

Of muffins, bagels, donuts, et al, the swiftest, tastiest health-destroyer is the pancake. Here are two good rules of thumb:
1) The word “cream” is synonymous with early death
2) If you’re eating something that is shaped like a circle, it is bad for you.

Ides of March filming on Miami University campus

Ides of March filming on Miami University campus Actor George Clooney and film crew shifted venues today to Miami University in Oxford, Ohio to continue shooting for the new movie “Ides of March.” It is finals week on the Miami campus, but many students are taking a break to be a part of the filming for Clooney’s new movie. Publicist, Tracy Schaefer said the production liked the brick buildings and their architecture, which is reminiscent of a classic New England, Ivy league school.

Security is now at full force while the crew starts to shoot the film in front of the Farmer School of Business on the campus in Oxford. According to Middletown Journal, about 50 people gathered outside the school this morning to watch. Actor Ryan Gosling was also spotted around the set.

he school was transformed Monday from an institution of higher learning to a Hollywood set as crews prepared for this week’s filming. Students lounged in the stairwells outside the building’s two-story atrium, normally an area set up as a lounge, where workers had removed the couches, tables and the grand piano to set up rows of tables covered in gray, reported Dayton Daily News.

Northern Rock to offer 90% mortgages

Northern Rock to offer 90% mortgagesNorthern Rock, the bank nationalised during the credit crisis, is preparing to launch a series of mortgages that offer up to 90 percent of a property's value.

Nationalised lender Northern Rock is poised to launch mortgages that require just a 10% deposit or 90% loan to value as lenders become more willing to take on extra risk.

Higher loan to value mortgages are riskier because they rely on a buoyant housing market because there is less equity there is less cash to defend from a fall in house prices. This is particularly relevant today as property prices are facing downard pressure. However, such mortgages are also more profitable.

Northern Rock has been considering the move since 2009, when it was allowed to resume lending following its nationalisation in February 2008, and will make limited funds available for such deals. Even with lenders resuming these types of loans, the number of products is down 75% from precrisis levels.

Options for Northern Rock include a sale, stock market flotation or "remutualisation" turning Northern Rock into a company owned by its customers, such as UK loans and savings group Nationwide.

Analysts consider that an eventual sale of Northern Rock is the most likely outcome for the business. Virgin Money, supermarket retailer Tesco's (TSCO.L) banking arm and private equity firm JC Flowers have been cited as possible acquirers.

HSBC

HSBC HSBC, Europe's biggest bank, has reported pre-tax profits of $19bn (£11.8bn) for 2010, more than double the $7.1bn figure for 2009.

HSBC said it has been profitable in every customer group and region for first time since 2006.Unlike rival banks Lloyds and RBS, HSBC survived the financial crisis without receiving direct government support.

HSBC did cut its return on equity target, a measure of profitability, citing tougher capital requirement regulations.Earlier in February rival banking group Barclays reported pre-tax profits of £6.07bn for 2010.

Remember the Tracey Thurman Story?

Remember the Tracey Thurman Story? Tracey Thurman is known as a Connecticut housewife who suffered domestic violence done by her husband, Charles Buck Thurman. The dreadful abuse came to a climax in one bloody night when Buck Thurman stabbed Tracey 13 times. Buck was then arrested, and Tracey could be saved by doctors.

Tracey Thurman was the inspiration of Thurman Law which called for mandatory arrests in wife-beating cases in Connecticut and several other states. Thurman Law was resulted from Tracey’s effort when she sued police officers as she failed to get proper protection from the local police force in 1989. A film inspired by Tracey Thurman story was made in 1989, directed by Robert Markowitz.

Raremovies.yolasite.com Click this link to Download the complete A Cry For Help movie.

Plot Summary

Tracy Thurman was married to a man who abused her. But he continues to harass her after she gets a restraining order, and the police do little to help. When he brutally beats her and slashes her throat in front of police, she sues the city and the police department for failing to protect her.

Ministers "too cosy with the alcohol trade as doctors warn extra 250,000 lives are at risk from liver disease"

Ministers "too cosy with the alcohol trade as doctors warn extra 250,000 lives are at risk from liver disease" -

A group of leading doctors will today brand ministers’ strategy for tackling Britain’s booze culture ‘inconsequential’ and blame ministers for being ‘too close’ to the drinks industry. The liver disease specialists claim up to 250,000 extra lives could be lost in the next 20 years if the Government fails to introduce proper minimum pricing for alcohol.

Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, past president of the Royal College of Physicians; Nick Sheron, from the University of Southampton; and Chris Hawkey, of the Queen’s Medical Centre, University Hospital, Nottingham, are launching their attack in The Lancet journal. They argue that while stores such as Asda and Tesco are part of Health Secretary Andrew Lansley’s Responsibility Deal Board that is supposed to tackle the issue, UK drinks producers and retailers are ‘reliant on people risking their health to provide profits’. Ministers aim to tackle Britain’s chronic booze culture by banning the sale of alcohol below cost price and increasing duty on high-strength beer.

Professor Gilmore says the plans are ‘inconsequential because of the tiny fraction of sales that fall into either category’. A survey last week found that this minimum price scheme would have affected just one out of 3,600 alcohol offers currently in shops. Under the Government’s plans, a drinker would typically end up paying just over 20p per unit for lager and wine.

But experts are calling for a minimum price of 50p a unit – which would cause a significant dent in alcohol sales. Using figures from the Office for National Statistics, the doctors predict that over the next 20 years between 160,000 and 250,000 extra lives could be lost in England and Wales if the Government fails to act.

Skyrim

Skyrim - Bethesda is turning the lights down low and playing some Barry White in hopes that Elder Scrolls fans will get to making little Elder Scrolls fans.

With camera swoops and thespian flourish, Bethesda's new Skyrim trailer gives us just what we needed no more of: A whole lotta snow.

Look past that and you'll notice some pretty spectacular reveals. There's the part where the camera's flying over a bunch of pine trees. Yeah, I know that's what dragons do, but how about dragon riding? Just because Bethesda's cautioned not to count on saddling one of these fire-breathing lizards doesn't mean it's off limits to modders, does it?

There's the part where someone's running (you can run in Skyrim, who knew?) and the part where you're sneaking up on a deer. Someone cuts someone else's throat near a fire pit, while another stabs downward in what appears to be one of the battle system's impressive new finishing moves. A bluish orb sparks from a staff, and someone punches the ground Neo style and detonates a fire wave. Cut to bowstrings, incantations, more finishing moves, blood spatter it's a crazy feature-tease smorgasbord. All of that's intercut with scenes of the dragon-born (that'll be you) pounding on a giant hook-winged reptile.

How about that choir half singing, half shouting Oblivion's theme song? You want to dress something up, just add voices. It's cliché because it works.

And cue finish, peeking over the craggy spine of some mountain range, pulling up and over some of the prettiest scenery I've ever seen in a game.

Justin tennison time bandit

King County Metro

King County Metro - As Seattle braced for a possible snowstorm Wednesday, transportation officials were asking commuters and transit riders to be prepared and to check on the latest conditions before embarking.

Buses in most parts of King County were expected to be running normal routes Wednesday morning with no chains. But buses could switch to limited snow routes if temperatures drop during the day, which they’re expected to do.

Weather forecasters are predicting cold temperatures and snow will increase during the day on Wednesday. King County Metro Transit advises bus riders to plan ahead for rapidly changing travel conditions on Wednesday, and into Thursday.

Wednesday’s snowfall may start out light in some areas, but transit users should plan ahead for bus trips that could be disrupted, delayed, and on snow routing. Even though weather in the morning may not be bad in your area, you should leave from a bus stop or park-and-ride that also has service when buses are on snow routes in case travel conditions deteriorate by the afternoon commute.

At 4 a.m., SDOT plans to deploy 10 plows in North Seattle and eight plows in South Seattle, the agency said in a news release. At 9 a.m., SDOT will shift to a 24-hour snow response plan, deploying 30 trucks with plows in trouble spots. SDOT also start pre-treating streets Tuesday with salt brine.

Wednesday’s forecast could create challenges for all vehicles, especially if the snow begins to fall during the afternoon commute. Other areas, particularly in the Snohomish-King County convergence zone area, could see snow in the morning. Bus operations could change rapidly depending on traffic and travel conditions.

Here are some tips for bus travel this week:

-. Know the snow routing for your bus route. Check the timetables at Metro Online for snow route maps for each route. Not every bus route has snow routing, but most do;

-. When buses are on snow routing, some streets and bus stops may be missed and there are often delays due to travel conditions. There is new snow routing in many areas that is different from past years, so be sure to check the snow routes for all the routes you use most often;

-. If you haven’t already, sign up for Transit Alerts to keep up with any major changes to bus service. The alerts can be received as email or text messages. Go to www.kingcounty.gov/metro/snow to subscribe;

-. Metro is using a new online color-coded map to keep riders informed of the status of its bus service, which can be found online at: www.kingcounty.gov/metro/snow. All bus routes are assigned into one or more of seven geographic areas within King County. When there is snow or ice on the roads, the service status of each area will be color coded and displayed on the online map. Green indicates buses are operating on normal routes; yellow that some – but not all – routes in the area are on snow routes (primarily in higher elevation areas); and red tells you that all bus routes in the entire geographic area are on snow routing;

-. People without online access can call the Customer Information Office at (206) 553-3000. General information about service will also be sent out via the kcmetrobus Twitter account;

-. Be patient. Buses are not always on schedule in snowy or icy conditions. And, increased ridership during bad weather can result in crowded buses and a longer-than-usual wait on the phone for the Customer Information Office;

-. Dress warmly for the walk to the bus stop, expect delays, and wear appropriate footwear for the weather;

-. Head for bus stops on main arterials or at major transfer points such as park and ride lots, transit centers, or shopping centers; and

-. Riders should wait at bus stops at the very top or very bottom of hills, because buses are often unable to stop for passengers on inclines.

Beaverton School

Beaverton SchoolBeaverton School District leaders are a couple of weeks away from revealing a prioritized list of 41 potential district-wide cuts that will surely lead to deep staffing cuts and higher class sizes in the 2011-12 school year.

Superintendent Jerry Colonna told the district’s Budget Committee Tuesday night that the list represents $46.8 million in reduction options, and 50 percent of those are sustainable.

Every year, a collection of community members and school board members volunteer their time to oversee the budget process and recommend revisions. They're one of few groups in education with a simple name the Beaverton Budget Committee.

Here's how the budget process works, according to the district: Administrative staff prepare a proposed budget, which is presented to the budget committee. The committee reviews the proposed budget and takes public comment. It has the power to recommend revisions before approving the budget for adoption by the school board.

It's not a free for all, however. The budget committee is limited in what it can change. Student transportation, for example, is required by law, and changes in the length of the school year must be approved by employee unions. The district is bound by its own policies and regulations as well.

Over the last several months, the district has collected budget suggestions from staff and community members after Colonna announced that Beaverton faced a projected $30 million to $40 million general fund budget shortfall for next year.

Last week, Mark McMullen, senior economist for the state, reported that Oregon’s economy had turned the corner and was beginning to recover, but not enough to prevent reductions in state services and programs.

In light of the revised state estimates released in the Feb. 15 economic forecast, the Beaverton School District is now bracing to cut $26 million to $33 million from its 2011-12 budget.

Colonna said Tuesday that the district would move forward with a plan to identify $32.8 million in budget reductions.

While that range is a marked improvement from earlier projections, determining what cuts to make remains a daunting challenge for district leaders as they have already been forced to carve $80 million from school budgets in the last three years.

Deadliest Catch Star Found Dead

Deadliest Catch Star Found Dead - Justin Tennison, one of the featured fishermen on “The Deadliest Catch,” has been found dead at 33,a year after castmate Captain Phil Harris passed away.

Police discovered the body of engineer/deckhand Tennison in a hotel room in Homer, Alaska on Tuesday,according to police reports, a small amount of marijuana and some alcohol were found near his body.

Tennison's death is the second to hit the popular Discovery Channel reality show, about the fishing industry in the dangerous waters off Alaska.

Deep-sea fisherman Captain Harris died after suffering a stroke in February, 2010.

Space Shuttle Discovery

Space Shuttle Discovery - The launch of NASA’s Glory spacecraft from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California has changed its launch date again and is now planned for no earlier than Friday, Feb. 25 at 5:09 a.m. EST.

Currently, NASA and Orbital Sciences Corp. engineers are troubleshooting a technical issue that came up Wednesday during the initial launch attempt.

The launch will go live through NASA Television and live coverage is planned to begin at 3:30 a.m. EST.

Space shuttle Discovery will deliver the Express Logistics Carrier 4 (ELC-4), a Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM) and critical spare components to the International Space Station on an 11 day mission.

Nasa states that the data collected from the Glory mission will allow scientists to better understand how the sun and tiny atmospheric particles called aerosols affect Earth’s climate. Both aerosols and solar energy influence the planet’s energy budget, the amount of energy entering and exiting Earth’s atmosphere. An accurate measurement of these impacts is important in order to anticipate future changes to our climate and how they may affect human life.

NASA’s Shuttle and Rocket Launch Schedule 2011 (Note: Schedules can change any moment. Visit NASA page for updates). The schedule below was updated Feb. 23, 2011.

Date: Feb. 25 *
Mission : Glory
Launch Vehicle: Orbital Sciences Taurus Rocket
Launch Site : Vandenberg Air Force Base – Launch Pad SLC 576-E
Launch Time : 2:09:43 a.m. PST/5:09:43 a.m. EST
Description : The Glory Mission will help increase our understanding of the Earth’s energy balance by collecting data on the properties of aerosols and black carbon in the Earth’s atmosphere and how the Sun’s irradiance affects the Earth’s climate.

West Indies Vs. South Africa

West Indies Vs. South Africa - The ICC World Cup 2011 continues today with the match up between South Africa and the West Indies.There are quite a few celebrity Cricket fans who will probably be watching SA vs. WI online today, including Daniel Radcliffe and Princes William and Harry.

We can’t help but wonder if some famous names from South Africa and the West Indies will also be rooting for their team in today’s match up. Famous South African celebs include Charlize Theron and Dave Matthews. Some names you will recognize from the West Indies are Lil’ Kim and Alicia Keys, who are both Jamaican.

South Africa are batting on 138/2 in 28 overs with spikker Graeme Smith and AB de Villiers at the crease as they chase 223 against West Indies at the Ferozeshah Kotla Stadium in New Delhi on Thursday.

Live Score

The Proteas wouldn't have expected a more poor start to their innings against the Windies. First they lost their opener Hashim Amla and then it was the big-match player Jacques Kallis to walk off the crease with 1 run written against his name.

Both wickets fell in controversial fashion. In case of Amla (14), paceman Kemar Roach had overstepped slightly while bowling and Kallis just walked off after being caught by skipper Darren Sammy in the slip off left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn's bowling. There was doubt that the ball had carried off his bat. South Africa fell to 20/2 in 5 overs.

Whatever the case, the spinner-pacer combination worked well for the West Indies.

West Indies innings

West Indies were all out for 222 as the South Africa bowlers tightened the noose at death to push the opposition to the wall.

Early in the innings, West Indies opener Chris Gayle departed on the third ball of the match with offie Johan Botha claiming his wicket. A surprising decision by South Africa skipper Graeme Smith to give the ball to off-spinner Johan Botha in the very first over. But, the moved paid off as in the third ball of the over he struck to send danger-man Chris Gayle back into the pavilion.

A good length ball from Botha pitched outside off took the edge off Gayle's bat to and Jacques Kallis did the rest in the first slip. West Indies slumped to 2/1 in the very first over.

One wicket down early on but West Indies had little to fear as their other opener Devon Smith and new man Darren Bravo continued to bat on and frustrate the Protea bowlers. The duo put on 111 for the second wicket before a change in bowling accounted for Bravo on 113/2.

On this occasion too it was Botha, who did the trick, claiming him Leg Before. Bravo scored a fine 73 off 82 balls. Post his dismissal Smith too fell on 117/3 with another spinner Imran Tahir claiming his wicket on 36.

Tahir struck again to scalp another danger-man Ramnaresh Sarwan when the West Indies score was 120. He only put two on board before a LBW decision send him back.

Then Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Dwyane Bravo got on with another partnership. They put on 58 runs for fifth wicket before Bravo got run out on 40. The Windies score at this juncture was 178/5 in 37.5 overs.

However, post Dwyane Bravo's wicket the West Indies batting line-up faltered and they lost quick wickets. Chanderpaul departed when the score was 209/6 and South African paceman Dale Steyn claimed Kieron Pollard on a duck when the score was 213/7. From here on things became easy for the Protea pacers, who got busy counting the opposition scalps.

West Indies could only manage to put 222 on board and were bowled out in the 48th over.

Earlier, South Africa skipper Graeme Smith won the toss and decided to field.

Cavs deal Williams and Moon to Clippers for Baron Davis

Cavs deal Williams and Moon to Clippers for Baron Davis - The Los Angeles Clippers and Cleveland Cavaliers have agreed in principle to a trade that would send Baron Davis and the Clippers' 2011 first-round draft pick to Cleveland in exchange for Mo Williams and Jamario Moon.

By agreeing to the trade, the Cavs could potentially have two top-10 picks this year because the Clippers are also likely to be a lottery team. The pick is unprotected, meaning the Cavs get it regardless of where it is, and the Clippers currently have the seventh worst record in the NBA.

The Clippers would give up a likely top-10 lottery pick to make the savings happen. "That just shows you how much we hate this draft".
Williams reacted on Twitter to the trade Thursday morning, tweeting, "I wanna say thank you to all Cavs fans. It's been great. We've had some really good yrs and memories. I will never forget u guys."

He also tweeted a message to Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, saying, "I love u man."

Davis is still owed nearly $28 million over the next two seasons and the balance of his $13 million contract this year. Moon's contract expires after this season. Williams is owed the balance of his $9.3 million salary this season and, with player options of $8.5 million for each of the next two years, potentially could get out of his contract altogether. The savings should give the Clippers more flexibility in free agency the next two seasons.

Williams’ production has taken a hit this season, as his scoring numbers are at their lowest level in five years and he has struggled to get on the floor because of a nagging hip injury. He is averaging 7.1 assists per game, which is a career high.

The production from the 31-year-old Davis has also been in decline in recent seasons, after he joined the Clippers in 2008. He is averaging 12.8 points per game, which is his lowest total since his rookie season in 1999.

Sea Shepherd

Sea Shepherd - Japan has called in the ambassadors of Australia, New Zealand and The Netherlands and told them to take action against the anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd. Tokyo has confirmed it has cut short its Antarctic whale hunt for this season. And says it was due to the activities of the militant environmental group. The annual hunt was officially called off today, around six weeks early, to ensure the safety of its crew. The Japanese foreign minister says the three countries could have done more to prevent what he describes, as 'obstructionist activities'. Environmental groups say Japan's announcement is the best sign so far that Japan's hunting days may be coming to an end.



I never thought that I would be spending my 30th birthday in Japan, let alone spending it watching dolphins die on a regular basis; but I suppose we never truly know what life has planned for us because here I am in Japan, on my 30th, watching dolphins die on a regular basis. But there’s no place I would rather be than here in Taiji fighting for this cause that is so close to my heart.

We’ve had two slaughters since my last update; both of them were bloody and brutal. On the 19th, a pod of about 30 striped dolphins were driven in and, as typical with this species, they proceeded to throw themselves onto the jagged rocks of the killing cove. The Taiji dolphin killers nonchalantly pushed them off the rocks with their white rubber boots or grabbed them by the rostrum and flung them back into the water. All of this happened in clear view of the beach at the Cove and I was shocked when I turned around and saw a father with his three young children standing on the street watching this happen. When did dolphin killing become an acceptable family pastime?

Cassy Herkelman

Cassy Herkelman - WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) - Cassy Herkelman, 1 of 2 girls who qualified for the first time for the Iowa high school wrestling tournament, will be honored by a national wrestling museum in Waterloo.

Herkelman became the first female wrestler to win a match when her first-round opponent defaulted at last week's tournament. She will be honored by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum Tuesday afternoon during the African-American Wrestling Experience. The event includes five prominent black wrestlers, including Iowa State coach Kevin Jackson.

How much is a victory worth if you didn't win?

Last Thursday Cassy Herkelman had to confront this question as she became the first female to "win" a match in Iowa's state wrestling tournament for high school students. Her opponent, Joel Northrup, a favorite in the 112-pound weight class, defaulted rather than face a girl on the mat, citing his religious convictions. None of Herkelman's other opponents refused to face her and she was eliminated after losing two matches. The other female competitor, Megan Black, also lost all of her matches, with no opponents declining to face her.

Chicago Mayoral Election

Chicago Mayoral Election - The City Council was sure to see some serious upheaval this election cycle, and the competitiveness of the fights for alderman is showing in tonight’s results: fourteen of the 50 wards appear set to head to runoffs on April 5.

There are still around fifty precincts still waiting to report around the city, but races around Chicago are yet to be determined. And many incumbent aldermen will be facing heated competition in those races six weeks from now.

Ald. Freddrenna Lyle in the 6th Ward will be facing off with Roderick T. Sawyer, son of former mayor Eugene Sawyer. In the 50th, Bernie Stone, the council’s oldest alderman, won only 37 percent of the vote in his five-person race, and will have to take on feisty challenger Debra L. Silverstein, who came in second with 33 percent.

A couple of very crowded races will be significantly narrowed down. The race to replace Helen Shiller in the 46th had eleven candidates on the ballot — James Cappleman and Molly Phelan both won just shy of twenty percent, and will compete for the sixty percent of the vote their nine other candidates split in today’s vote. And in the 24th Ward, incumbent Sharon Denise Dixon and challenger Michael D. Chandler emerged from a field of 18 candidates, the least among whom won only 37 votes.

And as mentioned earlier in the night, Che “Rhymefest” Smith is headed for a runoff with incumbent Willie Cochran in the 20th. Rey Colon narrowly avoided a runoff in the 35th Ward, and Ameya Pawar pulled off the upset win in the 47th, beating Tom O’Donnell without requiring a runoff.



Emanuel needed more than 50 percent of the vote to win. The other major candidates former Chicago schools president Gery Chico, former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun and City Clerk Miguel del Valle had hoped to force a runoff but were no match for Emanuel.Chico had 24 percent of the vote compared to 9 percent for both del Valle and Braun. HuffPost Chicago will be live blogging about the Chicago elections now until the results come in Tuesday night. Stay tuned.

Former White House chief-of-staff Rahm Emanuel appears to have a new title: Chicago’s mayor-elect.

With 84 percent of the precincts counted, Emanuel has 55 percent of the vote in Tuesday’s mayoral election.

If those numbers hold, Emanuel would win the race outright, avoiding another six weeks in a runoff. CNN was projecting him to do so.

Emanuel appears to be riding a $12 million media blitz, a near endorsement from President Obama and the full endorsement of former President Bill Clinton to a one-and-done victory over three major rivals.

In second place was former school board chief Gery Chico, with 24 percent. Former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun and City Clerk Miguel del Valle each had 9 percent.

With Braun coming in behind del Valle, Emanuel was poised to capture a big enough chunk of the black vote to close out Chicago’s first wide-open mayor’s race in 64 years.

StreetStrider

StreetStrider - The StreetSrider is an elliptical cross training machine on wheels. Now the exercise that you could only experience in a gym, can now be enjoyed in the great outdoors. The Summit 8r was developed in conjunction with NBC’s hit reality show “The Biggest Loser” and has steadily grown in popularity now that it has become available to the general public.

Striding was very easy to pick up on my first try. It felt like a combination of low impact jogging, skiing, and cycling, and the unit was easily maneuverable given the lean-to-steer design. This machine can really fly once you get going. In fact, it can go as fast as 43 mph. You have complete control over your speed and can handle all sorts of terrain and inclines given the built in 8 Speed Shimano Nexus Transmission with Twist Grip Shifter. This machine can accommodate riders weight of up to 400 lbs. This model comes in 3 colors: Lava Red, Breakwater Blue, and Galaxy Black.

According to elliptigo.com, The Fitness Outlet is its only dealer in the South Sound. The company started carrying the devices late last year and has sold one.

ElliptiGos sell for about $2,400, and for another $350 you can buy a trainer that allows you to ride the device in place like a traditional elliptical trainer. McLendon says a high-quality indoor elliptical trainer, his most popular seller, goes for that much or more.

The ElliptiGo was invented by former triathlete Bryan Tate and mechanical engineer Brent Teal. Tate hatched the idea when his body could no longer handle the impact of running.However, he wasn’t the first with this idea. In 2003, Pasco brothers Walt and Steve Krul built a similar device called the WitFit. In 2005, when The News Tribune covered the launch of their devices, the WitFits were being promoted as the world’s only elliptical devices.The Kruls were successful in getting a patent for the WitFit, but their business never seemed to prosper. The biggest difference between the WitFit and the ElliptiGo is that the earlier device had four wheels instead of two and moving hand rods instead of bike handle bars. Another device, the 3-wheeled StreetStrider, was invented by University of Alabama physiologist David Kraus in 2007.

Komo Weather

Komo Weather - Parts of Seattle saw a dash of snow Monday night as the region got a taste of wintery weather expected later this week.

Snow mixed with rain fell briefly on parts of Queen Anne hill late Monday, KOMO/4 reports. Sleet fell in other areas in and around the city. More mixes of rain and snow were possible between Seattle and Everett during the night, KOMO reports.

Heavy rains, wind and unusual cold are all characteristics of La Nina, the weather pattern that has been thrashing Washington with stormy weather this winter. The heavy levels of rainfall and snow create a dangerous situation as the water levels in local creeks and rivers rise and flood.Temperatures were expected to reach a high Tuesday of 45 degrees, with rain showers.

A Winter Storm Watch already is in effect for later in the week from Wednesday morning through Thursday morning for parts of the region, including the area from Snohomish County north to the Canadian Border and the Eastside foothills of King County, KOMO reports.

Washington floods can cause serious damage to houses, businesses and property, but can also be extremely dangerous to vehicles on the road as they attempt to forge the high waters. Even when the water over the roadway appears shallow it can be extremely dangerous for a vehicle.

Government Shutdown 2011

Government Shutdown 2011 - Congressional Democrats are accusing Republicans of setting Washington on course for a shutdown, warning that if the government goes off-line over a budget impasse it will count as a GOP "failure."

The government has been operating since October 1, 2010 -- the beginning of fiscal year 2011 -- under a series of continuing resolutions: budgets where Congress simply re-ups funding for programs at previous years’ levels, with a tweak here and there, but usually no major changes.

"There's a perception that was not present in 1995 that public employees are almost a privileged class," said Richard Vedder, an economics professor with Ohio University who studies the labor movement.

The federal employee unions are pushing back hard against the GOP-proposed cuts as lawmakers debate a spending bill to fund the government for the rest of 2011. Republicans want to cut $61 billion from 2010 spending levels, while Democrats are pushing for far more modest fiscal trimming.

They say making serious cuts now is the only way to show the government is serious about reigning in a skyrocketing national debt.

Some House freshmen have already threatened to vote “no” for any proposal, even a very short-term one, that doesn’t deliver the $100 billion in cuts they’re demanding.

It’s that cohort that appears to be hardening Boehner’s message, leading Republican leadership from their stance a month ago, when they were scoffing at the idea of a full-out shutdown, to today, where a shutdown seems so likely that the two parties are already pointing blaming fingers across the aisle.

Should the government shut down, here's what would happen in Nevada:

- almost 400,000 Nevadans could stop receiving Social Security checks

- more than 275,000 could lose Medicare coverage

- nearly 250,000 could lose Medicaid coverage

- nearly 250,000 veterans, as well, would stop receiving their benefits

- more than 10,000 military employees, and almost 40,000 federal employees and retirees, would stop receiving their checks

And if the shutdown persists, tax refunds would be delayed for the nearly 1 million Nevadans who receive them every year.

Forever 21

Forever 21 - Forever 21 has a Spring Clean-Up Sale! They have up to 70% off. Hundreds of Markdowns have been added, with shirts as low as $4.99. If you are wanting to add some new items to your closet, but don’t want to spend alot of money.

Looking for a trendy look for spring fashion? You do not want to miss. It is still for sale at Forever21! Yes! You’re right. Save 10% or more on a large selection of ladies clothing, shoes, handbags and accessories and much more. We all know F21 has a fabulous high fashion style every season. Check out their new arrivals for you. They are always aware of what sartorially hot. Always choose a shade that suits you. With the right elements, it is easy to wear clothes chosen, just keep everything clean and simple.

You definitely want to stay fashionable, no matter what season it is. As spring fast approaching new fashion trends arise. Do not stay in fashion, being a leader in the trend at your school or even your workplace.