‘Blue man’ becoming mini-celebrity, and he likes it

Paul Karason please by response from public about his medical condition

Being blue was never a problem for Paul Karason, but since the story about the medical condition that turned his skin almost purple went national, he’s actually feeling pretty good.

“I’m drawing these little crowds everywhere I go,” the California man told TODAY co-host Matt Lauer on Wednesday. “It feels good. People are pretty positive.”

During a January appearance on TODAY, the 57-year-old Karason had described himself as reclusive and shy. But his fiance, Jackie Northup, told Lauer that the way New Yorkers have embraced him has wrought a change in his personality.
“He’s not such an introvert anymore,” she said. “He’s willing to come out. He loves New York.”

Video shot by NBC of Karason, whose bushy auburn beard is a sharp contrast to his singular complexion, showed people on the streets of the city stopping to talk and encourage him. He’s even getting unsolicited hugs.

When Karason was on the show last month, NBC’s chief medical editor, Dr. Nancy Snyderman, urged him to get a medical check-up to make sure the silver solution he takes that has caused his skin to permanently turn blue has not damaged his organs. Silver is a heavy metal and can cause liver and kidney damage.

Distrustful of doctors, Karason had started drinking the silver solution 14 years ago after seeing an ad for it in a magazine. He claims it cured several chronic conditions he had, including sinus problems, arthritis and acid reflux. When he put it on his face to treat a severe case of dermatitis, his skin turned blue.

Karason, who moved from Oregon to the Fresno, Calif., area last year, told Snyderman he’d consider seeing a doctor. He returned to the TODAY Show after taking her advice, getting a check-up from Dr. Seth Uretsky, a cardiologist at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital in New York.

The verdict?

“I would say that Mr. Karason is in good physical and medical condition,” Uretsky reported.

Tests showed that his liver function was ‘within normal limits. The doctor noted that a report on the silver levels in his organs isn’t completed, and, he concluded, “Final judgment should be reserved until the blood silver level results are available.”

Karason, who wore a blue denim shirt and suspenders, admitted he was nervous going into the examination. “If they did find something wrong, what was I going to do about it?” he explained. But, he said, “The results were very gratifying.”

He found he even liked Uretsky, a member of the medical establishment that Karason distrusts.

“I like people,” he said.

Karason and Northup had moved to California in search of more acceptance – and a job. He’s still looking for a job. Asked by Lauer what type of work he does, Karason said, “I’ve done all kinds of things; done everything from maintenance to landscape construction. Particularly since I’ve turned blue, janitorial is easy to get into.”

Karason’s conditions is called argyria, and Snyderman said in January it’s caused by the silver that Karason used to treat his dermatitis and continues to drink in a liquid form called colloidal silver.

Colloidal silver is a suspension of silver in a liquid base – in this case distilled water. Karason makes it himself by running an electrical current through water with a piece of silver in it, a process called electrolysis.

Silver has antibacterial properties and has been used to fight infection for thousands of years. But it went out of use when penicillin, which is far more effective, was developed.

It continued to be used in some over-the-counter medicines until 1999, when the FDA banned it because it causes argyria, which is a result of the silver reacting with light the same way it does in photography. The silver collects in the skin and other organs and does not dissipate. Silver is a heavy metal and doctors say it can collect in the organs and cause kidney and liver damage and even brain seizures. But it is still sold as a dietary supplement.

Snyderman had said she would not endorse anyone taking colloidal silver. “It’s not something I recommend because there’s no science behind it,” she said. “I worry about the safety, and the FDA has been very strong in saying there’s no reason to take it.”

But Karason continues to drink his daily cocktails of colloidal silver. During his first appearance on TODAY, he joked that if he stopped, “I might not be able to levitate anymore.”

source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com

New Dancing Stars Revealed

A football player, comedian, and Oscar winner will take to the floor on the next season of Dancing with the Stars!

ABC announced the new cast yesterday which includes Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor, Adam Carolla, Marlee Matlin, Kristi Yamaguchi, Priscilla Presley, Shannon Elizabeth, Steve Guttenberg, Monica Seles, Penn Jillette, Cristian de la Fuente, Marissa Jaret Winokur and singer Mario.

The competition will kick off with a live show on March 17.
source: http://www.starmagazine.com

Clinton, Obama, McCain, and Janet Huckabee campaign in Seattle

Clinton, Obama, McCain, and Janet Huckabee campaign in Seattle

Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are campaigning in Seattle before Saturday's caucuses in Washington.

Michelle Obama is campaigning in Spokane Friday. Republican Janet Huckabee will be in Kirkland on behalf of her husband Mike Friday as well.

Hillary Clinton is scheduled to lead a rally at 8:30 p.m. tonight at Pier 30 in Seattle.

Obama is scheduled to rally supporters at 11 a.m. Friday in the Key Arena in Seattle. Clinton will attend a nurses rally at University of Puget Sound in Tacoma at 10:15 a.m. and then will be in Spokane for a town hall meeting at 3 p.m.

Sen. John McCain will meet supporters at The Westin Hotel in downtown Seattle on Friday at 6 p.m.

source: http://blog.oregonlive.com/

Holly Wellin (also known as Holly Wallen, Holly Wellen, Holly Weiden) is a British pornographic film actress and nude model.

Holly Wellin (also known as Holly Wallen, Holly Wellen, Holly Weiden) is a British pornographic film actress and nude model.

Born July 4, 1986 in Manchester, she went to St. Mary's RC High School in Astley, Wigan, England, Holly began modelling at 16 (2002) and at 18 (2004) she appeared in her first pornographic film. She is perhaps best known for her enthusiastic (and often violent) performances. She has been known to spontaneously spit, hit and cry on camera during a scene. Her filmography includes around 80 titles as well as various website and magazine pictorials including Hustler Magazine.

In 2005 she was nominated for XRCO's Teen Cream Dream Award.

She has recently gotten out of a long-term relationship with Jim South Jr. of World Modeling. She lived primarily in Leigh, England, but currently lives in Los Angeles, California

In 2007, Holly sported a new tattoo on her left hand/wrist area, easily seen in It's Huge 8.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/

Pregnancy makes women forgetful

Pregnancy makes women forgetful

Scientists have now confirmed what expecting mothers have long suspected – that pregnancy makes women more forgetful.

Australian scientists have found that a woman's memory may be impaired for at least a year after giving birth although the effects are minor and mainly concern unfamiliar or demanding tasks.

For the current study, the researchers carried out a review of pregnancy studies conducted over the past 30 years.

These showed that pregnant women had "modest deficits" in memory, particularly when information was new or presented in a challenging way.

"The memory deficits many women experience during and after pregnancy are pretty much like the modest deficits you'd find when comparing healthy 20-year-olds with healthy 60-year-olds,” Dr Julie Henry, a psychology researcher at the University of New South Wales, has said.

Dr Henry and co-investigator Professor Peter Rendell, of the Australian Catholic University, compared the memory performances of more than 1,000 pregnant women, mothers and healthy non-pregnant females involved in 14 studies around the world.

They found that pregnant women were considerably impaired on some, but not all, measures of memory.

The scientists found that women experienced most difficulty with memory tasks that relied on "executive cognitive control," i.e. those involving novelty or significant effort.

"Regular, well-practised memory tasks – such as remembering phone numbers of friends and family members – are unlikely to be affected," Prof Rendell said.

"It's a different story, though, when you have to remember new phone numbers or people's names, or hold in mind several pieces of information, such as when multi-tasking,” he added.

The research is one of the first to confirm the suspicion from endless subjective reports that "baby brain" is a real phenomenon.

The results signify that the impairment is still evident a year after childbirth, but no studies have yet investigated beyond this period.

According to Dr Henry, scientists still did not understand why a woman's memory should be impaired at such an important time, but they suspected lifestyle factors played a role.

Other experts have suggested forgetfulness may stem from a feeling of being overwhelmed by the changes having a baby brings.

"In pregnancy your normal routines are disrupted and you can suffer sleep deprivation after the birth," Dr Henry said.
source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

zymurgist:Ex-Bettendorf man, fiancee, win $16,000 on 'Millionaire'

Ex-Bettendorf man, fiancee, win $16,000 on 'Millionaire'

Chris Bowker, formerly of Bettendorf, and his fiancee, Elizabeth Alexander, walked away with $16,000 in winnings on today’s “Wedding Week” episode on “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.”

The Yorkville, Ill., couple started in the hot seat on Wednesday’s show, making it up to the $16,000 question. They continued as holdover contestants for Thursday’s show, when they began by looking at the $25,000 question with two lifelines left, both of which they used.

The question was: “Which of the following is made by a zymurgist?

A) steel,

B) explosives,

C) glass,

D) beer.

” After using the “Phone-A-Friend” lifeline, they were not able to come up with a definitive answer. After using the “50-50,” they were left with “A” and “D” as options. Out of lifelines and unsure of the answer, Elizabeth and Chris decided not to take a guess and walk away with the guaranteed $16,000 that they had already won. If they had guessed incorrectly on the $25,000 question, they would have fallen back to $1,000 in winnings.

The correct answer, by the way, is D) beer.

source: http://www.qctimes.com/

Pats Score More Points but Giants Make More Plays in Superbowl First Half

The New England Patriots carried a four-point lead into the locker room at halftime in Superbowl LLXII, scoring last but scoring more; the Patriots managed a TD while the Giants were help to a field goal.

Despite trailing 7–3 in points, the Giants won a psychological victory in the first half. The Giants's defense managed to stop Tom Brady's offense on third down repeatedly; the Giants kept pressure on Brady, and kept him from making any game-breaking plays.

Meanwhile, the Giants' offensive line was able to keep the Pats' rushers away from Eli Manning for the most part. Manning had trouble with interceptions, and fumbles, but got lucky when the Giants recovered some dropped balls that seemingly fell into Patriots players' hands.

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (R) passes the ball during Super Bowl XLII against the New York Giants at the University of Phoenix Stadium 03 February 2008 in Glendale, Arizona. (Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images)

The Patriots were in good field position with ten seconds left, but pressure on Brady forced a fumble which the Giants recovered. Manning tried a Hail Mary but no one could catch it.

The Patriots punted as often in the Superbowl's first half as they did in the entire last game the Pats and Giants played.

Tom Brady's ankle, which was reported injured, did not apparently affect his play. Brady threw several of his patented laser-like long passes with no visible discomfort.

source: http://en.epochtimes.com

U of C "nanovalve" discovery could be used to cut greenhouse gas emissions

U of C "nanovalve" discovery could be used to cut greenhouse gas emissions
Researchers at the University of Calgary say they have found a new way to trap and store gasses in molecule-sized tanks - a discovery that businesses could use to deal with their greenhouse gas emissions.
"This is fundamentally a different way of storing any gas," chemistry professor George Shimizu said in an interview.
Right now, gas storage can be tricky and pose safety risks because it needs to be kept at very high pressures, said Shimizu, who along with fellow researchers David Crab and Brett Chandler announced the discovery Friday.
But the scientists have invented a crystal structure that can store gas molecules indefinitely without the need for pressure using "molecular nanovalves." On top of that the gas can be released easily.
"If it was a static structure with pores, the gas could really just flow in and out. But it's the fact that the structure shifts and traps the gas that's really intriguing," Shimizu said.
Right now gas can be stored by chemically bonding the molecules to a surface, which makes it hard to access. Alternatively, gas can be absorbed onto a surface, but it doesn't usually stick very well.
"In this case it's neither of those. It's a mechanical trapping where we're forming a molecular cage around the gas. So the gas is stuck in there for a few hundred degrees, but you can access the gas at room temperature just by adding a little bit of water," Shimizu explained.
The research, published Friday in the journal "Nature Materials," could have a number of applications.
"From a commercial standpoint, anything that you'd want to store in a cylinder can be stored at lower pressure in this material," Shimizu said.
"One of the gasses that is stored efficiently in this material is carbon dioxide."
That could include carbon capture and storage, a technology touted by the Alberta government as a good way to cut the massive greenhouse gas emissions belched out by the energy sector.
A provincial-federal task force, chaired by TransAlta Corp. (TSX:TA) CEO Steve Snyder, said Thursday the government should shell out $2 billion to develop carbon capture technology. The process involves capturing the carbon dioxide emissions, compressing them and pumping them underground.
Critics have slammed that plan as too expensive and risky. Some environmentalists say it does nothing to address the crux of the climate change issue: the world's dependence on fossil fuels.
But TransAlta and a number of other energy companies have been trying hard to advance it.
"I believe it's something that needs to be done. The technology is available. It needs to be put into full-scale use," Snyder said Friday in a conference call to discuss his company's fourth-quarter earnings.
The University of Calgary discovery could serve another environmentally friendly purpose: the development of hydrogen fuel cells.
"The gas that globally would be of most interest would be hydrogen. If you ever plan on using hydrogen to power mobile vehicles, you need a way to store hydrogen on board," Shimizu said.

Source: http://canadianpress.google.com

Former secretary of state to seek 1st District seat

Former secretary of state to seek 1st District seat

Former Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron plans to seek the Democratic nomination for the 1st Congressional District.
Vigil-Giron says she will announce her candidacy for the 1st District on Saturday afternoon in Albuquerque.
A New Mexico native, Vigil-Giron served her first term as secretary of state from 1987 to 1990, and then was elected in 1998 to a 4-year term and re-elected in 2002.
She also has worked for the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce, the New Mexico Commission on the Status of Women and Public Service Company of New Mexico.
Vigil-Giron also is a past president of the National Association of Secretaries of State and a board member of the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.

Source: http://www.kvia.com

MLS' shift towards South America should pay off big

MLS' shift towards South America should pay off big
If you've noticed that Major League Soccer headlines have taken on a Spanish feel lately, it's no accident. But by the time the 2007 season ended, the league's greatest victory was the success of its Latin American players.
And while Mexico's Cuauhtémoc Blanco got most of the ink, it was the accomplishments of South American players like Luciano Emilio, Juan Pablo Ángel and Guillermo Barros Schelotto that took the league by storm. It's no surprise that this season, MLS has accelerated the trend of bringing in talented South Americans. If the 13-year-old league's goal is to eventually join the world's elite, this is certainly a step in the right direction.
South America, of course, has contributed heaps of world-class players to the world game over the years, and the thought of bringing Argentines, Brazilians, Colombians and Uruguayans to MLS couldn't be a better one. If you scan the top leagues in Europe -- Spain, Italy, Germany and now even England -- the rosters are dominated by large amounts of South Americans.
This is nothing new to the world, but for a league like MLS, which has prided itself on homegrown talent, the recent influx of talented South Americans is a big change in philosophy. South American soccer is renowned for the skill and quality of its players, its different styles, the interest it attracts among its fans and the dedication they have for the sport.
If the South American imports are able to inject all this into MLS, as the great Pelé did when he joined the New York Cosmos in 1977, the league may well undergo such a huge transformation that its teams may eventually compete with the top clubs of Europe, both in success and popularity. This isn't an exaggeration.
The league is taking its first step this season. MLS will count on the services of more than 25 South Americans, and the number is likely to increase before the primary transfer window closes in mid-April now that the league allows clubs to have more foreigners.
From all the teams looking at acquiring talented South Americans, the club leading the charge is a familiar one, D.C. United. On Tuesday it unveiled its latest signing: highly rated Argentine playmaker Marcelo Gallardo, who joined the club on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain. El Muñeco became D.C.'s fifth South American acquisition in less than a week.
Although the club's other four purchases, José Carvallo, Gonzalo Peralta, Gonzalo Martínez and Franco Niell, are relatively unknown commodities, they promise to impress this season, and are likely to help the four-time MLS Cup champs mount a strong title challenge.
D.C. has been MLS' trendsetter when it comes to signing South American players over the years and much of its success has been defined by the South Americans among its ranks. In the league's inaugural season of '96, D.C. boasted Bolivian soccer legend Marco Etcheverry, and a young Jaime Moreno, another Bolivian.
Etcheverry went on to lead the club to three MLS Cups before retiring after the '03 season. Moreno, who this week signed a one-year contract extension, has been on all four of D.C.'s title-winning teams and is the all-time leading scorer in MLS history with 112 goals.

Source: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com

Slow and low: The way to a tasty roast

Slow and low: The way to a tasty roast

If you are fortunate enough to remember the charms of Sunday dinner-style roast beef -- browned on the outside and tender, juicy and pink throughout -- you probably also can recall that it took considerable effort to make it happen, with no guarantee that you bought the right hunk of meat or could achieve consistently good results.
But the fact is, you can produce perfectly cooked roast beef while you sleep, even with an array of beefy-tasting cuts, from pricey prime rib to affordable round roast. Slow roasting at a low temperature is the way to go. Butchers, chefs and meat experts agree that it's easy to do in basic home ovens. No fire-breathing, commercial-quality ranges are required.
"Roasting slowly is where all the good stuff happens," says Jim Swenson, who has been executive chef at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., for 17 years. He prefers the slow-low approach for roasts and vegetables -- where the carrots, celery and onion caramelize along with the meat -- because "the vegetables bloom into richer and more mellow flavors. You really taste it when you use them to make the sauce or gravy."
By primitive, traditional or high-tech methods, slow cooking is a culinary fundamental. "Man has been doing this since there was cooking, whether it was done in a cooking pit covered with banana leaves or in an oven," says Gerard Bertholon, a chef and an executive at Cuisine Solutions in Alexandria, Va. The company uses microprocessor-controlled equipment to produce food by the sous vide technique, in which vacuum-sealed foods are cooked in a low-temperature water bath. The process preserves and intensifies flavor and texture
Restaurateur and chef Michel Richard, known for his creative and modern approach to cooking, describes the best way to roast in one word: "slowly."
Walk through Richard's Washington kitchens at Citronelle and his bistro, Central, and, as you might expect, you will see chefs and cooks chopping, prepping and checking stovetops. You also will see specialty "combi" ovens that apply the science of slow cooking by combining moist and dry heat. How slow and low does Richard go in his kitchen? Try 72-hour short ribs cooked at 138 degrees.
A combi oven, such as Winston Industries' CVap (short for controlled vapor technology), has a dual system that uses moist vapor heat to control food temperature and dry-air heat to control moisture evaporation. The CVap's inventor, Winston Shelton, has become an expert on cooking and, at age 84, lectures before culinary school faculties without notecards.
Roasts are about 75 percent moisture, Shelton explains, with the water bound up in the cells, waiting for the heat that will release it during cooking. "Too much heat has the effect of squeezing a sponge; or, in this case, the sponge is squeezing itself," he says. "As the heat increases, the proteins shrink and the moisture is forced out, either into the pan or evaporating completely. The result is a dense and dry roast. However, if we use our knowledge of moisture in meat to manage the heat and evaporation during cooking, we produce a tender and juicy roast."
Home cooks don't have access to combi ovens. But for slow-low roasting, they don't need them. According to Howard Richardson, executive chef at Winston Industries, the significant action occurs when the meat's internal temperature is between 100 and 140 degrees.
"At approximately 100 degrees, the strands of proteins that make up the muscle and connective tissues begin to cook but also unwind," he says. "The water and juices are released at around 120 degrees, and the collagen in the connective tissue in meat begins to melt and gelatinize at around 140 degrees. While our (combi) ovens can target and hold the heat at very specific temperatures in this range, you can use your own oven to create a beneficial combination of low temperature and time and achieve excellent results."
Slow-low roasting maximizes the taste of a whole beef tenderloin and prime rib roast, but the great secret and value of such a method is that it will tenderize and bring out the beefiest flavors of the less-expensive shoulder, round and rump roast cuts.
However, not every inexpensive cut of meat or roast found in your grocer's meat case will benefit from this approach. A knowledgeable, customer-friendly butcher can guide you through.
"Buy the right roast, and the roast will do the rest," says Sam Haddad, who heads the meat department at Giant Food in Potomac, Md. "We sell a lot of what people call pot roasts, but what is best for your Crock-Pot or slow cooker is different than the cut of meat you want to roast in your oven."
Asked which less-expensive cut would work best for the slow-low method of roasting, Haddad reaches for a boneless shoulder roast.
Chefs Richard and Swenson and Central chef Cedric Maupillier agree with the choice. Maupillier says that "because the shoulder is richer, with more fat, it needs to be cooked a little longer. Around 138 to 140 degrees is perfect for a medium-rare to medium shoulder roast."
Although the slow-low method takes about 2 1/2 hours per pound at 170 degrees, it won't cost you extra time. A three- to four-pound roast can be placed in the oven to cook overnight. The temperature is so low that nothing will burn, and by the morning, the roast will be done. Let the meat rest on the counter, tented with aluminum foil, while you get ready for work. Wrap the roast and any vegetables tightly, and refrigerate. When you get home from work, make the gravy from the roasted vegetables while the meat is reheating.
Tips for slow-low roasting
• To develop a caramelized crust, sear the roast, either in a dry pan or with a small amount of canola or peanut oil (not olive oil, which might hinder further browning in a low-temperature oven).
• Place the roast fat side up in the pan so it self-bastes.
• Because low-temperature roasting creates virtually no carry-over cooking effect, roast the meat to the desired internal temperature. (In high-heat roasting, the temperature of the meat continues to rise for several minutes after it is removed from the oven.)
• Tent the resting roast with foil and allow 10 to 15 minutes before carving, so the meat's juices will return to the center; slice the meat against the grain.
• Before reheating the meat, slice it thinly. Reheat at the same temperature at which the roast was cooked.
Shopping for the right cut
The best cuts to buy for slow, low-temperature oven roasting:
More expensive: Prime rib, boneless rib-eye, strip sirloin, tenderloin
Less expensive: Boneless shoulder roast, top round, eye of round, rump roast, bottom round

Source: http://www.pittsburghlive.com

SkyFire Announces New Mobile Browser for Smartphones

SkyFire Announces New Mobile Browser for Smartphones

Skyfire has announced a new web browser for smartphones that is designed to make it faster and more user-friendly to browse the web on a smartphone. Skyfire uses proprietary technology to deliver web content to mobile phones quickly, while maintaining the site's desktop look and feel.

Support for web technologies such as AJAX, Java, and Flash video suggest that the Skyfire browser could open up a new level of mobile web browsing for consumers. Skyfire claims it is the fastest loading mobile browser on the market, and offers features such as the ability to bookmark particular areas of a web page so they can be quickly accessed again at a later time.

Skyfire is currently in private beta for Windows Mobile 6 Professional and Standard, with a Symbian-compatible version planned in the next month.


Source: http://www.mobileburn.com

Gordon Hinckley, President of Church of Latter-Day Saints, Dies

Gordon Hinckley, President of Church of Latter-Day Saints, Dies

By Greg Bensinger

Jan. 28 (Bloomberg) -- Gordon B. Hinckley, president of the nearly 13-million member Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, died last night. He was 97.

Hinckley died at his apartment in downtown Salt Lake City ``from causes incident to age,'' according to a statement on the church's Web site.

Hinckley was ordained the 15th president of the Mormon Church in March 1995 after then-President Howard Hunter, 87, died from the effects of prostate cancer just nine months into his term, the shortest in church history. Church presidents serve until their deaths.

When Hinckley was ordained at age 84, Mormons hailed him as a man of vigor and good health. Because the church presidency falls to the longest-serving member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles, most men have been elderly when they took the office.

At his ordination press conference, Hinckley made a point of standing to field questions. When asked about his health, he said, ``I spent one night in the hospital in my life. I was past 75 when that occurred.'' It was the first time in 20 years that a new Mormon president held a press conference.

By comparison, the last several Mormon Church presidents suffered poor health for much of their terms in office and Hinckley served as the de facto head of the church for his two immediate predecessors. Spencer W. Kimball, who led the church from 1973-85, had open-heart surgery, suffered a small stroke, had three brain surgeries for a hematoma and was nearly blind from glaucoma.

Ezra Taft Benson, Hunter's predecessor, and David O. McKay, president from 1951-70, were both housebound during their last years as president and rarely made public appearances.

Rising Up the Ranks

Hinckley was born on June 23, 1910, in Salt Lake City to Bryant and Ada Hinckley. His first job was as a newspaper deliverer for the Deseret News, one of Salt Lake City's dailies. He went on to get his bachelor of arts in English from the University of Utah.

After graduation, Hinckley spent two years in Great Britain as a full-time missionary for the Mormon Church before becoming an assistant to the Church Apostle who oversaw all European missions. Hinckley returned to the United States in 1935, when there were fewer than 1 million Mormons, and became the head of the church's new public relations department, a position he held for 20 years.

As public relations chief, Hinckley is credited by many Mormons for dispelling many long-standing negative stereotypes, including the now-banned practice of polygamy.

Hinckley was named in 1961 to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and in 1981 was promoted to the First Presidency, the church's highest inner circle. He served as counselor to both Benson and Hunter before he was named President of the Quorum of the Twelve.

Church Beginnings

The religion was founded by Joseph Smith in upstate New York in the early 1800s. Smith said he experienced visions from God and Jesus and angels, one of which told him of tablets buried near Smith's home.

Using ``seeing stones'' Smith translated the tablets, which told of Jesus' appearance in the Americas and from which Smith produced the Book of Mormon. The book is a combination of a standard bible and the revelations of Smith. In the Mormon Church, the Garden of Eden is located in what is today Independence, Missouri. Mormons believe their president is a living prophet, who has regular communications and revelations with God.

Presidential Accomplishments

At the press conference after he was named president, Hinckley vowed to expand the reach of the church and increase its numbers. Church membership rose by more than 3 million during his years as president, and the number of Mormon temples worldwide more than doubled.

In what some consider a turning point for the church, Hinckley told Mike Wallace on CBS's ``60 Minutes'' in 1995 that Mormons are not ``weird.''

Hinckley traveled to more foreign countries than any president in the church's more than 176-year history. He is the first church president to travel to Spain and to Africa.

In 2004, President George W. Bush awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian award.

Recent Years

Hinckley battled the moniker of ``Mormon Olympics'' when the 2002 Winter Games were held in Salt Lake City. He urged his followers not to proselytize during the worldwide event and to keep a low profile, though Hinckley did carry the Olympic torch.

In 2001, Hinckley received a pacemaker to regulate his heartbeat and, three days before his 95th birthday in 2005, he announced he had diabetes. Hinckley has walked with a cane since early 2001 because he said he was ``a little unsteady on my feet'' and that he suffered from vertigo.

Hinckley's wife, Marjorie Pay, preceded him in death in April 2004. They were married in 1937. Hinckley is survived by his five children.

source: http://www.bloomberg.com/

Brother recalls Haglund playing at winning Miss America

Brother recalls Haglund playing at winning Miss America

Growing up in this Detroit suburb, Kirsten Haglund dressed up as if she was in the Miss America pageant. On Saturday night, she won the real thing.
Haglund, 19, a student at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, won the 2008 Miss America pageant in Las Vegas. She claimed a $50,000 scholarship and a year of travel that comes with the title.
Her brother, Lars Haglund, said his sister would pretend she had been crowned Miss America when they were kids. The family displayed pictures of the siblings' grandmother, Iora Hunt — who was named Miss Michigan in 1944."When we were younger, shed dress up like she was Miss America in the dress," Lars Haglund told the Detroit Free Press during a telephone interview Saturday night.
Haglund is the reigning Miss Oakland County and was crowned Miss Michigan last June in Muskegon. She is a graduate of Western High School in Walled Lake, where school officials recalled her as a good student and citizen.
"Its a testimony to her ability and she was always a good student and citizen of our building," Western principal Leit Jones said. "Were very proud of her. Shes done well for her school, community and family."
Miss Michigan representatives accompanied Haglund and her family to Las Vegas for Saturday's pageant.
"We're all thrilled beyond words," Shelley Taylor, state executive director of Miss Michigan, told the Free Press. "There isnt anyone more deserving."
Source: http://www.mlive.com

Why Paige Davis Returned to Trading Spaces

Why Paige Davis Returned to Trading Spaces (and Vice Versa)

By JOE RHODES
TV GUIDE

Paige Davis — perky as ever, but older, wiser and with darker, straighter hair — thought long and hard before agreeing to return to TLC's Trading Spaces, the genre-establishing home-makeover show that made her famous in 2001 and then abruptly fired her in 2005 because producers wanted the show to go in a different direction. Which it did — straight down the ratings tubes. Now Davis is back and the new season premieres tonight at 10 pm/ET.
source: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/

2008 U.S. Figure Skating Championships - Highlights

The junior pairs medalists were decided today at the 2008 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Saint Paul, Minn. Jessica Rose Paetsch and Jon Nuss (Broadmoor SC) moved up from second place after Thursday's short program to clinch the gold medal with a total of 143.19 points.

Overnight leaders Chelsi Guillen and Danny Curzon (Coyotes SC of Ariz.) had an uneven performance and had to settle for the bronze medals.

"It's a great relief for us to win the national championships," said Nuss. "We have been working so hard these last few months, and it's nice to have all that work pay off."

Jessica Rose Paetsch (14) and Jon Nuss (20) perform to music from the Capone soundtrack for their Long Program.

"This is our second year as juniors," Paetsch added. "Last year we got third, and we tried to work more to try to win this one."

Paetsch (14) and Nuss (14) are beginning to show signs of preparation to move up to the senior level next season as they completed a nice split triple twist in their "Capone" program. In addition, the duo performed two level four lifts that should have their senior counterparts looking over their shoulders.

The gold medalists did have some problems in their program, however, making small mistakes on both of their solo jumping passes, as well as on their straightline step sequence.

"The only down part of the program is when I tripped on the straightline footwork," said Nuss. "But we got back on track to finish strong."

Finishing in second place was the very young team of Tracy Tanovich and Michael Chau (Southwest Florida FSC), who were in third after the short program.

"Our performance went pretty well," lamented Chau. "We had a few technical bobbles, but overall we skated fast and held our own, so we are satisfied."

Tanovich was fearless on the ice, executing and landing elements that her much older competitors struggled with today.

"I felt confident on every move that I tried," said the 11-year-old, as she clutched onto one of the many stuffed animals that were thrown to the team. "I made a little bobble on solo spin and a fall on the throw triple loop. Other than that, I thought that the program was very good."

Skating to selections from The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky, Tanovich and Chau (17) completed a throw triple Salchow and earned high scores for their overhead lifts. Overall, the team scored a competition total of 137.36 points, and plan to skate on the junior level again next season.

"I don't think that there is any rush to move up to senior," said Chau. "Especially since this is our first year in junior."

Guillen (14) and Curzon (20) struggled with some of their high-risk elements, but were able to hold on to third place despite placing fourth in the freeskate.

"We just wanted to come here to our job," said Curzon. "We wanted to skate well here and earn a medal and put our names out there for consideration for Junior Worlds, but our whole focus here was to put together two good programs."

After landing a nice split double twist, Guillen made a mistake on their solo double Axel-double toe combination. The team attempted two throw triples for the first time in competition in their routine to music from The Legend of Zorro soundtrack, but could only land their toe attempt.

"We went for a second triple throw- a Sal(chow), but we unfortunately had a spill on it," said Curzon. "Overall we are pretty pleased with how everything went."

The team scored a competition total of 134.58 points, edging out pewter medalists Andrea Best and Trevor Young (Detroit SC) who defeated them in the freeskate.

source: http://goldenskate.com

Lexington's Grace Gore in Miss America Pageant tonight

Lexington's Grace Gore in Miss America Pageant tonight

Grace Gore, the Lexington resident currently wearing the tiara of Miss Tennessee, is one of 52 ladies competing tonight at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas for the title of Miss America.

The pageant begins at 7 p.m. local time on the TLC cable channel.

Read more in Sunday's edition of The Jackson Sun. And learn more about Gore, including photo galleries from the 2007 Miss Tennessee Pageant,
source: http://www.jacksonsun.com/

Miss America 2007 Lauren Nelson On FOX Q&A

Miss America 2007 Lauren Nelson Makes Celebrity Appearance on FOX's ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5th GRADER? on January 17 when Lauren will earn cash for the MAO Scholarship Fund.

A special celebrity edition of Fox�s Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? is set to hit TV screens on January 17 8:00-9:00PM ET/PT. Celebrity contestants this season have included Clay Aiken and Kellie Pickler (both of American Idol fame), Regis Philbin (Live with Regis and Kelly), TV personality Billy Bush, skateboarder Tony Hawk, and this week, Miss America 2007 Lauren Nelson.

The hit game show, Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, hosted by Jeff Foxworthy, is a game show that tests an adult�s knowledge against - you guessed it - a 5th grader�s. Contestants are asked questions in subjects from math to social studies to art, with the questions ranging from first to fifth grade-level. Watch as Lauren earns cash for the Miss America Scholarship Fund, which makes available more than $45 million in cash and scholarship assistance at the state, local and national levels, helping young women all across the country to reach their dreams and goals.

Tune in this Thursday, January 17, to see Miss America 2007 Lauren Nelson on Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? on FOX. - By MissAmerica.org News

shiny happy people lyrics:Amherst stages one of Broadway's best

shiny happy people lyrics:Amherst stages one of Broadway's best

Stash the cash under the mattress and bolt the door, Harold Hill is headed this way.

Next week Amherst Leisure Services Community Theater opens a production of that quintessential American musical, "The Music Man," at Bowker Auditorium at the University of Massachusetts. And the cranky town of River City, Iowa, circa 1912, comes to life as that rascal Hill bounds from the train with a well-worn suitcase and an equally shabby plan to scam the townspeople out of their hard-earned cash.

But this time, before he makes off with the loot accruing to his load of flim flam about starting a boys' band, Hill astonishes himself by falling in love, managing to transform the town for the better and redeem himself in the bargain.

The show, with book, music and lyrics by Meredith Willson, story by Willson and Franklin Lacey, opened on Broadway in 1957 and ran to 1,375 performances, garnering several 1958 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Willson also earned the very first Grammy Award for the score.

"[Hill] allows the town to see past his trickery, waking them up to see that music is an important part of life, [helping them] to believe in themselves and have their dreams come true," said director Van Farrier.

Farrier, a longtime director and professional actor, teaches theater arts at Asnuntuck Community College in Enfield, Conn. and Southwick-Tolland High School in Southwick. He was last seen performing in a live radio play of "It's a Wonderful Life" in December at the Majestic Theater in West Springfield, and starts rehearsal soon for a spring production of "The Full Monty" there. This is his debut directorial appearance with Amherst Community Theater.

In addition to the uplifting message, lavish period costumes and memorable music - including the tender "Till There Was You" and the rousing "Seventy-six Trombones" - Farrier says the dancing is going to be one of the highlights of the show. "The choreographer is pushing the actors to their limits," he said, "and they're rising to the occasion."

"They've really raised the bar this year on the choreography," echoed producer Carol Rogers. "The dancing in this particular production is going to be quite extravagant - more complex and challenging than in the past."

Choreographer David Wolgin, a clinical psychologist by day, who has collaborated with Farrier on several shows, said the two have a strong shared vision and high expectations. "We're perfectionistic and detail-oriented theater people," he said. "For example, [in the Marian the Librarian['] production number that takes place in the library], I might spend as much as five minutes just trying to clarify exactly how I want cast members to be holding their books, in order for the piece to look precise and clean."

Several of the show-stopping dance numbers - like "Iowa Stubborn," "Trouble," the high-energy "Shipoopy" and rousing "Seventy-six Trombones" - involve nearly the entire cast of 68, ranging in age from 7 to 70, some with dance training, and some, not so much. "Each [age] group has a different energy, so it's a challenge for me to engage them each at their own level," Wolgin said. But "The cast has been very much like a sponge - wanting to take in as much as they can."

He characterizes the overall style of the numbers as "Americana, sort of Agnes de Mille celebratory," and said he was inspired by the choreography of Susan Stroman in the 2000 Broadway revival of the show. The recipient of five Tony Awards, Stroman went on to choreograph the Broadway productions of "The Producers" and "Young Frankenstein."

The cast is headed by John Healy as Hill and Heather Davies as his unexpected lady love, Marian the librarian. Henry Hirschfeld of Shutesbury, who will celebrate his ninth birthday on the second night of the run, plays Marian's younger brother, the sad and shy Winthrop, who is still grieving the death of his father and struggling with a strong lisp. In the 1962 movie version, the role was played by a 7-year-old Ron Howard.

Winthrop's happy transformation under Hill's tutelage is instrumental in softening Marian's feelings toward the scammer, and ultimately in the town's own transformation. Previously next to mute to hide his painful lisp, Winthrop comes to chatty life when he receives his shiny brass instrument. Hirschfeld says, "The most challenging thing for me is the one [lisped] line, 'Sister, sister, isn't this the most scrumptious solid gold thing you ever saw. I never thought I'd see something so scrumptious as this solid gold thing!"

On the cusp of his ninth birthday, Hirschfeld already has two years of theatrical experience to his credit, having performed with the Hadley-based Starlight Productions in "Newsies" and "Seussical the Musical."

Also performing are Lynn Omasta as Mrs. Paroo, the mother of Marian and Winthrop; Jason Healy as Marcellus, Hill's erstwhile conspirator gone straight; Matt Haas as Mayor Shinn; and Ann Steinhauser in a reprise of her 1999 role as the mayor's wife, Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn.

Susanne Anderson is the musical director and orchestra conductor, and Hugh Hall, an interior designer of the Yankee Candle stores worldwide, returns as set and lighting designer.

"His designs are always eye-popping and jaw-dropping," said Rogers. "There's a magical touch to his work."

Hall's magic sets the stage for the message of "The Music Man" to shine through. "Essentially, it's a message of a community coming together to make something wonderful happen," said Farrier, which is not so different from the process of creating the show itself, Rogers says.

"There's nothing like putting on a show to create that community connection," she said, "and not just among the cast and crew, but with the audience as well."

Bottom line?

"It's an uplifting, stand-up-and-cheer kind of show," she said.

source: http://www.amherstbulletin.com/

‘Control’ gives new life to the biopic

‘Control’ gives new life to the biopic
Ian Curtis, iconic lead singer of 1970s post-punk band Joy Division, is almost as well known for his music as he is for his untimely death. Suffering from epilepsy, which led to depression, Curtis committed suicide at age 23 on the eve of Joy Division’s first U.S. tour on May 18, 1980. Since his death, Curtis has become one of rock history’s darkest, most mysterious figures. Director Anton Corbijn’s new biopic, Control, humanizes his cult legend in a powerful account of Curtis’s life and death.

Control covers the life of Curtis, from his experimental adolescence and his obsession with punk culture icons to his rushed marriage to the origins of Joy Division. The film is loosely based off the memoirs of Curtis’s widow, Hannah, and details their relationship and the events in his life that led up to his suicide.

This is not the first film to feature Curtis. The 2002 film 24 Hour Party People directed by Michael Winterbottom provided some background on Joy Division, but Control gives a more comprehensive account of Curtis’s story. The film is the first feature from the Corbijn, an already well-established photographer and music video director. Corbijn has worked with artists including Nirvana, Depeche Mode and Joy Division in the past. His personal connection with the band is evident in his attention to detail with Control.

As Curtis, heartthrob Sam Riley does an excellent job at capturing an innocent, brooding romantic as well as bearing an uncanny physical resemblance to the star. Samantha Morton is also wonderful as Curtis’ warm but painfully naïve wife, Hannah.

The film’s real excitement and energy, however, comes from the live music performances. Because the actors actually learned how to play the songs for the making of the film, these scenes are injected with a raw, surreal power.

Rather than succumb to hero-worship, the film portrays Curtis as fully human. When not on the stage, the rock star was a lonely guy who worked a menial job at an unemployment office and had a baby at the age of 22.

Although the soundtrack features musicians such as The Buzzcocks and The Velvet Underground from the proto-punk Manchester music scene, the power of the film comes through whether you are familiar with the music or not. Every shot is beautifully filmed in a crisp and stark black-and-white monochrome.

After sitting through Ray and Walk the Line, I wasn’t thrilled to see yet another derivative biopic. While Control doesn’t stray from the traditional biopic narrative, it avoids the formula’s clichés. The film’s refusal to make assumptions about Curtis’s hidden emotional nature is more appropriate, albeit unsatisfying.

I had always thought Ian Curtis was plagued by inner demons, but the movie suggests that much of his depression was not due to any nihilistic tendencies, but rather associated with his epileptic fits, his over-medication and his deteriorating relationship with his wife. Control reminds us that there are no definitive answers when it comes to suicide.

Many people, including his band members, ignored the meaning behind Curtis’s lyrics during his career, but after his death they received more scrutiny. After seeing Control, I was similarly motivated to explore his lyrics and what led Curtis to take his own life.
source: http://www.williamsrecord.com

Lauren Nelson, Miss America & Tex-Mex Fan

Lauren Nelson, Miss America & Tex-Mex Fan
THINK OF BEAUTY QUEENS as white-toothed babes with shellacked hair and Cinderella-goes-to-Vegas evening gowns? That's so last millennium, says reigning Miss America Lauren Nelson, who — for the record — has a lovely smile and quite windswept locks. She imparts her wisdom to this year's crop of contestants on TLC's new show "Miss America Reality Check" (Fri. at 10 p.m.), before passing her tiara along on Jan. 26.

» EXPRESS: Put a bunch of Miss America contestants in a house, as on your show, and what happens?
» NELSON: Honestly, you'd think there would be catfights, but that's not what happened at all. They had conversations about their lives and got to go through some pretty cool challenges.

» EXPRESS: Like what?
» NELSON: They go through academic challenges and then learn some things about how to be a modern "it" girl. These girls have done a lot of pageantry, so "Reality Check" was ultimately about shaking up their old ideas.

» EXPRESS: Which pageant ideas are dispelled?
» NELSON: If you think about pageant girls walking around in fully rhinestoned gowns, swimsuits and high heels, that's not true anymore. I think the Miss America Pageant wants them to be more like what you see in magazines — more Hollywood, red-carpet glamour.

» EXPRESS: So, what, no more bathing suits and mules?
» NELSON: They're keeping the shoes with the swimsuits. It's more about the mind-set of the contestants, who think they have to do their hair and makeup in a certain way.

» EXPRESS: How do you pick a pageant gown?
» NELSON: It's important to feel comfortable competing in it. By that, I mean that the girl should feel beautiful in the gown and pick a style and color that looks good on her.

» EXPRESS: What's the secret to being a low-key hottie?
» NELSON: Try to get away from the heavy, caked makeup and really "done" hair. You want a natural look, not so done-up, but still glamorous. It's a more everyday look.

» EXPRESS: Any go-to beauty products?
» NELSON: This year, I've just used whatever is available to me as Miss America. But I've started using Trish McEvoy, and I really her love her stuff.

» EXPRESS: You've logged thousands of airline miles since becoming Miss America. Any packing secrets?
» NELSON:I travel with two suitcases: one with all my clothes and shoes, the other with other stuff. I have to be ready at all times for casual or cocktail events in every kind of weather.

» EXPRESS: Wow — that must be hard.
» NELSON: I've gotten really good at ironing quickly! And hotel dry-cleaning is a lifesaver.

» EXPRESS: You were Miss Oklahoma. What do you do when you're back home?
» NELSON: I do nothing — it's nice to have downtime. I talk to my family and friends, and go out to eat Tex-Mex food when I'm there. It's my favorite food in the world. I love tacos and enchiladas.

» EXPRESS: What's the biggest misconception about beauty queens?
» NELSON: I think people forget that we're real, ordinary women.

» EXPRESS: Are there any hazards to wearing tiaras?
» NELSON: Sometimes, honestly, you get hat head since they're pinned to your hair.

source: http://www.readexpress.com/

What you should know about Vytorin and Zetia

What you should know about Vytorin and Zetia

A controversial study showing that the blockbuster cholesterol-lowering drug Vytorin failed to slow the buildup of artery plaques more than a cheaper statin is certain to provoke questions among heart patients taking Vytorin or its sister drug Zetia. USA TODAY asked Steven Nissen, the Cleveland Clinic's chief of cardiology, and Roger Blumenthal of the Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease and the American College of Cardiologyprevention committee, for some answers.

Q: Why was the study controversial?

A: The two drugs are among the most widely used of all prescription medicines. Yet, although the drugs have been shown to reduce cholesterol, their manufacturers acknowledge that they've never been shown to prevent heart attacks or other life-threatening events. Lipitor and other statin drugs, in contrast, have demonstrated their effectiveness in many studies.

source: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health

White Stuff in North Seattle, Moving South

White Stuff in North Seattle, Moving South

A freezing rainstorm left the streets by Seattlest HQ white. It's since morphed into a light snowstorm that will make our half-mile trip to the video store a winter adventure.

These photos were taken at 6:58 pm. Minutes later, our Capitol Hill correspondent texted us that the hailstorm had started there. Temps could drop as low as freezing tonight, and Weather Underground forecasts snow for the rest of tonight and early tomorrow morning.

KOMO weather said we could expect from a trace of snow up to an inch in metro areas, but that doesn't jive with what our eyes tell us. We'll see. Could be a dicey commute tomorrow.

source: http://seattlest.com/

Mona Lisa del Giocondo - Heidelberger Fund clarifies identity

The dating of Leonardo's most famous paintings, and the identification of the depicted with Lisa del Giocondo by the discovery of a handwritten entry in an early pressure from the Heidelberg University Library.

Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci's portrait of a young woman, is regarded as the most famous paintings in the world.

The identification is depicted with the Mona Lisa, the wife of Florentine merchant Francesco del Giocondo, based on her age of the information by Giorgio Vasari (1511-74), in its 1550 first published Künstlerviten than previously only source of the portrait of a name There, while an approximate dating between 1503 and 1506. It is this identification some 50 years younger than her subject. Because Vasari also for his penchant for Anekdotischen know, existed until now doubts about the reliability of its information. Because Leonardo himself mentioned the Mona Lisa in his drawings and notebooks with no word.

Sparse information in other sources from the years 1517, 1525 and 1540 can be great leeway for interpretation, so that different versions of the identification exist. One possibility under discussion is the representation of a fictitious Frauenbildnisses, one of Leonardo in the picture put women's ideal.

source: http://www.huliq.com/

Burl. Twp. man on a computer mission for families

There are many low-income families that do not have a computer, but LaMonte Reed is on a mission to change that.

Reed, a volunteer with the nonprofit Sisterhood Inc., collects used computers, refurbishes them, and distributes them to families in Burlington City and Willingboro.

In the past year and a half, Reed has given away about 50 such computers.

Reed, a computer technician and videographer from Burlington Township, said it is important for every family to have a computer in this technological age. He said children especially need computer access to work on school assignments and conduct research on the Internet.

In return for a computer, the Sisterhood asks each family to volunteer time at the organization, or make a small donation of $50 to $100. Reed said the contribution is determined on a case-by-case basis and no one is turned away.

Reed credited his friend Joe Steele for starting the program about 10 years ago. When Steele began working as a teacher at the Burlington County Special Services School in Lumberton, he could no longer dedicate the time necessary to the computer program, and he asked Reed to take over. Reed said he enjoys the work.

“I feel I am on this Earth to help other people,” he said.

Reed has outfitted a computer lab at the Sisterhood office, located at the corner of York and East Broad streets in Burlington City, where he teaches children how to use the computers.

source: http://www.phillyburbs.com

earl paulk Megachurch Leader Charged With Perjury

earl paulk Megachurch Leader Charged With Perjury
An 80-year-old leader of a suburban megachurch who is at the center of a sex scandal has been charged with lying under oath for saying he had sex outside marriage with only one other woman, court documents show.

A warrant for the arrest of Archbishop Earl Paulk, co-founder of Cathedral of the Holy Spirit at Chapel Hill Harvester Church, was issued Monday, according to court documents. Paulk was making arrangements Monday night to turn himself in, WAGA-TV reported.

His attorneys did not immediately return calls from The Associated Press seeking comment.

Former church employee Mona Brewer is suing Paulk, his brother and the church on allegations that Paulk manipulated her into an affair from 1989 to 2003 by telling her it was her only path to salvation. In a 2006 deposition stemming from the lawsuit, the archbishop said under oath that the only woman he had ever had sex with outside of his marriage was Brewer.

But the results of a court-ordered paternity test revealed in October that Paulk is the biological father of his brother's son, D.E. Paulk, who is now head pastor at the church. As part of Brewer's lawsuit, eight women have given sworn depositions that they were coerced into sexual relationships with Earl Paulk.

A judge ordered the paternity test at the request of the Cobb County district attorney's office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. District Attorney Pat Head declined to comment when reached at his home Monday night.

Paulk and his brother, Don, have been hit with lawsuits from former members alleging they were coerced into sexual affairs, but this is the first time criminal charges have been filed against the archbishop.

source: http://ap.google.com/article/

Nicolas Cage takes a shot at 'Bangkok Dangerous'

Nicolas Cage takes a shot at 'Bangkok Dangerous'

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"Bangkok Dangerous," says Nicolas Cage, is "probably the weirdest movie I've ever made."

Coming from the guy who ate a cockroach in "Vampire's Kiss" and played twin versions of himself in the comedy "Adaptation," that's saying something.

Cage laughs and says: "I realize that's not a small statement given what I've done in the past." The movie is a remake of a 1999 film about a hit man wrestling with the immorality and darkness he has invited into his life, directed by the original's filmmakers, Oxide Pang Chun and Danny Pang.

"My directors were twin Chinese brothers, if you can imagine that," Cage says. "I thought perhaps they could see something new in me. It was down and dirty in the sense that not a ton of money was thrown at it. We just get into the streets of Bangkok and make a movie."

Cage says shooting on location was his main reason for doing the movie, and the mystery of Thailand motivates his character.

"I play a hit man on his last three hits in Bangkok and then he's going to retire," he says. "The city presents a new experience that opens his mind to the possibility of romance and maybe quitting that line of work."

Lazarus as musical influence
Aussie rocker Nick Cave turned to a biblical character for inspiration on his latest album, "Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!" Due April 8 in the United States on Anti- Records, the album is his 14th with longtime band the Bad Seeds. Cave describes it in a statement as "an elegy to the New York City of the '70s."

The singer/songwriter, who remembers being "traumatized" by the story of Lazarus when he first heard it as a child, decided to relocate the risen dead man to the Big Apple to give the music "a hip, contemporary feel. I also was thinking about Harry Houdini, who spent a lot of his life trying to debunk the spiritualists cashing in on the bereaved. (Houdini) believed there was nothing going on beyond the grave. He was the second-greatest escapologist."

The results will satisfy Cave's old fans, says Anti- product manager Jeff Abarta. "Nick really bares his feral teeth on 'Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!,' more than he has on a Bad Seeds record in a long time."

Berkley steps up to 'Dance'
Elizabeth Berkley is on the dance floor again as host of Bravo's new reality series, "Step It Up and Dance." As a teen, Berkley starred on "Saved by the Bell," but she's perhaps best known as wild-child performer Nomi from "Showgirls," a 1995 box office bomb that nearly derailed her career.

Still, hosting "Step" was a "no-brainer," says Berkley, who has worked with most of "Step's" choreographers and judges in film and stage roles. "Dancing's been a huge part of my life. I started when I was 4."
source: http://www.stargazettenews.com

German expert reveals true identity of Mona Lisa

A German expert has confirmed the real identity of Mona Lisa after centuries of speculation about the woman in Leonardo da Vinci's famous portrait. It is Lisa Gherardini, wife of a Florentine cloth merchant named Francesco del Giocondo, said Viet Probst, director of the Heidelberg University Library. Probst confirmed Friday a German television report which said the discovery was made two-and-a-half years ago by the head of the university's handwriting department. The expert discovered a reference to the Mona Lisa's identity in a hand-written reference on a document that belonged to the painting's early owner. The owner was a contemporary of da Vinci and was in regular contact with him, according to the television programme. There has been lots of speculation about who the sitter was for the portrait, which was painted in Florence between 1503-1506 and now hangs at the Louvre in Paris. Most experts believed it was the wife of del Giocondo, hence its alternative title, La Gioconda, although this was never conclusively proved.
source: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles