Hank Azaria and his girlfriend Katie Wright are expecting a baby boy, his rep confirms to PEOPLE exclusively.
"They're quite ecstatic," the actor's rep Stan Rosenfield tells PEOPLE.
Wright, who has begun her second trimester, is a former actress now studying to be a family therapist.
?Read the whole story here.
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I saw this post on Tider Insider, and it was just entirely too awesome to pass up posting. I really, really hope this wasn’t tongue-in-cheek. Please GOD, let it be true. Seriously, this is the pinnacle of hilarity. I cried real tears. Just beautiful. Everything is awesome — the taunting of a child, the reason for his trip to the mall, the gangrene. It’s all just pure gold. Without further delay … enjoy!
“I was going to Lidz to get a new cowboy hat made out of a Keystone Lite box and 15 more shakers to put all around my CRIMSON Bike coaching shorts for the game Saturday. I’m about to walk out, and a man and his 7 year old son were walking in, all decked out in Big Orange.
“This is UT, folks, so I cut right to the chase. I ran up to them, yelling Yea Alabama at the top of my lungs, and shook a shaker right in that kid’s face. He was terrified!!! Then I told them both that Nick Saben had a little something for them all tomorrow night, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we won by 100. Then I told the kid that I heard Gerald Jones caught gangrene in his sprained ankle and was probably going to get it amputated. I figured he didn’t know what amputated means, so I said, “THEY’RE GOING TO CUT HIS FOOT OFF, VILE! RAMMER JAMMER!!!” What can you say to that? Nothing if you’re a toothless hillbilly. They both walked away looking dejected, muttering under their breath.”
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Despite the Gophers' six-win improvement, bowl game and new stadium, Tim Brewster's recruiting pitch didn't work as well this year as last year.
Barring last-minute surprises, the University of Minnesota football coach will introduce a top-50 recruiting class on signing day today, which isn't bad, but it isn't the top-20 class he pulled off a year ago after a 1-11 record in his debut.
Brewster defended the quality of this class, saying its quantity dragged down the ranking. The Gophers had more scholarships available last year and signed 30 players. This year, only 18 players have orally committed, with possibly two more to come.
But recruiting experts say the rankings are about quality and quantity. Scout.com and Rivals.com gave the average Gophers recruit virtually the same ranking this year as last year, but the Gophers have fewer high-end recruits this year. Last year, Brewster signed seven four-star recruits, according to Rivals.com, compared with two this year. Scout.com listed the Gophers with six four-star recruits last year vs. one five-star (receiver Hayo Carpenter) and two four-star recruits this year.
"If you go by average player rating, then they would have the fourth-best class in the Big Ten," Scout.com recruiting analyst Bob Lichtenfels said. "There were some schools in the top 25 that had lower averages
than Minnesota." Rivals.com ranks Minnesota No. 46 nationally and No. 7 in the Big Ten. Scout.com ranks the Gophers No. 45 and No. 6, respectively.
"This is a good follow-up class to last year, but not as good," said CBS College Sports recruiting analyst Tom Lemming, who ranks the Gophers in the top 40 this year. "Sometimes to have a great year, you need to have a year of great local talent. You also have to look at other things. Like, what happened with Minnesota's coordinators leaving, it's going to hurt a bit."
Actually, a number of factors worked against the Gophers.
STATE OF THE STATE
Brewster made in-state recruiting the top priority when he took over in 2007.
He landed five of Minnesota's top six players this year but missed out on the top senior for the second straight year. He lost Breck wide receiver Bryce McNeal to Clemson after losing Cretin-Derham Hall receiver Michael Floyd to Notre Dame last year.
Unfortunately for Brewster, this was a down year for local talent, with Rivals.com ranking McNeal as the state's only four-star recruit. Scout.com was more generous, recently adding four stars to Washburn tight end Ra'Shede Hageman and Eastview defensive end Matt Garin, both of whom have committed to the Gophers.
"Hageman might be the most talented kid they're bringing in," Scout.com recruiting analyst Allen Trieu said. "(Garin) went out to an all-star game in Hawaii and did really well. That's why we moved him up. We liked him from the start, but he proved himself against pretty good competition there."
Next year's in-state class is expected to be better, led by Rivals.com's No. 1-rated junior in the country, Cretin-Derham Hall offensive lineman Seantrel Henderson.
"We can win a championship with the core of our football team being from the state of Minnesota," Brewster said. "We had all the top juniors on campus (Saturday). We sat and we talked about making dreams come true in the state with Minnesota kids. I think it resonated very well."
FEWER OPENINGS
After a one-win season, with so many positions vacant, recruits last year knew playing time could come quickly. Five losses to end the 2008 season showed the Gophers still can use a talent upgrade, but they were one of the youngest teams in the Big Ten Conference and lost a total of only four starters on offense and defense.
The 7-1 start helped attract some high-profile out-of-state recruits for visits, including the top defensive tackle in the nation, Sheldon Richardson of St. Louis; four-star cornerback Michael Carter of Florida; and four-star tailback Ronnie Wingo Jr. of St. Louis. But none picked the Gophers.
Two four-star running backs, Texas natives Eric Stephens and Hasan Lipscomb, originally committed to Minnesota, but only Lipscomb is coming. Stephens opted for Texas Tech, saying he committed too quickly to Minnesota after being impressed by the Gophers.
"They blew me away," Stephens told RedRaiderSports.com about the Gophers. "The coaching staff was great."
Lipscomb knew there would be competition next season, with three tailbacks returning who started games last season but wasn't put off.
"It's part of the recruiting process when a coach tells you you're going to play," Lipscomb said. "I know they have guys coming back, but I feel like I can make an impact instantly if I just work hard and compete."
RULED OUT
A new NCAA rule, adopted in January 2008, prohibits head coaches from visiting high schools during the spring evaluation period. Brewster, a master recruiter, stewed about being stuck in his office from April 15 to May 31.
"I just think that the rule serves the guys who don't want to get out and work," Brewster said. "That's unfortunate. Some people are at places where, as head coaches, they don't have to get out and sell their universities as much as I do."
Coaches could no longer visit with recruits' coaches, teachers and counselors during that time, preventing them from "accidentally" bumping into recruits.
"The excuse for not allowing us to go out is the so-called 'bump rule,' " Brewster said. "That's where coaches are bumping into players in a so-called non-contact period. I think that's overplayed. That's a poor excuse to keep us off the road."
Lemming said the spring was a key period for Brewster in landing the 2008 class.
"More than anyone else, it hurt Minnesota," Lemming said of the new rule. "Tim got a huge advantage by going out and visiting schools. He was the face of the program. Tim was everywhere in May. I saw him all over. It's a crazy business because once an aggressive coach gets an edge, the lazy coaches try to cut it out."
COACHING CAROUSEL
Gophers offensive coordinator Mike Dunbar and defensive coordinator Ted Roof both resigned on Jan. 6.
Within days, former Nebraska defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove replaced Roof, although defensive backs coach Ronnie Lee will share the title. It took until Jan. 21 to land former Denver Broncos assistant Jedd Fisch to replace Dunbar.
"(Cosgrove) come in and hit the ground running," Brewster said. "I don't think we missed a beat at all there. (Fisch) has had more of a limited amount of time to help us in recruiting, but he's already got a bunch of kids excited about the opportunity to play in his offense."
RISK/REWARD
A year ago, the Gophers were willing to take a chance on at-risk players academically.
They signed two four-star players, defensive lineman Tim McGee and wide receiver Vince Hill, who in the end were not admitted to Minnesota. A third, quarterback MarQueis Gray, sat out the year because of issues with his ACT result but received a qualifying score during the season and has rejoined the program.
This year, the Gophers appear to be taking fewer chances. Four-star cornerback Taikwon Paige of Georgia Military Academy had committed to Minnesota but was dropped because of academic issues.
"We got some kids that obviously had some academic work to do from the signing day on last year," Brewster said.
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Athlete Byron Moore — who committed to USC, then changed his mind — has run a double-reverse and is coming to USC after all, he said on ESPNU.
Moore had three hats on a table at Narbonne High — USC, Notre Dame and Colorado. He let his youth coach remove two of the hats, tossing Colorado aside first, then ND, leaving the ‘SC hat.
Asked by ESPNU why he had a change of heart, , the 6-1, 187-pound Moore said:
“Just my relationship with the coaches — Coach (Pete) Carroll, Coach (Ken) Norton, Coach (Rocky) Seto. They’re great guys. Every time I talked to them they always laid out a plan for me, how they were going to use me for the next four years. I just felt the most comfortable with them. I just want to stay home and play in front of my family and friends.”
Moore indicated that the USC coaching staff never gave up on him, despite his decommitment, and clearly that wasn’t the case. It was also clear, to the very end, that Moore had a very difficult time making this decision.
For more quotes from Moore, check out this story on Scout.com.
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Prized national linebacker recruit Jelani Jenkins spurns the advances of Florida, Notre Dame, and USC and instead chooses to honor an old man’s dying wish and head to Penn State. Penn State coaches will alert JoePa once he wakes up from his nap.
According to a source with Bamaonline.com senior writer Chase Goodbread, an MRI of Terrence Cody's right knee revealed a sprained MCL that will not require surgery. The source cited that Cody could miss 3-4 weeks of the season, which will likely keep Mt. Cody out of the lineup in two key SEC road games against Tennessee and LSU.
From al.com - Hopefully we'll know more from Saban this afternoon, but if Cody is out 3 to 4 weeks and misses the LSU game, our defense is in trouble. Ole Miss was able to get those interior runs that no one else has been able to do in the second half when he was out, and Chapman, as good of a NG as he is on passing downs, just isn't going to get it done against the run as well as Cody has. Here's hoping he heals quickly and go at LSU.
We all know the signature sound, the trademark guitars, the incomparable songwriting, and the innovation. But fans of Eddie Van Halen will soon get a rare, up-close-and-personal peek behind the magic of the legendary guitarist. Throughout early February, Eddie Van Halen will be appearing in several media outlets chatting about the new EVH “Wolfgang” guitar, his most recent line of EVH products, and giving fans an unparalleled look into his world. The brand new EVH “Wolfgang” guitar, debuted January 15 at the 2009 NAMM show in Anaheim, CA to a truly amazing reception and created one of the biggest buzzes at the show attended by musical instrument retailers from around the world.
Eddie has destroyed old ways of thinking about guitars and brought the same genius, innovation and creativity from his playing directly into the design and manufacturing process, giving new meaning to the term ‘high-performance.' Since its introduction just two weeks ago, the all new EVH Wolfgang guitar is blowing people away, with the massive demand far exceeding all original estimates.
The guitar, which Eddie road tested nightly on the critically acclaimed, highly successful Van Halen 2007-2008 North American tour, boasts loads of features. Among them are stainless steel frets, double-potted custom-wound pickups, five-piece binding on the matching body and headstock, custom-made signature tuning machines and Floyd Rose bridge, and new low-friction pots. Also coming soon is the brand new, D2H (Drop To Hell) Tailpiece.
Stay tuned to www.evhgear.com for an exclusive video of Eddie himself explaining, demonstrating and telling the story behind this very unique, innovative patented tailpiece. For information about all EVH Brand Gear and accessories visit www.evhgear.com.
Readers will learn more about Eddie’s products and get that rare perspective of his life when he appears on CNN and CNN.com January 30-February 2, February 2 on AOL.com, in the February 6 issue of “Rolling Stone” and in the February 10 issue of “Variety.” The “Rolling Stone” interview includes a candid conversation between Eddie and reporter Brian Hiatt, and exclusive photography fresh off of the press
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Holy Name Cathedral, formally the Cathedral of the Holy Name, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago. This morning a three-alarm burned for 2 1/2 hours before firefighters could bring it under control.
Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago replaced the Cathedral of Saint Mary and the Church of the Holy Name, both destroyed by the Great Chicago Fire in October 1871. The cathedral was dedicated on November 21, 1875.
Chicago Archdiocese Chancellor Jimmy Lago called the Holy Name Cathedral fire a tragedy, saying:
"It's a tragedy just to see it. My heart goes out to the parishioners and those who worship here."
The church had only recently reopened in August, after undergoing six months of major structural repairs. The fire started in an attic area in which additional repairs were being made. Church pastor Rev. Dan Mayall said, "We're back to Square One right (in terms of work) now."
The church building is 233 feet long, 126 feet wide and can seat 1,500 people. The ceiling is 150 feet high and has a spire that reaches 210 feet into the sky.
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Indian ministers really needs to take some lessons on technology terminologies. The $10 laptop which was being touted all these days turns out to be a storage device. Yes, a freakin’ storage device. The laptop device unveiled yesterday is 10-inches long and 5-inches wide with the total cost pegged at around $30 but is optimistic to bring the cost down with mass production.
“The so-called laptop actually turned out to be a storage device containing megabytes of data info which can be accessed by a user by connecting this device to a laptop. It meant that unlike the internet, this device can display that information that has already been stored.”
Eco Factor: IBM is trying to increase processing power without increasing electric power.
IBM has announced plans to build the next-gen Blue Gene-class supercomputer, one which would scale up to 20 petaflops. Sequoia, as the new supercomputer is called, will be 15 times faster than the BlueGene/P supercomputer but will have the same footprint, and the increase in electric power would also be minimized.
IBM hopes to install this new system by the year 2012, and it will be primarily used for high-end applications. The system will be based on 45nm processors with 16 cores on a single chip. In total the system will have 1.6 million cores in its 96 racks, which will be fed by 1.6 petabytes of memory.
The Dark Side:
Systems as powerful as the BlueGene/P or the upcoming Sequoia produce massive amounts of heat. Cooling at this scale requires powerful energy-guzzling systems, which could ruin IBM’s plan for a green supercomputer.
Via: EETimes/GizmoWatch
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rom the hard-facts-of-life department: that's where the markets are going to be, sweetheart.
and on the bright side, the wages in india are appropriate for the cost of living in india, although they sound pitiful when converted to US$. it would be helpful to remember that the PPP multiplier is somewhere around 4 (or was until galloping inflation hit india, so it is probably 3). that is, multiply whatever you get in dollars by 4 (or 3) to get the actual value in goods and services, of your income in india. (eg. a haircut costs Rs. 100 in india, ie $2, whereas it would cost at least $10 in the US).
from "good morning silicon valley"
Think of this layoff as your gateway to an exotic cross-cultural adventure: IBM may be quietly laying off thousands of workers (see "Careers abbreviated at AOL, SAP, IBM"), but it still has opportunities available. Displaced employees at its North American facilities, for instance, are being given an opportunity to gain firsthand insight into the world of cheap offshore labor.
According to an internal document obtained by InformationWeek, Big Blue has a program called Project Match that helps U.S. and Canadian workers whose jobs have been cut relocate to places where the company still has openings — specifically, developing markets like India, China and Brazil. "Should you accept a position in one of these countries," the notice explains, "IBM offers financial assistance to offset moving costs, provides immigration support, such as visa assistance, and other support to help ease the transition of an international move." The tradeoff? You have to be "willing to work on local terms and conditions," living on the low wages that helped undercut the domestic job you just lost.
The employee advocacy group Alliance@IBM sees the program as a slap in the face to go with the push out the door, saying, "IBM is not only offshoring IBM U.S. jobs but they want employees to offshore themselves through Project Match." The company, naturally, puts it in more positive terms. "It's more of a vehicle for people who want to expand their life experience by working somewhere else," said a spokesman. "A lot of people want to work in India."
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TOKYO, Japan (CNN) — Panasonic Corp., hard hit by the global recession, will cut 15,000 jobs by March 2010, the company announced Wednesday.
Half of the job losses will come from plants in Japan, with the rest from international workforce reductions. No breakdown of overseas job cuts was provided.
Panasonic also announced third-quarter financial results. The electronics company posted a net loss of 63.1 billion yen ($710 million). The company says it expects a loss of 380 billion yen ($4.25 billion) for the fiscal year, ending March 31.
Panasonic joins fellow electronics giant Sony in forecasting an operating loss. Last month, Sony warned it will close out the fiscal year with an operating loss of 260 billion yen ($2.9 billion), its first in 14 years
Source : CNN.COM
Toshiba is going up against Apple's iPhone and the G1 with the first unveiling of its wafer thin TG01 smartphone which is the first to use Qualcomm's super-fast Snapdragon chipset.
The handset measures in at just 9.9mm, making the 12.3mm iPhone 3G look like its eaten all the pies. It also sports a stunning 4.1in touchscreen display with an 800 x 480 pixel resolution. It supports HSDPA data, GPS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and runs Windows Mobile - which will make a certain number of potential customers groan in disappointment.
There's a 3-D Toshiba user interface though to hide clunky Windows behind and most features are accessible by finger-swiping or tapping icons.
With the 1Ghz Snapdragon chipset Toshiba claims the the TG01 is significantly faster than rival offerings. It also runs Internet Explorer 6 which supports Adobe Flash for better Web browsing. It was announced just this week that Apple and Adobe are working on a badly-needed Flash version for the iPhone.
Memory on the device can be boosted to 32GB via the microSD Card slot. It's going to launch this summer in Europe first and we'll have full details in a week or so when this baby gets a full airing at the Mobile World Congress Show in Barcelona.-Martin Lynch
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Windows 7 made lot of buzz when beta edition was released to public. Microsoft has not confirmed on actual release date on Windows 7 operating system but they for sure has confirmed on versions / edition of this upcoming Microsoft operating system. There will be 6 variants or SKUs each targeted for different set of users. This includes:
1. Windows 7 Starter Edition - This will be most basic edition of Windows7 operating system with NO Aero glass and desktop enhancements. Supports basic features like: ability to join a Home Group with improved taskbar and JumpLists.
2. Windows 7 Home Basic Edition - This is for emerging markets with NO Aero glass and desktop enhancements. Features include: Live thumbnail previews & enhanced visual experience with advanced networking support and mobility center.
3. Windows 7 Home Premium - This version is targeted for majority of consumers and small business users. It comes fully laden with Aero glass & advanced windows navigation. Other features include: easy networking & sharing across all your PCs & devices, improved media format support and handwriting recognition.
4. Windows 7 Professional Edition - Ideal for retail and business users, it has features add-on over Home premium edition. Basic features include: ability to join a managed network with domain join, protect data with advanced network backup, encrypting File System and location aware printing from home or work.
5. Windows 7 Enterprise Edition - Ideal for mid and large sized businesses who buy Windows licenses in bulk. Features include: bitLocker data protection on internal and external drives, prevent unauthorized software from running with appLocker and directaccess for seamless connectivity to your corporate network.
6. Windows 7 Ultimate Edition - This Window 7 edition will come fully loaded will all Windows7 features. Best of Windows 7 Enterprise and Home Premium edition for users wanting to relish all that Windows 7 has to offer.
With editions information out and now all eyes on pricing of Windows7. In current times of recession, price need to be competitive enough for everyone to lay hands on Windows7 - stay tuned for that. As for above edition, Microsoft will most likely focus on Home Premium and Professional editions of Windows 7.
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Forget problematic forms, late deadlines, and how upset Aston Villa fans may be. Andrei Arshavin has finally joined Arsenal after a long and tedious transfer negotiations, and having arrived at the Emirates the Russian playmaker has spoken to Arsenal TV about joining the Gunners.
Noticeably, Arshavin’s English skills are hugely impressive, particularly when compared to the non-existent English of his fellow countryman in the Premier League, Roman Pavlyuchenko. This should make acclimatising in North London much easier for Arshavin and he is able to overcome the communication barrier.
Arshavin said that he “believes in his teammates” at Arsenal that they can win a trophy this season, and that he should be fit within a week. Arshavin also called Arsene Wenger “my man during this deal” while commenting that the weather in London over the last few days has been exactly the same as in St. Petersburg.
Andrei Arshhavin’s debut interview can be seen here.
2 Responses to “Andrei Arshavin: His first interview with Arsenal TV”
stav Says:
February 4th, 2009 at 9:31 am
I have agood feeling for this, really good interview in English, he must be an intelligent bloke on and off the pitch, typical Wenger signing in that respect. cany wait for him to settle in with Eduardo,fab and RVP.
Goonermanic Says:
February 4th, 2009 at 11:07 am
I, like most other Gooners, am extrememly excited with the prospect of Arshavin; My only concern is our strikers playing alongside AA, will need to raise their game, especially Ade; cos AA is gonna create more goals scoring opportunies for others, and we continue with our poor finishing then … what was the use!
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Audio has surfaced on the web of Christian Bale going absolutely ballistic on the set of Terminator Salvation last summer.
It appears from the audio, first posted on TMZ on Monday, that Bale (who plays John Connor in the film) got angry after cinematographer Shane Hurlbut walked within his frame of view during filming for a second time.
During the heated exchange, which reportedly was recorded in July 2008, days before Bale began promoting The Dark Knight in London (where he was arrested on allegation of assault), the actor can clearly be heard ranting angrily toward Hurlbut.
TMZ report:
It happened on the set after a director of photography accidentally ruined a scene by walking onto the set.
Bale lost it, screaming, yelling and threatening to quit if the bosses didn’t fire the dude.
Film execs sent the tape to the insurance company that insured the film in case Bale bailed.
According to a source close to the film who spoke to Access Hollywood, despite the incident, Terminator Salvation wrapped up and no one was fired.
The actor and Hurlbut have also reportedly made up.
The film’s assistant director Bruce Franklin - who can be heard in the tape - told E-Online:
‘If you are working in a very intense scene and someone takes you out of your groove…
It was the most emotional scene in the movie. And for him to get stopped in the middle of it - he is very intensely involved in his character.
‘He didn’t walk around like that all day long. It was just a moment and it passed.
‘This was my second movie with Christian, and it has always been a good experience with him. He is so dedicated to the craft.
‘I think someone is begging to make some noise [controversy] about this, but I don’t think it’s fair. The art of acting is not paint by numbers, it’s an art form.’
However, once something like this gets out people can have all kinds of fun with it.
This dance remix by Revolucian is very impressive:
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The BBC has dropped Carol Thatcher from The One Show she reportedly referred to a tennis player as a ‘golliwog’ in the show green room.
Reports suggest that Carol made the remark in front of show host Adrian Chiles and guest Jo Brand. Someone went on to report the incident to the executive producer and Carol is said to have written a letter of apology to the BBC. However, an announcement was made last night stating that her contract on the show has not been renewed.
A BBC spokesperson said: “We will no longer be working with Carol Thatcher on The One Show.”
Earlier today, Thatcher’s spokesperson said that the leak of a green room conversation represented “a massive breach of trust”, and added: “Carol has given the BBC an apology and as far as we are concerned we have had no apology back over this breach of confidentiality.”
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Google Latitude is now live, a new service from Google that allows you to send your location to Google Maps and share it with friends via many mobile phones (not the iPhone yet, but that’s coming). Greg Sterling will have our own review of the service posted later today.
For now, you can explore it directly yourself now (or here via your moble phone). You can also use the service from your computer, though the instructions from Google on how to locate the iGoogle Latitude gadget don’t currently seem to bring it up. Instead, use this link, login, and then you’ll be prompted to install the gadget. I found so far that it wasn’t able to automatically detect my location using my computer, as promised — but you can set it manually.
The Wall Street Journal has a long review here (or see the same review here on AllThingsD). There’s also discussion on Techmeme here.
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The MB of Perak has been granted an audience by the Sultan of Perak at 5pm. Mohd Nizar is likely to request that the state assembly be dissolved and fresh elections be held but with three PKR and one DAP assemblymen now joining BN, the game is as good as over. Perak BN leaders would probably seek an audience with the Sultan and asked that they be given the right to take over the state government.
Killifer's issue was actually pretty minor. I don't really think she should have to back out. But all the other nominees with problems were dealing with significant amounts of money and pretty clear culpability.
Tom Daschle is out as Secretary of Health and Human Services, because he didn't pay his taxes.
Tim Geithner didn't pay his taxes, and he even bilked his employer, but he is Secretary of the Treasury anyway.
There is something especially hypocritical about liberal Democrats not paying their taxes. They are constantly criticizing Republicans for giving "tax breaks to the rich," while they themselves are (a) rich, and (b) creating nonexistent tax breaks for themselves. They even lecture us about how patriotic it is to pay taxes (VP Joe Biden, during the campaign). When they cheat on their taxes, as somebody said, it is like an evangelical preacher getting caught with a prostitute.
Bill Richardson was to be Commerce Secretary, but unfortunately he happens to be under investigation by a grand jury in connection with issuing state contracts to political donors. Maybe he and Rod Blagojevich can cut some government waste by sharing a cell.
Several questions come to mind. What was that stuff about "reform" and "change" again? And what kind of half-baked vetting are these nominees getting by the Obamelot brain trust--all these smartest people in the world who have graced us with their presence? How hard is it to ask "Did you pay your taxes?" I hope they do a little more homework before Obama sits down to parlay with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
And finally...tell me again why we little people have to pay our taxes?
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After a week of snow days, Fayette County and Madison County school officials say they're ready to get children back into school on Monday.
But other Central Kentucky school districts will remain closed.
Woodford County schools canceled classes for the sixth straight day because the high school lost power Sunday, and some roads still have dangling branches hanging over them or debris blocking at least a lane, said Superintendent D. Scott Hawkins.
"We just didn't feel it was going to be safe to put our buses out there," he said. "We've been in contact with the county judge and emergency management and they feel like it's going to be cleared up tomorrow. We're still hopeful about having school Tuesday."
Scott and Clark counties also canceled school on Monday. Franklin County was operating on a one-hour delay; Jessamine County on a two-hour delay.
Conditions have improved considerably in Fayette County, though.
"The roads look good, we have power in all our schools, the heat is working everywhere, and the sidewalks and parking lots are clear," Lisa Deffendall, a spokeswoman for the school district, said on Sunday.
Deffendall said school will be in session Monday, barring any changes overnight in the weather.
Earlier in the week, some forecasts had predicted another round of possibly heavy snow on Monday. But more recent forecasts have toned that down.
Schools were closed all last week in Fayette and many other Kentucky counties because of the ice storm that swept through the state and cut off power to thousands.
Fayette County Superintendent Stu Silberman said Friday he hadn't decided yet whether to ask the state Department of Education to waive the need for make-up days for the time lost.
With Woodford County schools closed Monday, that marks the eighth day students have missed there this year. Schools now will be open on primary election day; beyond that, no other decisions have been made, Hawkins said.
"Including (Monday) we would be going until the end of the first week of June. We're not sure what options are out there," he said.
Madison County Superintendent Thomas G. Floyd said power was back to all schools as of Sunday evening and, unless a problem develops overnight, classes are back on.
With schools closed all of last week, the calendar has been bumped back, with graduation now scheduled for June 2 assuming no more closings, Floyd said.
Bus workers in Madison County checked routes Sunday and will be making some pickup schedule changes, which will be posted on the Web at www.madison.kyschools.us.
Judd Gregg to Commerce, with Democratic governor John Lynch nominating Bonnie Newman:
By yesterday, speculation centered on Bonnie Newman, a North Hampton Republican who has high-profile ties to Gregg and Lynch. The former University of New Hampshire and Harvard dean worked for Gregg when he was a congressman before going on to work for Presidents Reagan and Bush. In 2004, Newman crossed party lines to become an early Republican backer of Lynch.
Newman, 63, did not return calls for comment to her home and office yesterday, but Republicans across the spectrum cheered the idea yesterday.
"I am a fan. She has impeccable Republican credentials," said former Republican Party chairman Fergus Cullen, citing her ties to Gregg, Reagan and Bush. "She's thoughtful. She's pragmatic. She's not an ideologue."
Peterson called Newman a "centrist Republican of the old school, with an appreciation for some of the issues that they are more tolerant on."
No one, however, claimed to know exactly where Newman stands on political issues such as abortion and taxes.
I'm not upset that Lynch nominated a Republican -- Gregg wouldn't have departed without a pledge to do so. While it might've been nice to raise the profile of some bright young Democrat by putting him/her in the cabinet, Commerce is sort of a backwater. And it's good to get Gregg out of the way. As Nick said: "In the 110th Congress, Gregg was the 15th most conservative Senator, which is impressive except that he 10th in the 108th, 9th in the 107th, and 2nd (!) in the 109th."
Now, at this point in the day and year, we have only fuzzy probabilities to work from regarding Bonnie Newman. But compared to Gregg, I'm willing to accept the whole set of coin flips she represents, in terms of her political views, willingness to run again, and electability if she does.
Digression: In the Politico article on Gregg, Trent Lott eats his foot again, though fortunately in a non-racist way. Says Lott, "There’s that old joke when a House member goes to the Senate, the intellect of both bodies goes up. Well when Judd Gregg leaves, the Senate’s intellect will go down." Read that first sentence again -- the only way it makes sense is if average intelligence in the House is greater than in the Senate. You lose one of your dumber House guys and send him to the Senate, where he's smarter than most people there. I don't think the former Senate Republican Leader wanted to say that.
< a href="http://www.donkeylicious.com/2009/02/judd-gregg-out-bonnie-newman-in.html">Source..
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