News News, News Pictures
“The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration on Sunday issued new work rules aimed at preventing air traffic controllers from falling asleep on the job during overnight hours.
Six separate incidents have alarmed regulators and safety advocates in recent weeks, including a lone controller at Washington’s Reagan National Airport who fell asleep on March 23 with two jetliners en route.”
“With just one day left for Americans to file their tax returns, the super wealthy can look forward to paying significantly less than they would have two decades ago: Since 1992, the average federal income tax actually paid by the wealthiest 400 households in the country has fallen from 26 percent to 17 percent.”
“In an attempt to encourage more research into the health and well-being of gay people, a California demographer has estimated that more than 9 million Americans are gay, lesbian or bisexual, a number equivalent to the population of New Jersey.
Gary Gates, who studies the demographics of the gay community for the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law, said in a report released Thursday that about 3.5 percent of Americans identify themselves in surveys as being gay, lesbian or bisexual.”
Nearly 2 million Summer Infant Baby Monitors are being recalled after two infants were strangled to death. The electrical cords connected to the monitors have been declared a hazard for babies by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Mark Kelly, the husband of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, is set to announce his plans to fly in the last NASA space shuttle mission according to reports. Kelly has been at Giffords’ side since she was shot in the head at an Arizona shopping center on January 8th.
Westlake, Texas is the most affluent neighborhood in America.
The Town of Westlake, Texas, might be best-known for being the home of the Jonas Brothers. But this Dallas suburb, where Buffalo roam the ranch land, is crawling with the rich and famous. Texas Rangers slugger Josh Hamilton has a house there, as does his boss, Rangers owner Chuck Greenberg. Vernon Wells, the Toronto Blue Jays center fielder, is building a massive home in Westlake; New York Yankee Mark Teixeira already owns a house there that he’s been trying to sell.
Ed Mauser picture
Ed Mauser of Omaha, the oldest surviving member of the 101st Airborne Division’s famed Band of Brothers unit in Europe during World War II, died at his home Friday. He was 94.
Mauser, who parachuted into France on D-Day and fought across Europe, was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer in late December.
Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest
Sargent Shriver picture
Sargent Shriver, founder of the Peace Corps, has died at the age of 95. In 1961 President John F. Kennedy called on Shriver to start the organization, and it was up and running in 6 months. Shriver later married Eunice Kennedy, President Kennedy’s sister. He had 5 children, including broadcaster and former California First Lady Maria Shriver.
Ted Williams, the man with the radio voice who was homeless a week ago, has been reunited with his mother. Watch the Ted Williams reunion below:
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
NAVY PRESS RELEASE:
Adm. John C. Harvey Jr., Commander, United States Fleet Forces Command (USFFC), has permanently relieved Capt. Owen Honors of his duties as commanding officer of USS Enterprise (CVN 65) for demonstrating poor judgment while serving as executive officer of that ship.
“The responsibility of the commanding officer for his or her command is absolute. While Capt. Honors’ performance as commanding officer of USS Enterprise has been without incident, his profound lack of good judgment and professionalism while previously serving as executive officer on Enterprise calls into question his character and completely undermines his credibility to continue to serve effectively in command,” said Harvey.
“The foundation of our success in the Navy lies in our ability to gain and hold the trust of our Sailors,
including through personal example. This responsibility is so important that it is written into Navy Regulations. When confidence and trust are lost in those who lead, we fail. After personally reviewing
the videos created while serving as executive officer, I have lost confidence in Capt. Honors’ ability to lead effectively, and he is being held accountable for poor judgment and the inappropriate actions demonstrated in the videos that were created while he served as executive officer on Enterprise,” said Harvey.
“It is fact that as naval officers we are held to a higher standard. Those in command must exemplify the Navy’s core values of honor, courage and commitment, which we expect our Sailors to follow. Our leaders must be above reproach and our Sailors deserve nothing less,” said Harvey.
Capt. Dee Mewbourne will be permanently assigned as the commanding officer of Enterprise. Mewbourne most recently commanded USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) and while in command he completed two successful combat deployments supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Mewbourne is currently serving as the chief of staff for Navy Cyber Forces and will assume command of Enterprise Jan. 4.
“We will support and work with Capt. Mewbourne and the crew of Enterprise to keep them forward focused on their upcoming combat deployment. This is a difficult situation but the men and women of Enterprise are outstanding Sailors who have completed a very challenging and comprehensive predeployment work-up period in a thoroughly professional manner. They are well-trained, and I have full confidence in their readiness to execute all missions during their deployment,” said Harvey.
The relief of Honors occurs as the investigation continues into the inappropriate videos that Honors
made while serving as Enterprise’s executive officer from 2006-2007. The investigation will continue to
look at all aspects of the production of the videos, to include the actions of other senior officers who knew
of the videos and the actions they took in response. Honors has been reassigned to administrative duties at Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic.
NBC and ABC News are reporting Monday night that Navy Capt. Owen Honors will be temporarily relieved of command of the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise.
Videos just coming to light show the crew of the Navy aircraft carrier got an eyeful on shipboard TV: Gay slurs, suggestive shower scenes and mimicked masturbation in clips made not by some sailor run amok but by the ship’s second-most powerful officer.
Segregation among blacks and whites fell in roughly three-quarters of the nation’s 100 largest metropolitan areas as the two racial groups spread more evenly between inner cities and suburbs, according to recent census data.
The findings are expected to be reinforced with fresh census data being released Tuesday on race, migration and economics. The new information is among the Census Bureau’s most detailed releases yet for neighborhoods.
President Obama picture
President Barack Obama declared Friday that his “number one priority” is preserving tax cuts for the middle class, and sharply denied that comments by his senior adviser David Axelrod suggest that his administration is about to cave in to Republicans who also want to extend the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy.
Three people are dead and one critically injured after a small plane crash at Palm Beach International Airport, according to Palm Beach County Fire Rescue.
Marine Corps Memorial picture
Today, the marines celebrate their 235th anniversary, born before the country was in 1775.
“The Marines I have seen around the world have the cleanest bodies, the filthiest minds, the highest morale, and the lowest morals of any group of animals I have ever seen. Thank God for the United States Marine Corps!” Eleanor Roosevelt once said.
Release Date: November 8, 2010
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010
“Following the thwarted terrorist plot last week to conceal and ship explosive devices on board aircraft bound for the U.S., the Administration took a number of immediate steps to increase security by tightening existing measures related to cargo bound for the United States.
Some of the steps that have been taken by the Department of Homeland Security included adapting inbound cargo targeting rules to reflect the latest intelligence and ordering a ground halt on all cargo coming from Yemen. In addition, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Administrator John S. Pistole and a team of TSA inspectors visited Yemen to meet with government security officials and to assist in enhancing Yemen’s security procedures, which are necessary to eventually lift the ground halt on cargo.
Late last week, TSA directed industry carriers to begin implementing additional precautionary security measures for international flights inbound to the United States. These measures take effect today. Specifically, the ban on air cargo from Yemen will continue and has been extended to all air cargo from Somalia as well. In addition, no high risk cargo will be allowed on passenger aircraft. Toner and ink cartridges over 16 ounces will be prohibited on passenger aircraft in both carry-on bags and checked bags on domestic and international flights in-bound to the United States. This ban will also apply to certain inbound international air cargo shipments as well. Further, all cargo identified as high risk will go through additional and enhanced screening. These measures also impact inbound international mail packages, which must be screened individually and certified to have come from an established postal shipper.
The Administration is also working closely with industry and our international partners to expedite the receipt of cargo manifests for international flights to the United States prior to departure in order to identify and screen items based on risk and current intelligence. We are also working with our international and private sector partners on the expansion of layered detections system including technology and other measures.
As always, the safety and security of the American public is our highest priority. The threats of terrorism we face are serious and evolving, and these security measures reflect our commitment to using current intelligence to stay ahead of adversaries—working closely with our international, federal, state, local and private sector partners every step of the way. We encourage our partners, as well as our citizens, to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to local law enforcement authorities.”
###
The United States has banned toner cartridges over 16 ounces from domestic and international flights. All cargo is also banned coming from Yemen and Somalia.
“Until his retirement in May, John D. Bennett, 58, was the agency’s most senior station chief and one of its premier experts on Africa, where he witnessed the emergence of Al Qaeda in the 1990s.” [Link]
Twitter users are reporting that a minor earthquake just hit in Hawaii. Early reports indicate that the earthquake was felt in Honolulu.
“A minor earthquake shook residents awake in the DC area early Friday, rattling windows but apparently causing no serious damage. And while Californians might scoff at the 3.6 magnitude quake, Susan Potter, a geophysicist at the U.S. Geological Survey, said it was the strongest to hit within 30 miles of DC since they began keeping records.” [Link]
Prosecutors report that all 10 Russians accused of spying will plead guilty, including Anna Chapman.
“The Pentagon on Wednesday began sending out to troops a survey of more than 100 questions seeking their views on the impact of repealing the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ restrictions prohibiting gays and lesbians from openly serving in the U.S. military.” [Link]
“NATO mistakenly killed five of its Afghan army allies in an airstrike Wednesday while the Afghans were attacking insurgents in the country’s east, officials said. An Afghan defense official condemned the latest ‘friendly fire’ deaths, which came at a time when international troops are trying to improve coordination with Afghan security forces in hopes of handing over more security to them.” [Link]
Postal Worker picture
“The post office wants to increase the price of a stamp by 2 cents to 46 cents starting in January. The agency has been battered by massive losses and declining mail volume and faces a financial crisis. ” [Link]
“The first five days of July have averaged 6 degrees hotter than the same period last year. ‘We are significantly higher than average right now,’ said Lauren Nash, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. ‘Who knows what can happen over the next few weeks?’” [Link]
“Nonfarm payrolls dropped 125,000, the largest decline since October, as temporary census jobs fell 225,000, the Labor Department said on Friday. However the unemployment rate fell to 9.5 percent, the lowest level since July, as people left the labor force.” [Link]
“Surfing porn in a public library could put you on a list of shame in one Massachusetts community. The Quincy City Council wants the mayor to make a public list of people who have been caught checking out porn on library computers.” [Link]
“Six months ago, Food and Drug Administration inspectors say, they found live roaches and dead roach carcasses ‘too numerous to count’ inside the Denver facility of the world’s largest airline caterer, LSG Sky Chefs. They also reported finding ants, flies and debris, and employees handling food with bare hands. Samples from a kitchen floor tested positive for Listeria, a bacteria that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems. It’s also dangerous to pregnant women.” [Link]
“Six months ago, Food and Drug Administration inspectors say, they found live roaches and dead roach carcasses ‘too numerous to count’ inside the Denver facility of the world’s largest airline caterer, LSG Sky Chefs. They also reported finding ants, flies and debris, and employees handling food with bare hands. Samples from a kitchen floor tested positive for Listeria, a bacteria that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems. It’s also dangerous to pregnant women.” [Link]
“Four people died at a campground outside Detroit, Michigan, Sunday after severe weather moved through the area, according to the St. Clair County sheriff’s department. Video of the Fort Trodd Campground in Clyde Township — about 60 miles northeast of Detroit — showed at least two recreational vehicles that were thrown into a pond by high winds. Several others were overturned amid a path of debris.” [Link]
“Police made more than 400 arrests after black-clad demonstrators broke off from a crowd of peaceful protesters at the global economic summit and went on a rampage in downtown Toronto that lasted into the early morning hours, authorities said Sunday.” [Link]
“A 6-month-old girl was killed and her mother seriously injured Saturday when the pair were struck by a falling tree branch in New York City’s Central Park Zoo. The girl’s father was taking their picture near the sea lion exhibit when a branch above them suddenly snapped.” [Link]
“Tropical Storm Alex headed toward the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday, but not before drenching Belize, northern Guatemala and Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula with torrential rains and forcing hundreds of tourists to flee resort islands. Meteorologists project Alex, which hit Belize’s coast late Saturday, will weaken as it passes over the Yucatan Peninsula but will regain strength once it emerges Sunday afternoon over the Gulf of Mexico, where warm waters could fuel its growth into a hurricane.” [Link]
“Captain Mike Ellis said in an interview posted on You Tube that the boats are conducting controlled burns to get rid of the oil. ‘They drag a boom between two shrimp boats and whatever gets caught between the two boats, they circle it up and catch it on fire. Once the turtles are in there, they can’t get out,’ Ellis said.” [Link]
“A teacher promoting sex toys on a Uvalde Elementary school campus won’t be coming back next year. Director of Community Council of Southwest Texas, Richard Juarez who oversees Gabriel Tafolla Academy charter school, told me they did not renew the teacher’s contract. But fellow teachers are fired up tonight about the principal whom they claim knew about it, participated, yet was recently promoted to superintendent.” [Link]
“Speaking to reporters following a cabinet meeting, the president said McChrystal showed ‘poor judgment’ in connection with the Rolling Stone article in which the general expresses concerns about President Obama, appears to mock Vice President Joe Biden and is described by an aide as seeing Richard C. Holbrooke, Obama’s senior envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, as a ‘wounded animal.’” [Link]
“The top U.S. general in Afghanistan was summoned to Washington for a White House meeting after apologizing Tuesday for flippant and dismissive remarks about top Obama administration officials involved in Afghanistan policy. The remarks in an article in this week’s in Rolling Stone magazine are certain to increase tension between the White House and Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal.” Link
“U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman heard two hours of arguments Monday and said he will decide by Wednesday whether to overturn the ban imposed by President Barack Obama’s administration after the Deepwater Horizon rig explosion.” [Link]
“Officials have lifted a lockdown at a navy base in Lakehurst, N.J.
Senior Airman David Carbajal, a spokesman, said there were several ‘incidents’ Monday but he was not able to provide more information.” [Link]
Magic Power Coffee picture
“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cautioned buyers on Saturday that Magic Power Coffee – an instant coffee product, sold as a functional beverage which enhances sexual performance, can seriously lower blood pressure. The regulatory authority warned customers to immediately shun using the product. The alert comes just days after FDA announced on June 15 that it would regularly release the findings of safety checks conducted on recently authorized drugs on its official website.” [Link]
“Public school kids soon should think twice before pulling out their cell phones: The city Education Department is set to ban ‘sexting’ – even on students’ own time. Under proposed new rules, kids face suspensions of up to 90 days for texting each other suggestive pictures or notes, even outside school hours.” [Link]
Wildfire picture
“Residents of more than 1,000 homes just north of Flagstaff, Ariz., are being advised to evacuate, as the second wildfire to hit the forested city in two days rages out of control. Coconino County spokeswoman Joanne Keene says law enforcement officers are going door to door in the Timberline Estates, Wupatki Trails and Fernwood neighborhoods, telling people to leave their homes.” [Link]
Navy Submarine picture
“The Navy is cognizant that military service is stressful, especially in long and lonely deployments under the sea. Everybody is aware that smoking is a legal, if harmful, stress reliever. So the Navy banned smoking aboard submarines not with the stated purpose of curing the smokers, but of protecting nonsmoking submarine crew members from the threat of heart and lung disease from secondhand smoke.” [Link]
Grizzly Bear picture
“Erwin Frank Evert, 70, was found dead on Thursday in the Kitty Creek area, about 7 miles east of Yellowstone, a popular U.S. tourist spot, famous for its Old Faithful Geyser. Tests of genetic material found on Evert matched blood taken from the bear, said Chris Servheen, grizzly bear coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.” [Link]
“Tornado touches down in Billings, Montana, demolishing a portion of the city’s expo center” [Link]
President Obama picture, Malia Obama picture, Sasha Obama picture
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
From the first moments of life, the bond forged between a
father and a child is sacred. Whether patching scraped knees
or helping with homework, dads bring joy, instill values, and
introduce wonders into the lives of their children. Father’s
Day is a special time to honor the men who raised us, and to
thank them for their selfless dedication and love.
Fathers are our first teachers and coaches, mentors and
role models. They push us to succeed, encourage us when we
are struggling, and offer unconditional care and support.
Children and adults alike look up to them and learn from their
example and perspective. The journey of fatherhood is both
exhilarating and humbling — it is an opportunity to model
who we want our sons and daughters to become, and to build
the foundation upon which they can achieve their dreams.
Fatherhood also carries enormous responsibilities.
An active, committed father makes a lasting difference in the
life of a child. When fathers are not present, their children
and families cope with an absence government cannot fill.
Across America, foster and adoptive fathers respond to this
need, providing safe and loving homes for children facing
hardships. Men are also making compassionate commitments
outside the home by serving as mentors, tutors, or big brothers
to young people in their community. Together, we can support
the guiding presence of male role models in the lives of
countless young people who stand to gain from it.
Nurturing families come in many forms, and children may
be raised by a father and mother, a single father, two fathers,
a step-father, a grandfather, or caring guardian. We owe a
special debt of gratitude for those parents serving in the
United States Armed Forces and their families, whose sacrifices
protect the lives and liberties of all American children. For
the character they build, the doors they open, and the love
they provide over our lifetimes, all our fathers deserve our
unending appreciation and admiration.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, in accordance with a joint resolution
of the Congress approved April 24, 1972, as amended (36 U.S.C.
109), do hereby proclaim June 20, 2010, as Father’s Day.
I direct the appropriate officials of the Government to display the flag of the United States on all Government
buildings on this day, and I call upon all citizens to observe
this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.
Let us honor our fathers, living and deceased, with all the
love and gratitude they deserve.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
eighteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States
of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.
BARACK OBAMA
“State senators in Louisiana have designated Sunday as a day of prayer aimed at seeking an end to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster. On Wednesday, Louisiana state Sen. Robert Adley won unanimous approval of the resolution, which invites people of all faiths from within the state and around the U.S. to focus on divine intervention to find a solution to the crisis.” [Link]
“BP began slowly burning oil siphoned from a ruptured well in the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday as part of its plans to more than triple the amount of crude it can stop from reaching the sea, the company said. Energy giant BP PLC said it had burned 52,500 gallons of oil by noon Wednesday using a specialized flare system. Oil and gas siphoned from the well first reached a semi-submersible drilling rig on the surface of the Gulf around 1 a.m.” Link
“BP Chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg’s apologized Wednesday for “clumsily” referring to people impacted by the Gulf oil spill as “the small people.” His statement followed a day of vitriolic reaction from folks in person along the Gulf and online who did not cut the Swedish-born executive any slack for trying to speak colloquially in a second language.” Link
“A flight attendant with a pilot’s license ditched her normal duties and stepped in for a sick co-pilot of an American Airlines flight before the plane landed in Chicago, Illinois, airline officials said. The first officer had become sick with ‘flulike’ symptoms yesterday, according to Tim Wagner, a spokesman for American Airlines. ” [Link]
Video of Gen David Petraeus passing out/collapsing at a Senate hearing. He was later found to be okay.
General Petraeus has passed out while testifying to the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Debrahlee Lorenzana picture
“Debrahlee Lorenzana, the 33-year-old who claims in a lawsuit that her bosses at Citibank told her they couldn’t concentrate because of her sex appeal, has hired celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred, according to a celebrity gossip site.” [Link]
“The largest of the quakes — a magnitude 5.7 temblor — was recorded at 9:26 p.m., the U.S. Geological Survey said. It could be felt throughout Los Angeles County. That quake was centered five miles southeast of Ocotillo in San Diego County and 16 miles east-northeast of Jacumba in eastern San Diego County, the survey agency said. The other quakes — ranging from magnitude 1.0 to 4.1 — were concentrated in the same general area, USGS said.” [Link]
“Monday’s decision by a military judge at Camp Pendleton marked another major blow for the government’s prosecution of U.S. troops accused of killing unarmed Iraqis. Sgt. Lawrence Hutchins III has served four years in prison for the killing of a 52-year-old Iraqi man by his squad.” [Link]
” Firefighters helping a 17-year-old girl escape swift floodwaters were forced to cling to treetops and await rescue themselves after 10 inches of rain deluged parts of the Oklahoma City area Monday. The boat carrying the rescuers sank just as it reached the teen along a North Canadian River tributary that had toppled its banks.” [Link]
Ouachita National Forest picture
“As the search went from one of rescue to recovery, 19 people had been confirmed killed in the pre-dawn Friday flood. Searchers recovered one body Sunday in a debris pile, and State Police Capt. Mike Fletcher said that one person remained missing. He didn’t say whose body was found, and said earlier police reports that three people were missing were incorrect. Many people first feared missing are now not believed to have been camping at the Albert Pike Recreation Area, the part of Ouachita National Forest hardest hit by flooding, State Police spokesman Bill Sadler said. Those people are believed to be camping elsewhere in the state, out of cell phone range, he said.” Link
“The 550-gallon (2,080-liter) tank that washed up on Panama City Beach on Saturday morning had markings suggesting it could have come from the rig that exploded and sank on April 20, killing 11 people and unleashing a catastrophic gush of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.” Link
“The St. Petersburg Times, whose reporters have investigated Scientology for years, have an exhaustive report out today about several former church members who say, as teenagers, they were pressured into having abortions because having children would interfere with their work for Scientology’s religious order, the Sea Organization. Since 1996, the Sea Org has had an official ‘no kids allowed’ policy.” Link
Wayne Dyer picture
“In a copyright infringement lawsuit filed today in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, author Stephen Mitchell says Dyer ‘copied verbatim a significant portion’ of his interpretation of the ancient Taoist scripture Tao Te Ching in two separate books.” [Link]
Excuses Begone!: How to Change Lifelong, Self-Defeating Thinking Habits by Wayne Dyer
David Cameron picture
“David Cameron to make first visit to the U.S. as British prime minister on July 20″ [Link]
“In its May Troubled Asset Relief Program report to Congress, the U.S. Treasury Department said that TARP repayments to taxpayers have surpassed the total amount of TARP funds outstanding for the first time. ‘Treasury’s report showed that, through the end of the May, TARP repayments had reached a total of $194 billion, which exceeded the total amount of TARP funds outstanding ($190 billion) by $4 billion.’” [Link]
“Rescuers in the US state of Arkansas are searching for dozens of people missing after floods swept through campsites in a national park. At least 16 people were killed in the floods on Friday and more than 20 others taken to hospital.” [Link]
“Energy giant BP announced this week it will donate its share of the proceeds generated by selling the oil captured from the well to fund efforts to protect and restore wildlife habitat along the Gulf Coast.” [Link]
Abby Sunderland picture
“Teenage round-the-world sailor Abby Sunderland has been rescued from her stricken yacht Wild Eyes after she went missing in rough seas. The 16-year-old American was picked up in the remote southern Indian Ocean after a boat was launched from French fishing vessel Ile de la Reunion.” [Link]
Debrahlee Lorenzana video from Today
James Clapper picture
“Obama was expected to announce the nomination of Clapper, a retired Air Force three-star general, as national intelligence director in a Rose Garden ceremony Saturday. Two senior administration officials, who spoke only on condition of anonymity ahead of the announcement, confirmed Clapper was Obama’s choice.” [Link]
Anamika Veeramani picture
“The 83rd Scripps National Spelling Bee competition finally saw a winner on Friday in 14-year-old Indian-American Anamika Veeramani. The teen from North Royalton, Ohio, is the third consecutive Indian-American Scripps National Spelling Bee champion. Anamika won the coveted prize by correctly spelling the medical word ‘stromuhr.’ Anamika takes home the winner’s trophy as well as over $40,00 in cash and other awards. The word ‘stromuhr’ refers to a device that measures blood flow and speed. ” [Link]
“Today’s teenagers are increasingly likely to use the rhythm method to prevent pregnancy and to have relaxed attitudes about unwed motherhood, according to a new government sex survey. The results, released Wednesday by the National Center for Health Statistics, found that 17% of 15- to 19-year-olds used periodic abstinence, or the calendar rhythm method, as a form of contraception in the period from 2006 to 2008. In 2002, 11% of teens used that method.” [Link]
Sorority Girls picture
“The Beta Delta Chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha was placed on probation for two years Tuesday for an April 23 outing in which they drank, harassed and threatened the bus driver with A Savannah Nite Limousine Service and yelled obscenities at him on a trip to and from the Cincinnati Zoo.” [Link]
Ford Fusion picture
“Federal safety regulators are investigating a few reports of gas pedals becoming trapped by floor mats in 2010 Ford Fusions and Mercury Milans.” Link
“An oil sheen was confirmed about nine miles off the Florida coast, and officials are saying it could hit the white sands of Pensacola Beach as soon as Wednesday.” Link
“In the event of an attack by nuclear, biological, chemical or other mass-casualty weapons, the Justice Department is assigned the responsibility for coordinating federal law enforcement activities and for ensuring public safety and security if the incident overwhelms state and local law enforcement, the report says. The review found that ‘the department is not prepared to fulfill its role.’” Link
“Daylight-saving time is returning early Sunday with that extra hour of sunshine after work. The official moment is 2 a.m. local time Sunday, though most people will set their clocks ahead by one hour before going to bed on Saturday night.” [Link]
“Actor Corey Haim died this morning of an apparent overdose, according to LAPD. He was 38. Police tell us they were called to St. Joseph’s hospital in Burbank, CA shortly before 4AM PT to investigate.” [Link]
“Tuesday is the first day same-sex couples can pick up marriage licenses and tie the knot in the city. Some couples planned quick ceremonies at a church or a gay rights group’s office while others said they’ll wait and have more elaborate celebrations.” [Link]
“The driver, Jim Sikes, said he was traveling east on Interstate 8 outside of the San Diego area when he attempted to pass a slower vehicle. ‘I pushed the gas pedal to pass a car, and it just did something kind of funny … and it just stuck there,’ he said at a news conference outside a Highway Patrol office. ‘As I was going, I was trying the brakes … and it just kept speeding up.’” [Link]
Mary Josephine Ray picture
“Mary Josephine Ray died Sunday at a Westmoreland nursing home at 114 years and 294 days old. Katherine Ray said Monday that her grandmother remained spry until about two weeks before her death.” [Link]
Texas police report that a father and son were targeted and shot on the third floor of United Texas Bank in Dallas. The gunman was shot as well and is in critical condition. Police say the attack was not random.
“Multiple people have been reportedly shot inside a Dallas bank. The shooting was first reported shortly before 11 a.m. at the United Texas Bank at 12222 Merit Drive. The bank is located in an high-rise office building next to Medical City Dallas Hospital.” [Link]
Reports indicate that multiple people have been shot at United Texas Bank in Dallas Texas.
The people at travel site TripAdvisor have released what they feel are the top 10 vacations for guys, or “mancations” as they call them. (more…)
The White House has released the design for the 2010 Easter Egg:
Today, the White House is unveiling the official souvenir egg and logo for the 2010 Easter Egg Roll. An image of the egg is below.
This year’s egg comes in four colors – purple, pink, green, yellow – and includes the stamped signatures of the President and First Lady.
In a continued effort to make the Easter Egg Roll more environmentally friendly, all eggs have again been crafted in the United States from Forest Stewardship Council-certified hardwood. The packaging has also been designed to minimize waste and environmental impact, helping to create a ‘greener’ Easter Egg and Easter Egg packaging.
The National Park Foundation (NPF) produces and sells the White House Easter Egg. The egg is given as a souvenir to all children 12 years and younger who attend the White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn, which is part of the National Park System.
Anyone can view and purchase the souvenir egg online via the National Park Foundation website at: easter.nationalparks.org
The 2010 Easter Egg Roll will take place on Monday, April 5th. The White House Easter Egg Roll is focused on promoting health and wellness with the theme, “Ready, Set, Go!”.
“At least 51 people died when an earthquake of 6.0 magnitude struck a village and outlying areas near the town of Elazig in eastern Turkey early on Monday, officials in the region said. The village of Okcular was largely destroyed and rescue workers struggled to free a handful of survivors, the officials added. A second quake with a 5.6 magnitude hit the same area after a series of some 40 after-shocks.” [Link]
Robert A. Harding picture
“Obama plans to nominate Robert A. Harding, a retired major general with 33 years in the Army, to become the TSA administrator, sources said. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano will announce the nomination Monday with Harding by her side, according to one administration official.” [Link]
“A strong earthquake, with a preliminary magnitude of 6, hit eastern Turkey Monday, killing at least 17 people, the government said. The government’s crisis center said the victims were from the small villages of Okcular, Yukari Kanatli and Kayali, where the quake knocked down houses and minarets.” [Link]
“A 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck Turkey early Monday morning, the U.S. Geological Survey said. There were no immediate reports of injuries, deaths or damage.” [Link]
Adam Gadahn picture
“Reports of the arrest of Adam Gadahn in Karachi came on the same day the California-born American appeared in a web video in which he called on American Muslims to launch attacks in the US. Gadahn, the first American to be charged with treason since the second world war era, is one of the FBI’s top 10 most wanted terrorists and has had a $1m reward offered for information leading to his capture.” [Link]
“Fifty-six years after its founding by the science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, who died in 1986, the church is fighting off calls by former members for a Reformation. The defectors say Sea Org members were repeatedly beaten by the church’s chairman, David Miscavige, often during planning meetings; pressured to have abortions; forced to work without sleep on little pay; and held incommunicado if they wanted to leave. The church says the defectors are lying.” [Link]
“Captain Chesley ‘Sully’ Sullenberger, who piloted a US Airways flight during its emergency water landing on the Hudson River in January of last year, is retiring Wednesday. Sullenberger, 59, joined US Airways’ predecessor airline in 1980.” [Link]
The White House is set – according to a report in the NY Times – in the upcoming Nuclear Posture Review, to announce plans by President Obama to cut America’s nuclear arsenal. Obama is set to announce that he will end the creation of bunker buster bombs championed by the Bush administration, but is refusing to rule out a first strike nuclear attack by the USA. [Link]
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