Archive for June, 2009
What NBA Teams Scored Big in the 2009 Draft?
June 30th, 2009 |What NBA teams scored big in the 2009 draft?
The NBA draft this past weekend was surrounded by questions. Who would be picked first among a crowd of lackluster names? There was no “big name” at this year’s draft, no potential Lebron James, no player that analysts could say would turn into another Dwight Howard. In fact, this may have been the mildest draft in recent history in terms of rookie talent. Some analysts looked at the field and saw nothing but a lack of depth — while others prepared for a massive amount of…
What Will Happen after America Withdraws from Iraq?
June 30th, 2009 |What will happen after America withdraws from Iraq?
Though many of Iraq’s larger cities have already been left behind, today (June 30, 2009) marked the official deadline for American troops to pull out of Iraq’s towns and cities. No longer will tanks and roving bands of troops sweep from street to street. Today’s withdrawal marks a much anticipated date for many Iraqis — in fact, many towns have held parades and street festivals in honor of the occasion.
But without an American presence, isn’t it possible that militia groups could take control of certain areas of Iraq? What about…
Who Will Get Custody of Michael Jackson’s Kids?
June 29th, 2009 |Who will get custody of Michael Jackson’s kids?
Though Katherine Jackson, Michael Jackson’s 79 year old mother, filed for and won temporary guardianship of his three children, and made some moves to take over his estate according to sources, she may not end up as the final guardian of both the estate and the children.
The three children, Michael Joseph Jr.(12), Paris Michael Katherine (11), and Prince “Blanket” Michael II (7), could inherit millions of dollars, depending on the settlement of the estate. The three children, virtually unknown to the public, have been living a secluded and sheltered life…
What Caused Michael Jackson’s Death?
June 26th, 2009 |What caused Michael Jackson’s death?
Fifty years is not a long time, not anymore. With more and more people living well into their 70s and 80s, the death at the age of just fifty is always a shocker.
The shock is greater when the deceased is a much loved entertainer, a figure that’s lived in your living room for decades.
On June 25, 2009, Michael Jackson fainted or collapsed at his rented home in Holmby Hills, a neighborhood of Los Angeles. According to reports, his personal physician was in attendance at the time of his death, and the physician’s…
What Will Happen to Mark Sanford?
June 25th, 2009 |What will happen to Mark Sanford?
There was nothing on television yesterday as riveting as Mark Sanford’s lengthy and awkward confession that yes, he’d been having an affair for some time.
What did we learn? Governor Sanford, a Republican from South Carolina, explained his recent disappearance, taking back his first confession (that he was “hiking on the Appalachian trail”) and admitting that he’d been engaged in an affair with a woman in Argentina. His sometimes tearful confession ran the gamut from spiritual talk to attempts at political concessions. Sanford ended the press conference saying he would be stepping down…
What Is the College Cost Reduction and Access Act?
June 24th, 2009 |What is the College Cost Reduction and Access Act?
The College Cost Reduction and Access Act was passed in 2007 — the bill, signed into law by then President George W. Bush, was a sweeping reform of laws related to finances for college students. Though most of the bill’s legislation has already been phased in, a crucial portion of the bill for those of us who are dealing with college loans goes into effect on July 1, 2009.
A quick summary of what parts of the College Cost Reduction and Access Act have already taken effect:
1. Doing away…
What Is the Mediterranean Diet?
June 24th, 2009 |What is the Mediterranean diet?
The Mediterranean diet is not like the Adkins diet or the Skinny Bitch diet — there is no text to read or prescribed rules to follow. In fact, when people say they’re “on the Mediterranean diet” you may be surprised to learn what exactly they’re consuming. Rather than concentrating on eating a certain number of calories, a certain number of meals, or buying expensive pre fabricated meals from a diet system, these people are simply eating the way that people who live in the Mediterranean have eaten for hundreds of years. Specifically, people on…
What Is Obama’s Plan to Reform Health Care?
June 23rd, 2009 |What is Obama’s plan to reform health care?
President Obama’s top priority is well known — health care reform.
Our last Democratic president, Bill Clinton, made an attempt early in his administration to pass some measure of health care reform, famously championed by First Lady Hilary Clinton. Political pundits say that Clinton made his attempt too soon in his presidency, and a major advertising campaign against health care reform most likely sank Clinton’s chance of achieving what some say is impossible — curing America’s terrible health care troubles.
What exactly does President Obama propose? His plan is similar to…
Who Is Neda Agha Soltan?
June 23rd, 2009 |Who is Neda Agha Soltan?
It seems that every revolution or military conflict has a human face. Everyone is familiar with the video or still photograph from the Vietnam conflict showing a VC soldier shooting a civilian point blank in the back of his head, or the video of a single civilian standing up to a line of tanks at Tianenmen Square. Then there is the famous “Afghan girl” whose face was on the cover of National Geographic during the Russian invasion of Afghanistan. The current revolution in Iran now has its image, its video that represents all the…
Whatever Became of the Craigslist Killer?
June 22nd, 2009 |Whatever became of the Craigslist Killer?
Just a couple of months ago the internet was buzzing with the news of the so called “Craigslist Killer” — an unknown man whose method of murder involved hiring “massage therapists” on Craigslist and then assaulting, robbing, or even killing them.
The Craigslist Killer made such a splash in the news and in the public eye that Craigslist, the popular private retail and real estate website, was forced to shut down that part of their business that advertised “Sexual services” such as massages and exotic dancing.
The man accused of being the Craigslist…
Why Did Kodak Stop Making Kodachrome Film?
June 22nd, 2009 |Why did Kodak stop making Kodachrome film?
Paul Simon’s song about Kodachrome was a huge hit in 1973. In the song, Simon extolled the virtues of the world’s first mass market color film.
“Kodachrome, they give us those nice bright colours / They give us the greens of summers / Makes you think all the world’s a sunny day.”
The world’s a little less sunny today, as the Eastman Kodak Company announces the end of Kodachrome film. Eastman’s Kodachrome film was the first commercially available color film that achieved success. First developed in 1935, Kodachrome film was long the…
What Is Juneteenth?
June 19th, 2009 |What is Juneteenth?
Every June 19th, African Americans in as many as forty states across the country celebrate Emancipation Day. Sometimes called Freedom Day or simply Juneteenth (which is a mashup of June and Nineteenth), the day is set aside to remember the passing of the Emancipation Proclamation.
Though President Lincoln’s emancipation proclaiming the end of slavery in the United States was “effective” on January 1, 1863, news of the emancipation moved slowly, due to lack of communication (there was no CNN, no national newspapers) and because white slave owners who may have heard about the emancipation were not…
What Can I Get My Dad for Father’s Day . . . that Won’t Break the Bank?
June 18th, 2009 |What can I get my dad for Father’s Day . . . that won’t break the bank?
We are all suffering to some degree from the economic crisis. It isn’t just Americans — countries around the world are feeling the belt tighten.
Unfortunately, Dads appear to be yet another victim of the falling value of our money. A recent survey by the National Retail Federation suggests that the average consumer is going to spend $90.89 on Father’s Day gifts, down from last year’s $94.54. If you’re like me, you looked at that number and wondered who is buying their…
What Is Happening in Iran?
June 18th, 2009 |What is happening in Iran?
If you’ve managed to find a source of news from Iran, you’re probably not watching the mainstream media. Networks like CNN and Fox have been criticized for their lack of coverage of the crisis in Iran, a crisis that began when millions of Iranian citizens heard the results of their recent Presidential election and felt their vote had been stolen, that the results were rigged.
It is still unclear why most major American media outlets are avoiding Iran coverage — CNN spent most of the week focusing on domestic issues, such as President Obama’s…
Did the FDA Recall the Cold Remedy Zicam?
June 17th, 2009 |Did the FDA recall the cold remedy Zicam?
Shares of Matrixx Initiatives Inc. plummeted 70 percent on Tuesday as the makers of the popular Zicam cold remedy products were slapped with something akin to an FDA recall.
According to the FDA, use of Zicam (the main ingredient of which is zinc) can lead to temporary or even permanent loss of smell. Still, the FDA stopped short of officially recalling the product.
Cold sufferers should stop using Zicam Cold Remedy, both their popular nasal gel and other zinc containing products, because of the threat of permanent loss of the sense…
What Is Bunker Hill Day?
June 17th, 2009 |What is Bunker Hill Day?
Bunker Hill Day is an official holiday in some parts of Massachusetts. Some state employees in Masachusetts, including many in Boston, the state’s largest city, get the day off from work, and schools and local groups commemorate the battle of Bunker Hill with parades, receptions, and other events.
Every June 17th, the people of Boston and Suffolk County, where the battle that launched America’s war for Independence took place, take time out to remember that battle, to honor those who died, and to celebrate America’s freedom.
To celebrate Bunker Hill Day, many people will…
Did Sammy Sosa Use Performance Enhancing Drugs?
June 17th, 2009 |Did Sammy Sosa use performance enhancing drugs?
If only Sammy Sosa had been warned about the ides of March.
It was the middle of March, 2005, when Sosa stood before Congress and told what we now know was a series of lies. Sosa, who seemed to be struggling with English, spoke through a lawyer, saying that he had “never taken performance enhancing drugs”, had never “injected himself with anything” nor had anyone else ever injected him with anything. Many sports writers and other analysts found Sosa’s sudden “difficulty” with English little more than a smokescreen, but his statement was…
What Is Bloomsday?
June 16th, 2009 |What is Bloomsday?
Every June 16th, people gather in Dublin, Ireland to celebrate the life and works of Irish writer James Joyce. The day, known as Bloomsday, is a chance for fans of Joyce and his novel Ulysses to relive the events of that novel, all of which took place on June 16th in Dublin in the year 1904. The name “Bloomsday” comes from Leopold Bloom, the protagonist of the novel Ulysses. Interestingly enough, June 16th was also the date of Joyce’s first lengthy date with his future wife Nora Barnacle. On June 16th, the young couple walked to…
What Is Behind the Colorado Rockies’ Recent Success?
June 16th, 2009 |What is behind the Colorado Rockies’ recent sucess?
On Sunday, June 14, 2009, the streaking Colorado Rockies won a franchise record tying 11th game in a row. This is a stunning turnaround for a team that fired its popular manager after a dismal 18 – 28 starting record. In fact, the Rockies fired their manager just seventeen days ago, on May 29. Obviously, the change in leadership had some kind of impact on the team, as it took only five days apart from their old manager to start this incredible winning streak.
The Rockies new manager, Jim Tracy, is…
What Is Hunch?
June 15th, 2009 |What is Hunch?
Hunch.com is another new search engine designed to meet a need that the developers feel isn’t currently met by the wide range of search options now available. What does Hunch do that the other search engines don’t?
According to the brains behind Hunch, the search engine (which has been in development for over a year) helps users search for answers based on the individual making the search. Rather than returning generic results available to anyone who asks a given question, Hunch first learns all about the user’s preferences, dislikes, and internet traffic behavior.
Hunch is launching…
Was the Presidential Election in Iran Rigged?
June 15th, 2009 |Was the Presidential election in Iran rigged?
On June 12, 2009 Iran held their tenth presidential election. The President of Iran is the highest publicly elected official, though the position is very different from the job done by the President of the United States and other democratic nations. For instance, in Iran the President doesn’t control foreign policy or the military.
Incumbent President Ahmadinejad was expected to face stiff competition, with many analysts in the west expecting his run as President to come to an end. When the results began to surface globally, and Ahmadinejad was declared the winner…
What Is Flag Day?
June 12th, 2009 |What is Flag Day?
Every year, on June 14, the United States of America celebrates “Flag Day”. Though “Flag Day” is not an official holiday, many towns around the country hold parades and other celebrations to honor the American flag.
Typical ways to honor the American flag are to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, sing our National Anthem (“The Star Spangled Banner”), put on skits depicting the founding of the country, and so on.
In terms of parades, the longest running “Flag Day” celebration is held every year in Quincy, Massachusetts. The “Flag Day” parade in Quincy began in…
What Can I Do to Prepare for TV’s Digital Transition on Friday?
June 11th, 2009 |What can I do to prepare for TV’s digital transition on Friday?
If you haven’t already worked out a television setup that will allow you to view digital signals, you aren’t quite out of luck.
You may remember that television’s digital transition was supposed to occur this past February. Unfortunately for cable companies, the government stepped in and extended the deadline. The reason? Too many people were simply not prepared. But it wasn’t totally the consumer’s fault.
If you own an analog television, and many of us do, you can still receive televsion through a converter box that sits…
What Is the Impact of Fiat’s Purchase of Chrysler?
June 11th, 2009 |What is the impact of Fiat’s purchase of Chrysler?
Fiat closed its purchase of Chrysler’s assets on Wednesday, June 10th, 2009. Fiat and Chrysler announced the deal that keeps the 84-year old U.S. automaker afloat during tough times for the auto industry. Chrysler had literally been down to its last few dollars before a government intervention in late 2008. This purchase completes an Obama administration-directed reorganization for Chrysler. Other parts of Chrysler will remain in bankruptcy to be sold or outright closed. Remember, Fiat only purchased the “best assets” of Chrysler.
Fiat Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne became the new…
What Is the “Cash for Clunkers” Program?
June 10th, 2009 |What is the “cash for clunkers” program?
Even though unemployment numbers are higher than they’ve been in over twenty years, and people are watching their investments lose value faster than ever before, consumers may just get a huge break from the US government when they go to buy their next car.
It may seem counterintuitive to offer consumers a break on an item that the media would have us believe no one is buying, but let’s be real. People will always have a need for a new vehicle. To spark that interest, the Obama administration has invented an incentive,…
What Happened at the DC Holocaust Museum?
June 10th, 2009 |What happened at the DC Holocaust museum?
On the heels of President Obama’s visit to a former Nazi death camp at Buchenwald, Germany — catastrophe at an American museum meant to both honor the victims of the Nazi holocaust, and educate the world about the tragedy.
According to multiple news sources, an elderly gunman opened fire at the Holocaust museum in America’s capital Wednesday, wounding a security guard before being wounded himself. The shooting has sparked rumors of panic in the area around the Holocaust museum — a large and popular spot for tourists. Multiple witnesses have been interviewed,…
What Is the TYM Test?
June 10th, 2009 |What is the TYM test?
British medical researchers have created a new cognitive test that detects Alzheimer’s disease quickly and accurately. The self administered test, known as TYM or “test your memory”, was developed at Addenbrooke’s Hospital.
Although the mental illness known widely as “dementia” is quite common, with a prevalence of around 13 for every 1000 people aged 65-69 and 122 in 1000 in those over 80, only about half of people affected by this debilitating disease are ever diagnosed. This new test, that evaluates a patient’s cognitive ability, appears to be faster and more accurate than current…
Who Was Picked Early in the 2009 MLB Draft?
June 10th, 2009 |Who was picked early in the 2009 MLB draft?
As the 2009 Major League Baseball draft began Tuesday night, the air was thick with speculation. There was no clear choice for the first pick, and the question on everyone’s mind was “Who will be number one?”
Yeah, sorry, just kidding. Every analyst and sports writer had the Washington Nationals pegged to pick San Diego State phenom pitcher Stephen Strasburg. That’s just what they did. With the first overall pick in the 2009 draft, the Nationals set in motion a string of events for young Strasburg, most of which involves…
What Is Food Inc.?
June 9th, 2009 |What is Food Inc.?
“Food Inc.” is an upcoming documentary by filmmaker Robert Kenner, probably best known for his film The American Experience, which won an Emmy in 2006.
One of the best reviewed films this year (a quick Google search of the film’s reviews revealed only one negative review, posted by an anonymous blogger), “Food Inc.” promises to be an eye opening experience for Americans, who probably don’t give a second though to exactly what it is they’re eating. Kenner’s goal with “Food Inc.” is to change, or at least slightly alter, that behavior.
You may remember a…
What Are Some Government Websites to Help with Foreclosure?
June 9th, 2009 |What are some government websites that can help with foreclosure?
A recently released series of polls and statistics, from diverse entities such as Harris Polls, Freddie Mac, and MetLife Insurance, have come up with some scary numbers related to the housing crisis in America. This data indicates that one in two hundred homes are now facing foreclosure within the next six months. Take a city the size of Washington, DC, and this means that over the course of the next six months, 3,000 homes are likely to be foreclosed. More frightening details — every three months, 250,000 new families…
What Did Laura Bush Say about Obama’s Supreme Court Nominee Sonia Sotomayor?
June 8th, 2009 |What did Laura Bush say about Obama’s Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor?
At the very end of May, a Gallup Poll was released showing that there is a huge gender gap, among both Republicans and Democrats, in terms of people’s support for the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. While this wasn’t a huge surprise, what did shock some people was the great disparity between women who identify as Republican and their male conservative counterparts.
According to Gallup, 65% of Democratic men approve of Obama’s choice, compared to 70% among females who identify themselves as Dems. The…
How Will President Obama Create 600,000 Jobs This Summer?
June 8th, 2009 |How will President Obama create 600,000 jobs this summer?
Monday morning, June 8th, 2009, President Obama delivered a much anticipated promise. Obama, who has been in office for just five months, has finally outlined his plan to create more than 600,000 new jobs this summer. How is he doing it?
If you can think all the way back to late January, a still quite wet behind the ears Obama urged Congress to approve an “accelerated spending plan”. By gaining access to this money at an “accelerated rate”, some of the $787 billion from the economic stimulus package that Congress…
Who Will Win the NBA Finals?
June 5th, 2009 |Who will win the NBA finals?
No one expected the Orlando Magic to be here. No one expected the Cleveland Lebrons, I mean the Cleveland Cavaliers, to fall so hard and miss their first serious chance at an NBA title.
Everyone expected the Lakers to be here, at the NBA’s biggest stage. The NBA finals may not be the matchup everyone expected, including sports analysts and bloggers, but it is going to be one hell of a matchup.
So what will be the outcome of this intriguing best of seven matchup? Who will be sipping Cristal champagne, and who…
Are Jon and Kate Gosselin Already Split Up?
June 4th, 2009 |Are Jon and Kate Gosselin already already split up?
This story just won’t die.
Jon and Kate Gosselin, stars of TLC’s popular reality show “Jon and Kate Plus 8”, have reportedly been living apart for as long as 6 months, according to some sources close to the couple.
The pressure has begun to mount for the popular TV couple, enough pressure that the infamously stern and unshakeable Kate Gosselin has “cracked”, according to People magazine, and is not only expressing doubts about her marriage, but is also behaving rather strangely, including posing for papparazi in her bikini after undergoing…
Did David Carradine Commit Suicide?
June 4th, 2009 |Did David Carradine commit suicide?
Kung fu movie legend David Carradine, who recently revamped his career in Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Kill Bill’ movies, has died at the age of 72.
While there has not yet been confirmation of the reported suicide, reports made by Thai police and officials from the hotel where Carradine was staying during a movie shoot seem to insist that Carradine’s death was anything but natural.
Carradine was found dead in his hotel room in Bangkok, where he was set to shoot a new movie called “Stretch”. The Nation newspaper, citing Thai police sources, is reporting that…
What Did President Obama Say in His Speech in Cairo?
June 4th, 2009 |What did President Obama say in his speech in Cairo?
Cairo, Egypt is the largest city in the Arab world, with a rich spiritual and political history. By appearing at Cairo’s very modern university, an appearance which was also sponsored by a noted Islamic university, Obama tried once again to paint himself as a man of the modern times, who both respects tradition and wants to move forward in his effort to win over the young people of the world. Let’s not forget that most of the Muslim world is college age or younger.
As for the issues addressed…
What Is the Harvard Racist Test?
June 3rd, 2009 |What is the Harvard racist test?
Apparently, I’m a little bit racist. That’s right — up until today, I thought I was a fairly even keeled guy with very little in the way of racial preference. Turns out, I’m just another George Wallace in sheep’s clothing. Thanks a lot, Harvard.
A little backstory — I’m a white male in my late 20s. I grew up as a minority — in fact, in the high school I graduated from there were maybe a half dozen other white graduates. I had no problem with this. I’ve never thought of myself as…
What Happened to Air France Flight 447?
June 3rd, 2009 |What happened to Air France flight 447?
Amid new rumors of a bomb threat, supported by testimony from long-haul pilots familiar with the route taken by Air France flight 447, new details of the plane’s fate are popping up on world news organizations.
Investigators found debris from the plane on Tuesday, including an airplane seat, a wide fuel slick, and several pieces of white debris. The wreckage was scattered across three miles of the Atlantic ocean. Officials are saying this debris marks the site in the mid Atlantic where Air France Flight 447 plunged into the ocean. Brazilian military…
How Did Conan O’Brien Do on His Opening Night?
June 3rd, 2009 |How did Conan O’Brien do on his opening night?
Comedian and writer Conan O’Brien recently took over the seat usually occupied by Jay Leno on NBC’s popular “Tonight Show”. Conan O’Brien made a name for himself in show business first as a writer for popular comedy shows like “Saturday Night Live” and “The Simpsons”. O’Brien was eventually offered the job as the replacement host for David Letterman after that popular late night host’s show moved up an hour.
Late Night with Conan O’Brien premiered in 1993, and was met with seriously unfavorable reviews. In fact, for the first three…