Video of Jackson 1984 Pepsi burn accident surfaces

NEW YORK (AP) -- Us Weekly magazine has obtained video it says shows never-before-seen footage of Michael Jackson's head catching on fire during filming of his 1984 Pepsi commercial.
Jackson suffered severe burns after a pyrotechnics mishap caused his hair and scalp to catch afire. Still photos of the accident have been seen before, but the new video on Us Weekly's Web site shows the moment Jackson's hair caught on fire and the top of his head became engulfed in flames.
Jackson didn't realize his hair was on fire. In the video, he's still dancing as the flames are on his head. When he spins, the flames go out. People on the set tackle him to extinguish the fire, and his brother Jermaine Jackson, playing the guitar in front of him and oblivious to the commotion, turns around. When Michael Jackson emerges from the pile of people trying to help him, the top of his head is bald.

NEW YORK (AP) -- Us Weekly magazine has obtained video it says shows never-before-seen footage of Michael Jackson's head catching on fire during filming of his 1984 Pepsi commercial.
Jackson suffered severe burns after a pyrotechnics mishap caused his hair and scalp to catch afire. Still photos of the accident have been seen before, but the new video on Us Weekly's Web site shows the moment Jackson's hair caught on fire and the top of his head became engulfed in flames.

Jackson didn't realize his hair was on fire. In the video, he's still dancing as the flames are on his head. When he spins, the flames go out. People on the set tackle him to extinguish the fire, and his brother Jermaine Jackson, playing the guitar in front of him and oblivious to the commotion, turns around. When Michael Jackson emerges from the pile of people trying to help him, the top of his head is bald.



The accident, witnessed by thousands of stunned fans at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, came at the height of Jackson's fame, about a year after the release of his best-selling "Thriller" album. It marked what would be the beginning of serious, lifelong pain for Jackson, who had been treated for painkiller addiction and has been described by relatives and friends as being hooked on pain medication at the time of his death last month at age 50.
Jackson, who was photographed in an ambulance with a bandage on his head and his trademark sequined white glove on his right hand, required several surgeries and needed skin grafts to treat the injury.
In his autobiography, "Moonwalk," he described the cause of the accident as "stupidity, pure and simple."

As he described the accident, he wrote: "... bombs went off on either side of my head, and the sparks set my hair on fire. I was dancing down this ramp and turning around, spinning, not knowing I was on fire. Suddenly I felt my hands reflexively go to my head in an attempt to smother the flames."

As a result of the accident, Pepsi gave Jackson $1.5 million, which he donated to a burn center named after him.
Watch: New video of Jackson's fiery accident
A representative for Us Weekly had no immediate comment on where the video came from.
———
On the Net:
Us Weekly: http://www.usmagazine.com

The accident, witnessed by thousands of stunned fans at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, came at the height of Jackson's fame, about a year after the release of his best-selling "Thriller" album. It marked what would be the beginning of serious, lifelong pain for Jackson, who had been treated for painkiller addiction and has been described by relatives and friends as being hooked on pain medication at the time of his death last month at age 50.
Jackson, who was photographed in an ambulance with a bandage on his head and his trademark sequined white glove on his right hand, required several surgeries and needed skin grafts to treat the injury.
In his autobiography, "Moonwalk," he described the cause of the accident as "stupidity, pure and simple."
As he described the accident, he wrote: "... bombs went off on either side of my head, and the sparks set my hair on fire. I was dancing down this ramp and turning around, spinning, not knowing I was on fire. Suddenly I felt my hands reflexively go to my head in an attempt to smother the flames."
As a result of the accident, Pepsi gave Jackson $1.5 million, which he donated to a burn center named after him.
Watch: New video of Jackson's fiery accident
A representative for Us Weekly had no immediate comment on where the video came from.
———
On the Net:

Tummy Tuck Complications

In terms of complications tummy tuck surgery carries certain risks that patients should be aware of prior to seeking this cosmetic procedure. The risk of complications tummy tuck surgery poses to patients is relatively small, but there are risks that patients should be aware of. Some complications tummy tuck surgery poses are related to the surgical process, while others are related to the healing process. Overall, less than five percent of all patients will experience complications tummy tuck surgery poses, and this number is even less when the procedure is performed by a well qualified and experienced plastic surgeon.
In some cases complications tummy tuck surgery poses relate to the expectations that a patient has about the results of the procedure. It is important for a patient to speak to their surgeon about what they expect from the surgery in order to form realistic expectations about the surgery. In order to reduce the risks of complications, patients should also speak to their doctor about their full medical history, including current medication and supplement use. Patients who smoke or drink frequently should also discuss these issues with their surgeon as these factors can increase the risk of complications tummy tuck surgery poses.
As with all surgical procedures, there are potential complications tummy tuck surgery creates for patients during the procedure itself. Tummy tuck surgery is a major operation which can last anywhere from one to six hours. Tummy tuck surgery is typically performed under general anesthesia, though some surgeons use a local anesthetic with a sedative. The longer and more complicated a tummy tuck procedure, the greater the risk for surgical complications. Complications tummy tuck surgery poses include: poor reaction to anesthesia, blood clots in the legs or lungs, respiratory or heart complications, and even death. While possible, these complications from tummy tuck surgery are rare.
There are a number of possible complications tummy tuck surgery can create for patients during the healing process. Most patients will experience pain, tenderness, swelling, and some bruising for four to six weeks following surgery, though these symptoms can be more extreme for some patients. Excessive bleeding, seroma, fat or umbilical necrosis, infection, slow healing, numbness, reaction to surgical sutures, thick scar formation, and skin loss are all possible complications tummy tuck surgery poses during the healing process.
In order to mitigate these risks, it is important to adhere to all post-surgical care instructions provided by your cosmetic surgeon. Many of the complications tummy tuck surgery poses are manageable and can be medically treated, though some may be permanent. A good cosmetic surgeon will take every step to avoid complications tummy tuck surgery presents to patient health.
If you would like to learn more about the complications tummy tuck surgery presents to patients, please contact us to speak with a qualified and experienced cosmetic surgeon in your area.

Tevez reveals move motives

Carlos Tevez claims he has joined Manchester City because Manchester United did not do enough to persuade him to stay.
The Argentina international completed his much-touted move to Eastlands on Tuesday, penning a five-year contract with the Blues.
He had spent the last two seasons with City's arch-rivals United, but has opted to cross the Manchester divide.
United had always insisted that they were keen to turn Tevez's two-year loan deal at Old Trafford into a permanent agreement.
However, the combative striker insists Sir Alex Ferguson and United chief executive David Gill failed to convince him that he was an important part of their future plans and, as such, he has decided to take on a new challenge at City.
"The fact that I am not staying at United is not because of the fans, it is because Sir Alex Ferguson and David Gill did not do enough to keep me there. If it was down to the fans, I would still be there," Tevez said.
"I want to thank Manchester United, David Gill, Sir Alex Ferguson and the fanbase for a happy time there, but this is a new challenge and I am very happy to be at Manchester City."
Communication
Tevez also claims that United never offered him a new deal, despite media reports to the contrary, and insists his relationship with Ferguson was distant throughout his time with the Red Devils.
"I was there for two years and Sir Alex never called or sent any text messages in that time," he said.
"The only time he talked to me was after a match against Roma to discuss a situation about going to play for Argentina.
"It doesn't seem that this is the way to treat a player in two years at the club. It doesn't seem there is a line of communication."
Tevez believes he has made the right choice in joining the revolution at City, claiming the Blues have the ability to become a major force in world football.
Good move
"Man City boast the technical department and the ownership that can make a very good move for me," he said.
"They have really shown to me that they want to become one of the biggest clubs in the world. This made it very easy to make the move. I am very happy to be here."
He added: "I have not spoken to Mark (Hughes) much as we need to get used to working together, but I am very excited about working with him."
The South American star also refuted suggestions that he moved to City after being given assurances that he would be a first-team regular, insisting he is prepared to battle for a place in Hughes' side.
"In every team you have to win the respect of your team-mates and you have to work hard for the shirt," he added.
"I would not be happy if I had assurances that I would be a member of the first team. I am prepared to fight for a place."
a.top_betting_link_1 {background-image: url('/Images/skysports/fixturecal/icons/fix-bet.gif');background-repeat:no-repeat;background-position:0% 50%;padding-left:18px;}

Who's getting hit most by layoffs

Your likelihood of job loss depends a lot on your gender, your race and your age.

The current recession is hitting workers in just about every industry, but men are taking a much bigger hit than women.
The 2.3-percentage-point gap between men's June unemployment rate of 10.6% and women's 8.3% rate was just below May's 2.5-point gap, the largest since records started being kept in 1948. The gap first hit 2 points in March.
The overall unemployment rate rose to 9.5% in June, from 9.4% in May. The economy lost a more-than-expected 467,000 jobs in June. (See full story.)
"The gap between female and male unemployment has never been as large as it is now," said Sophia Koropeckyj, an economist with Moody's Economy.com.
It's not hard to see why. Two male-dominated industries -- construction and manufacturing -- account for about half of the 6 million jobs lost since the recession started in December 2007, and both industries started shedding jobs before that.
"Every industry is contracting, but these industries have taken the brunt," Koropeckyj said. Given that men account for 87% of workers in manufacturing and 71% in construction, it's not surprising that men's unemployment is rocketing past women's.
4 real jobs you can do from home
Health care, education jobs gaining The only two private-sector industries to show a net increase in jobs from the start of the recession are health care and education -- and female workers are highly concentrated in both.
Health care logged a net gain of about 542,000 jobs from December 2007 through May, and private education showed a net gain of about 102,000 jobs in that period.

Eighty-one percent of health care workers are women, and 61% of workers in private education are women, Koropeckyj said. Also, government has shown a net job gain of 259,000 in that period, and 57% of government workers are women.
That's not to say women are escaping unscathed. Unemployment has skyrocketed for both sexes. Women's unemployment rate was 4.7% in January 2008; men's was 5.1%.
And lower-income and less-educated workers, no matter their sex, usually face steeper job losses than others in recessions, and this one's no different.
"It's not as if women are not suffering," said Eileen Appelbaum, an economist and visiting scholar at the Center for Economic and Policy Research and director of Rutgers University's Center for Women and Work.
"Less-educated women are certainly feeling it, but to the extent that they have been employed in (health care and education), they have not felt the brunt of it, at least so far," Appelbaum said.
That may change.
Heidi Shierholz, an economist at the Economic Policy Institute, said the net gain in health care jobs is slowing, partly because millions of Americans have lost not only their jobs but their employer-provided insurance and thus are ratcheting down their health care spending.
The education sector is also looking less solid, due mainly to state budget crises. "Education is losing jobs now," Shierholz said, though "not nearly as dramatically as other" industries.
Age- and race-based differences The differences in unemployment rates are even more dramatic when broken down by race and age. For example, white men's unemployment rate in June was 9.5%, while black men's was 17.8%. For white women it was 8%, and for black women, 13.1%, according to the U.S. Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Teens have a harder time during recessions too. Here's a sampling of unemployment rates in June for various groups:
Black men 20 and older: 16.4%.
Black women 20 and older: 11.3%.
White men 20 and older: 9.2%.
White women 20 and older: 6.8%.
Black males age 16 to 19: 50%.
Black females age 16 to 19: 40.6%.
White males age 16 to 19: 26.5%.
White females age 16 to 19: 23.5%.

Yahoo Is Now Resorting To Selling Killer Domain Names On The Cheap

No sooner do we finish writing up Yahoo deadpooling yet another project, Gallery, do we get a tip that Yahoo apparently has another money saving/making plan: Selling off domains it owns. That’s exactly what it has done with contests.com, which sold during a live auction last night.
What’s really odd though (aside from an Internet giant actually selling a domain rather than buying one), is the price at which it sold. Contests.com is a killer domain name. People like my mother love nothing more than going online and searching for contests to enter to win stuff. But what’s crazy is that Yahoo sold it for only $380,000.
Let’s put that in some perspective. In February, Toys.com sold for $5.1 million in auction. Sure, that’s a better domain, but not over 10 times better. And a few weeks ago, Candy.com sold for $3 million.
How Yahoo failed to secure even a million for the name is beyond me. Just poor luck in the auction? This guy, who apparently left right before the auction started last night is flabbergasted as well.
I just really would like to know why Yahoo would even sell it in the first place? I know times are tough at Yahoo but is $380K really going to help much in the long run? No. Hell, it’d probably be better to keep the domain and just put a load of ads on it, perhaps even Google ads. Or, I don’t know, run some Yahoo contests on it. People on the web love that stuff, I hear.

Thursday's Transfer Clockwatch

19.05 Sky Sports News sources understand that Wigan have agreed a fee with Swansea for striker Jason Scotland.
18.45 Carlisle have bolstered their ranks by bringing in Chelsea youngster Tom Taiwo on a six-month loan deal.
18.41 Northampton Town have signed former Gillingham striker Gary Mulligan in an intial one-year deal.
18.24 Charlton have signed former Leeds skipper Frazer Richardson on a two-year-deal.
18.05 Tottenham have announced the signing of young defender Anton Blackwood from Arsenal, while Sam Cox and Steven Caulker have also penned their first professional contracts with Spurs.
17.50 Roberto Di Matteo has confirmed that West Brom are in talks with Jonathan Greening over a new deal.
17.24 Skysports.com understands that John Obi Mikel has signed a new long-term contract with Chelsea.
17.00 Teenage striker Daniel Sturridge is confident that joining Chelsea from Manchester City will help him fulfil his ambitions in the game.
16.53 Leeds United have rejected bids from two Premier League clubs for Fabian Delph and have turned down approaches for Jermaine Beckford, who would be keen on a move to Newcastle United.
16.43 Reports in France claim Blackburn Rovers are tracking Valenciennes winger Gael Danic after cooling their interest in Paris St Germain's Jerome Rothen.
16.29 Rennes midfielder Stephan Mbia's proposed move to Marseille has hit a snag after the failure to agree personal terms and he is now reportedly on his way to England to discuss a move to Stoke City, having previously been a target for Everton.
16.21 Birmingham City boss Alex McLeish believes his team are not yet strong enough to survive in the Premier League and is targeting further signings, particularly in midfield.
16.11 Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate has insisted that the club have not yet received any offers for the likes of Stewart Downing and Tuncay Sanli, although he expects his squad to look very different when the new season kicks off.
15.54 Bristol Rovers have completed the signing of midfielder Dominic Blizzard on a three-year contract.
15.39 Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez admits he is 'really pleased' that captain Steven Gerrard has finally signed a new contract until 2013.
15.23 Rafa Benitez believes Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano owe it to Liverpool to stay at the club. Alonso is wanted by Real Madrid, while Barcelona are keeping tabs on Mascherano.
15.17 Crystal Palace boss Neil Warnock has revealed Barnsley have made an offer for Alan Lee and does not expect the striker to move to Norwich City.

The Best Bra for Your Body

Bra know-it-all (in a good way) Eyvette Manigault of New York City’s Town Shop helps these five brave volunteers—and you—solve the peskiest fit and flattery issues.

“I thought only a granny bra would work for me.”As a 34DD, Hilary Harper, 25, was living in bras that way overcovered her. Manigault found effective but sexy choices that weren’t as wardrobe-limiting. The lesson? Décolletage is doable as long as you avoid anything demi-style.
After Elle Macpherson Intimates bra, sizes 32B-36E, 38D-DD, $65, Bloomingdale’s, 800-232-1854

“I needed something strapless with more support.”Asia Mone’t, 25, traded her 38DDD bra for one in a 38H because, once again, a larger cup size can offer better support. Bend over to put on your bra, adds Manigault; when you stand up, your breasts should be snugly in place.
After Fantasie bra, sizes 32-40D, 30DD-40E, 30-38F, 30FF-36G, $69, Town Shop, NYC, 212-724-8160

“My bra made me look lumpy in tight shirts.”Nana Brew-Hammond, 31, was searching for something that wouldn’t show up under fitted tees. Manigault tossed her stretched-out style and gave her one that was structured, completely seamless (crucial) and free of bump-creating hardware.
After Wacoal bra, sizes 34-38B, 32C-38DD, $42, wacoal-america.com for stores

“My bra didn’t give me any lift.”Alyse Leung, 23, was sick and tired of her so-called support system. She was making what Manigault says is a very common mistake: a too-small cup paired with a too-large band. Leung swapped her 36C bra for a 32D with fuller-coverage cups—hello, perky!
AfterB.Tempt’d bra, sizes 34-38B, 32C-38D, 32-36DD, $45, btemptd.com for stores

“I wasn’t exactly blessed with a large chest.”Jessica Smith, 23, gravitated toward unstructured styles that made her look, in her words, like “a walking adolescent poem.” The fix? Bras with a lightly molded shape, which round out the bust and give the illusion of a larger cup size.
AfterDKNY bra, sizes 32B-38D, 32-36DD, $40, Macy’s, 800-343-0121

If You Have a Small BustH&M, sizes 4-14, $15, hm.com for stores
Aerie, sizes 32AA-36D, $30, aerie.com
Calvin Klein Underwear, sizes 32A-36D, $42, cku.com

If You Want Serious SupportEmporio Armani, sizes 32A-36D, 38B-D, $46, Armani/5th Avenue, NYC, 212-339-5940
Vanity Fair, sizes 34C-38DD, $38, Macy’s, 800-343-0121
Diesel, sizes 32A-38C, $42, diesel.com

AnnaLynne McCord Lickin' Her Lips for Rumer Willis

Rumer Willis is going to be playing a lesbian next season on 90210, and guess who wants to be her lucky lady at West Beverly?
AnnaLynne McCord!
That's what Ms. McCord told us last night at the launch of OP's new celebrity ad campaign.
Read on for her Willis lovefest...
McCord said she doesn't know what Willis' storyline entails but wouldn't mind being a part of it.
"This is what I foresee," she said. "Naomi gets drunk, and she gets a little crazy. Liam's watching. Naomi wants to experiment. And then a little lip-on-lip action with Rumer Willis can't hurt anybody, right?
"How fabulous would that be," she continued. "They totally need to make it happen!"
The CW announced earlier this week that Willis will be appearing on one episode as Gia, a student who works on the school newspaper.
Willis will next be seen in Sorority Row, a thriller about a college prank that takes a deadly turn. It hits theaters Sept. 11.

Pistons tab Cavs' Kuester as new head coach

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) - The Detroit Pistons have picked Cavaliers assistant John Kuester as their new head coach.
Kuester was on Larry Brown's NBA championship-winning staff in Detroit five years ago.
Pistons president for basketball operations Joe Dumars fired rookie coach Michael Curry on June 30. Curry led Detroit to a 39-43 regular-season record and a first-round playoff loss to Cleveland.
Kuester is the team's sixth head coach in the past 10 years. He has worked in the NBA since 1990, including 13 years as an assistant. After his earlier stint in Detroit, he spent the last two years in Cleveland.
Before that, Kuester replaced Rick Pitino at Boston University in 1983 and later spent five seasons coaching George Washington.

Bill O'Reilly: Michael Jackson is no black icon

FOX News host Bill O'Reilly continued his streak of controversial statements during his show on Tuesday in reaction to Michael Jackson's memorial service which was held earlier in the day.
O'Reilly criticized Jackson for "incredible selfishness -- spending hundreds of million dollars on himself while singing 'We Are the World,'" and said that it "should make any clear-thinking American nauseous."
Speaking to guest analyst Marc Lamont Hill, a black FOX commentator, O'Reilly also addressed race as an issue at the memorial service: "Why are Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton making this a racial deal? Jackson bleached his own skin. And then chose white men to provide existence for his in vitro children. Give me a break with all this."
Hill responded: "You have me baffled in your analysis here, to say this isn't a racial issue, when this man's entire career has been marked by the tropes of race... Yes, the black community has embraced him, yes the black community has wrapped its arms around him more in death, but that's because the media has assaulted him in ways they don't do with white people of his stature."
Hill continued: "Now he has passed away. A year or two ago, when Jerry Falwell died, you and I debated this very point. You said, 'Give him three days to a week and let the people mourn him before you start talking about his racist politics.' So why are we giving Jerry Falwell something that we won't give Michael Jackson?"
The two debated for quite some time on whether Jackson had helped in uniting black and White Americans. The debate, however, turned into a shouting match with O'Reilly proclaiming: "If he's such a black American icon, why did he have his kids with white men!?"
Hill responded: "That's a personal matter. That doesn't make him less black -- there's no blackness meter here. You don't become less black if you have a white kid."

Transformers' hits $300 million mark in 14 days

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" has reached another Hollywood milestone.
The sci-fi blockbuster shot past the $300 million mark domestically on Tuesday — after just 14 days in release.
That makes it the second-fastest movie to top $300 million, behind last summer's "The Dark Knight," which made it in 10 days.
The "Transformers" sequel also has topped $600 million worldwide. The movie is closing in on the $319 million domestic total of the first "Transformers" installment in 2007, as well as the original flick's $700

IMF says recession is ending

But a recovery isn't expected until 2010. Oil continues to fall. Investors await Alcoa's earnings after the close. G-8 summit begins in Italy.

Some optimism about the global economy didn't give stocks a lift today.

The International Monetary Fund raised its 2010 growth forecast to 2.5%, up from the forecast of 1.9% growth it made in April. The outlook for this year wasn't as rosy: The IMF forecast a contraction of 1.4% in 2009, worse than an April forecast for a 1.3% decline.

But stocks were moving lower ahead of this afternoon's report from Alcoa (AA). At 12:55 p.m. ET, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($INDU) was down 41 points to 8,122. The Nasdaq Composite Index ($COMPX) had lost 13 points to 1,734, and the Standard & Poor's 500 Index ($INX) had shed 8 points to 873.

The global economy will emerge from the recession with help from economies like China, the IMF said. Europe will recover after the U.S. and Japan. The fund cautioned that a recovery will be "sluggish" and said that repairing the international banking system is a priority.

4 Secrets to a Flat Stomach

People spend millions, if not billions of dollars, each year in the quest for a flat stomach. Right now there are about 200 or more ab exercise devices out there. There's the ab do-it, the ab rock-it, the ab roller, the ab dolly, and so many more. You would think that with all of these amazing new products that most people would be walking around with that nice, lean mid-section they've always wanted. Unfortunately, that's not the case.

Most, if not all of these products, will do little or nothing to flatten your stomach. And that's because these exercise contraptions cannot eliminate the layer of fat that lies on top of your abs.
In order to be successful at thinning your waistline you must have a basic under standing of how the ab muscles function and how your body burns fat. The first thing that needs to be understood is the difference between fat and muscle. Fat is excess calories and is primarily stored in layers on top of muscle tissue. Muscle is made up of fibers that contract or shorten to produce movement. Fat cannot turn into muscle and muscle cannot turn into fat! However, you can lose muscle and you can gain fat. That's what happens to most people.

So if your goal is to thin your waist line and have a nice flat stomach, the first thing you need to do is decrease / eliminate the layers of fat that are on top of your abs. We all have a flat stomach; it's just some of oar’s are covered by excess fat.

The most effective way of flattening your stomach is a combination of strength training (with a extra focus on mid-section), cardiovascular exercise (short, hard workouts), and stable blood sugar (keeps you from adding additional fat and makes it easier for the body to use body fat for fuel).

1. You must do some form of progressive strength training

The primary function of the ab muscle is to flex your torso forward. However, there are also muscles that flex your torso to the side and muscles that rotate your torso. Often times you see people on their ab roller every day doing hundreds of crunches or sit-ups.
If you want to effectively strengthen your stomach you need to incorporate the following types of exercises:
• 1-2 forward flexion exercises (crunch, sit-up, etc.)
• 1-2 side flexion exercises (side bends, side crunches, etc.)
• 1-2 rotational exercises (trunk rotations, standing twists, etc.)
The abs, are muscles just like any other and should be worked at most 3 times per week. You also want to make sure you are training them progressively, working them harder each time.

2. Use short, hard cardio workouts to increase metabolism
Cardio workouts are important because they CAN, if done correctly, increase your metabolism for 4-24 hours or more! This means you are less likely to store any excess calories as body fat because they are more likely to be used by your elevated metabolism. Plus, you are more likely to burn off some excess body fat.
Below is a sample interval workout that can be done with just about any activity (walking, bicycling, swimming, stair climbing, etc.).
Warm up at easy pace 2-5 minutes à Perform 30 seconds of hard work (almost as hard as possible) à perform 1 minute of moderate work (recovery time-catch breath)à Repeat this process 6-10 times à Cool down at an easy pace for 2-5 minutes

3. Stable blood sugar is the key
And most importantly, you must stabilize your blood sugar! This is by far the most important factor when it comes to burning away that excess body fat and keeping it off! To effectively stabilize your blood sugar you must feed your body frequently; like every 2-3 hours. The key is to give your body only what it needs at that time. Your body burns calories 24 hours a day, so, why would you only feed it once or twice a day? Give your body the fuel it needs: vegetables, fruits, nuts, berries, whole grains, and lean proteins (chicken, fish, lean beef, eggs, etc.).
Many people are too hung up on how much fat is in food, or how healthy of a choice it is. Calories are calories and it doesn’t matter where they come from. If there’s extra… where’s it going? Yup, you guessed it… body fat!
This is not to say that what you eat is not important because it is, it just doesn’t have that much of an affect when it comes to fat loss. Try to make healthy choices whenever possible, but don’t feel like if you eat a cheeseburger it is guaranteed to be stored as fat.

4. Get the help of a professional
Unfortunately, most people don’t know enough about the human body, nutrition, or effective exercise to meet their health and fitness goals. Ask yourself this one question, “Am I happy with my current progress or condition?” If you’re not, you should consider getting the help of a qualified personal fitness professional. Don’t depend on the information you get from magazines or from your local gym/ health club. A qualified fitness professional can help you achieve your health and fitness goals, and in less time than you would imagine.

If you are serious about your health and fitness goals, and you are ready for that flat stomach, I recommend you start implementing the 4 strategies listed in this article. These 4 strategies can help you take control of your metabolism and burn off that excess body fat and having you looking and feeling great! If you would like to receive more information on how to lose those love handles please call me at 240-731-3724 or e-mail me at jesse@achieve-fitness.com

Nicole Bobek Meth Bust (Mugshot)

Nicole Bobek Meth Bust - Remember figure skater Nicole Bobek? She won the 1995 U.S. championship while training at the Detroit Skating Club under Richard Callaghan.

Bobek has been charged with being part of a northern New Jersey
drug ring.

Bobek, 31, has been charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamines. Bobek was one of the most gifted -- and troubled -- U.S. figure skaters of the past 20 years. A a poor man's Tonya Harding if you will.

According to nj.com, prosecutor Edward DeFazio said Bobek "was actively involved in the upper echelon in this thing."
The investigation led to the arrests of more than a 12 people in June. Bobek's name had not been released then because she hadn't been located and arrested until last week, according to the NJ.com report.

Social Security number code cracked?

The government-issued numbers may not be that secure. Two researchers say they've figured out the code, and identity thieves might not be far behind.

By The Associated Press

For all the concern about identity theft, researchers say there's a surprisingly easy way for the technology-savvy to figure out the precious nine digits of Americans' Social Security numbers.
"It's good that we found it before the bad guys," Alessandro Acquisti of Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh said of the method for predicting the numbers.
Acquisti and Ralph Gross report in Tuesday's edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that they were able to make the predictions using data available in public records as well as information such as birth dates cheerfully provided on social networks such as Facebook.
For people born after 1988, when the government began issuing numbers at birth, the researchers were able to identify, in a single attempt, the first five Social Security digits for 44% of individuals. And they got all nine digits for 8.5% of those people in fewer than 1,000 attempts.
For smaller states, their accuracy was considerably higher than in larger ones.
Acquisti said in a telephone interview that he has sent the findings to the Social Security Administration and other government agencies with a suggestion they adopt a more random system for assigning numbers.

Social Security spokesman Mark Lassiter said the public should not be alarmed by the report "because there is no foolproof method for predicting a person's Social Security number."
"The suggestion that Mr. Acquisti has cracked a code for predicting an SSN is a dramatic exaggeration," Lassiter said via e-mail.
However, he added: "For reasons unrelated to this report, the agency has been developing a system to randomly assign SSNs. This system will be in place next year."
The researchers say their report omits some details to make sure they aren't providing criminals a blueprint for obtaining the numbers.
The predictability of the numbers increases the risk of identity theft, which cost Americans almost $50 billion in 2007 alone, Acquisti said.

A problem in the battle against identity thieves is that many businesses use Social Security numbers as passwords or for other forms of authentication, something that was not anticipated when Social Security was devised in the 1930s. The Social Security Administration has long cautioned educational, financial and health care institutions against using the numbers as personal identifiers.
"In a world of wired consumers, it is possible to combine information from multiple sources to infer data that is more personal and sensitive than any single piece of original information alone," Acquisti said, warning against providing too much data on social-networking sites.
Acquisti, who researches the economics of privacy, said he got interested in what could be learned from easily available sources by looking at social networks, which he termed "a great experiment in self-revelation."
People were willing to include their birth dates and hometowns, he said, and he already knew that was part of the information used in issuing Social Security numbers.
So the researchers turned to the Social Security Administration's "Death Master File," which lists the numbers of people who have died. The purpose of making that file public is to prevent impostors from assuming the Social Security numbers of deceased people.
But by plotting the data for people listed on the file between 1973 and 2003, the researchers were able to develop patterns for number issuance.

Marathon man Roger Federer makes history

Wimbledon, England -- Roger Federer hoisted the trophy and celebrated making Grand Slam history, a year removed from an epic five-set final when he left Wimbledon a broken man, his title ripped away and his aura of invincibility shattered.
Federer waged another five-set marathon Sunday and left as the holder of the most prestigious record in tennis. This time, the winner's trophy belonged to him, with the No. 1 ranking in his grasp again and his reputation enhanced as perhaps the greatest player in history.
Federer won his record 15th Grand Slam title, outlasting Andy Roddick for his sixth Wimbledon championship in a match that went to 30 games in the final set.

Federer served a career-high 50 aces and overcame Roddick, 5-7, 7-6, 7-6, 3-6, 16-14, to break the record of major titles he shared with Pete Sampras.
"I'm happy I broke the record here because this is always the tournament that meant the most to me," Federer said. "It definitely feels like coming full circle, starting it here and ending it here."
The match finally ended after four hours and 16 minutes when Federer broke for the first time all day, with Roddick missing on a forehand.
Federer jumped high in celebration, punched the air and whacked the net with his racket. Roddick tossed his racket to the side and the two men shared a hug at the net.
Federer kissed the trophy and brought it close to his chest.
Watching from the front row of the Royal Box was Sampras, a seven-time Wimbledon champion who flew in from California, his first appearance at the All England Club since playing this tournament for the last time in 2002. Also on hand were Bjorn Borg and Rod Laver.
"It's not really one of those goals you set as a little boy, but man, it's been quite a career and quite a month," said Federer, who saved four set points in the second-set tiebreaker to avoid falling behind 2-0 in sets. "It feels amazing, but this is not why I'm playing tennis to break all sort of different records. But it's definitely one of the greatest ones to have."
Turning to Sampras, Federer said: "Thanks very much for coming. I know it's a long way, but you're a member, man, we like to see you here. It's such a pleasure to play in front of such greats legends."
Roddick said: "Sorry Pete, I tried to hold him off."
The historic impact of the match hit home when Sampras arrived after the third game of the first set. Accompanied by his wife, Bridgette Wilson, he sat next to Spanish great Manolo Santana and a few seats from Laver and Borg. He wore sunglasses, a gray suit and light blue shirt and tie.

Shooting unveils very different sides of McNair

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Steve McNair earned the respect of his fellow NFL players for shaking off defenders and injuries. That same blue-collar playing style won the love of fans amazed at how the quarterback kept showing up for work - and winning.
He endeared himself more with his charity work. Not just from the checks he handed out, but for throwing himself into the efforts, like he did when loading boxes onto tractor-trailers bound for Hurricane Katrina victims.

Publicly, McNair was a happily married man and proud father of four sons who split his time between his Mississippi farm and a home in Music City, where celebrities are cherished, not hassled.
But when he was found shot to death on the Fourth of July with his 20-year-old girlfriend dead nearby, a darker side of his private life was suddenly thrust into the spotlight.
"People have certain things that they do in life," said McNair's longtime friend Robert Gaddy, who called 911. "We don't need to look on the situation at this time (but) on the fact we just lost a great member of society."
Even McNair's longtime agent said he didn't know about the former quarterback's relationship with Saleh Kazemi until news broke of the deaths. Now police call McNair the victim of homicide, though they aren't yet ready to label Kazemi's death a suicide despite her single bullet wound to the head.
"As good as he was on the football field, that couldn't touch the person," agent Bus Cook said Sunday, still shaken by McNair's death. "I mean it just couldn't."
Hints of a problem with alcohol surfaced in May 2003 when a Nashville police officer pulled McNair over on suspicion of drunk driving. Police said the quarterback's blood alcohol content was .18 percent — well over Tennessee's legal limit. He also was charged for having a 9mm weapon with him, but all the charges were later dropped.
McNair was charged with drunken driving in 2007 because he let his brother-in-law drive his pickup truck. Those charges were later dropped when the DUI charge against the brother-in-law was reduced to reckless driving.
And McNair could have been charged again Thursday night when the same officer who arrested him in 2003 stopped a 2007 Cadillac Escalade driven by Kazemi and registered to both her and McNair. Kazemi was arrested on a DUI charge, and he was allowed to leave in a taxi.

Ex-NFL QB McNair found shot to death in condo

Former NFL quarterback Steve McNair, whose most noted drive was the final one of the 2000 Super Bowl, was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head Saturday afternoon in a downtown condominium. Police said a woman was also shot dead.

McNair was 36 and played 13 seasons before retiring in April 2008. Police spokesman Don Aaron said officials tentatively identified the woman, but did not release her name. He confirmed she wasn't McNair's wife, Mechelle.
He said authorities were still investigating the shootings and that no suspects were in custody.
"I don't have any answers for you now as to what's happened, who's responsible," Aaron said.
"There are persons who were around the complex today, visitors, who have been taken to headquarters for questioning, just to see what they know, what they may have seen," he said.
Aaron said officers went to the scene after receiving a call about injured persons inside the condo.
"When police officers arrived in response to that call, they found two individuals who had been shot to death inside the residence," he said.
The condominium is one that McNair was known to frequent, but police spokeswoman Kristin Mumford said she didn't know if he was the owner.
About 50 people crowded just beyond police tape outside the complex in the upscale Rutledge Hill neighborhood, some wearing Titans hats. The condominium is located within walking distance of an area filled with restaurants and nightspots, a few blocks from the Cumberland River and within view of the Titans' stadium.

In June, McNair opened a restaurant near the Tennessee State University campus. It was closed Saturday evening, but had become a small memorial, where flowers, candles and notes had been placed outside the door.
On the restaurant's windows were messages: "We will miss you Steve" and "We love you Steve."
A note attached to a small blue teddy bear read, "We will never forget you, Steve. Once a Titan, always a Titan."
McNair, a four-time Pro Bowler, led the Titans within a yard of forcing overtime in the 2000 Super Bowl, which they lost 23-16 to the St. Louis Rams. He also played for the Baltimore Ravens before retiring in April 2008.
His most noted drive, the last one in that Super Bowl, came when he led the Titans 87 yards in the final minute and 48 seconds, only to come up a yard short of the tying touchdown. Kevin Dyson caught his 9-yard pass, but was tackled at the 1-yard line by the Rams' Mike Jones.
McNair accounted for all of Tennessee's yards in that drive, throwing for 48 yards and rushing for 14. The rest of the yardage came on penalties against the Rams. Before that, he brought the Titans back from a 16-0 deficit to tie the game.
"We don't know the details, but it is a terrible tragedy and our hearts go out to the families involved," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement.
"We are saddened and shocked to hear the news of Steve McNair's passing today," Titans owner Bud Adams said in a statement. "He was one of the finest players to play for our organization and one of the most beloved players by our fans. He played with unquestioned heart and leadership and led us to places that we had never reached, including our only Super Bowl."
"If you were going to draw a football player, the physical part, the mental part, everything about being a professional, he is your guy," former Ravens and Titans teammate Samari Rolle said. "I can't even wrap my arms around it. It is a sad, sad day. The world lost a great man today."

McNair became a nationally known college football star playing for Alcorn State, a Division I-AA school in his home state. His performance in the Southwestern Athletic Conference was so dominant, he became a Heisman Trophy contender and national media flocked to the school in Lorman, Miss., to get look at "Air McNair." He still holds the Division I-AA (now known as Football Championship Subdivision) records for career yards passing (14,496) and total offense (16,823).
McNair began his NFL career in 1995 with the Houston Oilers, who eventually became the Titans, and finished with 31,304 yards passing and 174 touchdowns. McNair played with pain for several years, and the injuries ultimately forced him to retire.
"On the field, there isn't player that was as tough as him, especially at the quarterback position," the Ravens' Derrick Mason said. "What I have seen him play through on the field, and what he dealt with during the week to get ready for a game, I have never known a better teammate."
During a five-game stretch at the end of the 2002 season, McNair was so bruised he couldn't practice. But he started all five games and won them, leading the Titans to an 11-5 finish and a berth in the AFC championship game for the second time in four seasons.
McNair played all 16 games in 2006, his first season in Baltimore, and guided the Ravens to a 13-3 record. But he injured his groin during the season opener last season and never regained the form that put him in those Pro Bowls.
"I am deeply saddened to learn of today's tragic news regarding the death of Steve McNair. He was a player who I admired a great deal," said New England Patriots senior football adviser Floyd Reese, who was GM of the Titans when McNair played for them. "He was a tremendous leader and an absolute warrior. He felt like it was his responsibility to lead by working hard every day, no matter what."
Titans coach Jeff Fisher was out of the country, taking part in the first NFL-USO coaches tour to Iraq.
Ozzie Newsome, Ravens executive vice president and general manager, said he immediately thought of McNair's four sons.
"This is so, so sad. We immediately think of his family, his boys. They are all in our thoughts and prayers," he said "What we admired most about Steve when we played against him was his competitive spirit, and we were lucky enough to have that with us for two years. He is one of the best players in the NFL over the last 20 years."

Kobe vs. MJ: Obama weighs in on great debate

President Barack Obama was asked straight out on Thursday: Kobe or Michael?
As in, who's the best? Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant, a four-time NBA champion? Or the basketball legend to whom he is most often compared, Michael Jordan, who retired as a six-time champ with the Chicago Bulls and is widely regarded as the best player of all time?
"Oh, Michael," Obama answered in an interview with The Associated Press.
"I mean, Kobe's terrific. Don't get me wrong," Obama said. "But I haven't seen anybody match up with Jordan yet."
Obama, a basketball fan who hails from Chicago, is certainly no Lakers hater.
He picked Bryant's team to defeat the Orlando Magic in the finals this year, and he was right.

Girl, 2, strangled by pet python, police say

OXFORD, Fla. - A 2-year-old girl apparently was strangled Wednesday by her family's 8-foot-long pet Burmese python, officials said.
Shaunia Hare was already dead when paramedics arrived at about 10 a.m. ET, Lt. Bobby Caruthers of the Sumter County Sheriff's Office said.
Charles Jason Darnell, the snake's owner and the boyfriend of Shaunia's mother, said he discovered the snake missing from its terrarium and went to the girl's room, where he found it on the girl and bite marks on her head, Caruthers said.

Darnell, 32, said he stabbed the snake until he was able to pry the child away, and then called 911.
"The baby's dead!" the sobbing caller from the house screamed to a 911 dispatcher in a recording. "Our stupid snake got out in the middle of the night and strangled the baby."
"She got out of the cage last night and got into the baby's crib and strangled her to death," the caller said.
Authorities removed the snake from the home Wednesday afternoon. Once outside the small, tan home, the snake was placed in a bag and then inside a dog crate. The snake was still alive.
Owner did not have permitDarnell did not have a permit for the snake, which would be a second-degree misdemeanor, said Joy Hill, a spokeswoman with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
He has not been charged, but Caruthers said investigators were looking into whether there was child neglect or if any other laws were broken.
NBC affiliate WESH reported that Darnell told deputies he left the snake in a bag in the terrarium just before the family went to sleep.
The python was one of two snakes in the home — the other is a 6-foot-long boa constrictor. Both snakes are alive, Carruthers said.
Two other children also lived there, WESH reported.
The Humane Society of the United States said including Wednesday’s death, at least 12 people have been killed in the U.S. by pet pythons since 1980, including five children.
Pythons are not native to Florida, but some residents keep them as pets, especially Burmese pythons, which can grow to more than 15 feet and weigh more than 150 pounds.

Jobless rate rises to 26-year high

U.S. economy shed a larger-than-expected 467,000 jobs in June

Employers cut a larger-than-expected 467,000 jobs in June, driving the unemployment rate up to a 26-year high of 9.5 percent, suggesting that the economy's road to recovery will be bumpy.
The Labor Department report, released Thursday, showed that even as the recession flashes signs of easing, companies likely will want to keep a lid on costs and be wary of hiring until they feel certain the economy is on solid ground.
June's payroll reductions were deeper than the 363,000 that economists expected and average weekly earnings dropped to the lowest level in nearly a year.

However, the rise in the unemployment rate from 9.4 percent in May wasn't as sharp as the expected 9.6 percent. Still, many economists predict the jobless rate will hit 10 percent this year, and keep rising into next year, before falling back.
All told, 14.7 million people were unemployed in June.
If laid-off workers who have given up looking for new jobs or have settled for part-time work are included, the unemployment rate would have been 16.5 percent in June, the highest on records dating to 1994.
"We were on the road of things getting less bad in the jobs market, and that has been temporarily waylaid," said economist Ken Mayland, president of ClearView Economics. "But this doesn't change my view that the recession will end later this year. We're probably two months away."

On Wall Street, the employment news pulled stocks lower.
Since the recession began in December 2007, the economy has lost a net total of 6.5 million jobs.
As the downturn bites into sales and profits, companies have turned to layoffs and other cost-cutting measures to survive. Those include holding down workers' hours and freezing or cutting pay.
The average work week in June fell to 33 hours, the lowest on records dating to 1964.
Layoffs in May turned out to smaller, 322,000, versus the 345,000 first reported. But job cuts in April were a bit deeper — 519,000 versus 504,000, according to government data.
Even with higher pace of job cuts in June, the report indicates that the worst of the layoffs have passed. The deepest job cuts of the recession came in January, when 741,000 jobs vanished, the most in any month since 1949.

Autopsy set on television pitchman Billy Mays

TAMPA, Florida (CNN) -- Medical examiners are due to conduct a preliminary autopsy Monday on Billy Mays, the man with the booming voice famous for fronting products such as OxiClean and Orange Glo in TV commercials.

The procedure will take about four hours, the Hillsborough medical examiner's office told CNN.
The pitchman was pronounced dead at his home near Tampa, Florida, Sunday morning, after his wife, Deborah, found him unresponsive, Tampa police said.
He was 50.
He had told a friend before he went to sleep Saturday he was not feeling well.
"He said he was groggy, he wasn't feeling that great. He wanted to get some sleep," Todd Schnitt said. Watch friends remember Billy Mays »
The cause of death is unknown. Police said there were no signs of forced entry to the residence and there is no suspected foul play.
Mays was on a US Airways flight from Philadelphia that had a hard landing Saturday at Tampa International Airport after the front tire of the plane blew out.

Mays was on a US Airways flight from Philadelphia that had a hard landing Saturday at Tampa International Airport after the front tire of the plane blew out.

After the flight, Mays told a Tampa TV station, "All of a sudden as we hit, you know, it was just the hardest hit, all the things from the ceiling started dropping. It hit me on the head, but I got a hard head."
Airline spokesman Jim Olson told CNN on Sunday there were no reported passenger injuries from Flight 1241. The airline vowed to "cooperate fully" with authorities in the investigation.
"We were very sad to learn of Billy Mays' passing and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family," Olson said.

Michael Jackson Dies

We've just learned Michael Jackson has died. He was 50. Michael suffered a cardiac arrest earlier this afternoon at his Holmby Hills home and paramedics were unable to revive him. We're told when paramedics arrived Jackson had no pulse and they never got a pulse back.A source tells us Jackson was dead when paramedics arrived.Once at the hospital, the staff tried to resuscitate him but he was completely unresponsive.We're told one of the staff members at Jackson's home called 911.La Toya ran in the hospital sobbing after Jackson was pronounced dead.Michael is survived by three children: Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr., Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince "Blanket" Michael Jackson II.

Story developing.........

Twins for Sarah Jessica Parker, Matthew Broderick

"Sex and the City" star Sarah Jessica Parker and her husband, Matthew Broderick, are now parents to twin girls delivered by a surrogate mother, a publicist said Tuesday.

The girls, Marion Loretta Elwell Broderick (5 pounds, 11 ounces) and Tabitha Hodge Broderick (6 pounds), were born Monday afternoon at an Ohio hospital.
The pregnancy wasn't without difficulties. Just last week, two Ohio lawmen burglarized the surrogate mother's home in Martins Ferry in search of photos they could sell to a tabloid publication. An investigation is ongoing.
Fireworks TV rotation
Detroit fans of NBC's Wednesday-night lineup will have to chug some coffee or set those TiVos tonight.
According to WDIV-TV Local 4, "I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me out of Here" is scheduled to play at 1:36 a.m. (Yes, Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt are to reappear!)
"America's Got Talent" will be broadcast at 2:24 a.m. and "The Philanthropist" follows that at 3:32 a.m.
It's a wrap, Motown
"Detroit, you gave birth to Motown. Remember that and keep it in your hearts."
That was the message Duke Fakir, the sole surviving member of the Four Tops, delivered Tuesday night at the Boll Family YMCA in Detroit during a wrap party for the Free Press' Motown at 50 documentary project.
"One thing always stands out in my mind. It's how important Motown music was in bringing people together," Fakir told a crowd of invited guests that included Motown artists and employees. "The great orchestrator upstairs brought it all into people's homes and let us know that all are equal."
The Motown at 50 project, which the Free Press launched in January to mark the 50th anniversary of Motown Records, includes stories, photo galleries and 50 videos chronicling the famed label's history.

Sharapova out at Wimbledon; Federer, Serena win

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) - In the final game, a desperate Maria Sharapova lunged to hit one shot left-handed, and twice challenged calls but lost. Then she lost the match as well.

Sharapova won seven consecutive games during one stretch but let a late lead slip away Wednesday and was beaten by Gisela Dulko, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 in the second round at Wimbledon.
In a wild, 14-point final game, Sharapova saved four match points. But on the fifth she pushed an easy forehand long, and she was out of the tournament after two rounds for the second year in a row.
The 2004 champion was playing in her fourth event since rejoining the tour last month following shoulder surgery in October. She's ranked 60th but was seeded 24th because of past success at the All England Club.
"This is not an overnight process," Sharapova said. "It's going to take time, as much time as I need on the court, to get everything together. ... Just being here is a wonderful accomplishment."
Serena Williams and Roger Federer advanced with little trouble. Williams, a two-time champion seeded second, committed only six unforced errors and beat Jarmila Groth 6-2, 6-1. Federer, bidding for his sixth Wimbledon championship and a record 15th major title overall, defeated Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-2, 6-2, 6-4.
No. 28-seeded Mardy Fish of the United States matched his best showing at Wimbledon by reaching the third round when he beat Janko Tipsarevic 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4. Fish next play No. 4 Novak Djokovic, who defeated Simon Greul 7-5, 6-1, 6-4.
"I'll throw everything I've got at him," Fish said. "I don't have anything else to do."
American Taylor Dent double-faulted 21 times and lost to Daniel Gimeno-Traver in the completion of a first-round match suspended because of darkness, 7-5, 7-6 (6), 4-6, 6-7 (3), 6-4.
No. 16 Zheng Jie, a semifinalist as a wild card last year, lost to Daniela Hantuchova 6-3, 7-5. No. 8 Victoria Azarenka lost only six points in her six service games and shut out Ioana Raluca Olaru 6-0, 6-0.

No. 10 Nadia Petrova, No. 14 Dominika Cibulkova and No. 26 Virginie Razzano advanced.
Dulko, ranked 45th, matched her best showing at Wimbledon by reaching the third round. She had won a total of only three games in two previous matches against Sharapova, but the Argentine repeatedly took charge of rallies by hitting drop shots, while Sharapova struggled with her serve and forehand.
"I had so many easy balls, and I just made unforced errors from those," Sharapova said. "When I've had those situations before, those balls would be pieces of cake, and today they weren't."
She and Dulko played the afternoon's first match on Centre Court in warm sunshine, and the new roof remained open for a third consecutive day. Dulko was almost flawless at the start, committing only four unforced errors in the first 11 games.
But with a 3-love lead in the second set, she began spraying her shots, and Sharapova pulled even.

American shot dead in West African capital

By AHMED MOHAMED

NOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania – Gunmen attempting to kidnap an American man in Mauritania on Tuesday shot and killed him when he tried to resist, a police officer in the West African nation said.
Neighbors said the middle-aged man taught at a center specializing in computer science in El Kasr, a lower-class neighborhood in Nouakchott, the Mauritanian capital.
Two men had initially tried to abduct him, but they shot him when they realized they could not overpower him, said the police officer, who did not give his name because he was not authorized to speak to the press.
Witness Bilal Ould Mohamed, a butcher, said he saw at least two young men rush up to the victim and shoot him several times in the head and face. Mohamed said he tried to stop them, but they pointed their gun at him before running off.
An AP correspondent at the scene saw officials from the U.S. Embassy arrive as the body lay on the pavement.
The embassy in Nouakchott could not immediately be reached for comment. The victim's identity was not immediately released.
Extremist violence in Mauritania, a moderate Muslim nation, has increased. In 2007, a group of French picnickers was killed. The gunmen were believed to be linked to al-Qaida's north Africa branch and the incident prompted organizers of the famous Dakar Rally to cancel the trans-Sahara car race.

Chris Brown pleads guilty to assault

By Kelley L. Carter, USA TODAY

LOS ANGELES — It was going to be another highly anticipated, media-clogged celebrity courtroom showdown, pitting pop singer Rihanna against her erstwhile boyfriend, R&B star Chris Brown. But it fizzled Monday when Brown accepted a deal in which he pleaded guilty to felony assault but avoided a trial and jail time.
EVERYTHING CHRIS BROWN: Learn more about the singer
The plea agreement, under which Brown, 20, will serve 180 days of community service and undergo domestic-violence counseling, was announced at the start of a preliminary hearing here.
"Do we have a deal?" Judge Patricia Schnegg asked after calling the hearing into session.
Rihanna, 21, had been prepared to take the stand to testify about what happened when the couple drove home from a pre-Grammy party in February.

Brown, dressed in a black-, white- and grey-checkered suit, entered the courtroom flanked by five sheriff's deputies. Nearly a dozen members of his family filled two courtroom rows behind him and his attorney, famed celebrity lawyer Mark Geragos.
"I want Mr. Brown to be treated as any other person of this type of charge," the judge said.
Dozens of media outlets were there to record the courtroom confrontation that didn't happen. Rihanna, wearing a black dress and pearls, appeared in court only after Brown had left.
Rihanna — born in Barbados, real name Robyn Rihanna Fenty — listened as Schnegg explained the stay-away order she issued: Brown can't contact Rihanna and she can't contact him at least until Aug. 5, when Brown will be formally sentenced.
Later, Rihanna's attorney, Donald Etra, said Rihanna didn't think the terms of the stay-away order were necessary. Etra would not comment on the current state of Brown's relationship with Rihanna.
Brown's plea deal includes five years of supervised probation, plus Brown must pay court restitution and contribute to a domestic violence fund.
Brown could have been sentenced to up to four years in prison. He will be allowed to do his community service in his home state of Virginia since he doesn't own any property in Los Angeles.
Brown spoke softly as he told the judge he understood the terms and conditions of his plea.
"I think it's commendable that you took responsibility," Schnegg told Brown. "I hope this will have some meaning for you."
Once known for a squeaky-clean image, Brown has already suffered fallout from the case; he was dropped by some sponsors and had to cancel several appearances. Because violence was involved in the case, it may be tougher for the singer to rebound, but not impossible.
"What happened today will have less impact than people thought," says Jason Adams, Entertainment Weekly assistant managing editor. "(It) pretty much sets both of them up to continue with their careers without turning a blind eye to what happened. … When it's all said and done, he's a young man, and this stuff will be over pretty quickly."
Contributing: Steve Jones and Maria Puente

Rihanna Testimony in Chris Brown Case

Rihanna and Chris Brown go to court Monday in Los Angeles, but you won't see tape. TV cameras have been banned from capturing superstar Rihanna's much-anticipated testimony at ex-boyfriend Chris Brown's assault trail. The Barbadian singer is expected to take to the stand during a preliminary hearing at Los Angeles Superior Court. And although reporters will be allowed inside to hear the proceedings, the doors will stay firmly closed to cameras. Los Angeles Criminal Court Judge Patricia Schnegg decided against allowing the showdown to be broadcast to the world. Brown, 20, faces two felony counts of assault and making criminal threats against Rihanna after a pre-Grammy party in February.
***However, if he reaches a plea agreement, the hearing would be unnecessary. Brown's lawyer, Mark Geragos, has previously indicated he hoped to resolve the case without public testimony. If it goes ahead, Rihanna – real name Robyn Fenty – could later be called as a witness in the high-profile trial.

Taliban Wanted $25 Million for Life of New York Times Reporter

Contentious Debate at the New York Times Over Paying for David Rohde's Release
By BRIAN ROSS

The Taliban leader who held New York Times reporter David Rohde hostage for seven months initially demanded a ransom of $25 million and the release of 10 prisoners from Guantanamo, according to people involved in subsequent negotiations.

Rohde's captor was reportedly identified by the FBI and CIA as Siraj Haqqani, the son of a senior Taliban leader Jalaluddin Haqqani who is considered to be close to al Qaeda. He and his Taliban associates reportedly referred to the American journalist as their "golden rooster."
Haqqani demonstrated his violent ways by reportedly killing a messenger sent to establish that Rohde was still alive, according to people familiar with the FBI criminal investigation of the kidnapping.
The U.S. posted a $5 million reward for Siraj Haqqani's capture during the time he held Rohde.

Who is Tiger's Wife? (Photos)

Elin Nordegren
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
E-lin Nordegren Woods
Born
Elin Maria Pernilla NordegrenJanuary 1, 1980 (1980-01-01) (age 29)Stockholm, Sweden
Residence
Windermere, Florida
Occupation
Model Elin Nordegren
Spouse(s)
Tiger Woods (m. 2004–present) «start: (2004)»"Marriage: Tiger Woods to Elin Nordegren" Location: (linkback:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elin_Nordegren)
Children
Sam Alexis (b.2007),Charlie Axel (b.2009)
Parents
Thomas Nordegren, Barbro Holmberg
Relatives
Axel and Josephin (twin sister) Nordegren
E-lin Maria Pernilla Nordegren[1] Woods (born January 1, 1980, in Stockholm, Sweden) is a former Swedish model and wife of professional golfer Tiger Woods.
Contents[hide]
1 Family
2 Relationship with Tiger Woods
3 Nude photographs hoax
4 References
//

[edit] Family
Nordegren's mother, Barbro Holmberg, is a politician and former migration and asylum policy minister of Sweden, while her father, Thomas, is a radio journalist who has served as bureau chief in Washington, D.C. for the Swedish Broadcasting media.[citation needed] She has one older brother, Axel, and a twin sister, Josefin.[2]

[edit] Relationship with Tiger Woods
Nordegren and her twin sister Josefin had been working as au pairs for Swedish golfer Jesper Parnevik when he introduced her to Woods during the 2001 British Open. In November 2003, Woods and Nordegren attended the Presidents Cup tournament in South Africa and became officially engaged when Woods proposed at the luxury Shamwari Game Reserve. On October 5, 2004, they were married by the 19th hole at the exclusive Sandy Lane resort in Barbados. The ceremony reportedly cost over $1.5 million.[citation needed] Privacy was achieved by buying out the island's sole helicopter charter company and by booking the entire hotel - 200 rooms ranging in price from $700 to $8,000 per night.[citation needed]
On June 18, 2007, Woods announced the birth of their daughter, Sam Alexis Woods, early that morning, just a day after Woods finished second in the 2007 U.S. Open.[3]
On September 2, 2008, Woods announced on his website they were expecting another child in late winter.[4] Five months later, it was announced that Elin had given birth to a boy, named Charlie Axel on February 8, 2009.[5]

[edit] Nude photographs hoax
Shortly after Nordegren's relationship with Woods became public, nude photographs of a woman resembling Nordegren began circulating on the internet, with text claiming it was, in fact, her. Nordegren, whose modeling work did include bikini photo shoots, vehemently denied that she has ever posed nude. The nude photographs claimed to be of Nordegren actually depict Playboy magazine model Kim Hiott, and most are derived from the 2000 edition of Playboy's "Nudes" special edition.[6][7] Despite this identification and repeated denials from Nordegren and Woods, in September 2006 (immediately prior to the 2006 Ryder Cup) Irish magazine The Dubliner published an article "Ryder Cup Filth for Ireland," which displayed the nude photographs of Hiott and again claimed they were of Nordegren.[8] Woods described the story as "unacceptable," and his agent Mark Steinberg said, "Everyone knew it wasn’t her. It's plain as day."[9] Steinberg also said the couple was considering legal recourse against the magazine. The Dubliner issued an apology for the story, saying that they had printed the photos as a "satire of tabloid publishing."
On November 16, 2006, Tiger Woods fired a golf ball at the head office of The Dubliner.[10] Nordegren won the ensuing lawsuit and as part of the settlement accepted by a Dublin court, The Dubliner must publish its lengthy apology in a variety of venues, including in its next issue. If the magazine fails to meet the conditions the award will be increased to $366,500 and the publishers will have to pay Nordegren Woods' legal costs.[11]