Former US security men deny Afghan civilian killings

Two ex-employees of a US security company killed two Afghan nationals while fuelled by alcohol and rage, a US court has heard.

Prosecutors in the state of Virginia say that Justin Cannon and Christopher Drotleff opened fire at the scene of a road accident in Kabul.

They worked for a security company run by a firm formerly known as Blackwater.

Their lawyers deny murder charges, saying they opened fire because they believed they were under attack.

If convicted of murder, assault and weapons charges, Mr Cannon, from Texas, and Mr Drotleff from Virginia, could be imprisoned for life.

Their trial began on Wednesday in a US District Court and is expected to last two to three weeks.

They worked for Paravant, part of Xe - formerly Blackwater - which was blamed for killing civilians in Iraq in 2007.

The pair were in Afghanistan to provide weapons training to the Afghan National Army as contractors with Paravant.

Prosecutors said the pair were "a disaster waiting to happen" in May last year, as they had been drinking for several hours after two of their superiors were fired.

"They were drinking. They were driving. They were armed and they were out of control," said Robert McGovern, a Department of Justice lawyer.

Both sides agree that the men left their camp to drive two Afghan interpreters and another man to a taxi stand late at night on a road known for attacks on Americans.

When one of the vehicles in their convoy crashed, they allegedly shot at a car that sped from the crash scene.

Prosecutors say that the men fired about 30 rounds - Mr Cannon with an AK47 and Mr Drotleff with a 9mm pistol - hitting two men in the car and a man who was walking his dog with a friend.

One man in the car and the man on the street died from bullet wounds.

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IMF releases $451million loan for Pakistan floods

The International Monetary Fund says it is making a $451m emergency loan to Pakistan available immediately.

The IMF said the money would help Pakistan cope in the aftermath of the floods that have affected about 18 million people.

It said it hoped its decision would encourage more lending by international donors.

Meanwhile, new flooding has been reported from around the town of Dadu, near the Indus river in Sindh province.

The army is continuing relief efforts, rescuing hundreds of people trapped or isolated by floodwaters, in the area.

"The [IMF] board's approval enables the immediate disbursement of the full amount of this emergency assistance," the IMF said in a statement.

"Pakistan's economic outlook has deteriorated sharply as a result of the floods. The agriculture sector, which accounts for 21% of Gross Domestic Product and 45% of employment, has been hit particularly hard," it added.

The floods which hit the country at the end of July have killed at least 1,500 people and devastated large areas.

The United Nations has said that billions of dollars would be needed in the long term.

But charities say the response to the UN's appeal has been sluggish.

The US has made the biggest contribution so far, followed by the UK.

UK Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has called the international response "lamentable".

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Pakistan needs civilian rule, says US envoy

The US has dismissed suggestions that the Pakistani military could form a viable alternative to the civilian government, widely criticised for its handling of the country's flood crisis.

Special envoy Richard Holbrooke praised civilian politicians and said the US would support only an elected civilian government in Pakistan.

The army has been widely praised for its response to the floods.

Pakistan has a history of coups and only returned to civilian rule in 2007.

But some observers have suggested that the floods, combined with a widespread Islamist insurgency, are making it impossible for civilian politicians to govern.


    We intend to see this wonderful country and its people through these troubled times”

 Richard Holbrooke US special representative said.

     Indus flood diary

Mr Holbrooke, who is in Pakistan visiting flood-affected areas, told reporters: "We will only support a civilian, democratically elected government.

"I think the Pakistan government has done a fantastic job [handling the floods] so far - and we are here to help in any way we can."

However, he added that the US was happy to work with the Pakistani army, "which is a part of this government".

The US has been the biggest aid donor to Pakistan since the floods hit, devastating large parts of the country and affecting about 18 million people.

US officials say the country has donated more than $260m (£166m) for flood relief, and has provided 18 military helicopters to evacuate people and deliver food and supplies.

The US has also provided water-purification kits and deployed medical teams to help prevent the spread of disease.

In a boost to the aid effort, Mr Holbrooke said the US would begin diverting cash from US-funded infrastructure projects into flood relief.

And he denied that the US was helping Pakistan in a bid to bolster the fight against Islamist militancy in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

"This is a humanitarian effort and we intend to see this wonderful country and its people through these troubled times," he said.

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BP's Gulf of Mexico oil well to be sealed 'by Sunday'

BP's ruptured oil well in the Gulf of Mexico is expected to be permanently sealed by Sunday.

Adm Thad Allen, in charge of cleaning up the oil spill, has said a relief well, which has taken more than four months to drill, should intersect the damaged well later on Thursday.

A mixture of mud and cement will then be pumped in, permanently sealing it.

On Wednesday, the US said it would require oil firms to plug 3,500 non-producing Gulf of Mexico oil wells.

"We are within a 96-hour window of killing the well," former Coast Guard chief Adm Allen told reporters.

No oil has spilled into the Gulf since a temporary cap was placed on the well in mid-July. Mud and cement were later pushed down through the top of the well, and the cap removed.

The relief well is being drilled 2.5 miles (4km) through dirt and rock beneath the sea floor so that the ruptured well can also be sealed from the bottom, ensuring it never causes a problem again.

On Wednesday, the US government said it also wanted energy firms to dismantle hundreds of unused platforms to prevent potential leaks; some installations have been sitting idle for decades without inspection for leaks.

The new requirements are due to take effect in October.

BP's Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded in April, killing 11 people and causing one of the worst ecological disasters in US history, with nearly five million barrels of oil spilling into the Gulf.
'Devastating'

In London on Wednesday, BP's departing boss Tony Hayward told MPs that the oil spill was "devastating" to him.

"I understand why people feel the way they do, and there is little doubt that the inability of BP, and the industry, to intervene to seal the leak... was unacceptable."

But he said it would be wrong to blame only BP.

"No single factor caused the accident, and multiple parties including BP, Halliburton and Transocean, were involved," he told MPs on the Commons Energy Committee.

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Michael Jackson's mother sues concert promoter

The mother of pop star Michael Jackson has begun legal proceedings against concert promoter AEG, claiming it did not give her son proper medical care.

Katherine Jackson contends it failed to provide life-saving equipment and oversee a doctor who was hired to look out for the pop star's well-being.

Her legal action claims the singer was put under great pressure to complete the London concerts for which he was rehearsing at the time of his death.

AEG has yet to comment on the action.

Ms Jackson's civil action, which seeks unspecified damages, was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday.

Kenny Ortega, director of the planned This is It series of concerts, was also named as a defendant.

Katherine Jackson contends that AEG and its agents told her son it would provide the equipment and hire Dr Conrad Murray to care for him so he could perform at the concerts in London.

Her action alleges its representations were false "because in reality AEG was merely doing whatever it took to make sure that Michael Jackson could make it to rehearsals and shows".

"At the time of his death, Michael Jackson was under the immediate care of a doctor selected by, hired by, and controlled by AEG," the complaint continues.

It claims the company "demanded and required" the singer be treated by Dr Murray, who is alleged to have administered a lethal dose of Propofol and other drugs which resulted in the pop star's death on 25 June 2009.
Katherine and Joe Jackson Michael Jackson's parents have both filed wrongful death lawsuits

Dr Murray has pleaded not guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter and is expected to stand trial next year.

Katherine Jackson is the guardian of the singer's three children and is suing AEG on their behalf.

Her action claims Jackson's eldest son, Prince, suffered great trauma and severe emotional distress because he witnessed his father's final moments.

"The purpose of this lawsuit is to prove to the world the truth about what happened to Michael Jackson, once and for all," Katherine Jackson's lawyer said in a statement.

Earlier this year Jackson's father, Joe, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Dr Murray, accusing him of professional negligence.

Mr Murray's attorneys filed a motion on Wednesday seeking a dismissal of that action, which did not name AEG.

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Oil tanker freed in Northwest Passage off Canada

A ship carrying 9m litres (2m gallons) of oil has been freed after running aground two weeks ago off the coast of northern Canada.

A Department of Transportation spokeswoman told AFP news agency the ship's owner had lightened the vessel's load by pumping out some of the oil.

The oil tanker was dislodged without leaking any oil into Arctic waters, the Canadian Coast Guard said.


The MV Nanny became stuck when it hit a sandbar in the Northwest Passage.

The operation to free the ship, which is owned by Newfoundland-based Woodward's Oil, took place over a period of two days near the village of Gjoa Haven in the Nunavut federal territory.

The Department of Transportation is conducting an investigation into how the oil tanker became stuck on the sandbar.

Gjoa Haven, or Uqsuqtuuq in the Inuktitut language, is the only settlement on King William Island.

The Northwest Passage is one of the most fabled sea routes in the world - the most direct shipping route from Europe to Asia through the Canadian Arctic. Historically, it has been ice-bound throughout the year.

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Pope arrives for UK visit

The Queen has welcomed Pope Benedict to Edinburgh at the start of the first papal visit to the UK for 28 years.

He was officially welcomed at Holyrood House ahead of a parade through the city and an open-air Mass in Glasgow.

Tens of thousands of people are lining the streets of Edinburgh to greet him, although protests are also planned.

One of the Pope's aides has pulled out of the trip after reportedly saying arriving at Heathrow airport was like landing in a "Third World country".

The trip is the first to the UK by a Pontiff since John Paul II in 1982. It is also the first to be designated a state visit because the Pope has been invited by the Queen rather than the church.


The papal plane left Rome's Ciampino airport at about 0720 local time. On board with the Pope were about 30 senior Vatican officials and dozens of journalists.

The pilot raised the union jack and the papal standard from the cockpit as the plane taxied along the runway.

Child abuse

During the flight, in response to a question from the BBC, the Pope said the scandal surrounding the abuse of children by Catholic priests had come as a great personal shock to him.

He said he wanted to offer the victims "material, psychological and spiritual" help and to protect other children from dangerous priests in the future.

The Pope was greeted on the tarmac by the Duke of Edinburgh, Catholic leaders and a 30-strong honour guard from the Royal Regiment of Scotland. Lord Patten also welcomed him on behalf of the government.

Once at Holyrood House, the Queen and the Pope exchanged gifts before holding a private audience.

Vatican officials say Pope Benedict plans to use his visit to highlight the importance of the role of faith for everyone in contemporary Britain, not just Catholics and Anglicans.


Even before his arrival the Pope faced questions from journalists aboard the papal plane.

The Pope said the revelations about sex abuse by priests had caused him great sadness. How was it possible, the Pope asked himself, that priests who had been trained for years to be good pastors could fall into this state? The Church must show penance and humility. He congratulated the English bishops on the strong measures they have taken to deal with the problem.

Was he apprehensive about some opposition expressed in Britain to his state visit? No, he said. During his pastoral visits to France and to the Czech Republic, the Pope said there had been strong anti-clerical feelings expressed. But nonetheless, he had received a warm welcome in France from agnostics and in Italy, too, there was a long history of anti-clericism.

On how to create a more credible church, the Pope said the Church did not work for itself but for others in order to make the gospel message more accessible. Anglicans and Catholics have essentially the same task - to work together, he said.

Monsignor Michael Regan, who has been in charge of planning the first leg of the trip, said: "He's a Pontiff, he's the bridge-builder, and hopefully his visit to Edinburgh today, and to the United Kingdom, will be building bridges in a whole variety of different ways."

Prime Minister David Cameron has said it will be "a very special four days, not just for our six million Catholics, but for many people of faith right across Britain".

But in Edinburgh, Presbyterians, secularists, and other groups are planning to protest against Vatican policies on birth control, gay rights and abortion, as well as the abuse scandal, but police have said they do not expect large-scale demonstrations.

Asked about the protests, the Pope told journalists on his flight that the UK had a "great history of anti-Catholicism", but also "a great history of tolerance".

Meanwhile, one of the Pope's senior advisers - Cardinal Walter Kasper - will not make the trip after he made remarks about England to a German magazine, including claiming it was gripped with a "new and aggressive atheism".

The Vatican said the cardinal had not intended "any kind of slight" and had simply pulled out due to illness. Officials also said his "Third World" comment referred to the UK's multicultural society.

The leader of the Catholic Church in Scotland Keith O'Brien said he was "sure Cardinal Kasper will apologise for any intemperate remarks which he made".

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Jimmy Smits

Outlaw TV Show NBC Pilot – New Jimmy Smits TV Series – Outlaw pilot episode 1 which was directed by Terry George and directed by John Eisendrath aired last night on NBC. It’s hard to imagine Jimmy Smits in a role where he isn’t lovable especially when he plays a public servant, which provided us with the old serious yet playboy Jimmy Smits that we all know and love.

Unfortunately for him, despite his gritty performance in the show, “Outlaw” suffers from a terrible script and plot that can, at times, leave the audience very confused about what it going on. Smits does a great job with what he’s given but the series is just too out of order and unrealistic for a normal audience to follow.
A supreme who dumps everything to become a lawyer in less than 24 hour ? Really?

Smits plays a conservative who decides to renounce his ways to become more liberal, resigns from the Supreme Court and sets out to change the system. It sounds like something that was made for a television show pilot, but the way that the plot is executed makes the story seem lesser.

The cast that surrounds Smits is not all that great either. Some of the names and faces may be recognizable, but it is hard to tell where the bad writing stops and the bad acting begins. At times, the dialogue is boring, and it comes off as an unintentional comedy.

After Smits appearance on “Dexter,” which was excellent, one would hope that he would receive an offer to appear on something of “West Wing” caliber. Unfortunately, “Outlaw” falls short in just about every category and likely will not make it through its first season.

Not many Republicans/conservatives will like this series but it could capture the attention of few liberals who believe in fighting for equal rights and justice for those wrongfully accused.

What are your thoughts on the episode?

That’s all we have for now on Outlaw season 1 episode 1.

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Mediatakeout

Mediatakeout  was the first news resource to make dating of NBA star Shaquille  O’Neal and his girlfriend Nikki “Hoopz” Alexander. Now here they are again with the report that the start is engaged to the bride and on way to make one happy family.

Shaquille and Nikki Hoopz have been dating for only a few months and according to MediaTakeOut.com, the superstar athlete came with the merry proposal for wedding the reality show star recently.

Nikki Hoopz is reported in all smiles declaring that she won show Flavor of Love but found true love in Shaquille O’Neal.

According to reports, Shaq was having a troublesome life when his wife and her lover Shaunie Vanessa Lopez have been set for divorce, amidst allegations of cheating.

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Big Brother 12 Winner

After a couple of months of drama, challenges, nominations, numerous Head of Household/Power of Veto competitions and evictions, the “Big Brother 12” winner was finally chosen. If you don’t already know who was voted as the 2010 winner, it was college student Hayden Moss.

According to a recent article at seattlepi.com, 24-year old Hayden managed to win the final HoH competition, which of course meant that he got to chose who to evict out of Lane and Enzo. Moss evicted Enzo off, leaving just him and Lane in line for the $500,000 prize money.

Lane and Hayden then faced a grilling from a jury of seven evicted houseguests, about the secret Brigade alliance and on their social gameplay. When the final voting results were announced, it was Hayden who had won with a total of four votes against Lane’s three.

However, Lane – a 24-year old oil rig salesman – didn’t go away empty-handed, as he received $50,000 for becoming the season 12 runner-up. 22-year old Britney Haynes also walked away with a prize of $25,000, after she was voted as the favorite houseguest of season twelve.

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Gates Death Panels

Gates Death Panels – Bill Gates On Health Care Savings – Bill Gates is a known advocate for what has been described as “death panels.” His stance on the issue has been a source of controversy among conservative commentators, but most actually overlook the fact that Gates is known as a hardcore eugenicist who has claimed that the global population is too high. His Bill Gates fund is known for donating millions of dollars every year toward vaccines.

He made his comments about the “death panels,” which would allow individuals who are suffering from the worst and most painful diseases to end their lives on their own terms, at the Aspen Ideas Festival which is held in Aspen Colorado every year. The comments did not garner all that much attention, until a video clip of his speech appeared on a number of conservative blogging sites on Sunday.

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Jimmy Johnson

Some of you may well remember, that back in July we brought you an article on the rumors surrounding possible cast members for the popular reality TV series “Survivor: Nicaragua.” One of the names mentioned back then, was former NFL head coach Jimmy Johnson.

Well it looks like those rumors turned out to be true!! According to a recent article over at latimes.com by Maria Elena Fernandez, the former Miami Dolphins/Dallas Cowboys coach was in fact one of the cast members of the new series, which kicked off on Wednesday, September 15th.

Johnson – who has been a fan of the popular reality TV survival series since it began in 2000 – did actually apply to be on the show three years ago, but doctors revealed that he had two blocked arteries which of course prevented him from competing on the show.

However, Johnson then underwent heart surgery, lost a total of 30 pounds and cut his cholesterol level in half, and re-applied. The network then decided to give the 67-year old Fox NFL sports analyst a try, and offered him a spot on “Survivor: Nicaragua,” which was filmed earlier this year.

Johnson told his fellow Espada tribe members that he wasn’t in it for the money, but just for the adventure. Although he could not reveal the results of the show for obvious reasons, Johnson said last week that he was happy with adventure he did have while appearing on “Survivor.”

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Edwin Newman

Edwin Newman, who spent decades as a newsman at NBC, has died. The veteran TV journalist, who was 91, passed away Aug. 13 in Oxford, England, though his death was only just announced by outlets including the New York Times so his family could have time to grieve privately.

Newman first joined NBC's ranks in the early 1950s and served as a correspondent, anchor, commentator, documentary host and theater critic over his three-decade tenure. He was known for his dry wit, stark eyebrows and love of plainspoken English.

In a statement, former NBC anchor Tom Brokaw said, "Ed Newman was an early role model for my generation of NBC News correspondents. Worldly, erudite and droll, qualities that were enriched by his pitch perfect use of the English language."

Newman's many notable career moments included announcing President Kennedy's death on the air, moderating two Presidential debates and being the only Western journalist to interview Japanese Emperor Hirohito.



He was born in 1919 in New York City, graduated from George Washington High School, went on to earn a degree at the University of Wisconsin and served in the Navy during World War II, before pursuing journalism professionally.

Newman was regarded as a champion of proper grammar and usage. In 1970, he wrote two bestselling books, 'Strictly Speaking: Will America Be the Death of English?' and 'A Civil Tongue,' which warned against linguistic excesses.

Yet the newsman didn't take himself seriously, even appearing as a host on 'Saturday Night Live' in 1984, the year he retired from NBC.

Newman is survived by his wife, the former Rigel Grell, and a daughter, Nancy Drucker.

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America' s Got Talent Winner

America’s Got Talent Winner – Michael Grim – 2010 AGT Finale  – The winner of America’s Got Talent has been announced, after a showdown between soul crooner Michael Grim and 10 year singing sensation Jackie Evancho.

Evancho received high praise all round for her mature singing talents, as well as her mature attitude towards life and performing, unlike some other performers twice her age. After losing, Evancho showed her respect and maturity, saying “This experience has been amazing,” she said, without showing any sign of disappointment. “I have loved every single moment that I’ve been doing it, and I just really hope that I’ll be able to sing for you guys again.”

Grimm, the winner, was in disbelief and shock at the announcement, saying “Is this really happening, is this real?”

There were two other performers on the night, opera singer Prince Poppycock, who judge Piers Morgan told “You are a star and you will be star” after his elimination, and Blacklight performers Fighting Gravity, who got a glowing recommendation from Sharon Osbourne, who told the group that she’d want a front row seat for their shows.

There were some high quality guests appearing on the final night, such as Cirque Du Soleil’s Love performer, Usher, David Copperfield and Lionel Richie, offering the audience some quality entertainment.

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Halo Reach Reviews

Superhero and cartoon characters are integral parts of the electronic entertainment industry. With this in mind, I salute the meld of pop-culture character and video game with a look at Halo Reach: Limited Edition (from Microsoft Game Studios, developed by Bungie Studios, reviewed for Xbox 360, rated M for mature, $79.99).

One of the year's most anticipated first-person shooters continues the saga of humanity's fight for survival against the multispecies war machine known as the Covenant. This package not only offers players the full game, but also includes a fantastic history lesson about the creation of the United Nations Space Command's most famous weapon.

What's the story? From the package: It is the year 2552. Welcome to the planet Reach, the heart of the UNSC's military power and home to the iconic Spartan supersoldiers. For decades, humanity has fled from the relentless Covenant threat, and now the largest Covenant fleet ever witnessed looms in the darkened skies over Reach. Noble Team, equipped with a deadly arsenal of high-tech weaponry and abilities and bolstered by the full might of the UNSC, must stand and face a full-scale planetary invasion.

Play the role: During the solo campaign, the player assumes the role of Noble 6, a newly trained Spartan ready to defend Reach.

With help from five more team members, including silent killer Emile (his helmet is to die for) and heavy-weapons specialist Jorge, he will go on missions to help fellow Spartans, rescue citizens of Reach, and engage and destroy the Covenant on the ground and in the air.
Action from Halo Reach for Xbox 360Action from Halo Reach for Xbox 360

Noble 6 gets a fully customizable helmet and body armor (down to individual pieces) and successful players earn credits to create the most stylish and ferocious-looking Spartan in the galaxy.

Get to the action: Noble 6 can carry two arms and will have access to about two dozen types of weapons from the Spartans and Covenant forces as he battles Grunts, Brutes, Elites, Jackals, Hunters and Drones.

New weapons include the needle rifle, fuel rod gun (it blasts green-hued projectiles) and plasma launcher (hold the trigger down and shoot four tracking plasma grenades).

An assortment of temporary power-ups (one can be carried at a time) is available to the Spartan (look for the florescent glowing stations) and range from holographic decoys to jet packs to an impenetrable shield.

Additionally, Spartan eventually will find vehicles he can drive or whose weapons he can control, including the Warthog, Scorpion, Wraith and Falcon gunship.

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Chase Bank

Chase Bank at 4580 W. 121st Ave. in Broomfield was robbed Tuesday, and the suspect, dubbed the “Flat Bill Bandit” by law enforcement, is believed to have robbed two other banks on Monday.

Broomfield police and the FBI's Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force responded to reports of the robbery at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday. The robber, who was believed to be armed with a handgun, demanded money and fled, according to a news release from the FBI's Denver office.

The robber is described as a white man in his mid 20s, standing approximately 5 feet, 5 inches to 5 feet, 8 inches tall. He has a thin build, dark hair and a scruffy beard. Law enforcement has dubbed him the “Flat Bill Bandit” because of the style of baseball cap worn during the robberies.

The FBI believes the same man robbed a Wells Fargo Bank in Littleton and a Chase Bank in Fort Collins on Monday.

Anyone with information about the Broomfield robbery or any bank robbery, is asked call the FBI Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force at 303-629-7171.

Tips also can be made anonymously by calling Crimestoppers at 720-913-STOP(7867). Information could be eligible for a reward of up to $2,000.

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Ernest Withers

Ernest Withers is known as the official photographer of the Civil Rights movement, but a new investigation by the Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper reveals he was also a spy for the FBI -- informing on the thoughts and movements of Martin Luther King Jr. and others. Earl Caldwell,who knew Withers, offers his insight. Caldwell is a professor at the Hampton University's Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications in Hampton, Va.

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Lisa Olson

Lisa Olson’s case was similar to Ines Sainz case today

There has been a recent event that took place in the New York Jets Locker room with one of the Mexican TV reporter Ines Sainz.

She was reported to have harassed by the Jets coaches and players while she was doing a regular interview of Mark Sanchez.

Jets owner reached out the lady and apologized for the inconvenience and promised that he is going to go deep into the issue making sure that those responsible for the event repent for their actions.

Similar event occurred with Lisa Olson back 20 years  back when she was aimed at her gender in the locker room of the Patriots while no one even tried to apologize.

On the contrary, the Patriots owner dismissed the complaint and the league had to take interest to see what happened.


Read more: Lisa Olson’s case was similar to Ines Sainz case today | JackTimes.com

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Naomi Judd

Oprah Winfrey had two very special guests on her show today, September 14. Both Wynonna and Naomi Judd were interviewed on the Oprah show, and Wynonna Judd was proud to be 60 pounds lighter.

The Judd's On Oprah

According to Oprah.com, the Judd's were a duo Oprah really wanted to appear during her final season. Wynonna and Naomi Judd have experienced a lot in their years as performers and as mother and daughter. Naomi battles hepatitis C and Wynonna divulged on a previous Oprah show that her former husband had sexually assaulted a young woman.

Today on Oprah, both of the Judd women are in much better places. Naomi's health is doing well, and Wynonna is dating....although she wouldn't share too many secrets with Oprah. The pair plans to embark on a final concert tour, called "The Last Encore" starting in November of this year.

In addition, Oprah Winfrey's guests were treated to a video tour of the Judd's farm in Tennessee, which spans 1000 acres.

Wynonna Lucky to Be Alive

Abilene Reporter News says that Wynonna talked about her two near death experiences within the past couple of months. A surgical procedure ended with a blood clot passing through her heart, and she was involved in a car crash some weeks later when a man fell asleep at the wheel and his car careened into Judd's, going about 55 miles per hour.

Wynonna Judd feels very fortunate to be alive, and she shared that sentiment, along with her strong belief in God, with Oprah today. She also shared how her relationship with her mother has improved, and that the two now tour using separate trailers.

One of the biggest surprises on Oprah today was for everyone to witness that Wynonna Judd has lost 60 pounds....and she did it without the help of a diet aid she once touted called Alli. She credits her weight loss to her belief in God and how He wants her to love herself.

It sounds like today's episode of Oprah was inspirational and informative, and that both Wynonna and Naomi Judd were remarkable guests. It will be fun to see who else Oprah has on her show during this, her very last season.

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US Open Mens Final

The US Open mens final 2010 finally ended major tennis for the year. Of course, the US Open mens final 2010 didn't end on time, as the schedule had a
 Monday final again. In fact, the match was subject to another rain delay at a key point, and did not end until after 10 p.m. est on ESPN 2. But by the time it did end, it was clear that Novak Djokovic did not have another comeback in him. As such, the US Open mens final 2010 made tennis history, and made Rafael Nadal the undisputed No. 1 in the land.

Flushing Meadows was the last major location to get the best of Nadal, at least until this year. He had not lost a set going into the final, and looked safe to get a career Grand Slam. Novak Djokovic seemed to make the task easier when he upset Roger Federer, but that was not the case for a while.

Before the US Open mens final 2010 had another rain delay, Nadal and Djokovic were practically even. Nadal won the first set, but Djokovic jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the second. However, Nadal evened things at 4-all and looked set to retake control -- yet the rain delay gave Djokovic time to regroup and seize the set after all.

With the US Open mens final 2010 now even at a set, it appeared that the tennis action would not end soon. However, Nadal overcame the first chink in his armor, and broke Djokovic early in the third set. From then on, he was back in command, eventually taking a 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 triumph.

The Open tennis schedule had been very conventional this year, with Nadal's dominance and Kim Clijsters' latest repeat. Of course, Nadal had never dominated Flushing Meadows like this, but he had made it commonplace at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. Djokovic provided more drama than expected, yet the US Open mens final 2010 finally became a coronation.

Now that Nadal has won all four majors, and pulled away over Federer -- despite not having to beat him in this year's majors -- there doesn't seem to be much left for him. However, his three consecutive major titles have made next year's Australian Open a massive event. If he wins that, he will have the "Rafa Slam" and hold all four majors at once, which no man has done in decades.

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Jay z Eminem Yankee Stadium

NEW YORK — A year ago, Jay-Z showed why he's music's Emperor of the Empire State with a historic charity concert at Madison Square Garden, which Jay called "the house that Hovie built." On Monday night, "the God MC" took his mastery of performance to the front stoop of Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, Yankee Stadium. And because that's no setting in which to go small, he brought out special guests like Kanye West, Drake, Chris Martin, Swizz Beatz, Nicki Minaj and, of course, Beyoncé.

After kicking off in Detroit two weeks ago, Jay and Eminem's Home and Home concerts landed on the Jiggaman's soil for shows on Monday and Tuesday (September 14). This time, after J. Cole opened, Slim Shady shook the stadium in the second slot, with special guests the G-Unit and Dr. Dre. Then Jay took over with a bevy of surprises and a catalog of hard-line hits.

"Before I start this piece, let me say, rest in peace to the boss, George [Steinbrenner]," Hov began, freestyling a reference to the late Yankees owner after commencing his program with the "Dynasty Intro."

"By the time we sliding home/ I hope we playing in the dome," he continued rapping.

During "Run This Town," Jay asked, "Where you at, boy?" And out came 2010 VMA closer Kanye West in a red suit. The roar was thunderous for the Louis Vuitton Don, who also rocked a huge gold link chain.

They followed up with the first live performance of the "Power" remix — where all 50,000-plus people did the soulful "power clap" — and "Monster." There was no Rick Ross on the latter, but 'Ye and Hov brought out Nicki Minaj, who was showered with love from her hometown.

Hov said that since they were in New York, he couldn't let Kanye off the hook that easy. West told the audience he was going to "take them back." The Chicago-born icon then crushed the concert with "Can't Tell Me Nothing" and a follow-up haymaker of the stadium-friendly "Good Life."

"It's one of the most unbelievable feelings in the world, being from New York and being in Yankee stadium," Jay said about the night.

"That's how you feel, New York City?" Hov continued, in response to the crowd's overwhelming cheers. "New York City, is that how you feel tonight? I can't believe this sh--!"

Jay's next guest was Bronx native Swizz Beatz, who was also celebrating his birthday. What a present!

Further along in his set list, Jay rolled out his jaw-dropping verse from "Free Mason." Like in most of his shows, the Jiggaman constantly spoke to the crowd. "Just because you question religion doesn't mean you don't believe in God," he said after his rumor-admonishing verse. "Don't let anybody scare you into having their beliefs. Be a muthaf---in' renegade."

Out came Eminem for their classic colossal meeting of the minds. No matter how many times they perform "Renegade," it's still surreal to see the two biggest names in rap stand unified, side by side.

Memphis Bleek then came out for a parade of familiar Jay knockers, including "U Don't Know," "99 Problems" and "Big Pimpin'."

There was a tribute to hip-hop's gone-but-not-forgotten greats that included B.I.G., D12's Proof, Pimp C and Tupac Shakur. Monday was the 14th anniversary of Pac's tragic death.

Chris Martin from Coldplay came out to sing the hook on "Heart of the City." Martin was crisp and soulful on the mic. Jay kicked the graceful lines to "Most Kingz," and then Martin took the energy up a few levels with "Viva la Vida."

"I used to rule the world," the crowd sang. "Seas would rise/ When I gave the word/ Now in the morning I sleep alone/ Sweep the streets I used to own/ I used to roll the dice/ Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes."

Hov then told his DJ to throw on any song, and out came Drake for "Miss Me."

"Tellllllll me/ What's really going / Drizzy back up in this bitch/ What's happenin!!!" Drake came on rapping. The approval for the 23-year-old was vibrant.

"Say, 'Free Weezy!' " Drake commanded during Lil Wayne's verse. Jay and Drizzy then let the mics explode with "Light Up."

Not letting the audience catch their breath, Beyoncé came out for "Forever Young."

"One word, Beyoncé, make some noise," Jay said about his wife. "That girl baaad! That girl tough!"

After "Already Home" came "Empire State of Mind." No Alicia Keys, but Roc Nation artist Bridget Kelly was on her A-game with the vocals. Not that it mattered, because the NYC crowd drowned the song out.

"This is better than any Grammy. Better than any MTV award," Jay said about being able to rock his city.

He then went into overtime with a barrage of classics such as "Jigga My N---a" and "Izzo."

He told the fans he wasn't going anywhere and continued to keep the energy high with "Where I'm From" and "Dirt Off Your Shoulder." Most of the sold-out crowd stayed until the very end, which featured Jay doing the Linkin Park mash-up version of "Encore."

"This night was like a gift for me," said the man who seemingly has everything. "I hope I returned it tenfold."

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Karissa Gilham

Karissa Gilham, the WOW effect sex bomb of the Australian fashion  industry. She is the most famous sex goddess Australian model on the block today. With designed curves on body, rounded pair of assets, curvilinear buttocks, narrow wait, creamy complexion and heart-arresting beauty – Karissa Gilham is a BIG danger for her contemporaries. Yes, she is and this the other models on trade know pretty well.

Karissa is from Perth and has lately been featured on Sports Illustrated’s Hot Clicks. Gilham is the one model whose popularity is increasing with every passing day. Karissa Gilham was also the winner of Maxim UK’s award for Bottom of the Year.

This shows that she is receiving huge attention and is laced with the mammoth potential to go viral. A 22 years old, Karrisa Gilham has reached the place where others approach after a huge struggle.

Now the sexy siren is on way to bag offers from top brands for modeling, acting in films and hosting TV shows.

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STI

SunTrust Banks (NYSE: STI) closed yesterday at $25.31. So far the stock has hit a 52-week low of $18.45 and 52-week high of $32.02. SunTrust Banks stock has been showing support around 24.70 and resistance in the 25.88 range. Technical indicators for the stock are Bullish and S&P gives STI a neutral 3 STAR (out of 5) hold rating. STI appears on the Investors Observer Hedged Dividend Income list. For a hedged play on this stock, look at an Apr '11 25 covered call for a net debit in the $21.81 area. That is also the break even stock price for this trade. This covered call has a 214 day duration, provides 13.83% downside protection and a 14.63% assigned return rate for a 24.95% annualized return rate (comparison purposes only). A lower cost hedged play for this stock would use a longer term call option in place of the covered call stock purchase. To use this strategy look at going long the STI Jan '12 15 Call and selling the Apr '11 25 call for an $8.30 debit. The trade has a 214 day life and would provide 7.94% downside protection and a 20.48% assigned return rate for a 35.00% annualized return rate (for comparison purposes only). SunTrust Banks has a current annual dividend yield of 0.16%.

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KC Chiefs

The match held between two furious teams of football in the New Arrowhead Stadium for the opening of this preseason by the National Football League
. This preseason of the National Football League was started on Monday at night after the first match was played between these two teams. The KC chiefs defeated the San Diego Chargers with a significant lead of goals. The main players of the Kansas Dexter McCluster and Jamaal Charles got some goals for their team and led it towards victory with the skills. The highly talented players of this team were able to counter the attack of the Chargers as well. The touchdowns of Dexter McCluster and Jamaal Charles were great which led to a victory with 21 goals at the end for the KC chiefs and 14 for the chargers.

The players of both the teams had big clashes between them and many of them struggled a lot to win the match but the Chargers were unfortunate in this matter and lost the match. The KC Chiefs were very happy on their victory as they had defeated their four time winners of the AFC championships. Along with this fact the KC Chiefs has broken the consecutively four times winning streak of the San Diego Chargers against the Kansas City chiefs. The Chargers made their final efforts during the last minutes of the match when Philip Rivers moved forward with the football. Unfortunately the chargers could not even tie the match with equal scores. The fans were also happy to see a different and new winner of this match after a long time.

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NBA 2k11 Demo

A demo for the upcoming basketball game NBA 2K11, featuring the one and only Michael Jordan, will be available on Tuesday September 14th for both the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, developer/publisher 2K Games announced today. It will feature one quarter of the Boston Celtics vs Los Angeles Lakers (rematch of last year's NBA Finals), with no further details on the other elements of the demo, at least not yet. Previously it has been rumored that the demo would include something unique (maybe a Michael Jordan “moment” or match-up) but the announcement made no mention of such a feature. Only time will tell exactly what the actual NBA 2K11 demo will feature, it will hit the Xbox LIVE Marketplace in only six days.

About: Basketball legend Michael Jordan will help develop the upcoming "NBA 2K11" game from Take-Two Interactive and will be on the game's cover. Jason Argent, vice-president of marketing at Take-Two's 2K Sports, said that's a departure from a typical cover deal with athletes. Usually, the game maker simply hands over a cheque. Players will be able to play Jordan's character to vicariously slam-dunk their way to victory from the comfort of their couch.

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Christine O Donnell

A Tea Party-backed candidate in today's Delaware Republican primary for Senate said today that ads attacking her personal financial history are an insult to voters, and said recent polling showing her running strong against the candidate backed by GOP leaders suggests voters are "fighting back."
Christine O'Donnell, a former marketing consultant who has never held elected office, sprinted to prominence in the Delaware race after receiving support from the Tea Party Express and an endorsement from former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.
But there's been increased scrutiny of O'Donnell's personal financial history, which her opponents say preclude her from effectively overseeing public finances, and complaints about alleged illegal campaign fundraising.
O'Donnell has returned fire, saying on CBS' The Early Show" that her opponent, nine-term Congressman Mike Castle, has received the majority of his campaign funds from an "out-of-state corporate special-interest tax."

Attack ads claim O'Donnell didn't receive her college degree for 12 years because of what she owed in student loans, and question unpaid campaign debts from her previous runs for office.
A complaint was also lodged with the Federal Election Commission against O'Donnell, her campaign organization and the Tea Party Express over alleged illegal fundraising activities.

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Ines Sainz Pictures

Ines Sainz pictures and an update on the reporter who was allegedly harassed by the New York Jets are in hot demand.

Ines Sainz made headlines yesterday when news broke that the female TV Azteca reporter was harassed by the New York Jets at their training facility during an onsite interview with quarterback Mark Sanchez.

Ines Sainz reportedly had footballs thrown in her direction outside, then inside the locker room, was subjected to cat calls by the players.

Sainz, however, says she never felt “attacked” in the locker room, nor was she offended by the Jets.

Ines tells DeporTV, “In my opinion, I never felt I was attacked. I went to the locker room and started to talk about commentary and sports. Another reporter approached me to say he was sorry these things were happening…and that evidently people were making fun of me.”

This morning, Ines Sainz was on the Today show to talk more about the incident. In the video clip below, Sainz comments that she “tries to focus on my job,” not paying attention to what’s going on in the locker room.

In the Today show interview, Meredith Vieira puts up Ines Sainz pictures on the screen while asking, “Do those kind of pictures get in the way of professionalism?”

The buzz is that Ines Sainz was dressed too provocatively to be in a men’s locker room, with Ines Sainz pictures showing what she would typically wear for sports reporting and other racy Sainz pictures making the rounds online.

Ines says she tries to be attractive, noting, “photos is a consequence of my job.” In Mexico, she says, she’s known for her image.
She also explains that wearing jeans is the most comfortable for covering sports.

As a parent, if you have a little girl with aspirations for sports reporting, do you want her subjected to the environment of a men’s locker room? Is it an acceptable interview location as long as the players conduct themselves professionally around the media?

The Jets released a statement saying they “will continue to work with the League to gather the facts and take any appropriate steps necessary to maintain a respectful environment for the media.”

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Zimbabwe releases four US Aids workers on bail

Zimbabwe has released on bail four US health workers suspected of running a clinic and dispensing Aids drugs without a licence.

The four, along with two other staff from New Zealand and Zimbabwe, were told by a magistrate to pay $200 (£130) and surrender their passports.

They will next appear in court on 27 September.

The medical team, which worked from two clinics in Mutoko and Harare, denies the charges.

The accused are Gloria Croxwell, 48, Anthony Jones, 39, Gregory Miller, 64, and David Greenberg, 62, all from the US, Andrew Cheyne, 48, from New Zealand and Tembinkosi Ncomanzi, 37, from Zimbabwe.

The penalties for the foreign workers could include a fine and deportation.

The Christian volunteer health team from California includes a doctor, two nurses and a community worker.

They mainly looked after Aids orphans and HIV-positive patients, the US embassy said.

A police spokesman told the state-controlled Herald newspaper that the six were arrested "for questioning in connection with practising without a premises licence and dispensing medicines without the supervision of a pharmacist".

The group's lawyer Jonathan Samkange criticised the conditions they had been kept in.

"This is excessive. They shouldn't have been arrested in the first place.

"You don't arrest people who are helping your own brothers who are suffering from Aids."

The health workers are members of a Baptist church in Oakland. The church said the volunteers from the congregation had worked in Zimbabwe for 10 years and that the arrested workers were part of a team that had brought a four-month supply of drugs to close to a thousand people with Aids, some of whom are orphaned children.

The church said this was the first time questions about a team's licensing had been raised.

Zimbabwe has one of the worst HIV infection rates in the world.

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NBA star John Amaechi in bar access row

Former basketball star John Amaechi is considering legal action against a bar in Manchester's gay village that refused to let him in.

The 39-year-old said a doorman at Crunch on Canal Street described him as "big, black and could be trouble".

Mr Amaechi, who was out with friends on Friday, has complained to the council and demanded an apology from the bar.

Crunch said entry was refused on safety grounds and called the allegations "outrageous and unfounded".

Mr Amaechi's office has written to the club to seek an explanation for why he was refused entry.
'Issues of bigotry'

"I want an explanation of what happened - a real true explanation - and an apology, and they have not in any way been forthcoming with that," he told the BBC.

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Discovery shuttle is ready for its final voyage

Nasa's shuttle Discovery is getting ready to blast off into space one last time, after technicians reattached a main separation nut that fell off on Friday.

The orbiter has now been bolted to its external fuel tank and is set to go on its 39th and final mission to the International Space Station on 1 November.

An internal nut on the left side of the shuttle slipped out of position and fell into the aft compartment during the preparations for the flight.

The Discovery lift-off is planned to be the penultimate launch before the shuttle fleet retires early next year.

The Endeavour orbiter is scheduled to head for the skies on 26 February. This is expected to be the programme's 140th and last voyage.

Nut problem

Discovery was towed from its hangar and into the Nasa's Kennedy Space Center's vehicle assembly building in Florida on Thursday.

But after technicians managed to attach a large separation system bolt on the lower right side of the shuttle's belly, an internal nut slipped out of position and fell off.

The bolts ensure that the fuel tank separates from the orbiter after the craft pierces the atmosphere.

The issue with the missing nut was successfully resolved on Saturday and the bolt had been re-positioned.

It was yet another delay after the orbiter was taken to the assembly building a day late because of a broken water main.
'Final' mission

If everything else goes well, Discovery should be moved to launch pad on 21 September and ready for lift-off on 1 November.

The STS-133 crew, headed by commander Steve Lindsey, will deliver spare parts, supplies and a new module to the ISS.

The astronauts plan to fly to the Kennedy Space Center on 12 October. They will then take part in a dress-rehearsal countdown a few days later.
Discovery shuttle The flight is expected to be Discovery's final voyage

Discovery is set to dock with the ISS at around 1pm on 3 November and head back to Earth on 10 November, landing at the Kennedy Space Center on 12 November.

After that the orbiter, the oldest in service, is likely to end up on public display, probably at the National Air & Space Museum in Washington DC.

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Fanfiction

HollywoodNews.com: Peaches Geldof has gone public with a “little known fact” about herself on Twitter, confessing, “I’ve been writing Harry Potter fan fiction under a pseudonym for quite a while now. I’m never revealing myself!!”

The 21-year-old socialite also posted a picture of herself seeming to kiss a magazine cut-out of Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley, saying, “Love you Ronster…” and even shared a self-written poem dedicated to the character entitled “Ron: The Ginger Hero.”

Ron, ron, your name – a song, your hair, a flame, your eyes of green…Ron, Ron, it won’t be long, til you and Hermione, can finally be happy. The whole world is ready, for you to go steady, so cast a spell.

She ended by requesting of her Twitter followers, “Please tweet me your Harry Potter inspired poems so I can read them & subsequently quench my bout of Potter fever that’s raging right now.”

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Character actor Harold Gould of ‘The Sting’ dies at 86

LOS ANGELES | Harold Gould, a veteran character actor who played con man Kid Twist in the 1973 movie “The Sting,” Valerie Harper’s father on TV’s “Rhoda” and Betty White’s boyfriend on “The Golden Girls,” has died at 86.

He died Saturday of prostate cancer.

He appeared in movies such as the 1974 remake of “The Front Page,” “Love and Death,” “Silent Movie,” “Freaky Friday” and “Patch Adams.”

Over five decades, he made scores of appearances on shows such as “Route 66” and “Perry Mason,” and, most recently, “Nip/Tuck.”

He played the father, Howard Cunningham, in a 1972 segment of “Love, American Style,” titled “Love and Happy Days,” which led to the series “Happy Days.” But before the series went into production, Gould went abroad to do a play, and Tom Bosley was cast for the series role.

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Wife on trial for killing husband on Canada hunt trip

The trial of an American who says she killed her husband on a hunting trip after mistaking him for a bear has begun in Canada.

Mary Beth Harshbarger fatally shot her husband Mark with a rifle during a 2006 Newfoundland hunting expedition.
Canadian prosecutors contend it was too dark for her to fire a gun safely and are trying her for criminal negligence.
Ms Harshbarger pleaded not guilty. The trial began with testimony from the couple's hunting guide.
Guide Lambert Greene testified in a Newfoundland courtroom that he and Mark Harshbarger, 42, were walking back toward his pickup truck when he heard a shot followed by a loud scream.
He said he found Mr Harshbarger lying dead on the ground, covered in blood.
"Mary Beth was hysterical," Mr Lambert testified. He said she screamed: "I shot my husband, I shot my love."
Mrs Harshbarger, 45, faces at least four years in prison if she is convicted. She was extradited to Canada from her native Pennsylvania to stand trial after losing a lengthy US court battle.

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Imam Rauf 'exploring options' over NY Islamic centre

The cleric behind plans to build an Islamic community centre near Ground Zero says he is still "exploring all options" over the project.

Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf said the plan would "bring honour to city of New York" and to Muslims around the world.

But speaking in New York he added that "everything is on the table" in a bid to "resolve this crisis".

Critics say building close to the site where almost 2,800 people were killed by al-Qaeda hijackers is offensive.


Thousands of people marched through New York on Saturday, on the ninth anniversary of the 11 September attacks, demonstrating both for and against the project.

The controversy over the cultural centre and mosque project was inflamed by a row over a Florida pastor's plans, later cancelled, to burn copies of the Koran on 9/11.

In remarks at the Council on Foreign Relations, Mr Rauf said he and the projects' other backers did not anticipate the outcry.

"We were surprised because when the news became public [in December 2009] nobody objected," he said.

He said if backers had known the level of protest it would provoke, they might have reconsidered.

On Sunday, Mr Rauf said the Koran-burning would have strengthened radical Islamic extremists and increased the danger of terrorist attacks against the US.

He also rejected claims by Terry Jones, the pastor behind the Koran-burning plans, that the bonfire was cancelled after Mr Rauf agreed to relocate the Islamic centre away from New York's Ground Zero.

"How can you equate the burning of any person's scripture with an attempt to build inter-faith dialogue?" Mr Rauf told ABC.

"This is a house with multi-faith partners, intended to work together towards building peace."

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Pentagon to notify Congress of $60bn Saudi arms deal

The deal to sell advanced military aircraft to the Saudi kingdom is aimed at shoring up an Arab ally against Iran, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The arms deal, set to support 75,000 US jobs, would be among the largest yet.

The notification will set off a review where lawmakers could push for changes, impose conditions or block the trade.

Pentagon spokesman Col Dave Lapan said Congressional notification was expected within "the next week or so" but he declined to comment on details of the proposed package.

    The United States would do nothing that would upset the current balance (of power) in the region” said Philip Crowley US state department

The BBC's Paul Adams in Washington says the administration is unlikely to encounter much opposition to the sale of weaponry to a traditional ally and will probably argue that it is all part of a strategy to bolster friendly Arab governments in the face of growing strategic threats from Iran.

Off the record, defence officials say the administration will authorise the sale of dozens of aircraft, including F-15 fighter jets and Apache, Black Hawk and Little Bird helicopters.

Saudi Arabia would reportedly initially purchase about $30bn worth of aircraft, but could buy more at a later date.
Balance of power

An unnamed defence official told Reuters news agency that the deal would give Saudi Arabia a "whole host of defensive capabilities to defend the kingdom".

He added that Israel, a firm ally of the US, was "fairly comfortable" with the arrangement.

Meanwhile state department spokesman Philip Crowley said that the US "would do nothing that would upset the current balance (of power) in the region".

The administration is required to notify the Congress in advance of arms sales. Lawmakers have 30 days from notification to object to the deal.

Congressional officials warned that lawmakers could try to block the deal, but analysts say the prospect of job growth in the US defence industry could be another encouragement for lawmakers to approve it.

The UK sold major combat aircraft to the Saudis in 1980s, when the US chose not to.

Saudi Arabia is one of the top buyers of weapons in the developing world, purchasing an estimated $36.7bn in arms between 2001 and 2008, according to the Congressional Research Service.

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Bible Study Fellowship

Bible Study Fellowship is an interdenominational Bible study with four classes in the area that meet weekly starting Sunday to study the book of Isaiah.

There’s an evening men’s group that meets on Monday nights in Elkhart, an evening women’s group that meets Monday nights in Granger, and two day-time women’s classes that meet in South Bend and Goshen.

Children programs are offered in the evenings for school-aged children and birth to pre-school ages during the day-time classes. For more information about Bible Study Fellowship, go to www.bsfinternational.org or call Ann Bartels at 574-231-9517.

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Jay z Eminem Yankee Stadium

More than 42,000 rap fans are filing into Yankee Stadium for the inaugural concert featuring hip-hop superstars, Jay-Z and Eminem.

The concert is expected to be one of the biggest nights for hip-hop, fans say.

"It's going to be historic. It's going to be a big one," said Onelio Rodriguez, 24.

And if early sales are any indication, it should also be a banner night for concert retailers. Concert t-shirts were flying off the shelves - at $35 each. Jay-Z penants were $20.

Rodriguez dropped $50 on a Yankees fitted cap, which also includes Jay-Z's logo, but the fan shrugeed off the expense.

"It's a collectors item. You can't go wrong with it," said the native of Bedford-Stuyvesant, where Jay-Z was raised.

For some fans, the night's splurges started long before the show.

Mike Cook, 27, and Nick Gildea, 20, drove and took the train from Philadelphia to be at the concert. They bought their two tickets for $600 from Craigslist. The face value of the tickets were $153 each.

But they didn't mind.

"For hip-hop, this is something. You can't ask for anything bigger than Jay-Z and Eminem, and then at Yankee Stadium to top it off!" Cook said.

"You're talking two of the biggest heavyweights in hip-hop. I don't even care about the special guests. It's worth it," said Cook, wearing a t-shirt with Jay-Z's first album cover on it.

"It's just the experience, just to see them live," he said. "This is Yankee Stadium. Jay is going to do it big."

Gildea was just excited to be in the building.

"This is my first concert ever," he said. "It's so surreal. It still hasn't set in that we're here. When Em and Jay come out it's going to be crazy."

Even with the triple digit outlay to attend the concert, Gildea couldn't resist an opportunity for memorabilia. He bought two concert t-shirts, which totaled $70.

"It's worth it, something to remind me of the experience," he said. "This is going to be the biggest experience of my life."

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Jets Reporter

Ines Sainz, the Jets reporter, says she was dressed in an appropriate fashion when she entered the Jets locker-room.

About Ines Sainz Wikipedia says she was Miss Spain in 1997 and Ines Sainz pictures will show you why.

Sainz tweeted in Spanish that the Jets players made catcalls and various suggestive remarks when they saw her, embarrassing her.

The Jets reporter faced some “interesting” reactions during practice. Rex Ryan and Dennis Thurman (the quarterbacks coach) intentionally threw passes next to her.

The incident was denounced to the NFL by the other reporters, as Sains said that she didn’t want to pay attention to it.

Sainz said that she was dressed properly during training and posted the picture above on her Twitter to prove it.

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Oprah Tickets

Oprah is going down under in December and she's taking her audience with her. She's already told her staff not to scalp tickets for the upcoming Australia trip. Audience members who do receive tickets to Oprah's final show are the chosen ones for the Sydney trip.

The Oprah Winfrey show has never broadcast outside of the US. But her show today revealed that she would take 300 audience members to Australia for a taping of the show which is said to take place at the Opera House.

MSNBC says that ticket holders to Oprah's final show were carefully selected by producers. Those who are going to Australia for eight days and seven nights with all expenses paid are some of Oprah's most loyal and dedicated viewers.

"This is really my last chance to do something really big," she teased viewers. "And if you want to do something big, you would want to take along your ultimate viewers."

When Oprah made the announcement, an announcement sure to peeve people who traded Oprah for Judge Judy, John Travolta was right beside her. Travolta was wearing a pilot's uniform.

Some of Oprah's previous gifts have been new cars for audience members. Her "O" magazine staff have received Apple ipads and $10,000 checks. She's also donated school scholarships, money for homes, and financed a girls' school in South Africa.

This is Oprah's 25th season and supposedly her last. In January of 2011, she'll launch her own network. OWN, the Oprah Winfrey Network, is a joint venture between the Discovery Channel and Harpo Incorporated.

The network's first show will be a behind the scenes documentary of Oprah's last season. The network is said to be preparing a show on Sarah Ferguson, the former Duchess of York.

Although all of the Oprah Winfrey shows have been aired in the US, the 25-year-old talk show airs in 145 countries by CBS Studios International.

Over the years, audience members have gotten tickets to the Oprah show by becoming a member of Oprah.com and placing reservations at the website.

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Monday Night Football

 Football players are hearty folks, and play in almost any weather. Almost.  With the exception of a tropical system, the only other weather event that will force players off of the field is lightning.  Monday Night Football was delayed until 7:25pm due to the dangerous weather in metro New York and the New Meadowlands Stadium.

As rare as it is for a weather related football game delay, this makes two games in two days impacted the NFL. On Sunday afternoon, a vicious thunderstorm delayed the Denver Broncos in Jacksonville for . It was the third time in five games (including preseason) that Jacksonville had a lightning related delay.

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Irvingia Gabonensis

Dr. Oz explored alternative medicine on his TV show Monday, and one of the things he mentioned was Irvingia Gabonensis as a weight-loss supplement. Irvingia Gabonensis is made from the African mango tree, and has been shown to reduce appetite by increasing the amount of leptin in your bloodstream. Leptin is the chemical that is used to signal your brain that you are or are not hungry. Increased Leptin tells your brain that you’re not hungry, so if you can increase the Leptin without ingesting any calories, that could help you lose weight.

Dr. Oz is all about losing weight, especially with his current program encourage people to lose just 10 pounds. I’m not surprised that he mentioned a weight loss supplement on his show. I wouldn’t be surprised either if somehow it suddenly shows up for sale on his website.

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US Open Live Streaming

US Open live streaming has been interrupted by another rain delay. Those watching US Open live streaming are staring at a blank screen, during the second
US Open final rain delay. Yesterday, the final between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic never got off the ground, due to steady rain. Today, Nadal and Djokovic got started, and were about to head for a turning point in their match, until bad weather struck again. Now, the US Open live streaming won't resume until the rain delay ends, which may be no earlier than 7:30 pm.

Starting at 4:30 pm est, CBS finally showed the start of the men's final, while CBS Sportsline and the official Open website broadcast it online. It took a day, but Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic finally took the court for the last match of the tournament.

However, a rain delay sent them off again, meaning that the US Open live streaming has been halted as well. What's more, for those who are watching the match on TV, it will be moved over to ESPN 2 when it does resume. The rain and lightning also delayed the start of the Jets-Ravens kickoff by 25 minutes.

As of now, it appears the earliest that things can get under way is 7:30 pm, according to Fanhouse. Once play resumes, US Open live streaming will resume on CBS Sportline and the Open site. However, if the rain continues, those watching online will have to go back on tomorrow for the end.

The men's final has been held on a Monday for the last two years, but they had been able to get done on a Monday. But this new rain delay could push things, since Nadal and Djokovic are near the end of the second set.

Those who logged onto the US Open live streaming sites saw Nadal jump out early to a 6-4 opening set win. Yet Djokovic rallied back, much like he did against Roger Federer, for a 4-1 second set lead. However, Nadal was making a rally himself, and evened the set at 4 with a chance to break Djokovic again and take control.

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Chelsea Handler VMA

Lindsay Lohan  showed up in a taped Chelsea Hanlder skit at the VMAs. Her first public appearance since she got out of jail/rehab. The gist of the skit was Lindsay made self-referencing jokes to Handler and slapped her ass. One of them was, “Really, then why is your ankle bracelet going off?” Handler answered, “Oh that just means that my table’s ready at the Cheesecake Factory.”

The skit kind of sucked and wasn’t too funny but what was funny is the fact that everyone thinks Lindsay is a screw-up. The only way MTV let Lindsay be at the VMAs was if she taped the skit instead of doing one live.

I wouldn’t even trust Lindsay with a pet rock. If I were the producers at MTV, I’d have attached strings to her hands and feet and mouth like a marionette to make sure she did everything right.

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