Best posts on AMERICAN NONSENSE from Nov 2009

• Steve Ballmer: Technology Spending Won’t Fully Recover
  Posted on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (0)
  SEOUL, South Korea — Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said Monday corporate spending on information technology will not recover to levels seen in recent years before the global economic slowdown.”The economy went through a set of changes on a global basis over the course of the last year which are, I think is fair to say, once in a lifetime,” Ballmer told a meeting of South Korean executives in Seoul. Spending on information technology, which accounted for about half of capital expenditures in developed countries before the crisis, was unlikely to rebound fully because capital was more scarce these days, he said.”While we will see growth, we will not see recovery,” Ballmer said.Ballmer was in Seoul to meet corporate and government officials and tout the Redmond, Washington-based company’s new Windows 7 operating system. The latest edition of Windows, the software that runs personal computers, was released last month.He said company purchases of PCs and servers were down about 15 percent globally.
• Tonight on ET: Jon Gosselin and Hailey Glassman Over?
  Posted on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 in Celebrity Nonsense – Comments: (0)
  In a new exclusive one-on-one interview with ET’s Mary Hart, Hailey Glassman is asked directly, "Are you and Jon [Gosselin] breaking up?" The answer is not so simple, especially since Jon surprised everyone by coming to the interview with Hailey and sitting just a few feet away. Glassman, tearful at times, confided, "This has taken a massive toll on me Mary, I’m only 22!" says the woman in the middle of TV’s messiest divorce. "I’ve tried to move on in all honesty. He and I need to sit down and talk." Upon returning to New York, Jon released an exclusive statement to ET confirming that indeed he would be taking some time apart from Glassman. "Hailey says she thinks it’s a good idea that we both take some time right now and focus on each of our individual lives. It is important for me to go back to Pennsylvania and be with my children and get through this divorce and decide what I truly want out of life.
• Kate Hudson Talks 20-Pound Weight Loss
  Posted on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (1)
  Kate Hudson covers December’s UK Elle (on newsstands Wednesday) and inside talks about losing 20 pounds to play a terminally ill woman who falls in love with her doctor (Gael Garcia Bernal) in the upcoming movie ‘Earthbound.’ Here are some highlights from the interview: On her current weight:”I’m pretty solid, actually. I’m not, like, 110lbs. But I’m probably heading towards that.” On the trials of eliminating liquid calories: “I love my glass of wine. I love tequila. To be in New York for two weeks and not have one beverage! I’m not sure I’ve ever done that.”On the greatness of Botox:”I was in a press conference once, and someone says, ‘So, I can tell you’ve never had Botox!’ Is that a compliment? Or are you trying to say I’m starting to get wrinkles? I literally was like, ‘What?’ Everyone’s so obsessed with who gets Botox, but it’s great!
• Researchers Say Healthy Diet Protects Against Depression In Middle Age
  Posted on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 in Health News – Comments: (0)
  A new study led by researchers in the UK found that an overall healthy “whole food” diet comprising a high proportion of fruits, vegetables and fish, protected middle aged people against depression compared to a processed food diet containing a high proportion of high fat dairy food, processed meat, fried food, refined grains and sugar-laden desserts.
• What Is Epiglottitis? What Causes Epiglottitis?
  Posted on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 in Health News – Comments: (0)
  Epiglottitis is a life-threatening condition. It occurs when the epiglottis, which is a small flap of tissue that covers the windpipe (the trachea), swells and blocks the flow of air into the lungs. It should be regarded as a medical emergency. Left untreated, the symptoms of respiratory failure can quickly worsen, sometimes in the space of just a few hours and may result in death.
• Robert Pattinson On The Lonely Life Of A Teen Heartthrob
  Posted on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (0)
  “Twilight” heartthrob Robert Pattinson graces the December cover of Vanity Fair. Inside, the brooding Englishman talks about auditioning for his star-making role, his lonely life, and his costar Kristen Stewart, with whom he’s been linked in the tabloids. The press release is below, and more pics from his VF shoot are here.NEW YORK, N.Y.–Robert Pattinson tells Vanity Fair contributing editor Evgenia Peretz that the rumors of his secret relationship with Twilight co-star Kristen Stewart are untrue. “It doesn’t make any difference what you say [to the tabloids]. I’ve literally been across the country [from Kristen], and it’s like ‘Oh, they were on secret dates!’ It’s like ‘Where? I can’t get out of my hotel room!’?” As for Stewart, she sounds significantly more fed up about the whole thing: “It’s so retarded,” she tells Peretz. “We’re characters in this comic book.” For the record, Pattinson insists that he and Stewart are really just “good friends,” and that he deeply admires her.
• Jon Gosselin: Rabbi Shmuley Opened ‘Up the Doors to my Emotions’
  Posted on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 in Celebrity Nonsense – Comments: (0)
  Rabbi Shmuley Boteach and Jon Gosselin sat down Sunday night at West Side Synagogue in New York. The two discussed “The Ethical Challenges and Moral Responsibility of Celebrity,” according to This World, the hosting organization. ET spoke to the two keynote speakers after the event. Rabbi Shmuley explained why he and Jon used this platform to spread their message. He said, “For Jon Gosselin to courageously and boldly take responsibility for his actions and admit that many of them contravene many [facets] of his own internal value system and to apologize for them was not only courageous, it was phenomenal progress and I hope that it will inspire other husbands in the same situation to do the same thing.” The spiritual advisor said, “When you have eight children, they require a lot of time at the best of times. And if they’re going through some of the worst of times, I think that the kids really need that priority.
• OPEN THREAD – FINAL DAY BEFORE ELECTION DAY!
  Posted on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 in Total Nonsense – Comments: (0)
  Have at it!  Let us know what is on your mind, what your predictions are for a final vote tally in the statewide races, and who will win the various House of Delegates races.  And don’t forget to vote in our poll on how many House seats the GOP will pick up.
• As swine flu vaccine runs dry, US wonders ‘what if?’ (AFP)
  Posted on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 in Health News – Comments: (0)
  AFP – Mothers with young children and pregnant women are being turned away from swine flu vaccination clinics in the United States, some in tears, many utterly frustrated by the shortage of vaccine.
• The Insider on TV: Tonight
  Posted on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 in Celebrity Nonsense – Comments: (0)
  We’ve got Kathy Griffin on set grilling Levi Johnston! Plus, don’t miss “The Insider” argument exposing Sarah Palin secrets. Then, icon Cher’s reaction to her daughter becoming a man! And, Niecy Nash’s New York City sexy cougar date No. 2.

Best posts on AMERICAN NONSENSE from Oct 2009

• WSJ: Why Government Health Care Keeps Falling in the Polls
  Posted on Monday, October 26th, 2009 in Idiot Ideas – Comments: (0)
  While opposition to ObamaCare has risen all year, the White House and liberal Democrats continue to blame Fox News and “demogogues in the media” for “stirring up falsehoods” against Obamacare. However, as Arthur Brooks suggests at WSJ, Americans deserve more credit than that; Obamacare has run head-on against American’s core values and Americans are pushing back:They haven’t been brainwashed, and they aren’t upset merely over the budget-busting details. Rather, public resistance stems from the sense that the proposed reforms do violence to three core values of America’s free enterprise culture: individual choice, personal accountability, and rewards for ambition. (More)Brooks sees the health-care debate as being part of a moral struggle currently being played out over the free enterprise system, one that will be replayed in every major policy debate in the coming months, from financial regulatory reform to a cap-and-trade system for limiting carbon emissions. As he aptly points out, the choices will ultimately always come down to competing visions of America’s future.
• Scientists Discover Promising New Way To Treat Uncontrolled Internal Bleeding
  Posted on Monday, October 26th, 2009 in Health News – Comments: (0)
  Scientists in the US have discovered that antibodies can block the action of proteins that contribute to uncontrolled internal bleeding following traumas like those sustained in car crashes and battlefield injuries, and have done pre-clinical trials showing promising results as potential life-saving treatments with no side-effects.
• GAO: FDA fails to follow up on unproven drugs (AP)
  Posted on Monday, October 26th, 2009 in Health News – Comments: (0)
  AP – The Food and Drug Administration has allowed drugs for cancer and other diseases to stay on the market even when follow-up studies showed they didn’t extend patients’ lives, say congressional investigators.
• Kate Gosselin a No-Show in Court
  Posted on Monday, October 26th, 2009 in Celebrity Nonsense – Comments: (0)
  The attorney for Jon Gosselin said on their way into court that he’d be “shocked” if his client’s estranged wife didn’t show, but that’s exactly what happened this morning. Inside the courtroom, the scene was less dramatic — as Kate Gosselin was not required to attend the proceedings. Her attorney was present. The two sides met after filing contempt motions against each other because of money missing from a joint bank account. On October 13, the judge ordered them both to put all of the money back into the account and show any other money withdrawn was done according to a divorce arbitrator’s guidelines. Today, both sides say they have complied with the order and court has been adjourned.
• Impact Of Surgical And Medical Castration On Serum Testosterone Level In Prostate Cancer Patients
  Posted on Monday, October 26th, 2009 in Health News – Comments: (0)
  UroToday.com – Until the development of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), bilateral orchidectomy was the only way to achieve castration. Nowadays ADT can be considered a benchmark in the treatment of prostate cancer and it has been postulated that gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists are able to reduce testosterone to obtain a level as low as bilateral orchidectomy.
• Rosie O’Donnell Ready For Sirius Radio Debut
  Posted on Monday, October 26th, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (0)
  Rosie, 47, is returning to the spotlight on Nov. 2, when she launches her new Sirius XM satellite show. It will air live every weekday from 10 a.m. to noon ET, right here from one of the five houses on her waterfront property.”I’m sure I will cause tremendous seismic shifts in the culture again,” she says wryly, off-air.
• Charlie Daniel, Knoxville News Sentinel
  Posted on Monday, October 26th, 2009 in Daily Cartoons – Comments: (0)
• Matt Osborne: Cambpell Brown Smears MSNBC
  Posted on Friday, October 30th, 2009 in Videos – Comments: (1)
  When CNN’s Campbell Brown played the MSNBC card against Valerie Jarrett, she was engaging in the fallacy of false equivalence. Faux Noise is all slant, all the time, while MSNBC is absolutely not a liberal mirror-image. The slant is not equal, nor do the two channels offset like penalties in a football game. Brown’s comparison is a smear.Yesterday morning on Fox and Friends, there were twenty-two mentions of ACORN, even though there hasn’t been any actual news about ACORN in weeks. There were only two dismissive mentions of good economic news. That’s their standard template for mornings.Meanwhile on MSNBC, former Republican congressman Joe Scarborough enjoys the spotlight with Mika Brzezinski, who…well, let’s just say that apple fell far from the tree. Alongside Bob Cesca’s term “barbecue media,” we now have “cupcake media.”And that’s just the morning show.
• US Held Secret War Game To Test Afghan Troop Levels
  Posted on Monday, October 26th, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (0)
  The Pentagon’s top military officer oversaw a secret war game this month to evaluate the two primary military options that have been put forward by the Pentagon and are being weighed by the Obama administration as part of a broad-based review of the faltering Afghanistan war, senior military officials said.
• ‘Insider’ EXCLUSIVE! Hailey Glassman: Home wrecker or unfairly attacked?
  Posted on Thursday, October 29th, 2009 in Celebrity Nonsense – Comments: (1)
  Hailey Glassman in tears — and telling all to “The Insider” panel! Watch “The Insider” on TV tonight to see Jon Gosselin’s girlfriend’s shocking on-camera breakdown! The 22-year-old says she’s misunderstood, now tell us what you think! Is she a home wrecker, or has she been unfairly attacked in the tabloids? Give us your thoughts in the comments below and take our poll to tell us: What side are you on?

Best posts on AMERICAN NONSENSE from Oct 2009

• ‘Balloon Boy’ Family Disturbance Incident Report
  Posted on Monday, October 19th, 2009 in Celebrity Nonsense – Comments: (1)
  The “Insider” Newsroom has obtained a family disturbance incident report from February 8 involving Richard Heene — the father of “balloon boy” — and his wife Mayumi. Click Here to see… Responding to a 911 hang up call on February 8 of this year, a Larimer County, CO, police officer filed the report saying that as he approached the Heene residence, he overheard a male voice yelling loudly that “sounded quite angry” and a female voice that sounded like “a scream or squeal.” Richard Heene answered the door, and both he and Mayumi advised that “nothing happened.” Mayumi’s cheek reportedly had a mark on her cheek and broken blood vessels in her left eye, which she attributed to a problem with her contact lens. The officer took photos of her face as evidence. The couple’s children were home at the time, and Richard attributed his yelling to their being up past their bedtime.
• 10 Stories Of College Athletes Scandalized By The Web
  Posted on Monday, October 19th, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (0)
  In the age of social media, college athletes have it rough. Unlike the pros, these undergrads aren’t getting paid millions, but they’re under just as much scrutiny.
• Contessa Brewer Calls Jesse Jackson Al Sharpton (VIDEO)
  Posted on Wednesday, October 21st, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (1)
  MSNBC’s Contessa Brewer had an embarrassing slip-up Wednesday afternoon when she introduced Jesse Jackson by calling him Al Sharpton.”Joining me now to talk about this and the nation’s real problem of joblessness, the Reverend Al Sharpton,” Brewer said.”I’m Reverend, Jesse Jackson,” Jackson replied.”Right, I’m so sorry,” an embarrassed Brewer responded. “The script in front of me said ‘Reverend Al Sharpton.’ I’m looking at your face. I know who you are, Reverend Jackson, we all do. I’m sorry.”Watch:Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the EconomyWatch the full segment below:Visit msnbc.
• Jennifer Hudson Talks Motherhood at Whitney Museum Gala
  Posted on Monday, October 19th, 2009 in Celebrity Nonsense – Comments: (1)
  Jennifer Hudson, Mischa Barton and other stars attended the Whitney Museum of American Art’s Gala and Studio Party Monday night on New York’s Madison Avenue, and ET was there! Watch the video to hear Jennifer talk about motherhood and losing her baby weight! Hudson revealed how she is getting back into shape after giving birth to son David on August 10. She told ET, "The trick is getting back into your old ways. If I could go around eating like I ate while I was pregnant, that’d be the way to go."Chaired by Penelope Cruz, Donatella Versace and Liz Swig, the black-tie event at the Whitney featured a special performance by Hudson. Sponsored by Versace, it honored Leonard A. Lauder at the home of the world’s preeminent collection of modern and contemporary American art.
• Victor Harville, Stephens Media Group
  Posted on Monday, October 19th, 2009 in Daily Cartoons – Comments: (0)
• Hap Pitkin, Boulder Daily Camera
  Posted on Monday, October 19th, 2009 in Daily Cartoons – Comments: (0)
• Kate Hudson Roots for A-Rod
  Posted on Tuesday, October 20th, 2009 in Celebrity Nonsense – Comments: (1)
  In their quest to reach the World Series, the Yankees faced off against the Angels in Game 3 of the ALCS. Kate Hudson stepped up the plate as quite the trophy girlfriend of Alex Rodriguez. Kurt Russell, Adam Sandler, and Jack Nicholson also enjoyed the unobstructed view from the dugout suites. The Angels had the home field advantage, winning the game in extra innings, but the Yankees lead the series two games to one. The teams return to the field on Thursday night. Check back here to see what other celebs head to the ballpark this fall.
• Rev. Al Sharpton: In the Case of Rush Limbaugh, Activism Once Again Prevails
  Posted on Monday, October 19th, 2009 in Videos – Comments: (2)
  Last week, when conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh lost his bid for partial ownership of the St. Louis Rams, many adjectives were used to describe his possible state of mind. Several news outlets commented on his anger and frustration, while the right-wing had a field day with the ‘injustice’ of it all. But perhaps the most precise word to summarize Mr. Limbaugh’s reaction to news that his inflammatory commentary of the past excluded him from ownership in the NFL is pure and simple “fear.” Fear that activism is alive and well, and fear that activism worked. Almost as quickly as news broke of Limbaugh’s football dreams, I was contacted by members of the NFL Players Association over concern they had regarding ownership from a man who previously equated the NFL to a game between rival gangs the Bloods and the Crips. A man who in 2003 stated that Eagles’ quarterback Donovan McNabb was overrated because the media just wanted to see a Black athlete succeed.
• Japan Vaccinates Medical Workers Against Pandemic H1N1 Swine Flu
  Posted on Monday, October 19th, 2009 in Health News – Comments: (0)
  Japan started vaccinating doctors and other health professionals against H1N1 swine flu on Monday, following a government decision to prioritize recipients of the limited vaccine supply which is being produced in Japan.
• Actors Playing Strippers: Who Takes Their Clothes Off Like A Pro? (PHOTOS, POLL)
  Posted on Monday, October 19th, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (0)
  Onscreen stripteases are generally memorable, whether they are worthy of an Oscar nod (Marisa Tomei in ‘The Wrestler’) or become the stuff of mockery (’Showgirls’). The latest actress to take it off in the name of her craft is Susan Sarandon’s daughter Eva Amurri, whose role as a stripper has had her naked on Showtime’s ‘Californication’ the past two Sundays.Who has the best stripper performances and who should have just kept his or her clothes on? You decide. PHOTOS:Get HuffPost Entertainment On Facebook and Twitter!

Best posts on AMERICAN NONSENSE from Oct 2009

• Curry Powder Ingredient May Block Nicotine Activated Cancer Cells In Head And Neck Cancers
  Posted on Monday, October 5th, 2009 in Health News – Comments: (0)
  Researchers found that curcumin, a compound found in turmeric, the Indian spice that gives curry its orange-yellow colour, may block nicotine from activating cancer causing cells in patients with head and neck cancer who continue to smoke or use nicotine products to help them quit.
• RE: Our ‘Narcisist-in-Chief’
  Posted on Monday, October 5th, 2009 in Idiot Ideas – Comments: (0)
  When even the editor-in-chief of the liberal New Republic says he suspects that the president is probably a clinical narcissist, doesn’t that make it sort of official?
• Charlie Daniel, Knoxville News Sentinel
  Posted on Monday, October 5th, 2009 in Daily Cartoons – Comments: (0)
• Exclusive: Jon Gosselin’s Lawyer Responds To Money Accusations
  Posted on Monday, October 5th, 2009 in Celebrity Nonsense – Comments: (0)
  Reports of Jon Gosselin withdrawing large amounts of money from a joint bank account with estranged wife Kate Gosselin have sparked a new chapter of war for the divorcing reality TV couple. Following claims Jon withdrew the money without notifying Kate, his lawyer, Mark J. Heller, released a statement exclusively to “The Insider.” Heller says that according to Jon’s “recollection” since receiving monetary compensation from TLC for the past four and half years, “he has not withdrawn any money for his own remuneration with the exception of the past several months wherein he believes he only withdrew approximately $175,000 which is less than ten percent of the gross revenues paid the Gosselins…” Kate’s law firm made the claim, according to Heller’s statement, that Jon “withdrew the money in secret.” Heller argues that all withdrawals are accounted for on the bank statements for which Kate has sole access. Heller deems it likely that when all of the money is accounted for, “Jon will be awarded substantial additional funds.
• Dennis Draughon, Freelance – Payoff on the Verizon
  Posted on Monday, October 5th, 2009 in Daily Cartoons – Comments: (0)
  TITLE: Payoff on the Verizon KEYWORDS: North Carolina, Department of Motor Vehicles,Employee gift ban,Verizon,DOT,Vehicle Inspections,free meals,gifts,Verizon network,Verizon Phone Guy,Can you hear me now?
• Orly Taitz: Washington Post Profiles ‘Birther Queen’
  Posted on Monday, October 5th, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (1)
  RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif.-The dental office of Orly Taitz, DDS, Esq., is in a low-slung complex in a quiet planned community in Orange County, alongside an assortment of small businesses and solo practitioners. The practice, Appealing Dentistry, is busy this morning. In the waiting room are a woman with no dental insurance and a boy with three cavities, and the phone is ringing off the hook with dentists eager to fill a job opening.”Crowns, bridges, veneers, root canals — you need to be able to do root canals and molars,” the receptionist is telling one caller. And now here is Taitz herself, a bit late, entering in a flurry of energy and apologies to consult with a colleague, then suggesting to a reporter that they go somewhere to chat. Despite many pressing concerns on the dentistry front, Taitz is eager to talk about her crusade to prove that the president of the United States is an impostor.
• Experts find ‘faulty’ gene linked to cancers (AFP)
  Posted on Tuesday, October 6th, 2009 in Health News – Comments: (1)
  AFP – British scientists have identified a faulty gene linked to over half of all breast cancer cases, in what they claim is a major breakthrough in fighting the killer disease.
• "The Big Bang Theory" The Big Surprise Of Fall Season
  Posted on Monday, October 5th, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (0)
  “The Big Bang Theory,” the CBS comedy about two brilliant physicists and their attempts to relate to the world around them — and to the cute blond woman next door — began drawing surprisingly strong ratings this summer after it moved to a later time slot on Monday, at 9:30 p.m., immediately following that network’s highest-rated comedy, “Two and a Half Men.
• Aaron Carter and Karina Smirnoff Get Ready to Rumba
  Posted on Monday, October 5th, 2009 in Celebrity Nonsense – Comments: (0)
  ET joined Aaron Carter and his pro partner Karina Smirnoff at their "Dancing with the Stars" rehearsal, where they dished on preparing for the rumba, and Aaron revealed whether he’s asked out his ballroom crush, "Dancing" pro Chelsie Hightower! "She respectfully rejected," Aaron tells us. "But it was respectful." When asked by ET if he has an ideal first-date scenario in mind, Aaron said, "I’m going to keep it professional right now. I respect her. She wants to win, also, with her partner. And I don’t want to jeopardize that and I don’t want to get in their way.
• 3 Americans share 2009 Nobel medicine prize (AP)
  Posted on Monday, October 5th, 2009 in Health News – Comments: (0)
  AP – Americans Elizabeth H. Blackburn, Carol W. Greider and Jack W. Szostak won the 2009 Nobel Prize in medicine on Monday for discovering a key mechanism in the genetic operations of cells, an insight that has inspired new lines of research into cancer.

Best posts on AMERICAN NONSENSE from Sep 2009

• 2016 Olympics: Chicago, Rio Square Off In Copenhagen
  Posted on Tuesday, September 29th, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (1)
  COPENHAGEN — Rio or Chicago? Risk vs. reliable.For the International Olympic Committee, the biggest decision in choosing the city to host the 2016 Games is what statement it wants to send the world. Does it make the bold, transformational choice of Rio de Janeiro, giving the Olympics to South America for the first time? Or does it play it safe and head for the familiar shores of the United States and, perhaps, a more lucrative games?”Policy wise, the IOC has to decide if we’re ready to go to a new continent,” longtime IOC member Dick Pound said recently. “That’s the biggest paradigm shift. Is the time right?”Rio certainly thinks so.The city didn’t even make the finals when it bid for the Olympics in 2004 and 2012. Now, however, Brazil has one of the world’s largest economies and its international stature is growing. South America is also home to 400 million people, bid committee leader Carlos Arthur Nuzman said, a population that could ensure the Olympic movement’s legacy for generations to come.
• Jon Gosselin Suspends Divorce, Regrets Public Womanizing
  Posted on Tuesday, September 29th, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (1)
  Jon Gosselin’s self-loathing soul has emerged, prompting him to suspend his divorce from Kate for 90 days while they put his recent name calling, babysitter boning, and girlfriend flaunting behind them. In Touch Weekly released the following statement:When Jon Gosselin heard that his estranged wife, Kate, had a breakdown during the taping of a TV pilot in September, he knew he was responsible for her suffering. In addition to flaunting his relationship with his new girlfriend, Hailey Glassman, and partying at clubs all over the country surrounded by scantily clad women, Jon went on ABC’s Primetime recently and said he “despised” the mother of his eight children. “He woke up one morning, looked in the mirror and didn’t like the reflection,” Jon’s attorney, Mark Jay Heller, tells In Touch. “He realized he’d made some bad choices.” Jon and Kate were due to be officially divorced by the end of November — but now he claims he’s had a serious change of heart.
• Flood-ravaged Philippine capital on disease alert (AFP)
  Posted on Monday, September 28th, 2009 in Health News – Comments: (0)
  AFP – Philippine health authorities warned Monday of disease outbreaks following horror floods, as filthy water covered large areas of Manila and bodies lay in coffins next to survivors at evacuation centres.
• Rasmussen: Presidential ‘Strongly Disapprove’ Number Falls to Double Digits
  Posted on Monday, September 28th, 2009 in Idiot Ideas – Comments: (0)
  Rasmussen’s Sunday, September 27, 2009 Presidential Daily Tracking Poll shows that 30% of the nation’s voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Forty percent (40%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -10:Overall, 48% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the President’s performance. Fifty-one (51%) disapprove.
• Redistribution of Wealth
  Posted on Friday, October 2nd, 2009 in Humor – Comments: (1)
  I hear a lot of chatter about the rich getting richer. That sort of talk is a generalization of course, since obviously there are rich people who get poorer, some go bankrupt, and a few do the full Madoff. But as generalizations go, it's true enough.I wonder how people would feel if instead of saying "the rich are getting richer" we said "the smart are getting richer." Would it be just as true, as far as generalizations go, and would it make you feel the same when you heard it?Capitalism rewards hard work, risk taking, luck, and intelligence. But are all of those elements equally important?Hard work is common to all income levels. I would argue that hard work has the weakest correlation to wealth because it rarely does the trick on its own. You also need intelligence, risk taking, and luck.Likewise, risk taking generally only works in combination with intelligence, hard work, and luck.
• Rasmussen: Presidential ‘Strongly Disapprove’ Number Falls to Double Digits
  Posted on Monday, September 28th, 2009 in Idiot Ideas – Comments: (0)
  Rasmussen’s Sunday, September 27, 2009 Presidential Daily Tracking Poll shows that 30% of the nation’s voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Forty percent (40%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -10:Overall, 48% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the President’s performance. Fifty-one (51%) disapprove.
• 131 Walruses Trampled To Death In Stampede
  Posted on Thursday, October 1st, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (2)
  ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Federal scientists say trampling during a stampede likely killed 131 walruses on the northwest shore of Alaska.Most of the dead walruses were young animals. A team examined 71 carcasses and performed nine detailed necropsies, which showed extensive bruising.The walrus carcasses were spotted from the air Sept. 14 near Icy Cape on the shore of Chukchi Sea by U.S. Geological Survey researchers flying out for a walrus tagging project.About 3,500 walruses had been reported at the site, choosing the shore as a resting area because sea ice had again melted well beyond the relatively shallow continental shelf where walruses can dive for clams and other sea bed food.Calves and yearlings are more susceptible to trampling in stampedes.
• More than half million kids get bad drug reactions (AP)
  Posted on Monday, September 28th, 2009 in Health News – Comments: (0)
  AP – More than half a million U.S. children yearly have bad reactions or side effects from widely used medicines that require medical treatment and sometimes hospitalization, new research shows.
• Dennis Draughon, Freelance – Cop a Feel
  Posted on Monday, September 28th, 2009 in Daily Cartoons – Comments: (0)
• ‘The Hills” Kristin Cavallari Dishes About Her Show Salary
  Posted on Wednesday, September 30th, 2009 in Celebrity Nonsense – Comments: (1)
  “The Hills” season premiere aired Tuesday night and “The Insider” caught up with the show’s new star Kristin Cavallari who addressed the list circulating amongst tabloids that allegedly shows cast member’s salaries per episode. Cavallari would not disclose her paycheck from the series, but she did tell “The Insider” that the article about their salaries wasn’t true. “Everyone in the entertainment industry gets paid a lot more money than doctors and lawyers and the people who deserve it — and teachers, I think should make a lot more money than we do, but at the same time I’m not going to argue with it. It’s my job.” “The Insider” talked with “The Hills” star along with some of the “Dancing with the Stars” pros at the Unite Unveiled event in West Hollywood, a launch party for Gen Arts Fresh Faces in Fashion.

Best posts on AMERICAN NONSENSE from Sep 2009

• Ellen DeGeneres JOINING ‘American Idol’ As 4th Judge
  Posted on Wednesday, September 9th, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (2)
  LOS ANGELES — Ellen DeGeneres is dancing her way onto “American Idol,” replacing Paula Abdul as the show’s fourth judge. In a Wednesday release from Fox and the show’s producers, DeGeneres described herself as a longtime fan of the hit singing contest.Abdul, who announced she was quitting the show amid a contract dispute, had been replaced by a succession of guest judges as “American Idol” started next season’s auditions. DeGeneres, host of a daytime talk show, wasn’t among them. She will join Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi for the ninth season starting in January.
• Shock And Caw: Pesky Starlings Sill Overwhelm
  Posted on Monday, September 7th, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (0)
  SALT LAKE CITY — The next time the sky darkens with a flock of noisy unwelcome starlings, blame Shakespeare – or, better yet, a few of his strangest fans.Had the Bard not mentioned the starling in the third scene of “Henry IV,” arguably the most hated bird in North America might never have arrived. In the early 1890s, about 100 European starlings were released in New York City’s Central Park by a group dedicated to bringing to America every bird ever mentioned by Shakespeare. Today, it’s more like Hitchcock.Some 200 million shiny black European starlings crowd North America, from the cool climes of Alaska to the balmy reaches of Mexico’s Baja peninsula. The enormous flocks endanger air travel, mob cattle operations, chase off native songbirds, roost on city blocks, leaving behind corrosive, foul-smelling droppings and hundreds of millions of dollars of damage each year.And getting rid of them is near impossible.
• Ohio Judge Orders Shoplifters To Wear "I’m A Thief" T-Shirts
  Posted on Tuesday, September 8th, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (2)
  WAUSEON, Ohio — A northwest Ohio judge has added neon green T-shirts to his sentencing repertoire. Western District Court Judge Jeff Robinson in Fulton County is requiring some defendants to wear shirts announcing “I’m a thief” while they perform court-ordered community service.The judge said public punishment can serve as a deterrent, especially during tough economic times when theft crimes seem to rise. The shirts have mainly been ordered for convicted shoplifters. At least one defendant offered to pay a stiffer fine instead.
• Jon Gosselin: I Love Hailey Glassman More Than Kate
  Posted on Tuesday, September 8th, 2009 in Celebrity Nonsense – Comments: (3)
  "Jon & Kate Plus 8" dad Jon Gosselin was an open book about his feelings toward estranged wife Kate and current girlfriend Hailey Glassman on Tuesday night’s "Primetime: Family Secrets." "Our relationship will never be fixed," Jon told interviewer Chris Cuomo about Kate. "If she’s not going to therapy, if she’s not going to fix herself, it’s not going to work." Cuomo wondered why Kate still occasionally wears her wedding ring but Jon doesn’t wear his own. "I think she still wears the ring for public perception," Jon said, adding of his own ring: "I laid it down one day and it was gone. Who else would take it?
• Jon Gosselin & Kids Play on Labor Day
  Posted on Monday, September 7th, 2009 in Celebrity Nonsense – Comments: (1)
  New pic! “Jon & Kate Plus 8″ dad Jon Gosselin was spotted spending time with his kids over the holiday weekend. Jon and his eight children played with the dog outside their Wernersville, PA home. The reality star will appear on “Good Morning America” on Tuesday, September 8. In the interview with “GMA”’s Chris Cuomo, Jon said of his marriage to Kate Gosselin, “Our relationship will never be fixed. … I don’t trust her anymore. I was abused … I was beaten down … I’m not going back to that lifestyle.
• Shock And Caw: Pesky Starlings Sill Overwhelm
  Posted on Monday, September 7th, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (0)
  SALT LAKE CITY — The next time the sky darkens with a flock of noisy unwelcome starlings, blame Shakespeare – or, better yet, a few of his strangest fans.Had the Bard not mentioned the starling in the third scene of “Henry IV,” arguably the most hated bird in North America might never have arrived. In the early 1890s, about 100 European starlings were released in New York City’s Central Park by a group dedicated to bringing to America every bird ever mentioned by Shakespeare. Today, it’s more like Hitchcock.Some 200 million shiny black European starlings crowd North America, from the cool climes of Alaska to the balmy reaches of Mexico’s Baja peninsula. The enormous flocks endanger air travel, mob cattle operations, chase off native songbirds, roost on city blocks, leaving behind corrosive, foul-smelling droppings and hundreds of millions of dollars of damage each year.And getting rid of them is near impossible.
• Stroger Blames Zell, Bad Data For Low Poll Numbers
  Posted on Thursday, September 10th, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (1)
  Cook County Board President Todd Stroger downplayed his dismal approval rating in a Tribune/WGN poll Thursday and alleged that the low numbers were part of a “smear campaign” waged by the paper and its owner.A story on the poll published in Thursday’s Tribune pegged Stroger’s approval rating at 10 percent. The Board President wasted little time trying to discredit the results.”I’m not surprised by the ongoing smear campaign this paper mounts against me in their editorial pages,” Stroger said in a statement. “This paper’s owner, Sam Zell, after all, poured over $75,000 in the final weeks of the last primary into the campaign coffers of Forrest Claypool, and has made no secret that the Stroger name is loathed by the editorial pages.”Zell contributed $75,000 to Forrest Claypool’s 2006 run for Board President.The Tribune/WGN poll surveyed 300 registered voters in Cook County. It was conducted Aug. 27-31 by Market Shares Corp.
• Stephen Farrell, New York Times Reporter, Freed From Taliban In Raid
  Posted on Wednesday, September 9th, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (3)
  KABUL — British commandos freed a New York Times reporter early Wednesday from Taliban captives who kidnapped him over the weekend in northern Afghanistan, but one of the commandos and a Times translator were killed in the rescue, officials said.Reporter Stephen Farrell was taken hostage along with his translator in the northern province of Kunduz on Saturday. German commanders had ordered U.S. jets to drop bombs on two hijacked fuel tankers, causing a number of civilian casualties, and reporters traveled to the area to cover the story. Two military officials told The Associated Press that one British commando died during the early morning raid. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the death had not been officially announced.The Times reported that Farrell’s Afghan translator, Sultan Munadi, 34, also was killed. Farrell was unhurt.Afghan officials over the weekend said about 70 people died when U.S. jets dropped two bombs on the tankers, igniting them in a massive explosion.
• US Troops Stormed Through Afghan Hospital, Tied Up Staff, Says Charity
  Posted on Monday, September 7th, 2009 in – Comments: (0)
  KABUL — A Swedish charity accused American troops Monday of storming through a hospital in central Afghanistan, breaking down doors and tying up staff in a search for militants. The U.S. military said it was investigating.The allegation that soldiers violated the neutrality of a medical facility follows the reported deaths of Afghan civilians in a U.S. airstrike in the country’s north last week. An Afghan human rights group said Monday the strike on two hijacked fuel tankers may have killed as many as 70 civilians in Kunduz province. Civilian deaths and intrusive searches have bred resentment among the Afghan population nearly eight years after the U.S.-led coalition invaded to oust the Taliban’s hard-line Islamist regime for sheltering al-Qaida terrorist leaders.Foreign forces are working to persuade the population to support the Afghan government after last month’s presidential election, which has yet to be decided amid allegations of vote-rigging.
• Japanese Town In ‘The Cove’ Setting Dolphins Free
  Posted on Wednesday, September 9th, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (1)
  TOKYO — The Japanese town chronicled in the award-winning film “The Cove” for its annual dolphin hunt that turns coastal waters red with blood has suspended killing the animals – at least for this week’s catch – following an international outcry.The western Japanese town of Taiji will sell some of the animals to aquariums as it does every year, but the remainder of the 100 bottlenose dolphins that were caught early Wednesday in the first catch of the season are to be released. In the past, they were killed and sold for meat. An official at the Taiji fisheries association, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the town abhors the publicity its dolphin-killing has drawn, said Thursday that the decision was made partly in response to the international outcry created by “The Cove.”He said about 50 of the dolphins will be hand-picked for aquariums and the rest will be set free, although a time for that has not been set.

Best posts on AMERICAN NONSENSE from Aug 2009

• Nowhere to Go but Down
  Posted on Monday, August 3rd, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (1)
  MIDDLEBURY, Ind. — He sinks into the couch, foot jiggling, his gaze traveling from his wife to the television to the darkness outside, broken now and then by the distant glow of passing headlights.Featured AdvertiserDrain the Ocean – Sunday August 9 9P e/pThis is a world you have never seen before, a world normally hidden under miles of water…the landscape of the ocean bed.
• ‘Slumdog’ Sweethearts?
  Posted on Monday, August 3rd, 2009 in Celebrity Nonsense – Comments: (0)
  ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ stars, and rumored off-screen couple Dev Patel and Freida Pinto, cozy up to one another Sunday in London. The young stars smiled happily before introducing a showing of their hit film at the Film4 Summer Screen at Somerset House in London, England. Pinto has been cast in the currently untitled upcoming project from Woody Allen, while Patel is filming M. Night Shyamalan’s ‘The Last Airbender.
• Taconic Drunk Driver Diane Schuler Was Diabetic, May Have Suffered Stroke, Says Lawyer
  Posted on Thursday, August 6th, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (3)
  GARDEN CITY, N.Y. — An attorney says the woman who drove drunk and caused a New York highway crash that killed eight people rarely drank.Dominic Barbara says 36-year-old Diane Schuler wasn’t an alcoholic but was diabetic and may have suffered a stroke before the July 26 crash north of New York City. He says she also had a mouth abscess for several weeks and a bump on her leg. Schuler’s husband, Daniel, says he never saw her drunk since the day he met her.Police say Schuler downed more than 10 vodkas and smoked marijuana before her minivan crashed into an SUV. Her 2-year-old daughter and three nieces were killed with her, and three men driving in the SUV. Schuler’s 5-year-old son survived.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.GARDEN CITY, N.Y. (AP) – An attorney says the woman who drove drunk and caused a New York highway crash that killed eight people was diabetic and may have suffered a stroke.
• Paula Abdul Leaves ‘American Idol’
  Posted on Tuesday, August 4th, 2009 in Celebrity Nonsense – Comments: (1)
  After speculation and reports that “American Idol” judge Paula Abdul would not be returning to the hit Fox competition show, Abdul has finally set the record straight and tells her fans she will not be returning for the next season. “With sadness in my heart, I’ve decided not to return to ‘Idol,” she writes on her Twitter. “I’ll miss nurturing all the new talent, but most of all being a part of a show that I helped from day 1 become an international phenomenon.” Abdul also reached out to her fans and thanked them for their support. “It truly has been breathtaking, especially over the past month,” she writes. “What I want to say most, is how much I appreciate the undying support and enormous love that you have showered upon me.” Fox responded to Abdul leaving the show with the following statement. “Paula Abdul has been an important part of the ‘American Idol’ family over the last eight seasons and we are saddened that she has decided not to return to the show,” Fox tells “The Insider.
• Rahm Emanuel Called Media CEOs Personally To Lobby For Obama Airtime
  Posted on Monday, August 3rd, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (0)
  Rather than calling ABC, the White House chief of staff phoned Bob Iger, chief executive of parent company Disney. Instead of contacting NBC, Emanuel went to Jeffrey Immelt, the chief executive of General Electric. He also spoke with Les Moonves, the chief executive of CBS, the company spun off from Viacom.
• It’s A Girl for Reality Stars Rob & Amber
  Posted on Monday, August 3rd, 2009 in Celebrity Nonsense – Comments: (0)
  Reality TV’s most famous couple — Rob and Amber Mariano — welcomed their first child over the weekend. The stars of CBS’s “Survivor,” “The Amazing Race” and even their own FOX reality show, “Rob and Amber: Against the Odds,” welcomed daughter Lucia Rose on the 4th of July at Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola, Fla., People.com reports. Rob, 33, and Amber, 30, chose the name of Italian origin meaning “light of God.” The baby’s middle name is said to be a tribute to Amber’s great-grandmother, who died on the 4th of July. Little Lucia Rose weighed in at 6 lbs., 11.5 oz., measuring just over 19 inches long. “Both mom and baby are healthy and doing great,” Rob says.
• Bill Clinton’s North Korea Trip ‘Rewards Bad Behavior’: NKorea Expert
  Posted on Tuesday, August 4th, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (1)
  SEOUL (Reuters) – Former U.S. President Bill Clinton made a surprise visit to North Korea on Tuesday to try to win the release of two jailed American journalists, a move some analysts said could mark the isolated state’s return to talks over nuclear weapons.
• Clinton Suggests US Could Join International Criminal Court
  Posted on Thursday, August 6th, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (1)
  NAIROBI, Kenya — U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says it is a “great regret” that the United States is not a member of the International Criminal Court.Clinton spoke Thursday in Kenya during a seven-nation tour of Africa. The court is the first permanent institution authorized to try individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes when national courts are unable or unwilling to do so.The U.S. formally rejected U.S. participation in May 2002. A main concern was that American servicemen hunting down terrorists abroad might not be safe from politically motivated prosecutions.Clinton said it is “a great regret but it is a fact that we are not yet a signatory. But we have supported the court and continue to do so.
• Bill Clinton on Laura Ling and Euna Lee’s Homecoming
  Posted on Thursday, August 6th, 2009 in Celebrity Nonsense – Comments: (2)
  Former President Bill Clinton is speaking out about successfully negotiating the release of U.S. journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee, who returned to America yesterday after being imprisoned in North Korea for nearly five months. "It’s an important and interesting story, but my job was to do one thing, which I was profoundly honored to do as an American and a father — I wanted those young women to be able to come home," Clinton said at a press conference on Thursday. "And I wanted [the U.S. and North Korea] to have the ability to decide where to go from here. But anything I say beyond that could inadvertently affect the decisions and moves either here or in North Korea, or the attitudes of our allies, and I have no business doing that. I’m not a policy maker anymore," he added.
• Brad Pitt on Angelina Jolie: ‘I Have Love in My Life, A Soul Mate’
  Posted on Wednesday, August 5th, 2009 in Celebrity Nonsense – Comments: (1)
  Brad Pitt gets candid in the upcoming issue of Parade magazine, discussing his love with Angelina Jolie, being a father to their children — and what really matters to him in life. Pitt, who has six children with Jolie, tells the mag why he seems so happy: “I have love in my life, a soul mate — absolutely.” The hunky actor, who was previously married to Jennifer Aniston for four-and-a-half years, reveals why he has not yet tied the knot with Jolie, saying: “Maybe we’ll get married when it’s legal for everyone else.” In the revealing interview, Brad describes his idea of real love: “Do you know how you tell real love? It’s when someone else’s interest trumps your own. I like to put it that way: trumps your own. Love of somebody else — of family, of your kids — becomes the most important, most worthwhile thing in your life.

Best posts on AMERICAN NONSENSE from Jul 2009

• Caffeine Equal To 5 Cups Of Coffee A Day Reversed Alzheimer’s Signs In Mice
  Posted on Monday, July 6th, 2009 in Health News – Comments: (0)
  New research from the US and Japan showed that giving the caffeine equivalent of five cups of coffee a day to aged mice with symptoms of Alzheimer’s reversed two signs of the disease: it reversed memory impairment and reduced the hallmark protein in the animals’ blood and brains.
• Taste Of Chicago Attendance Down 500,000 From Last Year: Estimate
  Posted on Monday, July 6th, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (0)
  We do know a little more than three million people have come out to enjoy the food fest over the past 10 days. And that number is down by about half a million from last year’s attendance.
• Jill Biden: Looking Fly On The 4th Of July (PHOTOS)
  Posted on Monday, July 6th, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (1)
  Jill Biden is on a solo trip through Europe, visiting military families in Germany and delivering a keynote address at an education conference in Paris. She celebrated the Fourth of July at a military base in Schweinfurt, Germany, and ate lunch with servicemen and women the day before in Bamberg. Read more about the trip below.On Independence Day, Dr. Biden, like the first lady, traded the traditional red, white and blue for a black and white frock. She added a burst color with yellow wedge heels.From AP:BAMBERG, Germany – Jill Biden, the wife of the U.S. vice president, observed U.S. Independence Day by visiting American troops in Germany en route to an education conference in Paris.Biden stressed Friday that supporting soldiers and their families was important to her work as the wife of Vice President Joe Biden, as well as a personal priority. The couple’s son, Capt.
• University Of Illinois Chancellor Richard Herman Testifying About Clout Admissions (VIDEO)
  Posted on Monday, July 6th, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (0)
  CHICAGO (AP) — University of Illinois Chancellor Richard Herman is slated to testify before a state commission that’s investigating allegations that political clout was used to get less qualified students into the school.The commission is scheduled to hear from Herman and other university officials when it meets in Chicago on Monday.Gov. Pat Quinn formed the panel last month to look into the university’s admissions system after word of the use of clout first surfaced in the Chicago Tribune. The commission is led by former federal Judge Abner Mikva and is due to issue a report next month.The university has been criticized over its practice of keeping a list of politically connected students favored by lawmakers and trustees. The university has since suspended its list, and President Joseph White has pledged to cooperate with the investigation.
• Family, Friends & Fans Remember Michael Jackson
  Posted on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 in Celebrity Nonsense – Comments: (1)
  Fans, friends, family, celebrities and media crews gathered at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Tuesday morning to pay homage to the King of Pop as the world watched. Smokey Robinson preceded the ceremony by reading condolence letters from Jackson’s longtime friends Diana Ross and Nelson Mandela, who were not in attendance. The service began with a choir singing “Soon and Very Soon” as Michael Jackson’s casket was carried out by his brothers who were all wearing a single glove, a trademark look of Michael’s who was often referred to as “The Gloved One.” The music icon’s children (Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson, 11, “Prince” Michael, 12, and Prince Michael II, 7) sat on the front row by their grandmother Katherine Jackson.  Family friend Pastor Lucious Smith took the stage to offer some kind and comforting words to the congregation. Mariah Carey then performed her cover of The Jackson 5 song “I’ll Be There” with Trey Lorenz, as Jermaine Jackson was seen singing along in the audience.
• HTV: Samantha Ronson & Lindsay Lohan Sightings
  Posted on Monday, July 6th, 2009 in Celebrity Nonsense – Comments: (0)
  Photographers and Hollywood.tv caught up to Samantha Ronson at Villa in Los Angeles where a birthday party for Lindsay Lohan was said to be held. Lohan was also spotted in a white Bentley with her girlfriends. Keep checking “The Insider” for more star sightings.
• Tim Jackson, Chicago Defender, Madison Times, Capital Outlook, Sunda… – Olympian Dreams
  Posted on Monday, July 6th, 2009 in Daily Cartoons – Comments: (0)
• Frank Ricci: GOP To Showcase Firefighter Sotomayor Ruled Against
  Posted on Thursday, July 9th, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (1)
  WASHINGTON — Republicans plan to call a white firefighter whose reverse discrimination claim was rejected by Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor to testify against her.New Haven, Conn. firefighter Frank Ricci brought a lawsuit challenging his city’s decision to scrap the results of a promotion test because too few minorities scored highly enough to qualify. He’s one of 14 witnesses Republicans will call during Senate hearings on Sotomayor’s confirmation that open Monday. Sotomayor was part of an appellate court panel that rejected Ricci’s claim. The Supreme Court reversed the ruling last week.Democrats’ witnesses include New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, former FBI Director Louis Freeh, and former Major League Baseball pitcher David Cone.
• Osama Bin Laden’s Son: Dad Gassed MY Dogs
  Posted on Friday, July 10th, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (1)
  OSAMA BIN LADEN’S son Omar first realized the depth of his father’s evil when his beloved dogs were taken away and gassed in a chemical warfare experiment, he says in a new memoir.Omar also confirms what U.S. officials have long believed – that his father was tipped off to a 1998 U.S. attempt to kill him.
• What Is Puberty? What Is Early Puberty? What Is Late Puberty?
  Posted on Monday, July 6th, 2009 in Health News – Comments: (0)
  Puberty is the period in children’s lives when they experience physical changes by which their bodies eventually become adult bodies that are capable of reproducing. Puberty is triggered by hormone signals from the brain to the ovaries and testes (gonads).

Best posts on AMERICAN NONSENSE from Jun 2009

• Flu Pandemic Likely To Strike UK In The Autumn Says Expert
  Posted on Monday, June 1st, 2009 in Health News – Comments: (0)
  A leading expert has warned that the UK can expect to be hit by a swine flu pandemic in the autumn when students go back to school and university. John Oxford, professor of virology at St Bartholomew’s (Barts) hospital in London said on Sunday that the outbreak will strike before a vaccine is available, reported the Guardian.
• City Without Wall St: ‘… worshipping a ju-ju General Mo’
  Posted on Monday, June 1st, 2009 in Mortgage Mess – Comments: (0)
  Congratulations, twist, on the occasion of Doom’s 3rd anniversary.  I’ve been here off and on since almost the beginning, and hope to hang around on the sidebar and with the occasional (mostly non-opinionated) post for a long time to come.We and our housing blogger colleagues have had some luck recently playing at being minor Prophets of Housing Doom, but our efforts are nothing in comparison to earlier masters like the poet W. H. Auden (1907-1973).  In 1967 he wrote one masterpiece titled "City Without Walls" [1] that reads more clearly now than it ever did 42 years ago: …‘A key to the street each convict has,but the Asphalt Lands are lawless marcheswhere gangs clash and cops turnrobber-barons: reckless hewho walks after dark in that wilderness.…‘The week-end comes that once was holy,free still, but a feast no longer,just time out, idiorhythmic,when no one cares what his neighbor does:now newsprint and network are needed most.
• Robert Pattinson Hangs with Jared Leto
  Posted on Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009 in Celebrity Nonsense – Comments: (1)
  ‘Twilight’ hunk Robert Pattinson snapped a photo with another Hollywood heartthrob, Jared Leto. Leto posted the pic on his MySpace with the headline reading, “Who’s the real vampire here…” The sequel in the ‘Twilight’ vampire series, ‘New Moon,’ is set to hit theaters Nov. 20.
• Susan Boyle Suffers From Exhaustion After Loss
  Posted on Monday, June 1st, 2009 in Celebrity Nonsense – Comments: (0)
  “The Insider” has learned that singing sensation Susan Boyle sought medical attention Saturday night in London after her second place finish on the reality competition show “Britain’s Got Talent.” “Britain’s Got Talent” released the following statement to “The Insider”: “Following Saturday night’s show, Susan is exhausted and emotionally drained. She has been seen by her private GP who supports her decision to take a few days out for rest and recovery. We offer her our ongoing support and wish her a speedy recovery.” In addition a spokesperson for the London Metropolitan Police tells “The Insider”: “Police were called at approximately 6pm to a central London hotel to doctors assessing a woman under the Mental Health Act. Police and ambulance attended. The woman was taken voluntarily by ambulance to a clinic. At the request of doctors, police accompanied the ambulance.” No police involvement other than that.” Keep checking back here for more on this developing story.
• NYT: General McChrystal Should Be Questioned About Interrogation Cells
  Posted on Monday, June 1st, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (0)
  The Senate owes the American people more than a pro forma confirmation of Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal, President Obama’s choice to be the next United States military commander in Afghanistan. [...]But there are other, more disturbing aspects of that record that the Senate also must consider. Special Operations task forces operated in secret, outside the normal military chain of command and with minimal legal accountability, especially during the years Donald Rumsfeld ran the Pentagon. General McChrystal’s command substantially overlaps this troubled period.
• Washington Times Poll: ‘What did you think of President Obama’s speech in Cairo?’
  Posted on Friday, June 5th, 2009 in Idiot Ideas – Comments: (1)
  Washington Times (unscientific) poll on what their readers think of President Obama’s Cairo speech (HT – Sybil)ResponsePercentVotesLiked it14%690 votesDisliked it75%3597 votesNeutral7%340 votesOther2%108 votes4735 total votesVote in this poll.Be sure and read the comments. Among the many good ones I found this one by commenter “yumadlh1″ to be one of the better exercises in nailing our Dear Leader (PBUH?) on his fawning inaccuracies used to kowtow to his Muslim audience at the expense of other cultures, including the one he’s suppose to be representingThe Greeks gave us the Alphabet. The compass came from China and South America. The printing came from Gutenberg. Arches came from Rome and earlier. Music and instruments are all but forbidden. Other than these mistaken parts of the speech, it was pretty good. Too bad but no mention for the deaths of Americans saving their behinds.Obama, of course, gave Muslims credit in his speech for all of these inventions.
• Targeted drug shows promise against melanoma: study (Reuters)
  Posted on Monday, June 1st, 2009 in Health News – Comments: (0)
  Reuters – An experimental drug has shown promise as a treatment for advanced melanoma, one of the deadliest of cancers, according to preliminary results from a small trial presented on Monday.
• UPDATE: New Details in David Carradine Death
  Posted on Thursday, June 4th, 2009 in Celebrity Nonsense – Comments: (2)
  New details have emerged in the death of "Kung Fu" and ‘Kill Bill’ star David Carradine.The hotel where the 72-year-old actor was found dead tells ET: "We are currently cooperating with the Thai Police who are still investigating the matter. As investigations are presently in progress, we are not in a position neither to discuss this case nor reveal any details pertaining to the case, moreover out of respect for the family members."Meanwhile, an employee at The Nation — the Bangkok paper that broke the story — spoke with ET about their report, saying that Carradine had been invited to dinner with the film crew on June 3 and did not show up. They were unable to contact him, but believed he was resting because of his age.
• Missing Air France Plane: How Did It Crash?
  Posted on Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (1)
  FERNANDO DE NORONHA, Brazil — Military planes and ships struggled through high seas and heavy winds Wednesday and found more debris from an Air France jet, while an investigator said the black boxes may never be found in the depths of the Atlantic.Rescue vessels from several nations were sailing toward the site to start the recovery as aviation experts tried to determine why the plane carrying 228 people from Rio de Janeiro to Paris on Sunday night ended up in the sea. A 23-foot (seven-meter) chunk of plane and a 12-mile-long (20-kilometer-long) oil slick were found early Wednesday, Brazilian air force spokesman Col. Jorge Amaral said. Rescuers have still found no signs of life.The new debris was discovered about 90 kilometers (55 miles) south where searchers a day earlier found an airplane seat, a fuel slick, an orange lifevest and pieces of white debris.The location of the new debris is consistent with where experts say currents in that part of the Atlantic would push anything on the surface.
• Pohanka Chrysler Dodge One Of Many Dealerships Forced To Sell Entire Inventory
  Posted on Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (1)
  The affected dealerships are not only furiously trying to sell off their inventory; at the same time, they are trying to figure out what they will do once they stop selling new Chryslers, and how they can save the jobs of their employees. Pohanka will focus on service and used-car sales, or maybe switch to another brand; Dulles will focus on the two other brands they already sell, Subaru and Kia.

Best posts on AMERICAN NONSENSE from May 2009

• Tax Havens: Obama To Outlaw Tax Rules That Save Companies $190 Billion
  Posted on Monday, May 4th, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (0)
  May 4 (Bloomberg) — President Barack Obama will propose today to outlaw three offshore tax-avoidance techniques U.S. companies such as Caterpillar Inc. and Procter & Gamble Co. want to use to save $190 billion over the next decade and make it riskier for Americans to stash money in tax-haven banks.Obama and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner will target a strategy that allows U.S.-based multinational companies to effectively hide from the Internal Revenue Service the role their foreign subsidiaries play in shifting profits into low-tax jurisdictions such as the Cayman Islands, an administration official said.
• Mexico criticizes swine flu discrimination (AP)
  Posted on Monday, May 4th, 2009 in Health News – Comments: (0)
  AP – Saying China’s quarantine of 70 Mexican travelers was discrimination, Mexico announced it was chartering a plane Monday to bring its citizens home from the country. Mexican officials also declared the epidemic to be waning, but medical experts worldwide said it was to early to make that call.
• Facebook’s "Porn Cops": Meet The Staff Key To Growth, Value
  Posted on Monday, May 4th, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (0)
  Facebook describes these staffers as an internal police force, charged with regulating users’ decorum, hunting spammers and working with actual law-enforcement agencies to help solve crimes. Part hall monitors, part vice cops, these employees are key weapons in Facebook’s efforts to maintain its image as a place that’s safe for corporate advertisers–more so than predecessor social networks like Friendster and MySpace.
• Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard Wed
  Posted on Monday, May 4th, 2009 in Celebrity Nonsense – Comments: (0)
  It’s official! ET confirms that Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard have tied the knot."We are happy to confirm that Maggie and Peter were married on Saturday, May 2," a rep for the couple tells ET.Sources say it was a small wedding that took place in Italy. Maggie’s younger brother Jake and girlfriend Reese Witherspoon were among the guests at the ceremony.
• Fox News Assailed For Video Trickery
  Posted on Tuesday, May 5th, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (1)
  Hey, kids! Do you ever get tired of Fox News’ crops? I don’t mean the food they might be literally growing, in Glenn Beck’s Doom Room, in preparation for Imminent Socialist Panic. I’m talking about the way they manipulate video to make it look like people are just straight up saying the opposite thing they actually said. Well, it’s been bothering the media critics at Media Matters For America for some time, and they have, for a long time, been cataloging “examples of Fox News hosts and correspondents cropping comments by progressives and Democratic political figures in a manner that misrepresents them.” A new mash-up video offers some side-by-side examples of what they’re talking about:Some constructive criticism? I think the third example — Obama’s “empathy” criteria for Supreme Court justice — isn’t the best example of a Fox cropping. While it’s certainly true that Major Garrett’s statement, “That aggravates those who feel that justices should follow the Constitution and legislative intent,” seems to neatly ignore the fact that Obama’s next statement was “I will seek someone who is dedicated to the rule of law, who honors our Constitutional traditions, who respects the integrity of the judicial process, and the appropriate limits of the judicial role,” the fact is, just about every news organization honed in on the “empathy” part of the statement.
• Journalist: Arlen Specter DID Say He Would Be A "Loyal Democrat"
  Posted on Monday, May 4th, 2009 in TOP HEADLINES – Comments: (0)
  The journalist who reported that Arlen Specter privately promised Obama that he would be a “loyal Democrat” tells me he’s sticking by the story, despite Specter’s high-profile denial of it yesterday.Specter made a big splash yesterday morning on Meet the Press by disputing a Wall Street Journal story reporting that Specter had promised Obama he’d be loyal to Dems and would support his agenda. Specter claimed he’d been misquoted: “I did not say I would be a loyal Democrat.
• Mexico criticizes ‘repressive’ quarantines abroad (AP)
  Posted on Monday, May 4th, 2009 in Health News – Comments: (0)
  AP – Mexico chartered a plane on Monday to China to bring home 70 of its citizens who were seized at the airport and quarantined, declaring that the swine flu epidemic was no reason for “repressive and discriminatory measures.
• Matt Bors, United Media
  Posted on Monday, May 4th, 2009 in Daily Cartoons – Comments: (0)
• Crack of Doom: Beyond Housing
  Posted on Monday, May 4th, 2009 in Mortgage Mess – Comments: (0)
  ‘[The sky] was sullen, streaked and livid, and [Arthur Dent] reflected that it was the sort of sky that the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse wouldn’t feel like a bunch of complete idiots riding out of’Click the pic to go to the CBC photo gallery of the recent Halifax Wildfires.  Above is a detail of photo 2 — "The fire lights up the Halifax skyline in this photo taken from the Mic Mac Mall April 30.  (Submitted by Cathy Murray)"Meanwhile, swine flu continues to be an issue in Nova Scotia and the Halifax area.[1] Weirdly, Doom’s stale post on the issue continues to be a top choice for Google searches on AH1N1.When I first came to Housing Doom in mid-’06, my main concern was accounting rule SFAS 140, which allowed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to hide much of their accounting risk in off-balance-sheet "QSPEs.
• Mariska Hargitay Health Update
  Posted on Wednesday, May 6th, 2009 in Celebrity Nonsense – Comments: (1)
  Actress Mariska Hargitay is opening up about the recent status of her health and how she is healing. The "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" star, who was experiencing health issues related to a partially collapsed lung, told People.com on Tuesday how she is doing now. "I’m doing great," Hargitay tells the Web site. "I’m feeling so much better and I’m lucky because I’m really strong and recuperated pretty quickly.

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