OPEN NEW YEARS DAY FROM 1p-6p

      50 % Off ENTIRE STORE
     

      32 Masonic St
      Northampton Ma 01060
      413-585-8555


men & women clothing, shoes and accessories!!!

88 Express Car Service

                       NYC <-> Northampton, Amherst & Hadley

Pick up and drop off are at the same place. Be there at least 5-10 min earlier than the schedule provided.  Visit your school’s dailyjolt.com for more information (Smith, Amherst, Mt. Holyoke, Hampshire, and UOFMA)

Schedule

Monday –Sat

11:00 a.m pick up-110 Lafayette St (Between Canal and Walker), NYC

2:45 p.m pick up at Boltwood ave and College St (Amherst College bus stop)

3:00 p.m pick up at route 116 South (on the side of the post office, close to Mt. Holyoke College)

3:30 p.m pick up at the corner of John M Greene Hall (Smith College bus stop, at route 9)

Sun

4:00 p.m pick up-110 Lafayette St (Between Canal and Walker), NYC

7:45 p.m pick up at Boltwood ave and College St (Amherst College bus stop)

8:00 p.m pick up at route 116 South (on the side of the post office close to Mt.Holyoke)

8:20 p.m pick up at the corner of John M Greene Hall (Smith College bus stop)

Mount Holyoke will host its annual Las Vegas Night this weekend, Friday October 16th @10PM

Event includes full Casino Style Gambling, access to the High Rollers Room, Buffet, Live Entertainment, Dance Party and more. Don't miss it! The Student Center will host our live entertainment and Casino while Chapin Auditorium will host one of the greatest dance parties of the year featuring NYC's DJ FLO.

Tickets are on sale in advance only at Tix Unlimited, located in the UMass Amherst Student Union 413-545-0412 and at Mount Holyoke's Blanchard Campus Center Info Desk. Please contact networkmhc@gmail.com for more information.

Body suit, head mask with attached ears.

www.Newyorkelitelingerie.com

We are having a 5 dollar off sale until 8/24

Type in the word "SALE" in our coupon section and receive $5 off your next purchase!!!

www.KaboccaBeads.com

we have Necklaces, Earrings, Anklets, hand made, unique Jewelry, hand crafted Earring, Necklaces sets, Beads, hand made beads AND MUCH MUCH MORE!

Don't see what you want?
Send an Email to KaboccaBeads@gmail.com and ask me!!!!

this is only T 8/24! DO NOT MISS OUT!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

Blog entry and photos by: Katherine Neubert (http://umasslife.wordpress.com/)

Journalism 391R: Travel Writing and Photojournalism (aka “the Sicily class”) is by far, hands down, no doubt about it the best class I’ve ever taken at UMass. For starters, it gets you out of the class room and into real life… Sicily, to be exact.

You can only take this class during the spring semesters because it takes you to Sicily over Spring Break. Yes, there is actual class before and after you travel to Sicily. The class meets every Tuesday and Thursday from 6p.m. to 8p.m., and there is an application and essay you need to complete and submit sometime in early Fall to get into the class.

So now you think you’re automatically turned off because its a late two hour class that prevents you from flying to Cancun and doing the exact same thing you do here every weekend, except on a beach for a week. Think again. I promise it’s worth it.

The first few weeks of the class prepare you for what you’re about to do in Sicily. They teach you how to write vignettes and how to work your super sexy Digital SLR that you need, if you’re a photographer. Oh, right - the class is split into two groups - half writers, half photographers. There are about 16 spots available in the class altogether. The photographers have to do a little writing as well. After all, this is still a journalism course. 

Then, before you know it, Spring Break arrives and you’re on a four-hour bus ride to JFK International Airport in New York City, flying to Italy. Insane, right? Not really. This trip could not be anymore organized and thought out. It was almost seamless, in my eyes at least. Now for some introductions.

Meet Rick Newton and Karen Skolfield. As soon as you walk in to class, you can instantly tell they are BFFs (best friends forever), which is no surprise since they’ve been doing this together for almost 10 years.

Rick is the photo teacher, which is kind of hard to miss since he is always promoting Macs over PCs and will never stop whining about something called a Godzilla Pod, or a Guerilla Pod?

Then there is Karen. She is the writing teacher who really shakes your writing into shape (in a very good way), and also has a deep love for donkeys. You’ll figure that one out later.

We travel with another class from the University of Hartford as well. There are about the same amount of them as us, and they definitely bring some variety to the trip, among other things. Some are watercolor painters, and others photographers.

This class is amazing in an obscene amount of ways. You and your classmates are carefully hand chosen to be part of an eye-opening experience. Everyone is just as into it as you are, which is an environment I’m not familiar with. One of the things I enjoyed most was meeting people who have the same passions and interests as me. There doesn’t seem to be enough time to get to know them before you go, but it doesn’t matter. Everyone is so high on life and excited to be traveling, that on the bus ride to JFK everything just falls into place. Naturally.

Never before have I traveled overseas with people I hardly knew, for such a detailed and structured week. It was the perfect amount of time and one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself. When you’re there, you never want to leave. And when you return, it’s like you never even left. Now the real work has begun; writing vignettes, photoshopping pictures, as well as creating a portfolio and a book. You are still living Sicily each and every class, and with all that you’ve come away with, it won’t be easy to forget.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFxqC8hZ_xs&feature=related

beyond gross!

courtesy of boston.com

Eli Rosenswaike, Collegian Staff

Published: Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Updated: Wednesday, March 25, 2009

UMass Baseball rumored casuality of budget shortfalls

On the cover of the soon-to-be-released 2009 media guide for the Massachusetts baseball team, there is an artist’s rendering of a new baseball field, dubbed: “The future home of Minuteman baseball.”

According to several published reports Tuesday, not only does UMass baseball’s future likely not have a new field – it may not even have a team.

The Boston Herald and Daily Hampshire Gazette reported that, because of the budget deficit problems at UMass, the baseball program may be cut as part of the planned decrease in spending.

Nothing has been officially announced yet, but UMass athletic director John McCutcheon says cuts in the athletic department are virtually inevitable.

“The campus is going through a historic reduction in funding. We are a part of that like every other unit on the campus. To comment on what the outcomes may be would be premature at this point,” McCutcheon told the Gazette.

“Obviously the chancellor [Robert Holub] in his comments to the state Legislature indicated that program reductions are going to be necessary for us to get to where we need to be.”

Rumors are swirling that the baseball program, which dates back to 1877 and is the longest-running team at UMass, will take the brunt of the damage.

Mike Stone, who has been the coach in Amherst since 1988, is both worried and mystified that this may happen.

“I’m obviously concerned. There are a lot of rumors, and each day that I’ve heard them, there’s been more and more,” Stone told the Gazette. “It’s very disturbing and distracting. We’re trying to play a season and we have to deal with this issue. It’s not good.

“To even think about dropping baseball with the history and tradition that it’s had at UMass for over 100 years doesn’t make any sense to me.”

The UMass Baseball Diamond Club Committee, which recently helped fund the designs of a new UMass baseball complex, is spearheading the movement to try to save the program. Phil LeBlanc and Dick Bresciani, the co-chairman of the committee, sent McCutcheon – as well as Holub, UMass president Jack Wilson and the board of trustees – a memorandum on why the program should not be cut.

“We implore you not to eliminate UMass baseball. Doing so will negatively impact the reputation, character and culture of UMass,” reads the memorandum. “The future of UMass Baseball has never been brighter than now due to the successful planning, financial commitments and partnership that the UMass Baseball Diamond Fund has put in place over the last year.”

McCutcheon said that one or more programs could be cut. In 2002, seven UMass teams, including  men’s tennis, men’s and women’s gymnastics, women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s water polo and men’s indoor track and field, were cut. In 2004, men’s indoor track and field was reinstated.

“My job is try to assess it and have as competitive a department and as representative a Division I program at the end of the day that we possibly can have. I’m sure whatever recommendation I can make would not be supported by everybody,” McCutcheon told the Gazette. “It’s an extremely difficult process. Whenever you look at the process of eliminating sports, it’s catastrophic to those that are involved in it.”

“The opportunity to participate means a lot to the coaches, the student-athletes, to the fans. It’s a painful process. But the reality of where we are in the economy and where the state is in support of the university, it’s a reality that we unfortunately have to deal with.”

Former UMass baseball coach Dick Bergquist, who coached the team from 1967-1987, is joining in the movement to save the program. In a letter sent to McCutcheon dated March 23, Bergquist offered his thoughts on why getting rid of the program would be a mistake.

“New England is baseball country. Baseball is one of the two sports in Massachusetts high schools that is most popular in terms of numbers of teams. Denying participation in baseball at the State University would be tragic,” Bergquist wrote.

Bergquist thinks that a “hasty decision” is the quickest and easiest way out for the athletic department, “but it does not recognize over 100 years of baseball tradition.”

He has an alternative idea for McCutcheon.

“If the money problems are really that severe, other programs must assist by sacrifice also. This may be a time to restructure UMass athletics. A ten percent budget reduction by ALL teams would not be out of the question.”

The baseball program has made two NCAA Tournament appearances in Stone’s tenure (1995, 1996), has five Beanpot Championships (they won in 2008), and has captured eight Atlantic 10 titles. Overall, the program has qualified for 11 NCAA Tournaments – including two appearances in the College World Series (1954, 1969).

However, the team has struggled over the past five years, going a combined 89-141 from 2004-2008.

Bergquist concluded his letter with the following: “Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, ‘Do not go where the path leads. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.’”

“I urge you, John, to blaze a new trail by not cutting teams. Even though cutting teams is very painful, it is still the easiest way out. Do not make a hasty decision that the entire University may regret in the future. Baseball is worth saving!”

courtesy of dailycollegian.com

by Nat Ives

Published: March 26, 2009

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Alpha Media Group closed Blender magazine today, eliminating about 30 jobs and reducing its portfolio of titles to Maxim alone. The April issue of Blender out now will be its last.

The April issue of Blender out now will be its last.

The remaining CEO, Stephen Duggan, said in a company memo that the company was closing Blender with great sadness. "Since 2001, Blender has provided unmatched music coverage and entertainment news in its unique voice to a profoundly dedicated audience of music enthusiasts," Mr. Duggan wrote. "We are particularly grateful to the sales team and to the tremendously talented editorial staff for their hard work and commitment to Blender."

Joe Levy, who was editor in chief at Blender, was named editor in chief of the combined Maxim editorial operation. Jim Kaminsky, Maxim magazine's editor in chief, is leaving the company. Ben Madden continues as group publisher. Jay Woodruff, editor in chief of Maxim Digital, was named chief content officer at Maxim. After the changes, Alpha will continue to employ 134 staffers.

Alpha, the former Dennis Publishing, has endured a series of difficulties and hard choices since its acquisition by Quadrangle Capital Partners and magazine-industry veteran Kent Brownridge in August 2007. The new owners punctuated the $240 million deal by immediately closing Stuff magazine, a sort of laddie shopping title.

But the recession and other factors complicated their plans. Mr. Brownridge, who'd come back from retirement after a long career at Wenner Media, lasted only a year as CEO before the co-CEOs took over. "It was a company that needed tremendous restructuring, which quite frankly took a little longer than I anticipated," Mr. Brownridge said as he gave up the CEO post.

By the end of last year, Quadrangle was seen negotiating with its lenders, including Cerberus Capital Management, as it struggled to make debt payments.

Alpha tried to build Blender's circulation, pushing its paid-circulation guarantee to 1 million from 800,000 at purchase. But copies distributed to public places such as waiting rooms grew the fastest, from 13,000 copies in the second half of 2007 to 100,000 a year later, according to company reports with the Audit Bureau of Circulations. Paid subscriptions fell 8% to 768,000, while newsstand sales declined 18% to 44,233.

Ad pages at Blender also plunged 31% last year and another 57% from January through April, according to the Publishers Information Bureau and Media Industry Newsletter. Monthlies as a whole, by comparison, sank 12% last year and another 22% through April. Ad pages at Maxim fell 11% in 2008 and 37% from January through April.

Mr. Duggan's memo to staff blamed the global financial crisis but said the company would persevere. "Alpha Media Group is weathering the current economic difficulties, and we are confident that with the changes we are implementing, the company is in the strongest position possible to continue moving forward," he said.

Mine was amazing. I went to Sicily with a Photojournalism class. Ate a lot, napped a lot, and took some kickass photos. What did you guys do?

Recently reunited No Doubt are taking a note from The Boss and are attempting to cut out ripoff-extraordinaires Ticketmaster from their tour!

Tickets went on sale for the band's upcoming tour last Saturday, but the group gifted fan club members with first dibs on the best seats in the house!

No Doubt were granted 10% of the tickets for each show and sold them directly through their website, completely bypassing Ticketmaster's outrageous service charges.

"The impetus is to have people who want to be in the building to be the people buying the tickets — not speculators," Jim Guerinot, No Doubt's manager, tells reporters. "We've done it before and it works."

Fan club members were required to pay a $15 dollar fee, but with the charge came access to the band's entire digital audio catalog as well as stickers, magnets, and iron-ons promoting the new tour!

Love it!

More bands should take notice and stick it to the ticket monopolists!!

Down with Ticketmaster!!!

Less than a foot tall, she has captivated young imaginations and courted controversy from the moment she arrived. Gone with the flow, adapted to changing times, and, to be frank, had some work done. Been pilloried, parodied, accessorized, analyzed, novelized, and fetishized to within an inch of her fabricated life.

Some question her iconic stature in a world populated by Bratz dolls and Britney videos, a rather harsh thing to say about an American legend who turns 50 next week.

She is, of course, Barbie, the original teenage fashion doll, who hits the Big Five-O on Monday. The milestone is not going unnoticed. Mattel, the toy maker that introduced Barbie five decades and a billion units ago, is rolling out commemorative dolls and staging events around All Things Barbie in an attempt to recapture market share lost over the past decade. Biographers are publishing, critics are criticizing, and retailers are hoping for a Barbie bonanza in a cratering economy, even as domestic sales of the doll have fallen by as much as 12 percent in recent years - down from $1.7 billion in 2003 - and Mattel has tried to sue the Bratz line, introduced in 2001 and now Barbie's biggest rival, right out of existence.

Nevertheless, Barbie remains a cultural and commercial force, the best selling - and most polarizing - toy doll ever. Generations of women have grown up with her wardrobes, careers, relatives, pets, playhouses, and romances (on and off) with Ken, a.k.a. the Boy Toy Who Won't Commit. Feminists, educators, and others have long accused her of sending harmful messages about body image and consumerism.

Ageless in many ways, Barbie is not immune to age issues, to be sure. As her target audience has grown younger, sliding downward from grade schoolers to preschoolers, more sophisticated, interactive dolls, toys, and video games have moved into her neighborhood. Once considered edgy, the first anatomically "adult" doll marketed to schoolgirls, Barbie now seems tame, a nursery-room innocent, compared to the real-life Barbies like Pamela Anderson and Jessica Simpson, who parade across the pop-culture stage. Tweens, meanwhile, have been lured away by the pouty-lipped Bratz dolls and by the Hannah Montana line, the Disney Co.'s entry into the fashion-doll sweepstakes. Sometimes it's hard to recall what all the fuss around Barbie was about, anyway.

"To be honest, at this age those (past controversies) don't play a part," says Kathy Wentworth, 42, who grew up with Barbie dolls and was helping her 5-year-old daughter, Colleen, pick out a Barbie at a Peabody toy store last week. "She just thinks Barbie is beautiful."

"And fun to play with," chimes in Colleen, who got her first Barbie at age 3, according to her mother, and now owns about 20 more.

Continued...

courtesy of boston.com

He had no choice.

That’s Jason Mesnick’s explanation for publicly dumping his fiancee, Bachelor winner Melissa Rycroft, in favor of runner-up Molly Malaney on Monday night’s finale. Jason says he would have preferred to have delivered the news to Rycroft off camera.

“There were things I needed to tell her in person and I was not allowed to see her. That was part of the deal. I signed up for it in my contract. Your relationship is — good and bad — in front of everybody,” says Mesnick, who talked exclusively to PEOPLE about the surprising turn of events.

“If I could have, I would have seen Melissa the night before. It killed me. It kills me now.”

The single dad, 32, proposed to an overjoyed Melissa, 25, in the two-hour finale. But on After the Final Rose, which was shot six weeks later, he gave her the boot and confessed he still had feelings for Molly, 24, who agreed to give him another chance. Mesnick, who was rejected by DeAnna Pappas on The Bacherlotte last year, says he knows what Bachelor viewers must think of him: ” ‘That guy is a jerk.’ But I’m not proud of what I had to do.”

Soon after The Bachelor’s cameras stopped rolling, the euphoria of his engagement to Melissa began to fade. “After we got back into the real world, all of a sudden, we had less to talk about and I didn’t know why. I started thinking wow, what’s happening? Why aren’t we communicating the way we did when the show was going on?” says Jason, who held off on sharing his doubts with Melissa.

“I didn’t say something right away because I wanted to figure out what was going in inside of me,” he says. “There was part of me that wanted things to work out with Melissa so bad. But the whole other piece was I had these crazy feelings for Molly.”

Finally, Jason says, he could not deny the truth: “Melissa and I just have different ways of communicating. We’re not right for each other.”?– Monica Rizzo

courtesy of people.com

"Illinois mystery: Placentas found in sewage system"

Someone is disposing of placentas in a central Illinois sewage system and authorities want it to stop. Workers in Urbana on Thursday found a placenta in a filter that keeps large objects out of the sewage treatment plant — the third such find this year. So police have enlisted medical experts. "It was one of the weirdest calls I've ever received," said Julie Pryde, who heads the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District.

Urbana Police Lt. Bryant Seraphin remembered: "She said, 'You found a WHAT in the WHERE?'"

The unprecedented finds have officials wondering if a midwife or veterinarian, stressed by economic woes, has been avoiding the expense of paying for a medical waste disposal service.

Police aren't aiming for an arrest, Seraphin said, and nobody suspects foul play. The umbilical cords, still attached, were cut clean.

Placentas are potentially infectious, although health officials said the risk to the public is low. They just want the dumping to stop and hope publicity will achieve that. They are keen on solving the mystery.

Storm sewers and toilets drain to the system, so those seem to be the likeliest routes, Pryde said, "but I don't think my personal toilet at home would be able to flush a placenta."

Champaign County Coroner Duane Northrup said the placentas could be from home births, but he's not ruling out hospitals.

"We don't believe they were specimens kept for research or testing," Northrup said. "They appear to be fairly fresh, so to speak."

A state police lab detected human DNA in the first placenta tested, Northrup said. But since the sewage system is full of human DNA, he's waiting for results of more tests his pathologists are conducting on the two others found.

The placenta is an organ that joins mother and fetus and is expelled during birth. Officials don't believe there have been any deaths, the coroner said, and it's likely the babies are healthy.

State regulations allow parents to keep their baby's placenta, said state Environmental Protection Agency spokeswoman Maggie Carson. Some parents may want them for a post-birth ritual, she said.

"But it is never acceptable to put placenta into the sewer system," Carson said. "Never."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cl67FmVRjYs

Rihanna and Chris Brown are back together, PEOPLE has learned exclusively.

The pair have reunited almost three weeks after Brown, 19, allegedly battered the "Umbrella" singer on Feb. 8, a source tells PEOPLE.

"They're together again. They care for each other," says the source. The on-again couple are currently spending time together at one of Sean "Diddy" Combs's homes

Adds the source: "While Chris is reflective and saddened about what happened, he is really happy to be with the woman he loves."

In its latest issue, PEOPLE reports that Brown called Rihanna on her 21st birthday one week ago. "He called to wish her happy birthday," a source told the magazine. "They've reached out to each other. It's been mutual."

Brown was booked by LAPD for making criminal threats but the case has not yet been presented to the District Attorney, who will ultimately determine which charges, if any, will be prosecuted.

courtesy of people.com

"The Future"

Hooray!

Rubina Ali and Azhar Ismail, two 'real life' slum kids who played the 'younger' version of Slumdog Millionaire's central characters, have been gifted with new family homes by the Indian government.

A government official said, "These two children have brought laurels to the country, and we have been told that they live in slums, which cannot even be classified as housing."

On Tuesday, we mentioned that the movies' producers were setting up professionally managed trusts for the child actors so they wouldn't have to live a life of squalor any more.

We're glad that the movie has brought good fortune to little Rubina and Azhar!

The time has finally come! All the red tape has been cut and the hoops have been jumped through and we are finally allowed to open. Wednesday at 4:00 pm we will open our doors and we hope to see as many of you as possible over the next few days. Our capacity is being strictly enforced so try to get there early. Also if you have an out of state License you must have a back-up picture ID. I know it has taken a while but I hope you will appreciate what we have done with the place. Hope to see you there! --Brian Stahl, Owner

As we all know, the Academy Awards are just as much about who wore what as they are about who actually walks home with the Oscar. The red carpet becomes a virtual who's who of well-known designers, as well as some up-and-comers and a few hangers-on (translation: Tina Knowles pimping her unfabulous House of Deréon creation on daughter Beyonce). So, who brought the fabulous and who looked straight-up fugly? Here are my picks for best and worst dressed:

Best: Freida Pinto (star of Best Picture winner Slumdog Millionaire)

Freida absolutely rocked it in an amazing John Galliano creation, an altered version of a dress from the Spring 2009 runway collection. The Slumdog Millionaire starlet looks flawless in the sari-like assymetrical dress, and the royal blue looks gorgeous against her skin tone. The detailed beading and the lacy one sleeve make this dress a true standout. In my opinion, you can't go wrong with a classic like John Galliano, and Freida looks every bit worthy of her title as the star of the Best Picture. Well done!

Worst: Miley Cyrus (Disney starlet/singer)

Miley is seriously struggling in this Zuhair Mohad monstrosity, from the Couture 2009 collection Le Bal des Sirenes. From the strange seashell belt to the scale-like tiers of the skirt, this looks a bit too Disney-inspired even for Miley. The mermaid mess looks like it weighs more than she does, and belongs more at a costume party than the biggest red carpet event of the year. Miley has fallen under harsh criticism as of late for dressing a bit racy and revealing for her age, so it makes sense that she would choose a somewhat modest look, but modest doesn't equal tragic, lady. This dress hurts my eyes.

So there you have it. Whether you agree or disagree with my picks, there is no question that the 2009 Oscars showcased some of the best fashions of the upcoming year. Its only a matter of time before we see the knock-offs flooding department store racks.

LOS ANGELES—As police probe whether one of their own leaked a picture of a bruised and beaten woman that appears to be Rihanna, the image is sparking a discussion of the impact it could have on the issue of domestic violence. The celebrity Web site TMZ, which posted the photo Thursday night, did not explain its origin. The site wrote only that it was taken after an altercation between platinum-selling singer and her boyfriend, fellow pop star Chris Brown.

Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton acknowledged Friday afternoon that the photo could prove embarrassing to the woman pictured, a view shared by some advocates for abused women. But in the welts and marks on the face of the woman in the photo, some also saw a teaching moment.

"If it could happen to Rihanna, it could happen to anyone," said Kim Gandy, president of the National Organization for Women. There are an estimated 4.8 million domestic violence attacks on women and another 2.9 million attacks on men each year, according to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.

"Maybe it is a good idea if it's her, if young girls see this," said Susan Murphy-Milano, a Chicago author and advocate for battered women. She said she hopes it makes them think, "Is the next picture going to be of her in a morgue?"

Both women expected the image, which even Bratton wouldn't go so far as to confirm was Rihanna, could spark a new awareness about domestic violence.

"The reality that domestic violence can happen to anyone, even someone with fame and celebrity, ought to bring home the point that this is a problem for our entire society," Gandy said. "We can't avoid or ignore it."

Bratton told reporters that along with launching an internal investigation into whether the photo is police evidence, he is also looking into how TMZ obtained the picture. He said the department may pursue a felony conspiracy case against TMZ and whomever might have helped them get the image.

Bratton said he suspected someone within the department leaked the photo, but did not elaborate or go so far as to confirm that it came from police evidence files.

"We are not treating this lightly," Bratton said. "It's an embarrassment to this department if in fact evidence was leaked.

"It's going to be a very painful experience for any personnel from this department and possibly those who they may have engaged in a conspiracy with to violate the laws of California."

TMZ did not say how it obtained the image and a publicist for the site did not return a phone or e-mail message seeking comment Friday.

Brown, 19, was arrested Feb. 8 on suspicion of making felony criminal threats, but police have not publicly identified his alleged victim. The woman was Rihanna, according to a person familiar with the situation, who was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter and requested anonymity.

A spokesman for Brown said the singer had no further comment beyond a statement released Sunday in which he said he was "sorry and saddened" about the incident. His attorney has not returned calls seeking comment.

Rihanna broke her silence on Friday, her 21st birthday, by releasing a statement through Rubenstein Associates.

"At the request of the authorities, Rihanna is not commenting about the incident involving Chris Brown," the statement read. "She wants to assure her fans that she remains strong, is doing well, and deeply appreciates the outpouring of support she has received during this difficult time."

The singer canceled a planned birthday bash in New York and postponed concerts overseas in the days following the incident.

Prosecutors are still waiting for police to present more evidence against Brown. Bratton said Friday that detectives are working quickly to finish that investigation, and the inquiries into the leak.

Both Gandy and Murphy-Milano said one of the reasons the photo's release is so shocking is because domestic violence isn't in the spotlight except for when it involves high-profile couples.

"Such a graphic image may give people pause and make them think about what we're doing for the women who don't have resources to escape and take care of themselves," Gandy said. She said the country's economic problems will translate into more domestic violence cases as families suffer financial strain.

And from a painful image, Murphy-Milano hoped a new advocate for battered women might have been made.

"I think she could be a very important voice and a tool for other people," she said of Rihanna. "She could turn this around," Murphy-Milano said, and tell others, "'Don't be me.'"

courtesy of boston.com

Coffee Shop Spotlight: Rao's & Amherst Coffee

By: Katherine Neubert, Feb. 19, 2009 (www.dailycollegian.com)

Upon entering Rao’s Coffee, located at 17 Kellogg St., you may feel yourself a little overwhelmed with the busy bodies rushing about; The tables are filled with chess players, cute couples on dates, old friends catching up, and more importantly, those hip young students from the five college area, typing away ferociously on their laptops. What ever could they be working on? They’ve only been here for five hours already, and have since ordered one large skinny iced chai (with light ice), a raspberry and lime Italian soda, and a sesame bagel toasted with cream cheese.

University of Massachusetts senior Amy Kent says in an average week she visits Rao’s coffee once, usually to get her homework done.

“I like that it has a lot of bathrooms, and the level of noise is OK to concentrate,” Kent said. Her drink of choice is a café mocha.

Not into the mocha flavored coffee drinks? No worries there; Rao’s has a unique menu with about 20 different options for coffee lovers. And if you’re not much of a coffee aficionado, Rao’s also offers one extensive menu on different teas and another for food, serving Belgian waffles, wraps, pastries made in house, paninis, and more. They’ve got a nifty mix and match option for soups, salads and wraps as well.

Mount Holyoke alumna Aubrey Schomer says that she enjoys the atmosphere at Rao’s, and went there a lot when she was a student.

“You can stay for as long as you want and no one will get on your ass about it,” said Schomer.

Behind the counter, about four to five employees help to keep the constant flow of coffee goers at bay. Low, mellow music permeates the cafe. The baristas dress casually – no aprons, no hats, no dress code. The splotchy, marble-like yellow painted walls serve as a temporal location for local artists’ work. At certain times of the day, what seems like a stampede can be heard from above. “Jumanji” didn’t just move in, that’s just AmherstYogaCenter upstairs.

If that’s not your style and you’re looking for a less crowded, more quaint setting to enjoy your caffeine jolt, try Amherst Coffee, down the street and around the corner from Rao’s at 28 Amity St.

Amherst Coffee is a tad smaller, offering only one large room as compared to two rooms at Rao’s, but their super high ceilings and very large windows make up for it. Not to mention that they have a bar that sells alcohol. Wait what? Aren’t we talking about a coffee shop?

You can usually find UMass sophomore Martie McGowan there throughout the week. She is an employee there and yet says she still comes in on her days off to tackle some homework.

“I come here for the free coffee and aesthetic atmosphere,” she said. “It’s close to my house.”

McGowan is a tea lover, and knows almost all of the people in there – “the regulars.”

The environment is peaceful and quiet, with large wooden tables, counter space at the bar and deep red brick walls. Their menu is concise, with only about nine options and they only accept cash. Amherst baristas dress in dark, collared button-down shirts that look freshly ironed.

UMass graduate student Matt Gifford says he can be found in Amherst Coffee about five times a week. He won’t go anywhere else for his espresso.

“They have the best espresso in the area, and there is always a place to sit,” Gifford says. He comes here primarily to do homework, like most of the customers.

The crowd seems slightly older than Rao’s.  Many strangers share the same space at the communal dining table in the center of the room. There is also a cushioned couch-like window seat, if you’re lucky enough to snag it. Jazz is the music of choice at  Amherst Coffee; the vibe is bit more refined, if you will.

While the ambience and style of these two java huts differ, both are a great place to sit down and get to work. 

"Student Arrested For Classroom Texting
Wisconsin girl, 14, nabbed after refusing to stop messaging"

[Image via WENN.]

Student Arrested For Classroom Texting
Wisconsin girl, 14, nabbed after refusing to stop messaging

A 14-year-old Wisconsin girl who refused to stop texting during a high school math class was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, according to police. The teenager was busted last Wednesday at Wauwatosa East High School after she ignored a teacher's demand that she cease texting. The girl, whose name we have redacted from the below Wauwatosa Police Department report, initially denied having a phone when confronted by a school security officer. However, the phone was located after the girl was frisked by a female cop. The Samsung Cricket, the police report noted, was recovered "from the buttocks area" of the teenager. The student was issued a criminal citation for disorderly conduct, which carried "a bail of $298," and had her phone confiscated. The girl, who was barred from school property for a week, is scheduled for an April 20 court appearance on the misdemeanor rap.

By Howard Breuer and Johnny Dodd (People.com)

The house where Nadya Suleman, the mother of newborn octuplets, currently lives with her six older children is in default because her mother hasn't paid the mortgage for 10 months, PEOPLE has confirmed.

The house was purchased by Suleman's mother, Angela, with an adjustable rate mortgage on March 8, 2006, before housing prices took a nose dive. Angela Suleman owes $23,225 on a $453,750 note, and hasn't paid any of her monthly $1,512 installments since last April, records show.

"It's tough times we are in right now," Angela Suleman tells PEOPLE exclusively.

When asked whether she has tried to negotiate with her lender, IndyMac Federal Bank of Pasadena, Calif., Suleman replied, "I haven't even had time right now, but I'm sure I could do something."

An IndyMac spokesman emphasized that the Feb. 5 default filing is only a first step toward foreclosure, and a sign that the bank has either not been able to reach the owner or hasn't been able to work anything out. The Whittier property is not in foreclosure, and it remains to be seen if or when a foreclosure auction might be scheduled, the spokesman says.

Properties in California are typically sold at auction three to six months after a notice of default is filed, but the sale can be delayed by any number of things, including a bankruptcy filing by the owner or an arbitrary decision by the bank, says IndyMac spokesman Evan Wagner.

"We take these things one case at a time – there's no shortage of people struggling to make their mortgage payments right now," Wagner tells PEOPLE. "Roughly more than 10 percent of our customers are 60 or more days behind."

Nadya's father, Ed Doud, has hinted that the family has another property where Nadya can bring home her octuplets over the next few weeks, when they are released from Kaiser Permanente Bellflower Medical Center.

Bristol Palin is speaking out to anyone who will listen about preventing teen pregnancy!

A little too late for prevention, isn't it Bristol??

"Everyone should wait 10 years. I hope people learn from my story… It's so much easier if you're married, have a house and career. It's not a situation you want to strive for," Sarah Palin's spawn suggested to aspiring teen mothers on Monday.

At least she's being honest!!

She also disagrees with her mother's view on abstinence, saying it's "not realistic at all," explaining that "It was my choice to have the baby. It doesn't matter what my mom's views are on it. It was my decision."

Teen abstinence may not be realistic, Bristol, but using a condom is!!!

Wrap it up!

Navy hunts shark that attacked diver in Sydney Harbour

Baby-faced Alfie, who is 13 but looks more like eight, became a father four days ago when his girlfriend Chantelle Steadman gave birth to 7lb 3oz Maisie Roxanne.

He told how he and Chantelle, 15, decided against an abortion after discovering she was pregnant.

The shy lad, whose voice has not yet broken, said: “I thought it would be good to have a baby.

“I didn’t think about how we would afford it. I don’t really get pocket money. My dad sometimes gives me £10.”

Little family ... Alfie, Chantelle and baby Maisie

Lee Thompson

Alfie, who is just 4ft tall, added: “When my mum found out, I thought I was going to get in trouble. We wanted to have the baby but were worried how people would react.

“I didn’t know what it would be like to be a dad. I will be good, though, and care for it.”

Alfie's story, broken exclusively by The Sun today has sparked a huge political storm with Tory leader David Cameron saying: "When I saw these pictures this morning, I just thought how worrying that in Britain today children are having children.

"I hope that somehow these children grow up into responsible parents but the truth is parenthood is just not something they should be thinking about right now."

PM Gordon Brown refused to comment directly on the story but said it was important that the Government did all it could to prevent teenage pregnancies.

Alfie’s dad Dennis yesterday told how the lad does not really understand the enormity of his situation — but seemed desperate to be a devoted and responsible father.

He wanted to be the first to hold Maisie after the hospital birth. He tenderly kisses the baby and gives her a bottle.

And Dennis, 45, said: “He could have shrugged his shoulders and sat at home on his Playstation. But he has been at the hospital every day.”

Maisie was conceived after Chantelle and Alfie — just 12 at the time — had a single night of unprotected sex.

They found out about the baby when Chantelle was 12 weeks pregnant.

But they kept it a secret until six weeks later when Chantelle’s mum Penny, 38, became suspicious about her weight gain and confronted her.

Devoted ... Alfie holds and cuddles Maisie

Lee Thompson

After that Alfie’s family told only those closest to them for fear he would be “demonised” at school.

Chantelle gave birth to Maisie on Monday night after a five-hour labour at Eastbourne Hospital, East Sussex.

Last night she told The Sun: “I’m tired after the birth. I was nervous after going into labour but otherwise I was quite excited.”

“He said I should tell my mum but I was too scared.

“We didn’t think we would need help from our parents. You don’t really think about that when you find out you are pregnant. You just think your parents will kill you.”

But Penny figured out what was going on after buying Chantelle a T-shirt which revealed her swelling tum.

Chantelle admitted she and Alfie — who are both being supported by their parents — would be accused of being grossly irresponsible. She said: “We know we made a mistake but I wouldn’t change it now. We will be good loving parents.

“I have started a church course and I am going to do work experience helping other young mums.

“I’ll be a great mum and Alfie will be a great dad.”

Caring ... Alfie bottle feeds his little daughter

Lee Thompson

Chantelle and Maisie were released from hospital yesterday. They are living with Penny, Chantelle’s jobless dad Steve, 43, and her five brothers in a rented council house in Eastbourne. The family live on benefits. Alfie, who lives on an estate across town with mum Nicola, 43, spends most of his time at the Steadmans’ house.

He is allowed to stay overnight and even has a school uniform there so he can go straight to his classes in the morning.

Alfie’s dad, who is separated from Nicola, believes the lad is scared deep down.

He said: “Everyone is telling him things and it’s going round in his head. It hasn’t really dawned on him. He hasn’t got a clue of what the baby means and can’t explain how he feels. All he knows is mum and dad will help.

“When you mention money his eyes look away. And she is reliant on her mum and dad. It’s crazy. They have no idea what lies ahead.”

Dennis, who works for a vehicle recovery firm, described Alfie as “a typical 13-year-old boy”.

He said: “He loves computer games, boxing and Manchester United.” Dennis, who has fathered nine kids, told how he was “gobsmacked” when he discovered Alfie was to be a dad, too.

He said: “When I spoke to him he started crying. He said it was the first time he’d had sex, that he didn’t know what he was doing and of the complications that could come.

“I will talk to him again and it will be the birds and the bees talk. Some may say it’s too late but he needs to understand so there is not another baby.”

Chantelle’s mum said: “I told her it was lovely to have the baby but I wish it was in different circumstances. We have five children already so it’s a big financial responsibility. But we are a family and will pull together and get through.

“She’s my daughter. I love her and she will want for nothing.”

Last night Michaela Aston, of the anti-abortion Christian charity LIFE, said: “We commend these teenagers for their courage in bringing their child into the world.

“At the same time this is symptomatic of the over-sexualisation of our youngsters and shows the policy of value-free sex education just isn’t working.”

Today Sussex Police and the local council's children services said they have investigated the case and pledged continued support for the young parents.

Britain’s youngest known father is Sean Stewart. He became a dad at 12 when the girl next door, 15-year-old Emma Webster, gave birth in Sharnbrook, Bedford, in 1998. They split six months later.

Courtesy of http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage

CLARENCE, N.Y.—A commuter plane dropped out of the sky without warning and nose-dived into a suburban Buffalo house in a fiery crash that killed all 49 people aboard and one person in the home. It was the nation's first deadly crash of a commercial airliner in 2 1/2 years.

 

RELATED

• Sept. 11 widow killed in buffalo plane crash
• GALLERY Photos from the scene of the crash
• Fatal commercial airline crashes since 1995
• AUDIO Recording of air traffic control

The cause of the disaster was under investigation, but other pilots were overheard around the same time complaining of ice building up on their wings -- a hazard that has caused major crashes in the past.

The twin turboprop aircraft -- Continental Connection Flight 3407 from Newark, N.J. -- was coming in for a landing when it went down in light snow and fog around 10:20 p.m. Thursday about five miles short of the Buffalo Niagara International Airport.

Witnesses heard the plane sputtering before it plunged squarely through the roof of the house, its tail section visible through flames shooting at least 50 feet high.

"The whole sky was lit up orange," said Bob Dworak, who lives less than a mile away. "All the sudden, there was a big bang, and the house shook."

Two others in the house escaped with minor injuries. The plane was carrying a four-member crew and an off-duty pilot. Among the 44 passengers killed was a woman whose husband died in the World Trade Center attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Federal investigators found the black box recorders in the plane's tail that could shed light on what went wrong, but they said the smoldering debris was still too hot to remove bodies. The recorders were on their way to Washington for examination.

No mayday call came from the pilot before the crash, according to a recording of air traffic control's radio messages captured by the Web site LiveATC.net. Neither the controller nor the pilot showed concern that anything was out of the ordinary as the airplane was asked to fly at 2,300 feet.

A minute later, the controller tried to contact the plane but heard no response. After a pause, he tried to contact the plane again.

Eventually he told an unidentified listener to contact authorities on the ground in the Clarence area.

Erie County Emergency Coordinator David Bissonette said it appeared the plane "dove directly on top of the house."

"It was a direct hit," Bissonette said. "It's remarkable that it only took one house. As devastating as that is, it could have wiped out the entire neighborhood."

The 74-seat Q400 Bombardier aircraft, also known as the Dash 8, in Thursday's disaster was operated by Colgan Air, based in Manassas, Va. Colgan's parent company, Pinnacle Airlines of Memphis, Tenn., said the plane was new and had a clean safety record.

The nearly vertical drop of the plane suggests a sudden loss of control, said William Voss, a former official of the Federal Aviation Administration and current president of the Flight Safety Foundation, a nonprofit advocacy group.

Voss suggested that icing or a mechanical failure, such as wing flaps deploying asymmetrically or the two engines putting out different thrust, might have caused the crash, he said.

 

RELATED

• Sept. 11 widow killed in buffalo plane crash
• GALLERY Photos from the scene of the crash
• Fatal commercial airline crashes since 1995
• AUDIO Recording of air traffic control

After the crash, at least two pilots were heard on air traffic control messages saying they had been picking up ice on their wings. "We've been getting ice since 20 miles south of the airport," one said.

Ice on the wings of a plane can alter aerodynamics and interfere with lift and handling. The danger is well known among pilots.

In general, smaller planes like the Dash 8, which uses a system of pneumatic de-icing boots, are more susceptible to icing problems than larger commuter planes that use a system to warm the wings. The boots, a rubber membrane stretched over the surface, are filled with compressed air to crack any ice that builds up.

A similar turboprop jet crash 15 years ago in Indiana was caused by icing, and after that the NTSB issued icing recommendations to more aggressively use the plane's system of pneumatic de-icing boots. But the FAA hasn't adopted it. It remains part of the NTSB's most-wanted safety improvements list.

The National Transportation Safety Board sent a team of investigators to Buffalo. The Department of Homeland Security said there was no indication of terrorism.

While residents of the neighborhood were used to planes rumbling overhead, witnesses said it sounded louder than usual, sputtered and made odd noises.

David Luce said he and his wife were working on their computers when they heard the plane come in low. "It didn't sound normal," he said. "We heard it for a few seconds, then it stopped, then a couple of seconds later was this tremendous explosion."

Dworak drove to the site, and "all we were seeing was 50- to 100-foot flames and a pile of rubble on the ground. It looked like the house just got destroyed the instant it got hit."

One person in the home was killed, and two others inside, Karen Wielinski, 57, and her 22-year-old daughter, Jill, escaped with minor injuries.

The plane was carrying 5,000 pounds of fuel and apparently exploded on impact, Erie County Executive Chris Collins said.

It was the first fatal crash of a commercial airliner in the United States since Aug. 27, 2006, when 49 people were killed after a Comair jetliner mistakenly took off from a Lexington, Ky., runway that was too short.

About 30 relatives and others who arrived at the Buffalo airport overnight were escorted into a private area and then taken by bus to a senior citizens center in the neighboring town of Cheektowaga, where counselors and representatives from Continental waited to help.

The 9/11 widow on board was identified as Beverly Eckert. She was heading to Buffalo for a celebration of what would have been her husband's 58th birthday, said Mary Fetchet, a 9/11 family activist.

Clarence is a growing eastern suburb of Buffalo, largely residential but with rural stretches. The crash site is on a street of older, single-family homes about 20 to 25 feet apart that back up to a wooded area.

The crash came less than a month after a US Airways pilot guided his crippled plane to a landing in the Hudson River in New York City, saving the lives of all 155 people aboard. Birds had apparently disabled both its engines.

On Dec. 20, a Continental Airlines plane veered off a runway and slid into a snowy field at the Denver airport, injuring 38 people.

------

Courtesy of Boston.com

for female survivors of sexual assault Safe, Confidential, Non-judgmental

CREATE HEALING- still openings for this group! This is a confidential eight week support group for survivors of rape, sexual assault and child sexual abuse. The group will focus on coping skills using visual arts to explore topics such as trust, boundaries, relationships, coping and more.The group will help participants connect with other survivors in a safe and supportive environment. Schedule: Group meets Tuesday nights, beginning in February. Exact time, date and location to be announced. $$$ for child care is available An initial interview with the group facilitators is required. Please call 413.545.5834 ext. 3 for more information, or call our 24 hour hotline at 413.545.0800. (TTY: 413-577-0940). If you are a person with a disability or you require accommodations please contact Becky Lockwood @ 413.577.0940 (TTY); RLockwood@stuaf.umass.edu or 413.545.5832(voice).

SHARE YOUR STRENGTH-still openings for this group! This is a confidential ten to twelve week support group for survivors of rape, sexual assault and child sexual abuse. The group will focus on sharing your experience of sexual assault with other survivors in the group.The group will help participants connect with other survivors in a safe and supportive environment. Schedule:Group meets Wednesday nights, beginning in February. Exact time, date and location to be announced. $$$ for child care is available An initial interview with the group facilitators is required. Please call 413.545.5834 ext. 3 for more information, or call our 24 hour hotline at 413.545.0800. (TTY: 413-577-0940). If you are a person with a disability or you require accommodations please contact Becky Lockwood @ 413.577.0940 (TTY); RLockwood@stuaf.umass.edu or 413.545.5832(voice).

Welcome to the World of Failures!

Happy First Day of Class!

I can't believe we are back to the grind already... phew. How many days until Spring Break???!!!???

BUH-BYE BUSH! ;)

I haven’t even left cloud 9 yet where I've been since approximately 10:30a.m. yesterday, when I arrived in DC after an hour and a half metro ride (what should have been and ended up being on the ride home only about a 10 minute ride). I was blessed enough to not have gone back to school yet and my best girlfriend Maggie and I were fortunate to have the day off from work to. We spent the entire wonderful/overwhelming/spectacular/tear-jerking/historic day standing in a rather snug (and windy-free) crowd of millions of people this morning in 27 degree weather, while our toes got almost completely frost bitten under three layers of socks, two pairs of pants, two long sleeve shirts, my dad's old school down vest, and a skii jacket. The toes are fine now (after many a Jack Daniels shot and Irish car bombs. Have I mentioned how generous bartenders have been about this whole Obama thing?) Anyway, after we barely escaped the fenced in area where we were literally trapped for an hour like cattle being herded, and the toes continued to freeze, we finally made it to Independence Avenue where we walked all the way from the National Mall, where we were stationed between the Capital and the Monument, around the Monument, past the WWII Memorial, along the reflecting pond (“Jennaaayyy!”), down to the Lincoln Memorial, and then finally up and down M street to Georgetown, where we then proceeded to get drunk at two in the afternoon. It took an hour and a half to get my cheeseburger, with no ketchup or tomato (they were all out in house) at McFadden's. Not to mention the mob scene at one of the only metro's that would let you get the heck out of DC, Foggy Bottom. At one point, we were about to walk across the Key Bridge into Virginia, where I live and could finally catch a ride home. But instead we decided to stay for five hours and watch the new love of my life—oops, I mean, the new President of the United States—parade around DC, and take then metro later when it was less crowded, and we were a lot warmer.

All that aside, I am completely overwhelmed with joy and happiness, and that warm and fuzzy feeling you sometimes get. I’m still on the verge of tears, can't wait to share this story with the kids.

CLASSES ARE OVER!

(i know i'm late, classes and everything ended for me last wednesday... hence, my break has already started and im in vacay mode)

GOOD LUCK ON FINALS!

Kevin Federline has been called many things in the nearly five years since Britney Spearswalked into his life: boy toy, gold-digger, wannabe rapper, partier. These days he answers to one name: Daddy.

Since splitting with Spears in 2006 – and then watching in fear as she went through her very public breakdown – the former backup dancer, 30, has channeled all of his energy into their sons Preston, 3, and Jayden, 2. (Federline also has two kids, Kori, 6, and Kaleb, 4, with ex-girlfriend Shar Jackson, 32.)

Now that Spears, 27, is getting her life back on track, they're sharing parenting duties again – and Federline is ready to tell his side of the story exclusively to PEOPLE.

Do you remember when you first met Britney?
I met her at a club in Hollywood, Joseph's. Our eyes met and that was it. We just hit it off right away. I learned real fast how much of a whirlwind the press and everything was.

What are your happiest memories of the marriage?
Well, getting married. I never thought that I would get married but it wound up happening. That was a really, really, happy, exciting moment. I pretty much realized that I was giving my life to her, and I was doing it without question.

What went wrong?
It's hard enough to be in a marriage, and then have a kid, then kids, it changes everything. For me, I'd become more concerned with my children. Not that I ignored Britney, but my kids are always most important ... I mean, we were having complications. I didn't give her an ultimatum, but I was trying to work stuff out with her, and she didn't even talk to me or anything and went behind my back and filed [for divorce]. [I was] completely blindsided.

A lot of people assumed you fought for custody of the kids because of money.
My first question to [my lawyer] was, "Am I ever going to be able to see my children?" I told him that I would spend every last dime that I had to make sure that my children are okay. That's all that mattered. I didn't know how much power Britney had. That really scared me.

How did you react in January when Britney locked herself in the bathroom with Jayden and was later taken to the hospital on a gurney?
That whole night is a blur. You want to talk about one of my lowest points of depression, that was probably one of them. I was very, very worried for her 'cause I care about her. That's the mother of my children. Just because I'm not in love with her doesn't mean that I don't love her. I'm definitely rooting for her. There's nothing more that I want than for her to be in the best health and doing what she loves to do.

Are things getting better?
Oh, man, it's totally turning around. It works out that [the kids] get to see her. There's structure over there, there's structure at my house. We're trying to keep the same type of schedule. It doesn't have to be completely perfect, but the foundation is there.

courtesy of people.com

...take a closer look at how they've altered this chickie's tight bod.

A private star takes off the raps

Here's a frank confession: "I'm only as crazy as people made me," writes rap star Eminem in his new, scathingly honest memoir, "The Way I Am." Indeed, he has a point. His father abandoned him. Two uncles committed suicide. He was beaten by classmates. And at age 14 he moved from a trailer park in Missouri to various homes in Detroit, where he and his mother faced evictions and subsisted on welfare. Is it any wonder that Eminem became one of the angriest rappers of all time?

"I've always had issues with my temper. I used to wave guns in front of people's faces," he writes. "I used to hit people for the dumbest reasons in the world. . . . My brains were scrambled."

Enter hip-hop as the savior. "I don't know how else to put it - this is the only thing that I'm good at," he writes, noting that composing rhyme schemes "forced me to get off my [rear] and shout [expletive] at people."

Eminem (born Marshall Mathers III) shouted so well that he has since won nine Grammy Awards. There remains a fascination with his back story - and he shares it liberally here (part of the book came from interviews with journalist Sacha Jenkins), except for talking about his ex-wife, Kim, the subject of much vitriol in his music. They have a daughter, Hailie, who has clearly softened Eminem's harder edges. He devotes good chunks of this snappy, street-vernacular-filled memoir to his efforts as a father. "Eminem - concerned and involved parent," he notes. "Not what you'd expect, huh?"

No, probably not, but millions of record sales later (with a palatial Detroit house to show for it), Eminem emerges as a maturing figure despite the volatility of his past. There are still F-bombs and other swear words throughout the book, but he makes an attempt to grow up. He's gone through rehab and anger-management counseling as he's tried to transcend the more vicious side of his personality represented by the alter-ego rap alias of Slim Shady in "The Slim Shady LP," which sold 9 million copies.

This is not a genteel memoir but a compelling look at a gritty, workaholic rapper who first made a name in one-on-one contests against black rappers in Detroit's Hip Hop Shop. "It was the 'White Man Can't Jump' theory. No one thought the white boy would win," he writes.

Eminem's rapper/best friend Proof took him under his wing ("he was my ghetto pass") and trained him in relentless rhyming sessions by picking a word and seeing how many rhymes Eminem could produce for it, or choosing five words and asking him to create rhymes for each of them in under a minute. Eminem became a perfectionist, as revealed by the dozens of lyric sheets that accompany this book (which includes 250 photographs as well as a companion DVD shot by the author). The lyrics are photographed from personal notebooks and hotel stationery in a tiny, manic scrawl. The images can be even more controversial and violent than what finally appeared on the records. Sample lyric: "It's like I just explode, my head is a stovetop."

Eminem is notoriously private (he says he often stays home now to avoid possible conflicts in clubs), so this memoir may be as much as we hear about his inner life for a while. He also addresses the importance of his rehab in 2005 and the impact that Proof's death in a shooting in a Detroit club two years ago had on him. You end up pulling for Eminem, because his past life was so chaotic and impoverished.

He says cryptically on the DVD that "it might seem like my life is balanced now . . . if you only knew!" Perhaps we'll never know what is going on in Eminem's mind, but this memoir helps explain the many obstacles he had to hurdle just to stay alive.

Courtesy of The Boston Globe

It's Official

Barack Obama named Hillary Clinton his Secretary of State on Monday morning in Chicago.

Is this you?

We love your costume, but we need your contact info! If this is you, send me your name and email address at KRayburg@student.umass.edu! 

Barack Obama elected 44th president

Barack Obama, a 47-year-old first-term senator from Illinois, shattered more than 200 years of history Tuesday night by winning election as the first African-American president of the United States.

A crowd of 125,000 people jammed Grant Park in Chicago, where Obama addressed the nation for the first time as its president-elect at midnight ET. Hundreds of thousands more — Mayor Richard Daley said he would not be surprised if a million Chicagoans jammed the streets — watched on a large television screen outside the park.

“If there is anyone out there who doubts that America is a place where anything is possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer,” Obama declared.

Electoral Map Snapshots from MSNBC.com.

Obama 286 | McCain 163

Dark Blue - Obama (175)
Light Blue - Leaning Obama (111)
Grey - Toss Up (89)
Light Red - Leaning McCain (40)
Dark Red - McCain (123)

 Election day is NOV. 4

We assume you have ALL registered to vote (deadline was Oct. 15!).

The deadline for applying for an absentee ballot is noon of the day before the election.

You can vote by Absentee Ballot if you:

Click here for a downloadable and printable Absentee Ballot.

  Absentee Ballots require 59 cents postage. Please provide adequate postage to ensure delivery of your absentee ballot to the Election Department.

 ***If you vote by mail, make certain the application arrives at your local election office early. Remember, the ballot will be mailed to you. You may mail or hand-deliver it back to the election office but must arrive before the close of the polls on election day (8:00 p.m. for state elections).***

  ---

 Candidates and ballot questions

• Candidates on the ballot
• Question 1: Eliminating state income tax
• Question 2: Change in marijuana laws
• Question 3: Prohibit dog racing for wagering purposes
• Download a voter information guide (PDF)

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not forget to vote! WE are the future and this is an extremely important election - the first one of its kind in our history! Happy Voting!

MATT TAIBBIPosted Oct 02, 2008 3:00 PM

Palin is well on her way to success (Not).

From HuffingtonPost.com.

A seven-year-old boy has been filmed going on the rampage at a popular zoo in Australia, killing rare reptiles and feeding live ones to a crocodile.

Footage from the security cameras at Alice Springs Reptile Centre caught the child smiling as he killed a total of 13 animals.

During his 30-minute spree, he was seen hurling the animals over the security fence into the crocodile enclosure.

Zoo officials described the boy's actions as "unbelievable".

They are considering suing the parents as the boy is too young to be prosecuted.

'Difficult to replace'

The attack happened on Wednesday morning after the boy entered the zoo by jumping over the security fence and evading sensor alarms.

Over the next half hour, he bludgeoned some of the animals to death with stones and hurled others over the two fences surrounding the crocodile enclosure.

At one point, he tried scaling the outer enclosure himself to get to "Terry", the 11ft (3.3m) saltwater crocodile.

A turtle, four Western blue-tongued lizards, two bearded dragons, two thorny devil lizards and the zoo's 20-year-old goanna were among those killed.

Zoo director Rex Neindorf said many of the animals were rare or mature and would be difficult to replace.

"The fact a seven-year-old can wreak so much havoc in such a short time, it's unbelievable," he told Reuters news agency.

Mr Neindorf said the boy had "clammed up" when questioned by police.

As children under the age of 10 cannot be held accountable for their actions in the Northern Territory, the zoo would be seeking to take action against the parents.

"We'll be looking at suing the parents, who were supposedly in control of him at the time," he said.

---

*this article can be found @ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7649876.stm

Despite the royal reverence that Princess Diana has been elevated to in the years following her tragic death, private letters to her nanny reveal a woman still plagued with common problems.

The letters, which are set to hit the auction block at the end of the month, convey family concern, insecurity and even pregnancy discomfort, further proving Diana to truly be the People's Princess.

She was born into an aristocratic family and engaged to Prince Charles when she was 19 in 1981. They married that summer and had two sons together - Princes William and Harry.

The couple divorced in 1996 and in 1997 Diana died tragically alongside then boyfriend Dodi Fayed when their limousine crashed in a Paris tunnel, hassled by pursuing paparazzi.

She left behind a turbulent legacy and became one of the first women to enter celebrity as we know it now. She conducted a great deal of charity work with poise and elegance.

But the letters give us an insight into the person behind the princess.

In the letters written to her nanny, Mary Clarke, she worries about trying to marry off elder sister Sarah and how even Prince Charles was a candidate who fatefully declined. While pregnant with Prince William she laments being so sick that she longs "for the day when I can eventually sit on the loo as to looking over it!" She also confesses her insecurity, fearing that she looks like an "elephant" when she dances.

One letter that a 17-year-old Diana wrote to her nanny concerning the failed courtship between her older sister and future husband Prince Charles sold for a whopping a 12,431 pounds (22,000 dollars!!!).

In the same letter, the elegant Diana reveals her very human insecurity, saying that though she loves to sing and dance she believes she is awful at both.

Three other letters sold for 16,079 pounds - yup, that's about $30,000!!!

Article and photo courtesy of www.perezhilton.com

BOSTON -- With the thirst for postseason champagne lingering around the Red Sox for a second straight night, not even overwhelming American League Cy Young Award favorite Cliff Lee was going to prevent the corks from popping.

The Red Sox truly earned their 5-4 victory in this Tuesday night clincher against the Indians, getting to the normally dominant Lee for two runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth.

Now that they've solidified their fifth postseason berth in the past six years, the Red Sox can go about the business of trying to become Major League Baseball's first repeat World Series champions since the 2000 Yankees.

"It feels great," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. "It's probably a little different each time, different emotions, but it certainly doesn't become less enjoyable or less satisfying, and it's nice to know that we have more baseball to play. We'll see how the week unfolds and keep everybody healthy, feeling good, and try to win, and see what happens."

Though the 92-65 Red Sox are still in mathematical contention for the American League East title, their most likely entry into the playoffs will be as the Wild Card winner, which would earn them an AL Division Series matchup with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, a best-of-five set that would start in Anaheim on Oct. 1 or 2.

The only way the Red Sox can win the AL East is to run the table over their final five games and have the 95-62 Rays go 1-4. Tampa Bay would win the division if the teams finished with the same record, because it won the head-to-head season series. For Boston, it was just thrilled to know that they are one of the eight teams moving on.

When it was over, the Red Sox playfully jumped on top of each other before retreating to the clubhouse for the celebration. Several players also came back on the field to celebrate with the fans.

"It feels great," said Red Sox left fielder Jason Bay. "I can't really describe it right now. I'm just jumping around like a kid. We've been on the doorstep for a while, but to finally get in and be able to celebrate, it does feel pretty special for me. Especially the journey that I carved to get here."

By earning their spot into the postseason, the Red Sox officially eliminated the Yankees, who are out of the postseason for the first time since 1993.

Veteran knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, the only player to be on Boston's past eight postseason entries dating back to 1995, earned the win, allowing six hits and four runs (all of which were scored in the fifth inning) over six innings. Wakefield walked one and struck out six.

"It was unbelievable," said Wakefield. "I thought we'd squeak it out last night, but the guy who we were facing tonight was, obviously, a hurdle but our offense did a great job."

Fittingly, Kevin Youkilis (two-run homer in the fourth) and Dustin Pedroia (two-run double in the fifth) provided two of the biggest hits of the night. They've been Boston's most consistent offensive players all season.

And it was equally appropriate that Bay, who has been so productive since coming over in the trade for Manny Ramirez on July 31, drove in the go-ahead run, a two-out RBI single up the middle in the fifth.

Indians manager Eric Wedge opted to intentionally walk Youkilis, giving Bay a chance to come up big again.

"Not that you need any incentive, but sometimes somebody gets walked in front of you, you want it a little extra," said Bay. "It was nice to get it, and to have it hold up. The bullpen came through huge, and it held up. My hit at that point put us ahead, but you look at David [Ortiz], you look at Youk, you look at [Pedroia]. Everybody pitched in today, and that's kind of the way it's been since I've been here."

Doing it against Lee meant something as well, considering that the postseason is always filled with top-notch opposing starters.

"If we're going to win, we're going to have to beat guys like that," said Bay. "To come out and do it just kind of shows what this team is made of."

Clinging to a 5-4 lead after reliever Manny Delcarmen loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh, Francona went to lefty Hideki Okajima to face Victor Martinez. And Okajima, amid a tense, eight-pitch at-bat, got Martinez to pop a 3-2 pitch to Youkilis to end the threat.

Jonathan Papelbon came on to escape a two-out, bases-loaded jam in the eighth. He then navigated the ninth for save No. 41, giving the Fenway faithful good reason to erupt.

"It's amazing," said Red Sox center fielder Coco Crisp. "This is where you want to be at this moment. There's nothing better. We've still got a chance to try to go all the way."

The first step is complete.

article courtesy of www.mlb.com

Posted by Mike Reiss, Globe Staff  September 8, 2008 04:03 PM

The worst fears of the Patriots and their fans were confirmed this afternoon when the team announced that quarterback Tom Brady would miss the rest of the season with an injury to his left knee. He will be placed on injured reserve.

 "Drug-addicted elephant kicks heroin habit"

The four-year-old bull elephant, referred to alternately as "Big Brother" or "Xiguang" in state media reports, was captured in 2005 in southwest China by traders who used spiked bananas to control him.

After police arrested the traders and freed Xiguang a few months later, the elephant was confirmed to be suffering from withdrawal symptoms and sent to a wild animal protection center in Hainan for rehab, Xinhua news agency said on Thursday.

A year of methadone injections at five times the human dosage had helped wean Xiguang off his addiction.

Now clean, Xiguang was expected to arrive on Saturday at a wildlife park in Kunming, capital of the elephant's home province of Yunnan on the mainland.

Xiguang's return would cap a 1,500-km journey home, Xinhua said, and mark another step in the elephant's triumph over addiction.

Photo/story courtesy of www.perezhilton.com