Apple Sues Amazon Over App store

Apple Sues Amazon Over App store

Apple sues Amazon over 'Appstore' name, alleging trademark infringement
Apple has filed a lawsuit against Amazon accusing the Web retail giant of copyright infringement over the name "app store."

The complaint, filed Friday, is over the name of Amazon's new store for mobile phone applications: It's called "Amazon Appstore."
Apple calls its iOS app store "App Store" and alleges that the Amazon Appstore name is too close -- illegally close -- to its trademark.

"Recently, Amazon has begun improperly using Apple's APP STORE mark in connection with Amazon's mobile software developer program," Apple said in its complaint. "Amazon has also taken actions which, on information and belief, evidence Amazon's intent to improperly use Apple's mark in connection with Amazon's mobile software download service. Amazon's present and intended uses are unauthorized and unlawful."

Amazon has yet to officially launch the Amazon Appstore, which is set to sell apps for Google's Android mobile operating system and be integrated into Amazon.com. Amazon began accepting developer submissions to its Amazon Appstore developer portal in January.
Officials at Amazon were unavailable to comment on the lawsuit Monday.


Apple's suit said Amazon had not responded to any of Apple's company-to-company complaints over the Appstore name.

Gay Cure App

Gay Cure App

Apple Under Fire For Approving 'Gay Cure' iPhone App From Exodus International
Apple is under fire for approving a controversial iPhone app created by a religious organization that seeks to help gay individuals become heterosexual.

The application, "Exodus International," was created by a ministry of the same name that says its mission is to "[mobilize] the body of Christ to minister grace and truth to a world impacted by homosexuality."

The app's description notes, "With over 35 years of ministry experience, Exodus is committed to encouraging, educating and equipping the Body of Christ to address the issue of homosexuality with grace and truth."

It received a "4" rating from Apple, which indicates the company considered the app to contain "no objectionable material."

Miley Cyrus Bret Michaels duet

Miley Cyrus Bret Michaels duet

The duet between Bret Michaels and Miley Cyrus will finally be released ... and Bret let it be known on the same day Miley's dad announced he and Miley's mom were reconciling. Hmmmm ....
The song, the Poison classic "Every Rose Has Its Thorn," has had a strange history to say the least. Plans to release it got scrapped last year when rumors spread that Michaels had an affair with Miley's mom, Tish Cyrus. Everyone involved denied the rumors and BIlly Ray and Tish pulled the plug on their divorce yesterday.

Michaels now reportedly says the track is a go, even hinting at the reason it was delayed, saying, "The record label was supposed have to this huge humongous release of 'Every Rose.' It was going to be Miley's next-step song, but because of that, they stepped back."

Wyclef Jean shot in Haiti

Wyclef Jean shot in Haiti

Haiti — Musician Wyclef Jean said Sunday that a bullet grazed his hand as he stepped out of a car to make a telephone call, but said he was only slightly injured.

Jean, who has been in Haiti helping the presidential campaign of his friend and fellow musician Michel "Sweet Micky" Martelly, said the bullet grazed him late Saturday night as he stepped out of his car in the Delmas section of the capital, Port-au-Prince, to make a call on his cellphone.

"The way I can explain it is that the bullet grazed me in my right hand," Jean told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "I heard blow, blow, blow, and I just looked at my hand."


Jean, who was with a driver and the Haitian hip-hop singer FanFan at the time, said he didn't know who fired the shots, or whether they were directed at him.

He said he got out of the car to have a private conversation that FanFan would not overhear. He heard the shots and looked down to see blood on his shirt and sneakers.

Egypt Votes Freely for First Time in Half-Century

Egypt Votes Freely for First Time in Half-Century

Millions of Egyptians voted freely on Saturday for the first time in more than half a century, joyfully waiting for hours to cast their ballots on a package of constitutional changes eliminating much-hated restrictions on political rights and civil liberties. Preliminary results will be announced Sunday.

Young people traded mobile-phone pictures of ink-stained fingers that showed they voted.

Others called relatives to boast of casting the first vote of their lives. In the well-off Cairo neighborhood of Maadi, a man hoisted his elderly, infirm father on his shoulder and carried him to a polling station.

"My vote today will make a difference. It's as simple as that," said first-time voter Hossam Bishay, 48.

Tiger Woods dating again

Tiger Woods dating again

The world was shocked last year when the news was broken in the media that Tiger Woods had been unfaithful to his wife with several alleged women. Up until that point, Woods had the perfect image, and appeared to have the perfect marriage and life with his wife and two children. Everyone knows how the marriage has come to an end in divorce. According to a new report though, Tiger Woods is allegedly dating again.

The big least Top conference fails

The big least Top conference fails

CHARLOTTE, NC


The Big East is going down. Hard.
Everyone was talking about the league all season long and its power in numbers, but now the conference has just two teams left standing following Notre Dame’s loss to Florida State on Sunday night.

And even that number is a bit deceiving — both UConn and Marquette, the two Big East teams still playing, defeated other Big East teams in the third round over the weekend (Connecticut defeated Cincinnati on Saturday night and Marquette knocked off Syracuse on Sunday). So before the third round began, the worst the Big East could do was send two to the Sweet 16. Indeed, it did its worst.

There were a record 11 teams from the conference in the tournament, but nine have been knocked out in the first week of play. On the flip side, for all the criticism that the ACC took this season, no conference has more teams left standing: Duke, North Carolina and the Seminoles all moved on.

Cruise missile strikes Gadhafi compound

Cruise missile strikes Gadhafi compound

WASHINGTON — A cruise missile blasted Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's residential compound overnight in an attack that carried as much symbolism as military effect.

Fighter jets also destroyed a line of tanks moving on the rebel capital. The U.S. said the international assault would hit any government forces attacking the opposition.

Jubilant rebels said they expected to bring Gadhafi down in a matter of days.

Meantime, U.S. military officials told NBC News that Gadhafi's chief of staff has ordered that bodies be removed from morgues and placed at a bombing site in Bab al Azaziya to make it appear the dead had been killed by coalition airstrikes.

The site, which the U.S. insists was a legitimate military target, was bombed Sunday and military intelligence reported no sign of civilian casualties.

According to intelligence reports, once the bodies are in place, international media will to be taken to the site to report the alleged atrocity.

Superfoods for your Health

Superfoods for your Health

Superfoods for your health
It’s a buzzword these days…but just what is a superfood? Check out our list and find out how can you get superfoods into your diet during National Nutrition Month.

Top Spring Break Hot Spots

Top Spring Break Hot Spots

Top spring break destinations
Who wouldn’t want to party in the Bahamas? Here are a few things to keep you occupied there. Find out some of the hot spots for spring-break fun and what to do there once your ticket to paradise is booked. Remember: Be safe. Not into partying? Try these alternatives and read about students who gave up their breaks for service. Get the latest scoop on hot spots and more for spring break.

Gay Cure App Triggers Backlash

Gay Cure App Triggers Backlash

A free app available through iTunes is causing a lot of controversy. The controversy centers on an app that says it can cure homosexuality. Thousands of people are criticizing the app and Apple for violating homosexual rights.

The app comes from Exodus International, a group that has been famous for promoting an agenda against homosexuality. Exodus International has claimed that people can overcome homosexuality through prayer.

In a letter posted on the Change.org website, thousands of people are calling for the removal of the app. Exodus International says that the app has received a favorable rating.


They said the app is designed to be a resource for men and women who are impacted by homosexuality.

According to Exodus International, there is nothing obscene in the app. Apple has yet to respond to the issue, but they will likely have to face the difficult question as more people sign the petition.





Source: Dbtechno

Steve Sabol diagnosed with a brain tumor

 

Steve Sabol, president of Mount Laurel-based NFL Films, will undergo radiation and chemotherapy treatment after doctors discovered a tumor on the left side of his brain.

NFL.com cited an NFL Films statement Friday about the 68-year-old Sabol, a Moorestown resident who was hospitalized March 5 in Kansas City, Mo., after suffering a seizure.

"[Sabol] will begin treatments soon," the company's statement said. "Steve is in good spirits and is deeply appreciative of everyone's good wishes."

Sabol has worked with NFL Films since 1964, when it was based in Center City. His father, Ed, was elected on the day before the Super Bowl last month to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.








Source: Philly

NCAA Brackets 2011

 

 NCAA Brackets 2011

 

President Obama’s 2011 NCAA Bracket is among the best around.

Somehow, I feel like this bodes well for America.

From Dan Wetzel:

“Be glad President Obama isn’t in your office pool.

He just went a blistering 29-3 in the first round.

While millions of Americans have had their brackets busted, Obama’s is almost perfectly intact after two days of play.

His only mistakes? Not forseeing Morehead State besting Louisville, UCLA defeating Michigan State and VCU stunning Georgetown.”

Not to mention:

“The President’s bracket is in terric shape as the tournament advances. Fifteen of his Sweet Sixteen selections are alive (all but Louisville), and he still could place all eight teams in the regional finals. He appears capable of scoring higher than any player on Yahoo! And perhaps any of the other bracket contests on the Internet.”

Give him this – Our president is a smart dude.

He hit on Richmond, Gonzaga, Xavier, and his picks for today all check out.


Click to behold: The Presidential Bracket.

For all the problems facing the country (bitter partisanship, the income divide, skyrocketing deficit) who knew the answer all along should’ve been to sneak Obama down to Vegas and let him put the GDP on the NCAAs?

The President’s success has been met with a Republican outcry that this bracket hullabaloo is illustrative of Obama’s misplaced priorities – that a man who sits down to fill out a bracket is perhaps not adequately allotting those minutes to more prescient concerns like comprehensive climate legislation defunding NPR.

But I remained unconvinced and, suspecting an agenda, I did a little digging.

Rumor has it, John Boehner had Louisville in the final.





Read More: Bleacherreport

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival

Northwest Washington's Skagit Valley comes alive with brilliant color each spring. Acres and acres of daffodils, tulips, irises, and lilies entice visitors to the towns of La Conner and Mount Vernon. They come to take in the pastoral beauty, and to enjoy the annual festivities. The flower-viewing season begins with dainty yellow daffodils in mid- to late-March; a rainbow of tulips takes the stage in April. Irises and lilies follow, providing color well into the month of May.

The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival celebrates this annual burst of spring color. Mother Nature decides exactly when the festival begins, with special events scheduled throughout the month of April. These events include:

* Tulip Festival Street Fair in Downtown Mount Vernon
* Kiwanas Club Salmon BBQ
* Art Shows
* Wine Tastings
* Anacortes Quilt Walk
* Tulip Run and Tulip Pedal events
* Chili, Chowdah' & Chocolate Cookoff

While spring is clearly a popular time to visit, Skagit Valley is a great getaway all year round. The fertile valley and water views inspire many artists, giving rise to a number of shops and galleries. Located only an hour north of Seattle, the rural panoramas provide a convenient and relaxing escape from city life.

The fields of flowers are grown in order to produce bulbs - a major industry in the Skagit Valley. In addition to viewing and photographing the fields, Skagit Valley Tulip Festival visitors will enjoy exploring a number of different display gardens and garden centers in order to learn about bulb gardening and purchase bulbs of their own. These include:

Tulip Town: Skagit Valley Bulb Farm
15002 Bradshaw Road, Mount Vernon
Tulip Town offers indoor tulips displays and outdoor display gardens as well as acres of fields that feature an amazing variety of tulips. Tulip Town is a very popular spot to visit, and justifiably so. Not only can you walk around a sea of blooming tulips (in season), you can also take advantage of their gift and bulb shops and snack bars. Their picturesque windmill adds to the photo-taking options. During April, visitors to Tulip Town can also enjoy a wonderful display of kites from professional kite flyers.

Roozengaarde (Tulips.com)
15867 Beaver Marsh Road, Mount Vernon
Stroll through the Roozengaarde show gardens and select which bulbs you want to order for your own yard. Take a family picture at their picturesque windmill or among the blooming tulip maze. Wander among their acres of tulips, with rows featuring most colors of the rainbow. While at Roozengaarde, pick up a bunch of fresh-cut tulips or order the bulbs for your favorite variety. During tulip-festival time, a flower tent, picnic shelter, and food vendors are available. The Roozengaarde retail shop sells home and garden items and official Skagit Valley Tulip Festival posters and merchandise, and is open year round.

WSU Discovery Garden
16650 State Route 536, Mount Vernon
Gardeners will enjoy visiting the Discovery Garden at the Washington State University Northwestern Washington Research & Extension Center. Open to the public year-round, the display gardens are designed and maintained by volunteer organizations such as the Master Gardener's Discovery Garden, Skagit Valley Rose Society, and the Western Washington Fruit Research Foundation. Almost 30 different types of gardens are represented, including a native plant garden, a shade garden, a water wise garden, a rose garden, a rhody garden, and a fuchsia garden.

Options for viewing the fields include driving, walking, biking, and tour buses or shuttles. Most of the flower fields are found on the west side of Interstate 5, between Fir Island Road (exit 221) and Josh Wilson Road (exit 231). During peak viewing time the roads through the blooming fields can become quite congested, particularly on weekends.

Some options to driving your own vehicle:

* Tulip Country Bike Tours
These guided bike tours include your bike, a helmet, a garden tour, lunch, and stops at great tulip-viewing spots.
* Victoria Clipper
Package excursion includes private ferry service on the Victoria Clipper from Seattle's Pier 69 to La Conner, and a motor coach tour of the tulip fields and bulb farms, with stops at two fields. Bus-only option is also available.

Check out the official Skagit Valley Tulip Festival web site for the most current list of tours and transportation available.

While spring is clearly the most popular time for a visit, Skagit Valley is a great getaway all year round. The fertile valley and water views inspire many artists, giving rise to a number of shops and galleries. Located only an hour north of Seattle, the rural panoramas provide a convenient and relaxing escape from city life.

La Conner Quilt Museum
Housed in the historic Gaches Mansion, this museum showcases quilts from around the world and from local artists.

Skagit County Historical Museum
In addition to changing special exhibitions, the Skagit County Historical Museum's collection covers the region's Native peoples, local industry, and the pioneer and homestead eras. The museum sits on a hill; be sure to step out onto the museum's viewing deck to enjoy panoramic views of Skagit Valley's farms, fields, and surrounding mountains.

Museum of Northwest Art
The works of the Pacific Northwest's leading artists are exhibited at this La Conner museum. Glass art, sculpture, and paintings are all featured, with works by artists such as Morris Graves and Dale Chihuly. You will enjoy the opportunity to purchase Northwest art books, gift items, and jewelry at MoNA's store.

Skagit Valley Casino Resort
Located in Bow, this Northwest-style casino resort offers Las Vegas-style gambling, live entertainment, a lounge, a hotel, an indoor pool, meeting space, and fine and casual dining.

Bird Watching in Skagit Valley
The dormant fields, river, and marine environment of the Skagit Valley offer abundant opportunity to watch and photograph birds, including trumpeter swans, snow geese, owls, and eagles.

* Skagit Eagle Festival
* Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
* Skagit Audubon Society

Sight-seeing Cruises & Rafting in Skagit Valley
Travel the waters to view whales and wildlife, the San Juan Islands, and the natural beauty of the Puget Sound.

* Deception Pass Tours
* Mystic Sea Charters
* Skagit River Raft Trips from Alpine Adventures
* Pacific NW Float Trips

A Skagit Valley weekend getaway often includes eating fresh regional foods and strolling through local galleries and boutiques. Here is a sample of what you'll find.

The Wood Merchant
This wonderful shop specializes in fine wooodworking, including furniture and gift items.

Bunnies by the Bay
Adorable baby clothes, plush critters, and other toys and gift items for all ages.

Two Moons Gallery & Gifts
This wonderful La Conner shop features fine crafted items that will add a unique element to your home decor.

Here are my recommendations for places to eat in Washington's Skagit Valley.

Farmhouse Restaurant
13724 LaConner Whitney Rd, Mount Vernon
Homestyle foods to warm you up on a chilly day, including roast turkey dinners and their famous lemon meringue pie.

Skagit River Brewing Company
404 S. 3rd Street, Mount Vernon
House-brewed beer and root beer, Northwest pub food, and wood-fired pizzas are the specialty at this unassuming gem.

LaConner Seafood & Prime Rib House
614 S. First St., La Conner
Enjoy waterfront dining in their lovely dining room, or take advantage of their banquet facilities.

Nell Thorn Restaurant and Pub
205 Washington St., La Conner
Foodies will relish their gourmet food that features fresh local ingredients.

Seeds Bistro and Bar
623 Morris Street, La Conner
Another excellent eatery that specializes in meals created from local produce, dairy, chicken, and beef.

The Skagit Valley is a popular year-round getaway and offers a wide selection of bed and breakfasts, country inns, rentals, and other types of lodging. Here are a few options.

Queen of the Valley Inn
The Queen of the Valley is a gracious farmhouse bed and breakfast in the town of La Conner. Enjoy breakfast on the sun porch, or an evening of comfortable conversation in the inn's common areas.

The Wild Iris
This twelve-room inn features Jacuzzi spas in every room, some on private decks, others by the fireplace. The Wild Iris also offers a well-equipped conference room, making it a great place for a group meeting or corporate retreat.

Hampton Inn & Suites
Located in Burlington, this Hampton Inn & Suites provides modern, spacious rooms where you can relax and recharge after a day of work or play.

Best Western Cotton Tree Inn
Located in Mt. Vernon, this chain hotel an outdoor pool, fitness center, restaurant, and meeting facilities.

Skagit Valley Casino Resort
This full-service casino resort offers a hotel, gambling, live entertainment, a lounge, a buffet, and fine dining. The Skagit Valley Casino Resort is located in right off of I-5 in Bow.

La Conner Channel Lodge
This waterfront lodge overlooks the Swinomish Channel and is convenient to La Conner's charming shopping district. Most rooms have a patio or balcony where you can relax and enjoy the water view.

The Skagit Valley can be reached by driving, by ferry, by air, or by motorcoach. Amtrak makes scheduled stops in Mount Vernon.

Driving:
Skagit Valley is located along Interstate 5, approximately 50 miles north of Seattle.

By Ferry:

Washington State Ferries

* Anacortes/San Juan Island Ferry
* Anacortes/Sidney B.C. Ferry

Other Ferries

* Victoria Clipper

By Air:

* Skagit Regional Airport
* Island Air

By Motorcoach:

* Gray Line of Seattle






Read More: Gonw

Lowe's to Donate $1 Million to Red Cross Relief Efforts in Japan

Lowe's to Donate $1 Million to Red Cross Relief Efforts in Japan

(NYSE: LOW) announced today the company will donate $1 million to support the Red Cross Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami relief effort that is assisting victims in Japan. Lowes.com and Lowe's Canada website, Lowes.ca, will also serve as donation points for customers who wish to contribute to the American Red Cross and Canadian Red Cross, making it convenient for people who want to join Lowe's in making a difference.

"We are truly grateful for Lowe's generosity to help those affected by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan," said Gail McGovern, president and CEO of the American Red Cross. "Lowe's support is enabling the Red Cross to provide critical assistance and essential relief items in this time of urgent need." The Red Cross already has committed $10 million to assist the people of Japan.

Local volunteers are handing out relief items, including more than 65,000 blankets. More than 100 medical teams, made up of more than 700 people, are providing assistance in the most affected areas through mobile medical clinics.


Trained nurses with the Japanese Red Cross also are offering psychosocial support to traumatized survivors.

"There are millions of people who have been affected by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan and the devastation resulting from this monumental disaster," said Robert A. Niblock, Lowe's chairman and CEO. "As a longtime partner of the Red Cross, we're proud to support recovery efforts in Japan and we encourage our caring customers and employees to join our efforts to help those affected by the earthquake." Since partnering with the Red Cross in 1999, Lowe's and its customers have contributed more than $20 million for disaster relief.

Donations to the Red Cross can be made at Lowes.com, Lowes.ca and Redcross.org, or by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

About Lowe's With fiscal year 2010 sales of $48.8 billion, Lowe's Companies, Inc. is a FORTUNE(R) 50 company that serves approximately 15 million customers a week at more than 1,725 home improvement stores in the United States, Canada and Mexico.




Read More: Cnbc

Miracle On Hudson Plane To Land In N.C. Museum

Miracle On Hudson Plane To Land In N.C. Museum

To stand inside the cabin of the US Airways jet that crash landed on the Hudson River is to imagine, even briefly, some of the terror that must have overtaken the 155 people aboard as the plane descended onto the icy water.

The plane's interior is largely undisturbed from the Jan. 15, 2009, landing but is littered with reminders and a coating of dried mud. A stethoscope from a first-aid kit lies on the floor in one row, while unused life jackets still wrapped in plastic sit on seats. Many seat cushions are gone, grabbed by passengers as they exited onto a wing. In the rear galley, food and beverages are waiting to be served.

The world will be able to relive the triumph of what has been dubbed "The Miracle on the Hudson" when the Airbus A320 is shipped this spring from a northern New Jersey warehouse to Charlotte, N.C., for an exhibit at the Carolinas Aviation Museum.


The plane's wings are expected to be moved within the next few weeks. The 120-foot fuselage will be trucked down around mid-June, said Stephen Ryan, whose Australia-based company FRD is consulting on the museum project.

That trip is sure to create a stir between New Jersey and North Carolina, much as it did when the plane was moved from the Hudson to the warehouse two years ago.

"We're still working out the route," Ryan said Saturday. "There are a lot of factors to be considered."

The museum exhibit is scheduled to open next January and will focus on the technology that helped the plane land safely as well as the heroics of Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, who became an instant national hero. The most compelling moments likely will come from taped interviews with the passengers.

Museum president Shawn Dorsch told The Associated Press in January that the 19-year-old museum attracts about 30,000 visitors annually, but could see that number swell to more than 100,000 once the famous jet is put on display.

Flight 1549 had just taken off from LaGuardia Airport when a flock of birds struck both engines, shutting them down. Sullenberger considered trying to land at nearby Teterboro Airport but quickly calculated that he wouldn't be able to make it that far. The Hudson was the only alternative.

The starkest visual evidence of the splashdown is in the very back of the plane, which was torn off by the impact and has a gaping hole that exposes the rear cargo hold. The rest of the fuselage is remarkably well preserved except for a defect on the right rear side. Two cracked windshields and other dents were caused by rescue tugboats or during the plane's removal from the water, Ryan said.

While the world watched passengers being rescued from the wings of the plane, the back of the cabin was rapidly filling with water and muck. That left a layer of mold that must be cleaned before the plane can be shipped to Charlotte.

Once there, it will be preserved as close to its current condition as possible. That means visitors probably won't be able to walk inside the cabin because the floor has degraded and wouldn't be able to withstand heavy traffic, Ryan said.






Source: Npr

Todd Walker: College Football Player Killed, Suspect Arrested

Todd Walker: College Football Player Killed, Suspect Arrested

BOULDER, Colo. -- Police in Boulder, Colo., have arrested a man in connection with the fatal shooting of a University of New Hampshire football player.

Twenty-two-year-old Kevin Michael McGregor of Longmont, Colo., was being held without bail Saturday in the death of 20-year-old Todd Walker of Edwards, Colo.

Police say Walker and a female friend were walking home from a party when a man approached them early Friday and struggled with them near the University of Colorado campus.

Police say McGregor faces charges of first-degree murder, attempted aggravated robbery and first-degree murder during the commission of another crime.


Police Chief Mark Beckner says a handgun that may have been used in the shooting was recovered from McGregor's home.

It wasn't immediately known whether McGregor has a lawyer who could comment on his behalf.





Source: Msnbc

Marisa Tomei: Lady Gaga Flattered Hollywood Actress Marisa Tomei

Marisa Tomei: Lady Gaga Flattered Hollywood Actress Marisa Tomei

MARISA Tomei was “so touched” when Lady GaGa said she wants the actress to pay her in a movie.

In a recent interview on SiriusXM’s The Morning Mash Up, the 24-year-old singer –real name Stefani Germanotta — was asked who should play her in a biopic.

“I’ve always been a big fan of Rosario Dawson,” GaGa said. “Oh, you know what? I would have Marisa Tomei play me. I am such a Marisa Tomei fan.

“All my friends call me Marisa when I get angry.


“Because my New York accent just flies out of my body and I start smacking my gum.”

And Tomei admits she was delighted by GaGa’s comments.

“I heard because my Aunt Arlene, who lives in Park Slope, sent the family an e-mail about it. So … I dunno. Aunt Arlene knew about that one,” she said.

“I was thrilled when I heard. I love her. I love her music. And she’s a smart businesswoman. So, I was so touched, really. I think it’s incredible that she likes my work and that she’d think of me in that way. I thought it was great.”





Source: Showbizspy

West unleashes air strikes, Gadhafi defiant

West unleashes air strikes, Gadhafi defiant

TRIPOLI — European and U.S. forces unleashed warplanes and cruise missiles against Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's forces in the biggest Western military intervention in the Arab world since the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Libyan state television said 48 people had been killed and 150 wounded in the Western air strikes. It also said there had been a fresh wave of strikes on Tripoli early on Sunday.

There was no way to independently verify the claims.

Libya's Al-Watyah air base, 170 km (100 miles) southwest of the capital Tripoli, was among the targets of Western air strikes overnight, a Libyan military official said.

"They tried to attack the (base's) anti-aircraft defenses," said the official, who did not want to be identified. "Some were damaged." He said there was no other damage to the base.


French planes fired the first shots on Saturday in a campaign to force Gadhafi's troops to cease fire and end attacks on civilians.

The warplanes destroyed tanks and armoured vehicles near Benghazi, eastern stronghold of the rebels who, inspired by uprisings across the Arab world, launched a revolt against Gadhafi's 41-year-rule last month.

Burned out military vehicles lined the main road into Benghazi on Sunday as the rebels advanced back towards the strategic town of Ajdabiyah they lost last week.

One tank had its turret blown off. A tank transporter, tank and an armoured personnel carrier were still smouldering. Fourteen bodies lay in the desert next to the vehicles.

"This is all France ... Today we came through and saw the road open," said rebel fighter Tahir Sassi, surveying the scene.

U.S. and British warships and submarines launched 110 Tomahawk missiles overnight against air defences around the capital Tripoli and the western city of Misrata, which has been besieged by Gadhafi's forces, U.S. military officials said.
On Sunday, BBC News reported that pro-Gadhafi troops killed "at least" 51 people in renewed attacks on Misrata.

They said U.S. forces and planes were working with Britain, France, Canada and Italy in operation "Odyssey Dawn". Denmark said it had four fighter planes ready to join in on Sunday and was awaiting U.S. instructions.

Gadhafi said the raids amounted to terrorism. He said all Libyans had now been armed to defend the country and Western defeat was inevitable.

"We will not leave our land and we will liberate it," he said in a speech on state television. "We will remain alive and you will all die."

The head of the Arab League criticized the strikes on Libya, saying they caused civilian deaths.

The Arab League's support for a no-fly zone last week helped overcome reluctance in the West for action in Libya. The U.N. authorized not only a no-fly zone but also "all necessary measures" to protect civilians.

But Amr Moussa said the military operations had gone beyond what the Arab League backed.

Moussa told reporters Sunday that "what happened differs from the no-fly zone objectives." He says "what we want is civilians' protection not shelling more civilians."
Apprehension
Western air forces were expected to use the coming of daylight on Sunday to assess what damage they had done, and there appeared to be a lull in the aerial bombardment.

China and Russia, which abstained in a U.N. Security Council vote last week endorsing intervention, expressed regret at the military action. China's Foreign Ministry said it hoped the conflict would not lead to a greater loss of civilian life.
Explosions and heavy anti-aircraft fire rattled Tripoli in the early hours of Sunday. Defiant cries of "Allahu Akbar" (God is Greatest) echoed around the city centre.

Libyan state television showed footage from an unidentified hospital of what it called victims of the "colonial enemy". Ten bodies were wrapped up in white and blue bed sheets, and several people were wounded, one of them badly, the television said.

Tripoli residents said they had heard an explosion near the eastern Tajoura district, while in Misrata they said strikes had targeted an airbase used by Gadhafi's forces. Gadhafi's troops were still surrounding Misrata on Sunday, a resident said, three government snipers were posted on rooftops in the city centre.

"They seem to be ready to fire at anything that moves," the resident, named Mohammed, told Reuters.

A Reuters witness in the eastern rebel stronghold of Benghazi reported loud explosions and anti-aircraft fire during the night, but it was unclear which side was shooting.
The intervention, after weeks of diplomatic wrangling, was welcomed in Benghazi with a mix of apprehension and relief.

"We think this will end Gadhafi's rule. Libyans will never forget France's stand with them. If it weren't for them, then Benghazi would have been overrun tonight," said Iyad Ali, 37.

"We salute France, Britain, the United States and the Arab countries for standing with Libya. But we think Gadhafi will take out his anger on civilians. So the West has to hit him hard," said civil servant Khalid al-Ghurfaly, 38.

Benghazi's main hospital was filled with men, women and children wounded in Saturday's assault on the city by Gadhafi's forces. There were 24 bodies, including eight government troops, visible in the morgue and more in refrigerators.

Losing his grip?
The strikes, launched from some 25 ships, including three U.S. submarines, in the Mediterranean, followed a meeting in Paris of Western and Arab leaders backing the intervention.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy said the allies had agreed to use "all necessary means, especially military" to enforce the Security Council resolution for an end to attacks on civilians.

"Colonel Gadhafi has made this happen," British Prime Minister David Cameron told reporters after the meeting. "We cannot allow the slaughter of civilians to continue."

Some analysts have questioned the strategy for the military intervention, fearing Western forces might be sucked into a long civil war despite a U.S. insistence, repeated on Saturday, that it has no plans to send ground troops into Libya.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper suggested that outside powers hoped their intervention would be enough to turn the tide against Gadhafi and allow Libyans to force him out.

"It is our belief that if Mr. Gadhafi loses the capacity to enforce his will through vastly superior armed forces, he simply will not be able to sustain his grip on the country."
But analysts have questioned what Western powers will do if the Libyan leader digs in, especially since they do not believe they would be satisfied with a de facto partition which left rebels in the east and Gadhafi running a rump state in the west.

One participant at the Paris meeting said Clinton and others had stressed Libya should not be split in two. And on Friday, President Barack Obama specifically called on Gadhafi's forces to pull back from the western cities of Zawiyah and Misrata as well from the east.

"It's going to be far less straightforward if Gadhafi starts to move troops into the cities, which is what he has been trying to do for the past 24 hours," said Marko Papic at the STRATFOR global intelligence group.

"Once he does that it becomes a little bit more of an urban combat environment and at that point it's going to be difficult to use air power from 15,000 feet to neutralise that."

France and Britain have taken a lead role in pushing for international intervention in Libya. The United States, after embarking on wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, acknowledged on Saturday it was in charge of operations but said it intended to switch to a "coalition command" in the coming days.





Source: Msnbc

Woman Grandson Found Under Rubble in Japan

Woman Grandson Found Under Rubble in Japan

TOKYO — An 80-year-old woman and her teenage grandson were rescued Sunday in northeastern Japan when the youth was able to pull himself out of their flattened two-story house nine days after the devastating earthquake and tsunami.

Jin Abe, 16, was seen calling out for help from the roof of the collapsed home in the hard-hit city of Ishinomaki, according to the Miyagi Prefectural Police. Like other homes in northeastern Japan, they had lost electricity and telephone service in the March 11 earthquake.

He led them inside to his 80-year-old grandmother, Sumi Abe. Both were conscious but weak, and had survived on the food they had in their refrigerator, said Shizuo Kawamura of the Ishinomaki police department.

The woman could not get out of the house because she has trouble walking, and the teenager, who was suffering from a low body temperature, had been unable until Sunday to pull himself from the wreckage, Kawamura told The Associated Press by telephone.


They were found by local police who realized they couldn't get the woman out of the collapsed house and had to call other rescuers, he said.

National broadcaster NHK showed video of the stunned but coherent woman being placed on a stretcher. She was able to give her name and told rescuers she had been in the house since it collapsed in the quake.

When asked if she was hurt, she said no.

The police said they were trying to learn if there had been other relatives living in the house and their whereabouts.

NHK showed them being taken by helicopter to a hospital.

Kawamura said that while the rescue was a reason for joy, the police had "too many other victims to find to take the time to celebrate."
The rare good news punctuated the traumatic hunt for bodies and missing people.

"This morning my next door neighbor came crying to me that she still can't find her husband. All I could tell her was, 'We'll do our best, so just hold on a little longer,'" fire brigade officer Takao Sato in the disaster zone said.

About 257,000 households in the north still have no electricity and at least 1 million lack running water. Food, water, medicine and fuel are short in some parts, and low temperatures during Japan's winter are not helping.

Race to avert disaster
Meanwhile, Japan made some progress in its race to avert disaster at a nuclear power plant leaking radiation after an earthquake and tsunami that are estimated to have killed more than 15,000 people in one prefecture alone.

Three hundred engineers have been battling inside the danger zone to salvage the six-reactor Fukushima plant in the world's worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl 25 years ago.

"I think the situation is improving step by step," Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Tetsuro Fukuyama told a news conference.

But rising cases of contaminated vegetables, dust and water have raised new fears and the government said it will decide by Monday on whether to restrict consumption and shipments of food from the quake zone.

Food beyond Japan's borders was also reportedly tainted. Radiation was detected on fava beans imported from Japan to Taiwan, Taiwanese officials said in what appears to be the first case of contamination in Japanese imports.
Taiwan's Cabinet-level Atomic Energy Council Radiation Monitoring Center said in a statement that a small amount of iodine and cesium had been found on a batch of Japanese fava beans imported to the island on Friday. The center said 11 becquerels of iodine and 1 becquerel of cesium were detected.

Higher death toll
Police said they believed more than 15,000 people had been killed by the double disaster in Miyagi prefecture, one of four that took the brunt of the tsunami damage. In total, more than 20,000 are dead or missing, police said.

The unprecedented crisis will cost the world's third largest economy as much as $248 billion and require Japan's biggest reconstruction push since post-World War Two.

It has also set back nuclear power plans the world over.

Encouragingly for Japanese transfixed on work at the Fukushima complex, the most critical reactor — No. 3, which contains highly toxic plutonium — stabilized after fire trucks doused it for hours with hundreds of tones of water.

"We believe the water is having a cooling effect," an official of plant operator Tokyo ElectricPower Co (TEPCO) said.
Work also advanced on bringing power back to water pumps used to cool overheating nuclear fuel, and temperatures at spent fuel pools in reactors No. 5 and 6 were returning to normal.

Technicians attached a power cable to Nos. 1, 2, 5 and 6 reactors, hoping to restore electricity later in the day prior to an attempt to switch the pumps on.

They aim to reach No. 4 on Monday or Tuesday.

Drastic measures
If successful, that could be a turning point in a crisis rated as bad as America's 1979 Three Mile Island accident.

If not, drastic measures may be required such as burying the plant in sand and concrete, as happened at Chernobyl in 1986, though experts warn that could take many months and the fuel had to be cooled first.

On the negative side, evidence has begun emerging of radiation leaks from the plant, including into food and water.
Though public fear of radiation runs deep, and anxiety has spread as far as the Pacific-facing side of the United States, Japanese officials say levels so far are not alarming.

Traces exceeding national safety standards were, though, found in milk from a farm about 18 miles from the plant and spinach grown in neighboring Ibaraki prefecture.

The government ordered additional tests and depending on the results may ban sales and shipments of food products from areas in the vicinity of the plant.
The discovery of contaminated food since the March 11 disaster is likely to heighten scrutiny of Japanese food exports, especially in Asia, their biggest market.

Tiny levels of radioactive iodine have also been found in tap water in Tokyo, about 150 milesto south. Many tourists and expatriates have already left and residents are generally staying indoors.

Harmless levels of iodine and cesium were also found in northern Ibaraki and in dust and particles in the greater Tokyo area, the government said on Sunday.

The fresh reports did not appear to have much effect on people in the metropolis, one of the world's biggest cities with a population of about 13 million.

"I think we need to monitor it, but I am not going to stop eating vegetables today," said Andy Ross, an American buying vegetables at a store in Tokyo.

But Physicians for Social Responsibility, a U.S. non-profit advocacy group, called for a halt to new nuclear reactors in the United States.

"There is no safe level of radiation exposure," said Jeff Patterson, a former president of the group.




Source: Msnbc