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Tickle The Wire » The Jury Has Spoken: William Jefferson Guilty of 11 of 16 Corruption Charges

2009-08-06T08:38:00.000-05:00

Tickle The Wire » The Jury Has Spoken: William Jefferson Guilty of 11 of 16 Corruption Charges

As expected, ex-Rep. William Jefferson was convicted. The evidence was overwhelming and prosecutors portrayed Jefferson as a shakedown artist and major operator. He may be a nice guy, but he was a crooked politician.

Dablog by DaSLOB: One Track Mind: Jazz Crusaders "The Young Rabbits" (1962)

2009-07-25T13:11:00.000-05:00

Dablog by DaSLOB: One Track Mind: Jazz Crusaders "The Young Rabbits" (1962)

Dave Hollister - Music on FoxyTunes Planet

2009-07-02T12:14:00.000-05:00

Dave Hollister - Music on FoxyTunes Planet

Yahoo!

2009-07-01T03:52:00.000-05:00

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38.562871,-90.260171 - Google Maps

2009-07-01T03:49:00.000-05:00

38.562871,-90.260171 - Google Maps

Fake Jackson Autopsy Details?

2009-07-01T03:46:00.000-05:00

Fake Jackson Autopsy Details?

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2009-07-01T03:37:00.000-05:00

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Life

2009-06-22T11:23:00.001-05:00

What is the meaning of life? What gives life its meaning? Why are we here? What are we here for? What is the origin of life? What is the nature of life (and of reality itself)? What is the purpose of, or in, (one's) life? What is the significance of life? What is meaningful or valuable in life? What is the value of life? What is the reason to live? What are we living for? What is the purpose of life? How much longer do I have to live like this? "What is the meaning of life?" is a question I ask myself at some point during my life, most in the context but they are not the answers.
The essence of life is mystery and that can never be taken away. My search for meaning is what makes life meaningful for me. Everyone has their own meaning of life. What the reason is for our presence on this Earth. The meaning of life is an elusive concept that has been the subject of much philosophical, scientific and theological speculation.
I should not have to search for the meaning of life, the answer to the meaning of life is too profound to be known and understood. I will never live if I am looking for the meaning of life. The meaning of life is to forget about the search for the meaning of life. I feel Life has no meaning, Life or human existence has no real meaning or purpose because human existence occurred out of a random chance in nature, and anything that exists by chance has no intended purpose. I try to associate a meaning or purpose so I can justify my existence.
There is no point in life, and that is exactly what makes it so special. Life is a bitch and then you die.
Happiness consists of three things: Someone to love, work to do, and a clear conscience. Happiness will never come to those who fail to appreciate what they already have. I shouldn't need someone to love because I have myself, but I feel no one should be alone in life, well not for a long time, I mean you should live by yourself to learn yourself before you live with someone else, I have learned that, I can barely live with myself at times.
Work - I am always going to work, started working when I was 15 yrs old, I will work until I die, I am not one to sit around, get that from my father. Clear conscience that is the kicker, YES I have done some wrong in my life I am not proud of, and I have no problem with that, I will and have said I am sorry for what I have done in the past and do today, its what I have done that I can't shake, mind you I have not killed anyone even thou I have wanted to, but yeah I have done some wrong things. I guess I can't shake it.
I am just looking for a Peace Of Mind, is that so hard ?

Juneteenth began in 1866 to celebrate when slaves in Texas learned they were free and is the name given to Emancipation Day.

2009-06-21T07:13:00.000-05:00

People looking for good food, music and even some softball flocked to Vernon Dahmer Park on Saturday for the 25th annual Juneteenth celebration.

It was on June 18, 1865, when slaves in Galveston, Texas, were told they were free, two years after President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. Now, celebrations are held across the country.

Rita McGinty of Hattiesburg is a minister at Greater New Life Apostolic Faith Church. Church members were frying fish Saturday to raise money for the church.

McGinty said Saturday was her second Juneteenth. She said the origin of the event wasn't lost on her. She did research on the celebration before heading out to the park.

"I'm really enjoying it," she said. "It's an opportunity to get out, meet people and do some church activities."

Attendance was light early with larger crowds showing up as the day wore on.

Food vendors from outside the state set up shop to feed the hungry masses all around the park.

Progressive Baptist Church of Gonzales, La., sold jambalaya, pork cracklins and turkey wings to benefit the church.

Ralph Walker, a member of the church, said they heard about the event through a musical group that was going to perform.

"We don't have any kind of particular fundraising goal," he said. "We're just hoping people are wanting to donate to a good cause and enjoy some good food."

Gloria Jackson of Hattiesburg tried to beat the heat by carrying an umbrella to shade herself. She said she tries to attend Juneteenth every year.

"Oh, I've really enjoyed the event," she said. "There's good fellowship, music and of course, the food."

IPhone upgrades could hurt some applications

2009-06-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

The iPhone caused upheaval when it appeared two years ago, changing what people thought they could do with their mobile phones.

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The ripples are still coming. It's not as earth shattering as before, but it's still significant - and not just for consumers. A number of companies and industries could be affected by last week's launch of the iPhone 3G S and the upgrade to the software that runs the family of iPhone and iPod Touch devices.

The iPhone's latest evolution could affect sales of navigation devices, camcorders and even its own sibling, the iPod Touch. It's expected to boost YouTube uploads, touch off a wave of new accessories and also affect some of its independent developers.

Last week, Apple released iPhone OS 3.0, a software update for the iPhone and iPod Touch. The update included the ability for developers to integrate turn-by-turn navigation services using the Global Positioning System chip on the iPhone 3G and 3G S.

Analysts believe that should undercut sales of dedicated personal navigation devices, which have slowed considerably in recent months.

"We might see more cannibalization of PNDs at the higher end of the market with devices that offer real time traffic and weather and two-way information," said Ross Rubin, analyst with the NPD Group. "Clearly the iPhone has an inherent advantage because it's a two-way device."

Personal navigation device manufacturers acknowledge that equipping the iPhone with turn-by-turn directions will cut into sales. Some, like Magellan, believe there is plenty of room in the market for robust smart phone navigation services. TomTom, another PND manufacturer, is hedging its bets by developing an iPhone application and an iPhone car kit, which will both be out this summer.

"Naturally, some consumers will opt to use the iPhone for navigation exclusively," said Tom Murray, vice president of market development for TomTom. "But as more consumers demand navigation and want to have that functionality in their smart phones, it only makes sense for TomTom to participate in this opportunity."

With the iPhone 3G S, another significant advancement is the inclusion of a video camera, along with slick editing features that allow users to trim clips right on the phone. Users can capture video and easily upload it to YouTube.

While there are already many cameras and phones that enable easy uploading to YouTube, the iPhone's ease of use and editing functions may spur a wave of video capturing and sharing. That could affect dedicated camcorder sales as well as prompt a whole lot of YouTube uploading, said Avi Greengart, research director for Current Analysis.

"It's no question there are other devices that allow you to upload video to YouTube, and yet as we see on the photo side or with the mobile Web statistics, iPhone users just do things more," he said.

Indeed, a Nielsen study last year found iPhone users were 10 times more likely to view video, five times more likely to surf the Internet and nine times more likely to play games on their iPhone than average mobile users.

YouTube welcomes changes

A YouTube spokesman said the company welcomes anything that helps users more easily share their thoughts and experiences via video.

To be sure, dedicated devices will have their place; witness the enduring success of Apple's iPod line even with the release of successive iPhones. Dedicated devices often offer a fuller set of features or better performance without the hassle of a wireless subscription.

Still, even the iPhone 3G S, with its $199 and $299 price for 16- and 32-gigabyte models, could affect sales of its sibling the iPod Touch, which sells for $229, $299 and $399 for 8-, 16- and 32-GB versions, said Rubin. That is at least until Apple either adjusts the price of the iPod Touch or packs in more storage and features.

"We have seen a price-features gap between the iPhone and iPod Touch before and the iPod Touch has still done very well," Rubin said. "But now, the gap is even larger."

The biggest impact could come with the iPhone OS 3.0's ability to allow developers to create hardware accessories that communicate back and forth with the iPhone. That creates the opportunity for a wide array of devices, sensors and controllers that can easily attach to the iPhone and utilize its hardware.

Monitoring blood sugar

A small attachment can turn the iPhone into a blood sugar monitor, a television remote or a garage door opener. At the recent Worldwide Developers Conference, developers showed off remote patient monitoring apps for doctors and a music editing program.

The improvements to the platform are also affecting some loyal iPhone app developers. Retronyms, a San Francisco software company that rode its Recorder voice memo application to big sales last year, now faces competition from Apple, which included its own free voice memo app as part of the iPhone OS 3.0 upgrade.

Retronyms challenged

Dan Walton, co-founder of Retronyms, said he doesn't begrudge Apple for filling what was a clear hole in the original iPhone offering. He said he hopes to improve Recorder and position it as a premium app with more functionality.

"We feel that Apple has helped us build our company," Walton said. "But this is always the case with any platform whether it's the PC or something else. You have to be concerned if the platform decides to build what you're building."

Steve Jobs received liver transplant: report

2009-06-21T06:58:00.000-05:00

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs underwent a liver transplant operation about two months ago and is expected to return to work by the end of June, The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday. Jobs, a pancreatic cancer survivor seen as the driving force behind development of the iPod, iPhone and other category-defining products from Apple's famed innovation machine, went on medical leave in January for an undisclosed condition.

Stanford indicted in massive U.S. fraud case

RICHMOND, Virginia (Reuters) - Texas billionaire Allen Stanford, three associates and a top Caribbean regulator were indicted on fraud, conspiracy and obstruction charges in an elaborate $7 billion pyramid scheme to bilk investors, U.S. Justice Department officials said on Friday. A federal judge in Virginia ordered Stanford, a flamboyant 59-year-old financier, to be transferred to Houston for a hearing on whether he should be granted bail on charges he orchestrated the fraud through his bank on the Caribbean island of Antigua.

Xstrata approached Anglo with merger plan: report

LONDON (Reuters) - Mining group Xstrata has approached its rival Anglo American to propose a 41 billion pound ($67.07 billion) merger, the Sunday Telegraph reported. The newspaper said Xstrata's Chief Executive Mick Davis was understood to have written to the board of Anglo last week to propose opening discussions about a deal. It was not clear whether Anglo had made a formal response, it said.

Rally's fate hinges on Fed, home sales

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Without further signs of life in the lackluster economy or hints from the Federal Reserve the outlook is improving, stocks' three-month rally may run into more obstacles next week. Investors will assess data on new and existing home sales that could point to whether the battered housing sector has bottomed. They will also keep an eye out for profit forecasts or warnings as the second quarter draws to a close.

ECB's Trichet says no room for more debt

PARIS (Reuters) - There is no room for governments that have borrowed billions to fight the economic crisis to accumulate more debt, European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet said on Sunday. "There is a moment where you can't spend anymore and you can't accumulate any more debt. I think we are at that moment," Trichet told Europe 1 radio.

Admiral Prueher, General Franks leave BofA board

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bank of America Corp said on Friday retired Army Gen. Tommy Franks and retired Navy Adm. Joseph Prueher have resigned from its board, meaning more than a third of its board has stepped aside since late April. The departures were effective June 17 and come as the bank tries to improve corporate governance and bolster its board's banking and financial expertise at the behest of the U.S. government and investors.

Emerging $80B deal would help fund Medicare drugs

2009-06-20T07:10:00.000-05:00

WASHINGTON – Medicare beneficiaries would receive better drug coverage and a portion of President Barack Obama's health care legislation would be paid for under an emerging agreement involving the pharmaceutical industry, the White House and key lawmakers.

Several officials said Friday night that agreement on the $80 billion deal was close, and one said it had been sealed.

Any agreement would mark a major triumph for Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., as well as the administration. The chairman of the Senate Finance Committee has been negotiating with numerous industry groups for weeks as he tries to draft legislation that meets Obama's goal of vastly expanding health coverage, has bipartisan support and does not add to the deficit.

It would also counter a recent series of stumbles that, while common with any major legislation, have contributed to the impression that the drive to enact health care legislation was sputtering.

Officials said the 10-year proposal under discussion would have drug companies pay as much as half of the cost of brand-name drugs for lower and middle-income seniors in the so-called doughnut hole.

Medicare patients with incomes up to about $80,000 would realize some benefit. The term "doughnut hole" refers to a feature of the current drug program that requires beneficiaries to pay the entire cost of prescriptions after initial coverage is exhausted but before catastrophic coverage begins.

Additionally, officials said any agreement would reduce anticipated payments for the pharmaceutical industry under government-run health programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. The government would use those savings to help pay for legislation expanding health insurance to millions who now lack it.

Ken Johnson, senior vice president of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, or PhRMA, said Friday night, "We remain committed to comprehensive health care reform and we are still in discussions with the administration and congressional leaders about ways we can make a positive contribution to this important effort."

The disclosure of negotiations came near the end of an up-and-down week for the administration and its allies on health care.

Congressional Budget Office estimates showed early versions of two major Senate bills were either too costly or failed to make a large enough dent in the ranks of the uninsured. Republicans seized on the reports as evidence that Democrats were losing traction.

They leapt again when it was disclosed that House Democrats were considering a wide array of tax increases to finance their legislation, including an income tax surcharge, a tax on employers based on the size of their payroll and a value-added tax, a form of a national sales tax.

House Democrats on Friday unveiled draft legislation they said would cover virtually all of the nation's nearly 50 million uninsured but it came without a price tag or an indication of how it would be paid for.

Major provisions of the 850-page measure would impose new responsibilities on individuals to obtain coverage and on employers to provided it. It also would end insurance company practices that deny coverage to the sick and create a new government-sponsored plan to compete with private companies.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said she hopes the legislation can clear the House before lawmakers leave for their annual August vacation.

Consumers could get up to $4,500 toward new car

2009-06-19T07:32:00.000-05:00

WASHINGTON (AP) — Car shoppers could take advantage of government incentives worth up to $4,500 this summer to send their old gas guzzler to the scrap heap in favor of a more fuel-efficient new vehicle.

President Barack Obama is expected to sign into law the "cash for clunkers" program, which was approved by the Senate on Thursday. For owners of low-mileage models such as the 1994 Ford Bronco, 1998 Nissan Pathfinder or the 1995 Chevrolet Blazer, the plan could give them a reason to visit their local car dealer during an economic downturn.

"I've been sitting on the fence for about a year," said Jim Seegraves, 44, of East Lansing, Mich., who has been looking to replace his 2000 GMC Sierra pickup truck. "This legislation will help me get over the hump and get the car that I want."

The bill provides $1 billion for the auto sales program from July through November and the Congressional Budget Office expects that with a total of $4 billion, about 1 million new vehicles could be purchased. The government is expected to implement the program by early August.

Automakers and their unions have lobbied heavily for the incentives to help the auto industry boost sales and stabilize General Motors Corp. and Chrysler Group LLC, which have received billions of dollars for government-led bankruptcies. In May, U.S. auto sales were 34 percent lower than a year ago and the industry expects to sell less than 10 million vehicles in the U.S. in 2009, compared to more than 16 million in 2007.

Here's how the plan works: Car owners could get a voucher worth $3,500 if they traded in a vehicle getting 18 miles per gallon or less for one getting at least 22 mpg. The voucher would grow to $4,500 if the new car's mileage was 10 mpg higher than the old vehicle. The mpg figures are listed on the car's window sticker.

Owners of sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks or minivans getting 18 mpg or less could receive a voucher for $3,500 if their new truck or SUV got at least 2 mpg higher than their old vehicle. The voucher would increase to $4,500 if the mileage of the new truck or SUV was at least 5 mpg higher than the older vehicle.

The program was aimed at replacing older vehicles — built in model year 1984 or later — and would not make financial sense for someone owning a vehicle with a trade-in value greater than $3,500 or $4,500.

A 1998 Jeep Cherokee 4-wheel-drive with about 150,000 miles, for example, might only get $1,000 to $1,500 as a trade-in vehicle, according to estimates by Kelley Blue Book. Since the 1998 Cherokee gets about 17 mpg, an owner could parlay it into a new Ford Escape Hybrid — 2009 versions get 28-to-32 mpg — and maximize their trade-in to $4,500.

Dealers would apply the vouchers to the purchase or lease of a qualifying vehicle and ensure that the older vehicles are crushed or shredded. The new vehicle must have a manufacturer's suggested retail price of less than $45,000.

The program is not without critics.

Jeremy Anwyl, chief executive of Edmunds.com, a Web site for car shoppers, said it would struggle to provide 250,000 new vehicle sales. Most of the qualifying vehicles would be at least 10 years old and many owners would be less inclined to take on a new car payment or unable to afford a new vehicle.

"You've got to consider the profile of consumers who drive these vehicles," Anwyl said.

Budget-conscious Republicans in the Senate opposed it, along with environmental-leaning lawmakers who said it failed to encourage the purchase of high-mileage cars and didn't apply to used vehicles. Someone could receive a voucher for buying a new Hummer, they noted, pointing to analysts who said it would primarily benefit owners of older-model pickup trucks, SUVs and minivans.

Dealers say it will be a valuable tool to lure more shoppers to their showrooms. Many intend to advertise heavily and combine the government plan with other incentives, providing some help at a time when the industry is struggling to sell cars.

"Anything to jump-start the economy," said Jason Robinson, a car salesman with AutoServ of Tilton, N.H. "There's not much sense of urgency out in the market right now."

A totally lost mind. Mental evaluation ordered for teen cat-killing suspect

2009-06-15T23:26:00.003-05:00

A teen accused of killing 19 cats must be held for 48 hours as doctors conduct a psychological evaluation, a judge ruled.

Bail bond set for alleged cat killer, Tyler Weinman

Accused cat killer Tyler Hayes Weinman was ordered to remain in custody to undergo a psychiatric evaluation. Judge Mindy Glazer set the 18-year-old's bail bond at $249,500, and she ordered that he be detained for at least 48 hours.

Miami Herald Staff

Bail bond set for alleged cat killer, Tyler Weinman

Photos

The Associated Press: Tyson family asks for privacy after tot's death

2009-05-27T07:53:00.000-05:00

The Associated Press: Tyson family asks for privacy after tot's death

Twitgoo - TheHourLounge - Beautiful Pic...!

2009-05-18T05:07:00.000-05:00

<cite>Twitgoo - TheHourLounge - Beautiful Pic...!</cite>: "

Mother's Fish,Natural Bridge Blvd.,63115

2009-05-12T16:06:00.000-05:00

Beatrice-Brilliance!

2009-05-12T02:10:00.001-05:00

2009-05-02T04:38:00.000-05:00

2009-05-02T04:35:00.000-05:00

Beatrice

2009-05-02T04:26:00.000-05:00

The Hour Lounge

Tickle The Wire » The Jury Has Spoken: William Jefferson Guilty of 11 of 16 Corruption Charges

Dablog by DaSLOB: One Track Mind: Jazz Crusaders "The Young Rabbits" (1962)

Dave Hollister - Music on FoxyTunes Planet

Yahoo!

38.562871,-90.260171 - Google Maps

Fake Jackson Autopsy Details?

Facebook | Home

Life

Juneteenth began in 1866 to celebrate when slaves in Texas learned they were free and is the name given to Emancipation Day.

IPhone upgrades could hurt some applications

Get Quote

More Business

YouTube welcomes changes

Monitoring blood sugar

Retronyms challenged

Steve Jobs received liver transplant: report

Emerging $80B deal would help fund Medicare drugs

Consumers could get up to $4,500 toward new car

A totally lost mind. Mental evaluation ordered for teen cat-killing suspect

A teen accused of killing 19 cats must be held for 48 hours as doctors conduct a psychological evaluation, a judge ruled.

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BY LUIS ANDRES HENAO AND DAVID OVALLE

dovalle@MiamiHerald.com

The Associated Press: Tyson family asks for privacy after tot's death

Twitgoo - TheHourLounge - Beautiful Pic...!

Mother's Fish,Natural Bridge Blvd.,63115

Beatrice-Brilliance!

Beatrice