Baldwin & Lyons Inc. (BWINA)

STEVE BALDWIN: All jokes aside, beans are a unique food

2009-12-16T23:46:00.007-08:00

Yes, they are the "special fruit," the more you eat the more you well, toot but that shouldn't prevent you from eating them.

They are inexpensive, easy to prepare and very nutritious. A mere half-cup serving provides about 3 grams of fiber, and several vitamins and minerals. They're an excellent source of folate and a good source of iron, potassium and phosphorus.

And yes, for some they can cause embarrassing um noises. But I have a trick that can help, so read on.

What makes beans a truly unique plant-based food is that in addition to fiber, vitamins and minerals, they are an excellent source of protein. That same half-cup serving provides 7grams of plant proteins, which play an important role in keeping us healthy.

Proteins are found in bones, muscle, hair and most tissues and organs. They form enzymes and hormones that help regulate body functions. Some proteins form antibodies that keep us healthy by fighting disease and infection. Others build the connective tissue that holds our muscles and joints in place.

Proteins are formed from amino acids, which are like building blocks for body tissues. Some of the proteins we eat contain the nine essential amino acids needed to build new proteins. These are called "complete proteins." Animal sources of protein tend to be complete.

With rare exception (including soybeans and a grain called quinoa), foods with plant proteins lack significant amounts of one or more Advertisement of the essential amino acids - that is, amino acids that the body can't make from scratch or create by modifying another amino acid.

Called incomplete proteins, these usually come from legumes, nuts, seeds, grains, vegetables, fruits and beans. But we can get the amino acids that beans don't provide (or to be more exact, don't provide enough of) from grains, such as whole wheat bread or brown rice.

Loose dry beans, canned beans and frozen beans are all nutritious.

If you buy canned or frozen beans, select low-sodium varieties or rinse them before using. Store loose dry beans in an airtight container in a cool, dry, dark place.

The wide variety of beans available makes them easy to use. Add lima or kidney beans to salads, or mix lentils into a casserole. Toss navy or pinto beans into soups, or sprinkle black beans on pizza or tacos for added protein, fiber and flavor.

If you're feeling adventurous, make this delicious chickpea dip for your next family gathering:

Open a 15-ounce can of chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans), drain and rinse them, and pour them into a food processor (or mash them with a fork).

Then add 3 cloves of garlic (mince the garlic if you don't have a food processor), 1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon paprika and 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper.

Blend the ingredients until smooth and serve with carrot sticks, celery sticks and snap peas for dipping.

If beans cause you discomfort of the gaseous kind, try soaking your beans overnight, then dump the water and replace it prior to cooking. This helps remove some of the oligosaccharides (naturally occurring long-chain sugars that humans can't digest) and should therefore reduce gas production.

That way, you'll pass the time enjoying great food with your family instead of passing well, you know.

Steve Baldwin, M.S., R.D., is a nutrition network project director with the Hawthorne School District's Nutrition Network Center. He can be reached at stbaldwin@hawthorne.k12.ca.us.

Time to count birds

2009-12-16T23:46:00.005-08:00

File Photo. Enlarge photo.

Volunteers will again be counting the number and species of birds in and around Baldwin City on Dec. 27.

December 17, 2009

Roger Boyd, president of the Baldwin Bird Club, among many other titles, answers questions on the upcoming Christmas Bird Count.

Q. Isn’t it time for the Baldwin Bird Club’s Christmas Bird Count and hasn’t it been around forever?

A. Yes, the 79th annual Christmas Bird Count will be all day long on Dec. 27 and the local area covers a 7.5-mile radius with the center at the junction of U.S. Highways 56 and 59.

Q. How did the local count get started?

A. The Baldwin Bird Club has the record of the oldest ongoing CBC in the state. The first one conducted in Baldwin City was 1942 by Ivan and Margaret Boyd and Ray Miller. Most of the birding was in short supply and they tallied 284 individuals of 30 species.

Q. This is an international count, isn’t it? How many people are involved?

A. More than 50,000 volunteers from all 50 states, every Canadian province, parts of Central and South America, Bermuda, the West Indies and Pacific Islands count and record every individual bird and bird species seen during a 24-hour calendar day. Last year a new high of 2,124 individual counts was made. More than 65 million individual birds were counted. A total of 2,126 species of birds was tallied, with a total of 661 in North America alone.

Q. What about the numbers from here?

A. The Baldwin CBC last year had 13 participants in six groups and one party that watched feeders. As a group they tallied 15,414 individuals and 81 species. This was higher than in recent years. In the past 10 years, the average number of species seen has been 78, with a high of 89.

Q. How can people get involved with the count?

A. Call Boyd at (785)594-3172 or e-mail him at roger.boyd@bakeru.edu. The sightings will be tallied at the Boyds’ home that night. The area covered includes Baldwin City, Centropolis, Worden, Lone Star Lake, Douglas County State Fishing Lake and several large watershed lakes.

CityCenter CEO cites poker prowess in getting project done

2009-12-16T23:46:00.003-08:00

That background � he was the 1978 World Series of Poker champion � came in handy when getting the $8.5 billion project completed.

Baldwin spoke as crowds gathered Wednesday on the Las Vegas Strip in anticipation of the late-night opening of the ARIA Resort & Casino, the biggest building and only casino property on the 67-acre development.

�I could not have run any of this without the skills of poker,� Baldwin said. �People think poker is about the cards. It�s not. It is about the people. The cards don�t know who is sitting in the chair. It is about the interaction with people. We had thousands of people who were involved in the construction and design of CityCenter. And we had to get all of those people on the same sheet of music. That�s kind of what you learn from a poker game.�

Earlier this year, Baldwin worried the project would never be finished. In March, Dubai World, MGM Mirage�s partner in the project, sued MGM Mirage over financing when CityCenter was less than $2 billion from completion. Dubai World maintained it was forced to fork over more money than expected for CityCenter.

�The scariest moments for CityCenter were in March and April of 2009,� Baldwin said of the now-settled suit. �CityCenter almost came to a grinding halt.�

If the lawsuit had proceeded, construction could have been stopped. �If you look around the country and other projects in Las Vegas, once they stop, they never restart because you lose momentum and costs go higher,� Baldwin said. The differences, however, are long now resolved: �Now, it�s like it never happened,� Baldwin said.

But the partners have a long way to go to recoup their investments. Baldwin joked the break-even date would be 2070. �When CityCenter is fully lit, it takes about $3 million a day to operate,� Baldwin said. �So, if you are going to make $500 million initially in cash flow a year, then you are going to have to do $4.5 million in income (a day).�

-->(2 of 2)

Hotels underpricedThe hotels at CityCenter are underpriced now, MGM Mirage officials said. Rooms at the ARIA and Vdara are priced as low as $150 a night now. Those prices could more than double once CityCenter hits high gear, Baldwin said.

�We don�t have the pricing power that we would expect at the beginning of the development,� Baldwin said. �But once we get to full power, we�ll also have the pricing power, which will make the business more profitable.� Baldwin said he was not concerned about opening in a recession.

�About the opening time, you light the fuse about five years ahead of time, and you don�t know when the bomb will go off,� Baldwin said. �I don�t mind opening up in the middle of a recession. I don�t have any control over it anyway. But it gives us time to really understand what we are doing.� Besides, CityCenter is in the game for the long run.

�We know that CityCenter will outlast our kids and their kids,� Baldwin said. �The economy is cyclical in nature, and CityCenter is designed to withstand any changes in the economy.�

Baldwin grad flying high as chief pilot of Boeing's 787 Dreamliner

2009-12-16T23:46:00.001-08:00

The history books will forever show that the first man to fly a plastic jetliner was a Baldwin City boy.

Mike Carriker — who grew up in Baldwin City and was a star student and high school athlete there in the early 1970s — was the chief pilot for the inaugural flight of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner on Tuesday.

Baldwin residents who know Carriker — now 53 and living in the Seattle area — said they weren’t the least bit surprised.

“He has more guts than a burglar,” said Merle Venable, a former Baldwin High football coach who coached Carriker. “I don’t know what he would be doing if he wasn’t doing this. That is all he has ever wanted to be.”

On Tuesday Carriker squarely was seated at the center of the aviation world. Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner project has been billed as a revolutionary new aircraft because it is the first commercial jetliner to be built primarily out of lightweight composite material, such as high-tech plastics and carbon fibers.

That fact was on Carriker’s mind prior to Tuesday’s take-off. The Seattle Times reported that Carriker and his co-pilot each wore two parachutes, and the plane was rigged with a pair of special switches. One was rigged to blow out eight windows to depressurize the airplane. The other switch would detonate a charge to blow off an exit door so the crew could jump.

“We have a plastic airplane. … It’s the first time anybody in the industry has taken a large composite wing with a composite spar and gone whipping it out,” Carriker told the Seattle Times in an interview. “Obviously, we think we’re OK. Otherwise we wouldn’t go fly.

“But the proof is still in the pudding.”

The pudding was just fine. The flight, although cut short by weather in the Seattle area, went well. For Boeing, the day was monumental because the 787 project had fallen two years behind schedule because of parts and labor problems. Boeing was determined the plane would fly before the end of the year to prove the program was back on track.

“It is just absolutely a dramatic thing that he did (Tuesday),” Venable said. “I had talked to him before, and he said they were having some trouble, but he has a lot of courage. He is more than just the boy next door.”

Growing up in Baldwin, Carriker was known as a good student and an excellent athlete who received a football scholarship at Wichita State University.

“He was a sweetheart,” said Ruth Ann Nutt, a Baldwin resident who was friends with Carriker’s parents — Elmer “Mike” and Janet Carriker, who are both deceased. “His dad loved flying and his dad also was a ham radio operator. I can still see them standing next to his ham radio pole out in the backyard.”

Carriker, who graduated from Baldwin High in 1973, went on to receive a degree in aeronautical engineering at Wichita State and then became a fighter pilot and a test pilot for the Navy.

He told The Times that in the years since, he’s done much in an airplane. That includes turning a fighter jet upside down and spinning it like a top as it descended. That was fun. Ditching an antique Boeing 307 Stratoliner into Elliot Bay near Seattle after it ran out of fuel, was not.

Baldwin friends say they’ve heard such stories before from Carriker, who always takes everything in stride.

“To him this is just the love of his life, so to him I don’t think it is really a risk,” said Rick Webb, who is a friend and former classmate of Carriker at Baldwin High. “Plus, he’s just so knowledgeable about it all that it reduces the risk.”

Carriker’s former track coach and math teacher at Baldwin High, said Carriker always has been well-served by a good combination of self-confidence and humility.

“Everybody knew he was talented,” said C.R. Herpich. “He wasn’t afraid to try anything. There is no question that he believed in himself. And if he thought he could do it, he probably was going to do it.”

But, maybe, there also was something in the area’s water that helped land Carriker in the 787’s prime seat. The new aircraft has an amazingly strong Douglas County connection. In addition to Carriker, former Lawrence High and Kansas University graduate Alan Mulally largely is considered to be one of the driving forces that launched the creation of the plane. As president of Boeing’s Commercial Airplanes division in 2003, Mulally presented the project to Boeing’s board. Mulally now is the president and CEO of Ford Motor Company.

Webb said Carriker has told him that he thinks his small-town upbringing has helped him handle the rigors of a big-time project.

“He told me once that you can take the boy out of the small town, but you can’t take the small town out of the boy,” Webb said. “He still very much considers Baldwin to be his hometown.”

The Seattle Times and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

WPT -- Doyle Brunson Classic Championship Day 2

2009-12-16T08:42:00.005-08:00

contenders left in the tournament stand in chips at the end of day 2:

Cornel Cimpan: 216,500
Soheil Shamseddin: 188,000
Yevgeniy Timoshenko: 103,700

Day 2 Big Hands:

Cornel Cimpan Quads Up to Double Up

Cornel Cimpan raised to 3,500 and Michael Watson reraised to 9,000 in the cutoff behind him. Cimpan thought it over before making the call, leaving himself with just 15,100.

The flop came down 10 4 4 and Cimpan checked to Watson, who put him all in. Cimpan instantly called with 4 4 for quads and Watson showed A Q, drawing dead.

The inconsequential turn and river were the K 7 and Cimpan doubled up to about 50,000 in chips. Watson is now on the short stack with about 22,000.

Juanda Doubles Up, Marco Johnson Out, and Yevgeniy Timoshenko Takes a Hit

Marco Johnson moved all in for 10,600 under the gun and John Juanda (pictured right) made the call from the cutoff. Yevgeniy Timoshenko reraised to 13,600 and Juanda reraised to 26,000. Timoshenko reraised all in and Juanda made the all-in call. Their cards:

Timoshenko: J J
Juanda: K K
Johnson: 6 5

Board: A A 6 4 K

Juanda made a full house and he doubled up on the hand to 150,000. Johnson was eliminated and Timoshenko watched his chips fall to 45,000 on the hand.

Eric Baldwin Eliminated

On a flop of J 4 2 Tom Dwan bet 15,800 and Eric Baldwin (pictured left) raised to 37,000. Dwan made the call and the turn fell 4. Dwan checked and Baldwin moved all in for 60,000. Dwan made the call. Their cards:

Dwan: 7 4
Badlwin: A A

River: 6

Baldwin was eliminated on the hand and Dwan grew his stack to 300,000.

Yevgeniy Timoshenko Doubles Up

Yevgeniy Timoshenko was all in preflop for 48.6 million and John Juanda called him down. Their cards:

Timoshenko: A A
Juanda: A Q

Board: 10 9 2 J 9

Timoshenko doubled up on the hand to survive in the tournament.

Eric Hershler Takes the Chip Lead

On a flop of K J 4 Eric Hershler (pictured right) bet 10,000 from the big blind and Darryll Fish raised an additional 16,200 from the hi-jack. Hershler called and the 9 fell on the turn. Hershler checked and Fish went into the tank before betting 38,800. Hershler made the call and the 6 fell on the river.

Hershler checked, Fish bet 50,200, and Herhsler made the call. Fish turned over 2 2 and Hershler revealed K 10. Hershler won the hand and he grew his stack to 350,000 to take the chip lead.

Tags: world poker tour, doyle brunson five diamond world poker classic, eric baldwin, cornel cimpan, yevgeniy timoshenko, soheil shamseddin, jason mercier, mike leah, eric hershler, darryll fish, john juanda, tom dwan, marco johnson, mike watson

Rain and flash floods cause havoc across south Alabama (with photo galleries)

2009-12-16T08:42:00.003-08:00

Water rose too quickly in parts of Brewton for a motorist to move a truck to safety or for a business to turn off its neon sign. She said, "I hate this for the store owners, right here at Christmas when things were looking up." Several merchants were critical of local officials for not alerting them late yesterday to the potential for flooding; officials said that there was little possibility of issuing warnings when rainfall became so persistent and intense. Escambia County Emergency Management Director David Adams rubbed his eyes after a sleepless night saying that Burnt Corn Creek was falling, as well as Big Escambia by noon Tuesday. Parts of Mobile County have seen more than 10 inches of rain in the past five days, according to Garmon. Six to 8 inches fell near the Mobile-Tensaw Delta, with greater amounts from Bay Minette northeastward. Atmore got from 12 to 13.5 inches from Monday to early Tuesday, Garmon said, in areas already saturated from previous days of rain. The month is already Mobile's second-wettest December on record, at 12.39 inches of rain recorded through mid-morning Tuesday at the Mobile Regional Airport. The record is December 1853 at 13.09 inches. Parts of Atmore and Flomaton remained flooded Tuesday, but with few homes damaged. Officials identified Mike Allen as the man responsible for rescuing four people late Monday who were clinging to trees along Brushy Creek. Allen used his personal watercraft to pluck all four to safety. Adams said forecasters expect Murder Creek to top 29 feet by midnight, two feet above the noon mark Tuesday. Flood stage for Murder Creek is 22 feet. The Conecuh River should crest at 30.8 feet early today with flood stage at 27 feet. Water might not drop below the 30-foot mark before noon Friday, Adams said. In Baldwin County, 21-year-old Brandi Foster said she and her extended family had to swim through rising floodwaters in Perdido late Monday when Dyas Creek left its banks. "We swam across the yard," she said. "We had quite a current going on. It was about 5:30 p.m. Monday when we got home, and we got the children together and headed out by 6:30 and the water was coming in the house." Foster said four children, ages 15, 9, 5 and 1, were helped to safety by four adults. All were back home about 11:30 p.m., she said. Foster blamed part of the problem on a faulty culvert near their home. Baldwin County spokesman Paula Tillman said Baldwin Road 47 remained closed, as well as several roads in Rabun and Perdido. She said county crews remained on the job throughout the evening Monday. Volunteer firefighters did answer calls to save some residents from their homes, she said. The county shelter Bay Minette remained open Tuesday, Tillman said. Police and fire department dispatchers and others in south Mobile County said rain was heavy, but reported no flooding or roads significantly damaged. Mobile County Public Works Department Superintendent Ted Lawson said roads in the northern end of the county -- like Mason Ferry Road, Earlville Road and Lott Road -- could stay closed for days due to flooding. Adam Buck, a spokesman for the city of Mobile, reported few problems beyond local street flooding. Halls Mill Road between Demetropolis and Range Line roads was closed by high water for several hours Monday night, he said. (Reporters Gary McElroy, Kim Lanier and Mark Kent contributed to this report.)

DIRTY SEXY MONEY Star William Baldwin Assumes Role of Batman for JUSTICE ...

2009-12-16T08:42:00.001-08:00

Dirty Sexy Money star William Baldwin slides easily into the famed cowl as the voice of Batman in Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, an all-new DC Universe Animated Original PG-13 Movie from Warner Premiere, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation.

A fan of the super hero genre since his youth when the Baldwin brothers would role play in their backyard, William Baldwin has proudly, enthusiastically undertaken the deep, gravelly vocal tones of the Dark Knight. While Baldwin has crafted a fine career in live-action film and television, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths represents only his second foray into voiceover for animation, having recorded a few episodes on the Nickelodeon series Danny Phantom.

Beyond ABC's Dirty Sexy Money television series, Baldwin has offered memorable turns in the feature films Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Flatliners, Backdraft and The Squid and the Whale, the latter of which earned (ironically) a Gotham Award for Best Ensemble Cast.

Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths is an original story from award-winning animation/comics writer Dwayne McDuffie (Justice League). Bruce Timm (Superman Doomsday) is executive producer, and the film is co-directed by Lauren Montgomery (Green Lantern: First Flight) and Sam Liu (Superman/Batman: Public Enemies). The full-length animated film will be distributed by Warner Home Video on February 23, 2010 as a Special Edition 2-disc version on DVD and Blu-RayTM Hi-Def, as well as single disc DVD, and On Demand and Download.

Baldwin took time after his recording session to chat about visualization techniques in the sound booth, his children's influence on his choice of roles, the super hero roughhouse role play by the Baldwin brothers (particularly Alec Baldwin) in their youth, and his very nearly being cast in the live-action role of Batman. Now let the man speak ...

QUESTION:
What are your thoughts about joining the list of actors from Adam West and Michael Keaton to Val Kilmer and George Clooney to Kevin Conroy and Christina Bale - that have played Batman?

WILLIAM BALDWIN:
I almost did join that group - I was one of Joel Schumacher's top choices when Val Kilmer wound up playing Batman. Tim Burton and Michael Keaton had left, so Joel had the luxury of replacing Michael Keaton and he told me that his four choices - which was an eclectic, diverse array - were Daniel Day Lewis, Ralph Feinnes, Val Kilmer and me. I didn't even know it at the time - he told me when I had a meeting with him later. The next time, when George Clooney did it, (Schumacher) said, "You were on my original short list with those other three actors, but the studio went with Val and this time I'd like to go with you." And that Friday afternoon, I thought I was playing Batman - and then Monday morning, the headlines in the trades said that George Clooney had gotten the part. So apparently, I did actually come very close.

I was very excited to do this. I wasn't really thinking about any past Batmans, but more of letting the material sort of dictate the choices that I make as an actor. What's happening physically, what's happening emotionally, what's happening in the writing. That's what really drives your performance.

QUESTION:
How did you choose to interpret the character? And was there anything you wanted to do differently than what had preceded you.

WILLIAM BALDWIN:
I was mostly influenced by whom I perceive Batman to be, with the possible exception that I think sometimes I allow a certain sensitivity or an emotional dynamic to give (the character) maybe a likeability or an accessibility. That's almost an insecurity of mine as an actor - to want to breathe a little bit of those types of emotions into characters. I think I find them more appealing and more likeable and more human. What I didn't choose to do is to go towards the darkness of the way the original Batman series was intended. Because Batman, in the original comic series, was a lot darker than the character that was brought to life in television.

QUESTION:
Are there any personal attachments to Batman that make voicing this role special for you?

WILLIAM BALDWIN:
It's a number of things - certainly the history of the character. The people that have been lucky enough to portray Batman on screen, or provide his voice, is a short list and it's pretty cool. I'm in good company. I enjoyed it as a child, and the character still resonates for me. And I'm a father of an 8-year-old, a 7-year-old, and a 4-year-old - my boy is sandwiched between his sisters, and he just loves the super heroes. We watch Justice League together. I try not to let him overdo it too much with television, but there's great, wholesome messages that come out of that series. When I told him that I was playing Batman, his jaw dropped. I almost took him out of school today to have him come down here (for the recording session).

QUESTION:
How many times have you said "I'm Batman" in the past week?

WILLIAM BALDWIN:
Probably about a half a dozen, usually just joking with my kids and my wife. I was in the studio about a 9-iron from here, where my wife (Chynna Phillips) was recording, and all the band members were giving me different lines to say as Batman. Or having me improvise some lines. And we were having some wicked, twisted fun with it (he laughs).

QUESTION:
It seemed you were quite focused in the booth, conveying all the physical and emotional traits as Batman. How immersed in the role did you feel?

WILLIAM BALDWIN:
I take it seriously. And I enjoy it, especially recreating the sound effects of the fight sequences and stuff like that. One thing that was interesting to me was how clean they need the lines and, thus, how specific I had to keep my relationship to the microphone, and making sure there weren't any other sort of ancillary sounds. When I'm doing looping for a film, I guess it's sort of a method approach. I'll put things inside my mouth and try to recreate the circumstances or the emotions that existed while I was performing. There's nothing better than when you're grunting from lifting something to try and create that sensation. I do a lot of visualization, too. So when you're having the confrontation with Lex Luthor or Superwoman, sometimes I'll look through the mike into the booth to somebody in the room. I'll look at them and just sort of imagine it in my mind, to just pick somebody and lock into that, giving off this energy to them. It's very helpful for me to have that specificity to lock into.

QUESTION:
Did the Baldwin brothers play super hero games growing up?

WILLIAM BALDWIN:
You'll have to get my brother Alec in here sometime - he's got the scars to prove it. Back in the early '60s, he tied a bathroom towel around his neck as a cape and was doing his Superman (impression), and he went through a plate glass sliding door. He ran right through it. He has these big V-shaped scars under his bicep and his forearm from all the stitches that he took when he was five or six years old.

So yeah, we did play super hero games. And my family was pretty rough. I mean, when we were playing super heroes, if there was a cartoon where somebody got thrown off the roof and they landed on the ground with a thud, then Stephen or I got thrown off the roof - into a pile of leaves, or into somebody's swimming pool.

QUESTION:
You rode along with the Chicago Fire Department to prepare for Backdraft. What kind of research went into this performance?

WILLIAM BALDWIN:
First of all, some parts lend them self to that type of research and preparation more than others. Secondly, I had a fairly deep understanding of this character because I've been watching the shows and films and the character for 40 years. So if I felt like I didn't have enough of an understanding, I probably would have postponed (the recording session). But when I was looking at the script on a plane a few days ago, I felt it was kind of a piece of cake based on my understanding of the character, and really fueled my attraction to the character and the piece. There's a lot of two- and three-line exchanges rather than two- and three-paragraph exchanges. There weren't a lot of monologues that required a lot of line memorization, or anything incredibly challenging emotionally. I just had to get into the rhythm of how the character speaks.
Batman's spectrum of emotion is fairly narrow - for a number of reasons. He's always in command, he's always in control, he's always holding it together, and he's pretty tough relative to the rest of us in this room.

QUESTION:
Does the Gotham City/New York connection hold anything special for a lifelong New Yorker?

WILLIAM BALDWIN:
There's always been something cool about (Gotham City) being based on New York - it's where I'm from, where I grew up, and I've spent my whole career there. I remember referring to it as Gotham - not Gotham City, either - more often than I called it Manhattan or New York. I'd be on the West Coast finishing a meeting, and somebody would ask, "Where you going?" And I'd always say "Back to Gotham."

QUESTION:
Did having children that enjoy the genre influence your desire to give voice to an animated character at this point in your career?

WILLIAM BALDWIN:

That definitely motivates a lot of the choices that I make as an actor now. I'm looking to be involved with projects that are family oriented. Not exclusively, but I'd like to do some things that my children can see. My brother Alec has done a series of films over the last couple years - Madagascar and Thomas (the Train) and things like that - and the kids got really, really excited about that. And we're good friends with Chazz Palminteri, and Chazz does a lot of animated voiceover work. When they hear his voice, they really get excited.

I was doing a television series for two seasons, so we would watch that together as a family. Sometimes I would let the kids stay up, and they really got a kick out of it. I did a film last year with Henry Winkler called A Plumm Summer that won a couple of family film festival audience awards. So yes, I'm definitely looking for some choices. Because the films in my past, like Flatliners and Internal Affairs, Three Of Hearts and Backdraft and Sliver, Fair Game and The Squid And The Whale and Forgetting Sarah Marshall, these are all films that my kids aren't quite ready to see.

QUESTION:
You've tackled this legendary comic character. What other roles would you like to fill?

WILLIAM BALDWIN:
I'd like to surprise some people maybe and do the voice of something that's much more charactery. It could be much more ethnic. Jewish or Irish or a New Yorker. I have a lot of fun with that stuff. I'd even like to sing. I wouldn't want to sing in the way that you would need Mariah Carey to sing, but just have a character sing and have fun with that, too.

QUESTION::
What were your impressions of this animation experience versus some of your previous experiences?

WILLIAM BALDWIN:
I'm getting better at it. I'm very tough on myself, so I'm never quick to say that I felt like it was great when it wasn't. I usually have my own sort of standards that I set for myself. It felt like I was able to achieve my objectives more quickly. I think that comes with maturity as a performer and, uh, it's nice to know. Because there's been times where I've done voiceover work where they would normally allot two hours for someone who can bang it out, and they would have to allot three or three and a half or four hours. It's not that I couldn't do it quickly, it's just that I'm such a perfectionist. I tend to be saying "Let me try that again. Let's do one more ... one more ... one more." I think I said, "Let me do one more" about 10 times today, which wasn't a lot. Sometimes I say it 100 times. I think everybody thought that it felt right, it felt good, it sounded great. It's always fun, but I want to get it right.

QUESTION:
Is it difficult acting alone in the booth?

WILLIAM BALDWIN:
It forces you to hone in and focus on the performance aspects and the emotional aspects of what you're trying, and visual them in your head. Acting is not acting, it's reacting. You're reacting to what somebody's saying and how they're saying it. That was great about the television show that I just did (Dirty Sexy Money) because the props department would tie me in when we would do something like a telephone conversation. When I had one with Donald Sutherland, I didn't have to come into the studio to do it. They would just have me call on my cell phone from my home in Santa Barbara, and I would call in when the camera was rolling and I would literally have the conversation with him. In the old days, sometimes you would have the other actor come in on his off day just to read that telephone conversation off camera. Then that changed and you would wind up reading this telephone conversation with the script supervisor who (A) is not an actor, and (B) does not know what the choices of the actor are going to be when they shoot his side of the telephone conversation in two weeks. That can be very difficult and very stilted when they cut that telephone conversation together - sometimes you can tell by the way someone's reacting to a line that they weren't hearing the actor do it on that day. They just interpreted what they thought the actor was going to do on that day, and they were wrong. I'm talking about stuff that's very subtle, like someone raising their voice a little bit in the reaction to the other person. Little things. But that's acting. You're not just reacting to the words, you're reacting to the way the words were said. Was it threatening? Was it menacing? Was it intimidating? Was it submissive? It's all based on little layers and subtleties.

QUESTION:
Can you compare acting on camera to acting in the booth, and how Andrea Romano was able to guide you through those differences?

WILLIAM BALDWIN:

It's sort of a mixed bag. On camera, you're usually acting to another actor who you're looking at, who's in the room with you. Today, I was in the sound room and Andrea was behind the glass. And she's not an actor. But for a director, from a performance standpoint, she was giving me more than enough. What really helped was the specificity of her notes. When something wasn't right, she would give me a note that would 180 it, or she would give me a little subtle note. That was great. "You're forgetting to add in this layer" or "Give me a little bit more urgency." At one point, I throw a punch and Superwoman catches my fist and starts to squeeze my fist. And I said, "Do you want me to wince and scream in pain when she's crushing my fist? And am I supposed to fight the temptation of revealing to a woman - because wouldn't Batman wouldn't want to give away that power that a woman is causing the pain." I mean, it would be different if Lex Luthor or Superman were doing this, right? So we sort of hashed that out and found those sort of things as we were going along.

For more information, images and updates, please visit the film's official website at www.JUSTICELEAGUECRISIS.com.

Port Townsend eateries closed after break in water main

2009-12-15T17:27:00.007-08:00

Port Townsend eateries closed after break in water main

A water-main break in Port Townsend's historic old-town district forced all restaurants on the city water system to close on Monday.

By Jonathan Martin

Seattle Times staff reporter

A water-main break in Port Townsend's historic old-town district forced all restaurants on the city water system to close on Monday.

The break appears to have stirred rust sediment through the system, causing brownish water to spill from taps. As a result, the Jefferson County public-health officer closed all eating and drinking businesses and issued an advisory to residents to boil their water or drink bottled water, said Jean Baldwin, director of Jefferson County Public Health.

Water main breaks elsewhere shut off water to the city of Kalama, south of Longview, and to the Forest Grove Mobile Home Park northwest of Marysville.

In Kalama, Cowlitz County, a water-main break drained a reservoir, causing health officials to issue a boil-water advisory. Schools and some businesses were shut down, but water service to about 2,500 customers was restored before noon on Monday, according to the Longview Daily News.

At the mobile-home park, where a water main burst during a recent cold snap, the 69 residents have been without water since late last week, according to the state Department of Health.

In Port Townsend, the break occurred in a water-main coupling on Water Street in the city's tourist district, said City Manager David Timmons. The break disrupted water pressure throughout the system, stirring sediment.

"It's a big inconvenience on a lot of people," said Timmons. "It's unfortunate. We did everything we could to avoid it, but it is mother nature at work."

Water samples are being tested, with results expected Tuesday afternoon, Baldwin said. Until then, restaurants will remain closed and the boil-water advisory will remain in place. Hospitals, nursing homes and other entities that serve food have been advised to use only sanitized water, Baldwin said.

Jonathan Martin: 206-464-2605 or jmartin@seattletimes.com

Alec Baldwin Donates $1 Million To Alma Mater

2009-12-15T17:27:00.005-08:00

Alec Baldwin Donates $1 Million To Alma Mater Establishes the Alec Baldwin Drama Scholarship Fund

Alec Baldwin makes $1 million donation to Tisch School of the Arts. Photo by Eileen Casey

New York - Tisch School of the Arts, the premiere institution of the performing, cinematic and recording arts, is pleased to announce the establishment of the Alec Baldwin Drama Scholarship Fund, made possible by a generous $1 million gift from Baldwin, Class of '94. "The support I got from Tisch made it possible for me to become an actor and to have a career in this business," said Baldwin. "It's important to give back to those institutions that give us such opportunities, and I encourage anyone to look into supporting their alma mater." Recipients of awards from the Fund will be named "Alec Baldwin Drama Scholars." It is Baldwin's belief that in addition to excellent training, achievement of one's goals in the performing arts requires an unwavering work ethic, development of leadership skills, willingness to collaborate, the ability to tolerate risk, and the capacity to work with constructive criticism. Beginning in September 2010, the endowed fund will provide tuition assistance to students who best exhibit the characteristics noted above, are in good academic standing, and demonstrate financial need. Special consideration will be given to students from economically disadvantaged families or who are the first in their families to attend a college or university. "We are blessed to have great alumni such as Alec Baldwin. His life and career are a model of the work ethic, leadership skills and commitment we value at Tisch. In order to have great alumni you need to start with great students," said Dean Mary Schmidt Campbell. "Great students come from all over the world, and scholarships such as Alec's enable us to attract and retain the best of the best to attend the Tisch School of the Arts regardless of their ability to pay. We are truly thrilled with Alec's generosity and this transformative gift for the school." As one of the nation's leading centers of undergraduate and graduate study in the performing and cinematic arts, Tisch offers programs that incorporate state-of-the-art facilities; a collaboratively oriented community of award-winning faculty members; internship opportunities with established professionals; and the incomparable artistic and cultural resources of New York City. The Alec Baldwin Drama Scholarship Fund will support those students who would not otherwise be able to afford an NYU Tisch education. About Tisch School Of The Arts For more than 40 years, Tisch School of the Arts has drawn on the vast resources of New York City and New York University to create an extraordinary training ground for the individual artist and scholar of the arts. Students learn their craft in a spirited, risk-taking environment that combines the professional training of a conservatory with the liberal arts education of a major research university. www.Tisch.NYU.edu

Meryl in the Sack With Alec

2009-12-15T17:27:00.003-08:00

"Why can't we see Meryl Streep naked the way we see Alec Baldwin naked?"

"I guess you can blame me for that," answers Nancy Meyers. "I never saw it that way in my mind."

Meyers and I are at the Ritz Carlton, where she has touched down on a press junket, and we're discussing her latest film, It's Complicated. Meyers -- attractive, blonde, quick-witted -- goes where Hollywood fears to tread: she makes rom-coms about later-life love. Following on the heels of Something's Gotta Give, It's Complicated is about a couple -- Jane (Streep) and Jake Adler (Baldwin) -- who after ten years of divorce launch an affair following their son's graduation. Jake is keener on making the reunion stick than Jane, who's attuned to, well, complications. Among them are Jake's second wife, a pierced babe who wants a baby; Jake's less than steady nature; and a super-eligible architect (Steve Martin), who's also competing for Jane's attentions. The stuff of countless romantic triangles, yes. But wait -- the main players here are, gasp, pushing 60.

The French, who appear age blind, have long made movies about love among this demographic. But in Hollywood middle-aged sex remains taboo. The suits apparently haven't progressed beyond The Graduate, where ripe Mrs. Robinson gets conflated with dirty and yucky. Of course, in American films old dudes get to bed nymphets. Consider Woody Allen's Whatever Works, where Larry David (in the Woody role), skinny shanks protruding from a ratty bathrobe, woos Evan Rachel Wood -- a mere 40 year age difference. But women Jane Adler's age? They get sidelined to roles as daffy aunts.

Now, I've picked up grousing that Complicated is set in a golden California bubble of privilege, dream homes, decorator porn, zero money cares. But here's the paradox: that world may be a fantasy except for a fortunate few. At the same time Meyers has fashioned characters with real-life libidos who are completely recognizable.

Alec Baldwin's Jake is a certain kind of charmer/operator whose boyish ebullience and (unreliable) enthusiasms are catnip to women. We all know -- and find impossible to resist -- this guy. As for Streep's Janey -- well, let's just say that she has a few more options than many women her age, chief among them her wealth, which gives her bargaining chips. But this film is not only funny as hell (see the scene where Baldwin cavorts naked on Skype) -- it deals with sexual politics and the new resources women bring to the game. At the same time, Janey's ability to simultaneously respond to Jake's charm and deeply mistrust it will strike a loud chord of recognition among women viewers.

With Complicated Meyers joins this year's group of sterling women filmmakers that includes Kathryn Bigelow, already collecting awards for Hurt Locker, Agnes Varda with The Beaches of Agnes, and Jane Campion with Bright Star. Below some excerpts from my chat with Meyers.

EA: I find this film daring and brave because Jane and Jake are both roughly 58. What draws you to this age group?

NM: I am in this age group. So I want to write about what I know.

Is it hard to get money in Hollywood for a movie about this age demographic?

I think because "Something's Gotta Give" did well internationally as well as domestically they felt safe with me with this material. But I don't think they're running out and having development meetings and saying, Bring me more movies about women 60 years old! Though I think they should. I think there's an audience for it. We'll see if this movie does well. I hope they'll do more movies where the lead character can be close to 58 or 60 or 62. And have a life in the movie and not just play the whacky mother.

What about the conventional wisdom that it's teen boys and girls who drive the box office.

Young people go right away to the film. Women don't tend to go opening weekend. They wait to hear about it, go the next week, two weeks later. There's something to be said for a movie that lasts, where the audience starts to build. "Julie and Julia" is a perfect example of that.

This movie is kind of ground-breaking because showing sex among the middle-aged is a real taboo here, even to the limited extent that you show it.

Well, how am I going to make a movie about people having an affair without going there?

But will audiences go there?

Well, how did the scenes play when you saw it?

I was struck that you show Jake's body -- and Baldwin is hairy, with this big gut. Not so enticing on the face of it, but being Alec Baldwin --

He's adorable. I find him very attractive and he's built well. When he slaps his stomach it's like hitting a brick, it's so solid.

But why can't we see her naked the way we see him, when he's cavorting in that Skype scene?

I thought the joke of him being naked was about him. I never saw Janey acting that way, she wouldn't do that. Though she's nervous about being naked before him. When they broke up she was in her 40's, now she's in her late 50's. And she says, things change. And it's a story point when she undresses in front of him.

What I'm getting at is why can't we see older women's bodies? In Something's Gotta Give, we only see Diane Keaton a millisecond.

You saw her naked longer than you've ever seen any woman that age naked in any movie in the history of movies.

In American ones.

I would say I shouldn't be the movie to take the hit on that one since I'm making the movie about middle aged women being sexual. I mean, I think I'm doing more than 90% of it. You can hit me on that if you want, but it's a little unfair.

How did you get such great ensemble work from Baldwin and Streep?

They deserve most of the credit. They let each other be; step back for each other, at the same time they go at each other. And in fact, they liked each other a lot. That comes through. You can see when actors are working together and they're getting off on how the other person is doing the scene and they rev it up.

What is Janey's appeal for Jake at this point in his life?

Her appeal for him is she's the greatest woman he's ever known. The biggest mistake in his life was to have left her, the mother of his children. And she's someone he's still attracted to. The woman he'd like to take care of him as he gets older -- all those things. In the passing moment when it wasn't working, he didn't fix whatever problems they had. And now the thought of her again makes him feel stable.

Isn't the more truthful pattern, though, that men his age gravitate toward much younger women? And he's an exception?

But that's what the movie is about, isn't it? About a couple who have an affair who've been together for 20 years. I'm not telling the story of Jack Nicholson in Something's Gotta Give, where a man has spent his life interested only in younger women. I've made that movie. This is about a woman who's a solid person who's been the most important person in his life. And he's not going out with a 58-year-old woman he met on Match.com. He's after this particular woman.

I went to a shrink who had a very long practice in Beverly Hills and said, tell me if I'm headed in the right direction. Because I don't want to write something that people would find to be untrue, that a man would go back with his ex wife.

He told me he was at the gym the other day and saw a man banging his head on the locker. The guy, in his 60's, said I'm remarried to a young woman, I left my wife, it's the biggest mistake I ever made. I can't tell you the number of men who've come in here the last 40 years and regretted the choice they made. Those marriages don't generally last. They may repeat it, and have a second younger wife.

So [my film] is not a global story about a man who finds he's suddenly more attracted to a woman of 58 than 32. It's about a marriage, a divorce, and whether we did the right thing. What is there still between us. Can we get the genii back in the bottle?

To what extent did you draw on your own life?

I drew on it to the extent that I have an ex-husband. He's married to someone a lot younger. I remain single. We tend to see each other from time to time at family events. There's something there that I haven't seen a lot of people write about -- the awkwardness of being across the room from your replacement. You guys are kibbutzing and getting along and the [new wife] joins you and it's suddenly awkward. You leave alone, they stay together. From there I make it up. I have not been in this position, do not want to be. But, you know, it's comedic and I wanted to write about it.

Why does Jane allow the romance with Jake to continue?

She's trying to see if it could work, you know? She hasn't recoupled. He very much wants her back. He admits to her, I don't know how to live without you. And she wonders, does she really know how to live without him? Would it not be something worth investigating?

I don't think she ever goes into it without enormous fears though. She seems to constantly be saying things to him, we should never do this again, this is absolutely wrong. But he keeps talking her into it: you don't have to be alone. You can build your perfect house, but what about with someone holding you in the middle of the night, a person who's known and loved you since you were 23 years old. Then another big speech: what if people got back together after 10 years and they realize at that point that all the problems are solved? "Give it a chance, Janey."

I found the Steve Martin character rather unappealing -- not much competition for Jake. What's his attraction for Jane?

He's kind, he's smart, he's got a cool job. Gotta great sense of humor.

But he's not sexy.

You wanna know something? Jane was with a really sexy guy for a long time and it didn't work out. So maybe after you're with a really sexy guy for 20 years, maybe the right thing for you is a little less sex appeal and a little more humanity and a little more kindness and someone who really likes you and is going to treat you better. I actually think you're seeing it right. I find [him] appealing though.

Oh, I don't know, aren't we all still romantics?

There I disagree with you.

Baldwin County schools plan for second round of H1N1 vaccinations

2009-12-15T17:27:00.001-08:00

Baldwin County schools plan for second round of H1N1 vaccinations By Press-Register staff December 15, 2009, 6:46PM

BAY MINETTE, Ala. -- Officials with Baldwin County elementary schools are sending home a permission slip for the second round of the H1N1 vaccination that will be delivered in mist form. Permission slips are due back to the school Friday. Officials say the health department is in the process of scheduling the second round of clinics dates in the schools.

If a child missed the first vaccination and parents would like it to be given, it can be administered at the time of the second clinic but officials say the second dose will be given at the health department or at one of the health department's community clinics.

Those wishing to have their student vaccinated should contact the school for a permission form for the first dosage and return it to the school by Friday.

The H1N1 vaccination is offered for students ages 4 through 9.

Stay in the Game: The Fall and Rise of Alec Baldwin

2009-12-15T17:26:00.001-08:00

Photo: Terry Richardson

Celebrities tend to be endlessly, tediously positive: Every day is a Gift, every project a Personal Best, and every costar a Genius. Alec Baldwin is not afflicted with this syndrome. At 51, he’s a failure, self-described. He’s also at the peak of his career, a peak he reached by scaling a K2 of catastrophe, personal and professional.

You see, two decades of relentless mistakes have earned him multiple Emmys, Tony and Oscar nominations, and a much-anticipated gig cohosting the Academy Awards with Steve Martin — a lifetime of stutter-stop achievement Baldwin calls “all this other bullshit.” None of it mitigates his sense of having fallen short of triumph. But the star of 30 Rock (and the new rom-com It’s Complicated with Meryl Streep) is OK with that. In fact, he’s thrilled. That’s because each Baldwin Fail — beginning in 1991 with the loss of the Jack Ryan franchise to Harrison Ford, which sank a promising career as a leading man — seems to have spurred a Baldwin Save. In that spirit, Baldwin ushers Wired through his greatest flops, leading by example on how to fail, fail again, and fail better next time.

The Fail My entire film career. I made films from about ‘86 until ‘99. And then things started to really wind down. When your fortunes ebb in the movie business, it’s like The Sixth Sense: You’re dead and you don’t know it. The Save My television career. 30 Rock doesn’t have the biggest audience, but we have an audience. And my God, what a difference it makes. I walk down the street all day long and people tell me how much they love the show. Not that I need to wake up every day and have every bird in the trees and every horse riding along the bridle path wink at me and say, “Oh, Alec, I loved 30 Rock last night!” But it’s nice.

The Fail Mercenary acting. I needed to make a living. People don’t realize actors are like plumbers. When you invite a plumber to your house and say, “I want you to put this sink in my bathroom,” the plumber doesn’t say, “I’m not going to install that sink, it’s hideous. You have the worst taste in sinks!” No, he just says, “OK,” and he puts it in. The Save Making a terrible romantic comedy. My Best Friend’s Girl had one of the worst scripts I’ve ever read in my life. The movie was a huge disaster. Scathing reviews. And I realized: I’m done with doing it for the money.

The Fail My personal life. I mean, I’m divorced. I was married to someone [actress Kim Basinger]. I got very Zen about it. It doesn’t really matter who’s to blame. But in many ways my marriage mirrors my experience in the film business. I think to myself, How many years do I have left? What’s out there that I want to enjoy? The Save A very productive midlife crisis. I had the realization: God, I’m 51 years old and I spent 30 years of my life doing things I didn’t want to do. The things you do to please other people! I said to myself, Well now I’m just going to have a good time. That was the most freeing thing. For the first time, I wanted to do whatever I felt like that day. I wrote a book, A Promise to Ourselves, this critique of the family law system. I want to write more books. I want to go back to school. I might even run for public office.

The Fail A run for public office. I will try to sell the American public on this idea: Sacrifice more! Make do with less! For the good of the country! I’ll run for office, and I’ll go out there and bomb. The (Likely) Save Another sitcom. Another sitcom. Probably a sidekick role on Jack McBrayer’s Kenneth spinoff. We’re all going to be working for the 30 Rock page.

Baldwin Spencer: ALBA Has Allowed Us to Face the World Crisis

2009-12-15T01:59:00.001-08:00

Spencer was the first speaker of the 8th ALBA Summit�s final session at Havana�s Convention Center with Cuban President Raul Castro and otherheads of state or heads of delegations in attendance.

Spencer pointed out that in days when the world is suffering a huge recession, the ALBA member nations under the principles of solidarity, equity and economic complementation are implementing programs and projects of social benefit seeking to increase the quality of life of their peoples and reduce poverty.

Antigua and Barbuda�s Prime Minister mentioned as an example the scholarships granted to hundreds of students from his country and the food subsidies to the disabled as well as investments to improve the facilities of his country�s airport.

Spencer said that over its first five years, ALBA and its Trade Treaty for the Peoples (TPC) has achieved substantial progress but at the same time it has the challenge to look for solutions to climate change, especially because the Caribbean islands are vulnerable to its effects.

In addition to the heads of State and Government from Venezuela, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda, and Cuba, heads of delegations from the rest of the member countries � Honduras, Dominica and Ecuador - also participated.

Likewise, hundreds of students from the region studying in Cuba attended the final session of the summit that also marked the 15th anniversary of Hugo Chavez�s first meeting with the leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro. Send the Article Print

Baldwin Court Digest: Foley man convicted of vehicular homicide in February ...

2009-12-14T10:51:00.007-08:00

Carlos Padilla of Foley has been found guilty of vehicular homicide in a February collision that killed a motorcyclist. BAY MINETTE, Ala. -- A Foley man was found guilty last week of vehicular homicide stemming from a head-on collision that killed a motorcyclist on Baldwin County 12 in February, according to a prosecutor.

A Baldwin County Circuit Court jury selected Wednesday found Carlos Padilla guilty on Thursday afternoon, said Assistant District Attorney Patrick Prendergast.

The driver of the motorcycle, 68-year-old Arthur Harold Fleming, died in a hospital following the crash. Padilla, 29, originally told officers on the scene that he was not driving the 2002 Ford Focus that collided with the motorcycle but later recanted his story to a Spanish-speaking investigator, according to reports.

Padilla had a blood-alcohol level of .039, according to testimony. The legal limit to operate a vehicle in Alabama is .08.

Even though Padilla's blood-alcohol level was below the legal limit, investigators said they believe it was a factor in the accident.

The trial in Circuit Judge Charles Partin's court was scheduled to start Monday but a Spanish-language interpreter was ill and unable to be in court, Prendergast said. No sentencing date had been announced as of Friday afternoon.

Also last week, a convicted sex offender was out of jail 12 days before being rearrested, this time for not giving authorities his correct living address, a Baldwin County sheriff's spokesman said.

Jonathan Wade Collier, 34, of Foley was charged Wednesday with two felony counts of violating the Sex Offender Community Notification Act, said Baldwin County sheriff's spokesman Maj. Anthony Lowery.

Collier was released Nov. 26 from the Baldwin County Sheriff's Corrections Center.

He had served time for his conviction of first-degree sexual abuse involving a 6-year-old girl, Lowery said.

According to court records, Collier pleaded guilty and was sentenced on Oct. 26 by Circuit Judge J. Langford Floyd to seven years in prison, split to 30 days in jail and three years of supervised probation.

First-degree sexual abuse is a Class C felony punishable under state law by one year to 10 years in prison.

Missing Baldwin County hunter search reaches 1 week mark

2009-12-14T10:51:00.005-08:00

A North Baldwin Sheriff's Search and Rescue pontoon boat loaded with sonar and scuba diving gear pulls into the dock at Cliff's Landing on the Tensaw River in Baldwin County Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009. A week's search has not brought up any clues in the disappearance of two Baldwin County hunters. The effort to find two missing hunters on the Mobile-Tensaw Delta reached the one-week mark Sunday, with searchers hampered by fog and debris from weekend storms.Matt Burton, spokesman for the North Baldwin Sheriff's Search and Rescue unit, said there was "nothing new" to report Sunday afternoon. Burton said about 30 people in 12 boats continued to comb the Tensaw River area, where Alan Clemons, 29, and Jason Brown, 23, both from the Hurricane Bayou community north of Bromley, were last seen the afternoon of Dec. 6. "We are fighting this fog -- the whole river is foggy. We can't see across the river here at Cliff's Landing," Burton said Sunday afternoon. "There are lots more logs in the water so everyone is relegated to idle speed." Burton said he didn't know how long the effort would continue and said he didn't want to characterize it as a recovery operation. "It is still a search," he said. "We are looking for anything we can find, any clues -- anything. ... We are taking it day by day. At the end of each day we evaluate what will happen tomorrow. We have no plans to stop or any cutoff point." According to family members, the men had left about 12:30 p.m. Dec. 6 to go squirrel hunting and planned to return that evening. They were last seen at Gravine Island about 1:30 p.m. that day and several hours later their canoe was found at Cloverleaf Landing, nearly two miles south of the island, prompting the search, Burton said. The canoe contained guns, an empty ice chest and what appeared to be a small amount of river water, according to reports, and last week searchers found two paddles identified as belonging to the men.

Bristol Rovers' Andy Williams back in the frame

2009-12-14T10:51:00.003-08:00

"I felt it was right after the last couple of performances to shake things up a little bit," said Trollope, who had seen his side look punchless in attack when they had lost at Colchester a week earlier.

"Andy has different attributes to the other strikers and has waited patiently and worked very hard to force his way back into our plans.

"We thought we could expose one or two things with his pace, his height and his power. He certainly did that to good effect."

Swindon had arrived with four league wins in a row behind them and made a bright enough start, but their frailty down the left flank was soon to be exposed.

Latching on to a well-judged ball over the top by Pat Baldwin, Williams seized on his opportunity, brushing aside Robins' left-back Lecsinel Jean-Francois before firing an angled shot under keeper David Lucas.

Barely had the home fans' celebrations subsided before Williams put Swindon ever deeper in the mire. This time he provided a cross from the same flank and as the visitors' back line waited for it to arrive, Jeff Hughes beat them to it with a run to the near post which culminated with him flicking the ball high into the net.

Swindon looked shell-shocked, although they almost hit back in the 24th minute – only for Billy Paynter's curling effort to come back off a post.

But they were to suffer further damage 10 minutes later when Stuart Campbell's free kick found Jo Kuffour in the box. Once again, the visitors' defending was highly questionable as the diminutive striker was allowed time to slam home a shot from 12 yards.

Although Steve Elliott had to make a goal-line clearance to prevent Alan Sheehan giving the Robins a glimmer of hope just before the break, the visitors were to squander the opportunities they did manage to create in the second half.

Soon after the re-start, substitute Alan O'Brien fatally delayed his finish from a Paynter cross when Rovers were outnumbered at the back and Mikkel Andersen was able to block.

And their afternoon was summed up as Jonathan Douglas skied a volley high over the top when well-placed 10 yards from goal.

After Rovers' inconsistencies in recent weeks, the Pirates once again looked like a side with round pegs in the right-shaped holes and there was a much better balance to their side.

Pat Baldwin and Steve Elliott were both hugely impressive in central defence, while Aaron Lescott made a seamless and impressive return to the left-back berth, allowing Hughes the chance to resume doing what he does best – cause havoc from the flank.

The Northern Irishman was desperately unlucky to see an impudent and inspired chip shot beat Lucas and hit the bar. On the other flank, Mark Wright offered his best home display yet and was also unfortunate when his 22-yarder flew inches too high.

Chris Dickson also gave a reminder from the bench, going close with a fiercely-struck angled shot and drawing a good save from Lucas with a volley before creating a late chance for Darryl Duffy, who just failed to clip the ball over the advancing keeper.

Duffy had replaced Williams 15 minutes from time and the former Hereford man deserved every moment of the ovation he received on his way off.

"Andy was transfer listed in the summer but has shown resilience and a good mental strength to come back from the position he found himself in," acknowledged Trollope.

"We were pleased with his contribution in general. He was a nuisance all afternoon, he deserved his goal – and the applause when he came off. His versatility will prove vital for us as the season goes on."

Swindon manager Danny Wilson was at a loss to explain why his side's defence suddenly looked so porous – and his much-vaunted strikeforce so wasteful.

"It was a really weird game," said the former Ashton Gate boss. "We were on the front foot and got caught by Rovers' first breakout. Then we got done again pretty much straight afterwards and made life difficult for ourselves.

"We were caught sleeping for the third goal and when things like that happen, it is just unexplainable sometimes. We have been very good at keeping it tight and being solid in a lot of our games this season and there were chances for us to get back in it.

"We had five or six great chances but Rovers took their opportunities and we didn't take ours."

Essex Police and Ex-Epping Forest District Commander Jonathan Baldwin claimed ...

2009-12-14T10:51:00.001-08:00

THE district's former top police officer has appeared in court accused of blatantly defrauding his employers with made-up and exaggerated expense claims.

Jonathan Baldwin, 42, a former Chief Inspector and Epping Forest District Commander, made mileage claims related to his job which were “entirely fictitious” Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Prosecutor Gregory Perrins said: “The fact that they were blatantly false must have been obvious to this defendant when he submitted those claims. To submit claims which are false and which the defendant knew were false is both dishonest and fraudulent.

“The claims were for relatively small amounts of money- about £310. But that fact, say the prosecution, doesn't make them less criminal.”

The court heard that Mr Baldwin joined Essex Police in June 2007 as an Inspector and was quickly promoted to Chief Inspector.

Mr Perrins said: “What is significant is that the post became vacant following an internal investigation into the previous holder of the post. You might therefore expect the new holder of the post to be aware of the need for absolute integrity in the job.”

The court heard that one charge against Mr Baldwin related to a trip on December 21, 2007 to the Windsor Leadership Trust, an educational and charitable body.

Mr Perrin said Mr Baldwin had made several genuine trips to Windsor but added: “As far as December 21 is concerned he never left at all. The claim was entirely false. He never went that day. He was working in Essex Police Headquarters. It is an entirely fictitious claim.”

The second charge against Mr Baldwin relates to a trip he made to Windsor on February 24 last year which he claimed was 440 miles long.

Mr Perrin said: “ Anyone with even a basic grasp of geography will see the trip from Essex to Windsor is around 220 miles. He has more than doubled the journey.”

Mr Baldwin is also accused of nearly doubling a trip made from Essex to Oxford on March 12, which he claimed was 400 miles long.

The court heard that, in interview, Mr Baldwin put the charges down to honest mistakes and when asked how he came to his mileage figures answered he had “put the wrong numbers down”.

Mr Baldwin has pleaded not guilty to all three charges of fraud through false representation. He was removed from his post as District Commander in November last year.

The trial continues.

Armed Bandits Turn Baldwin Party Into Holdup

2009-12-13T20:02:00.001-08:00

Armed Bandits Turn Baldwin Party Into Holdup

Armed party crashers wore ski masks; robbed 20 to 40 partygoers

Written by Patrick Kelton on Dec 13th, 2009 and filed under Long Island News, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

A house party in Baldwin turned into a holdup early Sunday morning when four to six men armed with guns and wearing ski masks crashed the get together and robbed those in attendance, say Nassau County police.

First Squad detectives say 20 to 40 people were at a party at a home on Forest Avenue when four to six suspects, all armed with handguns, entered the residence through the front door around 2:50 a.m. Dec. 13 and ordered them all to lie on the floor and hand over their valuables.

A single gunshot was fired inside the home during the robbery, say detectives, and four victims suffered lacerations and abrasions when the unwelcome assailants struck them with their weapons and fists. A 34-year-old man was transported to an area hospital and treated for a head laceration before being released.

Police describe all the suspects as black men wearing ski masks and dark hoodies. The perpetrators fled the scene through the rear door with an unknown amount of U.S. currency, assorted jewelry, a handbag, cell phone, jacket and assorted credit cards.

Detectives ask anyone with information regarding this incident to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS. All callers will remain anonymous.

Friday night highlights: Baldwin County's best offensive performances of 2009

2009-12-13T05:55:00.007-08:00

Fairhope's Jamal Woodyard picks up some of his 435 total yards of offense against UMS-Wright in week five. Woodyard accounted for three scores in what was voted the best county offensive performance of the season.

It seemed that county football teams could score from anywhere on the field this past season.

Sustained, clock-eating drives didn't seem necessary with the likes of Jamal Woodyard making defenses look foolish, Logan Paul doing damage through the air and on the ground and Daryl Norris picking secondaries apart.

So that made picking the lineup for the third annual best Baldwin offensive performances a difficult task. A group of Baldwin Register and Press-Register writers, editors and photographers poured over statistics from nearly 30 games by 13 players to develop this year's list.

Following are the results, starting with the top performance of 2009:

No. 1: Jamal Woodyard vs. UMS-Wright

When a player averages 16.5 yards a play, you would assume it was a receiver making a number of big grabs. But the gaudy figure was actually what Woodyard averaged per rush in Fairhope's 41-21 win against the Bulldogs in week five.

Woodyard sliced through the UMS defense for 314 yards on just 19 carries, and scored on runs of 66 and 77 yards as he surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for the season. For good measure, Woodyard caught three passes for 121 yards, including a 96-yard score on a screen pass.

And the senior's performance didn't come against a weak stop unit. UMS entered the game as the defending 4A state champion and was ranked third in the state.

"I was in the zone," Woodyard said after the game. "I felt like every time I touched the ball (that) I could make a big play. I kept looking for a hole."

No. 2: Jamal Woodyard vs. Foley

Two weeks prior to running through UMS, Woodyard stunned the Foley crowd by amassing 384 yards rushing and six touchdowns on 32 carries in a 40-20 Blue-Gold Trophy game win.

Woodyard finished with scoring runs of 1, 1, 2, 8, 80 and 90 yards. He had 240 yards and four touchdowns by halftime.

NEVADAN AT WORK: Native's gaming know-how earns him spot at top of Aria

2009-12-13T05:55:00.005-08:00

McBeath, 46, has been living and breathing CityCenter since he first saw the project on paper.

Baldwin, CityCenter's chief executive officer, brought him aboard early. McBeath actually held two jobs, serving for two years as president of Bellagio, MGM Mirage's flagship.

"Instead of taking over a property that someone else designed and built, Bobby gave me a chance to do (Aria) from the ground up," McBeath said. "I was in all the presentations for the selection of the architect. That helped us in terms of design and operational support."

McBeath was born and raised in Las Vegas. He is a graduate of Clark High School and a 1986 graduate of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

After school, he entered a yearlong casino management-training program with Michael Gaughan in which he learned aspects of casino life including dealing cards, the cashiers' cage, and the race and sports book.

A year later, he joined Wynn's Golden Nugget Corp., where he met Baldwin, one of the company's top executives. McBeath and Baldwin connected, beginning a 23-year working association. The pair also shared a love of poker. Baldwin is the 1978 World Series of Poker champion.

McBeath was director of marketing for the 1989 opening of The Mirage. Nearly a decade later, he helped Baldwin open Bellagio. Now, 20 years after The Mirage, McBeath oversees the 4,004-room Aria.

"Since The Mirage opened, tens of billions of dollars have been spent on development and growth in Las Vegas," McBeath said. "Even with all those openings, CityCenter and Aria have clearly created the greatest amount of excitement and anticipation."

As the 60-story Aria took shape over the last five years, McBeath found himself working outside of his area of expertise. He's a gaming guy, yet, he was thinking about all the aspects of Aria.

"I was pushed out of my comfort zone to think outside of the box," McBeath said. "We had to consider how all these different elements were going to complement one another and how they had to be integrated seamlessly."

Question: What was different about building Aria compared with other projects?

Answer: Most of my design expertise had been in room remodels, restaurant change-outs or adding nightclubs. I guess I was becoming an expert at re-creating or rebranding existing space.

I had to push myself to not be caught doing something we've already done. That was really our core design development principle. If we've seen it already, we didn't want to do it.

Question: What do you think will surprise customers about Aria?

Answer: I think people look at the exterior with its architecture, curvilinear design, its glass and its steel and they think they are coming into a very sterile, ultramodern environment. We've created a very warm and contemporary environment using organic colors and fabrics and finishes. This allows the architectural design to create a sense of space and place.

Question: How did MGM Mirage's and CityCenter's financial troubles last spring affect people working on the project?

Answer: There was tremendous excitement to be associated with a project of this scale and magnitude. Then, in the middle of everything, the economy collapses. It was a really bumpy road and we didn't know what the final outcome would be. It took a great emotional toll on a lot of us. We could see the finish line but we realized we might not get there.

Question: What changed when CityCenter was fully funded?

Answer: Going through those gyrations wasn't productive as they related to a preopening program. All of sudden, we had less time and less money than we had two months before, yet we never changed the opening date. It was a little hectic. Now, I'm looking forward to people seeing the finished product with all the colors and textures and space planning. I want to see the look on people's faces when they see that it isn't just developerspeak hyperbole. We truly created something unique and different.

Question: Were there opportunities when you joined the gaming industry after graduating UNLV?

Answer: I came in at a time when the industry was very receptive to new talent and different perspectives. We were becoming much more of a Wall Street-respected industry and profession. The industry started going after college graduates and I was one of the first people to have the opportunity.

Question: Who wins a game of heads-up, no limit hold 'em poker, you or Bobby?

Answer: Bobby. I know him pretty well and he's a great study of people. He knows me better than anybody but my wife. I've learned a lot from Bobby about life. He brings a very distinct and unique perspective.

Contact reporter Howard Stutz at hstutz@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3871.

Finian's Star Baldwin Will Create Her Own Rainbow at Feinstein's Dec. 13

2009-12-13T05:55:00.003-08:00

For reservations, call (212) 339-4095 or visit http://feinsteinsatloewsregency.com.

Finian's Rainbow opened Oct. 29 at the St. James Theatre. Baldwin, who has regional, Broadway and concert credits, ascended to the role of Broadway leading lady with the production, earning rapturous reviews. The New York Times critic Charles Isherwood said she performs "with sophistication and sincerity" and has a "cool, pure soprano" that provides "magic" throughout the show.

Baldwin's Broadway credits include The Full Monty, Thoroughly Modern Millie (original cast) and Wonderful Town (Helen). In new York City, she appeared in Stephen Sondheim's Opening Doors at Zankel Hall; Babes in Arms, A Connecticut Yankee, Bloomer Girl and Finian's Rainbow (all by City Center Encores!). Regionally, her work has included Irving Berlin's White Christmas (Betty Haynes) in Toronto, San Francisco, and Detroit; The Women (Mary Haines) at The Old Globe; Henry V (Katharine) at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey; South Pacific (Nellie, Helen Hayes Award nomination) at Arena Stage; She Loves Me (Amalia) at Huntington Theatre Company and Williamstown Theatre Festival; A Little Night Music (Charlotte) at CenterStage; My Fair Lady (Eliza) at Sacramento Music Circus; Hello Dolly! (Irene Molloy); Miss Saigon (Ellen); Guys and Dolls (Sarah Brown) at Paper Mill Playhouse; The Sound of Music (Maria); The Pajama Game (Babe), The Music Man (Marian) and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Milly) at the St. Louis Muny; Passion (Clara) at Wilma Theatre; The Last Five Years (Cathy) at Repertory Theatre of St. Louis; 1776 (Martha) at Ford's Theatre. Her concert work includes appearances at the Chicago Humanities Festival, with the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, DC, with the Portland Symphony Orchestra and in New York City with Rob Fisher for The American Songbook series at Lincoln Center. In 2009, she was the solo vocalist for "A Conversation with Stephen Sondheim" at Northeastern University as well as at The Kravis Center in West Palm Beach. She appeared on TV's "Law and Order: SVU." Baldwin is a graduate of Northwestern University. Visit www.kate-baldwin.com.

Berman (of Encores! and the current Finian's Rainbow) serves as music director for the "Let's See What Happens" album; the orchestrations are by Jason Robert Brown, Sam Davis, Joel Fram, Steve Marzullo, Joshua Rosenblum, Georgia Stitt, Joseph Thalken and Jonathan Tunick. The album also features a special appearance by Jonathan Tunick and His Broadway Moonlighters.

Baldwin told Playbill.com in June, "I had the extraordinary good fortune to star in Finian's Rainbow this spring [in the Encores! concert series] and fell in love with Burton Lane and Yip Harburg all over again. I have such a strong, personal connection to their work � I've loved Burton Lane's beautiful melodies for years and am still discovering Yip Harburg lyrics that delight me. I felt like they'd be the perfect companions as I embark on my first solo album."

The track listing follows:

"That Something Extra Special" Jule Styne & E.Y. Harburg (from Darling of the Day, 1968)

"How About You?" Burton Lane & Ralph Freed (from "Babes on Broadway," 1941)

"Moments Like This" Burton Lane & Frank Loesser (from "College Swing," 1938)

"Come Back to Me" Burton Lane & Alan Jay Lerner (from On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, 1965)

"Here's to Your Illusions" Sammy Fain & E.Y. Harburg (from Flahooley, 1951)

"Have Feet, Will Dance" Burton Lane & Dorothy Fields (from the TV musical "Junior Miss," 1957)

"How Are Things in Glocca Morra?" Burton Lane & E.Y. Harburg (from Finian's Rainbow, 1947)

"Poor You" Burton Lane & E.Y. Harburg (from "Ship Ahoy," 1942)

"Paris Is a Lonely Town" Harold Arlen & E.Y. Harburg (from "Gay Purr-ee," 1962)

"I Like the Likes of You" Vernon Duke & E.Y. Harburg (from Ziegfeld Follies of 1934)

"Let's See What Happens"/"Open Your Eyes" Jule Styne & E.Y. Harburg (from Darling of the Day, 1968)/Burton Lane & Alan Jay Lerner (from "Royal Wedding," 1951)

"Where Have I Seen Your Face Before?" Burton Lane & E.Y. Harburg

"He Wasn't You" Burton Lane & Alan Jay Lerner (from On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, 1965)

"I Don't Think I'll End It All Today" Harold Arlen & E.Y. Harburg (from Jamaica, 1957)

"The World Is in My Arms" Burton Lane & E.Y. Harburg (from Hold On to Your Hats, 1940)

The CD booklet includes liner notes by Harold Prince.

For more about PS Classics, devoted to the American songbook and the heritage of theatre music, visit PSClassics.com.

Record-setting win for Baldwin-Tener

2009-12-13T05:55:00.001-08:00

HAMPTON, Va. — The East Carolina women's basketball team walked off the court at the HU Convocation Center on Saturday with a 65-61 victory over Hampton and a record for its head coach.

Saturday's victory was the 111th for ECU coach Sharon Baldwin-Tener, making her the program's winningest coach.

“In the time I've been here we've had a lot of good players,” said Baldwin-Tener, who passed Catherine Bolton for first place. “We've had a lot of good assistant coaches. And we've had a lot of good people involved with the program. It's a lot more than one person.

“It also means I've been here a long time,” she added with a chuckle.

After watching her squad suffer a 57-45 loss to Garder-Webb in its last game, Baldwin-Tener said she was pleased with how her team responded Saturday.

“I was proud with the way we came out and played,” she said. “We played with a lot more intesity.

“If you're going to be a good team, you have to be able to win on the road.”

After giving ECU a 46-43 advantage with a pull-up jumper in the lane with 7 minutes, 56 seconds left, Ashley Clarke then began to turn up the defense, stealing and blocking balls on the way to giving her team a 57-49 advantage with just 3:41 remaining. Hampton tried to rally, but came no closer than four the rest of the way.

Hampton jumped out to a 6-5 lead at the 15:31 mark in the first half thanks to a pair of 3-pointers by Choicetta McMillan. Over the next four minutes, the teams traded baskets to make the score 10-9 in favor of the home team with 11:54 left in the half.

ECU (8-1) began to push ahead from there, producing a 16-5 run that put it ahead 25-15 at the last media timeout of the period.

The visiting Lady Pirates took a 33-25 lead into the break as the squads combined to score the last seven points on free throws.

Hampton came out of the locker room shooting, putting together a 8-2 run to pull within 35-33 at the 15:43 mark.

Breanna Jones tied the game at 39, capping off a modest 4-2 run, but Jean Best put ECU back in front by converting a three-point play.

Jones then hit a jumper to make the score 42-41 with 11:18 remaining in the contest.

Clarke, Kim Gay and Allison Spivey each scored 12 points to lead East Carolina.

ECU had the distinct advantage from the field, shooting at 43.5 percent, while holding Hampton to just 29.7 efficiency.

East Carolina returns to action Saturday against Houston-Baptist at the South Florida Shootout in Tampa, Fla. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.

— ECU Media Relations

Lawmakers urge openness as Baldwin County residents are asked to approve sales ...

2009-12-12T15:50:00.001-08:00

Lawmakers urge openness as Baldwin County residents are asked to approve sales tax hike By Connie Baggett December 12, 2009, 8:11AM ROBERTSDALE, Ala. -- State lawmakers said Friday that Baldwin school leaders must show a strong plan and plenty of openness as they encourage voters to support a sales tax increase. "I know schools today are not the schools of my youth," said Rep. Randy Davis, R-Daphne, "with first television, then the Internet, then cell phones and distance learning, Facebook and so on. Schools are not open to visitors, but I would hope you could open them up so people can see what kind of learning is going on." Local lawmakers, school board members and county commissioners met Friday to share advice and support at a time of an unprecedented funding crisis for Baldwin schools. Earlier in the week, commissioners approved a 1-cent sales tax referendum - tentatively set for March - for the school system that serves 27,000 students. Board President Tracy Roberts said Friday that schools will invite the voting public inside their doors to see what's happening. Also, she said, the board is preparing a sweeping effort to clearly explain the status of system finances and the importance of the extra tax. She said that the board would spread information through the system Web site and through public meetings. "We will use every means available to get the message to the voters," Roberts said. Under current estimates, severe cuts in state funding will cost the system $61 million by 2010. Administrators and the board have laid off hundreds of teachers and support staff, closed two schools and warned of more cuts on the horizon. The extra sales tax - extending for three years - would be expected to produce about $25 million annually for the school system. Several residents spoke at the meeting, all expressing support for the school system, its leadership and the tax. South Baldwin Chamber Foundation for Education vice president Terry Burkle said she believes that if the referendum fails, an economic plunge for the county would follow. "It's our opinion the effects go far beyond layoffs of teachers and more school closings," Burkle said. "We cannot do economic development here without a strong school system. Strong schools are the key component to development." She said that the effects could be "catastrophic." Schools Superintendent Faron Hollinger said the vote would be a defining moment for Baldwin County, even though he will be gone by the time voters cast ballots. Hollinger will step down from his post on Dec. 31.

"Complicated" Simplifies Mature Romance

2009-12-12T01:28:00.005-08:00

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - "It's Complicated" is a middle-aged sex comedy but with more rom-com urges than farcical ones. It's from writer-director Nancy Meyers, who has found a comfort zone in gentle, even warm comedies about older adults facing complications that re-direct their lives into pleasantly unexpected emotional channels. "Complicated" forges ahead with these themes. Because no one else in Hollywood seemingly makes movies for middle-aged moviegoers, especially women, Meyers inevitably scores box-office successes, and this one should forge ahead in that area, too. Universal releases the film Christmas Day.

What Meyers doesn't do is take chances. She sticks to formula and predictability. In "Complicated," this is as much a matter of casting as writing.

Meryl Streep, apparently not wasting any cooking lessons she had for "Julie & Julia," plays a divorced owner/pastry chef of a successful Santa Barbara bakery/restaurant. She is only now coming to terms with her divorce from Alec Baldwin, who dumped her 10 years earlier for a much younger woman. Even so, shopping for plastic surgery and building an extension to her rustic house indicate a certain restlessness despite her apparent equanimity.

The graduation of one of their three grown children on the East Coast throws her together with her ex at a time when his wife (Lake Bell) isn't around. Wine flows, sparks fly and -- you would never guess, but then again, you probably will -- the two launch an unplanned, drunken affair. Suddenly, Streep is the "other" woman.

But the casting foreshadows most of the dramatic turns. Baldwin has developed a second career in films and television by more or less spoofing his macho image. So his character, a comic exaggeration of male befuddlement with womankind, is never a credible life choice for the restaurateur. Then, too, Steve Martin has just walked in: He's the architect who is going to change her life with that home extension, and you know, even though he's more subdued than you might expect, that he isn't in the story to discuss the importance of retaining walls.

Police impersonator in Baldwin County

2009-12-12T01:28:00.003-08:00

Police impersonator in Baldwin County

Updated: Friday, 11 Dec 2009, 7:01 PM CSTPublished : Friday, 11 Dec 2009, 7:01 PM CST

STAPLETON, Ala. - A man portraying a police officer pulled over a 19-year-man in the Stapleton area on Highway 31.

The victim told the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office he was suspicious of the unmarked car, so he kept driving until he came to the Tom Thumb where there was more light. The imposter never stopped, and that's how the victim knew he wasn't a real policeman.

People in the Stapleton area are being extra cautious.

Brent Pugh said you always have to be ready, and that people will do anything these days.

"You definitely don't want to get caught in a situation where no one is around and it's dark and this guy turns out not to be a real police officer and that could turn ugly real fast," Pugh said.

Joey Brown said he thinks spotting a fake cop would be hard to do.

"How would you know, really? People are taught to obey the law and go by what they say and stop, and this guy is out here doing the opposite. It's a scary situation," added Brown.

Georgia McCrory isn't going to take any risks, either. She said if she sees the blue lights in the rear view mirror, she'll keep driving until she finds a safe place to stop.

"If it's a real cop, I would just tell him why I did that. Because I was alone and scared, and just wanted to protect myself," she said.

The sheriff's office is reminding people to be on guard. Major Anthony Lowery said this time year incidents like this happen more often.

"But it's just the time of the year that everybody needs to be on the lookout. Alot of people are out staying out later shopping, they're by themselves, running errands by themselves last minute as the holiday season approaches. So you need to on alert for everything," Lowery said.

If you have any information on the police impersonator please call the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office.

Baldwin Will Go Back To School

2009-12-12T01:28:00.001-08:00

more images

ALEC BALDWIN is eyeing a return to school to complete a graduate degree when he walks away from acting.

The movie star has vowed to bow out of showbusiness when his current contract on hit sitcom 30 Rock expires.

Despite boasting an Oscar nomination, two Golden Globes and two Emmy Awards, Baldwin insists his body of work is nothing to be proud of and considers his “entire movie career a complete failure”.

And the star is determined to turn his talents to something else by heading back to the classroom.

He tells news show Extra, “I’m doing (new movie It’s Complicated) and I’m going to do the TV show for a couple more years. It’s the best job I ever had and it’s so much fun. I love doing the show (30 Rock) with Tina Fey - she’s so funny - but, I’m thinking in a couple of years, maybe, I want to try something different for a while… I don’t know.

“I could go back to school again and finish my degree. I have an undergraduate degree. I want to get a graduate degree. I’m thinking about a lot of different things because what I’m doing now, it’s very time consuming.”

« Previous

East the least when it comes to NBA's elite

2009-12-11T10:21:00.005-08:00

Even though some teams in the East, like Toronto, brought in new systems and players, little has changed this season and teams from the West continue to dominate.

For the better part of this decade, the NBA's Western Conference has been the Alec Baldwin to the Eastern Conference's other three Baldwin brothers.

Each year, six or seven of the league's more serious contenders resided out West. In the East, that number maxed out at three, usually.

The balance of power was supposed to even out this year. Western powers such as Phoenix and Dallas were aging their way into irrelevance. And Eastern teams such as Washington and Chicago were destined to make a leap in the standings.

More than a quarter of the way through the season, however, nothing has changed. Heading into last night's play, nine teams in the Western Conference were above .500. In the East only five teams could make the same claim.

To further illustrate the run-of-the-mill nature that pervades in the East: eight teams in the conference are three games or more below .500. In the West, only five such teams exist.

"There's going to be no shape developing until 50 games," Washington coach Flip Saunders last week. His Wizards were just one game out of eighth place last night despite being 7-12.

"A lot of [teams] have new people coming in," Saunders said.

"Toronto's got new people they're trying to integrate ... into their system, and what they're trying to do from an offensive and defensive standpoint. You can't get a snapshot of a team through 15, 20 games even. It's going to take 30, 40 games before you know what you have."

In other words, Raptors fans: Feel free to release your angst over every loss (Wednesday night's defeat in Milwaukee was rather maddening), but don't get overly concerned. As long as Toronto does not win too many games or lose too many games in a row, nothing drastic is going to change in the next couple of months.

The reasons for the East's continued mediocrity vary. Teams such as the seventh-place Bobcats, who acquired Steven Jackson last month, are adjusting to new players; Chicago (7-13) has stumbled trying to replace the departed Ben Gordon; Washington is dealing with a new coach and players returning from injury.

And then there are the Raptors, the perfect storm of unreliable. Toronto has a new system to adjust to, new players to work in and a few injuries to work through. Throw in a significant road trip out west in November and their 10-14 record is completely understandable, if disappointing.

However, with six of their final nine games of 2009 at home, the Raptors have a chance to put themselves near the top of the second group of the conference. (Orlando, Boston, Atlanta and Cleveland have established a cushion at the top of the conference and, barring injury, seem likely to stay there.)

There is little reason to believe that Toronto should not be able to take at least five of those home games, with Atlanta being the only upper-echelon team coming to the Air Canada Centre to close the calendar year.

If evenings such as Wednesday continue, though, the Raptors will continue to bumble along amiably, but ultimately with little purpose. The club's big off-season acquisition, Hedo Turkoglu, is a large reason why the Raptors remain middling.

With both Jose Calderon (hip) and Andrea Bargnani (ankle) out against the Bucks, the stage should have been set for Turkoglu to finally exhibit some primacy. He wound up taking just eight field goal attempts in 31 mostly passive minutes.

His hesitance in Wisconsin was largely a Polaroid of his season to date.

And without their highest-paid players taking control, the Raptors seem doomed to accepting average status for the next little while.

National Post

ekoreen@nationalpost.com

'30 Rock' recap: Sharkfarts for all! The 10 best lines from 'Secret Santa'

2009-12-11T10:21:00.003-08:00

What I wouldn’t give to see Alec Baldwin and Julianne Moore perform a full-on version of “Hey, Beantown!” This episode of 30 Rock had some awesome Liz/Jack moments, a nice little storyline for Pete and Danny, and the invention of a whole new pizza-loving religion. These are the 10 best lines from “Secret Santa.”

“Those sites are for horny married chicks with kids who want to exchange pervy e-mails with their high-school boyfriends.” Liz, whose haircut is, uh, growing out

“Would you get us some pens?” — Jack, who’s been fingertagged

“There are definitely faces here, but they are not being treated with respect.” — Liz, who’s putting a hyphen in it

“The healing power of root beer, that a man can have up to nine wives if two of them are male, and we always leave work to go to the movies on Merlinpeane.” — Twofer, Lutz, and Frank, who need to be punished by an angry god

“It’s like a shag carpet! I want to sit on it and play a board game!” — Nancy, who could have pointed out that Alec Baldwin’s hair looked kind of weird in this episode

“It’s definitely not a rage stroke.” — Jenna, who loves sharing the stage

“That’s what religion is, K-Fed! Just a bunch of made-up rules to manipulate people! Why don’t Catholics eat meat on Fridays? I’ll tell you why. Because the Pope owns Long John Silver’s!” — Tracy, who has fallen into the intellectual deep end

“Weird in a good way. Like going to the gym drunk.” — Jack, whose “OMFG” is my new favorite sound

“Aww, sharkfarts!” — Liz, who’s planning on eating pasta with red sauce

“This is like watching Hemingway write. Mark Hemingway.” — Jack, who didn’t change his status to weirdsies

What’d I miss, PopWatchers?

Celebrity cast announced for Mass Effect 2 game

2009-12-11T10:21:00.001-08:00

Earlier this month, it was revealed that Mass Effect 2 would debut on two game discs. BioWare has now disclosed the stunning celebrity cast that is set to voice the in-depth characters in Mass Effect 2.

The title will feature the likes of Martin Sheen who acted in The West Wing and Apocalypse Now as well as Shohreh Aghdashloo of House of Saddam fame. Others include Seth Green from Austin Powers, ‘Chuck’ actors namely Yvonne Strahovski and Adam Baldwin and Keith David from Crash. Also included are sci-fi favorites Michael Dorn, Tricia Helfer, Michael Hogan and Carrie-Anne Moss from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Battlestar Galactica and The Matrix respectively.

Dr. Ray Muzyka, co-founder, BioWare and Group General Manager of the RPG/MMO Group of EA explained, “Emotionally engaging narrative is a key design pillar for BioWare, and the top-notch voice talent in Mass Effect 2 helps drive this goal. Credible, powerful personalities are vital to delivering a compelling story experience in BioWare’s games, and we have assembled an amazing ensemble cast that surpasses the very high bar set in the original Mass Effect!”

The Illusive Man who commands Cerberus is played by Martin Sheen while Yvonne Strahovski takes on the role of deadly Cerberus operative Miranda Lawson. Actors Seth Green and Keith David reprise their roles as Joker and Admiral David respectively. Tricia Helfer, Carrie-Anne Moss and Shohreh Aghdashloo lend their vocal talents to the characters EDI, Aria T’Loak and Admiral Shala’Raan vas Tonbay respectively. Rounding up the talents, Michael Hogan, Adam Baldwin and Michael Dorn take on the role of Captain Bailey, Kal ‘Reegar and Gatatog Uvenk respectively.

Mass Effect 2 lets gamers play as Commander Shepard and features a rich futuristic storyline, emotionally engaging character interaction and vast space exploration elements. The title is set to hit the Xbox 360 and PC in North America on January 26, 2010 and Europe on January 29, 2010.

Heartland Executives Told the Truth, Judge Says

2009-12-10T19:30:00.007-08:00

Top executives at Heartland Payment Systems spoke truthfully about the state of security at the company, a federal judge said earlier this week before dismissing a class-action lawsuit against the payment processor.

The shareholder lawsuit, filed in March, was dismissed Monday by Judge Anne Thompson of the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.

Heartland was sued by shareholders after its stock dropped nearly 80 percent following the largest data breach in U.S. history. The plaintiffs in the case say that Heartland executives lied when asked about the state of the company's security in earnings conference calls and by failing to disclose a 2007 SQL injection attack on its payroll system in Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

That December 2007 SQL injection attack was important because it gave criminals a back door into the company's payment processing system, the plaintiffs alleged. Ultimately hackers stole more than 130 million credit card numbers.

But in her opinion, Judge Thompson said that because Heartland had not confirmed the credit card hack until January 2009, the company's executives were telling the truth when they told investors that they took security seriously.

"The fact that a company has suffered a security breach does not demonstrate that the company did not 'place significant emphasis on maintaining a high level of security'," she wrote in a 14-page opinion, filed Monday.

In a Feb 13, 2008, conference call -- several months after the SQL attack -- Heartland CEO Robert Carr and Chief Financial Officer Robert Baldwin Jr. told analysts that the company had spent more than a million dollars on computer security during the last quarter of 2007, but that this spending was not in response to any security incident. Thompson found that this answer was truthful, because the Dec. 26 SQL attack happened "far too late in the quarter to have been the cause for the million-plus dollar expenditure."

"If the analysts had simply asked, 'Did you suffer a security lapse in the fourth quarter 2007?' then Defendant's answers might very well have been misleading," she wrote.

Heartland had no comment on the ruling, apart from a brief statement acknowledging that it had occurred. Lawyers representing plaintiffs in the case did not reply to messages seeking comment.

In May, 28 year-old Albert Gonzalez was charged with the crime. In court filings, he has indicated that he is willing to plead guilty to computer hacking charges, but has not been sentenced. Earlier this week, a federal case against him in New Jersey was transferred to Massachusetts, where he is also facing charges.

Alec Baldwin Gets 'Complicated'

2009-12-10T19:30:00.005-08:00

Alec Baldwin Gets ‘Complicated’ December 10th, 2009 7:00 pm / Author: Valerie Nome

Alec Baldwin brings on-again girlfriend Nicole Seidel to his premiere of It’s Complicated held Wednesday at NYC’s Paris Theatre. The 30 Rock star takes it all off in the romantic comedy taglined “divorced … with benefits,” and is eager to get the word out.

“I hope people like it,” Alec says. “It really is a fun movie.”

Stephen Baldwin can’t be more proud of his big bro.

“Listen, we’re four dumb jocks from Long Island, New York,” he tells me. “We’re not supposed to be here. This is a lot of fun, and it’s very exciting. He’s on a tremendous roll at this point in his career. To win two Emmys, and a film like this certainly could put him in contention for an Oscar nomination again.”

As Meryl Streep dashes out to greet fans, Tina Fey and hubby plus 30 Rock co-star Judah Friedlander say their “hellos” to Alec. While Oprah’s BFF Gayle King talks about the practicality of living below her means, Steve Martin shuffles through wearing tortoise-shell glasses. George Stephanopoulos plays arm candy for actress wife Alexandra Wentworth. “I’ve never seen her so happy,” George says.

Meanwhile, Lake Bell refuses to talk Tiger Woods, but she is all about her new HBO show How To Make It In America, which debuts on Valentine’s Day. Of course, there’s It’s Complicated, too.

Hm, does she believe in getting back together with an ex?

“It’s called antiquing, and I feel like it’s good sometimes, and it’s bad sometimes,” the Narciso Rodriguez-clad stunner tells me. “If two people grow, maybe, after a really long time, maybe they can become different people. I’m a big supporter of evolution.”

Marriage questions are off-limits for Tom Hanks’s wife Rita Wilson — who walks the carpet sans hubby — during press for this marriage-divorce flick, but she’s happy to chat about on-set companionship.

“It was like we were lulled into thinking we were working, but in fact, Nancy thinks we were working,” Rita tells me. “We were actually talking girl talk and eating. The only thing missing was real life. It was like girlfriends. It really was. We’ve all known each other. I’ve known Meryl from producing Mama Mia, and I’ve known Ali from mutual friends. It was a great, wonderful camaraderie. And Nancy’s a neighbor, so I see her in town. It’s really nice.”

Here’s Mariska Hargitay accompanied by her super-tall hubby Peter Hermann. (He’s awesome!) How does she stay fit? “Chasing my three-year-old,” she laughs.

What’s Alec really like?

Writer/director Nancy Meyers tells me, “He’s very political, he loves the Philharmonic – he’s a very big fan of the Philharmonic. He’s written books, he has directed a movie. He’s an actor. He’s a bit of a Renaissance man.”

And what about the rage that was revealed when his “little pig” phone message to then-11-year-old daughter Ireland was released in 2007?

“I didn’t see him have a bad temper,” Nancy tells me. “He was actually fantastic to work with, wonderful to direct, extremely open to direction. He’s been in a lot of movies and worked with a lot of great directors, which is always very intimidating on my side because you think ‘well, he just did a Scorsese movie.’ But he’s there for you, very present and very open.”

What is Meryl really like?

“You may not know how funny she is until you see her in this movie, and she’s really sexy. She’s got confidence, which is a life lesson for me.”

Time for the show.

It’s Complicated is in theaters December 25.

Hunters still missing in Baldwin County

2009-12-10T19:30:00.003-08:00

Hunters still missing in Baldwin County

Updated: Thursday, 10 Dec 2009, 7:03 PM CSTPublished : Thursday, 10 Dec 2009, 7:03 PM CST

BALDWIN COUNTY, Ala. - Day five in the search for two hunters who went missing Sunday night in the Tensaw River turned up nothing. At this point, rescue personnel have only found the canoe and a paddle. But they've found no evidence the men are dead, so the search continues.

A search and rescue official said ten boats and nearly 40 people are still helping in the search for Alan Clemons and Jason Brown.

FOX10 News was at the river and caught up with one man who has lived through this very ordeal before.

Over the last few days, Leander Foster has been reliving the past. Ten years ago, one of Foster's relatives also vanished while hunting.

"We searched about a month straight looking for him. It was about three months before we found him," Foster said.

But when they found his relative, Roland Garrett, it was not what they had hoped for.

"He was found after a beaver dam was drained. He was deteriorated a lot. He was unrecognizable but they were able to determine that was him," he said. Crews hope that won't be the case for the men they're looking for.

"With every passing day, it gets a little bit harder but we're not giving up hope," said Matt Burton with North Baldwin Sheriff's Search and Rescue.

As the strong, cold breeze blows through, boats embark fully loaded. Sonar equipment is used to scan the water, and dogs are taken along to see if they can pick up a scent. Search teams are combing over 30 miles of river banks, looking for any clues in the search of the two men.

For now, the search carries on, just as it did ten years ago for Foster.

"It worries you until you have closure," Foster says.

But Foster has his closure, and hopefully, the family of these hunters can have theirs too.

The official says miracles have happened before, so they're going to keep looking.

THE EX FACTOR Meryl Streep cozies up to Alec Baldwin, her former husband, in ...

2009-12-10T19:30:00.001-08:00

The audience for It's Complicated knows what it wants from a movie by the director of Something's Gotta Give, written for the star of Julie & Julia. And that audience gets what it wants within the first 10 minutes of Nancy Meyers' blithe, self-regarding, fitfully charming paean to the fairy-tale luck of middle-aged women wealthy enough to maintain a delightful standard of living after a divorce. As the movie opens, Jane Adler (Streep) attends a sun-dappled outdoor party where she runs into her ex-husband, Jake (Alec Baldwin), with his much younger second wife, Agness (Lake Bell). Divorced for a decade, the Adlers are on enviably pleasant terms, even as Jane, in the artful, draped wardrobe of a fleshy fiftysomething, casts a rueful look at the second Mrs. Adler's toned and flaunted bare midriff; after a 19-year marriage, Jane and Jake have the kind of easy, irreplaceable shorthand of intimacy that doesn't dissolve just because their union has.

Finally, Jane leaves, solo, and returns to her picture-book Santa Barbara home. She walks into her magazine-layout kitchen. And, no joke, the audience goes ooooh. Look at the gleaming copper pots hanging from a ceiling rack (where's my Williams-Sonoma catalog?)! Look at the bowl of luscious magenta plums (must stop at Whole Foods)! Ogle that sexy long farm-style table made for complicated cooking and convivial eating (Crate & Barrel? Nah, must be something custom-made)! Get a load of that stuff!

It's Complicated is middle-aged porn, the specialty of Meyers,   who also set ladies and interior   decorators drooling over homes and gardens in 2006's The Holiday. Specifically, the movie is middle-aged femme porn. Not that there's anything wrong with that, au contraire, but let's understand one another: This is a fantasy about a triumphant ex-wife desired all over again by her ex-husband. And for icing on the gâteau, she's admired by a second cute, successful, eligible man, too—played by Steve Martin, no less! This is the stuff of Santa Barbara book-group literature.

Streep plays an icon of an accomplished, radiant woman. (She runs her own bakery/restaurant; at one point, she actually bakes chocolate croissants on screen, probably using a recipe handed down from Julia Child.) Baldwin draws on his bank account of viewer love for his brilliant work on NBC's 30 Rock to play a rich, assertive lawyer — part chunky hunk, part Jack Donaghy. And when the two check in to the same New York hotel while attending the college graduation of their son (Weeds' Hunter Parrish), wine and reminiscence lead to a night of mind-blowing sex. (As is her prerogative, the awfully game Streep is mostly covered up; as is his, the awfully pained-looking Baldwin is often bared.) Waiting in the wings, meanwhile, with gentlemanly patience, is Martin as Adam, an architect hired to make Jane's kitchen even bigger and more beautiful. Divorced himself two years earlier, Adam is a cautious catch; he's more fun when he and Jane share a naughty hit of marijuana. Streep's Jane giggles a lot — either the expression of her joie de vivre, or else a tic. She giggles with Jake, and then with Adam, and then with Jake again. She giggles with her adult children, youthful beauties out of a Garnet Hill catalog. John Krasinski pitches in as Jane's empathic son-in-law-to-be, and she giggles with him, too.

Meyers, who wrote this original screenplay, throws in a few cheap up yours, Hollywood wives zingers, just for fun. Jane visits a   cosmetic surgeon for a consultation, then flees in outrage. (Surely no mature actress in this movie has had a consultation, right?) Jake is observed with his pants down at a fertility clinic, nagged to duty by the relentlessly unappealing Agness. These gratuitous mean moments are parts of the porn, too, I realize. But they're the dull parts. On DVD, Meyers' audience will fast-forward to the next hot scene featuring a naked copper pot. B-

See all of this week's reviews

Originally posted Dec 10, 2009

A day in the life of Rep. Tammy Baldwin: The work never ends

2009-12-10T03:56:00.003-08:00

WASHINGTON — She may still use an AOL account her cousin set up 15 years ago, but that has not stopped Tammy Baldwin from winning a sixth term in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Baldwin’s first experience in public service was on student council in middle school and she has only moved up from there. A year after college, Baldwin enrolled at the University of Wisconsin Law School. A Dane County Board opening inspired her to run for and ultimately win a supervisor seat despite continuing law school.

“People thought I was crazy, but it ended up working out very well,” Baldwin said.

In 1992, Baldwin was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly. During her third term, Rep. Scott Klug, R-Wis., announced he would not seek re-election, so Baldwin pursued the seat. She won the 1998 race and made history by becoming Wisconsin’s first congresswoman and the first non-incumbent openly gay person elected to Congress.

Baldwin’s advice for those interested in running for office: community involvement.

“I couldn’t have imagined people stepping forward to volunteer on my campaign if I hadn’t volunteered,” she said. “It’s an essential element.”

While the Democratic representative from Wisconsin was one of three who tied for the No. 1 spot in her high school class, she said prospective public servants should simply try to be well-rounded.

“We are best served if our legislatures reflect the diversity of America. … I think people should pursue their interests,” she said.

Inside the halls of Congress

A week after her first election, Baldwin and the rest of the representatives-elect were in Washington for freshman orientation. There, they learned such essentials as ethics, parliamentary procedure and how to set up an office and access the budget.

Much of the Baldwin office’s day-to-day operations are managed by her Chief of Staff Bill Murat. The representative spends her days running between her office, committee rooms and the House chambers for votes and debates.

When not meeting with constituents or lobbyists, there’s a good chance Baldwin is at committee. She sits on the Committee on Energy and Commerce, which recently heard from government officials and experts on H1N1 preparedness. After more than an hour of repetitive opening statements by those sitting on the committee, a vote was called before Baldwin got to question the witnesses.

Every time there’s a vote, buzzers sound, alerting representatives it is time to take the underground subway to the Capitol.

Vote timing can be quite strategic, especially for contentious issues.

“There’s days where you’re going back and forth 20 times,” Baldwin said.

Even with ubiquitous BlackBerrys, her staff sometimes struggles to stay in the loop.

“I just ran into her. She was all scattered, she didn’t know where she was,” one of her staff members said, who was trying to keep her on schedule after she “disappeared” from committee.

“She said she was going to get some soup and come up,” press secretary Jerilyn Goodman said.

Shortly after, Baldwin arrived, soup in hand, and proceeded to meet with lobbyists in her office, 20 minutes late.

To compromise or not to compromise

“I tried to be clear about the things that I wouldn’t compromise on,” Baldwin said, “but on the vast majority of issues, I’m guided by my constituency.”

In 1999, Baldwin opposed the war in Kosovo, voting against the wishes of President Bill Clinton and most of her party.

“Votes of war and peace are very much votes of conscience,” she said.

She also asserts she will not compromise on matters of civil rights. Baldwin has been a leader on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues.

Three weeks ago, a House committee debated a bill she authored that would extend benefits to domestic partners of federal employees.

Baldwin sat in the public sitting area to listen as many Democratic representatives spoke in favor of the bill and thanked her for authoring it. Many Republican representatives responded by introducing a handful of amendments designed to water down the bill.

At one point, the committee discussed the possibility of gay Mexicans illegally crossing the border to marry federal employees just to get health insurance.

Despite such antics, the committee passed the bill after about five hours.

The bill is personally significant for Baldwin because, in Wisconsin, she can neither legally marry nor provide her longtime partner Lauren Azar with her employment benefits.

“I can’t cover Lauren on my health insurance,” she said.

President Barack Obama has publicly supported the bill and Baldwin expects it to come to a floor vote this month.

The little things in life

When asked her assessment of her first decade in Congress, Baldwin said she is proud of her accomplishments but added, “I won’t be satisfied till my constituents are back to work. … There’s a lot more to do.”

She is particularly proud of the individual advocacy she does on behalf of constituents having trouble with federal agencies.

“When we go to bat and we’re successful. … That is so rewarding,” Baldwin said.

Given the fighting for her constituents and trying to solve all the nation’s problems, it is understandable Baldwin still has not found time to switch to Gmail.

Steve Martin, Meryl Streep & Alec Baldwin Debut New Movie

2009-12-10T03:56:00.001-08:00

ET joined Steve Martin, Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin at the premiere of their new comedy, 'It's Complicated,' in New York on Wednesday night, and the stars dished about working together and weighed in on the Tiger Woods scandal!

"I'm very proud to be in the movie," Steve told ET. "We've got such a great cast of people [who] I got along with so well."

"It was a riot because they're two of the funniest men on the face of the earth," Meryl said about working with Steve and Alec.

"It's a beautiful film," added Alec. "Adult romantic comedies are just a little more honest I think than other romantic comedies because adult people are going to do crazy things."

The star trio's big-screen comedy about love, divorce and everything in between arrives in theaters Christmas Day.

Keep watching the video for more with their co-stars John Krasinski and Rita Wilson, writer/director Nancy Meyers, plus Tina Fey and Stephen Baldwin!

Baldwin Pesters CH Girls With Ball Pressure

2009-12-09T12:58:00.009-08:00

Wednesday, 09 December 2009 08:00 If there was one weakness last season for a Central Heights girls’ basketball team, which won 17 games as well as the Pioneer League title, it was an inability to handle ball pressure applied by opposing teams, coach David Clayton said.

Baldwin exposed that flaw in Friday’s season opener, forcing Central Heights into 23 turnovers and sending the Vikings to a 53-41 home loss.

“We did not handle their pressure very well,” Clayton said. “It was a good experience early in the year for us. We will have to see how we respond to this.”

With 6-foot, 1-inch junior Marissa Cox in the post, Clayton knows his guards have to get the ball down low to her and 6-foot-2 sophomore Katelin Horstick.

The Vikings were able to get the ball down the lane in the first quarter, but they missed three short shots that could have allowed them to at least stay within one or two possessions, or perhaps pull even or grab a lead.

Poor free-throw shooting also cost the Vikings early on, as they made only one of five from the line in the first quarter and finished 14-for-28 overall. Those missed points allowed Baldwin to stay in front and gain a 13-6 lead after the first quarter.

Central Heights’ scrappy play in the second quarter kept the game within single digits. After a three-point play by Karly Schulte midway through the quarter, Megan Swendson sank a free throw less than 15 seconds later to put the Vikings within five.

Schulte scored seven points. Casey Droddy led the Vikings with nine points. Cox added eight points, and Shelby Droddy had six.

Baldwin cranked up the pressure a short time later, and the Vikings weren’t able to get the ball in the paint for short jump shots and lay-ups. The Bulldogs’ strong play on the defensive end turned into easy transition points on offense.

Not only did Baldwin use lay-ups to end the first half strong and start to take control of the game, but it was the Bulldogs’ ability to make jump shots — particularly Taylor Brown, who made two 3-pointers and a mid-range jumper in the final 63 seconds of the second quarter to give Baldwin a 34-18 halftime lead.

Looking to force Baldwin’s guards into committing turnovers, Central Heights implemented a half defense, using Cox at the top of the key with Clayton hoping her height could help tip passes and cause turnovers.

But Baldwin was able to work the ball around and sink open shot after open shot, particularly on the wings.

“I didn’t know what their percentage was (on 3-pointers), but you’re going to lose to a lot of teams who have three or four girls who shoot 3-pointers like they can,” Clayton said.

A defensive clinic was put on by Baldwin during the third quarter. Forcing six turnovers in the frame, many as a result of bad passes by the Vikings or steals by the Bulldogs, Baldwin was able to continue to pad its lead, going up to 48-24 on a basket by Brown with 3:03 remaining in the quarter. Brown and Allison Howard were a two-woman show for the Bulldogs, combining for 29 points.

Central Heights’ offense came to life in a fourth quarter, in which the Vikings were able to move the ball around. Jordan Rickerson buried a 12-foot jumper to pull the Vikings to within 12 points, but the basket came with only 18 seconds remaining in the contest.

Central Heights this week will play host to its annual invitational tournament. The Vikings open against West Franklin on Monday. Spring Hill and Cair Paravel fill out their side of the bracket. Osawatomie, St. James Academy, Wellsville and Osage City are on the other. Semifinals for Central Heights’ bracket take place Thursday, with place games Friday.

“We’re going to get tested hard and early,” Clayton said. “I’m glad the tournament has teams like Osage City, Spring Hill, St. James Academy, because I’d rather have a tournament that’s full of good teams that test you every single night than against somebody we beat by 20 points and don’t get anything out of it.”

Baldwin's quitting, or so he says

2009-12-09T12:58:00.007-08:00

Baldwin’s quitting, or so he says

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�Do we believe it?� That was the response from the film and theatre critic Matt Wolf to the news that the 30 Rock star Alec Baldwin has decided to quit acting because he considers his entire movie career a �complete failure�.In an interview with Men�s Journal, the 51-year-old actor said last week: �Movies are a part of my past, it�s been 30 years – I�m not young, but I have time to do something else ... it�s a difficult thing to say, but I believe it: I consider my entire movie career a complete failure.�

Baldwin wants to end his career once the comedy series 30 Rock wraps in 2012. But none of the critics I contacted could believe Baldwin was going to walk.�His career has been on the highest roll it has ever been,� said Matt Wolf. �He has won Emmys for hit sitcom 30 Rock, he is presenting this year�s Oscars with Steve Martin and his new movie It�s Complicated is just about to open,� said Matt Wolf. �What�s the problem?�

Observers believe Baldwin may exchange his TV career for one in politics. He is known in Hollywood as a committed liberal – he was famously lampooned for it in the movie Team America, by the makers of South Park – and has admitted he would like to run for the Governorship of New York. �I�m de Tocqueville compared to [California governor] Schwarzenegger� he said.�He has the public�s attention,� said Wolf, �so this could be a good time. But if he is worried about failure, politics is full of it.�

Baldwin is hardly the only successful star to announce that he is tired of acting. In fact, you�d be forgiven for thinking they do it all the time.Joaquin Phoenix made headline news this year when he announced he was quitting to become a rapper. The star of Walk the Line seemed disoriented in several nightclub appearances as well as during a TV interview with David Letterman, who was driven to joke to his studio guest �it�s a pity you couldn�t be here with us tonight.� Phoenix is yet to release an album.

Anthony Hopkins, who in his drinking years was famous for leaving his own dinner parties halfway through and turning off the lights, much to the astonishment of his guests, announced in 1998 that he was quitting acting for good. �Acting is bad for the mental health. I can�t take it any more. This has got to stop. I have wasted my life � To hell with this stupid show business, this ridiculous showbiz, this futile wasteful life,� he said. Since then, he�s appeared in 17 films

Nicholas Cage remarked earlier this year: �Some movie stars look like they are having a ball, but I�m tired of it. It has made me reclusive.� However, that comment came before it was reported that Cage was hit with a $6.5 million (Dh24 billion) tax bill. He currently has 12 projects on the go.Actress Jamie Lee Curtis quit in 2006, only to appear as Aunt Viv in Beverly Hills Chihauhua last year. Hayden Christensen considered leaving acting behind in 2005, Freddie Prinze Jnr �quit� in 2003 and Phoebe Cates did the same in 1994. All have since returned to the silver screen.

While Sean Connery, Madonna, Gene Hackman and Quentin Tarantino have quit and stuck to their guns, why do so many others flounce but then return? Economics plays a part, but for the Sunday Times film writer Stephen Armstrong, the psychological make up of creative types holds the key.Alec Baldwin, says Armstrong, is a tortured soul, prone to depressive interludes with a private life to match. His divorce from Kim Basinger led to a famously messy seven year custody battle over their daughter Ireland. Things got so bad he published a book about the ordeal in 2008, A Promise To Ourselves.

Baldwin�s pending exit from acting could simply be a cry for help, says Armstrong. Whatever the reason, Baldwin is �being unfair on himself. He�s definitely got more reason to be proud of his career than most of us.�.* Andy Pemberton

It's Complicated – interviews with Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, Steve Martin ...

2009-12-09T12:58:00.005-08:00

Home » It’s Complicated – interviews with Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, Steve Martin and John Krasinski It’s Complicated – interviews with Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, Steve Martin and John Krasinski Tagged with: Interviews It's Complicated Trailers and Videos

It’s Complicated hits theaters on December 25, 2009. We’ll eventually have our review of the film so you can decide if it should be a part of your holiday season, but until then here’s the stars (Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, Steve Martin and John Krasinski) talking about the film from director Nancy Meyers.

Also, here’s a quick plot synopsis of the film … Jane (Streep) is finally getting over her divorce a decade ago from Jake (Baldwin) when suddenly they find another spark. Now she must try to balance her family, her ex, and a potential new boyfriend (Martin).

Interview with Meryl Streep, who plays Jane.

Interview with Alec Baldwin, who plays Jake.

Interview with Steve Martin, who plays Adam.

Interview with John Krasinki, who plays Harley.

After 2 days of searching, no sign of missing Baldwin County hunters

2009-12-09T12:58:00.003-08:00

A North Baldwin Sheriff's Search and Rescue boat runs up the Tensaw River in Baldwin County Monday, Dec. 7, 2009. CROSSROADS, Ala. -- At sundown Tuesday, boats of volunteers and law enforcement agencies returned to Cliff's Landing as authorities shut down the second day of searching for a pair of Baldwin County hunters missing since Sunday afternoon.

"We're still hoping for the best and regarding this as a rescue mission," said Matt Burton, a spokesman for the North Baldwin Sheriff's Search and Rescue squad.

Still, crews began using side-scan sonar Tuesday to inspect the bottom of Tensaw River, while a pair of trained search dogs sniffed for the men's bodies on land, adding a "recovery" element to the effort, Burton said.

He said the search will continue Wednesday morning for Alan Clemons, 29, and Jason Brown, 23, both from the Hurricane Bayou community north of Bromley, who were last seen rowing their canoe south at about 1:30 p.m. Sunday, north of Byrnes Lake on the Tensaw River.

A volunteer searching by boat today discovered a rowing paddle floating in the river that family members later identified as belonging to one of the two men, said Alabama Marine Police Officer Jessie Peacock.

The paddle was found a mile south of the site where the pair's canoe was discovered at Cloverleaf Landing at about 5 p.m. Sunday, nearly two miles south of Gravine Island in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta, Peacock said.

The paddle's location gives a clue about where the men's bodies might have drifted, if they indeed drowned, he said. Burton said that, if the men drowned, the cold water could prevent their bodies from surfacing for roughly seven days.

The operation coordinated from Cliff's Landing in Crossroads, west of Bay Minette, also involved the Alabama Marine Police, U.S. Coast Guard, Mobile Sheriff's Flotilla, Daphne Search and Rescue Squad, the Southwest Panhandle Search and Rescue K-9 team and several individuals, Peacock said. The Coast Guard was no longer involved in the search effort today, Burton said.

HOOKIPA, BALDWIN PARKS MAY REOPEN TODAY

2009-12-09T12:58:00.001-08:00

PAIA - With the monster surf of the last couple of days losing some of its punch, Maui County will consider today whether to reopen Hookipa and Baldwin beach parks, both closed Monday because of dangerous surf.

On Tuesday, the county had received no reports of injuries or of property damage from the heavy surf hitting the island's north and west shores, county spokeswoman Mahina Martin said.

Hundreds of people flocked Tuesday to the surf spot known as Jaws in Peahi.

Although she did not have specific numbers of people at Jaws, "the numbers were larger as the day went on," Martin said.While traffic in the area was congested, it was not as choked as Monday because Maui Land & Pineapple Co. opened up a nearby field for parking and to help relieve traffic, Martin said.

Wave faces at Jaws were reported as high as 40 feet, she said.

At Hookipa, officials opened the top parking lot and overlook to relieve some traffic congestion and to allow people to view the big surf, she said. Police directed traffic at Hookipa and monitored the situation at Peahi. Vehicles parked illegally were cited.

Officials put up electronic signboards in Paia to advise motorists of traffic congestion on Hana Highway and to suggest taking alternative routes, Martin said, adding that many motorists cooperated and avoided the area.

On Tuesday, county parks workers were at Baldwin Beach Park, removing sand that waves swept into pavilions, she said.

In West Maui, conditions were ripe Tuesday for the first day of the Billabong Pro at Honolua Bay. (For more, see Sports.)

The National Weather Service reported that a high-surf warning for the north- and west-facing shores of Molokai and Maui would remain in effect until 6 p.m. today.

Glenn James, senior weather analyst at the Pacific Disaster Center, said that while surf will be diminishing today, it "may come up a little bit this weekend," also from the northwest, but not as big as this latest episode.

Then, after a pause, surf big enough to trigger high-surf warnings is expected to arrive on Monday or Tuesday, he said.

The conditions suggest Maui will see periods of high surf for several more months. The winter high surf visits the islands as early as October and runs as late as February, James said.

"It's normal to see big swells come charging toward Maui's north and west shores this time of year - to the delight of our surfing community," he said.

But the recent swell is larger than what's normal for the winter season, he said.

"Some wait several years for this kind of surf event," James said.

For those on land, trade winds are expected to return today, along with pleasant, dry weather, he said. With no nearby cold fronts, rain will be sparse, and sea-level temperatures will be in the upper 70s and low 80s, with overnight lows in the 60s.

* Brian Perry can be reached at citydesk@mauinews.com.

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Few Mobile County students sign up for swine flu vaccine

2009-12-08T21:54:00.007-08:00

A nasal mist swine flu vaccine is shown at a school-based clinic at Southwest Alabama Regional School for the Deaf and Blind on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009, in Mobile, Ala. Eleven students received the vaccine at the school. As of Friday, 416 of Mobile County's youngest pupils in 10 public schools had received the swine flu nasal mist vaccine, a number that has disappointed some officials. MOBILE, Ala. -- As of Friday, 416 of Mobile County's youngest pupils in 10 public schools had received the swine flu nasal mist vaccine, officials said. In Baldwin County, 3,125 students ages 4 to 9 got the mist vaccinations at public schools last week, said spokesman Terry Wilhite. Baldwin's clinics were held over two days at all 28 elementary and intermediate schools, Wilhite said. Dr. Bernard Eichold, health officer for the Mobile County, said he wished that more young people could have been vaccinated. "This can be a very serious illness that has unfortunately claimed lives," said Eichold, who leads the county's health department. Statewide, at least 36 people have died since June after being infected with swine flu, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health. Wanda Hannon, supervisor of health and social services for Mobile's 63,000-student system, said she was surprised that more parents didn't sign up their children for the free vaccine. "I think because the cases have fallen off here people aren't taking it as seriously," Hannon said. "They are seeing this as something we are doing after the fact." Delays in obtaining the swine flu vaccine have been blamed on the long process of growing flu vaccine in eggs. Mobile County school-based vaccine clinics will continue through Dec. 17, Hannon said, and start again in January. State health officials have said that even those who have experienced flu-like symptoms in recent months should get the vaccine. Swine flu -- also known as the H1N1 strain -- may continue to circulate for many months. Besides school-based clinics, Mobile County's health department is offering daily swine flu vaccine shots at its downtown Mobile offices, 251 N. Bayou St., from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for those in high priority groups. High-priority groups include pregnant women; those who live with or care for children younger than 6 months; health care and emergency medical personnel; children ages 6 months to 24 years old; and those ages 25 to 64 with medical conditions including asthma, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, HIV and certain types of arthritis. The free injections are available with no appointment.

Search for Missing Hunters Enters Fourth Day

2009-12-08T21:54:00.005-08:00

Last Updated: Tue, December 08, 2009 - 10:36 pm CST BAY MINETTE, Alabama - Well into the third day of searching for two missing hunters in Baldwin County, rescuers found only a canoe paddle. They found it floating in the waters of the Tensaw River perhaps a mile from where the hunters' canoe was found on Monday.

28 year old Alan Clemmons and 23 year old Jason Brown were reported missing on Sunday. They hadn't returned from canoeing the Tensaw. They took rifles in case the were able to shoot squirrels. The rifles and an empty cooler were found in the canoe. So far there has been no sign of the hunters.

More than a dozen boats were in the water today despite a rainy start. Searchers with the Alabama Marine Police, North Baldwin Search and Rescue, Daphne Search and Rescue as well as from Mobile County and even from the Florida Panhandle, fanned out in boats to scour the delta.

"We've significantly expanded the search area," said North Baldwin Search and Rescue's Matt Burton.

Wiley Ferrell traveled from Grand Bay with his home-made wooden boat to help search. "I heard there were some missing hunters and I know if I were missing I'd hope there'd be people searching for me," he said.

Jessie Peacock of the Alabama Marine Police said the search was expanded to include hunting trails and all of Gravine Island, in the middle of the Tensaw. "It's certainly possible they made it to land," he said.

Just the same, the rescue effort has now taken on elements of a recovery mission, with rescuers using sonar to read the waters of the river. With the water temperature at 51 degrees, it wouldn't take long for anyone to be overcome with hypothermia. The searchers will return Wednesday at 8am.

Search crews are staging at Cliff's Landing off of Highway 225 north of Spanish Fort. Clemmons and Brown launched from south of there in the Hurricane Bayou area, according to the Alabama Marine Police.

DA: Baldwin Man Rented Out Home He Didn't Own

2009-12-08T21:54:00.003-08:00

Ozell Neely

Not only did Ozell Neely collect $2,200 a month in rent on a house Nassau prosecutors contend he didn’t own, but they say he also tried to evict a tenant when the woman stopped paying in a dispute over whether promised repairs had been made.

Neely’s attorney argues that his client acted like a landlord and sought the eviction because he is the rightful owner, having bought the property in a foreclosure proceeding.

Neely, the 47-year-old operator of Welcome Home Realty in Queens, was arrested Tuesday on burglary, grand larceny and other charges after prosecutors say he rented out the abandoned home in Baldwin that he didn’t own. He faces a maximum of seven years in prison if convicted.

“His crime does not rank up there with the most sophisticated, and it certainly wasn’t the most clever real estate fraud we have seen,” Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice said in a statement. “But for a brief period in time, it worked and he profited.”

Rice said that Neely took a prospective tenant to the boarded-up home in September 2008. He told the woman, whom prosecutors have not identified, that he had lost the key to the home, then tore down boards and cut through a chain link fence to get inside.

And despite the house having no refrigerator, no running water and warped doors, the tenant — looking for a home in one of the nation’s most expensive housing markets — agreed to pay $2,200 a month in rent, as long as Neely repaired the damages, prosecutors said.

Neely collected more than $10,000 over the next few months, but in April 2009, the tenant stopped paying rent, claiming Neely had reneged on the repairs, prosecutors said.

That’s when Neely had his attorney file several “Notices of Petition for Non-Payment” against the tenant. It is not clear whether any of the notices were received, but the tenant remained for several more months.

In June, a person claiming to be the property’s real owner got a tip that someone was living there. He spoke to the tenant, who moved out a month later, then referred the case to prosecutors.

Defense attorney Brian Griffin counters that Neely “believes he is the true owner of this home.” Griffin did not provide specifics but said his client “attended a closing at an attorney’s office and bought the house,” which was in foreclosure.

Griffin said Neely’s actions are “consistent with that of an owner.” He said Neely did make repairs, “and when his tenant defaulted, he did what any landlord woud do” — take them to court.

“It appears the DA is dealing with a case of multiple claims of ownership,” Griffin said.

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Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin to Guest Star on SNL Presents: A Very Gilly ...

2009-12-08T21:54:00.001-08:00

New York

Steve Martin (© Joseph Marzullo/WENN)Stage veterans Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin will guest star on NBC's SNL Presents: A Very Gilly Christmas, to air on Thursday, December 17, according to TVGuide.com. The show will feature Saturday Night Live's Kristen Wiig as her popular character, Gilly.

Martin and Baldwin have both hosted Saturday Night Live on numerous occasions. They co-star with Meryl Streep in the romantic comedy It's Complicated, which is scheduled to hit movie theaters later this month, and they will co-host the 82nd Annual Academy Awards, which will take place on Monday, March 7 in Los Angeles and be aired live on ABC-TV.

Baldwin has appeared on Broadway in A Streetcar Named Desire, Loot, and Twentieth Century. He received an Academy Award nomination for The Cooler and has won two Emmy Awards for his work on NBC's 30 Rock.

Taylor gets ride on Ashlee's Jewel's

2009-12-08T06:56:00.005-08:00

Jockey Amy Taylor will team up with her former boss Barry Baldwin in the hope of ending Ashlee's Jewel's mystery form slump at Doomben on Wednesday.

Ashlee's Jewel will line up in the Amcor Paper Handicap (1350m) with Taylor replacing Larry Cassidy who was beaten on the four-year-old in her two starts this campaign.

Taylor began her career as an apprentice in Toowoomba but had great success when she moved to Brisbane to complete her indentures under Baldwin last season.

She then decided to return to Toowoomba to start her career as a senior rider in August but first had to overcome several health issues.

"When I came back to Toowoomba I got a stomach infection," Taylor said.

"I was very skinny and lost about five kilos.

"I was really sick. The infections affected my appendix and I was lucky it didn't harm my kidneys.

"I was like a skeleton so the doctors told me to take time off and all-up I was out for about five weeks."

Ashlee's Jewel was ridden by Taylor in her only win in eight starts when successful in maiden class at Ipswich in March.

Taylor was aboard the daughter of Easy Rocking when she performed poorly to finish 15th to Court in the Group Three BTC Classic (1350m) at Doomben on May 16.

The more experienced Craig Newitt then rode Ashlee's Jewel when she finished third to High Roll'n Woman in the Gunsynd Quality (1200m) at Doomben on May 23 and in her fast-finishing fourth to Express Air in the Group Two Queensland Guineas (1600m) at Eagle Farm two weeks later.

Ashlee's Jewel is owned by Townsville businessman Russell Henningsen who suggested engaging Taylor because of her previous success on the mare.

"Amy is the only jockey to win on her and we're hoping she might be the one to turn things around with this mare," Baldwin said.

"She (Ashlee's Jewel) showed good form during the winter but they were on wet tracks.

"Her first two runs back this campaign have been bad and I'm still shaking my head why."

Ashlee's Jewel was always near the rear of the field when she made her comeback by finishing fifth of seven in a 1200-metre class three at Eagle Farm on November 3.

Baldwin gave her three weeks to recover before she flopped again, finishing last of 11 but less than four lengths from the winner Fly To Win in a 1300-metre class four at Eagle Farm on November 25.

Baldwin: NBA coaches know they're hired to be fired

2009-12-08T06:56:00.003-08:00

Coaches are hired to be fired. It's hard to believe, but Lawrence Frank was the longest tenured coach in the Eastern Conference before he was fired by the New Jersey Nets.

In case you haven't been keeping count, more than half of the 30 teams -- 17 -- have changed coaches the past two seasons.

"You get into this (profession) knowing you have to do well and your team has to perform," said Oklahoma City Thunder coach Scott Brooks. "Sometimes you have to get lucky to coach great players. You're job as a coach is to get your players to play at their maximum potential."

Thunder assistant Mo Cheeks has experienced the tenuous job security that comes with being an NBA head coach.

In his first job, Cheeks didn't have a losing record his first three seasons. He led the Trail Blazers to the playoffs twice. But after getting off to a 22-33 start his fourth season, Cheeks was fired.

The following season he was hired by Philadelphia. After getting close to the playoffs his first two seasons, Cheeks led the Sixers to the playoffs. But when they got off to a 9-14 start last season, once again he was fired during his fourth season.

"There's always a lot of turnover," said Cheeks, smiling. "There have been a lot of really good coaches that have gotten fired over the years. A lot."

Coaching changes are common in the NBA. Only nine have been with their current team five or more seasons.

Jerry Sloan (Utah) and Gregg Popovich (San Antonio) are rare exceptions. Sloan is in his 22nd season with the Jazz. Popovich is in his 14th season with the Spurs.

"It says something about those guys," Cheeks said. "Those are great coaches. They've had a lot of success. Even though Sloan hasn't won a championship he's won a ton of games. (Popovich) has won championships. They're good."

Frank is the winningest coach in Nets history. He led New Jersey to four consecutive playoff berths, including three semifinal appearances. But with the Nets getting off to a league-record worst start, Frank was the fall guy. Veteran guard Rafer Alston used a poker term to show support for his coach.

"He wasn't dealt a royal flush," Alston was quoted. "It's like he had a pair of 2s. He tried to fight... I'm sure they'd like to fire some of the players if they could. They did the easy thing and fired the coach."

That's often the case.

It's now obvious coaching wasn't the problem in Philadelphia.

Cheeks, 53, has proven he can win. His 284-286 career record is better than a lot of NBA coaches that never approach .500.

If offered another head coaching job, in the right situation, you would assume Cheeks would take it even though anyone not named Phil Jackson, Sloan or Popovich risks being fired.

"We'll see what happens," Cheeks said. "I'm happy with what I'm doing right now."

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More than 160 Baldwin County high school seniors set for December graduation

2009-12-08T06:56:00.001-08:00

More than 160 Baldwin County high school seniors set for December graduation By Connie Baggett December 08, 2009, 6:01AM BAY MINETTE, Ala. -- Thanks to changes in Baldwin school board policy, 161 seniors are graduating early, finishing standard diploma exams by Dec. 18. Many of them are expected to head to college in January. "We usually have five or six countywide each year who graduate early," said Pamela Henson, director of instructional support for the school system, "but we implemented changes last year that increased those numbers significantly." Robertsdale senior Brittany Raley was one of those who jumped at the opportunity. "As soon as they told us we were eligible, I knew I wanted to do it," Raley said. "Anything to get me out of here sooner." Raley is already enrolled in nursing school at Faulkner State Community College. "I will be finishing nursing at the same time as people who graduated from Robertsdale last year," she said. But she added that she would be returning to her high school to take part in prom and graduation in May. Mobile County has not experienced a similar boom in early graduation, a key administrator said, although it too may soon tinker with its requirements. According to Alabama and local officials, the state mandates that students earn at least 24 class credits to graduate. But school systems can boost the guidelines, and Baldwin County in 1995 began demanding 30 credits for graduation with a standard diploma. Now, said Henson, the credit minimum has been scaled back to 24 to match the state's standard, opening the way for substantial numbers of seniors to exit early. Henson said that teacher cutbacks had made it difficult for schools to offer electives, and that some students were discouraged when they had trouble achieving 30 credits. She said that the departing seniors will take final exams Dec. 17 and 18, and be done with classes. Henson said that Robertsdale High has 52 students finishing early, Foley has 50, Baldwin County High has 26, and Fairhope has 18. Also, Daphne has seven, Gulf Shores has six and Spanish Fort has two. In Mobile County schools, very few students manage to graduate ahead of time, according to academic affairs representative Martha Peek. Even if they did try to wrap up early, there are no teachers available to offer them added classes in core courses. But, said Peek, "We are going to study and evaluate the impact of our requirements." She noted that some colleges now want athletes to report earlier, and some offer academic and scholarship advantages to early-starting freshmen.

'Always blow on the pie': A traffic policeman's bizarre advice to a car thief ...

2009-12-07T16:15:00.003-08:00

Warmed and dangerous: A hot pie

We may often moan about the growing nanny state here in Britain, but one New Zealand police officer has gained a global audience after giving a car thief careful advice on eating hot pies.

The traffic officer left a teenager stunned with his bizarre concern after being alerted to a suspicious motorist at 3am.

The motorist pulled over but could not have been prepared for the deadpan delivery he was about to get from Sgt Guy Baldwin, who is also a dog handler.

Asked why he was out late at night driving a suspected stolen car the teenage criminal said: 'I was just going up the road to get me a pie or something.'

To which Sgt Baldwin replies: 'It's three o'clock in the morning and you're buying a pie from the BP station, what must you always do?

Faced with this new line of questioning the car thief pauses before replying: 'I don't know?'

Without the slightest hesitation the officer then replies: 'At three o'clock in the morning that pie has been in the warming draw for probably about 12 hours, it'll be thermo-nuclear. You must always blow on the pie.

'Always blow on the pie, safer communities together, ok.'

Scroll down to see the video

A New Zealand traffic officer leaves a teenager stunned with his bizarre line of questioning

More than 175,000 people have viewed the YouTube clip, which screened on the New Zealand TV show Police 10-7 this week, and it has been a sensation on Facebook.

The cop's remark has given rise to songs and T-shirts with the line 'always blow on the pie' are being sold across the country.

Sgt Baldwin told a New Zealand news channel: 'As a policeman if we can make people laugh then great because in reality what we do isn't funny.

'I was speaking to a chap we had been looking for, I was making up conversation, using a bit of humour. Unfortunately, he didn't get it.'

3 Saved from Baldwin House Fire

2009-12-07T16:15:00.001-08:00

3 Saved from Baldwin House Fire

Written by Long Island Press on Dec 7th, 2009 and filed under Long Island News, News, Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

A couple and their dog were saved from a house fire in Baldwin early Sunday morning.

The couple was sleeping in the upstairs bedroom of their Tennyson Avenue home when they were awakened by a loud noise coming from the kitchen area and smelled smoke at 3:40 a.m., Nassau police said. The man attempted to go downstairs but was forced back.

He called 911 before the couple escaped out of a bedroom window with their dog onto a rear first story roof of the house. Baldwin Fire Department firefighters arrived, retrieved a ladder from the garage and rescued the couple from the roof.

The couple and their dog were not injured. A third resident in a downstairs bedroom also fled the house unharmed. Firefighters extinguished the flames, which caused extensive damage to the house.

Arson/Bomb Squad detectives determined the fire to be accidental.

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Pioneer men drop 80-72 decision to Baldwin-Wallace

2009-12-07T01:13:00.003-08:00

From 13 points up in the first half to 10 points down and then out in the second half.

That was the utter frustration of Marietta College's men's basketball team here Saturday as the Pioneers were hoping to open their home season with a victory over Baldwin-Wallace but lost 80-72 in an Ohio Conference clash.

The Pioneers (3-3 overall, 1-2 OAC) led 28-15 with 9:39 go to go in the first half. They led 40-38 at halftime. But the story of a bad second half was cold shooting (36 percent), especially from three-point range (1-for-12), and turnovers (10).

In contrast in the second half, the Yellow Jackets (3-3, 1-1) made clutch shots, hit 14 of 16 free throws, and cashed MC turnovers for 14 points.

"We played hard but we didn't execute the way we needed to," said Pioneer coach Jon VanderWal.

"The second half we were just completely ice cold," VanderWal said. "We couldn't make anything. And then we turned the ball over too many times (20 for the game, seven more than B-W)). Our goal is to have 14 or under."

Junior guard Zane Meeder led Baldwin-Wallace's quartet of double-figure scorers with 20 points, hitting 6-of-10 shots from the field (3-for-4 in treys), and five of six free throws. The Jacket foursome of Meeder, Kyle Brown (14 points), Chris Ameen (13), and Kevin Gall (12) hit 20 of 35 shots (57 percent).

"We did a good job on their two big guns (Promis Cabbil and Brown) but we made Meeder into an All-American today," VanderWal said.

Meeder, who led a swift and quick backcourt, scored 11 points over his season average and tripled his three-point production.

Marietta's ace season scorer Kevin Knab, who's aveaging 16.2 points, led all scorers with 22 points and rebounders with 14. Trevor Halter hit for 15 points, six of them on three-pointers in the game's first minute.

But Knab got only four shots in a 10-point second half, only 12 attempts for the game, and no other Pioneer scored more than four points after intermission.

"At some point in the first half we stepped up our intensity and things started to happen a little bit better for us," said B-W coach Duane Sheldon.

"We made some better decisions in the second half," Sheldon said. "We did a much better job of shot selection. Marietta's a very good team. We were just fortunate today to play a little bit better than they did the second half."

Three times in the last four minutes the Pioneers rallied to within four points of the Jackets but could get no closer. B-W's Brown hit a three-pointer with 1:24 to go for a 77-70 lead and that was more or less the clincher.

The Pioneers played without strong inside players Zane Carter and Conner Kilpatrick. Kilpatrick will be out several weeks with mononucleosis,

Marietta plays a 3 p.m. OAC game at Heidelberg (4-3, 1-1) Saturday. The Student Princes lost 86-79 at home against Ohio Northern last Saturday. Northern, John Carroll, and Wilmington lead the league with 2-0 marks.

Baldwin-Wallace 80, Marietta 72

BALDWIN-WALLACE (80): Promis Cabbil 3-12 2-2 4, Zane Meeder 6-10 5-6 20, Paul Glass 2-5 1-1 5, Chris Ameen 5-7 3-4 13, Kyle Brown 4-8 4-4 14, Matt Triana 0-1 0-1 1-2 1, Brandon Schmidt 1-3 0-0 2, Scott Branchick 0-2 0-0 0, Scott Voiers 1-8 2-2 5, Sean Rothermel 0-0 0-0 0, Kevin Gall 5-10 2-2 12. Totals: 27-66 20-23 80.

MARIETTA (72): Trevor Halter 5-9 3-3 15, Matt Kubachka 3-5 1-1 7, Jacob Owens 0-0 0-0 0, Joe Puch 2-7 1-2 5, Kevin Knab 7-12 8-9 22, Tyler Worstell 0-5 2-3 2, Brian Crader 3-8 0-0 7, Scott Kimmey 2-7 1-1 6, Cole Hatfield 1-2 0-0 2, Daun Lutes 2-2 2-3 6, Jason Humphrey 0-4 0-0 0. Totals: 25-61 18-22 72.

Baldwin-Wallace 38 42 - 80

Marietta 40 32 - 72

Three-point goals: B-W 6-17 (Cabbil 0-2, Meeder 3-4, Brown 2-5, Triana 0-1, Schmidt 0-1, Voiers 1-4), Marietta 4-23 (Halter 2-5, Puch 0-5, Worstell 0-5, Crader 1-4, Kimmey 1-3, Hatfield 0-1).

Rebounds: B-W 35 (Meeder 7), Marietta 42 (Knab 14). Assists: B-W 12 (Cabbil 5), Marietta 10 (Worstell 5). Steals: B-W 9 (Cabbil 2, Meeder 2, Voiers 2), Marietta 4 (Halter, Kubachka, Worstell, Hatfield). Personal fouls: B-W 24, Marietta 19. Fouled out: Puch 5.

Baldwin: Pro-Gay Bills Near Passage In House

2009-12-07T01:13:00.001-08:00

The U.S. House is ready to approve two pro-gay bills, openly lesbian Wisconsin Representative Tammy Baldwin said Saturday at the 2009 International Gay & Lesbian Leadership Conference sponsored by the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund.

At the San Francisco meeting which opened Thursday, Baldwin told attendees that she expects a domestic partner benefits bill will reach the House floor this year and a bill that bans employment discrimination early next year, the AP reported.

Baldwin is the sponsor of the Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act of 2009 (DPBO), which would extend benefits to the same-sex partners of federal employees. Both chambers of congress have held hearings on the bill. And in November, a House committee gave its approval of the bill.

The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) would prohibit workplace discrimination in the workplace on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. ENDA enjoys strong support in the House committee reviewing the legislation, but a November 18 final markup of the legislation was postponed.

An attempt to repeal the military's ban on open gay service will come next fall. Baldwin said she was confident the measure will be tucked inside the military's 2011 spending bill.

The House, which is generally more liberal than the Senate, is expected to easily approve all three measures, but the bills will likely face a steeper incline in the Senate, where Democrats hold a slim majority.

“I'm hopeful we will see those three pieces of legislation make it all the way, or damn close,” Baldwin said.

A second openly gay member of the House, Jared Polis of Colorado, agreed with Baldwin's assessment, and John Berry, the highest-ranking openly gay official in the Obama administration, said the president supports the measures.

“The tide of public opinion is in our favor,” Berry said. “The forces of intolerance are on the run. We have a president who has been clear in his support for our community and in his commitment to our equality. This is the best opportunity we will have as a community, and shame on us if we don't succeed.”

Lions' Wedge shares top honor with Baldwin High freshman

2009-12-06T10:55:00.011-08:00

Senior Roy Wedge of Lawrence High certainly deserves all of the recognition he can get.

At state this year, he ran a 15:43.86, placing first. In fact, he finished first in eight of 12 meets this season and finished second in four others.

He is a dedicated co-captain and team leader who just enjoys the sport.

“I guess I just have a competitive nature,” Wedge said. “I love to run.”

Wedge runs cross country, track and swims. Many of his friends all participate in these same three sports.

“Cross country is about the friends you make and the fun you have,” Wedge said. “I’ve been running with some of these guys since my freshman year. As a team we’ve stuck together.”

Wedge best remembers finding out that Lawrence High had won state with 71 points, breezing past second-place Washburn Rural with 103 points. The team anticipated a win after last year’s surprise victory. After the win, the team congregated around Wedge.

“With something like state, it’s never over until it’s over,” Wedge said.

Since his freshman year, Wedge said he feels he has become less of a whiner.

LHS coach Brain Anderson thinks his leader has become a more intelligent runner.

“He knows how to run a smart race, and he’s very strong,” Anderson said. “He knows how to plant himself in the right locations in order to be where he wants to be at the end of a race.”

During the summer, Wedge helped motivate the team on morning runs. He said he prefers cross country to track because he enjoys the scenery.

Wedge is still unsure of where he wants to go to college next year, but he knows that he would like to run wherever he ends up.

“Roy’s outstanding leadership was one of the reasons that we had such a successful season,” Anderson said. “He led his teammates in workouts, and he led by example.”

While Wedge spent his high school career climbing the ranks, things have been quite different down the road in Baldwin City, where freshman Sienna Durr exploded onto the scene and became a known commodity during her first season as a varsity runner.

During the 2009 season, Durr established herself as a force to be reckoned with.

Her Baldwin High girls cross country team won state this year, and Durr came in fourth with a time of 15:53.92 in the 4,000 meters.

“She had a great freshman year,” coach Mike Spielman said. “She was able to get better each meet and run her best race at the end of the year. She did really well in a very tough state meet.”

For Durr, Baldwin’s win at state was the highlight of the season — specifically winning by a lot, Durr said. Baldwin finished with 40 points. The second-place team, De Soto, had 92 points.

To prepare, Durr said she trained hard over the summer.

Sienna’s older sister Calleigh graduated from Baldwin in 2009. She helped the Bulldogs win three state titles. Also, Durr and her mom regularly run together, Spielman said.

“She had a great junior high school season last year so she had some experience,” Spielman said. “She worked hard every single day in practice.”

The Bulldogs placed six runners in the top 18, making them clearly the strongest team out there. Spielman expects the team to grow stronger for Durr’s next three years.

“The closeness of our team makes it very fun,” Durr said. “It helps a lot just starting high school to make friends through cross country.”

Full report: Budget blame falls on Baldwin school board, state official says

2009-12-06T10:55:00.009-08:00

Full report: Budget blame falls on Baldwin school board, state official says By Connie Baggett December 06, 2009, 9:05AM BAY MINETTE, Ala. -- Baldwin County's school board exacerbated the system's financial crisis by failing to chop deeply enough into its workforce when the state warned of declining revenues, according to one state official. Baldwin Superintendent Faron Hollinger disputed the claim and said that the system worked with state education staffers and began cuts in January 2008 after receiving warnings three months earlier. Statistics provided by the system show that teachers were laid off, but even harsher cuts didn't come until this year. Alabama Department of Education Assistant Superintendent Craig Pouncey said that Baldwin board members and administrators neglected to monitor economic conditions, and were overloaded with locally funded teachers and staff. The locally funded teachers and staff are those hired beyond what the state is willing or able to support with state tax dollars. "The key in Alabama is you've got to be willing to make adjustments in locally funded personnel, dependent on what happens in the Legislature, and you have to monitor tax revenue. I know for a fact it did not happen in Baldwin County," Pouncey said. Baldwin board members last week asked the County Commission to approve a referendum on a 1-cent sales tax, and to grant the system $5 million to make ends meet. The tax proceeds would plug multimillion-dollar holes in the school budget. Commissioners are expected Tuesday to schedule the referendum, but said that they will not immediately decide on the grant. Pouncey said that he and others at the state level began warning school systems two years ago to "live within their means" or find new revenue streams. As the economy soured, he said, Baldwin had 600 locally funded teachers and/or staff members, a high number compared to other systems. By the time Baldwin began trimming, other systems had cut drastically, he said. But Hollinger suggested that it wasn't fair to criticize Baldwin as slow to act. "It has been a volatile situation and hard to read," he said. School board member Bob Callahan Jr. said that the system took steps as soon as the state gave warning, and that it was vigilant in tracking trends.

The school bell rings and students stay to study

2009-12-06T10:55:00.007-08:00

The bell signaling the end of the school day at De Anza Elementary in Baldwin Park rang more than an hour ago. But hundreds of students are still at school, studying vocabulary, practicing math and completing homework under the supervision of teachers. With the help of state grants, federal funds and teacher volunteers, nearly half of De Anza's students spend extra hours every week learning at school -- hours well beyond the traditional school day. "Until six o'clock at night, you would think we're still in session," said Principal Christine Simmons. "Seeing the campus so alive like that, and seeing the parents and students so excited, just makes me and all the teachers want to work harder."The result, according to the state Department of Education, is a dramatic improvement in student achievement. The school, despite serving a community with considerable obstacles, had more than four times the average elementary school's academic gains on state standardized tests of language and math skills. The school reached 754 on the Academic Performance Index, which ranges from 100 to 1,000 based on test scores. The state's goal is 800. Though impressive, the gains are not entirely surprising. Researchers and educators for decades have said that increasing the amount of time American children spend in school is vital to improving their achievement and competing with such nations as India and China. Earlier this year, President Obama called for lengthening the school day and year.Despite widespread agreement that more classroom time is the right course, states' budget shortfalls have hampered the ability of districts to increase academic offerings. Along with teacher layoffs, rising class sizes and fewer arts and music offerings, state funding cuts also are increasingly taking a toll on the time students spend in school. Hawaii has hacked 17 days off its school year. California schools, whose academic year has traditionally been 180 days, were not spared; districts in Riverside, Camarillo, Ojai and Whittier lopped a week off the school year and other districts eliminated after-school programs. More are expected to make such cuts as the state grapples to close a $21-billion budget gap."There are conversations in half of our districts about whether they can reduce instructional days, not because any of them want to . . . but they can't figure out any other way to absorb the next round of budget cuts," said Charles Weis, president of the Assn. of California School Administrators.De Anza, which faces difficult challenges, is bucking that trend in an unlikely place. More than half the students are learning English and 84% receive free or reduced-price lunches, a measure of poverty. The 650-student campus is tucked into a rough neighborhood near the interchange of the 10 and 605 freeways. Gunshots were recently fired near a school bus two blocks from school. For three years in a row, until the 2008-09 school year, De Anza's test scores failed to meet federal academic targets.But a refocused teacher corps, an energetic new principal, a hands-off superintendent who protected staff from pink slips and a slew of after-school opportunities turned the school into a gathering spot for families in the community -- and stopped De Anza's academic stagnancy."It's very good for all the kids," said mother Rocio Lopez, 31, as she watched her son and daughter practice math problems in the computer lab after school.Teacher Chuck Kemp, 60, circled the room, helping children when they got stuck. "These programs, they just extend and support what we're doing throughout the day in our regular instructional program," he said.Kemp, like the other teachers who staff the computer lab and the library, isn't getting paid a dime to be there. When the district ran out of money to keep facilities open after school nearly a year ago, teachers volunteered their time to ensure that the children had access to computers and books.The 32 teachers at De Anza are veterans; the newest one was hired eight years ago. But unlike teachers in other school districts and despite the tough economic times, not a single instructor in the Baldwin Park district was threatened with a layoff last year.

Baldwin-Wallace practices what it teaches in new major with wind turbine

2009-12-06T10:55:00.005-08:00

The 60-foot wind turbine on Baldwin-Wallace College’s campus can generate enough power to sustain a small business or home. Dovetail Solar and Wind of Cleveland assembled the structure last week. BEREA — The soft swooshing melody of circulating blades on a windy day at Baldwin-Wallace College is music to the ears of “green” enthusiasts on campus.

The college’s new 60-foot wind turbine along Eastland Road just outside its baseball field was assembled last week just in time for the windy season.

“It’s an absolutely beautiful sight. It’s spinning nicely with the wind,” said David Krueger, co-director of B-W’s sustainability major. “Every prospective student who comes on campus and starts the tour in Bonds Hall will see this. It’s a testimony, a statement, of our belief in clean energy for future generations.”

The turbine, with its three 6-foot blades, is a residential type that can generate up to 2.4 kilowatt hours, depending on the wind speed, said Sabina Thomas, co-director of B-W’s sustainability major with Krueger. The wind needs to be 8 mph to begin creating any energy.

“Let’s say we have a nice wind speed of 12 mph. We could create 400 kilowatts a month, on which a small business or home could survive. Here it will help us pay less on our electricity. Not a big savings, but it shows that B-W is committed to sustainability even if the return on investment is not very fast or big.”

Wind turbines convert kinetic energy in the wind into mechanical power. This mechanical power can be used for such specific tasks as pumping water, grinding grain — or in this instance — a generator can convert this mechanical power into electricity. In essence, it works the opposite of a fan. Instead of using electricity to make wind, like a fan, wind turbines use the wind to make electricity. The wind turns the blades, which spins a shaft. The shaft connects to a generator and makes electricity.

B-W’s Student Senate donated $25,000 of the $38,000 cost to buy and install the turbine. The remaining $13,000 came from the sustainability department’s capital budget.

Sustainability is a relatively new major that examines human relationship to the earth. It focuses on current and future needs in ways that address social, environmental and economic well being.

B-W was the first college in Ohio to offer a bachelor’s degree in sustainability, with three focus concentrations: science, social sciences/humanities and business administration.

Senior Nora Mahoney entered B-W as a biology major. But she quickly changed to sustainability when it was created. The Strongsville native was on the committee last year that studied various types of green energy, including wind turbines. She examined the different models and helped secure the funding. She also presented the college’s plans to the city of Berea as it had to redefine some zoning codes to permit the turbine within its municipality.

She said the turbine is small but the college didn’t want to be obtrusive in its setting, especially for nearby neighbors.

Mahoney is ecstatic with the turbine and what it stands for in the community.

“It’s just perfect. It’s an outward sign for what we are doing here,” said the 2006 Padua High grad who plans to study environmental law.

B-W’s Sustainabilty Committee helped create many green practices on campus. B-W has reduced paper consumption by 40 percent. A composter takes almost all of the food service department’s food waste out of the waste stream and turns it into fertilizer for campus garden beds. It has the first student residence hall in Ohio that is geo-thermally heated and cooled. And solar panels likely will begin appearing on campus soon.

Mahoney said she loves the “dynamics” and “critical thinking” of her major. And she practices what she preaches.

“I’m a senior and have never had a car on campus. I do a lot of biking. And I recycle,” she said. “I work at Treehuggers Caf (in Berea), a very green environment. They have also inspired me to realize sustainability is very attainable.”

Contact DuMound at (216) 986-7538 or jdumound@sunnews.com.

Full report: Remembering Pearl Harbor -- New marker honors Baldwin County native

2009-12-06T10:55:00.003-08:00

William Frederick Eernisse strikes a casual pose in a photo he sent his family while in the Navy. Eernisse died aboard the USS Arizona during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, but family members said they do not know if the ship in the photo is the Arizona or a vessel on which Eernisse served earlier in his 15 years in the Navy. Miller was 11 years old at the time of the attack. Her mother, Mae Pose, who died in 1985, was Eernisse's younger sister. "Mama heard on the radio that the Arizona had taken a direct hit, but we didn't know if he was alive or dead," Miller said. "We'd heard some people did survive, but we found out later that Uncle Fred wasn't one of them." Eernisse's wife, Dorothy, lived in California. As his next of kin, Dorothy Eernisse received the notice from the Navy that he had died. She then contacted her in-laws in Alabama to tell them. Because his wife's address was in California, Eernisse was listed in records of Pearl Harbor casualties as being from that state. Doris Allegri, a board member of the Daphne Heritage Museum, has been doing research on the sailor. Although her family knew Eernisse's mother, Allegri said that she was unaware of his Pearl Harbor death until Miller mentioned it three years ago. Allegri said that the California listing may be the reason that she could find no local newspaper accounts of the era that listed anyone from Fairhope who had been killed aboard the Arizona. Earlier this year, Miller and Allegri purchased a marker with Eernisse's name to place at his family's plot in the Fairhope Colony Cemetery. Eernisse's parents, John and Maude, and grandparents, John and Susanna Eernisse, are buried at the plot, according to family members. "He grew up here and there needed to be some kind of recognition," Allegri said. Allegri said she lived near Pearl Harbor for about 14 years when her first husband was in the Navy. She has been to the Arizona memorial several times, she said: "It just gives you goose bumps to imagine those planes coming in and what happened that day."

Gay House members say gay-friendly bills are near

2009-12-06T10:55:00.001-08:00

Gay House members say gay-friendly bills are near

By LISA LEFF (AP) – 14 hours ago

SAN FRANCISCO — Two of Congress's three openly gay members said Saturday that the U.S. House is poised to pass bills to provide health coverage for the same-sex partners of gay federal workers and to protect all gay and transgender employees from job discrimination.

Speaking to an international conference of gay politicians in San Francisco, U.S. Reps. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., and Jared Polis, D-Colo., said they expect a domestic partner benefits bill to come up for a vote by the end of the year and the employment bill to reach the floor early in 2010.

The lawmakers said they are also confident that the House will include in the annual military spending bill next year a provision to repeal the law that bans gays from serving in the U.S. military. All the measures face a harder time in the Senate following the death of longtime ally Sen. Edward Kennedy, but Baldwin and Polis said they remained optimistic.

"I'm hopeful we will see those three pieces of legislation make it all the way, or damn close," said Baldwin, who is sponsoring the federal worker domestic partner bill.

Office of Personnel Management director John Berry, the Obama administration's highest ranking gay appointee, told the conference that the president strongly supports the trio of gay rights measures.

Including transgender workers as part of the legislation to ban job discrimination and lifting the "don't ask, don't tell" ban on gay service members may especially meet opposition in Congress, Berry said. But he said that with a Democrat in the White House and Democratic majorities controlling the House and the Senate, victories were "within our grasp."

"The tide of public opinion is in our favor. The forces of intolerance are on the run. We have a president who has been clear in his support for our community and in his commitment to our equality," Berry said. "This is the best opportunity we will ever have as a community, and shame on us if we don't succeed."

Although gay activists have criticized President Barack Obama for not moving more quickly on their concerns, both Polis and Baldwin said the pressure should be directed at Congress because the president can not act alone.

"LGBT leaders need to be focusing in on the people we need to win over instead of just trying to talk to our friends and being angry they haven't delivered," Polis said.

Cell sees progress in diabetes treatment

2009-12-06T10:54:00.027-08:00

SYDNEY - A cell transplant technique developed by Australian biotechnology firm Living Cell Technologies Ltd to help Type 1 diabetes sufferers may become commercially available as soon as the last quarter of 2011.

The company said on Friday a trial of the technique, which involves extracting insulin-producing cells from a pig and injecting it into the sufferer, had reduced the daily need for insulin in a 48-year-old male diabetes patient by 30 percent.

Medical Director Bob Elliott told Reuters in an interview that the technique involves extracting live cells from the pancreas of a baby pig, coating the cells with a material and injecting them into the abdominal cavity of patients.

"The trick we have is to coat the foreign cells with material that makes them invisible to the patient's immune system, so the patient doesn't even recognise they're there," he said.

"This coating allows the insulin out but the immune system is ignorant of the cells being there."

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin.

More than 20 million people worldwide suffer from the disease, according to the World Health Organization.

Sufferers must inject themselves with insulin several times a day to treat the disease.

Insulin derived from pigs is considered most alike that produced by humans.

It will be at least another year before the company may be granted approval to test in the U.S., where it has an application in with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Elliott said.

The trial was conducted in New Zealand, with the company currently blocked from undertaking human trials in Australia by the government on the grounds that humans could pick up infectious diseases from the pig cells.

Elliott expects the ban will be lifted by the end of the year, when it is due for review.

Living Cell uses a controlled pig herd that should allay any concerns, he said.

A further seven patients will take part in the New Zealand trial.

Living Cell is also in the animal trial stage of using pig cells as a treatment for Parkinson's Disease, Elliott said.

Living Cell shares, which have risen by more than a third so far this year, closed 1.8 percent higher at A$0.275 on Friday in a broader market down 1.5 percent.

Grandmother of Rolling Stone girlfriend vows to 'get even'

2009-12-06T10:54:00.025-08:00

Wood was arrested on Wednesday night amid allegations that he "choked" his young Russian girlfriend during a row. He was arrested on Claygate High Street in Esher, Surrey, by officers called to reports of a "domestic incident".

Witnesses said they saw Wood “choking” the 20-year-old as he allegedly dragged her along the pavement in a headlock.

Miss Ivanova, a cocktail waitress who met Wood in a London nightclub last year, is reported to have suffered knee injuries in the incident.

Wood was held at a police station overnight and bailed to return in January.

Celine Dixon told The Sun that she and her boyfriend, Phillip Legge, witnessed the incident outside an Indian restaurant at around 11.30pm.

She said: “We heard a woman screaming, then saw a man pinning her to the ground.

"He was shouting at her then we heard choking sounds so my boyfriend rushed out to help. When he got outside he saw it was Ronnie and Ekaterina."

Miss Dixon added that Wood let Miss Ivanova go and walked away when challenged by Mr Legge.

The couple then escorted Miss Ivanova back to their home before calling police, she said.

Another witness told the Daily Mirror: “I saw a couple. I thought they were hugging but when they got closer I realised the man had the woman in a headlock.

“As soon as I got a decent look I recognised Ronnie. He was forcing her to walk with him. She was crying and sobbing and trying to get away but he wouldn’t let her go.”

A spokesman for Wood, David Rigg of Project Associates, said: "I can confirm that there was an incident (on Wednesday night) and that Ronnie Wood was arrested. He has since been released on police bail.

"We have no further statement to make at this time."

A Surrey Police spokesman said: "We can confirm that a 62-year-old man from Esher was arrested (on Wednesday night) on suspicion of assault in connection with a domestic incident in Claygate High Street.

"He has been released on bail until a date in January pending further inquiries."

The arrest is the latest chapter in a tumultuous relationship between the couple.

Police were called to the Wood’s mock-castle home in September after a row in which it was claimed Miss Ivanova threatened to kill herself.

Wood famously left Jo, his wife of 23 years, for Miss Ivanova in July last year. Mrs Wood was granted a divorce earlier this month on the grounds of her husband's adultery. She recently found fame of her own on the BBC One show Strictly Come Dancing.

Last week the lap dancing bar where Wood met Miss Ivanova was closed after a raid by vice squad officers.

Detectives allege that The Capricorn Club in Goodge Street, Soho, was a £1 million-a-year sex and drugs den.

One officer claimed the bar was an underground brothel where clients had sex in cubicles and drugs including cocaine were easily available.

Miss Ivanova has denied accusations that she is a gold-digger in pursuit of Wood's £75 million fortune, saying last year: "You can't choose who you fall in love with. I fancy him because of the person he is. I don't think about his age or the fact he's a Rolling Stone."

China overcome South Korea in basketball preliminaries

2009-12-06T10:54:00.023-08:00

HONG KONG, Dec. 6 (Xinhua) -- China pulled off a 78-62 win over South Korea in the women's basketball preliminary round at the East Asian Games here on Sunday.

China's slender center Wei Wei, at the height of 2.07 meters, pocketed 16 points and six rebounds as her teammate Chen Xiaojia had 10 points and eight rebounds. Lu Wen had 14 points and Gao Song grabbed nine baskets.

Kang A Jeong of South Korea became this match's top scorer with17 points and her compatriot Heo Gibbeum had 15.

The Chinese team led with a small margin to finish the first half at 33-30 despite their overwhelming advantage in rebound, 21 to South Korea's 3 and a better field goal percentage of 47%.

When the much taller Chinese players took control around the painted area, the fast paced South Koreans were shooting from outside.

China changed strategy in the second half. Instead of relying heavily on Wei, the team turned to fast break and the tactics proved successful.

"The players did a good job in the fast break today. They played better in this match than the previous two," said Chinese head coach Zheng Wei. "They are making a little more progress each match, just as we had expected."

The team, comprising reserve players from the national squad, lost to Japan 59-54 on Thursday after they beat Chinese Taipei 69-61 in the opening match.

"Actually their defence was much better in the game against Japan. There were many problems in both attack and defence in the first game despite the win," Zheng said.

Japan topped the five-team standing after thrashing Hong Kong, China 125-41 in the other women's game. Chinese Taipei, China and South Korea, all with a game in hand, were placed second to fourth respectively. Hong Kong was sure to be eliminated before the semifinals.

In the men's Group B matches, Japan beat Hong Kong 92-69 before South Korea dismantled Guam 121-72.

Editor: Wang Guanqun Related Stories

Polo team may win 23rd gold

2009-12-06T10:54:00.021-08:00

Singapore's water polo team proved that adage to be correct, as they routed their main rivals the Philippines 8-1 on Sunday. -- ST PHOTO: LIM SIN THAI

VIENTIANE - THEY say goals will win you matches, but it is the defence that wins titles. Or in this case, the South-east Asia (SEA) Games gold medal.

And Singapore's water polo team proved that adage to be correct, as they routed their main rivals the Philippines 8-1 on Sunday.

Barring an epic collapse on Singapore's part, Thailand's 8-11 loss to Indonesia also on Sunday means Singapore can almost taste a record 23rd consecutive water polo gold medal and first gold of these Games. They will confirm the gold on Monday if they beat the Thais in the final game of the four-team, round-robin tournament.

It should not be too difficult a task, given Singapore's current form. Said Singapore captain Luo Nan: 'If we play like we did today, there won't be any surprises tomorrow.' Also, Singapore outclassed Thailand 10-5 in the final of the Singapore Water Polo Invitational Open - a SEA Games warm-up - barely three months ago.

Luo and Co's performance in the win over the Filipinos, the 2007 silver medallists, had many, including chef de mission Jessie Phua and Singapore National Olympic Council secretary-general Chris Chan, purring.

'It was a near-perfect performance in terms of defending,' beamed centre-back Yip Ren Kai. 'We wore them down and never gave them a good look at goal.'

jonwong@sph.com.sg

Read the full story in Monday's edition of The Straits Times.

Kibet retains Singapore Marathon title

2009-12-06T10:54:00.019-08:00

Former World marathon champion Luke Kibet braved a nagging injury to set a new course record in the successful defence of his Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon title on Sunday.

Kibet hobbled away from the finish of the race but he staved off a troublesome achilles’ tendon long enough to shatter his own course record, and win in 2:11:25, an achievement made even more extraordinary by the 31 degrees celcius heat and 77 per cent humidity.

When he won last year, in 2:13:01, he beat young Kenyan colleague Johnstone Chepkwony by over two minutes. This morning, Kibet needed a sprint finish to keep Chepkwony at bay.

A repeat one-two seemed unlikely before the race, given the vastly improved field, tempted to endure the atmospheric conditions by the lure of Sh2.6 million ($35,000) first prize, with Sh1.4 million ($19,000) for second, and Sh740,000 ($10,000) for third.

Accordingly, a dozen or more men set out with intent, and were a minute up on record pace after 10k. Vincent Krop, better known as a half-marathoner had agreed to take the pace, with the intention of finishing the race, if he felt okay.

He certainly fulfilled all expectations when he finished third. But so did Kibet. He had forecast that if the improved field worked together, and Krop did his job, even in the warm conditions, a sub-2:12 was possible.

By the 30km mark, everything was falling into place. Kibet favouring his left achilles’ tendon had kept in the lee of the pack, while Krop, Leonard Mucheru, and Chepkwony had forced the pace.

Mucheru was first to drop, at 36k, followed by Krop, just before 40k. Kibet then tested Chepkwony with a surge, to which the 25-year-old responded.

But it obviously told Kibet all he needed to know, because when they entered the finishing straight together, the 2007 World champion eased away to victory, with Chepkwony finishing second, in a personal best 2:11:33. Krop was also under the previous record, in 2:11:51. And a former winner, John Kelai finished fourth in 2:13:16.

“I was protecting my achilles’, so I stayed behind at first,” said Kibet. “I was waiting for the kick. This year was less humid, so we were able to run faster, but it is still difficult conditions. I think I will have to go back to Germany for treatment, to Dr Mueller (Wohlfahrt), but I’d like to race again next April.”

As for the conditions, which are perennially difficult in Singapore, second-place Chepkwony was in no doubt.

Google Redefines 'Real-Time' Collaboration with AppJet Purchase

2009-12-06T10:54:00.017-08:00

Many of the AppJet team formerly worked for Google according to the AppJet Web site. Chief executive officer Aaron Iba used to write algorithms for improving search quality, chief operating officer Daniel Clemens was an associate product manager, and chief technology officer J.D. Zamfirescu left Google as well.

Really Real-Time

AppJet has developed a unique approach to updating the shared display as different contributors type with its EtherPad tool. According to the EtherPad site "EtherPad is the only web-based word processor that allows people to work together in really real-time."

AppJet's EtherPad product has been compared with Google Docs. Both provide online, collaborative document editing. The EtherPad FAQ illustrates the distinctions between the two, though. "Google Docs is a suite of products that do many things, from word processing to spreadsheets to document management. One thing that Google Docs does not do is real-time collaborative text editing."

It goes on to explain that "with Google Docs it takes about 5 to 15 seconds for a change to make its way from your keyboard to other people's screens. Imagine if whiteboards or telephones had this kind of delay! In contrast, the EtherPad infrastructure is built to carry your every keystroke at the speed of light, limited only by the time it takes electrons to travel over a wire (such as an "ethernet" cable)."

I use the Google Docs spreadsheet and I can attest to the fact that the delay can sometimes cause conflict and confusion. While each of us sharing the spreadsheet have our own unique color that highlights the field we are currently working in, those 5 seconds are enough to allow for multiple contributors to write in the same filed--overwriting each other. He who types last wins.

Raising the Bar

The speed at which real-time changes are reflected on the shared page is arguably the most important technology that AppJet brings to Google, but there are other aspects of online collaboration that AppJet does better than Google as well.

EtherPad 'pads' can be shared by simply sending a link. Google Docs requires that all collaborators have Google Docs accounts and involves sending an email to invite users to join in sharing a doc.

EtherPad clearly highlights each user's contributions with a unique background color which makes it much less confusing to determine who wrote what. Google Docs has an "undo" feature, but the ability to undo an action lasts only until someone else changes something. EtherPad provides limitless "undo" capabilities.

Adding a Ripple to Google Wave

AppJet has a lot to offer for the ongoing development of Google Wave. The initial demo of Google Wave was very impressive and resulted in a lot of speculation and anticipation of what Google Wave may deliver.

Google Wave merges e-mail, instant messaging, online collaboration, and document sharing in one. If it can live up to the hype and expectations, Google Wave threatens to be a game changer for online collaboration, and possibly for unified communications as well.

The beta of Google Wave has had a fairly tepid reception, though. Users begged and pleaded for invites to join the Google Wave beta only to receive them and sign up and say "is this it?"

Combining the technology behind EtherPad's "pads" with Google Wave's "waves" will help boost Wave's functionality and move Google a step closer to delivering a robust platform capable of revolutionizing online communication.

Tony Bradley tweets as @PCSecurityNews, and can be contacted at his Facebook page.

Death toll rises in Russia nightclub inferno

2009-12-06T10:54:00.015-08:00

The death toll climbed to 112 on Sunday, rising as people died in hospitals, according to the press office of the Perm division of the Russian Emergency Situation Ministry. Three victims were buried Sunday, Russian media reported.

As of Sunday morning, 26 people remained at area hospitals, with the rest airlifted to burn trauma clinics in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Chelyabinsk and Nizhni Novgorod, according to the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry.

Patients who were not transportable were being treated by medical teams that were sent to Perm with mobile hospitals.

Russia was to observe a national day of mourning Monday, according to presidential decree.

The four detained suspects were the co-owner, the executive director, and the art director of the nightclub, and a businessman who supplied and organized fireworks, said Vladimir Markin, a spokesman for the Investigative Committee of the Russian Prosecutor's Office.

Fireworks are suspected as the main cause of the blaze, but investigators are looking at other possibilities as well, including a possible short circuit, Zabbarova said. Toxic smoke killed most of the victims, she added.

"A lot of people were lying on the floor of the club," according to one young female witness. "Those of them who breathed were carried out and put in cars. The biggest problem was that each ambulance took only one person. They didn't take any more. We were yelling at doctors, forcing them to take more people at once."

On Sunday, people in search of missing loved ones were looking through page after page of victims' names.

Area residents placed flowers outside the burned club in memory of the victims, a scene that brought back memories of two other deadly club fires in Russia: one in Moscow in 2007, the other in Omsk in 2008.

The tragedy shocked Russians, reeling after last week's derailment of a luxury express train from Moscow to St. Petersburg.

That incident -- which killed 26 people and injured more than 100 others -- has been called a terror attack, the most lethal terrorist act outside of Russia's troubled North Caucasus region since 2004.

In a televised address from his country residence near Moscow, President Dmitry Medvedev demanded that those responsible for Friday's fire receive the harshest possible punishment.

He sent government officials to Perm to handle the aftermath of the fire, organize medical assistance to survivors and investigate. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin dispatched planes from Moscow equipped to carry people with extensive burns.

CNN's Max Tkachenko in Moscow contributed to this report

Malaysia anti-graft chief to 'redeem integrity'

2009-12-06T10:54:00.013-08:00

Malaysia anti-graft chief to 'redeem integrity'

(AFP) – 14 hours ago

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia's new graftbuster has promised to restore public confidence in the anti-corruption agency which has been hit by allegations of bias and abuse in less than a year of operation.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's first chief commissioner, Ahmad Said Hamdan, announced at the weekend he would retire in December, five months earlier than planned, but denied he did so under pressure.

His successor and former deputy, Abu Kassim Mohamed, told state media he would take steps to rejuvenate the MACC, launched at the start of the year as part of the government's anti-graft pledge.

"I will introduce several plans and measures to redeem MACC's integrity and public confidence," he told the state Bernama news agency.

Modeled on Hong Kong's Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), the MACC was vaunted as more independent and accountable than the toothless agency it replaced.

However, the commission has been accused of selective prosecution by ignoring major graft cases, and instead pursuing figures in the opposition, which alarmed the government with unprecedented electoral gains last year.

It faced intense criticism in July when a Malaysian opposition aide fell to his death from the 14th floor of a MACC office where he was being questioned through the night.

Famed Thai pathologist Porntip Rojanasunan told an inquest in October that there was an 80 percent chance that 30-year-old Teoh Beng Hock had been murdered.

Last month, watchdog Transparency International (TI) said Malaysia's global corruption ranking had fallen to 56 from 47 last year on a global league table and that graft had hit "alarming" levels.

TI Malaysia president Paul Low welcomed the MACC leadership change.

"The public's perception rightly or wrongly is that the MACC is not politically neutral and it must not only be neutral but act neutral and improve the competency of its officers to prosecute graft cases wherever they are."

"There cannot be selective prosecution and the MACC must represent the people's interest," he told AFP.

The opposition said Ahmad Said's tenure had seen Malaysia's performance on corruption decline despite repeated government pledges to tackle the scourge which is endemic in government and society.

"The Malaysian public want to have an anti-corruption agency which has teeth and which can jail the corrupt, regardless of position or status," said veteran opposition lawmaker Lim Kit Siang.

Cops kill 6 kidnappers, rescue Indian

2009-12-06T10:54:00.011-08:00

CAMP GEN. ALEJO SANTOS, Bulacan�Police rescued a kidnapped Indian businessman Sunday and killed six of his suspected abductors in two gun battles in Calumpit, Bulacan, officials said.

Heavily armed police, backed by military intelligence agents, raided the kidnappers� hide-out in Calumpit after midnight, sparking a brief clash in which three suspected abductors were killed, police Senior Supt. Isagani Nerez said.

They rescued unharmed Avtar Singh, 52, who was tied and blindfolded in a room.

Three other suspected kidnappers left the gang�s hide-out two hours before the raid and were killed in a shootout with police in Calumpit, about 50 kilometers north of Manila, Nerez said.

After the payoff along a Calumpit road Saturday, police commandos tailed the kidnappers and discovered their hide-out, he said.

Police recovered the P75,000 ransom, three pistols and a shotgun from the hide-out, police said.

The Indian businessman was kidnapped on Thursday in Luzon Avenue in Quezon City aboard his Toyota Innova, according to acting Bulacan police director Senior Supt. Diosdado Ramos.

He said the suspects contacted Singh�s wife and asked P5 million in exchange for her husband�s release.

Supt. David Poklay of the Bulacan police�s intelligence and investigation unit had a different version of the story. He said Singh�s wife had sought the help of the Police Anti-Crime and Emergency Response (Pacer) team in Camp Crame, where she was told to continue negotiating with the suspects and agree to the payoff to entrap and arrest them.

The suspects, Poklay said, agreed to lower the ransom demand to P75,000. The amount was given at 9 a.m. after which police followed the suspects to their hide-out.

At 2 p.m., a shootout ensued as the police rescued Singh, a businessman engaged in a lending business.

Ramos said they had yet to identify the slain suspects, who sported tattoos and were estimated to be between 30 and 35 years old.

The three other kidnappers who were able to escape using Singh�s Innova vehicle, were killed as they traded shots with pursuing policemen.

Poklay told the Inquirer that P35,000 were recovered from the first group of kidnappers and the rest, P40,000, from the second group.

Police also recovered Singh�s car from the slain suspects.

At least 47 suspected kidnappers have been killed by authorities this year. About 60 others have been arrested in a government crackdown launched in response to a spike in kidnappings for ransom.

Indian businessmen have been targeted for kidnappings in recent years. They are usually abducted in Manila and brought to kidnappers� lairs in the province.

Ailing Thai king calls for unity on 82nd birthday

2009-12-06T10:54:00.009-08:00

Ailing Thai king calls for unity on 82nd birthday

By JANE FUGAL (AP) – 1 day ago

BANGKOK — Thailand's revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej, making his first public comments since being hospitalized, marked his 82nd birthday Saturday with a call for peace and stability in a country that has been rocked by anti-government protests.

Thousands of well-wishers waving Thai flags cheered, cried and chanted "Song Phra Charoen" or "Long Live the King" as the monarch's motorcade made its way to the Grand Palace from the Bangkok hospital where he has been staying since Sept. 19.

Looking alert but tired and showing little expression, the king returned to the hospital after briefly appearing in front of members of the royal family, government officials and lawmakers.

"My happiness and prosperity will happen when the country flourishes and stabilizes," the king said, seated on a golden throne and dressed in a gold brocade robe. "The progress and stability will come true if everyone in the nation discharges their duty with all their might and puts the common interest before their own interest."

He did not mention the ongoing political crisis, which was sparked by a 2006 military coup that ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, whose supporters and opponents have since waged sometimes violent demonstrations. The king's brief comments — and journey to and from hospital — were broadcast live on Thai television.

Bhumibol has been on the throne for 63 years and is the world's longest-reigning monarch. While he is constitutional monarch with no formal political role, he is widely revered and regarded as the country's sole unifying figure.

Long-standing worries over the succession, combined with concerns about his heath have caused widespread unease. The palace has said the king is recovering from an inflammation of the lungs and is in no danger, but has offered scant information about his condition. The king now rarely appears in public.

Since Friday, well-wishers had gathered around the Siriraj Hospital in the Thai capital hoping for a glimpse of him. Many wore pink shirts as a tribute, a trend that first started two years ago when astrologers determined that pink was an auspicious color for the king's health.

Dolnapa Kladbuppa, a 31-year-old teacher from Bangkok, said she was overwhelmed to see the king as he was wheeled out to a waiting van.

"It's a great opportunity for a small person like me to meet the greatest king," said Dolnapa, clutching photos of Bhumibol. "People have come from all over Thailand to see the king. Being from Bangkok, I would have been ashamed not to come here and see him."

Thongsuk Saechin, an 86-year-old housewife who traveled from Nakhon Pathom, 55 miles (90 kilometers) northeast of the capital, said she had been coming each year since was 40 to wish the king well on his birthday — which is also designated Fathers' Day in Thailand.

The festivities went on through the night, with thousands gathering next to the royal palace to give alms to hundreds of monks, watch a fireworks show and light candles in honor of the king.

The occasion was a chance for weary Thais to put aside political differences and unite behind one cause.

Such displays of unity have become rare in the three years since the coup in which former telecom magnate Thaksin was ousted for alleged corruption. He currently lives in exile but remains popular among the rural poor and wields influence from afar.

Last month, a pro-Thaksin protest group seeking to bring down the government called off its plans for a rally in Bangkok after criticism that it would interfere with the birthday celebrations.

The calm is likely to be short-lived. The pro-Thaksin United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship — informally known as the 'Red Shirts' due to their signature garb — has said it may take to the streets as early as Dec. 10 and warned that it will hold prolonged demonstrations next month until the current government resigns and agrees to fresh elections.

Bhumibol's birthday is typically celebrated with several days of fanfare that start with the king presiding over an annual military parade in his honor.

This year's military parade, which was scheduled for Wednesday, was canceled, as was his annual speech to the nation on the eve of his birthday. This is the second consecutive year the ailing king has had to cancel his widely watched televised speech for health reasons.

The king's health is a particularly sensitive topic because of concerns that the succession may not go smoothly. The heir apparent, Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn, does not yet have the stature or moral authority of his father.

Open discussion of the matter is barred by strict lese majeste laws that make criticism of the monarchy punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

Almost 200 senior grads

2009-12-06T10:54:00.007-08:00

Over 1,000 senior citizens have attended classes on how to use new technology, communicate with others, and take care of one's health. -- ST PHOTO

DONNING mortarboards and flowing black and orange robes, nearly 200 senior citizens took to the stage yesterday at Singapore Polytechnic's Convention Centre to receive their graduation certificates.

They had just completed their course on lifelong learning by the Yah! Community College, a project that encourages active ageing. The ceremony also marked the fifth year of the project, which is run by the Marine Parade Family Service Centre.

So far, over 1,000 senior citizens have attended classes on how to use new technology, communicate with others, and take care of one's health.

The course, conducted in Mandarin, is primarily targeted at local Mandarin speakers aged 50 and above. But that has not stopped others from joining in. They include two English-educated retirees who joined to polish up their Mandarin, and a new immigrant from China who signed up to meet new friends.

Guest of honour Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon, Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sport, applauded such efforts by senior citizens to improve themselves in their old age.

'We must have a positive attitude in our lives. As long as you're good in something, I'm sure you can add value to society,' said Mrs Yu-Foo, who is 59.

Read the full story in Monday's edition of The Straits Times.

Growing desire among S'poreans to learn Chinese

2009-12-06T10:54:00.005-08:00

More than one in four O-level candidates now take Higher Chinese, more than double the figure in 1999 when the Government undertook a major review of the teaching of the language.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong cited the figure to illustrate how there is growing desire among Singaporeans to learn Chinese, and how some of the old prejudices are fading away.

One main reason behind this change is the rise of China and the economic implications it has for the region.

'The desire of Singaporeans to master Chinese has grown,' said Mr Lee. 'Nobody any longer asks 'What's the point of wasting time on this?'

'Everybody knows that Chinese language is valuable and they want to master it - both the students and the parents, and we have enabled them to do it.'

As such, the proportion of students taking Higher Chinese at the O levels has gone up to 27 per cent, more than doubling the figure in 1999 when Mr Lee presided over a major policy review of Chinese language.

In his comments to the Singapore media here, he also said that the population mix and the language environment in Singapore has been shifting, and noted that the home environment made an enormous difference to a child's language habits and abilities.

'We have to acknowledge this shift in language habits, and adapt our system so as to make it work for the larger number of English-background students,' he said.

This is because it makes a huge difference whether a student studies Chinese merely for a few hours a week, or is completely immersed in the language at home and is merely formalising the learning experience in school.

Mr Lee said that striking the right balance would not be easy. In many ways, Singapore's challenge is unique because no other country has a bilingual policy with two very dissimilar languages.

'This is a very challenging policy, because there is nobody else in the world trying to do this. There are societies which are bilingual, English-French, English-Scandinavian or English-Dutch, or Cantonese-Mandarin,' he said.

'People learn two similar languages and can master one as your mother tongue and the other at almost the same level.

'But we are trying to do it with English-Chinese. These are two very dissimilar languages and very difficult to master at the same level.'

Chua Chin Hon

This article was first published in The Straits Times.

Security tightens ahead of Copenhagen climate meeting

2009-12-06T10:54:00.003-08:00

People walk on the street with a huge globe in the background in Copenhagen on Dec. 6, 2009. Copenhagen is the host city for the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2009.

COPENHAGEN - Final preparations were underway here Sunday for a marathon UN conference on climate change, amid beefed-up security, activists' clamour and warnings that a hothouse planet loomed if the talks failed.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon issued an upbeat note on the eve of the landmark conference, predicting mankind would strike a blow against the 21st century's great peril.

The climax on December 18 -- to be attended by more than 100 heads of state and government -- should deliver a framework for a historic pact, he said.

"I am convinced that the conference in Copenhagen will give us a strong and important political accord which will then be the basis for an accord that is legally binding," Mr. Ban told French TV.

The December 7-18 conference gathers 192 nations under the flag of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the offshoot of the famous 1992 Rio summit.

Danish police on Sunday tightened security around the conference venue, the Bella Center, closing off access for about an hour to check out a bomb alert.

Six thousand police -- more than half of all the police in Denmark -- are being deployed in the capital. They could be reinforced to 9,300 men if need be, according to Mogens Lauridsen, head of operations at Copenhagen police.

Greenpeace's flagship, Arctic Sunrise, anchored in the harbour in central Copenhagen, unfurling a banner reading: "OUR CLIMATE -- OUR FUTURE -- YOUR DECISION."

Nearby, a self-styled Alternative Climate Forum geared up to accommodate some 10,000 visitors per day, with 6,000 already on site.

In London, meanwhile, more than 100 environmental campaigners camped out overnight in Trafalgar Square, organisers said Sunday, adding that they intend to stay till the UN climate summit opened.

Two years of talks have led up to Copenhagen.

The goal is to deliver an accord that will ratchet up efforts against climate change, driven by uncontrolled emissions of heat-trapping carbon gases from fossil fuels.

An outline accord in Copenhagen would be fleshed out in negotiations next year and take effect from 2013, when current pledges expire under the UNFCCC's Kyoto Protocol expire.

"Time is up," UNFCCC chief Yvo de Boer told a press conference. "Over the next two weeks, governments have to deliver a strong and long-term response to climate change."

Analysts, though, see many pitfalls in the coming days, as rich and poor countries -- and advanced economies among themselves -- wrangle over burden-sharing.

Mr. De Boer threw his weight behind a fast-track funding proposal, endorsed by the European Union (EU), that would disburse 30 billion dollars in aid to poor countries over the next three years before the new treaty takes effect.

The money would be used to help these countries ease carbon emissions and shore up defences against climate change.

"Clearly, though, over time, by 2020 or 2030, we are going to need more significant sums, in the hundreds of billions of dollars, to deal with both 1/8emissions 3/8 mitigation and 1/8 climate 3/8 adaption," he said.

In a show of support, 105 world leaders have said they will attend the talks' closing stages to try to seal a deal after years of bitter debates over how to divide up the burden of emissions curbs and who should pay.

Poor countries say developed nations have grown rich by fuelling their economies with coal, oil and gas and that they are most responsible for the bulk of the greenhouse gas pollution in the atmosphere.

Yet developing countries now emit more than half of mankind's greenhouse gas emissions. The United Nations says all countries must play their part in braking the rise of pollution.

Japan said on Sunday it would stick with its target to cut emissions by 25 percent from 1990 levels by 2020 during the talks, although the target is contingent on all major emitters, such as China and the United States, being ambitious.

In recent weeks, China, India, Indonesia and other countries have announced emissions reduction pledges, boosting hopes of success in Copenhagen.

Meanwhile, scientists in Germany said current pledges for reducing carbon pollution would doom Earth to potentially catastrophic warming by century's end.

National commitments proposed so far would mean the global temperature would rise by 3.5 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial times, way over a 2.0 C threshold widely considered safe, according to the tally published by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and energy specialists Ecofys.

In contrast, a report by climate economist Nicholas Stern and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) concluded that closing the "emissions gap" could be somewhat easier than thought.

"Existing proposals from developed and developing countries constitute a big step towards a level consistent with the 2 C goal," which would require that CO2 emissions stay under 44 billion tonnes in 2020, their report said.

"Taking countries' highest intentions would take the world to around 46 billion tonnes [of carbon]," meaning that only a two-billion-tonne shortfall would have to be bridged.

-With files from Reuters

No martial law in Maguindanao 'MILF areas'

2009-12-06T10:54:00.001-08:00

Since when did our Philippine map show or identified any “Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) areas” in Maguindanao, or any other parts of Mindanao for that matter? Proclamation 1959 placed Maguindanao under martial law, suspending the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus “except for certain areas” identified as MILF.

I nearly fell from my bed after I heard this exclusion of the “MILF areas” from the martial law coverage in Maguindanao. I was watching TV in bed — that’s why — the early morning press conference where the declaration was read at Malacañang Palace by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita. The hastily organized press conference came after words leaked out several hours earlier that martial law would be imposed in Maguindanao. It turned out that President Arroyo signed the Proclamation Friday night, (Dec.4).

Reading Section 1 of Proclamation 1959, Ermita cited “There is hereby declared a state of martial law in the province of Maguindanao, except for the identified areas of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front as referred to in the implementing operational guidelines of the GRP-MILF agreement on the General Cessation of Hostilities.”

In one of the Proclamation’s “Whereas” provisions, it stated: “The implementing operational guidelines of the GRP-MILF agreement on the General Cessation of Hostilities dated Nov. 14, 1997 provides that the following is considered a prohibited hostile act: ‘establishment of checkpoints except those necessary for the GRP’s enforcement and maintenance of peace and order and for the defense and security of the MILF in their identified areas as jointly determined by GRP and MILF.”

What “primacy of the peace process” that Palace officials like Ermita were talking about by inserting such provisions to exempt “MILF areas” in Mindanao away from the reach of martial law? The GRP-MILF peace talks are supposedly set to resume on Dec. 8. The Arroyo administration has been holding peace talks with the MILF since 2001. The MILF nearly made a fast break with the controversial Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD). Fortunately, the SC overturned the MOA-AD as unconstitutional for it violated the territorial integrity of the Philippines.

Because under this MOA-AD, certain parts of Maguindanao and other so-called “MILF areas” in Mindanao would henceforth be placed under “Bangsa Moro” and chopped off from the rest of the country. What the MILF failed to get from the MOA-AD, is that they are getting it courtesy of Proclamation 1959. Why would Proclamation 1959 spare these “MILF areas” in Maguindanao? The equally murderous “rogue” MILF commanders like Umbra Kato are believed hiding there after the massacre last year of more than 37 people. This was in retaliation when the government was forced to scrap the MOA-AD.

Except for these specific provisions exempting the “MILF areas” from the coverage of martial law all over Maguindanao, there is justifiable reason to support this government’s extreme action to address the developing situation in this part of the country where warlords rule with their guns, goons and gold.

Article 7, Section 18 of the country’s 1987 Constitution, the President, as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and whenever it becomes necessary, may call out such Armed Forces to prevent or suppress lawless violence, invasion or rebellion. It further provides that in the case of invasion or rebellion, when the public safety requires it, the President may suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus or place the Philippines or any part thereof under martial law for a period not exceeding 60 days.

But for those who disagree with the Palace’s declaration of martial law in Maguindanao, they can, as citizens, file a suit before the Supreme Court to ask a review of the martial law proclamation to determine whether there was sufficient factual basis for such a proclamation. Or, our leaders and members of Congress could overturn it by majority vote in a joint session they are convening tomorrow at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City.

The Palace imposed the Maguindanao-wide martial law which came in the aftermath of the Nov.23 massacre of 57 people, including about 27 local and Manila-based journalists who were killed, along with the wife of Buluan Vice Mayor Ismael Mangudadatu.

The massacre victims were brutally killed after their caravan was stopped on the way to the provincial capitol in Shariff Aguak to file the certificate of candidacy of Mangudadatu. They were killed because Mangudadatu defiantly challenged the gubernatorial bid of Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr.

The ensuing tension of feared “rido” or clan war among feuding Muslim families led President Arroyo’s issuing the next day (Nov.24) Proclamation No. 1946 declaring a state of emergency in the provinces of Maguindanao, and the nearby Sultan Kudarat, and Cotabato City.

The decision to impose a Maguindanao-wide martial law “except for certain areas” came at the end of the National Security Council (NSC) meeting that the President convened on Friday when she called for an emergency meeting. Naturally, questions were raised on what grounds of rebellion or invasion did she invoke to support her imposition of martial law in Maguindanao.

What more evidence do they want? Military and police authorities unearthed several caches of high-powered firearms either buried or stashed at enclosed walls inside the Ampatuan compound in Shariff Aguak. No less than Philippine National Police (PNP) director-general Jesus Verzosa himself could not believe such huge caches of high-powered weapons — that could arm 1,000 troops or one battalion of soldiers and policemen — were in the hands of civilians. Combined police and military men who conducted the search also discovered two anti-personnel tanks in camouflage paint and marked as Pulisya but parked inside the Ampatuan compound.

More firearms and weapons were being discovered in other Ampatuan strongholds while loyalist supporters were visibly massing up ready to take arms for their accused leaders. The state of emergency that President Arroyo first declared was apparently not enough to prevent and suppress violence in Maguindanao. The Commander-in-Chief deemed it wise to impose 10 days later, a more forceful Maguindanao-wide martial law.

But why on earth exempt the “MILF areas” from the martial law enforcement in Maguindanao? Is a “Bangsa Moro” territory already established there?

View previous articles of this column.

State education official says Baldwin cuts too little, too late

2009-12-05T20:41:00.005-08:00

State education official says Baldwin cuts too little, too late By Connie Baggett December 05, 2009, 7:38PM

BAY MINETTE -- Baldwin County Board of Education members exacerbated what some call the worst financial crisis in the system's history when they failed to make deep enough cuts in locally funded personnel when state officials warned revenue was dropping, according to one state official.

Baldwin County Superintendent Faron Hollinger denied the claim Friday, saying the county worked with state education staffers and started cutting back in January 2008 after warnings arrived three months before.

Figures provided by the county system show teachers were laid off, but much deeper cuts didn't come until this year.

Alabama Department of Education Assistant Superintendent Craig Pouncey said local board members and staff failed to monitor economic indicators, and were overloaded with locally funded employees.

"The key in Alabama is you've got to be willing to make adjustments in locally funded personnel dependent on what happens in the Legislature, Pouncey said, "and you have to monitor tax revenue. I know for a fact it did not happen in Baldwin County."

Of the 373 locally funded teaching units in the system at the peak, only 42 remain employed. Of some 600 aides, teachers and other staff paid with local funds, only 147 remain on the payroll, according to chief financial officer Jean McCutchen.

Baldwin County school board member Bob Callahan Jr. said the county took steps as soon as the state gave warning, and Baldwin County schools chief financial officer Jean McCutchen said the county was vigilant in monitoring trends. The state cuts, she said, were quick and deep, leaving the county little time to react and avoid the crisis.

Baldwin school board members voted last week to ask county commissioners for a $5 million grant and a 1-cent sales tax referendum that could be set for February if commissioners agree.

(For a complete story, see Sunday's Press-Register.)

The school bell rings and students stay to study

2009-12-05T20:41:00.003-08:00

The bell signaling the end of the school day at De Anza Elementary in Baldwin Park rang more than an hour ago. But hundreds of students are still at school, studying vocabulary, practicing math and completing homework under the supervision of teachers. With the help of state grants, federal funds and teacher volunteers, nearly half of De Anza's students spend extra hours every week learning at school -- hours well beyond the traditional school day. "Until six o'clock at night, you would think we're still in session," said Principal Christine Simmons. "Seeing the campus so alive like that, and seeing the parents and students so excited, just makes me and all the teachers want to work harder." The result, according to the state Department of Education, is a dramatic improvement in student achievement. The school, despite serving a community with considerable obstacles, had more than four times the average elementary school's academic gains on state standardized tests of language and math skills. The school reached 754 on the Academic Performance Index, which ranges from 100 to 1,000 based on test scores. The state's goal is 800. Though impressive, the gains are not entirely surprising. Researchers and educators for decades have said that increasing the amount of time American children spend in school is vital to improving their achievement and competing with such nations as India and China. Earlier this year, President Obama called for lengthening the school day and year. Despite widespread agreement that more classroom time is the right course, states' budget shortfalls have hampered the ability of districts to increase academic offerings. Along with teacher layoffs, rising class sizes and fewer arts and music offerings, state funding cuts also are increasingly taking a toll on the time students spend in school. Hawaii has hacked 17 days off its school year. California schools, whose academic year has traditionally been 180 days, were not spared; districts in Riverside, Camarillo, Ojai and Whittier lopped a week off the school year and other districts eliminated after-school programs. More are expected to make such cuts as the state grapples to close a $21-billion budget gap. "There are conversations in half of our districts about whether they can reduce instructional days, not because any of them want to . . . but they can't figure out any other way to absorb the next round of budget cuts," said Charles Weis, president of the Assn. of California School Administrators. De Anza, which faces difficult challenges, is bucking that trend in an unlikely place. More than half the students are learning English and 84% receive free or reduced-price lunches, a measure of poverty. The 650-student campus is tucked into a rough neighborhood near the interchange of the 10 and 605 freeways. Gunshots were recently fired near a school bus two blocks from school. For three years in a row, until the 2008-09 school year, De Anza's test scores failed to meet federal academic targets. But a refocused teacher corps, an energetic new principal, a hands-off superintendent who protected staff from pink slips and a slew of after-school opportunities turned the school into a gathering spot for families in the community -- and stopped De Anza's academic stagnancy. "It's very good for all the kids," said mother Rocio Lopez, 31, as she watched her son and daughter practice math problems in the computer lab after school. Teacher Chuck Kemp, 60, circled the room, helping children when they got stuck. "These programs, they just extend and support what we're doing throughout the day in our regular instructional program," he said. Kemp, like the other teachers who staff the computer lab and the library, isn't getting paid a dime to be there. When the district ran out of money to keep facilities open after school nearly a year ago, teachers volunteered their time to ensure that the children had access to computers and books. The 32 teachers at De Anza are veterans; the newest one was hired eight years ago. But unlike teachers in other school districts and despite the tough economic times, not a single instructor in the Baldwin Park district was threatened with a layoff last year.

Gay House members say gay-friendly bills are near

2009-12-05T20:41:00.001-08:00

Gay House members say gay-friendly bills are near

By LISA LEFF (AP) – 3 hours ago

"I'm hopeful we will see those three pieces of legislation make it all the way, or damn close," said Baldwin, who is sponsoring the federal worker domestic partner bill.

Office of Personnel Management director John Berry, the Obama administration's highest ranking gay appointee, told the conference that the president strongly supports the trio of gay rights measures.

"LGBT leaders need to be focusing in on the people we need to win over instead of just trying to talk to our friends and being angry they haven't delivered," Polis said.

Hahn to Call 1000th Game on Saturday

2009-12-05T06:30:00.007-08:00

By San Jose Sharks Staff Good things come in threes and the Sharks will see their third staff member work their 1,000th National Hockey League game this season. This time it’s not a behind the scenes person as Sharks Television Play-by-Play man Randy Hahn will call his 1,000th NHL game Saturday when the Sharks face the Calgary Flames.

For Hahn it is a milestone marker in what began as a small group of people trying to help San Jose land a hockey franchise. Back in the late 1980s, Hahn’s wife, KPIX Evening Weatherperson Roberta Gonzales had just taken a similar job at San Jose’s KNTV. Thus, Hahn was about to move to Silicon Valley. The family began researching the city by getting the San Jose Mercury News mailed to them and in doing so found out the city was working on funding an arena.

Upon his arrival, Hahn hooked up with other South Bay people who saw the potential of professional hockey in San Jose and went to work. Their first meeting was at the House of Pizza which still sits on the edge of downtown.

“When we originally started, we named ourselves ‘NHL Hockey San Jose,’” Hahn said. “We did that because that’s what we wanted to do, bring the NHL to San Jose. This was right after the arena was approved. We formed that group for two reasons, one being we wanted to bring the NHL hockey to San Jose. We figured if we used the NHL registered trademark they would recognize us and make us stop doing that. Our hopes were that it would get their attention. Which it eventually did.”

The NHL politely asked the group to stop using its name.

“We got a letter from the commissioner saying to stop using the trademark name,” Hahn said. “But it was in a nice way. It was perfect, we got their attention. We then changed our name to Pro Hockey San Jose from that point forward. Basically what we did was sign up people to join this organization so they would get a quarterly newsletter and a T-shirt and we hoped they would be on the original season ticket holder list.”

There was a lot of nitty-gritty work in those days.

“We would put flyers on windshields at 49ers games,” Hahn said. “They would have an NHL exhibition game every year, so we would go up there and we would sit outside even if they didn’t want us there. We would go to pizza parlors to show hockey games and recruit there. There was a lot of knocking on doors and changing people’s perception of what hockey was in the Bay Area.”
Hahn and his group were aligned with Howard Baldwin, the one-time owner of the Hartford Whalers, but it didn’t pan out for Baldwin to get the franchise rights.

“What we were doing is we were working with Howard Baldwin and Morris Belzberg,” Hahn said. “They came to us and said they knew what we were doing. They wanted to liaison with us to get introduced to the mayor and things like that. We had already had a relationship with Tom McEnery, so we used our connections to get them together.

“The Gunds then cut a deal with Belzberg and Baldwin and said we will sell you the North Stars if you give up your San Jose rights to us,” Hahn added. “They flipped the North Stars to Green who ended up moving them to Dallas. Just in the six months that they owned the North Stars they were able to flip them to Green and make eight million dollars in the process.”

Had Baldwin’s group been in charge of the club, Hahn would have been the play-by-play announcer from Day One, but the Gunds had a different management group in mind. However, in a weird twist of fate, Hahn was able to make a recommendation that would put him back in the game. The management group which didn’t hire him for the initial play-by-play position asked him if he could recommend a producer.
“Short term, I was out of luck,” Hahn said. “So I’m like great, you send me a form letter that I didn’t get the job and then call me because you’re looking for a producer. So I recommended Mark Stulberger. I had been working with him on the Kings and they end up hiring Mark. Then Mark comes back and calls me and tells me that Joe Starkey has been named the voice of the Sharks but he has conflicts with Cal football, basketball and 49ers football. Can you fill in when there are conflicts? I was on the first-ever broadcast at home. I did 15 games each of the first two seasons that Joe couldn’t do because of conflict. I did all those TV games.”

Hockey is a superstitious sport, so Hahn kept quiet about his record while calling games initially.

“The first TV game I ever did, we lost 9-0 in New Jersey,” Hahn said. “It wasn’t until the second season I told anyone this because I knew how superstitious hockey people are but I was 0-for-15 games that first year. Whenever I showed up, they lost. Early in the second season, we won at Tampa Bay in the old Expo Hall, that was my first win.”

At the end of the second season, the Sharks decided they wanted an announcer to be available for every game and since Starkey was busy with his other options, Hahn finally got the full-time gig.

Over the course of his career, Hahn has been a Sharks staple on the air, but he has had numerous color men until he and Remenda found their unique chemistry on the air. In fact, Hahn was the one who called Remenda about being on the air. That helped start Remenda’s career.

“He wasn’t interested at the time (doing Sharks color on radio), but eventually he got the gig and then Steve Konroyd left and they gave him the opportunity to do TV,” Hahn said. “I’ve had some chemistry with all my guys. Probably the other guy that I had the most chemistry with was ‘Stemmer’ (Pete Stemkowski). He was old school and we had a lot of fun. The magic word in this business is chemistry. When you have it, it makes up for other things that you don’t have. But people enjoy when the people they’re listening to have a connection with them. It creates a 3-way dynamic. I don’t really know how it works, but it does.”

In the masses of games he’s called, there is still one signature game for Hahn.
“It’s still Game 7 in Detroit when Jamie Baker scored that goal,” said Hahn of that game in the 1994 Stanley Cup Playoffs. “That’s still it to me. One it was like holy cow, we have a chance to win this game and knock out the No. 1 seed after losing 71 games last year and two, when that game was over and know I don’t mind telling you, it choked me up. Because a lot of work did go into the things we did for Pro Hockey San Jose.

The best moment yet to come in Sharks history will be a bit bittersweet for Hahn.
“We will have to probably get to the Cup before something will top that for me,” Hahn said. “Unfortunately, if we get to a Conference Finals or the Finals I won’t be calling that game anyways. So I’m not sure if anything will top it.”

With the 1,000-game milestone coming up, Hahn will have a little time to reflect on his role helping forge the dynamic of what is Sharks hockey.

“Now to see it where it is now, in only 20 years, for it to take as big of a hold as it has is incredible,” said Hahn.

Looking back on his San Jose time, Hahn is very appreciative for the great people he’s come across and a couple come to the top of the list. And some of the memories are historical and some are simply great memories.

“There have been so many,” Hahn said. “When Wayne Gretzky came in here and tied Gordie Howe’s record, (even though it turned out to be a bad moment for the Sharks). They ended up tying us in a game that we should have won. But I was part of a moment in hockey history. That is one of the small things that stick out. Little things like the night that Mike Ricci got cut in three spots in one night. Every time he came to the bench, he had another wound. He had blood coming from over here so they put a bandage on it, and then over there so they would put a bandage on that. And finally the third time he just came to the bench and Scott Thornton looked at him and they just started laughing. Here is Ricci with blood all over his uniform and more new blood coming off of his face and all these guys are just laughing. Those are those hockey moments that happen along the way. He always laid his heart out especially in the playoffs. He’s one of those guys that did take it to another level. That’s why he won a Cup and why the organization hated to see him on his last legs because those kind of players are so hard to find.

“My first year full time, Igor Larionov still sticks out to me as one of my all time favorite Sharks,” Hahn continued. “We actually had a top line because of him and eventually a top five-man unit. Then when I read his book about all the things he went through in Russia that he had to battle through just to get into the NHL and escape the authoritative regime and the way he was treated over there, he was amazing. If he was in the League that entire time he would be one of the all-time All-Stars. And yet after all of that, he’s still one of the classiest people you’ll ever meet.”

Hahn appreciates the current team and their accomplishments as well and enjoys the Sharks current status as one of the NHL’s top franchises.

“In more recent times for us to beat Calgary here in Game 7, the first Game 7 in our building, that was memorable,” said Hahn of that 2008 Stanley Cup Quarterfinals series. “The dramatic moments are always the highlights, like in Game 7 when J.R. did what he did. Joe’s goal in Game 5 in Calgary when it looked like if we lost this game we were going to lose the series. Then out of no where Douglas Murray takes that shot and with five seconds to go we win that game.”

Hahn has had some fortuitous timing in his career with his wife getting the job in San Jose before there even was a team being critical to his Sharks fame. However, his start in broadcasting was due to a bit of lucky timing as well.

“There was a charity event in my high school where all of us vowed to each only a bowl of rice for three consecutive days to simulate what people in third world countries would have to survive on,” Hahn said. “It was a challenge by our social studies teacher to teach us what it’s like to live in poverty. The local radio station came out and they were looking for a kid to interview. Somehow I got picked and they played the interview on the station. I guess it went well, so he called me two days later and asked if I could co-host with him on his morning talk show. I had to get permission to miss three hours of school. I did and it just so happened that one of the biggest celebrities to come through town was there that morning and I got to interview him: Colonel Sanders from Kentucky Fried Chicken, the original guy. There was one Kentucky Fried Chicken in Whitehorse and he was there on a promotional appearance.”

From that simple time being the interviewer at a small town radio station, Hahn has moved on to be the interviewer on television in America’s fourth largest media market. Hahn wasn’t sure if the person who gave him the big break knows what became of his young hire.

“I don’t know that he does,” Hahn said. “His name was John Dumas. He was a realtor who also worked in radio and he gave me my first break. From that point I got the bug. Within a year, I worked at the local TV station behind the scenes.”

Now the only debate is if the Sharks are a bigger part of the Hahn household or if Hahn is a bigger part of the Sharks world. Hahn’s eldest son works in the visiting locker room on game nights and both boys are active in youth hockey.

For the Hahn family, hockey seems like a 24/7 thing. For Hahn himself, it has been Sharks hockey for 1,000 games.

Madge, Baldwin lead Lady Cats

2009-12-05T06:30:00.005-08:00

photo by

LONGEISHA EMANUEL of the Bainbridge Middle School seventh-grade Lady Cats comes in defensively as a Thomas County Central Middle School seventh-grade Yellow Jackets player loses control of the ball.

Madge, Baldwin lead Lady Cats

By Joe Crine (Contact) | Post-Searchlight

Published Friday, December 4, 2009

Beonka Madge and Kristin Baldwin combined for 20 points Thursday at Hutto Middle School's Bynes Greenlee Gymnasium to lead the Bainbridge Middle School seventh-grade Lady Cats to a 36-23 victory over the Thomas County Central seventh-grade Lady Yellow Jackets.

Madge led the way for the Lady Cats with 11 points while Baldwin put in 9.

The Lady Cats went up by 18, at 34-16, when Longeisha Emanuel hit a free throw with 3:52 left in the third quarter.

Completing the Lady Cats scoring chart behind Madge and Baldwin were Patra Parris with 4, Emanuel with 3, Akinya Williams with 2, and Brianna Turner, Taylor Jackson and Marissa Jackson all with 1.

After the game, Lady Cats coach Patrick Clark expressed pleasure with his teams play.

"I would like to give credit to my entire team for playing hard from the start of the game to the end," he said. "We are really making great strides to get better each and every day.

"We are now 4-1 on the season and we have a team goal to finish the season 7-1. If we continue to work hard in the gym, I believe this goal will be attainable."

Burdekin Blues streets ahead

2009-12-05T06:30:00.003-08:00

TRAINER Barry Baldwin and rider Shane Scriven dared the opposition to challenge Burdekin Blues at Doomben yesterday. They need not have bothered.

Any thoughts of a rival testing Burdekin Blues early in the George Moore Stakes were quashed in the first 100m.

In a sizzling display of sustained speed, Burdekin Blues simply ran his rivals into the ground.

At the end Burdekin Blues ($3.20) was wilting but he had almost a length advantage over a very gallant Zero Rock ($7.50).

"We learnt from the Newmarket in Melbourne earlier this year – this is not a horse you can hold up," Baldwin said.

"He's a speed horse and we ride him that way now.

"It's his ability to put in an amazing sectional time from the 600m to 400m that gives him a winning edge. I'd say he ran below 11sec in that area again today."

Baldwin has now put the onus on the handicapper by declaring Burdekin Blues a likely runner in the Bat Out of Hell over 900m at the Gold Coast on January 2 – that's "provided he is weighted reasonably".

The big mission for Burdekin Blues is the Lightning Handicap down the Flemington straight 1000m at the start of the autumn carnival.

Scriven rated Burdekin Blues beautifully in front and his tactics reflected his supreme confidence in the five-year-old.

"I knew no horse would get near him early," Scriven said.

"I tried to slow him down after we left the 800m, and then I could feel him build up underneath me from the 600m."

Zero Rock chased Burdekin Blues all the way down the straight in a very brave performance at her first run since early September.

Forestreno ($15) was his usual consistent self to claim third, just ahead of Ghetto Blaster who came from a long way back on the home turn to be beaten less than two lengths.

Topweight The Jackal (seventh) ruined any chance he had by missing the start. He made up ground late but was never a threat.

"He got upset in the barriers today and came out awkwardly," jockey Robert Thompson said.

"I also think he might be looking for a touch further than 1200m now."

TRAINER Kelly Schweida has a firm game plan leading to the Magic Millions for his consistent mare Seesawing.

The mare continued her highly consistent form this campaign when she showed her trademark determination at the finish to win the Knauf Handicap of 1615m.

Schweida now will run Seesawing over 2020m at Doomben in a fortnight.

The Easy Rocking mare will then have a three-week break until her next start in the 1800m Magic Millions Stayers Cup at the Gold Coast on January 9.

Bristol Rovers defender Baldwin: It'll be tough test at Colchester

2009-12-05T06:30:00.001-08:00

"Hopefully I can get my place back in the team after the game – but if the lads do well then I guess it will make it hard for the manager to make a decision."

Having chalked up almost 200 league appearances for Colchester during a seven-year stint – including seven outings this season – Baldwin has plenty of knowledge about the Essex club.

"They are doing very well this season and the manager has got them playing a certain way which has proved to be very effective in this league," he said.

"They are very strong and very physical – but they also have quality with it, so it's going to be a very tough game. But if Rovers play to their full potential, then you never know."

Paul Trollope will have quizzed Baldwin in advance on the strengths and weaknesses of this weekend's opponents – but the players says he does not expect to have his brain picked by his parent club.

"I've spoken to a few of the Colchester lads this week, but just about things in general and not about football," he said.

"I'm not expecting a call from Colchester's manager. They have a very good network of scouts so I don't think he'll need to speak to me!

"If Paul Trollope wants to speak to me, that's not a problem and I'll be as honest as I can be. I'm going back to see some mates in Colchester ahead of the match – but I'm quite looking forward to watching the game.

"I'm completely in the middle and although I have got a preference, I'm not saying publicly what it is.

"It's a difficult one but I'll just try to be impartial and enjoy watching a game of football. Then it will be back to training with Rovers on Monday.

"I haven't got a clue how it's going to go – but I'd quite like to watch a 5-5 draw!"

Can Comcast-NBC play nice with Hulu?

2009-12-04T01:07:00.005-08:00

"The goal of Comcast is not to make it hard for people to get content. The goal of Comcast in the future is to make it really easy to get content and that's what people will pay for." --James McQuivey, Forrester analyst

Paul Gallant, an analyst at Concept Capital's Washington Research Group told The Washington Post that Comcast could "harm consumer welfare by preventing Internet video from becoming a viable cut-the-chord threat."

"It's a little bit Pollyannish to say 'I can cut cable because everything I want is on the Internet,' because it isn't," McQuivey said.

The big knock on Hulu and other legal video sites is their selection of films and TV shows is still pretty poor. Under Comcast ownership, Hulu will unlikely be unable to change that. More probable is that Comcast will use NBC Universal's content to sweeten its offering to paying subscribers.

"The goal of Comcast is not to make it hard for people to get content," McQuivey said. "The goal of Comcast in the future is to make it really easy to get content and that's what people will pay for.

"In the future, Comcast isn't going to say 'Here's 500 channels delivered to one set-top box,'" he continued. "In the future, they'll say 'Hey, you know that subscription you're paying us every month, that buys you red-carpet access to the best content. No matter what you want to watch we have the license to it. We're going to deliver it to you online, to your game console, to your connected television or Blu-ray player.'"

But what about Netflix and iTunes? Doesn't the Comcast-NBC Universal deal put them in a position of competing with a major supplier?

Is Netflix friend or foe? Netflix looks less like a DVD-rental business and more like the Web's version of a cable company with each passing day. For more than a year now, Netflix has streamed movies over the Web to anyone who pays the company's subscription fees. CEO Reed Hastings raised the stakes in the competition with cable companies by partnering with set-top box makers and TV manufacturers to create systems that enabled Netflix customers to watch streaming films on their flat screens.

Jumping to the TV set was huge for Netflix. No longer latched to the PC, the company was now threatening cable companies on their home turf. But if content is king, then Netflix was offering only a duke.

Just like Hulu, Netflix offered cable subscribers a cheaper alternative. Just like Hulu, Netflix's library lacks new and hot titles. Without the best content, the cable companies still hold an advantage over Netflix. Since Netflix is now a direct competitor to Comcast and other cable companies, it will be interesting to see what kind of terms the Web's No. 1 rental store gets from the new NBC Universal?

Baldwin County Commission plans to schedule school tax referendum next week

2009-12-04T01:07:00.003-08:00

Baldwin County Commission plans to schedule school tax referendum next week By Connie Baggett December 03, 2009, 7:11PM

BAY MINETTE, Ala. -- Baldwin County commissioners say they plan to vote Tuesday to schedule a 1-cent sales tax referendum for schools, but some said today they would wait and see if the requested $5 million grant is needed.

"I am hoping we can find a way to help solve their problem," said Commissioner Wayne Gruenloh, "both short-term and long-term. But that doesn't mean there won't be conditions."

County officials met today with finance committee members to come up with a plan for the upcoming referendum, hoping for an election date around Feb. 8, they said.

Baldwin County Board of Education members voted Tuesday to ask the commission to approve a 1-cent sales tax referendum by March, and to grant the school system $5 million to make ends meet in the meantime. School officials say the system will lose $61 million in income from 2008 through 2010 in state and local revenue. The shortfall forced closure of two schools and massive layoffs in recent months with more cuts on the horizon. Board members said Tuesday the $5 million would help keep them afloat in survival mode in the present crisis.

But some commissioners questioned the need for the grant until June or July and maybe not even then if the sales tax -- generally expected to generate some $25 million annually for the school system -- passes.

"There are some differences in what the resolution says and what we were asked earlier," said Commissioner Ed Bishop, who serves on the finance committee.

(For a complete report, read Friday's Baldwin Register.)

Baldwin worried after soft track gallop

2009-12-04T01:07:00.001-08:00

Trainer Barry Baldwin has conceded a soft gallop and a track hoodoo have him a little worried ahead of Burdekin Blue's bid to claim the George Moore Stakes.

Trainer Barry Baldwin has conceded a soft gallop and a track hoodoo have him a little worried ahead of Burdekin Blue's bid to claim the Group Three George Moore Stakes at Doomben on Saturday.

Burdekin Blues jumped a marker while working at Doomben on Tuesday morning which prevented jockey Shane Scriven from giving the five-year-old a harder workout in preparation for the 1200-metre feature.

"I would have liked him to have a harder gallop on Tuesday but he's still in good order," Baldwin said.

"For some reason he jumped one of the markers while working and Shane wasn't able to let him run along.

"He didn't go anywhere near as fast as I would have liked."

Scriven has retained the ride on Burdekin Blues after being reunited with him in Melbourne when the pair easily won the Listed Grazia Style (1100m) at Flemington on November 5.

Burdekin Blues will be freshened after the George Moore Stakes to run in the Bat Out Of Hell (900m) at the Gold Coast on January 2 before heading back to Melbourne for the Group One Lightning Stakes at Flemington and Group One Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield during the autumn.

Baldwin has no answer as to why Burdekin Blues has never won from three attempts at Doomben.

"Doomben is the only track he's been on where he hasn't won and I'm not sure why," he said.

Burdekin Blues has an awkward barrier 10 to contend with but Baldwin is confident it won't be a disadvantage.

"I was worried what alley he'd get before the draw but it's not too bad now that Black Prince has drawn out wider in 15," he said.

Black Prince and Burdekin Blues have gone head-to-head once before in the Star Kingdom Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill in March.

The pair jousted for the lead before the Sydney sprinter eventually shook off Burdekin Blues, only to be nabbed by backmarker The Jackal in the final bounds.

The Jackal's trainer Paul St Vincent is hoping the speedsters will adopt similar tactics on Saturday to bring themselves undone.

St Vincent has likened the George Moore Stakes to the Ramornie Handicap and expects the race to be run at a frantic pace.

The Jackal produced an eye-catching run last start to finish sixth, only a length behind the winner Black Prince, over 1200 metres at Eagle Farm on November 21.

The Jackal also has a Doomben hoodoo to shrug off having failed to win in five attempts at the track.

His last Doomben run was a sixth to Apache Cat in the Group One Doomben 10,000 last year.

"The race should be run very quickly," St Vincent said.

"At Doomben, they don't seem to stop and start like they do at Eagle Farm so that should suit him better.

"If the pace is on fully, that's what he wants. I liken this race a bit to a Ramornie and he's had two starts in those for two wins."

St Vincent kept The Jackal in Brisbane following his last run and is likely to do the same for his next assignment in the Listed Doomben Stakes (1350m) on December 19.

Stephen Stratford, 1923-2009: Lawyer kept Beaches, Baldwin independent

2009-12-03T10:08:00.007-08:00

Stephen Stratford, who served as Jacksonville Beach's city attorney for 56 years and worked to assure the independence of the three Beach cities and Baldwin at the time of consolidation in 1968, died at home Monday after a lengthy illness. He was 85.

"Steve was probably one of the best municipal attorneys in the state, particularly representing cities in condemnation proceedings," said former Jacksonville Mayor Lou Ritter, a longtime friend.

The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. today at Hardage-Giddens Funeral home, 4115 Hendricks Ave., Jacksonville. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday at St. John's Cathedral, 256 E. Church St. Burial will follow at Oaklawn Cemetery.

Born in Augusta, Ga., Mr. Stratford was reared in Jacksonville and graduated from Andrew Jackson High School in 1941.

He was in the Army Air Corps from 1943 to 1946, serving as a chemical warfare instructor and then as a master gunner with the Flying Tigers who flew "the hump," the dangerous passage over the Himalayan Mountains.

After the war, Mr. Stratford went to Stetson University on the GI Bill, receiving his undergraduate and law degrees.

He was admitted to practice in Florida in 1952. He retired last month.

"Steve started in partnership with me and my father in the mid-50s, and we practiced together about 20 years," said Lacy Mahon Jr., who went to high school with Mr. Stratford. "He was a fine fellow and a great lawyer. I can't say anything but good about him."

Mr. Stratford had served on several boards of directors, including Jacksonville General Hospital, the University Club and the First Guaranty Bank & Trust Co. He was an avid golfer at San Jose County Club and also was a member of the Ponte Vedra Club and a former member of Ye Mystic Revelers.

He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Jean Stratford; three daughters, Stephanie Keezel of Longwood, Liz Bray of Westport, Conn., and Alison Stratford of Jacksonville Beach; and four granddaughters.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to St. John's Cathedral, 256 E. Church St., Jacksonville, FL 32202; St. John the Divine Orthodox Church, 3850 Atlantic Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32207; or the Jacksonville Humane Society, 8464 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32216.

jessie-lynne.kerr@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4374

Afghan War protesters object to Obama's plans

2009-12-03T10:08:00.005-08:00

A group of around 50 protesters marched silently down State Street Wednesday in a symbolic memorial of the casualties from the war in Afghanistan, demonstrating their opposition to President Obama’s call Tuesday for the deployment of 30,000 more U.S.troops to Afghanistan.

Organized by several Madison-area anti-war groups, the protest was a response to Obama’s speech outlining a new military strategy in Afghanistan based on the troop surge beginning within the next month.

“We’re very disappointed in what President Obama announced last night,” said Meg Skinner, a Madison resident who voted for Obama and protested the war in Vietnam. “It’s just more of the same that we’ve been marching against for years.”

The March of the Dead drew mostly non-student protesters, many of whom covered their faces with masks and hung signs bearing the names of troops and civilians killed in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq from their necks.

Led by a masked Obama and former President George W. Bush adorned in garb indicating war criminal status, the protesters stopped traffic in their march to the Capitol Square while carrying posters with images of mangled bodies and fallen Wisconsin soldiers.

Protesters also carried signs, such as “War: America’s #1 Business,” and coffins labeled “U.S. soldier” and “Iraqi child.”

“We’re mourning those who have been killed in Afghanistan and Pakistan and Iraq and all those who are going to be killed now as a result of Obama’s decision,” said Madison resident David Williams, one of the event organizers. “I think that for people who had high hopes (in Obama), it’s the death of their hopes.”

The group voiced its opposition outside the Madison offices of U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis., and U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., asking the politicians to push for immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces and to join Sen. Russ Feingold in blocking Obama’s request for $30 billion in appropriations to finance the escalation.

In a statement distributed to the protesters, Baldwin said she initially supported the war in Afghanistan but thinks Obama’s new strategy abandons the war’s original purpose of bringing justice to the 9/11 terrorists.

“I cannot endorse a military surge in Afghanistan and Pakistan,” Baldwin said in the statement. “It’s time for our troops to come home.”

Meanwhile Kohl, who has a strong record of support for Afghanistan and Iraq war financing, shared his belief that immediate withdrawal from Afghanistan would cause instability in the region.

“We should give [Obama’s] new strategy an opportunity to work, but be clear that this is not an open-ended commitment if the Afghan people and government fail to do their part,” Kohl said in his statement, eliciting “Health care, not warfare” chants from protesters.

University of Wisconsin senior Matt Roman, one of a handful of students who protested, said he has been consistently disappointed with the lack of student involvement in protest movements and anti-war organizations on campus.

Roman, who was active in the Campus Antiwar Network, helped organize students on campus to protest Halliburton’s recruitment efforts at UW in 2007 and said this was the one of the best protests since.

Tired of Acting, Alec Baldwin to Retire in 2012

2009-12-03T10:08:00.003-08:00

After 30 years of being in the industry, Alec Baldwin is ready to retire. Yup, that is correct! He�s leaving the spotlight. I guess no one can blame him... 30 years is a long time. The magic of making movies has already left him; he has lost his interest in acting. He�s just going to finish up his contract with NBC where he has a role on �30 Rock.� His contract with said network ends in 2012.

Since show business has been his whole life, Alec intends to pursue another field. There have been some rumors that he will pursue a spot in politics. I�m not sure this would be a wise choice for him. At 51, I�m sure he would just want to relax and doesn�t want to be burdened with all kinds of problems.

Most actors, when they announce their intention to retire, often say that they are satisfied with what they have achieved. Alec Baldwin is not most actors. He said, �I consider my entire movie career a complete failure.�

Do I hear echoes of self-pity here? Alec is a great actor and there are roles that he will surely be remembered well. In fact he won 2 Emmy Awards and was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the movie �The Cooler.� He�s also going to co-host the upcoming Academy Awards in March 2010.

Coastal insurance cuts in Mobile, Baldwin counties stun local leaders

2009-12-03T10:08:00.001-08:00

"My feeling is way beyond disappointed," said state Sen. Ben Brooks, R-Mobile, who has led efforts to change state insurance laws. "My feeling is one of disgust at the way these companies are treating the citizens of the two counties." MOBILE, Ala. -- Local leaders said Wednesday that they were stunned by additional cuts in coastal insurance, warning it puts the area further from a functioning, competitive market. "My feeling is way beyond disappointed," said state Sen. Ben Brooks, R-Mobile, who has led efforts to change state insurance laws. "My feeling is one of disgust at the way these companies are treating the citizens of the two counties."Insurance industry members said the 14,000 policyholders who will lose wind coverage from Allstate Corp. and Alfa Mutual group over the next 18 months likely will be able to find coverage, but will pay more and may get less. Alabama Insurance Commissioner Jim Ridling told the Press-Register Tuesday that Allstate would cut wind coverage from 9,000 policyholders and Alfa would remove wind from 5,000 policyholders. Insurance Department spokesman Ragan Ingram said most of the Allstate customers being dropped are north of Interstate 10, and that a majority are in Mobile County. He said Alfa's cuts are generally closer to Mobile Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Under state rules, policyholders must get 120 days' notice. That means cuts can't begin until next spring, and will take a year to cycle through as contracts expire. Allstate will essentially exit Alabama's coastal wind insurance market, retaining fewer than 500 policies in Mobile and Baldwin counties. The firm, based in Northbrook, Ill., has dropped wind coverage on about 30,000 homes in coastal Alabama since 2004's Hurricane Ivan. Al Carlson, who is active in the Homeowners' Hurricane Insurance Initiative, a church-backed grass roots group, said the move caught him by surprise, after a quiet hurricane season. "I thought things were starting to settle down a little bit," Carlson said. Local business groups, especially in Baldwin County, say high insurance costs are a weight on the shaky local economy."Homeowners who want to purchase a home can make the mortgage payment, however, in some cases when the insurance and taxes are added, it puts their payments out of reach," Martha Taylor, executive vice president of the Baldwin County Association of Realtors, wrote in an e-mail. The Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce also says it wants legislation to aid people in finding "reasonable and available protection for their homes and businesses." There's little sympathy in the rest of the state, though. Alfa, in particular, has worked to block most proposed changes. Many north Alabama lawmakers fear changes will lead to their constituents subsidizing coastal rates. There will likely be another showdown when the 2010 legislative session opens in January. Todd Stacy, a spokesman for Gov. Bob Riley, deferred comment to the Insurance Department. Brooks warned that the growing liability of the Alabama Insurance Underwriting Association, the state insurer of last resort known as the Beach Pool, will ultimately threaten policyholders upstate. Typically when a big hurricane hits the coast, the pool exhausts the coverage that it buys and has to assess insurers who do business elsewhere to recoup costs. "This train wreck keeps coming and keeps coming and at some point the legislators in the other parts of the state need to wake up and realize some reforms are needed," Brooks said. The other option for many displaced policyholders will be surplus lines companies, whose rates are not regulated by the state. Supply in that market expands and contracts as firms enter, write a number of policies, and then stop selling new coverage to hold down exposure. Bruce White of Whitehaven Insurance in Gulf Shores said availability is currently expanding in the surplus lines market. One factor in the Alabama market is Allstate's own surplus lines unit, North Light Specialty Insurance. Carlson, for example, said North Light offered the best available price to insure his home about 1,500 feet north of the beach in Gulf Shores. Consumer advocates contacted by the Press-Register last year questioned Allstate's decision to create North Light at the same time it was pulling back coverage in its traditional insurer. Allstate spokesman Shane Robinson said Tuesday that Allstate is unlikely to offer North Light as a blanket alternative for dropped policyholders. "I'm not really sure North Light wants that much exposure," Robinson said. Alfa spokesman Jeff Helms said Alfa agents would probably offer to quote homeowners through the Beach Pool, as well as through a centralized surplus lines brokerage run by the Montgomery insurer.

Finian's Rainbow Star Baldwin to Sing On TV and in Cabaret

2009-12-02T19:12:00.005-08:00

Kate Baldwin, who is currently starring in the Broadway revival of Finian's Rainbow, will perform on the Dec. 3 broadcast of "The Today Show."

Baldwin will perform a brand-new tune penned by David Friedman and Kathie Lee Gifford; Friedman will be featured at the piano. The song is part of the morning show's "Everyone Has a Story" series. "The Today Show" airs in the New York metropolitan area on WNBC, Channel 4 beginning at 7 AM ET; check local listings.

As previously reported, the singing actress will also celebrate her new PS Classics CD, "Let's See What Happens," Dec. 13 at Feinstein's at Loews Regency in Manhattan. Show time is 8:30 PM.

Feinstein's at Loews Regency is located at 540 Park Avenue at 61st Street in New York City. For ticket reservations call (212) 339-4095 or visit feinsteinsatloewsregency.com and TicketWeb.com.

Alec Baldwin: don't be a closer

2009-12-02T19:12:00.003-08:00

Baldwin's seven minutes of rant rank as some of the most electrifying in cinema history. It's the sort of clenched, laser-focused scene that you want to watch again and again until you know all the words off by heart, and then keep watching because you'll never come anywhere close to being as good as Baldwin was in it. It's the sort of scene that, when it finishes, you realise that you've neglected to draw breath for most of it. Those seven minutes alone should be enough to convince you that Alec Baldwin can't retire. Plus, his death scene in Team America was impeccable.

Stage two

This involves taking the decision-making process out of Baldwin's hands. He may be good at acting, but his lack of quality control when it comes to choosing roles is astonishing. Leafing through his IMDb profile is like running full-pelt through a minefield. This decade alone he's taken roles in Pearl Harbor, Thomas and the Magic Railroad, Fun with Dick and Jane, Cats & Dogs, My Best Friend's Girl and The Cat in the Hat. Come on, Alec! What's money compared to legacy?

Imagine if your only exposure to Baldwin came from watching his grunting turn in The Cat in the Hat.

You'd be greeting news of his retirement with a VE Day-style street party, wouldn't you? These aren't Alec Baldwin roles, they're Stephen Baldwin roles. If only he'd stick to what he's good at and stop diluting his talent with My Sister's Keeper, there's no question that Baldwin would get the adulation he deserves.

Stage three

The hardest one of all. We've got to write Baldwin a role so perfect that he couldn't possibly turn it down. It needs to combine everything great that he's ever done - brooding intensity, rugged masculinity, constant danger, flashes of charm and humour - while avoiding anything that even slightly resembles a giant talking cat. But this is the part where I need your help: if you had to mold the definitive Alec Baldwin role, a role that could single-handedly keep him in the movies, what would it need to include? Together, we can get Baldwin back.

Judge dismisses libel lawsuit against Dixie Chicks

2009-12-02T19:12:00.001-08:00

Judge dismisses libel lawsuit against Dixie Chicks

(AP) – 7 hours ago

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The Dixie Chicks can't be sued for libel by the stepfather of one of three 8-year-old boys killed in Arkansas 15 years ago because singer Natalie Maines based her statements on legal documents she believed were true, a federal judge ruled.

The band was sued by Terry Hobbs, whose stepson Stevie Branch, was one of three 8-year-old boys slain in 1993. Hobbs claimed Maines accused him of the killings in a letter posted on the band's Web site and in comments she made at a Little Rock rally in 2007 in support of the three men convicted in the deaths.

Maines, who's from Lubbock, Texas, had become convinced that Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley, known as the West Memphis Three, were innocent after watching documentaries on the case. Her letter seeking donations for the trio's legal defense fund mentioned a DNA test that found a hair belonging to Hobbs on a shoelace used to bind one of the murdered boys.

"I am confident that you will see the DNA evidence is irrefutable and that these three men did not get the kind of trial that is promised to us — as Americans," Maines' letter said.

Echols was sentenced to death for the killings, while Baldwin and Misskelley were sentenced to life in prison. Courts have repeatedly rejected their appeals for a new trial.

Hobbs' lawsuit claimed the letter "when taken as a whole, accused (Hobbs) of committing the murder of Steve Branch, Christopher Byers and Michael Moore."

The lawsuit, filed in November 2008, claimed Maines' comments were "malicious, libelous, slanderous and false" and sought damages.

But U.S. District Judge Brian Miller ruled Tuesday that Hobbs couldn't establish "actual malice" — that Maines knew the statements were false or that she made them with "reckless disregard" of the truth.

Miller noted Maines rejected changes to the letter she posted on the Web site because she didn't want to stray from information she'd received from the West Memphis Three's attorneys.

"All of the legal stuff is copied directly from the court filing and legal papers that were written by the defense team," Maines wrote to an e-mail to her manager, which was included in the court record. "I don't want to put any of that in my own words."

Miller also pointed out that Hobbs has spoken publicly about the DNA test.

"Hobbs admits that he wanted the public to know that if the victims had his hair on them, it was because the boys played with Stevie pretty regularly, not because Hobbs committed the murders," Miller's order said.

Hobbs' attorney, Cody Hiland, didn't immediately return a call for comment Wednesday, nor did an attorney for Maines.

Dissimilar landmarks — Binion's and CityCenter — reflect today's Las Vegas

2009-12-02T04:07:00.005-08:00

John Katsilometes

Binion's Cafe, home of the $5 burger.

Two guys approach the bar and ease into stools set under a Phillips TV whose picture is a wash of blurry color. One guy asks how to get a free bottle of beer. The bartender, wearing a black shirt with a martini stitched on the back and Velcro wrap around his right forearm, says they need to play $10 in the video machines set in front of them. The two guys lift $10 bills from their wallets and gingerly shove them into the machine and poke at the screen until they find video blackjack.

The bartender pulls two bottles of Miller Lite from a trough filled with ice and sets them in front of the two gamblers. He backs off and grins, shaking his head as he watches these two guys methodically play one credit – 25 cents – per hand. Never have so few played so slowly for so little.

This was Monday night, at Binion’s on Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas. Those two could still be playing that same $10 and nursing those Miller Lites, for all I know. I wound back to Binion’s on Monday because the hotel announced earlier in the day it was closing its 365-room hotel tower. I expected I might find a morose casino filled with dour employees, and I’m not sure that wasn’t the case at Binion’s. But it’s so hard to tell what the mood is in some of these downtown hotels – they’re far more nitty-gritty than those on the Strip. There is far less whoop-it-up going on downtown, and certainly Monday’s vibe at Binion’s was far from celebratory.

But in scouring the casino, I learned that the hotel rooms were offering such low rates -- $19 many nights for rooms it costs at least $31 per night to maintain – that it was almost constantly operating at a loss. Even though 100 employees would lose their jobs, the feeling around the casino floor seemed to be that the guests who paid those cheap rates and loped into the hotel lugging giant coolers full of food and drink would not be missed. That 365 total, too, is misleading, as many rooms were in such shoddy condition they couldn’t be occupied at any rate -- and now is not the time to start investing in room renovation at Binion’s. One-hundred employees being let go is bad, yes, but not compared to the hundreds lopped by larger companies all over the valley over the past year or so.

The famed casino is still intact and expects to remain in operation for the foreseeable future. The crowd at Benny’s Bullpen Sports Bar and Cigar Lounge is busy with Saints and Patriots fans. This place is so magical, it even has a server named “Margarita” working the floor during the Monday Night Football game. I’m encouraged to go take a photo, but not a flash photo, of the million-dollar cash display. Check out the famed poker room. Enjoy a $5 hamburger at Binion’s Café, right there at the counter. A slice of cheese is 50 cents more.

We do not need a hotel, they say, to keep in play.

Maybe it’s denial, or maybe it’s just the cowboy grit so ingrained in Binion’s by it’s founder, Benny Binion. When you’re in Binion’s, you’re comfortably insulated from reality, the dazzling multibillion-dollar fortress being introduced just a few miles away in the middle of the Strip.

It is Tuesday morning, the day the ribbon at Vdara will be cut by MGM Mirage executives, signaling the official opening of City Center’s non-gaming jewel of a hotel. That it is one of the largest LEED-certified projects in the country is evident by the ribbon itself, which is made of pulverized and recycled soda bottles.

You sit at the base of this hotel and look up at the high reaching, curvaceous, structure that gleams with mirrored silver and you almost can’t believe you are there. At 57 stories tall, Vdara is literally dizzying, and you remember seeing the model of City Center at the Bellagio Conservatory for the first time, and you feel like a Lilliputian sitting down in the center of the actual, finished buildings.

This is the new Vegas, where we just plow through the Great Recession, which impeccably groomed MGM Mirage Chief Executive Officer Jim Murren said during his time at the mic as he addressed dozens of media members and VIPs. No one could predict what the economic trends would be when CityCenter broke ground four years ago, but here it is, opening as scheduled, bold and beautiful in the winter of ’09.

It seems we’re occupying a different planet than a night earlier on Fremont Street, though we’re really in the same city. It seems that way until Bobby Baldwin steps before the crowd, a man who embodies both old and new Vegas. Baldwin, with the locally fabled nickname “The Owl,” was president of Golden Nugget from 1984-’87. He also won the World Series of Poker main event at -- Binion’s Horseshoe -- in 1978 and is still friends with Benny’s son Jack. On the Strip, Baldwin has operated Mirage and Bellagio, both at the time of opening. Today he is president and chief executive of City Center.

After the ceremonial news conference, “The Owl” is asked about the announcement at Binion’s, where he made history 30 years ago as the then-youngest WSOP champ ever. Is City Center and its 6,800 hotel rooms simply too big for the city, particularly lower-level hotels like Binion’s, to absorb?

“I think that Las Vegas is really about evolution. The marketplace grows continuously, or has, for decades and decades,” he says. “But there are businesses that have lasted a long time that eventually are outdated, and they close and new buildings open in other locations and take their place. I think that’s what keeps Las Vegas on the edge and gives it its great appeal.”

Some forget, but not Baldwin, that City Center is actually located on the property of the Dunes hotel and country club.

“That business lasted 55 years,” he says, “and I loved to play the Dunes golf course. But eventually, when I was with Mirage Resorts, rigged dynamite in the Dunes hotel and Steve Wynn and others took it down in order to build Bellagio.”

Everything has a life expectancy, Baldwin says. Some things are built to last 20 years, 40 years, 50 years, but not City Center. “It’s built to last forever,” he says. “I think it’s going to outlast us and our children, and their children.”

As we finish the brief conversation, it’s time to enter Vdara for the first time, and you’re initially struck by the scent – the hotel smells like a new Lexus. It’s plush, adult, muted, gaudy without being overwhelming -- even though the spa spans 18,000 square feet and offers something called a “vegan manicure."

Because this is a party, beverages are offered by dark-suited staffers carrying silver trays. One approaches with a collection of smoothies in assorted colors, including purple. These drinks are free, today, and you have to chuckle, knowing that somewhere downtown, casino customers blithe to this evolution are playing for free bottles of Miller Lite, 25 cents at a time.

Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at twitter.com/JohnnyKats.

Hot Box: TV worth talking about

2009-12-02T04:07:00.003-08:00

Super Size Special: The Simpsons is going to wrap up its 20th anniversary year of celebration with the help of filmmaker Morgan Spurlock. Fox announced Tuesday that Super Size Me's Spurlock will present an hourlong special on Jan. 10, The Simpsons debuted on Fox in 1989.

Bored Baldwin: U.S. actor Alec Baldwin says he has lost interest in acting and considers his film career a failure. "I don't have any interest in acting any more," Baldwin, 51, told Men's Journal in an interview for its December issue. Baldwin, best known for his Emmy Award-winning role in the NBC comedy 30 Rock and the man chosen to co-host the 2010 Oscar ceremony, added: "Movies are a part of my past. It's been 30 years. I'm not young, but I have time to do something else."

Final Nip: The last season of FX's plastic-surgery drama Nip/Tuck is set to begin in early January. In announcing its midseason lineup, FX said the show will return Jan. 6, while the third season of the Glenn Close legal drama Damages will begin Monday, Jan. 25.

Gibson Going: ABC says Charles Gibson will sign off from the World News anchor desk on Dec. 18. The 66-year-old Gibson, who announced his retirement in September, has been at ABC News for more than three decades and plans to continue as an occasional contributor. He will be replaced by Good Morning America co-anchor Diane Sawyer.

Regis Gets Hip: Regis Philbin had successful hip replacement surgery Tuesday, and plans to return to his syndicated daytime talk show Live! With Regis and Kelly early next month. The show says the typical recovery period is four to six weeks, and the 78-year-old Philbin expects to return soon after the first of the year. Philbin had triple heart bypass surgery in 2007.

TONIGHT ON TV

Glee club members have forever been defaced in high school yearbooks. So when they don't make it into the latest yearbook due to budget cuts, they're relieved. Well, most of them. Fame-hungry Rachel satiates her thirst for celebrity when she signs up the "gleeks" for a cheesy local TV commercial (Global, Fox, 9 p.m.).

Those going through Battle of the Blades withdrawal can take comfort in Stars on Ice: On the Edge. Featured are some of the Blades competitors as well as top figure skaters, including Jeffrey Buttle, Kurt Browning, Jamie Salé and David Pelletier. The special also includes interviews with performers and demonstrations of their signature moves (CBC, 9 p.m.).

LATE NIGHT

Strombo at 11: Jully Black, Julio Montaner

Letterman at 11:35: Amanda Peet, the Cribs (R)

Conan at 11:35: Jenny McCarthy, Gabriel Iglesias

Stewart at 12:05: Lance Armstrong

Kimmel at 12:06: Matt Dillon, Nikki Reed

Colbert at 12:35: Craig Watkins

Ferguson at 12:37: Paul Shaffer

Fallon at 12:37: Taylor Lautner, Katey Sagal (R)

Star staff, wire services

Whoopi Goldberg: 'Alec Baldwin Isn'ta Failure'

2009-12-02T04:07:00.001-08:00

WHOOPI Goldberg thinks it’s “extraordinary” that Alec Baldwin considers his career a failure — and has urged the star to rethink his decision to quit Hollywood.

Baldwin recently revealed that he plans to retire when his 30 Rock contract expires in 2012.

“I don’t have any interest in acting anymore,” he told Men’s Journal. “Movies are part of my past. It’s been 30 years. I’m not young, but I have time to do something else.

“It’s a difficult thing to say, but I believe it: I consider my entire movie career a complete failure.”

But Whoopi, who quit acting to host U.S. talk show The View, thinks Alec is being too hard on himself.

“I find it extraordinary that he feels he’s a failure because he hasn’t driven a film,” he said. “There are tons of great actors out there who haven’t had the billion dollar box office hit… I know what he’s saying when he says he hasn’t done it [had a commercially successful film] yet, but he’s such a good actor.

“Having quit acting myself, I don’t know if it’s such a good idea.”

Central Baldwin Chamber of Commerce seeks Man, Woman of Year nominations

2009-12-01T13:22:00.013-08:00

Central Baldwin Chamber of Commerce seeks Man, Woman of Year nominations By Press-Register staff December 01, 2009, 11:27AM

The Central Baldwin Chamber of Commerce is looking for nominees for its annual Man of the Year and Woman of the Year awards.

The criteria for the Man of the Year is someone who has exhibited "great character and commitment to Central Baldwin's growth and development."

For the Woman of the Year award, the committee is looking for someone who has "exhibited hospitality, strong volunteerism and commitment to Central Baldwin."

Each year at the chamber's annual banquet and meeting, the awards are handed out to those deserving of the recognition.

"We want to recognize individuals for the work they have done to help promote the central Baldwin area, strengthen it and improve it," said Joseph Shaw, 2010 chairman-elect. "The winners will be announced at the banquet on Jan. 21."

"Volunteer of the Year" is an award that the board of directors for the Central Baldwin Chamber votes on, but nominations from the public may still be accepted.

Submissions may be made to the Central Baldwin Chamber of Commerce at P.O. Box 587, Robertsdale, AL 36567 or e-mail jmangion@centralbaldwin.com. Submissions will be accepted through Jan. 7.

Morning Shots: Alec Baldwin's Latest Goodbye, The 'CSI Effect,' And Bad Sex In ...

2009-12-01T13:22:00.011-08:00

by Linda Holmes

• Alec Baldwin has become one of those actors where it's awfully fortunate that he's so much fun to watch, because when he starts talking to the press, he becomes rather tiresome -- as with his new announcement that he wants to quit acting, which is not his first announcement that he wants to quit acting.

• Some criminal prosecutors have argued that viewers' exposure to CSI and other shows specializing in forensic science have made juries less likely to convict, because they're expecting perfect physical evidence that doesn't materialize. One new study says: Not so.

• The Literary Review has handed out its Bad Sex In Fiction Award. I hope it goes without saying that if you investigate that link, you will read some bad (as in: real bad) depictions of sex in fiction. Note that these are not from lowbrow paperbacks; these are allegedly highbrow books that go off the rails when they reach this particular topic.

A promising sequel, Neil Gaiman, and reality-based normalcy, after the jump.

• It's not often that I say, "I would see that sequel and can imagine it being a lot of fun," but I'd be in for The Hangover 2. I don't see how it can be called anything except Hair Of The Dog, am I right?

• Hey, you know who agrees with my previous assertions that audiobooks are kind of great? Neil Gaiman, who said as much on yesterday's Morning Edition.

• Two more considerations of the current state of reality television in the wake of the party-crashing business: The New York Times takes a wild guess regarding how many current reality-show participants there are, rather than actually trying to figure out how many there are (there aren't 20 networks that run an average of four reality shows with an average of ten participants, at least that I can think of); and The Washington Post looks at the involvement of extreme personalities and gets a quote from Survivor winner Yul Kwon in which he points out that it helps not to expect your appearance on television to be the defining event of your life. (This is why that guy has a real job now, million or no million.)

categories: Roundups

9:00

There's plenty of spirit in this Bristol Rovers side, says Baldwin

2009-12-01T13:22:00.009-08:00

"We conceded some very sloppy goals early on and gave ourselves a mountain to climb. I have been involved in games like that where a team can just collapse after starting so badly.

"Even at 2-0 down I thought we could get something from the game and we got the two goals back. It showed me there is a great spirit in this camp, because going to places like Charlton can be quite intimidating when you are not used to it.

"I really thought we were going to go on and win the game. but it was another sloppy goal that undid us again and that is something we need to eradicate."

Defensive frailties have been a common theme since Rovers suffered that thrashing at Norwich, which probably paved the way for Baldwin's arrival.

The former Chelsea trainee is not pleased to have been part of a back four that conceded five goals in two games, but believes a clean sheet is just around the corner.

You have to go back to early September to see the last time Rovers managed to get through a game without conceding a goal. A run of 12 matches have passed since then, in which the Pirates have conceded 29 times.

Baldwin said: "Keeping clean sheets is all about having a settled back four.

"All successful teams will usually play the same four week-in and week-out. That hasn't been the case here, from what I have been told. Hopefully, we can start seeing a bit of continuity and then get a couple of clean sheets off the back of that.

"It is something we need to keep working on in training. Once we manage to start keeping them out, we have the players to get them at the other end."

Rovers meet an Exeter side on a the back of an unbeaten five-game league run and were unlucky not to extend that form in the FA Cup at MK Dons on Saturday.

The Grecians, who were promoted to League One this season, carved out an impressive 3-1 lead against Paul Ince's highly-rated side only to go on and lose by the odd goal in seven.

"This division is difficult to come into when you get promoted, so Exeter are doing well," Baldwin added.

"Every game is tough, but if we can play how we know we can, we should get a result."

The defeat at Charlton halted Rovers' mini-revival, which had seen them win the two previous league games to bring a six-match losing streak to an end.

Trollope's side still remain handily-placed in eighth position and could return to the top six with victory tonight.

Baldwin said: "This season is the most difficult League One campaign I have been involved in since I turned pro eight years ago.

"To have lost five league games on the bounce and still be up there speaks volumes of how well Bristol Rovers have done so far."

Morning Roundup: Frasier on Broadway; Nicole Richie's Sitcom; Alec Baldwin ...

2009-12-01T13:22:00.007-08:00

Getty Images Kelsey Grammer is heading to Broadway for a revival of “La Cage aux Folles.”

Frasier on Broadway: Kelsey Grammer will make his Broadway musical debut in “La Cage aux Folles.” The Emmy-award winner will play Georges, the gay owner of a transvestite club, in the Broadway revival based on a 1973 French play. Grammer got his start on the stage, but is widely known for his role of Dr. Frasier Crane on both the sitcom “Cheers” and its spin-off “Frasier.” The actor also has producer credits on shows like “Medium” and the now defunct “Girlfriends.” Grammer will begin his run on Broadway starting in April. [Playbill]

Nicole Richie’s New Sitcom: Life after the reality show “The Simple Life” saw Nicole Richie settling down and raising kids. Now Richie aims to return to the small screen for a scripted comedy on ABC. The mother of two will play the role of career woman in a new show that will tackle complicated family relationships. Richie reportedly had the initial idea for the series. The comedy will be written by Daisy Gardner, who has written for Showtime’s “Californication,” and executive produced by Warren Bell and Jamie Tarses. [Variety]

Alec Baldwin to Quit Acting?: Oscar-nominated actor Alec Baldwin, who is set to co-host the Academy Awards, reportedly says he’s done with acting. The star of the NBC hit comedy “30 Rock,” told Men’s Journal, “I don’t have any interest in acting anymore.” The star of the coming comedy “It’s Complicated” with Meryl Streep, wants to move on to other things. “Movies are part of my past. It’s been 30 years. I’m not young, but I have time to do something else,” he told the men’s publication. [Reuters]

Gordon Brown should remember what happened to Stanley Baldwin

2009-12-01T13:22:00.005-08:00

Former prime minister Stanley Baldwin. Photograph: PA

Politics watchers are increasingly asking themselves, as he himself surely does too, what Gordon Brown would do if he woke up on the day after the next general election as a sitting prime minister faced with a hung parliament in which no single party had an overall majority.

As ever, one should remember Mark Twain's comment that while history does not repeat itself, it occasionally rhymes. Brown will not be bound by precedent. But the career of Stanley Baldwin offers him some particularly relevant food for thought.

As prime minister, Baldwin called two general elections that produced hung parliaments, one in 1923 and one in 1929. In both cases, he thought that his Tory party would win a majority. In both cases he was wrong. But his response to the result was different in each case. His actions after the first of these contests will have particular attractions for Brown.

In the general election of 6 December 1923, the Tories lost 86 seats but emerged as the largest single party. The Tories had 258 seats. Labour had 191. The Liberals had 158. An overall majority required 309 seats in the 616-seat Commons.

Baldwin returned to Downing Street on the afternoon of 7 December. "There were no ministers about to welcome him, only a couple of private secretaries and the usual messengers. It was all very depressing," reported Thomas Jones, the cabinet deputy secretary.

Baldwin was in a glum mood and his conversation took on a self-pitying tone. "Everyone who tries in politics to do the thing he believes in simply and honestly is sure to come a smeller. The martyrs did. Christ did," he said to Jones, who supposed that "smeller" was a Midlands colloquialism.

When Jones left him, "there was no doubt that his intention was to resign right away".

Later that evening the editor of the Times, Geoffrey Dawson, called on Baldwin.

Baldwin told Dawson that "no one party could carry on the government alone". Baldwin ruled out minority government and he appeared to think he should resign as Tory leader. When Dawson left he returned to the Times offices and wrote a leader urging Baldwin to stay on.

On the Saturday morning Baldwin was visited by Lord Stamfordham, the King's private secretary. By now, Baldwin was beginning to play for time. "He asked that the King would postpone seeing him until Monday next." However, Baldwin said, "his present view was, not to meet parliament but to resign."

Only two options existed, he said: a Liberal-Conservative government or a Liberal-Labour one. He himself favoured a government led by HH Asquith, the leader of the Liberals.

On Sunday, Baldwin consulted extensively within the Tory party. By Monday, he had changed his mind.

According to Stamfordham, Baldwin told George V at noon that his first thought had been to resign immediately. "But he found on reflection that there was a strong feeling amongst his supporters that he should meet parliament and that former precedent did not apply in this instance." Baldwin told the King that he was "absolutely opposed to any coalition".

The following day, the cabinet endorsed this decision. The crucial question was whether the Liberals would support the government when parliament gathered. Baldwin knew they would be unlikely to do so, and told the Archbishop of Canterbury on 12 December that "it would be better to let matters take their course, and that complication rather than help might arise from any symptom of what might be called backstairs arrangements between himself and the Liberals."

Baldwin was by now in combative mood, not least with the press. On 16 December he wrote a note to Lord Carson: "I will never draw down the blinds until I am a political corpse, but, if I do, it will be by an honest blow delivered in open fight and not by a syphilitic dagger from the syndicated press."

The Conservatives duly remained in office over the new year. On 18 December, however, Asquith announced that the Liberals would not vote for the Conservative government. The new parliament met on 16 January 1924, with a Conservative King's speech, but amid general expectations that Labour would now take office. On 21 January, the government was defeated by 72 votes at the end of the King's speech debate.

Baldwin resigned the following morning and Ramsay MacDonald formed the first Labour government, a minority government which lasted nine months. In October 1924, a general election gave the Conservatives a massive overall majority of 208.

So what are the lessons of 1923? Brown is a very different political animal from Baldwin. But the precedent of 1923 could be useful for Brown if Labour emerges from the 2010 election as the largest single party.

Though his initial response to defeat, like Baldwin's, might be self-pity and the temptation to resign, Brown is likely to find, as Baldwin did, that many in his party think the government should not quit.

Everything will, as ever, depend on the numbers. But there will be strong pressures on Brown to stand and fight against the possibility of a Tory government, just as there were on Baldwin not to let Labour in.

In these circumstances, Brown might be more tempted than Baldwin was to try to make a deal with the Liberals. But, depending on the numbers, Nick Clegg would face Asquith's dilemma too.

Does he prop up a government which has just lost an election or does he allow the election's chief gainer to have a chance? In 1923, Asquith refused to back Baldwin. Guardian readers may be shocked to accept it, but it would be hard for Clegg not to do the same this time round.

If Brown decided to face parliament, he might come under pressure, as Baldwin also did, to step down as party leader. In 1923 Baldwin openly speculated that he might end up being replaced by the veteran Arthur Balfour or by his rival Austen Chamberlain, but in the end his determination to stay on snuffed out any effective challenge.

Given the tensions of such moments, Brown would surely be tempted, as well as encouraged by his lieutenants, to repeat that trick.

So if 2010 followed 1923, the key move would then come from the Tories. In 1923-24 Labour used its Commons strength to stop Baldwin's attempt to stay in office as leader of a minority government. It would be down to David Cameron to do the same to Brown – and to hope that his government lasted longer than MacDonald's.

STATEMENT OF CONGRESSWOMAN TAMMY BALDWIN ON WORLD AIDS DAY

2009-12-01T13:22:00.003-08:00

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STATEMENT OF CONGRESSWOMAN TAMMY BALDWIN ON WORLD AIDS DAY "World AIDS Day serves as a somber reminder of the global pandemic that is as threatening as any we have ever known. The statistics are staggering. Since 1981, worldwide, more than 32 million people have died of AIDS. 33.4 million are currently living with HIV/AIDS, roughly half of them women. In Africa, families struggle daily against poverty and without access to drugs. More than 14 million children there are AIDS orphans. In the US, we struggle daily against complacency and misinformation. More than a million people are living with HIV/AIDS, and it is the leading cause of death for Black men and women between the ages of 25 to 44. Every nine and a half minutes in our country, another person becomes infected.HIV/AIDS education, research, and treatment continue to be stifled in many parts of the world by misinformation, fear, and stigma. In Uganda, proposed legislation would severely criminalize the 'promotion of homosexuality,' thereby limiting the distribution of information on HIV prevention. Worse yet, the legislation would establish the crime of 'aggravated homosexuality' punishable by death for anyone in Uganda who is HIV positive and has consensual same-sex relations. I have asked Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to use the full force of her office to condemn this "Anti-Homosexual Bill" introduced in Uganda's parliamentThe U.S. has made great strides in confronting the reality of HIV/AIDS here at home and around the world. We can be proud of the work of our scientists, health care providers, and relief workers. But looking to tomorrow, we can, and we must, do more globally, nationally, locally, and as individuals. Government can lead the way in funding research and developing vaccines, treatments, and potential cures. Individuals must take the initiative to be tested and act responsibly. HIV/AIDS is not 'their' problem, it is 'ours,' and together we must defeat it. On World AIDS Day, we remember all those we've lost to this terrible disease. We honor all those working to prevent more deaths. We support all those living with HIV/AIDS and those who care for them; and we pledge to work to end this scourge of our time." [12/1/2009]

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Once Alec Baldwin Quits Acting, What Jobs Should He Pursue?

2009-12-01T13:22:00.001-08:00

Alec Baldwin is quitting acting. The "30 Rock" star and future co-host of the Academy Awards plans to vacate the big screen forever in a few short years.

The Hollywood Reporter caught a glimpse of Baldwin's upcoming interview with Men's Journal, in which the actor reportedly remarked, "I don't have any interest in acting anymore ... Movies are a part of my past. It's been 30 years. I'm not young, but I have time to do something else."

Baldwin, who plans to continue his role on "30 Rock" for a few years before retiring, has previously talked about a potential political future, but he certainly has his options when it comes to the job market. After all, who wouldn't want to hire Baldwin for their son's Bar Mitzvah or as a cruise ship singer?

But Baldwin shouldn't limit himself to those options — here are five other jobs that he'd excel at.

BOUNTY HUNTER
I always thought that Alec Baldwin would do a great job in a film adaptation of "Dog the Bounty Hunter," but with acting out of the way, why not jump into the real thing? He's got the menacing physique and the even more bone-chilling voice required to scare any bail-skippers and debt-ridden lowlifes right out of hiding and directly into a prison cell.

Plus, I bet Baldwin would look great in a leather bodysuit with ridiculous blonde hair extensions. That's required dress code for all bounty hunters, right? Non-"Star Wars" bounty hunters, at any rate.

CAMP COUNSELOR
Baldwin would make for a fine school teacher, but he'd have an even better time working at a summer camp. Why is that, you ask? Well, in today's school system, you can't exactly get away with passive-aggressively pegging a misbehaved student with rubber dodgeballs to soothe your pent-up rage. For camp counselors, however, that's an expected part of the job.

On top of that, don't you think Baldwin would make for a hilarious camping trip leader? I'm sure he's got plenty of amazing ghost stories to tell while roasting marshmallows on an open fire.

FORTUNE COOKIE WRITER
While Baldwin could easily parlay his acting career into a job as a screenwriter or playwright, it seems that he's looking to steer clear of show business all together. Perhaps he should consider another artistic endeavor: fortune cookie writing. I don't know about you, but I've noticed a real decline in quality when it comes to the fortunes in my cookies.

If Baldwin put out his own brand of unique, signature fortune cookies — all of which could come with a Baldwin-branded audio clip — the world would be a much better place.

SHRIMP BOAT FIRST MATE
I'm not ready to say that Alec Baldwin would be a better shrimp boat captain than Forrest Gump, but he'd probably fill in nicely for Lieutenant Dan. Dan's bad attitude and lack of mobility would probably have frustrated someone without Forrest's patience. Baldwin, on the other hand, has the boisterous presence required to command a boatload of shrimpers, and without the baggage of a traumatic Vietnam experience.

Besides, there's probably no better place for Baldwin than the wide open ocean to determine whether or not he'll sink or swim without Hollywood in his life. Plus, as he so adamantly stated in "Malice," that classic '90s thriller, "I am never sick at sea."

SUPER-VILLAIN
Look, I'm not saying that Alec Baldwin is evil or anything, and it's not like the world needs more bad guys, given the wealth of terrorists, corrupt politicians and other such villains. What I might be down with, however, is a megalomaniac super-villain fully equipped with crazy superpowers, especially if that role is assumed by Baldwin. He already plays a veritable Lex Luthor on "30 Rock," albeit with fewer world-ending plots in his toolkit and a redemptive streak of kindness in his black, network exec's heart. But a magnetically-charged or psychically-gifted Baldwin using his powers for selfish, money-grubbing means strikes me as more hilarious than terrifying. Plus, wouldn't it be awesome to hear him quote "Malice" and mean it? "You ask me if I have a God-complex? Let me tell you something: I am God."

What if the rest of the Baldwin brothers had superpowers as well? The world might not be a better or safer place, but it would be a more ridiculous one.

What professions should Alec Baldwin pursue once he quits acting? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!

Kate Baldwin, Ana Gasteyer, et al. Set for Chase Brock Experience Benefit

2009-11-30T22:47:00.003-08:00

New York

Kate Baldwin (© Joseph Marzullo/WENN)A benefit for the New York-based dance company, The Chase Brock Experience, will be held on Monday, December 7 at Galapagos Art Space in Brooklyn.

Broadway star Ana Gasteyer will host the event, which will feature performances by Kate Baldwin, Alexandra Silber, and David Yazbeck. The evening will feature a new series of solos for company members by Brock.

For VIP tickets, call 718-532-8722. For general admission tickets, visit www.galapagosartspace.com.

Oscar host Alec Baldwin may also be nominee

2009-11-30T22:47:00.001-08:00

Related Alec Baldwin to quit acting in a few years "Welcome to the Academy Awards, or, as it's known at my house, Passover," Bob Hope quipped as he opened the Oscar show in 1968. During his 18 stints as emcee of the awards extravaganza, Hope made his lack of an Oscar -- or even a nomination -- a running gag that served him well. (If truth be told, he did pick up four honorary Oscars plus the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award along the way.) This year, though, playing the Oscarless Oscar host shtick isn't necessarily going to work, since Alec Baldwin, one of the two hosts, could walk home with a trophy if all the planets are aligned just right. Thanks to his performance in Nancy Meyers' marital comedy "It's Complicated," Baldwin may well prove a contender in the best supporting actor category. Playing Meryl Streep's ex-husband -- a man who has traded in his age-appropriate wife for a much younger model, only to find that marriage isn't always better the second time around -- Baldwin lets it all hang out. Quite literally, when, in the course of wooing back Streep's character, he strips down for bed, exposing his ample girth with the self-satisfied air of a man who doesn't quite realize his best days as a seducer are behind him. Baldwin, who's morphed from sleek leading man to a self-knowing parody of the foibles of the alpha male, has already won plenty of plaudits for poking fun at himself: On NBC's "30 Rock," where he appears as Jack Donaghy, vp of East Coast Television and Microwave Programming, he's won two Emmys, two Golden Globes and four SAG Awards. He's not a lock for a nomination for "Complicated," which Universal releases Dec. 25. Christoph Waltz, who was named best actor at Cannes for his chilling turn as a Jew-hunting Nazi in "Inglourious Basterds," has to be considered the front-runner in the category. But most of the rest of the race has yet to take shape, with many of the possible nominees coming from smaller films. "An Education" could serve up Alfred Molina or Peter Sarsgaard. "The Last Station's" Christopher Plummer, "The Messenger's" Woody Harrelson, "A Serious Man's" Richard Kind and "The Hurt Locker's" Anthony Mackie are also among those in the hunt. Stanley Tucci could emerge from "The Lovely Bones" or "Julie & Julia." Robert Duvall turns up in "The Road" and "Crazy Heart." And Matt Damon might score for "Invictus." But if Baldwin does secure a nom, then he's likely to become one of the favorites. While newcomer Waltz would represent the serious choice, Baldwin would be the industry veteran who's sometimes rewarded in the category for a crowd-pleasing comic turn, a la Alan Arkin in "Little Miss Sunshine" or Jack Palance in "City Slickers."
Baldwin's willingness to throw vanity to the wind in "Complicated" is even reminiscent of Jack Nicholson's Oscar-winning supporting role in "Terms of Endearment," where Nicholson also let his considerable gut hang out. If Baldwin earns a nom, it also would add a wrinkle to the broadcast. When Oscar show producers Bill Mechanic and Adam Shankman chose Baldwin and Steve Martin as co-hosts, the choice met with a general round of applause. But there were a few members of the Academy who raised their eyebrows at the idea of an emcee who potentially has a stake in the outcome of the game. In recent years, Oscar hosts like Jon Stewart, Ellen DeGeneres and Chris Rock have been more in the Hope mold -- emcees who've never come near a nomination of their own. Hugh Jackman, last year's host, had recently toiled in "Australia," but with just one nomination for costume design, that movie wasn't really a factor in his broadcast. Oscar show purists might prefer that their hosts have no connection to any of the movies in contention -- the Oscars hold itself above the Emmys, which this year was emceed by Neil Patrick Harris, even as he competed as a nominee for "How I Met Your Mother." Could being a host and a nominee present an unfair advantage? Perhaps. After all, there was Baldwin, front and center, at the Academy's Governors Awards last month, mingling with the cream of the Academy. On the other hand, a Baldwin nom would provide plenty of fodder for the show's writers. Martin and Baldwin, through friendly, are already offering themselves up as comic foils. They play rivals for Streep's attention in "Complicated," but since Martin has the more buttoned-down Ralph Bellamy role in the updated screwball comedy, he's not being talked up for awards. "I am happy to co-host the Oscars with my enemy Alec Baldwin," Martin joked when their selection was announced. Martin has never been nominated for an Oscar, while Baldwin already has one nom as best actor in a supporting role for 2003's "The Cooler." A second nom for Baldwin would allow Martin to play seething jealousy -- particularly if Baldwin were to win. And if Baldwin is nominated and loses, well, then, simply cue the Passover jokes.