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Canadian Hit Man Pleads Guilty to 27 Murders Over 25 Years

MONTREAL —(CNN)  A Canadian hit man whose victims included outlaw bikers, mobsters and innocent bystanders pleaded guilty Tuesday to 27 charges of first-degree murder, making him one of Canada's worst killers.

Gerald Gallant, who has become a police informant while already serving a life sentence for a 2001 slaying, also pleaded guilty to 12 charges of attempted murder and a handful of other charges.

The killings between 1978 and 2003 targeted members of motorcycle gangs, mobsters and people in street gangs. Biker gangs have long been a problem in the French-speaking province of Quebec, and most of the murders happened between 1994 and 2002 as the Hells Angels and Rock Machine gangs battled over drug sales.

Gallant's attacks sometimes struck bystanders, such as Helene Brunet, a waitress who was wounded in 2000 by an associate of Robert Savard when Gallant killed Savard.

The previous year, Gallant by mistake fatally shot Luc Bergeron, a private detective who happened to be living in an apartment formerly occupied by the intended target, a Hells Angels associate.

Gallant, 58, apologized Tuesday as he read a prepared statement in front of survivors and relatives of victims in a Quebec City courtroom.

Acting on information provided by Gallant, provincial police arrested 10 people across Quebec last week in connection with dozens of murders tied to biker gangs over a quarter century.

"It serves to remind people what a murderous biker war was happening," said Julian Sher, author of two books on Canadian biker gangs. "Twenty-seven gang-related killings out of 160 total biker-related murders during that period. That's stunning."

At least one Quebec man has killed more people than Gallant: Yves Trudeau, a founding member of the Hells Angels in Quebec, was sentenced to life in prison in 1986 after pleading guilty to 43 counts of manslaughter, part of a deal struck in exchange for information about fellow gang members.

Gallant won't get additional jail time, and will be eligible to apply for parole in 25 years. Under the plea deal, he is barred from writing a book or making a film about his crimes, but prosecutors said he will get $50 monthly to spend at the prison canteen and receive protection.

Police were first led to Gallant by using his DNA to link him to a slaying from 2001 in Ste-Adele, north of Montreal. He fled to Europe but was eventually arrested in Switzerland in 2006.

Fire Destroys Ski Lodge Co-Owned by Bruce Willis

Fairfield, IDAHO (CNN)--Authorities say a fire has destroyed the main lodge at a small ski operation co-owned by Bruce Willis.

Camas County Chief Deputy Brian Miller says the Soldier Mountain Ski Resort lodge and an adjacent ski rental building were destroyed in the Monday morning blaze. No one was injured.

Willis has been working with forest officials on a new master development plan for the south-central Idaho resort, with runs in the mountains of the Sawtooth National Forest. The "Die Hard" actor has a home in nearby Hailey.

The resort closed for the season last week.

CNN Market Watch...3-31-09

	DOW	7,608.92	+86.90 (+1.16%)
	NASDAQ	1,528.59	+26.79 (+1.78%)
	S&P 500	797.87	+10.34 (+1.31%)

Chicago Sun-Times Group Files for Bankruptcy

 

NEW YORK —(CNN)  The Sun-Times Media Group, owner of the Chicago Sun-Times and dozens of suburban newspapers, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Tuesday, making it the fifth newspaper publisher to seek protection from creditors in recent months.

The step, brought on by a precipitous decline in advertising revenue, means both of Chicago's major daily newspapers are operating under bankruptcy protection. Tribune Co., the parent company of the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times and other newspapers, filed for Chapter 11 in December.

The Sun-Times Media Group, which filed in a Delaware court, said it will continue to operate its print and online properties. The company listed $479 million in assets and $801 million in debt. The largest unsecured creditors appear to be newsprint vendors. Three are owed more than $1 million.

The company has retained Rothschild Inc. to help with a possible sale of assets.

"We firmly believe that filing for Chapter 11 protection and exploring the potential sale of assets or new investment in the company offers us the best opportunity to protect our respected media properties for the long-term," Jeremy Halbreich, the company's interim chief executive, said in a statement.

The dire financial condition of Chicago's newspapers mirrors the situation in Philadelphia, where the publisher of The Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News filed for bankruptcy protection in February.

Other cities with two daily newspapers have seen the industry's crisis whittle away competition this year. The Rocky Mountain News closed, leaving The Denver Post, while the Seattle Post-Intelligencer went online only, leaving The Seattle Times without a mainstream daily print rival.

Brawls Break Out Among Laid-Off Workers as Michigan Car Dealership Closes

 

(CNN)--Three alcohol-fueled fights erupted at a Michigan auto dealership last week on the day employees were told the business was closing, another sign of a community on edge as it tries to deal with the flailing economy.

The first brawl took place outside Wayland Chevrolet at about 1 p.m. on Friday after several employees visited a bar. Police were alerted to the dispute, but it was broken up before they got there, Wayland Police Chief Dan Miller told CNN.

"Had they been sober, this probably wouldn’t have happened," Miller said.

Local news station WWMT-TV captured the second altercation at about 2 p.m. The video shows a scuffle, with employee Jason Stanton knocking another worker to the ground outside the dealership.

Later, Stanton explained what set him off.

"Does it matter how hard you work, because there is somebody a little bit above you that has the right to control every decision and every effort you put forward, don't you have a right to be a little bit mad when somebody says hey we're all done?" Stanton asked WWMT-TV. "It's terrible, horrible."

The third fight followed an incident between two salesmen at a pizza restaurant next door.

Wayland Chevrolet blames the shutdown on the downturn in the auto industry and the scheduled closing of General Motors Corp.'s metal stamping factory this year in the Grand Rapids suburb of Wyoming.

"I think people are just on edge," Miller said. It’s unfortunate, but it just adds insult to injury when they go out and get intoxicated."

Miller said disorderly conduct and assault charges are possible while they try to identify the employees involved.

The dealership employed about 30 people.

Snow Rolls into Red River Valley, River Level Drops

FARGO, North Dakota (CNN) -- Just as the threat of historic floods decreased in parts of North Dakota, a major snowstorm continued to smack the area Tuesday, forecasters said.

North Dakota National Guard members inspect a levee along the Red River near Fargo on Monday.

 

Residents in and around Fargo, North Dakota, breathed a sigh of relief Monday as waters of Red River had receded.

But the snowstorm could dump as much as 16 inches of snow near the Red River valley, which could add to the level of the river.

The river, which at one point was at a historic level of nearly 41 feet, had fallen below 39 feet Monday.

By 7 a.m. CT the river was forecasted at about 38 feet and was expected drop to the 18-foot flood level by early next week.

Officials had scaled back the furious sandbagging effort in the Fargo area as the river dipped. But with more than a foot of new snow falling, North Dakota officials weren't ready to let down their guard.

"It's not over," Fargo Deputy Mayor Tim Mahoney said during a televised meeting of officials Monday.

"We're still in a flood fight, so now you just have to be careful and watch things, and we'll monitor as we go along." Still, he said, it's time to "start thinking about what we'd do if we weren't fighting a flood. So we're now going to start talking to different people to see when we can start getting things back online and get going."

The snowstorm was expected to hit the area until Wednesday. But the National Weather Service warned of another rise in the river level in mid-April as temperatures begin to warm and melt the snow.

Two deaths and 50 injuries have been reported in flood-related incidents. The injuries included victims of car wrecks caused by flooded roads, epidemiologist Kirby Kruger said. Other illnesses -- including mental health problems, carbon monoxide poisoning and cardiac-related events -- were reported, Kruger said.

President Barack Obama has signed emergency and disaster declarations for Minnesota and North Dakota, freeing up federal funds for the region.

The flood's crest of 40.82 feet on Saturday broke a record that had held since 1897, when the Red River reached 40.1 feet at Fargo.

The river approached the 1897 level in 1997, when it reached 39.6 feet, a level that many residents thought would be the highest they'd ever see the river.

Watch Review: Casio Protrek PRX-2000T

 

 

On April 1 2009, Casio will start selling the newest Protrek model: the PRX-2000T. It's an evolution of the ABC watch (Altimeter/Barometer/Compass) reduced in size and upgraded in terms of build materials. Here are the specs from the translated press release:

• List price is 99,750 JPY, or about $1,030 US as of Feb 2009. Yes, it's expensive.
• "World's thinnest" ABC watch at 11.3mm by 47.7mm by 57mm.
• Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating - excellent, I have been looking forward to this.
• Titanium case and band, carbide hardened.
• Waterproof to 100m (330ft).
• Low-temperature resistant down to -10C (14F).
• Six-band atomic set up to six times per day.
• 24-hour stopwatch.
• 24-hour countdown timer.
• Dual-layer LCD: one layer for compass and another for the rest. LCD segments are fixed in shape, so this makes sense.
• Five alarms.
• World time with 31 time zones and 48 cities. Not clear if this includes fractional hour offsets.
• Automatic EL backlight.
• Tough solar power, 23 month power reserve.
• The compass claims "16 azimuth angle of orientation" and "orientation correction function," which I would guess means it's more accurate when not held perfectly level.
• Lots and lots of measurements and modes for the altimeter/barometer, graphing and so on.
• Basic temperature measurement, but unless they've invented something new it mostly measures the temperature of your wrist and is therefore almost useless while worn. (This is a problem with all ABC watches.)

Overall, it looks like a really nice watch. The reduced size, streamlined case and improved materials are something I look forward to reviewing. I do wonder why they priced it so high, though: The Ultimate Pathfinder has a similar feature list, and is only $400USD.

 

 

WPLJ-FM New York Radio Log

WAAF-FM Boston Radio Log

Vexing Computer Worm To Evolve On April Fool's Day, April 1

(CNN)--A tenacious computer worm which has wriggled its way onto machines worldwide is set to evolve on April Fool's Day, becoming harder to exterminate but not expected to wreak havoc.

A task force assembled by Microsoft has been working to stamp out the worm, referred to as Conficker or DownAdUP, and the US software colossus has placed a bounty of 250,000 dollars on the heads of those responsible for the threat.

The worm is programmed to modify itself on Wednesday to become harder to stop, according to Trend Micro threat researcher Paul Ferguson, who is part of the Conficker task force.

"There is no evidence of it going into attack mode or dropping any particular payload on April 1st," Ferguson said in an interview.

"What people controlling the botnet are doing is building in survivability because of efforts by the good guys to lessen the harm of this thing."

The worm, a self-replicating program, takes advantage of networks or computers that haven't kept up to date with security patches for Windows RPC Server Service.

It can infect machines from the Internet or by hiding on USB memory sticks carrying data from one computer to another. Once in a computer it digs deep, setting up defenses that make it hard to extract.

Malware could be triggered to steal data or turn control of infected computers over to hackers amassing "zombie" machines into "botnet" armies.

A troubling aspect of Conficker is that it harnesses computing power of a botnet to crack passwords.

Microsoft has modified its free Malicious Software Removal Tool to detect and get rid of Conficker.

"As this threat continues to evolve, Microsoft and other collaborative companies will continue to identify new ways to disrupt the Conficker threat to give customers more time to update their systems," said Christopher Budd, security response communication lead for Microsoft.

Computer users are advised to stay current on anti-virus tools and Windows updates, and to protect computers and files with strong passwords.

Conficker is programmed to reach out to 250 websites daily to download commands from its masters.

On Wednesday, the worm will begin connecting with 50,000 websites daily to better hide where orders originate, according to Mikko Hypponen of F-Secure computer security firm.

"They basically upped the ante; trying to make our lives more difficult," Ferguson said. "They realized the good guys were starting to intercept their communications."

The infection rate has slowed from a fierce pace earlier this year, but computers that are not updated with a software patch released by Microsoft remain vulnerable, according to security specialists.

Hypponen wrote in a message at F-Secure's website that Conficker is in one to two million computers and that most of those machines are believed to have an early version of the malicious software lacking the April 1 trigger.

Conficker was first detected in November 2008.

Among the ways one can tell if their machine is infected is that the worm will block efforts to connect with websites of security firms such as Trend Micro or Symantec where there are online tools for removing the virus.

"Once a machine is infected, it becomes very hard to clean up," Ferguson said. "There is no indication anywhere of (Conficker) doing anything but just sitting there. We don't know whether another shoe is going to drop, or if there is another shoe at all."

Hackers have taken advantage of Conficker hype by using promises of information or cures to lure Internet users to websites booby trapped with malicious software, according to security specialists.

"It seems that every other day you see some story about the Internet being hobbled together with bubble gum and paper clips," Ferguson said. "Conficker could be the biggest non-story of the year; at least that's what I hope it is."

Buyer Beware the Brassage? The Naked Truth About 'Healthy' Underwear

(CNN)--Attention women: What if you could detoxify your breasts and get rid of cellulite by wearing a special bra and panties? Some clothing manufacturers are suggesting that their products can do just that.

The Brassage, billed as a revolutionary "wellness bra," retails for as much as $59. It's produced by Intimate Health, an apparel company run by Christina Erteszek, the daughter of famous lingerie designer Olga.

"I have seen a lot of breasts in my life, more than any man could dream of," said Erteszek, who claimed to be wearing a Brassage during her interview with CNN.

Regular bras could be hazardous to your health, she says, because they trap toxins in the breasts. Her Brassage, however, has "massaging" bumps sewn into the sides that "stimulate lymphatic flow," flushing those toxins away.

Asked if she is implying the Brassage helps prevent breast disease, Erteszek said, "Yes. Of course." But, she went on, "I say, 'help to prevent.' I'm making no medical claims that it does prevent."

Unsupported Claims

There's no evidence the Brassage helps prevent anything. And there's no scientific data to support Erteszek's statements, according to breast cancer researcher Dr. Susan Love, clinical professor of surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles.

"We really have no data that toxins are accumulating in the breast tissue every day, and that they are not being allowed to drain out because of people wearing bras," Love said.

The Brassage Web site says the Brassage is "doctor designed" and patented. But the inventor of the "micro-massaging" bumps in the Brassage is not a medical doctor; he's a chiropractor.

Underwear That Prevents Cellulite?

Solidea, the catalog company that carries the Brassage, also sells Micro-Massage Anti-Cellulite panties, tights and tummy bands. The Brooklyn, N.Y., company imports the support hose from Italy.

A promotional DVD claims, "The special three-dimensional relief fabric effectively models and reduces cellulite on the buttocks, hips, thighs, and legs."

No Evidence That Anything Cures Cellulite

Other advertising says you can, "Forget the diet and say goodbye to cellulite."

Solidea claims its compression clothing is clinically proven to break down, liquefy and drain fat melting inches off tummy, hips, and thighs and even cure cellulite.

A cellulite solution may be the Holy Grail of skin care, says New York City dermatologist Dr. Doris Day, but "there's nothing convincing to date that cures cellulite. There's nothing that I've seen. And believe me, I look. Because once it's there, I will be doing it, I will be offering it, I will be so excited about it. But it's not there."

When making claims about their product's potential to banish cellulite, Solidea often cites a clinical study published in an obscure Italian medical journal. When an ABC News called the principal investigator of the study, the doctor said he never authorized Solidea to use his study for marketing anti-cellulite underclothes.

He says he has now demanded Solidea remove the study from its Web site.

Taking Off Inches?

Solidea also cites a study done by New York plastic surgeon Dr. Howard Bellin, in which Bellin says 85 percent of women reported "... definite significance in the reduction of cellulite."

But Bellin only looked at 42 women. His cellulite study has another drawback, too. Bellin said he does not know of a definitive test to measure cellulite.

Bellin thinks the underwear works better at reducing inches than cellulite. "I would say the anti-cellulite property is modest," Bellin says, "the inch-reduction is astonishing. Really surprised me."

Bellin believes that the anti-cellulite underwear is neither a significant advancement nor a complete misrepresentation.

"I would say you're somewhere well in between that," Bellin says. "It's not a major medical breakthrough, but it's not crackpot because I saw with my own eyes these patients have improvement from their cellulite. As for the claim on the Solidea DVD that it cures cellulite, even the company says they don't believe that one."

Huge Underwear Profits

Max Hauer, the owner of Solidea USA , says all they're claiming is the underwear does provide temporary results in the appearance of cellulite, a claim substantially less impressive than those advertised on the DVD. In any case, Solidea can report one clear result: money. Projected sales for 2008 were about $11.5 million.

The Brassage wellness bra, on the other hand, is not doing so well. The Brassage is no longer manufactured. And after CNN began asking questions, Gaiam, a major retailer stopped selling the product, which is just fine with cancer researcher Susan Love.

"I would love to have a way to prevent breast cancer," she said. "If it came from wearing a special bra, or standing on your head for 20 minutes a day, I would be the first one out there promoting it. But we need hard science to answer these questions, not just hypotheses, not just speculation, but real studies."

Skype Announces Service for iPhone, BlackBerry

NEW YORK--(CNN)

Skype, the Internet telephone unit of eBay Inc, is planning to launch its service for iPhone users on Tuesday and for BlackBerry in May as part of its effort to expand beyond desktop computers.

Skype has been pushing to make its service work on the most popular advanced phones with an aim to expending its more than 400 million users who were mostly lured by the promise of cheap and sometimes free calls made using its computer application.

Skype Chief Operating Officer Scott Durchslag said he has high hopes for the application's success on Apple Inc's popular iPhone as he expects Skype's most feature-rich mobile offering to appeal to new and existing customers.

"The No. 1 request we get from customers is to make Skype available on iPhone. There's a pent-up demand," Durchslag said in an interview before the CTIA annual mobile showcase in Las Vegas, where Skype plans to launch the service on Tuesday.

In May it will launch Skype for Research In Motion's BlackBerry devices, which popularized mobile email. It has already announced Skype for Nokia phones and for phones based on Android, Google Inc's mobile system, and Windows Mobile, from Microsoft Corp.

CCS Insight analyst Ben Wood said the new applications give Skype a chance to boost its mobile phone position, which has been weaker than that of social sites such as Facebook, Twitter or News Corp's MySpace.

One of Skype's unusual iPhone features is the fact that it allows subscribers use to the phone numbers in their existing iPhone address book so they do not need duplicate lists.

"Whether you're Twitter, MySpace or Facebook you want to be embedded in the address book," said Wood. "This puts Skype firmly into the game."

Skype's iPhone application will be free to download and will allow free calls between Skype users. As with Skype on the desktop, fees will be charged for calls to traditional phones.

The service will also work on later versions of Apple's latest iPod Touch device, which has Wi-Fi links but no cellular connection. The iPod Touch launched September 2008 has a microphone, unlike the first iPod Touch launched in 2007.

While Skype video is very popular with desktop customers, Durchslag said that the company is still considering whether it will offer video for the iPhone or other phones.

"We're considering video carefully but we have a really high bar on the quality," and how the user interaction will work with other applications on iPhone, he said. "If we do it we will have to do it incredibly well."

CCS's Wood said that if Skype can replicate the popularity of its desktop video feature on the cellphone it would help a mobile category that has been slow to take off, as well as boost its own status in cellphones.

"I'm firmly convinced that if Skype could find a way to bridge all those cellphone cameras and laptop cameras it might kick start a video telephony opportunity," he said.

While mobile Skype has been available for some time in other countries such as the United Kingdom, it has been slow to catch on in the United States partly due to carrier concern that it would cannibalize their phone call revenue.

In the United States for example, AT&T Inc has had a monopoly on calls made from iPhones, as it is the exclusive carrier here.

But Wood said that Skype has actually shown that it can boost consumer spending on cellphones as it encourages use of the phones for other services such as data.

For example he said that its success on networks such as 3 UK, owned by Hutchison Whampoa Ltd, suggests that carrier fears have been unfounded.

"The only area where I think there are some question mark is that it could erode roaming revenues," he said, noting that some consumers particularly in Europe hesitate to use their phones while outside of their carrier territory because of notoriously high roaming fees.

"The carriers will be suspicious of this service but what we've learned from other markets is that (Skype) did not have the detrimental effect feared," he said.

CNN Market Watch...3-30-09

	DOW	7,522.02	-254.16 (-3.27%)
	NASDAQ	1,501.80	-43.40 (-2.81%)
	S&P 500	787.53	-28.41 (-3.48%)

 

Single Largest Cigarette Tax Hike Goes Into Effect Wednesday

WASHINGTON --(CNN) However they satisfy their nicotine cravings, tobacco users are facing a big hit as the single largest federal tobacco tax increase ever takes effect Wednesday.

Tobacco companies and public health advocates, longtime foes in the nicotine battles, are trying to turn the situation to their advantage. The major cigarette makers raised prices a couple of weeks ago, partly to offset any drop in profits once the per-pack tax climbs from 39 cents to $1.01.

Medical groups see a tax increase right in the middle of a recession as a great incentive to help persuade smokers to quit.

Tobacco taxes are soaring to finance a major expansion of health insurance for children. President Obama signed that health initiative soon after taking office.

Other tobacco products, from cigars to pipes and smokeless, will see similarly large tax increases, too. For example, the tax on chewing tobacco will go up from 19.5 cents per pound to 50 cents. The total expected to be raised over the 4 1/2 year-long health insurance expansion is nearly $33 billion.

Smokers are mulling their options.

The tax increase is only the first move in a recharged anti-smoking campaign. Congress also is considering legislation to empower the Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco. That could lead to reformulated cigarettes. Obama, who has agonized over his own cigarette habit, said he would sign such a bill.

Prospects for reducing the harm from smoking are better than they have been in years, said Dr. Timothy Gardner, president of the American Heart Association. The tax increase "is a terrific public health move by the federal government," he said. "Every time that the tax on tobacco goes up, the use of cigarettes goes down."

About one in five adults in the United States smokes cigarettes. That's a gradually dwindling share, though it isn't shrinking fast enough for public health advocates.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says cigarette smoking results in an estimated 443,000 premature deaths each year, and costs the economy $193 billion in health care expenses and lost time from work. Smoking is a major contributor to heart disease, cancer and lung disease.

Cyber Spy Network Hacks Computers in 103 Countries

TORONTO —(CNN)  A cyber spy network based mainly in China hacked into classified documents from government and private organizations in 103 countries, including the computers of the Dalai Lama and Tibetan exiles, Canadian researchers said Saturday.

The work of the Information Warfare Monitor initially focused on allegations of Chinese cyber espionage against the Tibetan community in exile, and eventually led to a much wider network of compromised machines, the Internet-based research group said.

"We uncovered real-time evidence of malware that had penetrated Tibetan computer systems, extracting sensitive documents from the private office of the Dalai Lama," investigator Greg Walton said.

The research group said that while it's analysis points to China as the main source of the network, it has not conclusively been able to detect the identity or motivation of the hackers.

Calls to China's Foreign Ministry and Industry and Information Ministry rang unanswered Sunday. The Chinese Embassy in Toronto did not immediately return calls for comment Saturday.

Students For a Free Tibet activist Bhutila Karpoche said her organization's computers have been hacked into numerous times over the past four or five years, and particularly in the past year. She said she often gets e-mails that contain viruses that crash the group's computers.

The IWM is composed of researchers from Ottawa-based think tank SecDev Group and the University of Toronto's Munk Centre for International Studies. The group's initial findings led to a 10-month investigation summarized in the report to be released online Sunday.

The researchers detected a cyber espionage network involving over 1,295 compromised computers from the ministries of foreign affairs of Iran, Bangladesh, Latvia, Indonesia, Philippines, Brunei, Barbados and Bhutan. They also discovered hacked systems in the embassies of India, South Korea, Indonesia, Romania, Cyprus, Malta, Thailand, Taiwan, Portugal, Germany and Pakistan.

Once the hackers infiltrated the systems, they gained control using malware — software they install on the compromised computers — and sent and received data from them, the researchers said.

Lawyer Stabbed 38 Times; Husband Held

(CNN) -- Slain attorney Chiquita Tate was such a believer in the legal system that she had a tattoo of Lady Justice on her back, college friend T. J. Crawford recalled.

Chiquita Tate was in the midde of a high-profile murder trial when she was stabbed to death in her law office.

"She just had an attachment to justice and doing what's right by people. She was always very serious about that," said Crawford, a teacher and community organizer in Chicago, Illinois.

But Tate, described by colleagues as a tenacious defense attorney who fought for her clients, could not save herself.

Family members and friends in Chicago; Atlanta, Georgia, and Tate's adopted home -- tiny Baker, Louisiana -- are reeling from the grisly details of Tate's slaying, and police say it was at the hands of her husband, Greg Harris. They had been married about 14½ months.

Harris, 37, is in custody, accused of stabbing Tate to death. He is charged with second-degree murder and the illegal use of a dangerous weapon. A judge last week set his bond at $500,000.

In a phone interview with CNN, Harris' attorney, Lewis Unglesby, said police have the wrong man.

"Greg Harris by all accounts ... is innocent. I don't know anybody that thinks he did it, except the police," Uglesby said. "There's nothing in his background. He has cooperated completely with the police; he's signed everything they've asked him to sign. He's let them search his house, his car."

Tate, 34, had started her own law firm in downtown Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and was doing well, family and acquaintances said.

"She was up and coming," said Cpl. L'Jean McKneely, a police spokesman in Baton Rouge.

Tate was representing a defendant in a high-profile murder trial when, police say, she became a homicide victim herself. Her body was found inside her law office on February 20. Tate was stabbed 38 times, according to a police warrant for Harris' arrest obtained by CNN.

While questioning Harris about Tate's death, police discovered an outstanding warrant for him in connection with a battery-domestic violence case. It stemmed from a December 22, 2007, incident at the couple's home.

Harris was accused of using "force and violence" against Tate, according to Baker City Court records. The court said Harris entered a not guilty plea on March 6, 2008, but did not appear for a May 8 pretrial conference. A warrant was issued for his arrest for contempt of court.

When Tate met Harris in late 2007, she fell for him, head over heels, said East Baton Rouge Parish Juvenile Court Judge Pam Taylor Johnson, Tate's mentor and former boss.

"She came in my office one day: 'I met the most wonderful guy! I need you to perform our marriage -- tomorrow,'" Johnson recalled Tate gleefully telling her.

"I told her she had to wait three days," as required by Louisiana law, Johnson added.

Tate did wait a bit. The couple's marriage license is dated January 10, 2008, just two and a half weeks after the domestic violence report from Baker police. They married on February 8, their marriage license shows.

Only the couple's immediate family members and two friends attended the ceremony at Green Chapel in Baton Rouge, said Tate's friend Shawn Collins, who was one of those on hand for the wedding.

Neighbors in suburban Baker said the couple seemed to settle into a good life in their home on Charry Drive.

Baker, population 13,000, was one of the cities that absorbed hundreds of families from the FEMA trailer homes after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The last families housed in Baker moved out last spring.

Neighbors recalled seeing Tate frequently driving down the street in her late-model Hummer and Harris steering a Mercedes.

Ethan Koobs, who lives across the street from the couple, said Tate was a "really nice lady, very upper-class, presented herself very well."

Koobs said he didn't see any discontent in the couple's lives.

"They seemed like a pleasant couple, just real nice," said neighbor Don Patton, who lives two houses down. "They kept their house and their lawn very nice."

WABC Saturday Night Oldies...March 28, 2009

Time Title Artist Year
1. 6:06 My Sharona--The Knack 1979
2. 6:13 Whatcha See is Whatcha Get--The Dramatics 1971
3. 6:29 You Belong to Me--Carly Simon 1978

6:24 FM memories from the 70's

4. 6:30 Roll Over Beethoven--The Beatles 1964
5. 6:35 Help Yourself--Tom Jones (live version)
6. 6:45 Horse With No Name--America 1972
7. 6:51 Disco Duck, Part 1--Rick Dees and his Cast of Idiots 1976
8. 7:06 Boogie Down--Eddie Kendricks 1974
9. 7:12 Let's Hang On!--Four Seasons 1965
10. 7:23 Cara Mia--Jay and the Americans 1965

7:26 Jay Black interview

11. 7:39 This Magic Moment--Jay and the Americans 1969
12. 7:48 In the Ghetto--Elvis Presley 1969
13. 8:06 The Longest Time--Billy Joel 1984
14. 8:12 Go All the Way--The Raspberries 1972
15. 8:18 Song Sung Blue--Neil Diamond 1972

8:25 Fake Break

16. 8:32 Your Mama Don't Dance--Loggins and Messina 1973
17. 8:40 I Get Around--The Beach Boys 1964

8:43 BeatleSpectacular: The Fool on the Hill
8:44 Paul McCartney demo (Sept. 1967)
8:46 Original version
18. 8:48 The Fool on the Hill--The Beatles 1967

19. 8:57 Help Me Make it Through the Night--Sammi Smith 1971
20. 9:06 Let's Stay Together--Al Green 1972
21. 9:14 Tutti Frutti--Little Richard 1955

9:17 Chuck McCann interview

22. 9:33 The Letter--The Box Tops 1967
23. 9:40 Kung Fu Fighting--Carl Douglas 1974
24. 9:56 Leaving on a Jet Plane--Peter, Paul and Mary 1969

Van Driver Charged With Manslaughter After Allegedly Killing Pregnant Woman on Sidewalk

NEW YORK —(CNN)  A van driver was arrested on manslaughter and other charges after plowing onto a Manhattan sidewalk at rush hour, killing a pregnant woman and seriously hurting another woman, police said Saturday.

Keston Brown, 27, also was arrested on charges of felonious assault and driving while intoxicated in the wreck Friday.

The Manhattan District Attorney's office did not immediately return a telephone call Saturday seeking information about Brown's arraignment, and police did not know whether he had a lawyer. No working telephone number could be found for him.

The reason for the crash was unclear, but some witnesses told reporters that the van's driver and a passenger had been driving slowly alongside the women, catcalling them, in the moments before the vehicle lurched forward and slammed into a building.

The wreck killed Ysemny Ramos, a 29-year-old mother of two from Brooklyn. Relatives said she had a third child on the way. She had been headed home to celebrate her third wedding anniversary.

"She was full of love," her distraught husband, Renaldo Ramos, told the New York Post. "She refused to see the glass half-empty, and she always filled up my cup when I saw it half-empty."

The accident happened at about 5 p.m., just a few blocks from the Empire State Building.

A second, 37-year-old woman, one of Ramos' co-workers at a building consulting firm, was taken to a hospital in serious condition.

Lights Go Out Across Planet For Earth Hour

(CNN) -- Lights went off across the world Saturday as millions of homes and businesses went dark for one hour in a symbolic gesture highlighting concerns over climate change.

Beijing's "Bird's Nest" Stadium stands in darkness as the city marks Earth Hour.

Organizers expected more than 2,800 cities and towns worldwide to dim their lights at 8:30 p.m. local time for the third annual Earth Hour -- a day-long energy-saving marathon spanning 83 countries and 24 time zones.

Major cities in Asia, the Middle East and Europe had already gone dark for the event by Saturday afternoon on the East Coast.

The Philippines topped this year's participation for Asia, with more than 650 communities taking part in the event, according to Earth Hour's Web site.

The light illuminating the face of the landmark Big Ben clock tower in London, England, went out at 8:30 p.m. (4:30 p.m. ET).

In Dubai, iReporter Sharad Agarwal turned out the lights and sat down to a candlelit dinner with his family.

"I personally believe in going green and everything that goes with it," Agarwal told CNN.

In Australia, floodlights of the Sydney Opera House were extinguished as the city's iconic harbor kicked off events for Earth Hour. The event's Web site reported that hundreds of people lined the harbor for a glimpse of the dimming skyline at 8:30 pm.

Sydney became the birthplace of the Earth Hour campaign in 2007 when 2.2 million turned off their lights, igniting a grass-roots movement that has become a global phenomenon.

In China, illuminations at major buildings including the "Bird's Nest" Olympic Stadium and the Water Cube were extinguished as 20 cities joined in, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

Other landmarks around the world expected to join the World Wildlife Fund-sponsored event were the Egyptian pyramids, Vatican, Niagara Falls, the Eiffel Tower, the Empire State Building, the Acropolis in Athens and the Las Vegas casino strip.

CNN iReporter Marie Sager of Los Angeles, California, said she planned to hike up to the Griffith Observatory to experience the massive lights-out event.

"A good portion of the city is participating. We'll see the Capital Records sign go out. A lot of these places haven't turned out their lights in awhile," Sager said.

Event sponsors hoped participating U.S. cities would set an example for the rest of the world.

Dogs, Cats Send 86,000 Americans Flying Annually

(CNN) -- Dogs and cats soothe the soul and provide companionship, but a report released this week suggests they sometimes cause broken bones and sprains, too.

Most data on human-pet relationships have been devoted to the health benefits, such as lower blood pressure.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that every year, more than 86,000 fall injuries are caused by pets. Dogs are the biggest culprits, causing 88 percent of the injuries. Cats cause 11.7 percent of the falls, according to the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

CDC researchers formulated the national estimates based on data from 66 emergency rooms.

"Many of them occurred while people were walking their dog or chasing either their dog or cat," said Judy Stevens, an epidemiologist with the CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. "Over half the injuries with dogs were either falls or tripping over the pet or they were pushed or pulled by the pet."

Pets can suddenly rush to the door or scurry around the owners' feet, causing these accidents, experts said.

At least once a week, a patient injured by an overexcited dog or an unexpected chew toy walks into the office of Dr. Leon S. Benson, an orthopedic surgeon and chief of hand surgery at the NorthShore University HealthSystem in Evanston, Illinois. These patients often have wrist fractures after falling on an outstretched hand.

"It's a common scenario," said Benson, who is also a spokesman for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. "People trip over their pet or the pet, usually a dog, has a leash that pulls them down. While there's incredible incidence of falls in the elderly, people of all ages fall."

The CDC report did not determine whether individuals have died from pet-related falls, although Stevens said it was highly unlikely. Pet-related tumbles amount to about 1 percent of the total injuries caused by falls in the United States.

Psychologist and dog trainer Dr. William Doverspike said if people are tripping over dogs, they're "the ones that need to get newspaper and hit themselves for not teaching the dog;" he recommended taking every dog to obedience training.

"My opinion is that dogs are a lot happier and a lot more secure when they know what their handlers want," he said. "The relationship is stronger when the dog knows what he needs to get treats and has lot more freedom."

The CDC estimates about 9 percent of the falls are related to tripping over a toy or food bowl.

WABC's Saturday Night Oldies With Mark Simone # 3

                SATURDAY NIGHT OLDIES SCRIPT  8:00 - 9:00 p.m.

 

8:00  ABC News

8:05  "The best music on WABC New York...Mark Simone"

8:05  Whatcha Gonna Do?--Pablo Cruise (1977)

8:09  "The music is the message on WABC...Mark Simone"

8:09  Mark: You've got Mark Simone and Pablo Cruise on 77 WABC. WABC music time is 8:09. In

just 20 short minutes, Elton John will be here for the first time on Saturday Night Oldies. Be sure to

follow along on the WABC message board and you can call us at 1-800-848-WABC.

8:10  "Musicradio WABC...Mark Simone"

8:10  I'm Not in Love--10CC (1975)

8:14  "Musicradio WABC...Mark Simone"

8:14  Mark: WABC music time is 8:14. Dan Ingram will be with us in the 9:00 hour. In just a few

minutes, Elton John will be here. On the WABC message board, Ralph writes...John Lennon asked

Elton John to be the godfather to his son, Sean. Dave, who listens to us in Chicago, put up an Elton

John file. Let's see...Elton wrote "Philadelphia Freedom" in tribute to his good friend Billie Jean King.

In 2008, Ben and Jerry's released a limited edition new flavor of ice cream to honor Elton. It was chocolate

ice cream, peanut cookie dough, butter brickle and white chocolate chunks. More interesting Elton info

is on the WABC message board. Right back after we pay some bills. I'm Mark Simone.

8:16  Commercials

8:20  "The music sounds best on 77 WABC...Mark Simone"

8:20  Working My Way Back To You--Four Seasons (1966)

8:23  "Musicradio WABC"

8:23  Mark (talking over the intro of this song) Good Morning Starshine--Oliver (1969)...Mark: In 1969,

the rock musical Hair was playing to sold out houses on Broadway and Oliver had this hit song from

the show. "Mark Simone ID jingle" **Vocals to song begin.**

8:26  Mark: WABC music time is 8:26. If anyone has a trivia question for me about music or television from

the 60's or 70's, call us at 1-800-848-WABC.

8:26  Commercials

8:29  Mark: We're back. I'm Mark Simone and let's take a phone call before Elton John. We have Roger

from Fairfield, CT on the line. Roger, you're on WABC.

Roger: Mark, I have a question which I think you probably can't answer.

Mark: What's your question?

Roger: What is the name of the theme music of NBC News?

Mark: Their theme music is called "The Mission," and it was written by John Williams. Thanks for the call,

take care.

8:30  "Best music, best station, WABC...Mark Simone"

8:30  Mark (talking over the intro of this song) Philadelphia Freedom--Elton John (1975)...Mark: Elton John

is next on Saturday Night Oldies. "Mark Simone ID jingle" **Vocals to song begin.**

8:36  Mark: Ladies and Gentleman, for the first time on Saturday Night Oldies, an extraordinary artist who is

a national icon. He's had so many hits such as Rocket Man, Crocodile Rock, Bennie and the Jets, just to

name a few. He has played sold out shows in Las Vegas and it's our pleasure to speak to Sir Elton John.

How are you?

Elton: I'm just great, Mark. I am a big fan of this show.

Mark: Thank you. Did you listen to Musicradio WABC during its Top 40 heyday with Cousin Brucie, Dan

Ingram and Ron Lundy?

Elton: As a matter of fact, I did while I was in New York. WABC was a must-listen. We used to come to

New York and go on the late Scott Muni's show on WNEW-FM when we released a new album. Scott was

in a class by himself. He and WNEW-FM were very good to us and their support was extremely valuable

to my career. I'll never forget it.

Mark: I heard you do a number of shows on WNEW-FM. I used to work for their sister station 1130 WNEW-AM.

It was home to the infamous Make Believe Ballroom.

Elton: Yes, I very much enjoyed that music as well. It's a shame all of the great radio stations are long gone.

I have a story to tell you Mark.

Mark: Sure

Elton: John Lennon was talking to Dennis Elsis on WNEW-FM in the studio. It came time for their hourly legal

ID. Dennis asked John who was disc jockeying, if he would like to do it? John said okay, tell me what to say.

Dennis said to announce: WNEW-FM 102-7 Metromedia Stereo New York. John pauses and says to Dennis,

"do I really have to say all of that?" The reply to John was no. Just say...WNEW-FM New York.

8:51  Elton John interview with Mark Simone concludes.

8:51  Rocket Man--Elton John (1972)

8:56  Mark: We only have a few minutes left before the news. In the next hour, Dan Ingram will be with us.

Do we have time for one more song? (Pause)...Okay.

8:56  "Musicradio WABC...Mark Simone"

8:56  Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying--Gerry and the Pacemakers (1964)

8:59  Mark: Great stuff from Gerry and the Pacemakers. We have one more hour to go and Dan Ingram will

be here. If you go to my website marksimone.com, you can sign up for the Mark Simone group on Facebook.

Also, follow along on the message board. I see lots of comments about the Elton John interview and you can

call us at 1-800-848-WABC. I'm Mark Simone.

9:00  WABC legal ID

9:00  Mark: It's 9:00

Man Dies at Same Gas Station Where He Saved His Wife's Life

VASSAR, Mich. —(CNN)  A former police officer suffered a heart attack and died at a Michigan gas station where he saved his future wife's life nearly 15 years ago.

Lynne Smith tells The Saginaw News she and James Smith were returning home from breakfast on Monday when their pickup truck started to veer off course.

Lynne Smith looked at her 66-year-old husband and knew something was wrong. She scrambled to take control and piloted the vehicle through some bushes. It came to rest in the parking lot of the service station.

In 1994, James Smith acted quickly to save the then-Lynne Butterfield's life when her estranged husband slashed her throat at the same station.

Said his widow: "He saved my life here and now his life ended here." His funeral is set for Friday afternoon.

Is John Mayer Giving Up Twitter After Jennifer Aniston Dumped Him?

(CNN)--The rumor mill has been running rampant that Jennifer Aniston gave John Mayer the boot over his twittering (tweeting?) obsession, and it looks like Mayer has made a mental note and getting ready to soon kick the habit.

"I’m just goofing off, it’s silly. Isn’t it silly? Twitter is fun, but I’m gonna get off as soon it becomes like ‘Skippy Peanut Butter Presents Twitter.’ But for right now it feels sort of underground, but of course sadly it’s not that underground anymore.

"

WABC's Mark Simone Reports

On Saturday night oldies this week, our guests will be Jay Black and Chuck McCann. Saturday night 6-10pm on 77 WABC Radio.

Saturday, March 28

On the Saturday morning show, Lesley Stahl of "60 Minutes" with the real story about computer viruses and what you can do about them. 7-10am on 77 WABC Radio.

CNN Market Watch...3-27-09

	DOW	7,759.37	-165.19 (-2.08%)
	NASDAQ	1,546.13	-40.87 (-2.58%)
	S&P 500	814.70	-18.16 (-2.18%)

 

U.S., Japan Mobilize For N. Korean Launch

TOKYO, (CNN) -- Japan is mobilizing its missile defense system, and U.S. Navy ships are deploying to the Sea of Japan, as North Korea prepares to launch a rocket that is expected next month, officials said.

The USS Chaffee is one of two destroyers headed to South Korea for an upcoming ceremony.

Japan's move, aimed at shooting down debris from the launch that might fall into its territory, is notable for a country with a pacifist constitution.

The U.S. ships are capable of shooting down ballistic missiles, a Navy spokesman said.

North Korea says it will launch a commercial satellite on top of a rocket sometime between April 4 and April 8. But other governments fear the North Koreans will actually put a long-range missile on top of the rocket.

The United States and Japan have been stepping up pressure on North Korea, hoping to head off the launch.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Borodavkin on Friday also urged North Korea to not launch the rocket, Russia's Interfax news agency reported.

Japan's military has two-pronged orders: to move destroyers carrying air-to-sea missiles to the Sea of Japan, which separates Japan and North Korea, and to send land-to-air missiles to northern Japan.

However, the probability of a missile successfully hitting a moving target without a known trajectory -- as in the case of debris -- is very low, Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshitada Konoike said earlier this week.

If North Korea launches, the United States may have as little as five minutes to decide whether it is a threat and, if necessary, try to shoot it down.

The U.S. ships that are being moved to the Sea of Japan are "prepared to track a launch or more, if afforded," according to a U.S. Navy official who could not be named because of the sensitivity of the information.

The United States generally has a number of Aegis-capable ships in the Sea of Japan because of the threat posed by North Korea to launch missiles. The ships monitor the region and are designed to track and, if need be, shoot down ballistic missiles.

Proposal to Track Uninsured With Red-Light Cameras Has Cities Seeing Big Money

 

(CNN)--Running a red light may get more complicated — and more expensive — for some of the country's uninsured drivers.

Under a proposal by Chicago Alderman Edward Burke, cameras at 132 city intersections that currently enforce $100 red light violations would also be used to nab motorists whose cars are uninsured. Washington, DC officials CNN it is willing to consider a similiar program.

Burke says the increased enforcement not only would make Chicago's roadways safer, but, at $90 per violation, would raise nearly $10 million a year for the cash-strapped city.

"I favor using these cameras to catch more than just motorists who run red lights," Burke said in January when announcing his proposal. "I believe it would also be a responsible use of these cameras to try and reduce the number of motorists who flaunt the law by driving without insurance."

Justin McNaull, director of state relations for AAA, questions the feasibility of collecting heavy fines from uninsured drivers.

"There's a lot of moving parts to all of this and they really need to be thought through," McNaull said. "For people who can't afford to insure their vehicles, what's the likelihood of them paying a $300 fine?"

 

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles --To The Lighthouse --

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles-- To the Lighthouse

Season 2,  Episode 20  Friday, March 27 8:00 p.m. FOX-TV

Sarah, fearing for her life, hides John in a safe house with the only person she feels she can trust (Dean Winters); Cameron and Derek struggle to work together after she reveals a big secret.

 

 

Bill O'Reilly Memo For 3-26-09

Shocking many of its listeners, the left-leaning National Public Radio recently ran a commentary pointing out that Fox News, which NPR considers to be very conservative, is amassing record ratings in the wake of the Democratic takeover in Washington.

All things considered, that was not great news for some NPR folks.

The reason that FNC is doing so well, while at the same time some committed left-wing media operations are failing, is what I call the remorse factor.

Almost 62 million Americans voted against Barack Obama last November, many of them convinced that his vision for America was... well... kind of dangerous. Also, exit polling showed that some who supported the president did so out of disgust with the Bush administration, which lost control in its last two years in power.

So, when financial chaos intruded on Mr. Obama's honeymoon period, millions of news consumers flocked to agencies that have been a bit skeptical of the young President. Obviously, news organizations considered to be in the tank for Obama are of little use to people worried about their financial well-being.

In politics, there is always an element of hatred, even in a noble country like the United States. If you are an Obama-hater, you are likely to go where your opinion is reinforced. If you are neutral on the president but worried he may be in over his head, you might seek a more skeptical view of the president's policies. Thus, the rough bumps that the President is experiencing have been deadly for the liberal media that, just a few months ago, cheer-leaded Mr. Obama into office.

Truth be told, I have been the beneficiary of the president's early troubles, because my television ratings are through the roof. Folks know that while I respect Barack Obama and do not cheap-shot him, I am very skeptical of his big government, nanny-state philosophy. Also, my guests represent many points-of-view, unlike my cable news competition that spins nearly everything as positive in Obama-land.

However, I do not want Barack Obama to fail. I want him to see the light. This is a great country because most of its citizens are responsible, hard-working people who realize that cradle-to-grave entitlements will ultimately bankrupt the nation. Call me crazy, but I want to persuade the ultra-intelligent president that his Swedish-entitlements vision for 300 million Americans is an opium-fueled pipe dream. Self-reliance has made this country great, not federal foot massages.

So, I will consistently deliver that message to the president, Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank, Harry Reid and the rest of the gang who couldn't spend straight. I'll do that hoping the Democrats will wise up and impose some discipline in the fiscal area. If they do not control federal spending, they will suffer big losses in the Congressional races just a year and a half from now.

Until then, here's looking at you, good ratings.

Fiction Is the Mother of Invention: Five Sci-Fi Ideas That Became Reality

 

(CNN)--Some things have to be seen to be believed. Others have to be believed before they can be seen.

Sometimes the most interesting and useful inventions don't come from the minds of scientists, but from the minds of fiction writers who create entire universes, as well as the things that exist within them.

Writers have dreamed up ways to make the impossible possible, often defying the laws of science and pushing the bounds of reality.

While we're nowhere near being taken over by the clone armies of "Star Wars," other ideas that were created by science fiction's dreamweavers have found their way into our world.

 

1. Cell Phones

Beam me up, Scotty! Long before cell phones became a must-have accessory for everyone from middle schoolers to CEOs, one science-fiction television show had its characters talking across galaxies on hand-held wireless communication devices.

The "communicators" that Capt. James T. Kirk used to talk to the crew of the Starship Enterprise on "Star Trek" influenced cell-phone inventor Martin Cooper, who said he was inspired by the flip-cover devices as he was developing mobile-phone technology at Motorola.

On April 3, 1973, while going boldly where no man had gone before (well, he actually was walking down a New York City street), Cooper placed the first handheld cell-phone call — the handset weighed more than two pounds — to Joel Engel, his rival and head of research at Bell Labs.

2. Submarines

Considered the father of science fiction, 19th-century author Julies Verne was an inspiration to the pioneers of undersea travel when his 1870 novel "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" gave the world Captain Nemo's Nautilus and a glimpse at what submarines could be.

Primitive hand-cranked submarines had been created — and even used in war — before Verne's novel was published, but it was his vision that spurred innovation of the modern, mechanical sub.

The Nautilus, about 230 feet long and powered by electricity generated using the sodium in ocean water, was more akin to today's submarines than to the small human-powered ships of Verne's time. It also had a galley kitchen, a library and a pipe organ.

3. Robots

The world "robot" was first used in 1921 in Czech writer Karel Capek's play, R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots), and comes from the Czech word "robota," meaning "forced labor," according to the Oxford English Dictionary.

Parts of the play take place in a factory that makes artificial people. Created to work for humans, the robots eventually rebel, leading to the end of the human race.

Isaac Asimov coined the term "robotics," and his 1942 short story "Runaround" listed the Three Laws of Robotics, Asimov's rules that robots must obey.

In order of priority: Robots must not hurt humans or allow them to be hurt. Robots must obey humans, unless that conflicts with the first law. Robots must protect themselves, unless that interferes with the first or second law.

Films such as "Blade Runner," "2001: A Space Odyssey" and "Terminator," and television shows like "Battlestar Galactica" show what happens when robots break the laws and run amok.

It's usually some combination of chaos and destruction, but so far the most advanced robots -- like the latest model from Japan that strolls down the catwalks of the fashion world -- have yet to rebel.

4. Space Travel

Jules Verne published "From the Earth to the Moon" in 1865. In 1901, H.G. Wells' "The First Men in the Moon" was published, and the two inspired the first science fiction film, Georges Melies' "A Trip to the Moon."

In the 14-minute film, made in 1902, six astronomers build a bullet-shaped ship and shoot themselves to the moon — out of a cannon. In the film the moon watches the ship approach, hitting it straight in the eye.

And what did the first men on the moon do when they landed? They took a nap, of course.

5. Home Entertainment Systems

Televisions were still black-and-white behemoths in 1953 when Ray Bradbury wrote "Fahrenheit 451." But his world, in which books are banned and people watch "parlor walls," presaged a society in which television dominated.

The big-screened sci-fi entertainment systems of his dystopian novel have found their way into real-life homes across America, with digital home theater systems, media servers and video game systems played on giant plasma and LCD screens.

Even though he foresaw the color TV panels of the future, Bradbury told L.A. Weekly in 2007 — after being awarded the first Pulitzer Prize given to a science-fiction writer — that his novel reflected his fear that TV would kill interest in reading and literature.

"They stuff you with so much useless information, you feel full," he said.

However, noted the article, "he says this while sitting in a room dominated by a gigantic flat-panel television broadcasting CNN, muted, factoids crawling across the bottom of the screen."

 

WABC's Saturday Night Oldies With Mark Simone # 2

World Journal: Here is the second hour of the four hour script we have written for WABC's Saturday Night Oldies.

 

                    SATURDAY NIGHT OLDIES SCRIPT  7:00 - 8:00 p.m.

 

7:00  ABC News

7:05 "The best music on WABC New York...Mark Simone"

7:05  I'm Your Boogie Man--KC and the Sunshine Band (1976)

7:08  Mark: KC and the Sunshine Band on 77 WABC.

7:08  "Best music, best station, WABC...Mark Simone"

7:08  Mark: During the disco craze, I was working at the old WPIX 102. We did a revolutionary show

called Disco 102 which was later an entire format of another New York FM station.

7:09  Mark: WABC music time is 7:09. Coming up in the next hour, Elton John on Saturday Night Oldies.

Elton has had so many hits, it would take the entire four hours of this show to play them all. Don't forget

the WABC message board and you can call us at 1-800-848-WABC. Which TV show house would you

have liked to live in? 1-800-848-WABC or you can post your thoughts on the WABC message board.

7:10  "The music's on us on WABC...Mark Simone"

7:10  Betcha By Golly, Wow--The Stylistics (1972)

7:13  "Musicradio WABC...Mark Simone"

7:13  Mark: Before we go to a real commercial, let's take a Fake Break.

7:13  "WABC" : Raceway Park, Coca-Cola, Shell gasoline, McDonalds

7:14  "WABC New York"

7:14  Mark: When we come back, we'll take your phone calls at 1-800-848-WABC. Which TV show would you

have liked to live in? I'm going to ask Mike, our call screener.

7:15  Commercials

7:18  "Musicradio WABC...Mark Simone"

7:18  Keep on Truckin'--Eddie Kendricks (1973)

7:22  "Musicradio WABC...Mark Simone"  Mark: Keep on Truckin', an all time favorite of CB owners on WABC.

Are there any left? WABC music time is 7:22. Coming up in the next hour, Elton John. And then, in the 9:00

hour: Dan Ingram. On the WABC message board, Gary writes...I wish I could have lived in the Brady house. I

used to have a crush on Jan Brady.

Mark: For God sakes, Gary, don't you know Jan Brady or Eve Plumb was jail bait? You may have had better luck

with Alice the maid.

7:23  "The gold is on us on WABC...Mark Simone"

7:23  Wouldn't it Be Nice--Beach Boys (1966)

7:26  "Musicradio WABC...Mark Simone

7:26  Over and Over--The Dave Clark Five (1965)

7:29  Mark: The Dave Clark Five from 1965. WABC chime time is 7:29. Before we take some phone calls, let's ask

Mike, our resident call screener which TV show house he would have liked to have lived in?

Mike: It's hard to say.

Mark: Mike, I know you're only 23 and all of these classic shows were on TV before you were born, but give it a try.

Mike: I"d have to say the house the Munsters lived in.

Mark: The Munsters? That house looks like it hasn't been cleaned in 100 years! Let's take a phone call. We have

Wendy from Queens on the line. Hi, Wendy, you're on WABC.

Wendy: Hi, Mark, I wish I could have lived in the house from the Walton's.

Mark: The Walton's? Who the hell would want to live there? They were dirt poor.

Wendy: They lived on Walton Mountain. I own two snakes and a lizard.

Mark: You own reptiles?

Wendy: Yes. I named my two snakes Starsky and Hutch.

Mark: What do you do for a living Wendy?

Wendy: I'm a registered nurse.

Mark: Do you have any tattoos? Just kidding. Thanks for calling Wendy. Take care. Coming up, Elton John in the

8:00 hour and in the 9:00 hour, the legend himself, Dan Ingram.

7:35  "We're having a ball on 77 WABC...Mark Simone"

7:35  Kind of a Drag--Buckinghams (1966)

7:38  "WABC New York...Mark Simone"

7:38  Hey Jude--The Beatles (1968)

7:46  "Musicradio WABC...Mark Simone"

7:46  Mark: Coming up, Elton John in the next hour and in the 9:00 hour, Dan Ingram. Don't forget to check out the WABC

message board and you can call us at 1-800-848-WABC.

7:47  Commercials

7:51  Mark: To get the latest guest list and other fun things, go to my website, marksimone.com. Sign up for the Mark

Simone group on Facebook. Also, you can listen to the older shows there as well.

7:52  "The music is the message on WABC...Mark Simone"

7:53  Grazing in the Grass--Friends of Distinction (1969)

7:56  "Musicradio WABC...Mark Simone"

7:56  I Can't Explain--The Who (1965)

7:59  Mark: WABC music time is 7:59. Before the news at the top of the hour, let's see what's on the WABC message

board. Mary writes...Mark, would you ask Dan Ingram what the name of his theme song is? Mark: That musical piece

is called Tri-Fi Drums and I'll play it when Dan is with us in the 9:00 hour. Lots more to come after the news.

8:00  WABC legal ID

Mark: It's 8:00.

CNN Market Watch...3-26-09

	DOW	7,924.56	+174.75 (+2.25%)
	NASDAQ	1,587.00	+58.05 (+3.80%)
	S&P 500	832.86	+18.98 (+2.33%)

The Flashback File...WABC All American Survey for Week of August 22, 1967

 TW                                                             LW
  1. All You Need Is Love - The Beatles (Capitol)   *1 week #1*  2
  2. Light My Fire - The Doors (Elektra)                         1
*3. Pleasant Valley Sunday - The Monkees (Colgems)              4
  4. Ode to Billie Joe - Bobbie Gentry (Capitol)                25
*5. Reflections - Diana Ross & the Supremes (Motown)            8
  6. Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie - Jay & the Techniques (Smash)17
*7. Baby, I Love You - Aretha Franklin (Atlantic)               7

 -----------------------------------------------------------------
*8. I Was Made to Love Her - Stevie Wonder (Tamla)              5
  9. You're My Everything - The Temptations (Gordy)             15
10. Don't Let the Rain Fall Down On Me - The Critters (Kapp)    9
11. (I Wanna) Testify - The Parliaments (Revilot)              14
12. Carrie-Anne - The Hollies (Epic)                           10
13. A Whiter Shade of Pale - Procol Harum (Deram)               3
*14. A Girl Like You - The Young Rascals (Atlantic)              6
-----------------------------------------------------------------
15. Can't Take My Eyes Off You - Frankie Valli (Philips)       16
16. Little Bit o' Soul - The Music Explosion (Laurie)          13
*17. Funky Broadway - Wilson Pickett (Atlantic)                 27
18. Windy - The Association (Warner Brothers)                  12
19. Heroes and Villains - The Beach Boys (Brother)             21
20. Cold Sweat, Part 1 - James Brown & his Famous Flames (King)--
22. Silence Is Golden - The Tremeloes (Epic)                   26
23. There Is a Mountain - Donovan (Epic)                       --
28. I Make a Fool of Myself - Frankie Valli (Philips)          --
29. You Know What I Mean - The Turtles (White Whale)           --
*32. Fakin' It - Simon & Garfunkel (Columbia)                   --
37. Blues Theme - Davie Allan & the Arrows (Tower)             66
41. Twelve Thirty (Young Girls Are Coming to the Canyon) -      
                                The Mamas & the Papas (Dunhill) --
43. Making Every Minute Count - Spanky & Our Gang (Mercury)    60
62. Gettin' Together - Tommy James & the Shondells (Roulette)  HP
*63. Love Bug Leave My Heart Alone -                             
                                 Martha & the Vandellas (Gordy) 73

President Obama Turns to Web to Bypass News Media

 

WASHINGTON (CNN)-- Call it Round Two of the news conference, with a big Internet twist.

President Barack Obama took questions from the White House press corps on Tuesday in a prime-time, East Room session that represented the most formal and time-honored of president-and-reporter interactions.

On Thursday, he is taking to that same room for another public grilling -- this time by regular folks armed with questions submitted via the Internet and in person, as part of a political strategy to engage Americans directly.

"It's a way for the president to do what he enjoys doing out on the road, but saves on gas," press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters on Wednesday.

Obama used the Internet to build a grass-roots movement that delivered the presidency and raised unheard-of money. Now in power, he is employing the same online network and style to speak -- unfiltered -- with Americans.

The president already has taken that tactic on the road, spending two days on the West Coast last week at town hall-style meetings and appearing on Jay Leno's late-night talk show. It offered easier questions and a chance to get his message to the widest possible audience.

"It's not a whole lot different than were we in California doing the meeting," Gibbs said. "It's just we'll have people hooked up from a lot of different places all over the country, but he'll be able to do all that from the East Room."

Already, the White House is connecting the old-school press conference with the new-media event. It will be an easy contrast between skeptical reporters and supporter-selected questions.
Political operatives say the White House's strategy is a way to reach a demographic key to Obama's election.

"In the new world of online media, formal press conferences are just one element or program to get the message out -- to those, usually older, who watch such things on TV. The online version he is doing is an alternative way to get out the same message, in this case on the budget, targeted toward a different audience, usually younger," said Morley Winograd, a former adviser to ex-Vice President Al Gore who now runs the Institute for Communication Technology Management at the University of Southern California.

"In both cases the questioners are just props -- or, in some cases, foils -- for the star, Obama, to deliver his message. But in the latter case, they get to self-nominate instead of be selected by elites," Winograd said.

In a way, it's part campaign-style politics and part "American Idol," said political strategist Simon Rosenberg.

"Barack Obama is going to reinvent the presidency the way he reinvented electoral politics," said Rosenberg, president of the New Democrat Network and a veteran of presidential campaigns.

"He is allowing everyday people to participate in a way that would've been impossible in the old media world."

Obama's campaign allowed supporters to organize themselves to go door-to-door and raise money from themselves. Because of that, many felt an ownership of the campaign and devoted countless hours to giving Obama the Democratic Party's nomination and then the presidency.

Obama's aides are taking that step forward, incorporating tools that let visitors to the White House Web site pick the questions Obama will answer, turning the president's Thursday event into a democratic press conference.

"Average people get to shape the outcome, like 'American Idol,"' Rosenberg said. "This is not a couch-potato age. Average people are expecting to be part of the process."

Yet the process lends itself to softer questions and ones the White House is eager to answer, Republicans noted.

"The president is going back to the safe confines he was always most comfortable with, in this case a friendly audience where the focus is on the sale rather than the substance," Republican strategist Kevin Madden said.

Obama remains a popular figure, although the country and Congress are reluctant to embrace his budget proposals. Aides say that the more the president talks about his plans -- and frames his budget proposal through real-world needs -- the more Americans would be swayed.

In that vein, Obama aides want to keep the questions about energy, health care and education, the three key priorities in his first budget document. Some of the questions will be from the Web site, others via YouTube and some from an audience of about 100 people representing teachers, nurses and small-business employees.

"The president just thinks it's another opportunity to talk directly with the American people about the challenges that we have, the choices and the decisions that we're making, and the path that we're taking to get us back to prosperous days," Gibbs said.

A Night of Surprises on 'American Idol'

(CNN)--Motown night had a few surprises in who stepped up — and who didn’t.

The songs have all been sung – for better or for worse – and now the viewers have to decide.

Tough choice?

Maybe not. Some contestants clearly had a better night than others. But did tonight’s performances sway your opinion about anyone?

We want to hear from you. And don’t forget to join us tomorrow night when the results come in. It promises to be quite a show! WABCNEWYORK77@AOL.COM.