Daredevil

 

I Am…Sasha Fierce, 153,000. The album inches up from #4 to #3 in its third week. The two-CD set is #22 for the year-to-date.  Three songs from the album are listed on Hot Digital Songs, topped by "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)" at #2.

source: http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart_watch/23125/week-ending-dec-7-2008-the-unsinkable-britney-spears/

 

WASHINGTON – His name etched in history as America’s first black president, Barack Obama turned from the jubilation of victory to the sober challenge of leading a nation worried about economic crisis, two unfinished wars and global uncertainty.

"The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep," Obama cautioned.

Young and charismatic but with little experience on the national level, Obama smashed through racial barriers and easily defeated Republican John McCain to become the first African-American destined to sit in the Oval Office, America’s 44th president. He was the first Democrat to receive more than 50 percent of the popular vote since Jimmy Carter in 1976.

"It’s been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this date in this election at this defining moment, change has come to America," Obama told a victory rally of 125,000 people jammed into Chicago’s Grant Park.

Obama scored an Electoral College landslide that redrew America’s political map. He won states that reliably voted Republican in presidential elections, like Indiana and Virginia, which hadn’t supported the Democratic candidate in 44 years. Ohio and Florida, key to Bush’s twin victories, also went for Obama, as did Pennsylvania, which McCain had deemed crucial for his election hopes.

With just 76 days until the inauguration, Obama is expected to move quickly to begin assembling a White House staff and selecting Cabinet nominees.

Campaign officials said Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel was the front-runner to be Obama’s chief of staff. The advisers spoke on a condition of anonymity because the announcement had not yet been made.

Obama’s victory was sweetened by Democratic gains in both houses of Congress. In the Senate, Democrats ousted Republicans Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina and John Sununu of New Hampshire and captured seats held by retiring GOP senators in Virginia, New Mexico and Colorado. Democrats scored big gains in the House, as well.

When Obama and running mate Joe Biden take their oath of office on Jan. 20, Democrats will control both the White House and Congress for the first time since 1994.

"It is not a mandate for a party or ideology but a mandate for change," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California said: "Tonight the American people have called for a new direction. They have called for change in America."

After the longest and costliest campaign in U.S. history, Obama was propelled to victory by voters dismayed by eight years of George W. Bush’s presidency and deeply anxious about rising unemployment and home foreclosures and a battered stock market that has erased trillions of dollars of savings for Americans.

Six in 10 voters picked the economy as the most important issue facing the nation in an Associated Press exit poll. None of the other top issues — energy, Iraq, terrorism and health care — was selected by more than one in 10. Obama has promised to cut taxes for most Americans, get the United States out of Iraq and expand health care, including mandatory coverage for children.

Obama acknowledged that repairing the economy and dealing with problems at home and overseas will not happen quickly. "We may not get there in one year or even in one term," he said. "But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you, we as a people will get there."

McCain conceded defeat shortly after 11 p.m. EST, telling supporters outside the Arizona Biltmore Hotel, "The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly."

"This is an historic election, and I recognize the special significance it has for African-Americans and the special pride that must be theirs tonight," McCain said. "These are difficult times for our country. And I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face."

Obama faces a staggering list of problems, and he mentioned some of them in his victory speech. "Even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime — two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century." He spoke of parents who worry about paying their mortgages and medical bills.

"There will be setbacks and false starts," Obama said. "There are many who won’t agree with every decision or policy I make as president. And we know the government can’t solve every problem."

The son of a Kenyan father and a white mother from Kansas, the 47-year-old Obama has had a startlingly rapid rise, from lawyer and community organizer to state legislator and U.S. senator, now just four years into his first term. He is the first senator elected to the White House since John F. Kennedy in 1960.

Bush called Obama with congratulations at 11:12 p.m. EST. "I promise to make this a smooth transition," the president said. "You are about to go on one of the great journeys of life. Congratulations and go enjoy yourself." He invited Obama and his family to visit the White House soon.

Bush planned to make a statement about the election at mid-morning Wednesday in the Rose Garden.

With most U.S. precincts tallied, the popular vote was 51.9 percent for Obama and 46.8 percent for McCain. But the count in the Electoral College was lopsided in Obama’s favor over McCain — 349 to 147 as of early Wednesday, with four states still to be decided. Those were North Carolina, Georgia and Missouri.

Obama won California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.

McCain had Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming. He also won at least 3 of Nebraska’s five electoral votes, with the other two in doubt.

Almost six in 10 women supported Obama nationwide, while men leaned his way by a narrow margin, according to interviews with voters. Just over half of whites supported McCain, giving him a slim advantage in a group that Bush carried overwhelmingly in 2004.

The results of the AP survey were based on a preliminary partial sample of nearly 10,000 voters in Election Day polls and in telephone interviews over the past week for early voters.

In terms of turnout, America voted in record numbers. Preliminary projections, based on 83 percent of the country’s precincts tallied, indicate that more than 131 million Americans will have voted this year, easily outdistancing 2004’s 122.3 million, which had been the highest grand total of voters before. That puts the 2008 turnout rate of eligible voters around 64 percent, experts said.

source: news.yahoo.com

 

WASHINGTON – John McCain carried Kentucky, and Barack Obama countered with a Vermont victory as he bid to become the first black president Tuesday night, first spoils in the race for the White House. Democrats gained a Senate seat, the first of several they had in their sights in a country at war and anything but prosperous.

Interviews with voters suggested that almost six in 10 women were backing Obama, and men leaned his way by a narrow margin. Just over half of whites supported McCain, giving him a slim advantage in a group that President Bush carried overwhelmingly in 2004.

The results of The Associated Press survey were based on a preliminary partial sample of nearly 10,000 voters in Election Day polls and in telephone interviews over the past week for early voters.

The same survey showed the economy was by far the top Election Day issue. Six in 10 voters said so, and none of the other top issues — energy, Iraq, terrorism and health care — was picked by more than one in 10.

The AP made its calls of individual states based on surveys of voters as they left the polls.

The early nationwide popular vote was close. Obama had 51 percent, McCain 48 with 1 percent counted.

In the Electoral College, where it mattered, Kentucky gave McCain eight votes. Vermont was good for three for the Democrat.

Obama’s hopes rested on securing the states that John Kerry won in 2004, and picking off other battlegrounds where he waged a costly effort.

Indiana, which last voted Democratic 40 years ago, was one of those, and with votes counted in 20 percent of the precincts, McCain was up 52 to 46 percent.

The Senate seat that switched from Republican to Democrat was in Virginia, where former Gov. Mark Warner won his race to replace retiring Republican John Warner. The two men are not related.

The White House was the main prize of the night on which 35 Senate seats and all 435 House seats were at stake. In both houses, Democrats hoped to pad their existing majorities, and Republicans braced for losses.

A dozen states elected governors, and ballots across the country were dotted with issues ranging from taxes to gay rights.

By tradition, the first handful of ballots were cast just after midnight in tiny Dixville Notch, N.H. Obama got 15 votes and McCain six.

They were the first of tens of millions in the race to gain 270 electoral votes and succeed George W. Bush on Jan. 20 as the 44th president.

An estimated 187 million voters were registered, and in an indication of interest in the battle for the White House, 40 million or so had already voted as Election Day dawned. Turnout was heavy. In Virginia, for example, officials estimated nearly 75 percent of eligible voters would cast ballots.

Obama awaited the results at home in Chicago after a marathon campaign across 21 months and 49 states. At 47, with only four years in the Senate, he sought election as one of the youngest presidents, and one of the least experienced in national political affairs.

That wasn’t what set the Illinois senator apart, though — neither from his rivals nor from the 43 men who had served as president since the nation’s founding more than two centuries ago. A black man, he confronted a previously unbreakable barrier as he campaigned on twin themes of change and hope in uncertain times.

McCain, a prisoner of war during Vietnam, a generation older than his rival at 72, waited in Arizona to learn the outcome of the election. It was his second try for the White House, following his defeat in the battle for the GOP nomination in 2000.

A conservative, he stressed his maverick’s streak. And a Republican, he did what he could to separate himself from an unpopular president.

For the most part, the two presidential candidates and their running mates, Republican Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska and Democratic Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware, spent weeks campaigning in states that went for Bush four years ago. Virginia, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, Iowa, Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada drew most of their time. Pennsylvania also drew attention as McCain sought to invade traditionally Democratic turf.

McCain and Obama each won contested nominations — the Democrat outdistancing former first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton — and promptly set out to claim the mantle of change.

"I am not George W. Bush," McCain said in one debate.

Obama retorted that he might as well be, telling audiences in state after state that the Republican had voted with the president 90 percent of the time across eight years of the Bush administration.

After voting with her husband, the former president, Clinton called Bush "the lamest of lame ducks" and predicted that Obama would win and begin making presidential appointments and announcing economic policies within weeks.

The war in Iraq dominated the campaign early on, but by Election Day it had faded as an issue.

The economy mattered above all else, with millions facing home foreclosures, joblessness rising and Americans tallying the losses in their retirement accounts after a stock market plunge.

The race was easily the costliest in history, in excess of $1 billion, more after the congressional campaigns were counted.

McCain accepted federal matching funds, and was limited to $84 million for the fall campaign.

After first saying he would go along, Obama reversed course, then raised and spent multiples of what his rival was allowed.

McCain sought to make an issue of that, saying Obama had broken his word to the public. For weeks on end, he could not match his rival’s television advertising onslaught.

Figures through mid-October showed Obama had spent roughly $240 million on television and radio advertisements.

McCain had shelled out about $115 million, and the Republican National Committee an additional $80 million on his behalf.

In the battle for Congress, Democrats began the night with a 51-49 majority in the Senate, including two independents. Their majority in the House was 235-199, with one vacancy.

In both cases, Republicans fought to overcome a financial disadvantage as well as numerous retirements.

The governor’s races included open seats in North Carolina, Delaware and Missouri.

The ballot issues ran from a measure to ban abortion in South Dakota to proposals outlawing affirmative action in Colorado and Nebraska. Three states voted on gay marriage.

source: news.yahoo.com

 

Nationwide, unemployment is at a five-year high of 6.1%. In some areas, Americans are experiencing inflation rates nearing 6%.

As a result, some may be snubbing trucks and sport utility vehicles in favor of fuel-efficient, smaller cars. But when it comes to saving money over the long haul, a range of costs–from depreciation to maintenance to taxes to insurance–has to be considered. This is especially important for a simple reason: Small cars aren’t right for everyone.

In other words, when it comes to saving money on a car, size isn’t everything. And neither is the sticker price.

"The sticker price is truly the tip of the iceberg," says Christie Hyde, a spokeswoman for AAA, the consumer motor vehicle association.

To find the least expensive-to-drive car in the class that best suits your needs, you’ll need to do some homework as to what you’ll be spending money on the instant you drive off the lot. And gauging what’s most important to you–be it fuel efficiency or depreciation or reliability–could quickly sway your purchasing decision.

For example, it doesn’t take much intuition to figure out that one of the least expensive cars to drive over a five-year period is indeed a small car, the $11,550 Toyota Yaris, which gets an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)- estimated combined 31 mpg. The five-year cost of owning the car is, on average, $33,831 (triple the purchase price), which is modest so far as long-term car expenses go. It’s wise to consider, however, that while the car will save you on gas, with fuel taking up about 30% of the long-term costs (assuming you drive 15,000 miles per year), you’ll be hit hard on depreciation. The car depreciates at a rate of 73%–the fastest of any car on our list.

Similarly, the popular Toyota Prius hybrid claims a spot on the list, with a markedly low 17.9% of the five-year costs going to fuel. But this car also depreciates quickly (though only just less than half the rate of the Yaris), as those in the market for a hybrid want the latest and newest technology, not a car that’s a few years old.

Because of the range of factors that go into considering a car’s expense over the first few years of ownership, the rest of the list of the least expensive cars to drive is a mélange with as many standouts as surprises. Some are fuel-efficient, some aren’t; some hold their value well, others not so much.

 

While televiewers are used to watching telenovelas with charming and lovely characters like Sheryl on ABS-CBN’s Romantic Princess and Ginny on They Kiss Again, this time it will be different. Betty Pengson is about to move everyone not with beauty but her innocence, patience and intelligence via I Love Betty La Fea starting tonight on Primetime Bida.

The Kapamilya network’s latest telenovela franchise from Colombia vividly shows how an image means everything to society - from the lowest to the highest class - without looking beyond physical appearance as Bea Alonzo’s Betty goes through outside the comforts of home. Yet it is heartwarming to see Betty, garbed in outmoded attire, still exuding confidence. She, too, loves calling herself "Bettyful."

The Pinoy version is also peppered with a dose of realism that every audience can relate to - from the way a typical family supports one another and shares in the sentiments of its every member, to looking at every possibility of earning a living to the pitiful scenario that there are people who look down at others who are not blessed with good looks.

This is why, scene after scene at the recent screening of the first few episodes of the TV series inside Dolphy Theater left an impressive mark on the audience. Bea deserves two thumbs up as she acts in a way that makes the audience laugh and cry with her.

Not to be missed, too, are Betty’s mom Julia (Ai-Ai de las Alas), dad Hermes (Ronaldo Valdez) and brother Andrew (Sam Concepcion). They shower Betty with love and respect while her best friend Nicolas (Vhong Navarro) eases every pain in her heart with funny antics though sometimes he gives pieces of sensible advice.

At the beginning of the series, Betty will grow as an intelligent lady, tucking under her belt a business administration degree with summa cum laude honors. It is expected that high-paying jobs are just within her reach but Betty’s ugliness is one big hindrance. The dream of working at an advertising agency Eco Moda Manila makes her apply as secretary to the president Armando Solis (John Lloyd Cruz). What follows is a series of rib-tickling events and tear-jerking moments as Betty continues to move in a circle of wicked people with Daniella Valencia (Ruffa Gutierrez) as the meanest of them all.

 

MONDAY, Aug. 25 (HealthDay News) — Exposure to burning incense over long periods of time raises the risk of developing cancers of the upper respiratory tract, a new study shows.

Interestingly, the practice did not increase the overall risk of lung cancer.

"Given that our results are backed by numerous experimental studies showing that incense is a powerful producer of particulate matter and that incense smoke contains carcinogenic substances, I believe incense should be used with caution," said study author Dr. Jeppe Friborg, of the department of epidemiology research at Statens Serum Institute in Copenhagen, Denmark. "That is, frequent use in rooms where people live should be minimized, or at least sufficient ventilation should be secured. In our study, we find the increased risk of cancer to be present in individuals reporting frequent use of incense for many years, thus, repeated exposure for years should probably be avoided."

Others echoed the thought.

"The American Lung Association is going to add it as a risk factor," said Dr. Norman Edelman, chief medical officer of the association. "It’s not nearly the danger of smoking a pack a day for 20 years, but it’s a danger."

Not only is incense burned regularly as part of daily life in large swaths of Asia, the practice is also popular among certain segments in the West.

Incense burning produces particulate matter and is known to contain possible carcinogens such as polyaromatic hyodrcarbons (PAHs), carbonyls and benzene.

There have also been reports linking the burning of incense with cancer but the results have been inconsistent.

For this study, researchers conducted face-to-face interviews with more than 61,000 Singapore Chinese aged 45 to 74 who were cancer-free at the beginning of the study.

Incense burning almost doubled the risk of developing squamous cell upper respiratory tract carcinomas including nasal/sinus, tongue, mouth and laryngeal. There was an increased risk both in smokers and in nonsmokers, pointing to an independent effect of incense smoke.

There was no overall increased risk of lung cancer, but it did heighten the risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the lung.

Will incense go the way of tobacco? Not necessarily, said some experts.

"Certainly I think bathing yourself in particles is probably not the smartest thing in the world . . . but I think very few people fill up their room with incense," said Dr. Arthur Frankel, a professor of medicine at Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine and director of the Cancer Center, Cancer Research Institute and Division of Hematology/Oncology at Scott & White in Temple.

The findings, which are in the Oct. 1 issue of Cancer, might also point researchers toward other household practices that should be investigated.

"It’s a population-based study, which means that you can make an association but not necessarily a conclusion," said Dr. Erin Fleener, a clinical assistant professor in internal medicine at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine and an oncologist at the Bryan-College Station Cancer Clinic. "It probably promotes more work in the area of routine household items and things we need to be looking at more prospectively to make a clear cause-and-effect relationship."

In general, though, it’s not a bad idea to avoid environmental pollutants of various types.

"Anything that affects air quality negatively is not a good thing," said Dr. Len Horvitz, a pulmonary specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. "Burning in general and the release of smoke, these things are certainly to be avoided. At the very least, chemical irritants will set off asthma, and that’s reversible. Cancer is not reversible."

"This is not unlike the type of risk that one experiences from secondhand tobacco smoke," said Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, deputy chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society. "At the end of the day, people who use incense casually, I don’t think that’s a cause for major concern, but those cultures which embrace incense as part of their daily lifestyles have to consider this has a real potential risk for cancer."

 

TONIGHT by FM STATIC

I remember the times we spent together
All those drives, we had a million questions
All about our lives
And when we got to New York everything felt right
I wish you were here with me,
Tonight

I remember the days we spent together,
were not enough, it used to feel like dreaming
Except we always woke up,
Never thought not having you here now
Would hurt so much

Tonight I’ve fallen and I can’t get up
I need your loving hands to come and pick me up
And every night I miss you
I can just look up
And know the stars are
Holding you, holding you, holding you
Tonight

I remember the time you told me
About when you were eight
And all those things you said that night
That just couldn’t wait
I remember the car you were last seen in
And the games we would play
All the times we spilled our coffees
And stayed out way too late

I remember the time you sat and told me
About your Jesus, and how not to look back
Even if no one believes us
When it hurts so bad, sometimes
Not having you here

Tonight I’ve fallen and I can’t get up
I need your loving hands to come and pick me up
And every night I miss you
I can just look up
And know the stars are
Holding you, holding you, holding you
Tonight

I say
Tonight I’ve fallen and I can’t get up
I need your loving hands to come and pick me up
And every night I miss you
I can just look up
And know the stars are
Holding you, holding you, holding you
Tonight

 

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - As Tom Cruise writes the next chapter in his career, he’s developing an interest in comic-book movies.

With filmmaker Sam Raimi, the actor is setting up "Sleeper" as a feature project at Warner Bros. Cruise is loosely attached to star in the adaptation of the DC Comics/Wildstorm comic, which Raimi would produce with his Star Road Entertainment partner Josh Donen.

Written by Ed Brubaker with art by Sean Phillips, "Sleeper," which ran from 2003 through 2005, centers on an operative whose fusion with an alien artifact makes him impervious to pain. An intelligence agency places him undercover in a villainous organization and falls for Miss Misery, a member of the group.

Although he remains a co-owner of United Artists — from which his longtime producing partner, Paula Weinstein, resigned last week — Cruise is not tied exclusively to that company.

His next acting job will be in the Spyglass thriller "Tourist," as if to counter the more cerebral roles he played in the UA boxoffice failure "Lions for Lambs" and the upcoming UA World War II period drama "Valkyrie," in which he plays the anti-Nazi Claus van Stauffenberg.

"Sleeper" is the third project that Cruise has become associated with over the past two weeks — all three separate from his commitments at UA. In addition to "Tourist," the actor has expressed interest in the Working Title/Universal comedy "Food Fight."

Also apart from UA, the actor picked up good notices last week for his uncharacteristic turn as a bald film mogul in the DreamWorks-Paramount comedy "Tropic Thunder."

Even if Cruise opts not to do "Sleeper," his interest in the project is propelling it, despite the challenge of complicated rights issues that must be sorted out.

"Sleeper" is a spin-off book from Wildstorm flagship title "WildC.A.T.s" and features characters from another spin-off book, "Gen 13."

Both books had been set up at different film companies around town, and some of those deals were made before DC bought the imprint in 1999.

Warners, now involved in a legal wrangle with Fox over the rights to the superhero movie "Watchmen," appears determined to cross all the t’s and dot all the i’s in its contracts for "Sleeper."

The project is being eyed not only as a starring vehicle for Cruise but also as a possible franchise for the studio.

 

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Warner Bros.’ "The Dark Knight" regained the overseas box-office lead — even as it relinquished the No. 1 domestic position after a four-week stand — reaching a foreign gross of $328.6 million with its weekend take of $42.4 from 7,775 screens in 61 markets.

Universal’s "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor," the international champ for two successive weekends, eased into second place but maintained a hot pace by grossing $29.1 million and lifting its cumulative revenue to $193.5 million.

Universal’s musical entry "Mamma Mia!" passed the $200 million mark as it pulled in $17.6 million from 2,679 playdates in 25 countries. Disney/Pixar’s "WALL-E," meanwhile, added $13.2 million and raised its international gross to $145.8 million.

Joining the top foreign grossers this weekend was Sony’s Adam Sandler-starring comedy "You Don’t Mess With the Zohan," which racked up $11.2 million thanks to key dates in the U.K., Germany and Brazil.

Warner Bros.’ CG-animated "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" opened to $7.4 million from $3,260 in 22 markets, arriving at No. 6 in the U.K. with $1.6 million from 419 screens, No. 2 in Mexico with $1.2 million from 678 and No. 4 in Australia with $1.2 million from 267.

SUCCESSFUL CRUSADER

For "Knight," it was a vindication of its ability to attract foreign moviegoers. The best the Caped Crusader previously had done overseas was $166.5 million for 2005’s "Batman Begins."

"Knight’s" return to foreign dominance was fueled by top bows in France ($9.5 million from 850 screens), Spain ($7.1 million from 570) and Russia ($3.5 million from 610). In second-weekend action in Korea, "Knight" ($5.2 million from 373) held off the debut of two local films and reached a total of $14.3 million. The second weekend in Japan, however, grossed just $1.6 million for a cumulative take of $8.7 million.

Japan welcomed "Mummy" in the No. 2 spot ($7 million from 326 screens) behind Hayao Miyazaki’s animated tale "Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea" ($7.7 million from 481), which has dominated the local box office five weeks in a row for distributor Toho, with a total to date of $90 million.

"Mummy" has reached an international gross of $193.5 million thanks to strong holdovers in the U.K., Germany and Taiwan as well as solid openings in Belgium ($1.2 million from 62) and Vietnam ($177,000 from 18).

As "Mamma Mia!" climbed to $205.9 million, Universal trumpeted that it was the first of the studio’s films to pass $200 million this year despite the fact that they still have "more than 35 territories yet to release." The film’s only new weekend opening was in Spain, which tallied $4.8 million from 352 screens.

"WALL-E" opened in three small markets, with Thailand recording $783,000 from 119 screens, called the second-biggest Disney animated opening in the market. Top box-office receipts to date include the U.K. with $37.9 million in four weeks; France, $16.9 million in two; and Mexico, $16.9 million in six.

"Zohan" opened at No. 1 in Germany with $5.1 million from 593, No. 3 in the U.K. ($3 million from 392) and No. 3 in Brazil ($880,000 from 121).

New weekend openings included Paramount’s "Tropic Thunder," $2.6 million from three markets; Fox’s "Mirrors," $661,746 from 11 markets, and Fox’s "Taken," $3.3 million from Australia, Italy and Spain.

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