The terrific trio is back. Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol and Karan Johar have come together again to recreate their special brand of magic with My Name Is Khan. And the chemistry has clicked every time at the box-office.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Love Sex aur Dhokha – Official Trailer
Have a look at the trailer of Dibakar Banerjee’s (of ‘Oye Lucky1 Lucky Oye!’ fame) new film titled ‘Love Sex Aur Dhokha’ (LSD). The film is shot using hidden cameras and deals with the subject of voyeurism. It is produced by Ekta Kapoor’s Balaji Telefilms.
2009: Few new faces in Bollywood
Fresh faces failed to make a smashing debut in Bollywood this year. But actors like Mahie Gill, Kalki Koechlin, Giselle Monteiro and Shurti Haasan did stand out. Here are 10 newcomers who made a mark:
Mahie Gill: She may well hold the record for being a debutante with the most number of releases in a single year. First, she managed to catch everyone’s attention as the new age Paro in “Dev D”, a modern-day take on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s novel “Devdas”. Later, she impressed in Anurag Kashyap’s next film “Gulaal”. She is a complete natural and one would love to see more of her. She also featured in the duds “Aagey Se Right” and “Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas”.
Kalki Koechlin: Born to French parents Kalki as a modern day Chandramukhi showed how to get the sensuality in place in “Dev D”. Good acting skills did not harm her cause.
Giselle Monteiro: She was the hidden treasure for the entire team of “Love Aaj Kal”. With her identity being unveiled only after the release of the film, she made countrywide news once it was declared that she was a Brazilian in the garb of a Punjabi ’soni kudi’.
Chandan Roy Sanyal: Pretty much following the route that was laid out for Prateik Babbar when he made his quiet ’supporting actor’ debut with “Jaane Tu Ya… Jaane Naa”, Chandan was hardly in the news until the release of “Kaminey”. He was truly discovered when he played his part of Mikhail to perfection in the dark crime thriller.
Jaccky Bhagnani: Even though “Kal Kissne Dekha” didn’t work, Jackky did deliver. Quite confident in front of the camera, he neither overplays nor underplays his part. Though a better script would have helped, “Kal Kissne Dekha” did act as a show reel for young Bhagnani.
Sheena Shahabadi: For Sheena, what worked most was the author-backed role that she got in “Tere Sang”. Playing a 15-year-old who was looking at exploring life to the fullest, she was easily the star of the show and came up with a bravura act that made “Tere Sang” believable.
Sohum Shah: The film “Baabarr” went largely unnoticed, but debutant Sohum Shah stood tall as he impressed most with his dialogue delivery. He is bound to be noticed in a big way from here on, though it would be interesting to see how he looks clean shaven.
Shruti Haasan: If there was one quintessential Bollywood material that arrived in 2009, it was Shruti Haasan. However, the really poor script of “Luck” ruined the pretty girl’s chances of starting off her Bollywood outing with a smash hit. She has the body, the looks and the attitude. All she needs now is another good opportunity on a decent enough platform.
Nausheen Ali Sardar: In a small film, “Three – Love, Lies, Betrayal”, which unfortunately went totally unnoticed, Nausheen made a good switch from TV (”Kkusum”) to the big screen. Her role demanded her to look sad and worn out in every scene, but she didn’t complain. However, she didn’t miss a chance when she found a good stage to demonstrate histrionics, especially during the final moments of the film.
Jacqueline Fernandes: Jacqueline’s task was pretty much cut out in “Aladin”. She had to look good and this is where her Miss Sri Lanka crown came in handy. Moreover, she was indeed good in the couple of scenes where she was required to mouth dialogues in addition to just smiling. Just like Katrina Kaif who started off her career with her good looks and fair acting capabilities, Jacquline too has a future in Bollywood.
2009: Dreadful year for Bollywood.
The Hindi film industry never had it so bad. Recession, producer-multiplex strike, and a string of duds led to one of the worst years for Bollywood. Experts say it suffered a loss of about Rs.700 crore (Rs.7 billion) in 2009.
“2009 has been a disastrous year for the Hindi film industry. We’ve had everything, from swine flu, cricket matches, elections to a strike against the industry this time,” trade analyst Taran Adarsh told IANS over phone from Mumbai.
“And then we had major flops like ‘Chandni Chowk To China’, ‘Aladin’ and ‘Kurbaan’ to name a few. People have lost almost 75-100 percent for a movie. Though the actual losses cannot be accounted, it is huge and more than Rs.500-700 crore,” he added.
Film critic Omar Qureshi echoed the same.
“It has been one of the bad years. Unfortunately, some of the big movies failed this year. Even Diwali, when we release the biggest movies of the year, was such a disappointment with failures in ‘Blue’ and ‘Main Aurr Mrs. Khanna’.”
The year started with not-so-happening movies like “The President Is Coming”, “Bad Luck Govind”, “Kaashh…Mere Hote” — none of them could ignite the box office.
It was followed by massively promoted big budgets like Warner Bros co-production – Rs. 51-crore “Chandni Chowk To China”, Shah Rukh Khan’s home production, the Rs.23 crore “Billu”, and UTV’s Rs.45 crore “Delhi 6″ — all of them failed at the ticket window.
So far 120-odd films have released, but hits are few and far between. Movies that made business include low-budget ones like “Raaz – The Mystery Continues”, “Dev D”, “13 B”, “Phoonk”, “New York”, “Wake Up Sid”, “Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani”.
Big-starrer and big-budget films like “Love Aaj Kal”, “Kaminey”, “Wanted”, “All The Best”, and “De Dana Dan” too clicked at the box office.
Films like “Luck By Chance”, “Firaaq”, “Gulaal” and “Quick Gun Murugun” couldn’t get the cash registers ringing, but received appreciation from audiences and critics alike.
The first few months were spent reeling under recession. Then came another blow in the form of the film producers-distributors’ tussle with multiplexes over revenue sharing. It led to a two-month strike – from April 4 to June 5 – and witnessed a virtual drought of movies. During that period, gap fillers like “Coffee House”, “99″, “Suno Na” and “Detective Naani” were released.
As soon as the strike got over, IPL matches and elections started, leaD, leading to low footfalls in theatres.
Bollywood events also took a nose dive in the wake of swine flu which led to the closing of cinema halls temporarily as well as cancellation of shootings.
“The year has been a tough one because of a couple of reasons. First, for three months there were no releases which caused a dent and a lot of movies bunched up that further ate one another’s revenues. Then, because of the abundance of movies, audiences declined,” Siddharth Roy Kapur, CEO of UTV Motion Pictures, told IANS over phone from Mumbai.
Adarsh, however, felt “the two main reasons for the industry’s debacle this year have been the remuneration of actors and corporates that acquired movies at exorbitant prices, leading to doomsday.”
“The costing this year was the biggest spoilsport. It was so huge that it ruined the industry. The industry was thrown to the lions because of actors’ fees and it was very difficult for the producers to recover the investments,” he said.
Most big-budget films received tremendous openings courtesy round the clock promotions but fell flat at the box office.
Some of them were “8X10 Tasveer”, “Kal Kissne Dekha”, “Kambakkht Ishq”, “Luck”, “Dil Bole Hadippa”, “What’s Your Raashee?”, “Do Knot Disturb”, “Blue”, “Main Aurr Mrs. Khanna”, “London Dreams”, “Aladin” and “Kurbaan”.
Bollywood now awaits the much-talked about “Three Idiots”, which is releasing Dec 25. Trade pundits hope that the Aamir Khan-starrer repeats the same success story that “Ghajini” created when it was released last year on the same day.
They also suggest some revival strategy in the new year.
Qureshi said: “We must look at reinventing scripts with a good story and a good star cast. You cannot insult the audience now and take them for granted. You have to make intelligent movies. Look at a very intelligent stupid movie ‘Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahani’ that worked wonders.”
Said Roy Kapoor, “2010 should be high on creativity and hope the production costs come down and a model is developed that is more effective than it was ever before.”
Telugu film industry may shift to Chennai, warns Rosaiah
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K. Rosaiah Wednesday said the continuing attacks on film shootings in and around Hyderabad by Telangana supporters may force the Telugu film industry to shift back to Chennai Assuring full pro
tection, the chief minister urged all political parties to ensure that the industry stays in Hyderabad.
The campaign over Telangana has caused huge losses to the film industry, with thousands boycotting movies of some actors and continuing attacks on the shooting of some others opposed to Telangana’s creation.
Recalling that the Telugu film industry shifted from Chennai to Hyderabad after the formation of Andhra Pradesh in 1956, Rosaiah said if it goes back, it will affect the employment opportunities of local people.
He pointed out that 70 to 80 percent of the workers in the film industry were locals.
“The hero, heroines and some other people may be from other regions (of Andhra Pradesh) but the majority of the workers are local people,” he said in an obvious reference to claims by pro-Telangana groups that the movie industry was dominated by people from coastal Andhra.
Rosaiah also termed as baseless the allegations of pro-Telangana groups that film personalities were given prime lands free of cost in and around Hyderabad.
He pointed out that lands were given to the industry as incentives as per the market rates.
The chief minister regretted that the shootings of actors like Mahesh Babu and Junior NTR who have said nothing on Telangana were also attacked.
Last week the protestors also attacked film shootings of veteran actor-producer Mohan Babu’s son M. Manoj and actor-turned-politician Chiranjeevi’s nephew Allu Arjun.
Both Mohan Babu and Chiranjeevi are opposing the bifurcation of the state.
It’s tough to play a simple, beautiful girl: Priyanka Chopra
She is smart, glamorous and one of the most sought after actresses in Bollywood, but Priyanka Chopra says it was difficult for her to portray a simple, beautiful girl in forthcoming film “Pyaar Impossible” and still try to hold the interest of audiences.
“When you do characters like one in ‘Aitraaz’, ‘Fashion’ or ‘Kaminey’, there are certain peripheries. For example, Sweety in ‘Kaminey’ won’t be able to speak English or she won’t wear jeans and top. They are also difficult, but the boundaries help. When I am playing a simple beautiful looking girl, how do I get your interest?” Priyanka said.
“Heroines ought to look beautiful, it’s their work. We look pretty, we wear great clothes but that’s our job. But how do I make you feel for her? That’s why these films are more difficult,” said Priyanka, who has teamed up with Uday Chopra in the film.
Written and produced by Uday, “Pyaar Impossible” is a romantic tale about a beauty and a geek. Directed by Jugal Hansraj, it shows how fate brings Uday and Priyanka come together and love blooms amidst all odds.
Talking about her character in “Pyaar Impossible”, Priyanka said: “I play Alisha who works in a software company. She has always been a popular girl, fun loving and one who loves life. But at a young age she has to take a lot of responsibilities and she finds it difficult to manage and her life becomes chaotic,” said Priyanka.
“Pyaar Impossible” is slated to release Jan 8.
The actress took three months before giving her final consent for the film.
“When I was offered the film, I was shooting for ‘Kaminey’. So I told them I will take some time to decide. It took me around three months to read the script, but when I read it, I felt I was reading a romantic book or a breezy novel and I immediately called Uday and gave my consent,” she added.
Priyanka was all praise for Uday and the way he has sketched the characters.
“Uday is a great human being and a very talented guy. The way he had written the story and sketched my character, they are very close to reality,” Priyanka said before leaving for New York.
She will stay there for two and a half months to complete Siddharth Anand’s “Anjana Anjani”, which also features Ranbir Kapoor.
“I am planning to enjoy the New Year’s eve in Times Square, but it’s so cold and there has been a blizzard too so I’m not sure whether I would be able to go out of my hotel or not,” said Priyanka.
Asked about her role in Farhan Akhtar’s “Don 2″, she said: “It’s coming by the end of next year. The only thing I can say now is that I have some superb actions in ‘Don 2′ and I am very excited about that.”
She has also signed on for Vishal Bharadwaj’s tentatively titled “7 Husbands”.
3 Idiots’ one of the best from Bollywood: Malaysian film critic
Applauding the cast and crew of recently re
leased hit film “3 Idiots”, a Malaysian film critic described director Rajkumar Hirani’s directorial venture as “one of the best from Bollywood”.
leased hit film “3 Idiots”, a Malaysian film critic described director Rajkumar Hirani’s directorial venture as “one of the best from Bollywood”.If you want to find fault with “3 Idiots”, it should be the title – for its wrong connotation. It has an intelligent storyline with acting par excellence, critic K.N. Vijiyan wrote in his review in New Straits Times.
Don’t get the wrong idea from the film title. This is not an idiotic movie and is, in fact, one of the best from Bollywood. It makes you laugh, it makes you think. In some scenes, you may even shed a tear.
Aamir Khan proves yet again why he is such a prized possession in Bollywood. The ‘Mr. Perfectionist’ always puts in a lot into his movies and that’s why “Lagaan”, “Taare Zameen Par”, “Rang De Basanti”, “Fanaa” and “Ghajini” have been praised and did well at the box-office.
Boman is impressive with his lisp, style of dressing and mannerisms, reminiscent of his similar role in “Munnabhai M.B.B.S”, but he is thoroughly enjoyable to watch.
Many scenes in the story will have the audience rolling with laughter, especially where a boy gets his words mixed up while giving a welcoming address to a VIP. There is a message about the futility of suicide, the increasing cost of living and the mindless cramming to pass exams.
The songs composed by Shantanu Moitra are a good listen and the movie has been imaginatively filmed by Muraleedharan C.K.
Kareena Kapoor doesn’t have much screen time but makes her presence felt. Her lip-lock with Aamir has been snipped.
This is a feel-good movie which will make you want to watch it a second time. In “Munnabhai”, the director propagated the “hugging” philosophy for emotional wellbeing. Here, the “mantra” is “All is well” even when something goes wrong.
Don’t miss this offering which shows all the signs of a new Bollywood box-office record.
Priyanka Chopra India’s top brand endorser of 2009
After emerging as one of the leading actresses in Bollywood, Priyanka Chopra has been declared India’s top brand endorser in 2009, says a report.
According to the report by TAM AdEX, a division of TAM Media Research, Priyanka, 27, has edged past endorsement giants like skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and actors Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan and Amitabh Bachchan.
Priyanka, who is awaiting the release of her next movie “Pyaar Impossible”, is all smiles.
“I have always strived to give my very best. It has been very fulfilling experience to be the face of some of the best brands. In my mind, the findings of the survey endorse the equal opportunity country that we are emerging. Being a woman is no longer a disadvantage,” said Priyanka.
“It is a humbling recognition and I am grateful for the adulation and unconditional support of millions across the world which is most integral constituent all the successes in every phase of my life,” she added.
Currently, Priyanka endorses a variety of brands including Nokia, Lux, Sunsilk, Levi’s, Hero Honda and Asmi.
These days the former Miss World is busy promoting her romantic-comedy “Pyaar Impossible”, the story of a beauty and a geek. She has teamed up with Uday Chopra in it.
Apart from making her mark in ad world, she has also delivered hit film “Kaminey” and won critical appreciation for her performance in “What’s Your Raashee?”. She bagged a few awards as well.
Katrina’s dampened travel plans
katrina Kaif has been facing illness these days due to which she could not take a break and go out for a travel these days. A friend of the actress Katrina Kaif disclosed that she loves to go to different place and
explore them. She also said that Katrina loves to collect souvenirs that jog her memory about that place.
The friend of Katrina also added that she is not more of a party hoppers type rather she is interested in knowing customs and tradition of the places she travels more than joining night life or partying. But unfortunately her recent health trouble has become a dampener on her travel plans.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Frank Mir doubts Brock Lesnar will keep his UFC heavyweight title in 2010 Full VIDEO
Former UFC Heaveryweight Champion, Frank Mir, stated in a recent interview with ESPN radio that he doubts current UFC Heavyweight Champion, Brock Lesnar, will keep his UFC heavyweight title in 2010 due to major weight loss associated with his illness, diverticulitis, which in turn suggests a major loss of physical strength as well (listen to the interview in the video below).While Lesnar officially still has time to recover and regain his strength, Mir and Shane Carwin are scheduled to fight at UFC 111 in March 2010 and possible determine the interim UFC heavyweight champion.
Mir seems to have forgotten his own year-long recovery from a motorcycle accident in 2004, though. If it was possible for him to make successful comeback after that, he should expect no less from Lesnar. The nature of Lesnar's disease certainly affects the fighter in significant ways and it he might be leaner upon his return to the octagon. Nevertheless, sometimes changes of this nature can actually have a positive rather than negative impact on an athlete. Even more so since Lesnar was suspected to have been suffering from his illness well before the final breakdown a few months ago. Ultimately, he could come back stronger than ever before if he was only performing at 60-70 percent prior to the surgery as doctors have suggested.
Depending on how long Lesnar's recovery will take, it certainly seems appropriate to vacate the title in the near future.
Nikon Rumors Online Store
Chimpanzees Use Tools To Eat
A scientific panel for the first time observed how some chimpanzees use tools to reduce the size of the food and make them more edible, the BBC reports.
Primates of Mount Nimba in Guinea, West Africa, are using stone axes and woods to process Treculia fruit and make it easier to eat. The chimpanzees cut the fruit to make it easy to eat eatable portions of Treculia.
Kathelijne Koops, a doctoral student, and Professor William McGrew, researchers from the Leverhulme Center for Human Evolution Studies from the University of Cambridge in the UK conducted the study. They observed a group of chimps living in the
wild in the forests of Mount Nimba.
African chimpanzees greatly vary in their usage of tools used for preparing their daily food. Some groups use stones as hammers and stone anvils to break the shells of nuts. Other chimpanzee groups use branches to catch termites, researchers say.
To break the shell of the nuts the chimpanzees from Bossou area, a village in Guinea, used hammers and anvils. They even used weights to level the anvil and make it more efficient for their needs, said Koop, the Ph.D. student involved in this research.
The BBC report, published in the Spanish language version of the service notes that this is the first time that the scientists have found chimpanzees using tools to eat. Furthermore, this is the first time that the researchers learn chimpanzees using different types of tools to achieve the same results.
Thus, the scientists conclude that the learning in chimpanzees is cultural and related to their location.
Primates of Mount Nimba in Guinea, West Africa, are using stone axes and woods to process Treculia fruit and make it easier to eat. The chimpanzees cut the fruit to make it easy to eat eatable portions of Treculia.
Kathelijne Koops, a doctoral student, and Professor William McGrew, researchers from the Leverhulme Center for Human Evolution Studies from the University of Cambridge in the UK conducted the study. They observed a group of chimps living in the
wild in the forests of Mount Nimba.African chimpanzees greatly vary in their usage of tools used for preparing their daily food. Some groups use stones as hammers and stone anvils to break the shells of nuts. Other chimpanzee groups use branches to catch termites, researchers say.
To break the shell of the nuts the chimpanzees from Bossou area, a village in Guinea, used hammers and anvils. They even used weights to level the anvil and make it more efficient for their needs, said Koop, the Ph.D. student involved in this research.
The BBC report, published in the Spanish language version of the service notes that this is the first time that the scientists have found chimpanzees using tools to eat. Furthermore, this is the first time that the researchers learn chimpanzees using different types of tools to achieve the same results.
Thus, the scientists conclude that the learning in chimpanzees is cultural and related to their location.
Shake Up In Democratic Party As Rep. Parker Griffith Plans To Switch Parties
There is a shake up in the Democratic Party as it is being reported that freshman Rep.Parker Griffith of Alabama is scheduled to announce he is switching parties at a 1 pm news conference. Griffith is currently a Democrat.
Griffith has a press conference scheduled for 1 pm in northern Alabama. This is the district he represents. At the press conference, Griffith is expected to switch from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party.
This switch comes at a crucial time for the health care reform vote. Griffith has voted against the Democratic Party on all major domestic issues, including health care.
Griffith is a Radiation Oncologist and has been critical of the Democratic health care plan. He is considered to be one of the most conservative Democrats on the hill.
Griffith reportedly informed Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi this morning of his decision. Griffith has made it clear in the past that he does not care for Pelosi. He has stated he would not vote for her to remain as the House Speaker.
Griffith won his Congressional seat by a slim margin in 2008. Just 51% over 48% for Republican Wayne Parker. No Republican has ever been elected to that seat.
All political eyes and ears will be listening to Rep Parker Griffith's words at 1 this afternoon. His switching to the Republican Party from the Democratic Party impact on health care reform is still to be seen.
Winter Weather Stalls Travel in Midwest
More than 200 flights at O'Hare International Airport were cancelled in Chicago, along with about 60 flights out of Midway International Airport. This is just the beginning of what looks to be an intense storm that will target the midwest with intensity on Thursday.
Heavy snow, sleet and rain is expected Thursday with the possibility of up to two feet of snow in some areas on Christmas Day. Three deaths on Interstate 70 in Kansas were blamed on slippery road conditions.
Kansas, Nebraska and South Dakota all have had immense issues with snow, ice and poor road conditions are wreaking havoc on holiday travel. There have
been several reports of ice on the roads in Nebraska being 1/4" thick.
At this time, Weather.com reports that travel is likely to be dangerous to near impossible through the Plains from North Dakota to Kansas where blizzard conditions will develop and persist.
Senate approves healthcare reform bill, 60-39
The vote took place in a session called at 7 a.m. to give senators time to return to their districts for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. Vice President Joe Biden presided over the vote in his role as president of the Senate.
Among the key provisions of the Senate bill are a mandate that individuals purc
hase health insurance, a tax on lavish insurance plans – the so-called “Cadillac plans” many union members enjoy – to help fund subsidies for individuals who cannot afford to purchase private insurance, a ban on the practice of denying insurance to individuals with pre-existing conditions, several measures aimed at slowing the growth of health care costs, and two additional provisions designed to make coverage more affordable: the creation of insurance exchanges where individuals may purchase coverage and the opening of the Federal government’s employee health benefits plan to individual participation. The last two provisions are substitutes for the “public option” that liberal activists insist upon.
Many of these same liberal activists have criticized the bill as a gift to the health insurance industry, and the performance of for-profit health insurers’ stocks since the Senate vote that ended a Republican filibuster appears to buttress their criticism. Conservative critics of the bill, including almost all of the Republicans who voted against it, call it an unprecedented and unaffordable intrusion of government into the private sector that will lower the quality of health care in America.
In a news conference after the vote, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) called the bill’s passage “a huge victory for the American people” and the fulfillment of a lifelong dream of the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.)
The next step for the health care reform bill is a House-Senate conference committee that will meet in January to iron out differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill. While House members are under intense pressure to agree to all or almost all of the Senate bill’s provisions in order to ensure 60 votes for passage of a final bill in the Senate, they also face countervailing pressure from much of the Democratic base to preserve the public health insurance plan contained in their version but not the Senate’s.
If the bill becomes law, it will mark the culmination of a decades-long quest for universal health insurance, a goal of Democrats since President Harry Truman first proposed a national health insurance plan in 1948. The larger issue of universal health insurance was first raised by former President Theodore Roosevelt, who made it part of his quest to regain the office he held as the Progressive Party’s 1912 candidate for president.
The last time the Senate met on Christmas Eve was in 1917, when the body debated America’s entry into World War I. The Senate will convene again on Jan. 18.
Percy Sutton dies at 89, attorney for Malcom X
Percy Sutton founded his law firm in 1953 in Harlem, New York. He represented Malcolm X and the slain activist's family for many years. Malcolm X was assassinated in 1965 while giving a speech in New York.
Born in San Antonio, Texas, Sutton was the youngest of 15 siblings. Both parents were educators and business people.
Sutton ran for Borough president of the Borough of Manhattan in 1965. He won with 80% of the vote. He served in that post until 1977, when he ran for the Democratic nomination for Mayor of New York City against Congressman Ed Koch, New York Secretary of State Mario Cuomo, Mayor Abraham Beame, former Congresswoman Bella Abzug, and Congressman Herman Badillo. Koch ended up winning the nomination and became Mayor.
In 1971, Sutton founded the Inner City Broadcasting Corporation, which purchased and developed radio stations WLIB-AM and WBLS-FM; making them the first black-owned stations in New York City.
In 1981, Sutton rescued the famous Apollo Theatre in Harlem from bankruptcy.
Percy Sutton leaves behind his wife Leatrice, two children, four grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
sources: visionaryproject.org, wikipedia, MSNBC
New Nikon Digital Cameras In 2010
Will there be new Nikon cameras in 2010? Yes, just as there will be for all of the other digital camera manufacturers. The real question is what camera bodies will these new Nikon digital cameras be replacing.
As the new year approaches, the predictions have begun of what the new Nikon digital cameras will be for 2010. Both Nikon Rumors and Thom Hogan have released their predictions of what the new Nikon cameras will be and which ones they will replace.
While Nikon has not said what their plans are for 2010 are just yet, both Hogan and the Nikon Rumors blog are predicting a replacement for the Nikon D90 digital camera. The two disagree on both the possible name and the announcement date for the new camera.
Hogan suggest the new digital camera replacing the Nikon D90 could be named the D8000 and that the announcement will be around August 2010. Nikon Rumors think the name will be the D7000 and that we will hear about it in early 2010.
Both Hogan and Nikon Rumors believe that Nikon will replace the D3000 for a D4000 model. Nikon Rumors predicts the announcement for this new digital camera will be in the second half of 2010.
The oldest Nikon digital camera is the D700 and Hogan thinks it is time for Nikon to replace it with an improved model. His prediction is for a digital camera named the D800 to be announced in March 2010 to replace the D700.
New digital cameras to replace the Nikon D90 and the D700 makes sense. These two digital cameras have been around since 2008 and have sold very well for Nikon.
Technology has changed since he D90 and D700 digital cameras have been released. Also, Nikon does need to improve on the video quality in their DSLR cameras. Nikon is way behind their main competitor, Canon in the video technology.
A replacement camera for the Nikon D3000 in 2010? I am not so sure about this one. The D3000 is a fairly new digital camera and I do not see Nikon replacing it so soon; maybe an announcement at the end of 2010 for release in mid-2011.
For 2011, Nikon Rumors and Hogan both predict the D400 digital camera to replace the Nikon D300s. Hogan also predicts that the D4 will be available in 2011.
Nikon just released the Nikon D3s this November. This new digital camera is receiving rave reviews and NASA has ordered eleven of them to use on the space station.
The only real certainty is that Nikon will announce some new digital cameras in 2010. Only Nikon knows what they will be and at this time, they are not saying. All we can do is be good and hope for one of the new Nikon digital cameras to be under our Christmas tree on Christmas morning next year.
Written by Denise Clay, Certified Professional PhotographerFor Huliq
As the new year approaches, the predictions have begun of what the new Nikon digital cameras will be for 2010. Both Nikon Rumors and Thom Hogan have released their predictions of what the new Nikon cameras will be and which ones they will replace.
While Nikon has not said what their plans are for 2010 are just yet, both Hogan and the Nikon Rumors blog are predicting a replacement for the Nikon D90 digital camera. The two disagree on both the possible name and the announcement date for the new camera.
Hogan suggest the new digital camera replacing the Nikon D90 could be named the D8000 and that the announcement will be around August 2010. Nikon Rumors think the name will be the D7000 and that we will hear about it in early 2010.
Both Hogan and Nikon Rumors believe that Nikon will replace the D3000 for a D4000 model. Nikon Rumors predicts the announcement for this new digital camera will be in the second half of 2010.
The oldest Nikon digital camera is the D700 and Hogan thinks it is time for Nikon to replace it with an improved model. His prediction is for a digital camera named the D800 to be announced in March 2010 to replace the D700.
New digital cameras to replace the Nikon D90 and the D700 makes sense. These two digital cameras have been around since 2008 and have sold very well for Nikon.
Technology has changed since he D90 and D700 digital cameras have been released. Also, Nikon does need to improve on the video quality in their DSLR cameras. Nikon is way behind their main competitor, Canon in the video technology.
A replacement camera for the Nikon D3000 in 2010? I am not so sure about this one. The D3000 is a fairly new digital camera and I do not see Nikon replacing it so soon; maybe an announcement at the end of 2010 for release in mid-2011.
For 2011, Nikon Rumors and Hogan both predict the D400 digital camera to replace the Nikon D300s. Hogan also predicts that the D4 will be available in 2011.
Nikon just released the Nikon D3s this November. This new digital camera is receiving rave reviews and NASA has ordered eleven of them to use on the space station.
The only real certainty is that Nikon will announce some new digital cameras in 2010. Only Nikon knows what they will be and at this time, they are not saying. All we can do is be good and hope for one of the new Nikon digital cameras to be under our Christmas tree on Christmas morning next year.
Written by Denise Clay, Certified Professional PhotographerFor Huliq
Over 100 Whales Die in New Zealand
No one was clear on how the pilot whales ended up stranded, but there is speculation that their their sonar may have led them into the shallow harbor and they could 
not find their way out of the shallow water.
On the South Island, 105 long-finned pilot whales died Saturday after being stranded on the beach. When the pilot of a tourist plane spotted the whales on the beach, conservation workers and volunteered headed to the beach only to find some very sick whales.
Thirty were still alive but very ill. It was suspected that the whales had been on land for quite awhile and did not fare well in the oppressive heat. All of the whales either died or had to be euthanized by conservation workers as they were extremely ill.
A total of 105 long-finner pilot whales died on the South Island and 20 died on the North Island. Scientist are still not positive why whales become stranded.
Krrish 2 to have Deepika as Katrina refuses to do the film
Krrish 2 to have Deepika as Katrina refuses to do the film
Mumbai: The movie Krrish 2 is already in news even before its script has been decided or production has begun. Apparently, Rakesh Roshan took up the idea of doing the flick as he wanted to carry forward the success the prequel Krrish had raked in at the box office.
The protagonist in the flick is going.............
Deepika Padukone miffed with questions about Ranbir Kapoor
Mumbai: The sexy actress split from current Bollywood heartthrob Ranbir Kapoor about two months ago. But, the media has not stopped haunting her with questions of her ex-beau.
Recently, when the actress was present at a press meet to promote a new skin care product she was assailed with lot of questions connected to Ranbir.
Deepika
Director Murugadoss and actress Deepika Padukone roped in for Kick
Mumbai: Sajid Nadiadwala’s latest project Kick no doubt has superstar Salman Khan as the male lead. For the female lead the producer has roped in Bollywood babe Deepika Padukone.
The casting of Deepika opposite Salman is bound to raise quite a few eyebrows as she is known to be close to the SRK camp give
Is Ranbir Kapoor missing ex-girl friend Deepika Padukone?
Mumbai: Recently, Bollywood’s young sensations Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone decided to end their relationship of two years and go their separate ways. News was abuzz that Deepika decided to ignore her pain by immersing herself in her current projects. Now, it seems Ranbir too is finding ways to cope without Deepika.
However, is he really
Mumbai: The movie Krrish 2 is already in news even before its script has been decided or production has begun. Apparently, Rakesh Roshan took up the idea of doing the flick as he wanted to carry forward the success the prequel Krrish had raked in at the box office.
The protagonist in the flick is going.............
Deepika Padukone miffed with questions about Ranbir Kapoor
Mumbai: The sexy actress split from current Bollywood heartthrob Ranbir Kapoor about two months ago. But, the media has not stopped haunting her with questions of her ex-beau.
Recently, when the actress was present at a press meet to promote a new skin care product she was assailed with lot of questions connected to Ranbir.
Deepika
Director Murugadoss and actress Deepika Padukone roped in for Kick
Mumbai: Sajid Nadiadwala’s latest project Kick no doubt has superstar Salman Khan as the male lead. For the female lead the producer has roped in Bollywood babe Deepika Padukone.
The casting of Deepika opposite Salman is bound to raise quite a few eyebrows as she is known to be close to the SRK camp give
Is Ranbir Kapoor missing ex-girl friend Deepika Padukone?
Mumbai: Recently, Bollywood’s young sensations Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone decided to end their relationship of two years and go their separate ways. News was abuzz that Deepika decided to ignore her pain by immersing herself in her current projects. Now, it seems Ranbir too is finding ways to cope without Deepika.
However, is he really
Is Khloe Kardashian pregnant?
Is Khloe Kardashian pregnant? Khloe Kardashian, the famous television personality has just been married for less than three months and rumor has it that she may be pregnant.
Apparently, when Khloe was flying to some destination, one of the stewardesses on the flight walked up to Khloe and congratulated her.
Later, the stewardess also enquired about Khloe’s months into pregnancy. Khloe was surprised by the stewardess and maintained she was notpregnant.
Only time will tell whether Khloe Kardashian is indeed pregnant or not. Just check out the picture and be the judge yourself.
3 Idiots Review in terms of Box Office collections
Mumbai: Last week on the joyous occasion of Ch
ristmas, Bollywood flick 3 Idiots opened in theatres across the nation in a grand style.
3-idiots-review-in-terms-of-box-office-collections
The movie made an astounding twelve crores on its opening day. A whopping forty crores more were expected to be earned by the flick over the weekend.
With its box office collections the movie is bound to be the biggest blockbuster of the year ahead of Love Aaj Kal.
3 Idiots is in some ways based on the popular book ‘Five Point Someone’ authored by Chetan Bhagat and stars Aamir Khan, Sharman Joshi and R. Madhavan in the role of the three idiots.
ristmas, Bollywood flick 3 Idiots opened in theatres across the nation in a grand style.3-idiots-review-in-terms-of-box-office-collections
The movie made an astounding twelve crores on its opening day. A whopping forty crores more were expected to be earned by the flick over the weekend.
With its box office collections the movie is bound to be the biggest blockbuster of the year ahead of Love Aaj Kal.
3 Idiots is in some ways based on the popular book ‘Five Point Someone’ authored by Chetan Bhagat and stars Aamir Khan, Sharman Joshi and R. Madhavan in the role of the three idiots.
Bigg Boss 3: Pravesh Rana speaks after his defeat
Mumbai: Bigg Boss-3: One day after Christmas the Season 3 of reality TV series Bigg Boss concluded. After a journey of eighty-four long days the winner was finally declared in a special episode from the three finalists.
Pravesh was a strong contender to win the season but fell short owing to his immature behavior in the last few days on the show.
The ex-Mr. India admitted he had done an atrocious thing by putting away all the food in the house into the swimming pool.
Pravesh said that the incident has changed him and he has been taught a good lesson on anger management. He said he will henceforth be able to take control of himself when in a fit of rage.
In addition, Pravesh was up in praise of winner, Vindu Dara Singh and told he learnt three invaluable lessons from him – owning up to the wrong done by oneself, asking for forgiveness from the people you have hurt and making sure you do not do the same wrong thing for a second time.
Pravesh was a strong contender to win the season but fell short owing to his immature behavior in the last few days on the show.
The ex-Mr. India admitted he had done an atrocious thing by putting away all the food in the house into the swimming pool.
Pravesh said that the incident has changed him and he has been taught a good lesson on anger management. He said he will henceforth be able to take control of himself when in a fit of rage.
In addition, Pravesh was up in praise of winner, Vindu Dara Singh and told he learnt three invaluable lessons from him – owning up to the wrong done by oneself, asking for forgiveness from the people you have hurt and making sure you do not do the same wrong thing for a second time.
Mumbai: Superstar Salman Khan just ushered in his 45th year of life last week. The first month of the New Year is extremely important for the actor as his movie Veer will make it to the box office.
veer-salman-khan-opens-blog-to-stories-of-bravery1
In order to promote his latest flick, the actor will launch a blog today pertaining to bravery. On this blog site stories of ordinary people who showed extra ordinary courage in real life will be published.
The actor and founders of this blog are expecting many stories to feature on this blog.
Only time will tell if this idea brings success for the film Veer.
veer-salman-khan-opens-blog-to-stories-of-bravery1
In order to promote his latest flick, the actor will launch a blog today pertaining to bravery. On this blog site stories of ordinary people who showed extra ordinary courage in real life will be published.
The actor and founders of this blog are expecting many stories to feature on this blog.
Only time will tell if this idea brings success for the film Veer.
Mumbai: Superstar Salman Khan just ushered in his 45th year of life last week. The first month of the New Year is extremely important for the actor as his movie Veer will make it to the box office.
veer-salman-khan-opens-blog-to-stories-of-bravery1
In order to promote his latest flick, the actor will launch a blog today pertaining to bravery. On this blog site stories of ordinary people who showed extra ordinary courage in real life will be published.
The actor and founders of this blog are expecting many stories to feature on this blog.
Only time will tell if this idea brings success for the film Veer.
veer-salman-khan-opens-blog-to-stories-of-bravery1
In order to promote his latest flick, the actor will launch a blog today pertaining to bravery. On this blog site stories of ordinary people who showed extra ordinary courage in real life will be published.
The actor and founders of this blog are expecting many stories to feature on this blog.
Only time will tell if this idea brings success for the film Veer.
Happy New Year 2010: Bollywood promises big movies
Mumbai: Happy New Year 2010: The year 2009 was not that great for Bollywood. The Hindi film industry incurred a loss of seven hundred crore rupees.
happy-new-year-2010-bollywood-promises-big-movies
Will the coming year bring in the much desired profits for Bollywood? Well, only time will tell. But, Bollywood is all set to keep the audiences entertained next year with a gamut of flicks covering various genres.
The month of January itself has a number of films lined up for release. On Jan 8 in the new year, Pyar Impossible and Dulha Mil Gaya will hit the theatres.
Then, in the following week Chance Pe Dance will be screened across the country. On Jan 22 the big budget flick Veer starring superstar Salman Khan will release.
In the month of February, Big B will battle it out with King Khan at the box office as their films Teen Patti and My Name is Khan respectively release on the same day.
The coming weeks of the year 2010 are also going to be packed with a number of big films trying to lure audiences to theaters.
happy-new-year-2010-bollywood-promises-big-movies
Will the coming year bring in the much desired profits for Bollywood? Well, only time will tell. But, Bollywood is all set to keep the audiences entertained next year with a gamut of flicks covering various genres.
The month of January itself has a number of films lined up for release. On Jan 8 in the new year, Pyar Impossible and Dulha Mil Gaya will hit the theatres.
Then, in the following week Chance Pe Dance will be screened across the country. On Jan 22 the big budget flick Veer starring superstar Salman Khan will release.
In the month of February, Big B will battle it out with King Khan at the box office as their films Teen Patti and My Name is Khan respectively release on the same day.
The coming weeks of the year 2010 are also going to be packed with a number of big films trying to lure audiences to theaters.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Snookie Punched Video Released By "MTV" 'Jersey Shore Episode 4′
Snookie, loud and in your face star of MTV’s Jersey Shore, was punched in the face recently while filming episode 4. A gym teacher, Brad Ferro, got into an argument with Snookie after she accused him of stealing her drink. The argument turns violent when Brad clocks Snookie good and knocks her out. Snookie is laid out on the floor like a very tan dish rag. Brad Ferro is a physical health teacher at Middle Village and North Queens Community High School and has been suspended for his actions. Snookie is just riding the wave of popularity this incident has brought her. The fight scene was edited out of the 4th episode but has since been released by MTV. MTV’s Jersey Shore is becoming a runaway hit despite all the controversy that surfaced when the show first aired. Snookie is a very outspoken member of the show.
| 'Jersey Shore' star speaks |
Snookie punched in the face in ‘Jersey Shore Episode 4′
Snookie, loud and in your face star of MTV’s Jersey Shore, was punched in the face recently while filming episode 4. A gym teacher, Brad Ferro, got into an argument with Snookie after she accused him of stealing her drink. The argument turns violent when Brad clocks Snookie good and knocks her out. Snookie is laid out on the floor like a very tan dish rag. Brad Ferro is a physical health teacher at Middle Village and North Queens Community High School and has been suspended for his actions. Snookie is just riding the wave of popularity this incident has brought her. The fight scene was edited out of the 4th episode but has since been released by MTV. MTV’s Jersey Shore is becoming a runaway hit despite all the controversy that surfaced when the show first aired. Snookie is a very outspoken member of the show.
| 'Jersey Shore' star speaks |
"Jersey Shore" Girl Punched (VIDEO): Snooki Hit On MTV Reality Show HD Full Clip
MTV knew it was courting controversy with its new reality show Jersey Shore, which stars eight of the "hottest, tannest, craziest Guidos" who live and party together for a summer, but a whole new level of criticism is sure to come when they air the epsiode in which one of the stars, Snookie, gets punched in the face by a random man at a bar. (Click HERE for more information on the assailant, a New York gym teacher.| 'Jersey Shore' star speaks |
Twitter Users Discuss BlackBerry Outage
We recently reported that BlackBerry users were reporting the second outage in just one week, this happened on December 22, 2009. Although RIM has yet to announce what the cause is of the problem that is stopping emails going trough, there are plenty of reasons why it could be happening.Reading through an article on The San Francisco Chronicle, they put the outage down to several reasons. The first is because it is Christmas week, the second is that Research In Motion are still unable to cope with high demand and the third reason is due to lack of planning on RIM’s part.
We know that RIM is aware of the issue, but have yet to explain to users what this is. They do state that they are currently working on the outage problem, but they do not give any clue as to how long the outage will last for.
SF Gate has another interesting theory as to why this is the second outage in just one week. The writer had noticed a number of dropped calls while trying to get a flight; more people are also experiencing this problem, as there is a huge volume of people traveling during these poor winter conditions.
Whenever you travel in poor conditions you always feel the need to phone home and let them know that you are safe, something that a huge amount of BlackBerry users are doing right now.
BlackBerry Outage: Problems continue in North America
Following on from our article last week, which reported on the huge BlackBerry outage that thousands of you were experiencing, it has been reported that some users in North America are still having problems with the network.Over at BGR, they have reported that another BlackBerry BIS outage has occurred in some areas, with the majority of users stating that this has happened on the Verizon network.
Of course, this could only be happening to a select few of you, as some of you told us that your network was working fine with no problems.
Microsoft loses patent appeal; Word and Office to be barred from sale starting January 11 Breaking News
It's getting closer and closer to check-writing time for Steve Ballmer, as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has just upheld a decision that would see Microsoft Word and Office banned from sale starting January 11. If you'll recall, Microsoft lost a patent infringement suit against XML specialists i4i back in May when it was found that Word's handling of .xml, .docx, and .docm files infringed upon i4i's patented XML handling algorithms, but the injunction against further Word sales was put on hold pending the results of this appeal. Now that Microsoft has lost once again, we'd expect either another appeal and request for the injunction to be stayed, this time to the Supreme Court, or for a settlement between these two that would end this whole mess right now. We'll see what happens -- stay tuned.
P.S.- Just to be clear on this, i4i isn't a patent troll -- it's a 30 person database design company that shipped one of the first XML plugins for Office and was actually responsible for revamping the entire USPTO database around XML to make it compatible with Word back in 2000. What's more, the patents involved here don't cover XML itself, but rather the specific algorithms used to read and write custom XML -- so OpenOffice users can breathe easy, as i4i has said the suite doesn't infringe. Existing Office users should also be fine, as only future sales of Word are affected by the ruling, not any already-sold products.
Engadget: Helping you flame with accuracy.
Update: Microsoft says it's moving quickly to prepare versions of Office 2007 and Word 2007 that don't have the "little-used" XML features for sale by January 11, and that the Office 2010 beta "does not contain the technology covered by the injunction," which can be read in a number of ways. It's also considering an appeal, so we'll see what happens next.
Epic shows off Unreal Engine 3 running on iPhone / iPod touch Gaming Video
There's certainly plenty of good looking iPhone games available these days, but things could be about to get quite a bit more interesting, as Epic has now demonstrated its Unreal Engine 3 (the same one used for games like Gears of War 2) running on the iPhone 3GS and 3rd gen iPod touch to our friend Anand Shimpi of AnandTech. Unfortunately, it hasn't also announced any games or licensees that will be using the engine, but it seems like it has at least managed to get it running remarkably well on the hardware -- albeit in a somewhat limited demo, as you can see in the video after the break. What's more, Epic also reportedly said that it would be showing off the engine running on "another mobile platform entirely" at CES next month, but didn't drop any further hints besides that. Video after the break, and hit the read link for the full scoop.
Dell pulls ads from Jersey Shore, calls show 'derogatony' (video)
Its seems that casual TV viewers and large corporations handle Schadenfreude very differently. While MTV's Jersey Shore has been a constant source of amusement for at least one Engadget editor, TMZ (our other favorite tech site) reports that Dell has joined a growing list of advertisers that are backing away from the reality series. In fact, a company spokesman (with a less jaded view of humanity than us) has gone on record stating that Dell doesn't "condone or support ethnic bashing in any form." And neither do we, of course -- but we do love a good laugh. Jenni "Jwoww" Farley is unavailable for comment.
BlackBerry Outage hits North America – December 22/09
BlackBerry Outage is now on its third time of its service. Blackberry Messenger or BBM as abbreviated is now on the run off issues for its outage across North America. The BBM carriers experience lost signals so they couldn’t access each of the users and also the web browsing. BBM outage?!
Blackberry outage could have some problems on RIM causing delay on messages, off browsing in web and many users experience this problem.They asked for the third time, another outage?!
Users find their way to solve this but still counting for the down system of the BBM.
American Airlines Crash in Jamaica Accident Video
American Airlines crash in Jamaica is the hottest new of the hour. The News American Airlines crash in Jamaica is still developing and breaking news suggests that over 40 passengers onboard are injured but there are no fatalities.
American Airlines flight 331 crashed in Jamaica at 10:20 P.M on Tuesday. Although there are mixes news’s regarding American Airline Crash in Jamaica and nothing is much clear at this point about the incident, but what can be said with assurance is that, passengers of the American Airliner Boeing 737 flight 331 narrowly missed death after the airliner overran the runway stopping just few feet away from the sea line alongside Port Royal main road.
According to breaking news flight 331 of American Airlines ran short of the runway while landing at Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston, Jamaica. Over 40 onboard passengers were taken to the nearby hospital.
Daryl Vaz Minister for Information released a statement in which he said that most of the passengers are suffering with broken bones but there are no fatalities.
Robert Mais, an onboard passenger told the media that, many were shaken-up badly, whereas several other suffered trauma and broken bones but fortunately he survived without any injury.
There are no passengers left at the crash site, passengers with injuries were taken to the hospital whereas, other passengers have been shifted to the safe areas Michael Bailey superintendent of Kingston East Division said.
Moreover he told the media that Port Royal road where the incident occurred is being guarded by the police and would remain closed until further orders.
Passengers of American Airlines flight 331
American Airlines flight 331 crashed in Jamaica at 10:20 P.M on Tuesday. Although there are mixes news’s regarding American Airline Crash in Jamaica and nothing is much clear at this point about the incident, but what can be said with assurance is that, passengers of the American Airliner Boeing 737 flight 331 narrowly missed death after the airliner overran the runway stopping just few feet away from the sea line alongside Port Royal main road.
According to breaking news flight 331 of American Airlines ran short of the runway while landing at Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston, Jamaica. Over 40 onboard passengers were taken to the nearby hospital.
Daryl Vaz Minister for Information released a statement in which he said that most of the passengers are suffering with broken bones but there are no fatalities.
Robert Mais, an onboard passenger told the media that, many were shaken-up badly, whereas several other suffered trauma and broken bones but fortunately he survived without any injury.
There are no passengers left at the crash site, passengers with injuries were taken to the hospital whereas, other passengers have been shifted to the safe areas Michael Bailey superintendent of Kingston East Division said.
Moreover he told the media that Port Royal road where the incident occurred is being guarded by the police and would remain closed until further orders.
Passengers of American Airlines flight 331
American Airlines Crash in Jamaica | Breaking News
American Airlines Crash in Jamaica
KINGSTON: American Airlines Crash in Jamaica, Forty passengers were injured when an American Airlines jet crashed late Tuesday at Kingston’s international airport, Jamaican Information Minister Daryl Vaz told media.
American Airlines Flight 331, carrying 148 passengers and six crewmembers, was en route from Miami to Kingston, the airline confirmed to media.
The plane overshot the runway, according to local media reports.
“The injured passengers have been taken to the Kingston Public Hospital,” Vaz told media, adding that there were no reports of fatalities.
Local media said the Boeing 737 plane broke in two after landing in heavy rain at Kingston’s Norman Manley International Airport at about 10:00 pm (0300 GMT Wednesday).
American Airlines “will not speculate on the cause of the incident,” airline spokesman Billy Sanez said in a recorded statement.
“The plane crashed and broke almost in front of me,” passenger Naomi Palmer told the media as emergency vehicles raced to the scene.
KINGSTON: American Airlines Crash in Jamaica, Forty passengers were injured when an American Airlines jet crashed late Tuesday at Kingston’s international airport, Jamaican Information Minister Daryl Vaz told media.
American Airlines Flight 331, carrying 148 passengers and six crewmembers, was en route from Miami to Kingston, the airline confirmed to media.
The plane overshot the runway, according to local media reports.
“The injured passengers have been taken to the Kingston Public Hospital,” Vaz told media, adding that there were no reports of fatalities.
Local media said the Boeing 737 plane broke in two after landing in heavy rain at Kingston’s Norman Manley International Airport at about 10:00 pm (0300 GMT Wednesday).
American Airlines “will not speculate on the cause of the incident,” airline spokesman Billy Sanez said in a recorded statement.
“The plane crashed and broke almost in front of me,” passenger Naomi Palmer told the media as emergency vehicles raced to the scene.
Norad Santa Tracker 2009 | Where Is Santa Right Now ?
Got nothing to do before, during and after Christmas? Well, aside from the usual eating, singing Christmas carols and opening gifts, it’s also fun to know where Santa is as he travels around the world.
This 2009, you can use the Norad Santa Tracker and see exactly where Santa is. NORAD stands for North American Aerospace Defense
This 2009, you can use the Norad Santa Tracker and see exactly where Santa is. NORAD stands for North American Aerospace Defense
Waiting for Reform: The Unemployed Get a Health Care Gift Video
With the job outlook grim, unemployed workers received an unexpected boost this week as 
President Obama signed legislation authorizing a six-month extension of the COBRA health care subsidy program that was part of the economic stimulus bill passed in February. "That makes me pretty happy," says Don Hall, 56, who lives outside Sandusky, Ohio. A supervisor with an MBA at an automotive parts supplier to Ford Motor Company, Hall was laid off in October 2008. He recently sent a letter of hardship to Wells Fargo to try to save his house from foreclosure. His subsidized COBRA payment has been $258 a month and he says not having to pay an additional $500 a month for health care coverage is a godsend. "When you have to draw straws between paying the utility bills, the mortgage and health care, it's hard."
"For millions of laid-off workers and their families, the federal COBRA subsidies have been a health-coverage lifeline," says Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, a non-profit organization for health care consumers.
Treetops glisten, but storm snarls Midwest holiday Video Clip
OKLAHOMA CITY – A fierce Christmas storm dumped more snow and ice across the nation's midsection Friday after stranding travelers as highways and airports closed and leaving many to celebrate the holiday just where they were. Meteorologists predicted the slow-moving storm would glaze highways in the East with ice through Christmas night and that gusty thunderstorms would hamper the South. An ice storm warning was issued for parts of West Virginia and the Blue Ridge mountains in North Carolina and Virginia, while a wind chill advisory cautioned of temperatures as low as 30 below zero in Montana.
The National Weather Service warned that blizzards would hit parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin on Christmas Day and into the evening.
A sheriff's deputy in central Iowa's Guthrie County, where 6 inches of snow fell since Thursday night, said he saw only snowplows on his way to work Friday.
"It's going to be one of them days," Deputy Jesse Swenson said. "Everybody wanted a white Christmas — and they got it."
In Minnesota, Mike Ruhland, who was shoveling his driveway in Minneapolis on Friday morning, said he hadn't made much progress after two hours.
"I waited too long to start shoveling. For two days, it was the white powdery snow, and now it's the heavy, thick stuff," he said. "It's a pain in the butt, but at least I'm getting my exercise for the month."
Crews were working to restore power to thousands of customers in Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Illinois and Iowa. Several small towns in western Iowa, including Deloit, Manilla and Vail, were in the dark, said Greg Miller, Crawford County's emergency management director.
The National Weather Service said the storm posed a threat to life and property. Officials warned travelers to stay home and pack emergency kits if they had to set out. Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry declared a state of emergency.
Slippery roads have been blamed for at least 19 deaths this week as the storm moved east across the country from the Southwest. Driving became so treacherous that authorities closed interstates in Texas, Oklahoma, North Dakota and South Dakota to prevent further collisions.
Jonathan Cannon was spending Thursday night at a Baptist church in Goldsby, Okla., after being stuck for several hours on Interstate 35. He had left Sherman, Texas, a little after noon hoping to join his wife in Edmond, Okla. — a trip that usually takes about three hours.
Cannon said about 200 people — plus the dogs many travelers had with them in their cars — were in the church Thursday night, with more possibly on the way. He wasn't sure if he would be able to finish his journey on Friday.
"This is mine and my wife's first Christmas together, so she's not very excited," he said.
About 100 passengers and the same number of workers were stuck at Oklahoma's largest airport, which closed Thursday afternoon after several inches of snow clogged runways. At least 70 flights were canceled at Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City. Director Mark Kranenburg told The Oklahoman that the airport re-opened Friday morning, with one of three runways operational, though many flights remained delayed or canceled.
Robert Smith of Denver was forced to cancel plans to fly home on Christmas Eve after visiting family members and friends in Oklahoma City. Smith said he was accustomed to snowstorms — and that none had ever hampered his travel plans.
"We are going to wait it out," he said. "We went to the grocery store to get stuff. We've got the generators ready just in case we need to use them."
Other stranded motorists took shelter at a high school gymnasium. Eric Adams, a U.S. Mail contractor from Memphis, Tenn., sought shelter at the Flying J Travel Plaza in Sayre in far western Oklahoma after strong winds caused his tractor-trailer to sway.
Oklahoma City had received 14 inches of snow by Thursday night, breaking a record set back in 1914 of 2.5 inches. Winds gusted to 50 mph in central Kansas, while winds gusting at up to 65 mph in Texas drifted the snow as deep as 5 feet in some areas.
The Star-Telegram said the Dallas-Fort Worth area was experiencing its first White Christmas in more than 80 years. While the area had a sprinkling of holiday snow in 2004 and 1997, the last time it experienced "a true, New England-style dose of snow on Christmas Day was Dec. 25, 1926," the newspaper reported.
Some churches canceled Christmas Eve services, while others saw sharply lower attendance.
"I don't think God wants anyone to get killed or break a hip or break a knee or something," said the Rev. Joseph Mirowski of the Greek Orthodox Church of the Transfiguration in Mason City, Iowa.
Since Tuesday, icy roads have been blamed for accidents that killed at least seven people in Nebraska, five people in Oklahoma, four in Kansas, two in Minnesota and one near Albuquerque, N.M.
___
Associated Press writers Rochelle Hines in Oklahoma City, Patrick Condon in Minneapolis, John Hanna in Topeka, Kan., Jean Ortiz and Josh Funk in Omaha, Neb., and Melanie Welte and Michael J. Crumb in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed to this report.
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