Obama showed independent streak in lobbyist dealings

VIEW SOURCE

WASHINGTON — On Wednesday nights during Illinois General Assembly sessions, a group of lobbyists and lawmakers used to gather at the headquarters of the Illinois Manufacturers' Association for a weekly poker game. Barack Obama, who represented part of Chicago as state senator from 1997-2004, was a regular.

These days, Obama says lobbyists are part of the problem with Washington, and he refuses to accept their fundraising help. But during his eight years in Springfield, Ill., Obama played golf and basketball with them and hit them up for campaign donations, according to records and interviews. He shared meals with them, though he was careful to pay his own way, they say.

Obama also accepted lobbyist money when he ran for the U.S. Senate in 2004, and he later used his influence to help secure grants for 16 Illinois-based institutions represented by six of his lobbyist contributors, public records show.

He did all that while retaining a reputation for independence. "I can't remember a time that state senator Obama wasn't on the side of the consumers," said David Kolata, executive director of the non-partisan Illinois Citizens Utility Board.

A look at Obama's past relationships with lobbyists shows that, for most of his political career, Obama wasn't as attentive to the appearance of coziness with special interests as he is now. But it also shows that he often voted against the interests of his lobbyist friends, and he helped pass two significant upgrades to Illinois campaign finance and ethics laws.

"I think that he understood that lobbyists had valuable information and are a part of the system," said Illinois lobbyist Paul Williams, an Obama contributor who represents the cable television industry, a major electric utility and other powerful interest groups. "But he doesn't necessarily want to be tied to or indebted to their financial support, which might have an influence on his decision-making process."

Obama has said he stopped taking money from lobbyists and political action committees when he began running for president in January 2007 because he came to believe that special interests were too influential in Washington. Before that, his Senate campaign committees took in $140,400 in lobbyist contributions from 2003-06, and $1.2 million from PACs, out of about $16.3 million raised, according to the non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics.

In an interview last month with USA TODAY, Obama said his self-imposed ban on lobbyist and PAC donations means there are "fewer strings attached to me." He said, for example, that a lobbyist who raises campaign funds for him "is going to have some very specific interests that they want you to deal with," adding, "I'm never in that situation."

Records suggest a more complicated reality. As a U.S. senator, for example, Obama helped secured three grants totaling nearly $8 million for military fuel-cell research and other projects at Chicago State University. The university's lobbyist, Anita Estell, contributed $1,500 to Obama in 2004. Other employees at her then-firm, Van Scoyoc Associates, gave Obama $2,750, records show.

Last year, Estell brought Chicago State to her new firm, Polsinelli Shalton Flanigan Suelthaus. While Estell by then was barred from giving, Polsinelli lawyers who aren't lobbyists contributed $7,498 to Obama's presidential campaign, records show.

Estell said Obama was inclined to aid a minority-serving school. Donations "may matter with some candidates; I don't think it matters with him," she said.

Although he did business with lobbyists, Obama in 1998 helped pass a bill restricting lobbyist gifts and fundraisers near the Illinois Capitol building in Springfield. In 2003, he helped draft gift restrictions for state employees. And in Congress last year, he worked to enact disclosure requirements for lobbyists who raise funds for lawmakers.

He also cast some high-profile votes against powerful interest groups. In May 2003, for example, SBC Communications, Illinois' main telephone provider, deployed dozens of lobbyists who lined up much of the Democratic establishment behind legislation that consumer groups said would increase phone bills.

Michael Lieteau, a lobbyist for SBC, had played poker and basketball with Obama. Lieteau recalled, noting, as other lobbyists did, that Obama always paid his own tab.

Obama was one of just six Democratic senators who voted no. He sided against the Democratic governor, the Democratic House speaker and his mentor, Democratic Senate President Emil Jones. Even the political consultant he had hired to help him run for the U.S. Senate in 2004, David Axelrod, was working for SBC.

Weather aids tired firefighters in Calif.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Firefighters on Sunday took advantage of cooler, damper weather to battle a vast blaze ravaging Santa Barbara County as they tried to gain a foothold against the fire before the expected return of hotter, drier conditions.

Moist air currents from the ocean cooled temperatures to the high 70s Sunday, helping fire crews keep the four-day-old blaze from spreading. The fire, which has been burning since Tuesday, was less than a third contained Sunday afternoon.

"We've got a window here with the humid weather that's really helping us. But we know we're in this for the long haul," said Dixie Dies, spokeswoman for the state Incident Management Team.

Temperatures are forecast to start climbing Monday and to reach the 90s by Thursday. The moist air currents are expected to dissipate, causing drier conditions, Dies said.

Lightning strikes were also possible as a new weather system moves in, forecasters said.

The fire, 28% contained Sunday night, has consumed about 13 square miles of Los Padres National Forest.

Nearly 2,700 homes were in jeopardy earlier in the weekend, but by Sunday night many of the evacuation orders were lifted or downgraded to warnings.

"People are filtering back to their neighborhoods and they're very happy," said forest spokesman John Ahlman. Some mandatory evacuations remained in scattered mountain communities south of Highway 154 and in areas on the west end of the fire, Ahlman said. He did not have exact numbers of how many homes were affected.

Firefighting crews made progress Sunday in controlling the fire's perimeters, said Santa Barbara County spokesperson Carrie Topliffe.

"It's pretty well stopped on the southern flank, where most of the structure threat was," Topliffe said.

The fire is blazing through 15 to 20-foot tall forest in extremely steep, rocky terrain. Crews are relying mainly on drops of flame retardant by helicopters and DC-10s to control the burning ridges and canyons, Dies said.

Officials decided Sunday that the nearly 1,200 firefighters, from 22 states and the District of Columbia, are sufficient to combat the fire, Dies said. "They're working incredibly hard," she said.

The fire still had the potential to roll through a hilly area of ranches, housing tracts and orchards between the town of Goleta and Santa Barbara.

Investigators suspect the fire was human-caused. The U.S. Forest Service has asked for public help in determining how it was set.

Sunday's cooler weather also helped firefighters advance on a two-week-old blaze that has destroyed 22 homes in Big Sur, at the northern end of the Los Padres forest.

"The fog held on a little bit stronger than was originally anticipated, which was great for the crews out working on the lines," said Sarah Gibson, a spokeswoman for the command post in charge of fighting the blaze.

The improved weather did have some drawbacks. Fog made the takeoff of firefighting aircraft more difficult and hampered efforts to start controlled burns to clear out brush ahead of the advancing wildfire, Gibson said.

The fire, which has charred 113 square miles, was 11% contained, a slight jump from the day before. Fire officials said crews were burning out brush between the fire's edge and Big Sur's famed restaurants and hotels and cutting more lines to halt flames creeping down from ridge tops.

"The biggest challenge is whether or not the containment lines that they're building now and continuing to improve are going to hold as the fire approaches," said Rolf Larsen, a spokesman for the U.S. Forest Service.

Wildfires have burned more than 800 square miles of land and destroyed at least 69 homes throughout California, mainly in the northern part of the state, in the past two weeks. One firefighter died of a heart attack while digging fire lines.

About 1,400 fires have been contained, but more than 330 still burned out of control Sunday morning.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who on Saturday visited a command post in the coastal region of Santa Barbara County, has ordered 400 National Guard troops to be trained in wildfire fighting so they could help fight the state's blazes.

He also urged lawmakers to adopt his budget plan for a $70 million emergency surcharge on home and business insurance policies to buy more firefighting equipment.

California now has a year-round fire season and needs the money from the fee, which should cost the average homeowner about $1 a month, Schwarzenegger has said.

VIEW SOURCE

Waits Dazzles With Glitter

Do a quick internet search and there are more than 600 references of "Tom Waits" and the term "huckster" together. Snake oil, parodist, sly salesman, etc., a vocabulary of carnival-esque trickery have followed the man; as critic Robert Christgau quipped in the 1970's, "Waits is so full of shit…" (as he ripped the Pomona, Calif., native apart).

But whatever Tom Waits is selling, his diverse and unifyingly strange fanbase is buying. The whole Glitter & Doom tour is sold out, with many dates since opening day. With Waits' latest release almost two years behind him -- and a rarities and leftovers triple-disc collection "Orphans" at that --the songwriter wasn't on any agenda to promote new efforts, having any number of suitcases from which to pull his wares at the Fox Theatre in St. Louis.

The scene was already set for poetry, play and parody. This gorgeous, longstanding venue has lasted more than 70 years, ornate as though it were brand new.

Sheathed in gold paint and dollops of ruby, rich blues, Moorish design and accent lights, Fox Theatre is a treasure to house treasures. Suspended above the stage in topsy-turvy fashion and perched on a series of metal bars in the back, the heads of megaphones and bullhorns were suspended, pulled from their bodies like the beheaded victims of Waits' pagan rituals.

Starting out with a literal bang, the 58-year-old singer stepped to the mic and stomped his foot onto his soapbox, causing baby powder or whatever fine magical dust he had up there rise up like smoke and he tore into "Lucinda." He wagged a warning finger and threw his arms across his body like a drunken evangelist, his face taut in revealing the Good Word.

"Way Down in the Hole" was quickly stolen by Vincent Henry, who played on double sax. The song title, too, was an apt description for the sound mix. Though Waits' astonishingly tight and emotional band had the mix down, his grumbling vocals seemed to fall on either side of one's ear, but never quite in it. The nuanced performance lost some luster, on and off, as his lyrics were muddied.

Solitary and sultry, Waits sang "Falling Down" in front of a red haze and built tension where previously there was none on "Black Market Baby." As the crowd shouted their I -ove-yous to Waits in between tracks, he volleyed back "I love you too, babe," flashing the inside flap of his red satin-lined suit jacket.

Omar Torrez, who kept his utterly delightful nastiness buried previously, started "All the World is Green" with a dextrous Spanish guitar intro. Waits' son Casey on percussion kicked off the sample-based "Heigh Ho (The Dwarfs Marching Song)," playing along on an intense wood block board -- think less "Snow White" and more "Alice in Wonderland." Waits finally gathered up a working bullhorn (which had yet to be dismembered) and otherwise cupped his hand about his mouth on this impressive vocal performance.

Samples were also used later for the claps on "Get Behind the Mule," a track that went a little too long to be comfortable. It's hard to shake, but there's something a little disappointing about listening to a quality ensemble that still uses tracking and pre-recorded snippets, no matter how essential those sounds are.

Waits picked up his junior guitar, blowing off the "smoke": "I miss you so much / I can't wait to see you / the day after tomorrow," he sang on touching "The Day After Tomorrow," barely accompanied. The ballad was replaced by creepy and hilarious "Rain Dogs" track "Cemetery Polka," "inspired by relatives who came too early and left too late." The sextet was ensconced in a sick green light, and Waits finished with the punchline: "That's family for you."
Sticking with the "Rain Dogs" theme, he crept to the piano for "Hand Down Your Head" and, later, "Anywhere I Lay My Head," "Singapore" and the klezmer/Weimar influenced title track.

He slid over to organ for "Lost in the Harbor" and returned to the full band format on "I Make It Rain," during which, naturally, he was rained upon by glitter at the signal of his whistle. The gold confetti stuck to his face and filled the brim of his bowler, dumped off later and revealing his aging, downy hair. "This is about a girl who lied to me. And I told her to continue to do so," Waits recalled before starting the rockabilly "Lie to Me" from the Brawlers "Orphan" disc. Sad waltz "On the Other Side of the World" precluded sea-lovin' "Singapore," Waits' idiosyncratic hrm-chah leading it off like the engine of whatever vessel (or planet) he's on.

The band lost it a little on long-running "Dirt in the Ground" but then a single, precariously blinking lightbulb descended from the ceiling to inspire the spoken word "What's He Building"… before Waits accidentally killed the bulb. The group raced toward the end, Waits introducing all the band -- including keyboardist/pianist Patrick Warren and upright bassist Seth Ford-Young. "16 Shells" preceded a chill-inducing "Rain Dogs."

The group shined off with "Goin' Out West," "Anywhere I Lay My Head" and piano-led "You Are Innocent When You Dream" for the encore. Waits invited the theater to join him on the latter, one of the few times the songwriter encouraged such participation. For a huckster, Waits certainly is generous.
Source

See Also:
The Cure Brings Darkness and Light to NYC

The Cure Brings Darkness and Light to NYC

As any fan will tell you, there are two faces of the Cure. One is that of a quirky, iconic pop band whose skill at composing endearingly offbeat radio hits made them the crossover darlings of the pre-grunge alt-rock scene. The other is that of a brooding post-punk archetype, whose downbeat songs of angst, sorrow and all-around misery have allowed frontman Robert Smith to reign as the unchallenged King of Goth for almost 30 years.

But one thing the Cure doesn't have is an identity crisis. Smith and co. know that their bread is sufficiently buttered on both sides, so it's no surprise that equal helpings of darkness and light were brought to New York City on June 20 and 21 for the final two dates of the band’s Cure 4 tour.

At the first show – a sold-out appearance at Madison Square Garden -- the group proved its prowess as the arena-rocking monster it became during the mid-80s. The band treated the packed house to a marathon, 35-song set of classic hits and new tunes from their forthcoming 13th studio album (due in September).

Most great frontmen – Bono, for example – are effective due to rock-god bravado and good old-fashioned showmanship. Comparatively, the mop-topped Smith seems more like alt-rock's court jester than one of its kings. During the show, he flopped around the stage (when not standing motionless behind the mic), often forgot the lyrics to his biggest hits and mumbled incoherently between songs. But these factors only seemed to increase Smith's anti-hero cachet. The more awkward he appeared onstage, the more favorably the crowd responded. And for almost three hours at the Garden, Smith had the 17,000-strong audience eating out of his eccentric hands.

After a typically moody opening, the band quickly leapt into its lighter fair, nestling the upbeat melodies of like crowd favorites like "Friday I'm in Love," and "Just Like Heaven" with jangly new singles like "The Only One." While the group occasionally dipped into darker material – the ominous "Prayers for Rain" was an early highlight – the band mostly played to a crowd that was clearly in the mood for a party.

But the group had a different game plan for its final show, at the more intimate Radio City Music Hall. While the MSG set was designed to woo even the most casual Cure listeners, much of the Radio City show seemed geared to thrill superfans. After lulling the audience with the strains of Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings," the band wandered through a somber, deliberately paced set that shied away from singles and relied largely on obscure album cuts and B-sides.

Though band intended to add an air of tension to the performance, some stress was derived from elements other than the music. Guitarist Porl Thompson – who drives much of the bands melodies now that the Cure performs without a keyboardist – was plagued with sound problems, a fact that clearly aggravated and distracted Smith at times.

But where there had been a brooding king of pain during the opening 24-song set, Smith emerged as his more jovial self for the band's first encore. After launching into the new single "Freakshow," Smith danced clumsily with bassist Simon Gallup before – in an uncharacteristically rock-star move -- climbing the famous Radio City steps up to the balcony where he serenaded fans in the "cheap" seats.

The festive mood continued with upbeat gems like "Close to Me" and "Why Can't I Be You," and a second encore that consisted of early, punky classics like "10:15 Saturday Night" and "Killing An Arab," which displayed the band's newfound power as a four-piece.

The band came full circle and concluded the three-hour concert with a sinister version of "A Forest" and the unreleased rarity "Forever," leaving the crowd on a delightfully down note. Though each of the band’s New York performances had its merits, it was simply a case of once not being enough. At the end of the day, the complete Cure experience could only be attained by attending both shows – something the band's most devoted fans intended to do all along.
Source

See Also:
Aerosmith Unveils 'Guitar Hero' In New York

Exclusive: Miley Cyrus Grows Up On 'Breakout'

Miley Cyrus

June 27, 2008 , 11:00 AM ET

Cortney Harding, N.Y.

Miley Cyrus is a superstar to millions of teens around the world as Hannah Montana, but it's a more grown-up Cyrus that emerges on her new album, "Breakout." The set is due July 22 via Hollywood; first single "7 Thing" rockets 70-10 this week on the Billboard Hot 100.

"It's grown-up," Cyrus tells Billboard in an exclusive interview. "I wrote all the songs except two. My last one, 'Meet Miley Cyrus,' was more just meeting me, finding out who I am, and here it's more getting in depth of what's been going on in my life in the past year."

Cyrus pushed to write the songs herself this time around, saying that, "No matter how long what I'm doing here lasts, I want to be a songwriter for the rest of my life. I love it and it's my escape. I just hope this record showcases that -- more than anything -- I'm a writer."

The artist found herself in a media firestorm earlier this year when a photo of her bare shoulder, entwined in a bed sheet, appeared in Vanity Fair.

"I was embarrassed," she says in her rapid, self-assured clip, "but also it's like, every career thing that I do can't be perfect, and sometimes my decisions are wrong. I think that just makes me even more relatable. I don't think people will look at me any differently because they're like, 'You know what, I'm going to do stupid stuff too, and I'm going to make mistakes, and that's fine.' It still hurts when I think about it -- but you know what, it doesn't mean that you can't move on."

Cyrus is in the midst of filming the third season of her hit Disney show "Hannah Montana," as well as a "Hannah" movie in Tennessee. Her team is also plotting a successor to her runaway smash 2007 concert tour, which drew nearly 1 million fans.

"We're weighing the pros and cons of having her do multiple nights in one big city versus her doing one-night shows in a number of smaller markets," says Chip McLean, senior VP of Buena Vista Concerts for Disney Music Group. "Since she is someone who appeals to families, we can't just have her play the top 15 markets. Families won't be able to afford to make the trip, buy the tickets and pay for the hotel if we did that."
Source

See also:
Rapper Jal, living to tell about it

Rapper Jal, living to tell about it

TARZANA, Calif. — While kids his age elsewhere in the world engaged in skirmishes on baseball fields and Game Boy screens, Emmanuel Jal was wielding an AK-47 as a child soldier in Sudan's civil war.

"My childhood was destructive," says Jal, 28. "It stresses me when I share my story, but it's a responsibility now. A lot of Sudanese have the same story, and they are quiet. If I testify, I might prevent another kid from losing his childhood."

Jal is testifying on three fronts. His major-label debut, WARchild, chronicles Jal's journey in a blunt rap diary. He's the focus of the upcoming War Child documentary, winner of the Cadillac Award at New York's Tribeca Film Festival. And an autobiography, Warchild: A Boy Soldier's Story, is due in early 2009 from St. Martin's Press.

Soaking up the sun in the backyard of his publicist's hilltop home, the lanky, dreadlocked Jal could be any rising rapper, except that his vivid tales of brutality are all too real. The title track and Forced to Sin offer harrowing details of his war-torn youth, including his temptation "to eat the rotten flesh of my comrade" when fellow child soldiers resorted to cannibalism after escaping the rebel army.

"I don't take modern hip-hop as real," says Jal, whose tune 50 Cent appeals to the rap icon for a ceasefire on violent lyrics that glamorize thug life. "It's entertaining, it's fake, like James Bond. If you really kill, you don't want to talk about it."

Jal's ordeal began at age 7, when his father sent him, along with thousands of children, to the Ethiopian bush to train with the Sudan People's Liberation Army, in combat with government forces since 1983. Jal did not resist.

"A seed was planted in me," he says. "I lived in war. Our village got burned, and I thought the world was ending with these loud bombs and houses burning and people screaming. My grandmother and uncle were beaten almost to death. When I saw my mom beaten and my auntie raped, a feeling of hatred was developing inside me."

On the treacherous walk to the training ground, several children fell prey to wild animals or drowned crossing rivers. Boot-camp conditions weren't much better.

"I was beaten until I was dizzy," Jal says. "I remember thinking, 'If I finish this training, I'm going to kill the trainer.' We were made hard. But I was happy to join. My desire was to kill as many Arabs as possible."

After a year of training and five years of fighting, an exhausted Jal and about 400 "lost boys" deserted the army, fleeing across Sudan's parched landscape with a meager supply of maize.

"When the food got finished, we depended on snails, snakes and rats," he says. "Soldiers too weak to hunt were forced to eat bodies."

Most succumbed to enemy attacks, disease, starvation and suicide. Only 16 survived.

Jal was spotted dragging a machine gun through the dirt at a refugee camp by British aid worker Emma McCune, who found the 13-year-old's tale heartrending and smuggled him to Nairobi.

"I thought, 'OK, this is an opportunity to be a better soldier. I'll learn to fly, steal a plane from the air force in this white woman's country, come back and kill these Arabs,' " Jal says. "That's being a kid. Luckily, things changed."

Jal's attitude shifted as a normal routine reduced flashbacks of his life in the killing fields. When he drew graphic scenes of dismembered villagers, McCune introduced him to cartoons, "so I started drawing hippos."

McCune's death in a car crash six months after rescuing Jal was a devastating setback.

"My life was crushed," says Jal, who was aided by McCune's friends. "So I started going to church and singing in the choir. Love let me heal. Letting go of my hatred for Muslims helped the most. And music was therapy."

Jal began dabbling in rap, and one of his home demo tapes got regional airplay, leading to a record deal. In 2005, single Gua ("peace" in his native Nuer) won global attention and an invitation for Jal to perform at the Live 8 benefits. "That was the beginning of the end of poverty in my life," says Jal, who relocated to London to pursue music full time. "I started supporting myself."

He began performing widely, and his music appeared on benefit albums War Child: Help! A Day in the Life and Instant Karma, as well as in the film Blood Diamond and TV's ER.

A spokesman for Make Poverty History, Jal hopes someday to build a school in McCune's name to rehabilitate child soldiers. He sees little hope for ending the genocide in Darfur until multiple nations pressure Sudan's leaders.

"Wars are made by rich people to kill poor people," he says. "The wealthiest Sudanese don't know what war is. Their children are safe in school." He grins. "But I don't want the wealthy to hate me, because I'm going to join them soon."

Jal cracks jokes to cope. He has never seen a psychiatrist and still struggles with nightmares.

"The killing and stealing I did in war, I can justify with what happened in my home," he says. "I don't feel guilty, but I'm haunted. I used to say, 'Why didn't I die?' Now I know I'm here to tell my story."

Source

See also:

California Chooses Sterile Insects to Fight Moth Invasion

World Chefs - Love urbanizes U.S. western cuisine

Tue, Mar 4 04:47 PM

Texas-based Tim Love is known for his sophisticated interpretations of U.S. western cuisine while preserving its bold flavors and multi-cultural origins.

Meat and wild game, the focal point of Love's cooking, are often paired with global touches such as Swedish lingonberries and Spanish Manchego cheese.

In 2003, the self-taught chef and a crew traveled in a trail drive from Fort Worth to New York City after the James Beard House invited him to cook a celebration dinner in honor of the late chef and food writer's 100th birthday. During the trip Love, bought ingredients from local markets, which he used for the dinner.

Love, who often sports a cowboy hat, owns three restaurants in Fort Worth including his flagship, The Lonesome Dove Western Bistro.

Love, 36, spoke to Reuters about his cooking and why Australians like Texans.

Q: What makes your cuisine "urban Western"?

A: "I was born and raised in Denton, Texas, so in Texas you are around a lot of different cultures all the time. There is a lot of hunting capabilities in Texas so that style of cooking encompasses a lot of wild animals and cultures that make up the West. You have the Germans, Italians, French traders and Chinese railroad workers and all these influences using native ingredients. I've taken all those cultures and urbanized it."

Q: What part of the world inspires you now?

A: "Now I use things from Australia and New Zealand because to me, when I visited there, it had the same thing Texas had going for it back to in the days of wide open spaces. I consider it's the New West. I have visited there a few times. I have a friend in Perth. I visited the wine areas. They really embrace Texans. They are really proud of where they are from, just like Texans."

Q: Any tips for cooking games?

A: "Game meats in themselves are not that gamey if it's prepared correctly. The thing that makes it gamier is the fat content. Game meat tends to be leaner so you add fat to the meat by like using lardon and other pork products. You need the fat in there to flavor the meat. You also want to use really bold flavors and really pungent herbs like garlic, chilies, rosemary and thyme."

Q: What is your favorite game to work with?

A: "Rabbit is the best white meat in the world. When prepared properly and you put it next to chicken, there is no comparison. It has a creamy quality to it. It's a little less lean than chicken. As far as bird goes, I love working with pheasants. As far as four-legged animal, I love working with red deer. As far as wild fish, I love barramundi."

Q: What do you cook for yourself?

A: "I like to cook whole anything but I end up feeding like a million people when I do it. You get so many different flavors and textures when you finished with just out one cooking process."

RECIPE

SPICY LAMB CHILI (Serves 6)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 lb. lean ground American lamb

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

4 tablespoons chili powder

1 bay leaf

1 (14-1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice

3 cups canned kidney beans

Salt and pepper

Dry Jack cheese, for garnish

Chopped onion, for garnish

1. In a large heavy-bottom stock pot, heat olive oil and cook onions and ground lamb over medium heat.

2. When onions are soft and meat browned, add garlic and season with red pepper flakes, oregano, cumin, allspice, cinnamon, chili powder and bay leaf, and salt and pepper to taste. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes.

3. Add tomatoes and beans and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.

4. To serve: Ladle into bowls and garnish with toppings.

Source

See also:

Anna Nicole Smith daughter Dannielynn named heir

Should these stars hold on to their hats?

From '40s fedoras to '80s headbands, stars are crowning their outfits these days. USA TODAY's Olivia Barker asked Brooke Magnaghi, accessories and jewelry director at W magazine, to dissect the trend.

Hats are "a great way to show individuality," but they're hard to wear, Magnaghi says. "People are intimidated (by them). When someone wears one, they're making a statement" — sometimes quietly, sometimes loudly.

By Ed Jones, AFP/Getty Images

Fetching fedoras

The fedora has edged out the newsboy cap as today’s menswear- inspired hat of choice. “It’s the ultimate boyfriend accessory,” says Magnaghi — or ex-boyfriend. The brimmed toppers started popping up a year or two ago among the indie crowd (think of Pete Doherty and his former paramour, Kate Moss). The narrower-brimmed trilby, as modeled by Sienna Miller at the Edinburgh premiere of The Edge of Love, is particularly popular. “It’s really flattering,” says Magnaghi. Pairing one with a cocktail dress for a formal event, à la Miller, “plays on the whole masculine- feminine look.” Take a shift, “slap on a fedora, and it automatically adds a cool factor to the outfit.” And in the case of hit-and-miss fashion maverick Miller, “it looks casual. She makes it look easy and effortless. It doesn’t look like she’s trying too hard.”

Source

See also:

Trim the grocery bill, not nutrition

Californian drivers told to drop their cells

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Next week California will try to wrest cell phones from the hands of drivers, telling everyone from movie starlets and dot-com millionaires to surfers and soccer moms that conversations behind the wheel must be on a headset.

Several U.S. states and some two dozen countries around the world already have restrictions on mobile phones while driving but now such a law has come to California -- where the car is king and much of life is spent on the famously snarled freeways.

Californians interviewed by Reuters mostly supported the law requiring hands-free phones in cars and outlawing cell phones entirely for drivers under 18, which takes effect on Tuesday -- though they were puzzled by a loophole that allows seemingly more dangerous text messaging.

Others cast a jaundiced eye on lawmakers, who they blame for failing to build more freeways or public transportation in the face of increasingly gridlocked roads in the nation's most populous state and say hands-free conversations are no safer.

"I can't believe that (Californians) will put up with all these nanny, nit-picking laws," KFI-AM radio talk-show host John Kobylt told Reuters.

"It's stupid because we've gone over about seven different studies and each one of them says it's the conversation that distracts you, not holding the phone," he said.

TEXT MESSAGING OK?

Besides, he said, many Californians are forced to use their cars as offices while stuck on the freeway.

State Sen. Joe Simitian, who authored the bill, disputes those studies and says keeping both hands on the wheel is always safer. He expects his law to save hundreds of lives.

"There are more and more people out there on the highway and the CHP (California Highway Patrol) has collected data every year showing that cell phones are the number one cause of distracted drivers," Simitian said.

Fines for a first offense are $20 plus fees and $50 plus fees for subsequent convictions.

The Democratic lawmaker is working on a follow-up bill to outlaw text messaging in the car, which he says wasn't an issue when he began working on the first one in 2001.

Connecticut, New Jersey and New York already prohibit drivers from talking on hand-held cell phones, along with some two dozen countries around the world. In New Jersey, police have issued 35,000 tickets for using a hand-held phone or texting while driving since the law went into effect March 1.

But the random sampling of Californians interviewed by Reuters expressed ambivalence.

"On the one hand I don't want people crashing into each other, but I'm not going to go get an ear thing," 38-year-old bank employee Jason Fischer said in Los Angeles. "I'll give it up and then one day I'll make a call and get a ticket. I don't want a headset. I'm too lazy to get a headset."

Rachel Kucsulain, 36, said she rides her bike to her job as an administrative assistant in Los Angeles and wants cell phones taken out of the hands of drivers.

"I've almost been hit multiple times. I think it's totally a threat," Kucsulain said. "Two blocks from here someone (on a cell phone) turned on me as I was crossing a crosswalk. They were only inches away from me. It's just distracting."

Source

See also:

Free-agent history mixed, but these will draw lots of attention

Free-agent history mixed, but these will draw lots of attention

There are those who still can't get their heads around how late the hockey season ends, yet no one seems to complain when Christmas comes to the NHL on July 1. The day the annual free-agent market opens is arguably the most anticipated on the league calendar, a wild free-for-all despite the restrictions imposed by a salary cap after the lockout. Growing revenues that have increased the payroll limits -- this year's cap is going to be $56 million -- help, of course, but so do the remnants of a business mindset among owners and general managers that says you have to spend to win.

Rangers captain Jaromir Jagr wants to continue to play in New York, but has no new deal on the table. (Getty Images)

Sometimes that works, but not always or right away. In the first three seasons under the current CBA, the free-agent market has produced some $10 million annual salaries, a bidding war on previously avoided restricted free agents and protectionist action by teams that created the first nine-figure deal in NHL history.

But no one involved in those headline-making deals has won anything. Still, the law of supply and demand has always ruled, and it will be no different when the 2008 class hits the market Tuesday.

A dozen unrestricted free agents to watch next week:

Marian Hossa: He's an elite offensive player who increased his value with the best postseason of his career. But Hossa also priced himself out of the Pittsburgh Penguins' budget in the playoffs, and perhaps those of a few other teams as well. Hossa should be worth about $7.5 million a year but has hinted he might take less to hook up with a perennial contender. How much less and on what kind of term is unknown. The Penguins have several players to re-sign this year and next, so their room is limited, and in Detroit, another team that is thought to be interested, it's unlikely the Red Wings will give him more than the $6.7 million Pavel Datsyuk makes. Look for Hossa to land with either Montreal, the Rangers or Boston.

Brian Campbell: When the Sharks picked up Campbell at the trade deadline, they looked like they pulled off the deal of the day, getting a puck-moving defenseman who made them nearly unbeatable with him in the lineup. Campbell was brilliant down the stretch and seemed to be headed for a major payday, but his star lost some shine in the playoffs, and that could keep him from getting to the top salary tier for defenseman. His continuing struggles in the postseason raised questions about how effective he could really be in the more physical Western Conference. The Sharks seem to want him back, but the deal would have to be too good to pass up, because Campbell has personal reasons for being on the East Coast.

Brian Rolston: Rolston has been quiet about whether he wants to remain in Minnesota, but his agent isn't returning Wild phone calls about a contract extension, which tells you something. Maybe that's because Rolston could end up being one of the prize signings of the summer. He's usually good for around 30 goals, a nice addition to any offense. Rolston is also one of the league's most versatile forwards, able to play either wing or center, kill penalties and man the point on power plays. He has a booming shot, and, at age 35, is thought to be thinking reasonably -- about $4 million per season -- in terms of his contract expectations.

Mats Sundin: He's going to the Hall of Fame, sooner rather than later if he actually calls it quits now. That's the big question for the Maple Leafs captain, who had a strong individual season for hapless Toronto and proved he still can be an impact player. Sundin, 37, has seen his negotiating rights offered conditionally to Montreal and the New York Rangers in advance of the market opening but is leaning toward waiting for the official bidding begins before making any decision. If he decides against retiring, several other teams will get in on the action. Toronto might still be in the mix as well, although his recent history with the club makes a reconciliation unlikely.

Ryan Malone: The Pittsburgh native got a lot of exposure during the playoffs, and for good reason. His hard-nosed (and often broken-nosed) play came to symbolize the gritty determination of the young Penguins while raising Malone's profile even more than his breakout 27-goal season did. What that means is Malone is going to get someone to overpay for him on the open market. The Penguins want him back, but they won't be able to match offers that will likely go beyond doubling his salary. And that actually makes Malone a gamble. He's a good player who brings intangible qualities, but he won't be on a line with Evgeni Malkin anywhere else.

Jose Theodore: The former Hart and Vezina winner seemed to resurrect his career with a great second half in Colorado, but whether he convinced anyone that he is really back will become clear pretty quickly. There are not many goalies available, so that could work to his advantage. Theodore's time with the Avs was spotty, even though he was among the top earners in his position. Colorado expected him to take a significant cut from his $6.5 million salary, but Theodore and his aggressive agent, Don Meehan, seem to think it won't have to be that steep some place else.

Jaromir Jagr: The aging Rangers captain says he would like to continue his career in New York. But the team has not been in a hurry to get a new deal worked out, and a lucrative offer to play for the new Russian-driven league in Europe lurks in the background. Money is obviously an issue for Jagr. He was the highest-paid player in the league not that long ago and showed how effective he can still be during a great, if limited, playoff run this season. He's probably looking for about $5 million a season for a couple of years, The Rangers seem to be headed in a different direction, but at that price, Jagr's presence could be attractive to some teams -- maybe even old buddy Mario Lemieux's Penguins, especially if they have to replace Hossa's output.

Wade Redden: The Senators realized they erred in choosing Redden over Zdeno Chara after the lockout but felt he still contributed enough to be kept at the right price. However Redden didn't want to slice his salary in half, and now will find if other teams think he or the Senators had the right fix on his true value. He's only 31 and still can move the puck, but he has made a lot of mistakes at bad times over the past two seasons. He's probably a better fit as a No. 3 defenseman than a No. 1 but is looking to be paid like a top guy and has enough of a reputation that he probably will.

Ray Emery: This one is worth watching. Only a few months after taking the Senators to the Stanley Cup Finals, Emery became a lightning rod for controversy in Ottawa. He was largely blamed for everything that went wrong, including the midseason firing of a coach, and was bought out as promised as soon as the rules allowed it. But Emery is a talented if idiosyncratic goaltender and is the ideal candidate for a new start. The Senators are paying him $1.5 million for the next four years, so he won't be that expensive either.

Sean Avery: You either love him or hate him, and in most places, it seems to be the latter. But Avery has become a really big fan favorite at Madison Square Garden and an intangible factor for the Rangers considering the serious gap in their success rate with and without him in the lineup. Avery is the most notorious agitator in the NHL, but he can play the game and has a good skill set. The issue is the value of that. Avery wants about $1 million more per season than the Rangers want to give him, and he might be hard pressed to find anyone who will pay more. Worth noting is that Avery might be best suited for New York, where his play seems inspired from becoming a fixture on the city's gossip and nightlife circuit.

Mark Streit: Streit kind of hit the lottery in his contract year, when he was one of the league's lowest paid players with the Montreal Canadiens. He had a career season with the Northeast Division champions and was widely lauded for his work quarterbacking the league's best power play. That was a big concern before last season in Montreal because of Sheldon Souray's free-agent departure. But Streit broke out offensively and filled the void on the point despite being one of the league's lowest paid players at $600,000. He could get five or six times that next week.

Brooks Orpik: Orpik made his mark with four heavy hits during one incredible Stanley Cup Finals shift for the Penguins, underlining his reputation as one of the most physical young defensemen in the league. But he had already opened a lot of his eyes in the playoffs and could have several teams lining up for him if he gets to the market. Orpik will be 28 when the season begins, and his overall defensive play has improved noticeably in the last couple of seasons under Michel Therrien Orpik was rumored to have some issues with the coach during the playoffs, but he hasn't ruled out staying with the Penguins either.

Source

See also:

Famously boorish Sapp should still be a Hall of Fame lock

Famously boorish Sapp should still be a Hall of Fame lock

Famously boorish Sapp should still be a Hall of Fame lock

So Warren Sapp is having a retirement party Saturday night in Tampa. Wonder who the life of that shindig will be?

If you've ever encountered Sapp, you know it's always about the big guy. Put him in any room and that Sapp voice -- and signature laugh -- will rise above all, much like it always did when he was playing the game as a dominant defensive tackle for Tampa Bay and Oakland.

In my dealings with Sapp, which were limited, I found him to be loud, obnoxious, rude, nasty, controversial, combative and downright mean at times. The stories about his boorish behavior dealing with the public are even worse. They say asking him for an autograph at times was like poking a stick into a pen of rattlesnakes.

He treated the media like crap. And that's being kind.

But before you think I'm kicking a man on his way out the door, there's another reason for pointing out all of this.

Warren Sapp should be a lock for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, his attitude and actions might hold him back some from getting there.

That shouldn't happen. But you can bet when the Hall voters gather in the room to discuss his candidacy in five years, Sapp's negative approach to dealing with the media will come up. They will point out how difficult he was as an interview subject, how he was rude to questioners, how he berated those asking questions he didn't like.

None of that should matter. I was one of Sapp's biggest critics in terms of the way he handled himself. He was rude to me on several occasions. Big deal. Didn't bother me none. Those more sensitive will see it another way.

The vision I have of Sapp is of him sitting at his locker after a game, just a towel covering his privates, his ample belly hanging over it, a cup on the ground in front of him to catch the drip from the wad of chew in his mouth, and him holding court.

One by one, especially after a loss, the media would approach him to ask a question. If Sapp didn't like it, the response was one of these two:

• Who you?
• Next question.

At times, when he was in a good mood, Sapp was engaging, fun and analytical. That wasn't often.

What was common was his dominating play on the field. For much of his career, he was a disruptive a force inside in that Tampa-2 defense. Teams doubled him with regularity and he often beat them. His quickness was amazing for a man who weighed 325 pounds at certain points in his career.

In 2000, he had 16½ sacks, showing off his ability to get push inside. He had three other seasons with 10 or more sacks, finishing with 96½ in his career.

It's too bad all the other stuff overshadows his greatness.

That's what bad actions can do to a player. In addition to his angry relationship with the media and fans, Sapp had the high-profile "dirty" hit on Green Bay Packers tackle Chad Clifton. That led to a postgame confrontation with then-Packers coach Mike Sherman in which Sapp essentially challenged Sherman to a fight.

Sapp also dropped former teammate Chidi Ahanotu during a locker room disagreement. Nice teammate. During an interview in 2004, Ahanotu described his time playing with Sapp as "six years in hell."

He also said he wasn't the only player who disdained Sapp.

"I think everyone raised their hand on that one," Ahanotu said.

Even so, Sapp should still get a bust in Canton. Those voters who might think about holding his ways against him should realize it's the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It's not the Life Hall of Fame. If it were that, we'd go back in and take a lot of players out.

One does have to wonder how much of a lock Sapp would be if he played with the class of former teammate Derrick Brooks. As it is, if we rated Warren Sapp on how he treated people in his career, he'd be a scrub. As a football player, he was one of the best.

Here's hoping his retirement party Saturday night will signal a new start. Being nice really isn't so bad, Warren. Plus, you might need it now.

Source

See Also:

Ponson's gem helps Yankees earn two-ballpark split with Mets

Ponson's gem helps Yankees earn two-ballpark split with Mets

Ponson's gem helps Yankees earn two-ballpark split with Mets

NEW YORK (AP) -- Two ballparks, two blowouts. Call it even.

Sidney Ponson pitched a gem in his return to the New York Yankees, silencing Carlos Delgado and the rest of the New York Mets for a 9-0 victory Friday night and a split of their two-stadium doubleheader.Delgado dominated the day game at Yankee Stadium. He set a Mets record with nine RBIs and hit a grand slam for one of his two homers in a 15-6 win that lasted 3 hours, 54 minutes."You have to be able to respond," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.His team did just that.After both squads got police escorts for their rush-hour bus trips to Shea Stadium, Bobby Abreu went 4-for-4 with a walk and three RBIs as the Yankees enjoyed a rout of their own.Ponson outpitched Pedro Martinez with six shutout innings, and the Bronx Bombers broke loose in Queens for their first win in four Subway Series games this season."It was a big start for us tonight," Girardi said. "He gave us everything we needed."Robinson Cano homered and drove in three runs for the Yankees, who have won 10 of 14 overall. Derek Jeter extended his season-high hitting streak to 15 games with an RBI double off the center-field fence.With a history of off-the-field trouble, Ponson pitched well for Texas this season but was cut for being a disruption to the team.Missing three injured starters, the Yankees signed him to a minor league deal last week and he made one four-inning start at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre before drawing a big assignment against the crosstown rival Mets.Ponson (5-1) certainly delivered after the Mets apparently used up all their big hits in the opener. The beefy right-hander, who pitched briefly for the Yankees in 2006, pumped his fist after wriggling out of a bases-loaded, none-out jam in the second.He loaded the bases in the third, too, then escaped again when Ramon Castro grounded sharply into an inning-ending double play."It's a fresh start," Ponson said. "I'm more comfortable here."The Yankees soon got to Martinez (2-2), who allowed six runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings while dropping his second consecutive start."I'm just not doing my job and that's something to worry about. It's time for me for getting better, not getting worse. I've got to make some adjustments," Martinez said. "The health is there. It's not physically, it's got to be mechanically."Ponson pitched around five hits and four walks, one intentional. Kyle Farnsworth, Jose Veras and Kei Igawa completed the eight-hitter.After the Yankees left a season-worst 14 runners on base in the opener, the Mets stranded eight in the first three innings of the nightcap.Still, Girardi wouldn't commit to another start for Ponson."We haven't had a chance to talk about it," he said. "I'm actually going to go home to sleep and then I'll make some decisions."This was the third time the teams played a two-stadium doubleheader. The Yankees swept the other two (July 2000 and June 2003).Game notes
Abreu also stole two bases in the nightcap. ... Former Mets and Yankees slugger Darryl Strawberry threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Shea.
Source

See also:

2009 NBA Draft Prospects: Top 100

2009 NBA Draft Prospects: Top 100

To see Chad Ford's complete Top 100, become an ESPN Insider. Already an Insider? Sign in above or click here.

Become an Insider | Take the Tour

2009 NBA Draft Prospects: Top 100
RK	NAME	POS	HT	WT	AGE	SCHOOL/COUNTRY	PROJECTION
1	Blake Griffin	PF	6-10	245	19	Oklahoma	Top 5
Griffin has the size, strength and athleticism that NBA teams covet in power players. While... more
2	Demar DeRozan	SG	6-6	210	18	USC	Top 10
DeRozan's combination of athleticism, size and skill have drawn Kobe Bryant comparisons. That's a little... more
3	B. J. Mullens	C	7-1	260	19	Ohio State	Top 10
No one in the draft has more upside than Mullens. NBA scouts dream of athletic... more
4	Brandon Jennings	PG	6-2	165	18	Arizona	Top 10
Jennings will battle Ricky Rubio for the title of best point guard in the draft.... more
5	Ricky Rubio	PG	6-4	180	17	Spain	Top 10
Rubio has been on the NBA radar screen since he was 15. No one in... more
6	Austin Daye	SF	6-10	190	20	Gonzaga	Lottery
A very gifted prospect who, if he can fill out, will be a likely lottery... more
7	Hasheem Thabeet	C	7-3	265	21	Connecticut	Lottery
Thabeet was pegged early as a potential late-lottery sleeper. His size, athleticism and growing basketball... more
8	Jrue Holiday	PG	6-4	180	18	UCLA	Lottery
Scouts believe Holiday may be the most complete freshman in the country. He can dominate... more
9	Earl Clark	SF	6-9	200	20	Louisville	Lottery to mid-first round
An excellent NCAA tournament, in which Clark was Louisville's best player, combined with a solid... more
10	James Harden	SG	6-4	215	18	Arizona State	Lottery to mid-first round

Source

See also:

Point guards lead the way for 2009 draft candidates

Point guards lead the way for 2009 draft candidates

Point guards lead the way for 2009 draft candidates A year before the 2009 draft, Oklahoma's Blake Griffin stands above the crowd as the No. 1 prospect.

The 2009 NBA draft doesn't appear to have the sex appeal of this year's draft. So far there are no Rose- or Beasley-type players. In fact, many NBA scouts are saying the upcoming draft could be the weakest in several years.

Still, there are some very good players in next year's draft.

The '09 draft should be richer in point guards than the '08 draft. Led by Arizona's Brandon Jennings and Spain's Ricky Rubio, 11 point guards are ranked in my top 30.

The crop of small forwards also seems enticing. Eight of the 30 slots in my first-round projections are occupied by small forwards, led by Gonzaga's Austin Daye.

But the center and power forward positions are terrible. I have only four power forwards and four centers in my top 30 at the moment.

To see how everyone stacks up, check out my 2009 Top 100.

Here's why the class appears to be weaker than usual:

1. There are fewer high-quality college holdovers

Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

UConn's Thabeet's defensive presence alone will get him drafted in the first round.

Thanks in part to the NBA's new eligibility rules, a record number of "one-and-done" freshman hit the draft this year.

Only a small handful of talented players decided to skip the draft this year and return to college. Only one of them -- Oklahoma's Blake Griffin -- could have been a lottery pick this year.

A few others, including UConn's Hasheem Thabeet, Gonzaga's Austin Daye and Arizona's Chase Budinger, likely would have been first-rounders had they decided to declare.

Had players such as DeAndre Jordan, J.J. Hickson, Kosta Koufos and Donte Greene stayed in school, next year's draft class would be much deeper.

Given the drain on this year's freshman class, there aren't a lot of other up-and-coming college players. But a few, like Louisville's Earl Clark, Arizona State's James Harden, Florida's Nick Calathes, Tulsa's Jerome Jordan, Arizona's Jordan Hill and Kansas center Cole Aldrich, look like they could make a splash.

In short, this class isn't brimming with returning college players who look destined to be great.

2. The incoming freshmen class is weaker

In 2007, a record six freshmen -- Greg Oden, Kevin Durant, Mike Conley, Brandan Wright, Spencer Hawes and Thaddeus Young -- were drafted in the lottery.

In 2008, seven freshmen -- Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley, O.J. Mayo, Kevin Love, Eric Gordon, Jerryd Bayless and Anthony Randolph -- went in the lottery.

This year I'm projecting only four high school prospects as lottery picks -- USC's Demar DeRozan, Ohio State's B.J. Mullens, Arizona's Brandon Jennings, and UCLA's Jrue Holiday.

One of those four, Jennings, is still trying to qualify academically. If he doesn't, he may have to skip college and head to Europe or the D-League. That would potentially hurt his stock and push him out of the lottery.

Several other freshmen, including Wake Forest's Al-Farouq Aminu, Memphis' Tyreke Evans, West Virginia's Devin Ebanks and Tennessee's Scotty Hopson, are possible first-rounders, but most scouts think they really need at least two years on the college level.

3. The international crop remains thin

Danilo Gallinari was the hot name in 2008, but the rest of the international class was subpar. In the end, only four international players went in the first round and only two -- Gallinari and probably Nicolas Batum -- are expected to play in the NBA in the upcoming season.

In 2009, the talent is even weaker. Spanish point guard sensation Ricky Rubio is widely seen as a top-10 pick, but no one else is a lock for the first round.

A few interesting international prospects, such as Spain's Victor Claver, Israel's Omri Casspi and Lithuania's Dontas Motiejunas, will get close looks. But they'll need big seasons with their clubs to move off the first-round bubble.

Overall, the draft class of 2009 will probably be better than it looks now. Some players that we're not talking about will rise -- they always do. Russell Westbrook, for example, wasn't in my top 50 a year ago. Ditto for Anthony Randolph.

As the Nike and ABCD camps and international tournaments get underway, look for further reports, including my stock watch.

Chad Ford covers the NBA for ESPN Insider.

Source

See also:

Waits Dazzles With Glitter