Friday Night

Well since my computer is still acting up I might as well go out for a couple hours tonight. I have been told it might be adware / virus but I have ran a couple programs and nothing comes up. I have also been told it might be lack of RAM which is a good possibility since nothing on this computer has been updated. Soon I will go so mad I will through this thing out the window. And then I will have to get a new computer.

Well I will be on chat (hopefully) later tonight.

Christina

Date from Hell: Rescue!

Yahoo! News - Date from Hell: Rescue!

CANBERRA (Reuters) - It's every single person's nightmare: You're on a date, it's a disaster but there's no way out.

With Valentine's Daylooming, a mobile phone company in Australia has come to the rescue with a service offering an escape from the date from hell.

All you have to do is discreetly dial three numbers and then hang up without saying a word.

"Virgin Mobile will call them back a minute later with a perfect excuse to get them out of there. We'll even talk them through what to say," the company, a joint venture of the Virgin Group and Optus, said in a statement.

A survey of 402 people by Virgin Mobile found that 53 percent arrange in advance to have a friend call them mid-date to check they are all right or if they need an excuse to get out.

The results showed women were twice as likely as men to use the tactic.

Woman Made Up Tossed Baby Story

ABC News: Officials: Woman Made Up Tossed Baby Story

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. Feb 12, 2005 — A woman lied about finding a newborn that had been thrown from a moving car because she wanted to abandon the child and conceal her pregnancy from her family, authorities said.

"It's not as horrible as we first thought," Sheriff Ken Jenne said Friday. "The baby was never thrown out of a moving car. This is the case of a disturbed woman who gave birth and did not want to keep her child."

Patricia Pokriots, 38, was committed for psychiatric evaluation under a law that allows for people who are a threat to themselves or others to be held for 72 hours. She was not charged with any crime.

On Thursday afternoon, Pokriots dropped an hour-old baby off at a sheriff's station, telling authorities that she had scooped the boy up after seeing him tossed out of a car onto the grass, Jenne said. Pokriots told investigators she saw a couple arguing in a car, then witnessed the woman throwing the child from the passenger side.

Eventually, investigators found inconsistencies in Pokriots' story, and on Friday she acknowledged that she had lied, the sheriff said.

"She has indicated that she does not want the child," Jenne said.

The 8-pound, 2-ounce boy, whose umbilical cord was still attached when he was brought in, had no injuries. Nurses at the hospital nicknamed him Johnny.

The sheriff said the woman had kept her pregnancy a secret, and had initially planned to take the baby to authorities. State law allows a mother to abandon a baby at any medical facility or fire station within three days of birth.

But she came up with a cover story after seeing two people argue inside their car, the sheriff said. A boy who was playing nearby did see a couple arguing, but never saw them throw anything out, Jenne said.

Pokriots is a barmaid and has an arrest record including an aggravated battery charge. "She said she may be a threat to herself," Jenne said. He said she has a 10-year-old child who will be taken from the home Pokriots shared with her mother.

No one answered the door at the home on Friday.

A neighbor, George Bonilla, said he never heard of trouble involving the family and was unaware of her pregnancy.

"I never saw her with a big belly or anything like that," said Bonilla, who's lived near Pokriots for 23 years. "We'd say goodbye, hello. They're nice people. She's a sweet girl."

Actor Tom Sizemore Fails Drug Test with Fake Penis

Entertainment News Article | Reuters.com

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actor Tom Sizemore has been jailed for violating his probation by failing a drug test after he was caught trying to use a prosthetic penis to fake the results, a Los Angeles County prosecutor said on Friday.
Sizemore, 43, who played a battle-hardened sergeant in the war movie "Saving Private Ryan," was placed in custody on Thursday. He was ordered to remain behind bars until a hearing on Feb. 24, unless he posts $25,000 bond, Deputy District Attorney Sean Carney said.

Last month, Judge Antonio Baretto had agreed to allow Sizemore to travel to Cambodia to shoot a new film on condition that he pass a drug test every day prior to his departure.

Carney said the actor's failed attempt to fake his drug test results came on the first day of the new requirement.

The actor is required to undergo random drug tests as a condition of probation for his convictions on separate charges of methamphetamine possession and beating his ex-girlfriend, former Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss.

During Thursday's proceedings, prosecutors told Judge Baretto that Sizemore failed three drug tests in three days, the first after he was caught using a fake penis sewn into his boxer shorts and filled with a clean urine sample kept warm by a heating pack.

Carney said the ruse was revealed when the temperature of the sample proved too cool to have come from Sizemore's body, and he was asked to remove his pants.

According to prosecutors, Sizemore had been caught once before trying to use a similar device, sold over the Internet under the brand name the Whizzinator, and had failed drug tests on at least five occasions.

Carney said two drug tests on the days following the fake penis incident showed Sizemore had methamphetamine in his system.

During the hearing, Sizemore's lawyer told the court that his client was destitute, living in a garage in Whittier, California, and that he was an expectant father, Carney told Reuters.

But Baretto told Sizemore that his drug use was "out of control," adding, "I had hoped and wanted to see a positive performance."

Joke of the day Love Story

A Love Story

I shall seek and find you.

I shall take you to bed and control you.

I will make you ache, shake and sweat until you grunt and groan.

I will make you beg for mercy.

I will exhaust you to the point that you will be relieved when I leave you.

And you will be weak for days.

All my love,

The Flu

Good Morning

I am up and ready to start the day. I am out of the shower and reading my email and posting in my diary. It is so cold this morning I might have to stay in today. My computer is still acting up especially when I get on chat. Once I start getting pm's etc it locks up and then I get booted. I wish I could figure out how to fix this stupid thing.

I will be on and off the rest of the day. If you have any good ideas of things you would like to see in my blog please let me know. Well I guess I should go get dressed and do my hair and makeup.

Talk to everyone soon.

Christina

Sex in a can for women

ThisisLondon

By Suzy Austin, Metro
11 February 2005
Whether your feet smell or the cat has fleas, there's usually an aerosol to solve every health dilemma.


And now there's a spray just for women - to boost their enjoyment of sex.

The arousal aerosol contains testosterone, which is absorbed in the skin over 24 hours. It was originally designed for post-menopausal women with low levels of the male sex hormone.

But it can also work for young women with low libidos, scientists said yesterday.

They tested 261 women over four months. Most noted more satisfying experiences at the end of the experiment.

Traditionally, a young woman's lack of interest in sex has been put down to relationship issues and depression.

But in many cases it is now recognised that the level of male hormones is to blame. However, The British Society for Sexual Medicine warned that the spray 'should not be seen as a panacea' for low sex drives.

'If a woman takes it when her low libido is not due to low testosterone, it could cause even more problems for her relationship,' a spokesman said.

Raising testosterone levels too high could cause beard growth, hair loss, greasy skin and acne, he added.

Prof Susan Davis, who led the research at Monash University, Australia, said: 'The spray is not just about sex.

'It's about having a satisfying home and social life, and having happier relationships and communities all round.'

The spray, developed by Australianbased Acrux, will not be available for several years while more tests are done.

How Do You Mend a Broken Heart?

How Do You Mend a Broken Heart?

By Staff
Feb 10, 2005, 20:21


Researchers may have found scientific evidence supporting a real broken heart, according to a report published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

The report, by researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore suggests an emotionally stressful situation, such as the sudden death of a loved one, can trigger an event that mimics a massive heart attack, without the damage.

The team examined 19 patients who classic signs of a heart attack after experiencing a stressful situation, however, unlike a real heart attack, the patients recovered within two weeks. Scans showed no long-term heart damage.

The researchers described the phenomenon as "Broken Heart Syndrome."

Although damage to the heart caused by broken heart syndrome is reversible, it can be deadly.

Budding Jordan cyber love ends in divorce

Yahoo! News - Budding Jordan cyber love ends in divorce

AMMAN (AFP) - A budding romance between a Jordanian man and woman turned into an ugly public divorce when the couple found out that they were in fact man and wife, state media reported.

Separated for several months, boredom and chance briefly re-united Bakr Melhem and his wife Sanaa in an Internet chat room, the official Petra news agency said.

Bakr, who passed himself off as Adnan, fell head over heels for Sanaa, who signed off as Jamila (beautiful) and described herself as a cultured, unmarried woman -- a devout Muslim whose hobby was reading, Petra said.

Cyber love blossomed between the pair for three months and soon they were making wedding plans. To pledge their troth in person, they agreed to meet in the flesh near a bus depot in the town of Zarqa, northeast of Amman.

The shock of finding out their true identities was too much for the pair.

Upon seeing Sanaa-alias-Jamila, Bakr-alias-Adnan turned white and screamed at the top of his lungs: "You are divorced, divorced, divorced" -- the traditional manner of officially ending a marriage in Islam.

"You are a liar," Sanaa retorted before fainting, the agency said.

Yahoo! News - Aaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!

Yahoo! News - Aaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!

LONDON (Reuters) - A British woman was sentenced to two and a half years in jail Thursday for ripping off her ex-lover's testicle with her bare hands during a drunken brawl after he refused her sex.

Amanda Monti, 24, flew into a rage in May last year after Geoffrey Jones, 37, who had ended their long-term relationship, rejected her advances.

She grabbed him by the genitals, tearing off his left testicle, then hid it in her mouth before a friend of Jones handed it back to him saying "that's yours."

Monti, of Birkenhead, near Liverpool, pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding at an earlier hearing.

Doc reveals attitudes toward sex, women

With the number of Sex And The City women in today's society, it's obvious men aren't the only ones with sex on their minds.

But have those women given up on finding a soul mate?

Today, women as sexual conquerors have become the norm. Everywhere you look women are exhibiting their sexuality: in books, television shows, in the movies and even in the workplace.

Though the Sex And The City woman has made sex a big part of her life, TV journalist and filmmaker Francine Pelletier says most women have not divorced love from sex.

"Most women are romantics and that hasn't changed. Even when they're taking bets with their friends in a bar about getting this guy at the end of the night ... at the end of it all, they're still looking for the right guy," says Pelletier, writer and director of Sex, Truth And Videotape, a six-part documentary series about women and sex.

Pelletier takes a detailed look into the most visible change in women's lives in the last 50 years, attitudes toward women and sex.

In each episode, six women tell it like it is, using their own experiences to help support opinions on various aspects of sex, love and lust.

"Over the past decades, there have been myriad signs of a cultural revolution in terms of female sexuality," Pelletier says. "But I realized that there hadn't actually been any sustained or serious look at the subject. Is all the hype about women and their newfound sexual freedom for real? No."

The filmmaker's biggest revelation was that women are still unhappy with themselves and their self-image, so they use sex to settle scores with themselves.

"They're under tremendous pressure to conform to a certain model, which is unattainable in 90 per cent of the cases amongst ordinary women and so they're uncomfortable with their bodies and that has a direct influence on their sex lives," she says.

Sandy Garcia/Metro Toronto

Good Morning Everyone

I am finally up and checking my email and getting ready for school. I will be gone until later this afternoon. I slept in this morning a little later than usual. I had the craziest dream last night, it must be be Valentine's day is approaching and I don't have a boyfriend. Oh well one will come along that will sweep me off my feet.

I will have to get on later today and post that crazy dream. It will be on my mind all day. Tonight I have to watch the Apprentice I love that show most of the contestants are out there. This afternoon and evening will be filled with yahoo chat. I love meeting and making friends from around the world.

Love,

Christina

Ok my email address is Fixed.

I fixed my email address on this page. I hide it so I wouldn't get tons of spam. But it is easy to find you just have to look for it.

Good Morning

I am finally up it was very hard getting out of bed this morning. I spent way to much time on the computer last night. This morning I am getting ready to head to my Econ class. And later this afternoon I will be working on my blog and of course chatting.

Have a nice day everyone,

Christina

Ask Jeeves searches for an edge in Bloglines buy

Ask Jeeves searches for an edge in Bloglines buy

February 9, 2005

BY MICHAEL LIEDTKE

SAN FRANCISCO -- Underdog online search engine Ask Jeeves has bought Bloglines, a Web log index and Internet news funnel popular with serious readers of online journals, in its latest bid to gain ground on heavyweight rivals Google and Yahoo.

Oakland, Calif.-based Ask Jeeves completed the acquisition last week, but announced it Tuesday, though many of the online sites tracked by Bloglines spent the weekend debating the pros and cons of the combination. Ask Jeeves officials said the sales price won't be disclosed.

The acquisition stems from a widening interest in Web logs, or "blogs" -- a term used to describe the online journals that have morphed from mundane personal diaries into increasingly influential hubs of news and commentary.

California-based Bloglines, formed in 2003, has established itself as an important player in the field, with a searchable index of nearly 285 million articles posted on blogs.

Bloglines offers another advantage: It's a leader in "Really Simple Syndication," or RSS -- a system that plucks fresh information from designated sites, and then distributes the summaries and links to the user.

Ask Jeeves plans to maintain Bloglines' service and brand, and keep the startup's founder, Mark Fletcher.

Much of Bloglines' technology will be melded into Ask Jeeves' existing network of Web sites, which include Ask.com, iWon.com, Excite.com and Myway.com.

"Everyone has been licking their chops, waiting to get their hands on [Bloglines]," said Jim Lanzone, Ask Jeeves' senior vice president of search properties.

Ask Jeeves is counting on Bloglines to become a significant drawing card. The company has been trying to woo traffic from the Internet's search engine leaders, Google and Yahoo, as well as two of the Web's other biggest drawing cards, Microsoft Corp.'s MSN.com and Time Warner Inc.'s AOL.com.

More than bragging rights are at stake for Ask Jeeves. Search engines have become big money makers because of the text-based advertising links that appear alongside the main search results. Businesses pay commissions when their ad links are clicked, so search engine profits generally rise when Web site traffic increases.

While Ask Jeeves' profits have improved, the company's earnings growth hasn't been keeping pace with Google's and Yahoo's -- a factor that has hurt its standing with investors.

AP

I Better Be Careful

COX.net for Phoenix - National

Virginia Lawmakers Pass Bill Authorizing $50 Fine for Anyone Wearing Low-Riding Pants
02-08-2005 7:06 PM

RICHMOND, Va. -- Virginians who wear their pants so low their underwear shows may want to think about investing in a stronger belt.

The state's House of Delegates passed a bill Tuesday authorizing a $50 fine for anyone who displays his or her underpants in a "lewd or indecent manner."

Del. Lionell Spruill Sr., a Democrat who opposed the bill, had pleaded with his colleagues to remember their own youthful fashion follies.

During an extended monologue Monday, he talked about how they dressed or wore their hair in their teens. On Tuesday, he said the measure was an unconstitutional attack on young blacks that would force parents to take off work to accompany their children to court just for making a fashion statement.

"This is a foolish bill, Mr. Speaker, because it will hurt so many," Spruill said before the measure was approved 60-34. It now goes to the state Senate.

The bill's sponsor, Del. Algie T. Howell, has said constituents were offended by the exposed underwear. He did not speak on the floor Tuesday.

Spruill and Howell, also a Democrat, are both black.

Tuesday

Well today has started out very nice. I am going to get my nails done this afternoon and get a hair cut. And after that I am going to stay home and play on the computer and watch TV. I have added my email address to the bottom of the page. I love to chat on the computer and I have lots of problems with it locking up. So if I chatted with you feel free to email me.

Europe Falls in Love with E-Dating

Europe Falls in Love with E-Dating

Europe Falls in Love with E-Dating
Such sites in the region are booming, and they're using romance aids such as street parties and mobile services to boost their membership

On Feb. 13, thousands of young people will pour onto the streets of Paris, Milan, and Barcelona. But they won't be protesting -- they'll be looking for love. The Valentine's Eve street parties, dubbed "St. Single's Day," are sponsored by Paris-based Meetic.com, Europe's leading Web matchmaker. The festivities will include DJs and speed-dating stands, where singles have only a few minutes to chat up a potential partner. Advertisement



Yes, now even Latin lovers need help playing the seduction game. Online dating, virtually unknown on the Continent five years ago, is taking off in a big way, even as the phenomenon seems to be slowing on the other side of the Atlantic.

SPREADING CONNECTIONS. Revenues of the leading European dating Web sites will more than double over the next five years, from $200 million to $450 million, predicts Paris-based analyst Olivier Beauvillain of consultancy Jupiter Research. While sales in the U.S. are still higher than in Europe, they're expected to grow only 9% this year, to $515 million. "The European market is the most exciting right now," Beauvillain says.

The region's biggest online dating service is Meetic.com, a private company launched three years ago by Web entrepreneur Marc Simoncini. The site is set to hit 10 million members around St. Single's Day and will book around $55 million in sales this year. In France, a country inextricably linked with romance, one adult in 15 is a Meetic member. In Italy and Spain, it's one in fewer than 50.

In these and Meetic's eight other country sites -- Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, and Britain -- membership is soaring by as much as 20,000 a day. Over the next six months, four more country sites will be added -- Poland, Portugal, Greece, and Ireland.

PROFILE VETTING. Meetic works similarly to the well-established and world-leading U.S. dating sites like Yahoo! Personals (YHOO ) and Match.com, a property of IAC/InterActive (IACI ). Members may join for free, post their profile, and browse those of other members. To use premium services, like personality matchmaker MeetShake -- which cross-references members' preferences -- prices start at $18 a month. About 10% of Meetic's members pay a subscription fee.

To keep things clean, each profile is individually checked by a Meetic moderator. Another software system weeds out users who post rude messages during subsequent chat sessions, which can lead to being blacklisted from the site.

Europe may be playing catch-up on Internet dating, but it's not copying the American model from A to Z. "We don't date exactly the same way, so it's logical we should offer something different," Simoncini points out. For example, a U.S. dating service would be unlikely to invite members to a street party, since most Americans wouldn't consider that a great venue for meeting people.

SEEKING LA DOLCE VITA. But street parties are a natural for Europeans who are accustomed to casual encounters on street corners and in sidewalk cafés. Francesca Colombo, 38, an asset manager in Milan, says she's looking forward to the Feb. 13 fiesta in the city's fashionable Corso Como area. "I went to a party Meetic organized in a club last July, and it was amazing," she recounts, although she didn't meet Mr. Right.

Other differences exist, too. Visit almost any dating site in the U.S., and one of the first search criteria is "location." "We're products of the McDonald's generation," says Marc Lesnick, New York-based conference organizer for e-dating and personals' Web sites. "Not only do we want the love of our life to be tall, blond, and intelligent, but also within 50 miles from home!" he explains with a chuckle. But according to Simoncini, Europeans are more inclined to move if their perfect match is far away.

Hence, one of Meetic's premium-search criteria is common languages. Says Milanese asset manager Colombo: "I speak Italian, French, and English, so I'm not necessarily focused on dating an Italian." Even the first baby born to a couple who met on Meetic was between a francophone Swiss woman and a French man based in Canada.

Distance may not always be a huge issue, but it doesn't stop Europeans from having fixed ideas about other nationalities. According to a Match.com survey, Swedish women are most interested in dating British men, and vice versa. But only 12% of French and Spaniards would consider pairing up with a Brit. Top on almost every country's love wish list: the quintessentially romantic Italians. Plus, a Meetic-commissioned study by French polling firm Ifop found that among all Europeans, Germans have the hardest time finding a date -- online or off.

NICHE PAIRINGS. Web matchmakers say once Europeans -- whatever their nationality -- decide to take the plunge and date someone, they stick to one at a time. "Whereas New Yorkers are often happy to see three people at once," comments Kevin Cornils, Match.com managing director for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

The dating-style differences across the Atlantic haven't stopped veteran U.S. sites from seeking to draw European interest. Match.com has 9 million European members in 13 countries. It also has affiliates like MSN, Tiscali, and T-Online, which pay to use Match's member database. Match originally launched in Britain in 2001 and hit the Continent 18 months later, applying its U.S. know-how to new markets.

Just as well, because e-dating services are struggling in the saturated U.S. market. Match.com cut 30 U.S. employees last September, while an American rival, True.com, let go of 90 employees. Competition from niche sites such as ChristianCafe.com and DateMyPet.com is pressuring general Web matchmakers.

MOBILE BET. Does the same fate await European dating sites? Not yet, says Lesnick, adding, "but many may have to differentiate their offers to survive." The U.S. site Gay.com, for example, boosted revenues from its gay and lesbian membership by adding an online clothes shop and partnering with travel-booking sites. In Europe, Match.com is considering a photo service similar to America's LookBetterOnline.com, which does a roaring trade charging $129 or more for 12 professional digital-portrait shots that online daters can post with profiles. The photographers can even come to your home or work.

In Europe, mobile-phone dating services could offer hot growth potential. Meetic has paired up with mobile operator Vodafone (VOD ) throughout the Continent to offer matchmaking on the go. Using SMS (Short Message Service), Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), or iMode services, singles can access the Meetic database and choose to contact other members.

Although mobile revenues now account for less than 3% of Meetic sales, Simoncini expects this to rise sharply by next year and predicts it could eventually hit 50%. Match.com plans to launch a European mobile service this year as well.

PRODUCTS "DELIVER THEMSELVES." Could European investors fall in love with online dating? Simoncini hopes so: He plans to seek an initial public offering for Meetic in the next six months. He's encouraged by the success of PlanetOut (LGBT ), the U.S.-based gay-themed dating site that raised $41 million when it went public last October.

"As business models go, online-dating sites approach perfection," says Simoncini. "All we needed was two months of free services, and then word of mouth took over. Now our customers are our products, and they deliver themselves to each other."

That's not all they deliver. Remember the Swiss-French baby? It was born only nine and a half months after Meetic launched. Today, the site receives daily e-mails with news of many more Meetic weddings and children. Looks like online dating's European honeymoon could go on for quite a while.

Monday what a long day !!!!

Today was really long as I had to wake up early and go to school. I have been working on my computer and I jump on Yahoo Chat later and see if it works better. First I have to go get something to eat before I sit down and get comfortable.

Christina

Female GIs flash breasts, thong in mud-wrestling contests

Female GIs flash breasts, thong in mud-wrestling contests

Female GIs flash breasts, thong in mud-wrestling contests

Associated Press
Feb. 7, 2005 08:50 AM

The mud-wrestling babes weren't coeds but MPs. And the scene was an Army-run detention center in Iraq.

The New York Daily News reports female MPs mud-wrestled in October, with a crowd of male soldiers cheering them on. According to snapshots obtained by the News, one young military woman lifted her T-shirt to expose her breasts, while another revealed her thong panties.

Those involved are reported to be members of the 160th Military Police Battalion, an Army Reserve Unit from Tallahassee, Fla.

The unit has since returned to the states. Military officials say one female soldier was demoted for indecent exposure.

American football: Patriots overcome Eagles for Super Bowl victory

The New Zealand Herald

American football: Patriots overcome Eagles for Super Bowl victory


JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - The New England Patriots won Super Bowl 39 with a 24-21 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles today, picking up their third National Football League title in the last four years.

American Football Conference champions New England just did enough to pull away from Philadelphia in the final period after the teams were tied 14-14 after three quarters, trading two touchdowns apiece in the first 45 minutes of action.

Despite a nervous start, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady gathered his composure to join Troy Aikman as a winner of three Super Bowls.

The victory was also a third for coach Bill Belichick.

Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was hoping to lead the National Football Conference champions to their first title but he was unable to inspire his team to victory against the more-experienced Patriots.

- REUTERS

McCartney plays it safe at halftime gig

McCartney plays it safe at halftime gig

McCartney plays it safe at halftime gig

Feb. 7, 2005 12:00 AM

A year after a media explosion over Janet Jackson's infamous "wardrobe malfunction," Sir Paul McCartney restored some sanity to the Super Bowl halftime show with a performance whose only fireworks came during his James Bond theme, Live and Let Die.

It wasn't cutting-edge stuff, but the National Football League has wisely rediscovered that the Super Bowl viewers aren't a very radical crowd. The kids downloading the latest Modest Mouse tracks from iTunes were in their rooms staring at computer screens Sunday evening, not watching the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles on TV.

Fans of all ages in Alltel Stadium seemed revved up when McCartney opened with a blast from his Beatles days, Drive My Car, with flashy video screens running from the stage toward the four sides of the stadium. He played things safe: three Fab Four songs (Get Back and Hey Jude rounded things out) and the Bond theme from his Wings days, with frenetic passages lending themselves to pyrotechnics. No songs from his uneven solo career. advertisement


McCartney, who still looks slightly boyish at 62, efficiently nailed things, like he has done in hundreds of stadiums worldwide on recent global tours.

It may have been a big deal for the NFL, but this performance came off as just another gig for McCartney. And that, as opposed to last year's surprise, no doubt thrilled Super Bowl organizers.

- Larry Rodgers

Dollar Hits Three-Month High Vs. Euro

Latest Business News and Financial Information | Reuters.com

By Mohammed Abbas
LONDON (Reuters) - The dollar hit a three-month high versus the euro on Monday after the Federal Reserve chief signaled that structural problems in the U.S. economy may improve, while global economic powers repeated their views on currency policy.

With the risk related to the weekend Group of Seven (G7) meeting removed, investors returned to buying dollars and waited for more comments from Fed chairman Alan Greenspan on Monday and President Bush's budget proposal later in the day.

Bush is expected to reveal a cut in domestic spending in an attempt to curb ballooning deficits that have been a major factor behind the dollar's three-year slide.

"The dollar is still doing well off the back of Greenspan's comments -- you've got one of the most important policy makers around hinting at the inflection point of the trade deficit," said Trevor Dinmore, currency strategist at Deutsche Bank in London.

"Today's budget has probably already been discounted."

The dollar hit its highest levels against the euro since Nov. 5, 2004 at $1.2828 but eased off a little to trade at $1.2845 at 1115 GMT.

The dollar was also firmer against the yen, gaining 0.40 percent from closing levels in New York on Friday to trade at 104.51 yen.

The Japanese currency traded on a weak bias after fresh comments from Chinese policymakers on Monday dampened speculation of a near term yuan revaluation.

China's central bank governor Zhou Xiaochuan said that much preparation would be needed before there could be any changes to China's foreign exchange regime.

THE GREENSPAN FACTOR

Greenspan's surprisingly optimistic view on the large U.S. current account deficit helped ease persistent worries that the dollar could suffer if the U.S. economy failed to attract enough foreign cash to plug the external shortfall.
Greenspan said market forces and tighter U.S. fiscal policy should stabilize and may cut the current account deficit.
Tighter fiscal policy in Washington would also help offset worries about structural imbalances in the U.S.

However, some analysts doubted Bush's budget would have teeth, saying that even drastic domestic spending cuts would have to be endorsed by Congress against fierce Democrat opposition.

"It's quite key that a lot of the promises we have been hearing on the fiscal side do make it into the budget, that's going to be a key focus," said Ian Stannard, currency strategist at BNP Paribas.

Meanwhile during the weekend, the G7 issued a communique that including wording on currencies that was identical to a statement issued in Boca Raton, Florida, a year ago.

Policymakers reiterated their desire for more flexibility and less volatility in the foreign exchange market.

Regarding China, a key topic of speculation ahead of the closely-watched G7 meeting, not much news came out either.

Beijing officials told the G7 they were committed to revaluing its currency but gave no timetable.

Speculation in the past few months about the timing of a yuan revaluation had driven the yen higher, as the market has used the Japanese currency as a proxy for the yuan because it is the most widely traded Asian currency.

© Reuters 2005. All Rights Reserved.

Superbowl Ads

COX.net for Phoenix - News

A Look at This Year's Super Bowl Ads
02-06-2005 6:44 PM
By SETH SUTEL, AP Business Writer

Often referred to as the "Ad Bowl" or the "game-within-a-game," the advertisements that run during the Super Bowl are considered the very best, most dazzling, most ambitious ads that the top ad agencies can muster.

And putting out the most memorable ads, the ones that get people talking around the watercooler on Monday, is considered a badge of honor among top advertising executives. A lot is riding on these ads, starting with their price: an average of $2.4 million for each 30-second spot.

Here is one viewer's rundown, by category, of some of the more memorable ads from this year's Super Bowl:

BEST JANET JACKSON IMPERSONATION: So much for no malfunctioning wardrobes. In this salacious ad for GoDaddy.com, a vendor of Web site names, a buxom brunette nearly spills out of her top when one of her spaghetti string straps springs loose. The setting: a hearing on broadcast censorship on a faux-news channel clearly modeled after C-SPAN. (Their name: G-Spin.) Once the woman catches hold of the errant string, one of the elderly politicians reaches for an oxygen mask and a helpful female voice chimes in: "May I suggest a turtleneck?"

BEST FOR A LOUD BAR: A Bud Light spot showing a nervous parachutist hesitating before making the big plunge out of the plane. Once the pilot abandons ship with the prize of a six-pack of Bud Light, the instructor gives up waiting for the nervous Nelly and makes his own exit with a parting shot: "See ya, dude!" But with such compelling visuals, this is one ad that made perfect sense even if you couldn't hear the dialogue.

FUNNIEST USE OF A CATTLE PROD: In a spot for Ameriquest Mortgage Co., a shopper in a convenience store gets a shot of pepper spray in the face, whapped with a baseball bat, and zapped with an electric cattle prod. Why? Because he's been obliviously chatting on his cell phone (we all know one of these people) and assuring the person on the other end that "You're getting robbed" _ referring, of course, to the price of a new deck. When the store owners misunderstand, it leads to Ameriquest's tag line of "Don't judge too quickly."

BEST USE OF A FLYING MUPPET: Choosing a favorite Muppet character is a matter of ongoing debate among ... well, some of us. But there's no question which Muppet took center stage in this charming spot for Pizza Hut. The inimitable Miss Piggy takes a flying trip through a living room, apparently pulled around by a flying piece of pizza after she didn't dip it correctly in a cup of sauce (uh, right). Keeping logical didn't seem to be a big theme this year anyway.

MOST BIZARRE TOUCHDOWN PLAY: Gladys Knight as .... a rugby player? In this quizzical spot for MBNA, pop singer Gladys Knight runs with the rugby ball and scores a touchdown. (In rugby, it's technically known as a "try," but be that as it may.) Another odd spot in a year of seemingly odd connections. Which brings us to:

BIGGEST HEAD-SCRATCHER: A "Momma's Boy" who doesn't sweat because ... "he doesn't risk leaving his Mama." A grown guy and his mom -- both played by hand-held action figures a la G.I. Joe and Barbie, appear in this completely bizarre spot for Degree anti-perspirant. Why is this adult man still getting pushed around in a shopping cart by his mom? What does this ad mean? Who knows?

FUNNIEST "FARGO" REFERENCE: In this imaginative spot for California cheese makers, a cow breaks free of the herd in a freezing field to make her way to California. Unfortunately, the head wind and deep snow are far too much for "Sadie," whose plight is lamented by her pals back in the herd, who sound distinctly like characters from "Fargo." Runner-up "Fargo" reference prize goes to a spot for the new Mustang convertible in which an overly enthusiastic driver gets frozen solid at an intersection after forgetting to put the top up during the middle of winter.

Michael Jackson Joke. I heard it so don't get mad at me.

Michael Jackson was on a ship with 100 boy scouts when it hit an iceberg and started to sink.
The captain announced "We're sinking! Everyone abandon ship!"
Michael asked, "What about the children?"
The captain replied, "F*ck the children!"
Michael looked around eagerly and asked "Do we have time?"

The Spoof - Paul McCartney in Bra for Super Bowl Halftime Gig

The Spoof - Paul McCartney in Bra for Super Bowl Halftime Gig

Paul McCartney in Bra for Super Bowl Halftime Gig


Written by Phil Maggitti


"Suddenly, I'm not half the man I used to be . . ."
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Sir Paul McCartney said he didn’t mind a jot having to wear a bra during his Super Bowl halftime show. “We used to wear ‘em on stage now and again during our Hamburg club days,” said the former Beatle. “But that was more than forty years ago, and I’ve gone up a few sizes since then.”

The bra worn by McCartney was created by his daughter Stella, a noted fashion designer. “I call it the Yoko Ono because it separates so well,” said Stella. “It really holds a man down.”

The National Football League’s Committee on Decency and Morals asked McCartney and the members of his band, The Yesterdays, to wear bras in order to prevent a repeat of last year’s wardrobe malfunction in which a brief glimpse of Janet Jackson’s right mammary appendage traumatized millions of preteen boys.

“It’s devastating,” said television psychologist Dr. Phil, “the number of young men still having nightmares a year after that tragic incident. We did a study last month in which we showed one group of young men pictures of Iraqi prisoners being tortured in Abu Ghraib prison. Then we showed replays of last year’s Super Bowl halftime show to another group. That group scored significantly higher on tests measuring latent aggression, social maladjustment, and retarded consumer development.”

At a packed news conference preceding the Super Bowl, McCartney refused to divulge the set list for the halftime show, which is sponsored by Fixodent, Depends, and Correctol with Stool Softener. He denied reports that his late wife Linda’s voice would be added to the vocal mix via digital recordings. “As much as people loved her singing, we just have to move on,” he said. McCartney did confirm that he still takes one of Linda’s ponies with him when he tours.

McCartney’s band warmed up for its Super Bowl appearance by playing a surprise acoustic set at the Sunrise Senior Center in Jacksonville. Despite the music being interrupted by frequent shouts of “I’ve got bingo,” McCartney thought the set went well. “There wasn’t a dry seat in the room,” he laughed.

In related news, the National Football League met in an emergency session last night to approve a ban on breast feeding at all football games.

Brad Pitt appears in Super Bowl beer ad

Brad Pitt appears in Super Bowl beer ad - PittsburghLIVE.com

Brad Pitt appears in Super Bowl beer ad

By United Press International
Saturday, February 5, 2005

Actor Brad Pitt will appear in a 60-second TV ad during the Super Bowl, seen dodging paparazzi on his way to pick up a six-pack of beer.

Fox Television is reportedly charging Heineken about $3.7 million to run the advertisement during the game to be played in Jacksonville, Fla., reported the Daily Telegraph.

The twist of the commercial, which is expected to be viewed by 90 million football fans, is that the photographers are not out to photograph the movie star, but, rather, to drink the star's beer -- a Heineken.


It's unclear how much Pitt received for the ad, but some have pegged it at more than $3 million.

Pitt has also appeared in a commercial in Europe promoting a Swiss watch, however, the ad was not shown in the United States.

© Copyright 2005 by United Press International

Hey the Lincoln Fry has a blog.

It looks like Mcdonalds and Yahoo have teamed up and for a commercial. And they even put together a Blog.

Go Daddy Commercial

East Valley Living - Local News City News for the East Valley and Mesa area of Phoenix Arizona

GoDaddy Super Bowl ad - The "Sassiest" Super Bowl Commercial
February 06 , 2005 by Kathleen Gorden


Super Bowl Commercial from Scottsdale company GoDaddy



This Super Bowl, the world's largest Internet domain name registrar is setting to make a name for itself - by unveiling the year's funniest and most entertaining commercial spot. Considering the fact that Super Bowl ads score just as big with fans as the game itself, that's a tall order. But in its own take on this year's media censorship debate, GoDaddy.com is likely to be the most talked about Super Bowl XXXIX ad.

Internet Company Uses Their First TV Ad Dollars To "Make a Name" - Light-hearted Approach to Censorship Hysteria = Hysterically Funny

Super Bowl Commercial from GoDaddy

February 2005 (Newstream) - This Super Bowl, the world's largest Internet domain name registrar is setting to make a name for itself - by unveiling the year's funniest and most entertaining commercial spot.

Considering the fact that Super Bowl ads score just as big with fans as the game itself, that's a tall order. But in its own take on this year's media censorship debate, Phoenix area company, GoDaddy.com is likely to be the most talked about Super Bowl XXXIX ad. The ad campaign is a light-hearted approach to the censorship hysteria while inviting Internet users to "make a name with Go Daddy."

You've never seen any advertising like Go Daddy's, which is far and away the most sassy of this year's Super Bowl and will build awareness of Go Daddy's industry-low prices for domain name registration and related Internet services. More than any other registrar in the world, Go Daddy enables individuals and businesses to acquire, create and safeguard their unique identities and brands on the Internet. Its' core businesses are domain name registration, Web site hosting, secure SSL certificates and Web-based e-mail accounts. In addition, the company offers Web site development and email marketing tools, search engine optimization, a shopping cart, merchant accounts and more - all of which facilitate secure, reliable e-Commerce transactions.

Unlike most previous Internet companies that tried to make a splash during the Super Bowl, Go Daddy is going to be around for a long time - the company is very profitable and has been for years. Go Daddy ranked eighth among fastest-growing technology companies in 2004 among the Inc. 500.

It appears that Bob Parsons of Go Daddy Software has purchased a second Super Bowl® Advertisement spot for the domain name company.

A second ad was produced and submitted for approval but was rejected by the Fox Network and the original Go Daddy Super Bowl® ad will be run two times.

The second “rejected” Super Bowl® ad is here:
http://www.godaddy.com/gdshop/superbowl05/landing.asp?se=%2B

Love is in the Air

TownOnline.com - Melrose Free Press - Opinion & Letters

Mums And Roses: Valentines Day need not be a rosy celebration
By Chris Coates/ Mums And Roses
Thursday, February 3, 2005

Valentine's Day is approaching! Can you feel the love? Men, consider this your final warning to get out there and plan, or do something special for your loved one.

The history of Valentine's Day is a bit fuzzy but it can be traced back to a Roman festival called Lupercalia. It can also be traced to at least three different St. Valentine's who all died as martyrs. I won't get into a detailed history because all of the stories and research give differing, and sometimes conflicting, accounts. But when all is said and done, the act of celebrating Valentine's Day can be summed up by lyrics from a Beatles song, "All You Need is Love."

Flowers and Valentine's Day go hand and hand. The tradition of giving flowers on Valentine's Day dates back to the time of King Henry IV of France. King Henry's daughter is said to have organized a Valentine's party where she distributed bunches of flowers for her friends to give to the men they had chosen as their Valentines.

When it comes to flowers, roses are still a popular item. Roses of course are known for their association with love and are available in a wide variety colors that can be used alone or combined to create an impressive presentation. Roses are usually offered in three main styles on Valentine's Day: The vase arrangement, the boxed arrangement and the wrapped arrangement. All three styles make a beautiful display but remember that if you don't purchase a vase arrangement, the recipient will have to arrange the roses in their own vase. If you are the recipient of boxed or wrapped roses remember to take the water tubes off the stems before arranging. Use the supplied food packet in a vase of lukewarm water and cut at least a half inch off the stems to help improve the intake of water. These care tips apply to most cut flowers.

Buyer beware! When you purchase roses on Valentine's Day it is important to remember the old saying, "You get what you pay for." If you think that you are getting a great deal on roses then you are probably buying a low-quality product that will have a short life-span. If your roses do die quickly, take them back to your florist. A reputable florist will replace them for you without any hassle. Remember, your florist wants you to be happy so you will come back next year.

One of the most popular questions directed at florists during Valentine's Day is: "Why are roses so much more expensive?" Contrary to popular belief, florists do not raise the prices in order to take advantage of customers on Valentine's Day. There is a very simple reason for the price increase: As any economist would tell you, price reflects supply and demand. The economics of roses are no different from the economics of tomatoes. Since demand spikes up on Valentine's Day, the price rises to allocate the available supply. If we could store roses the way we store diamonds, then the price wouldn't change very much, because wholesalers would just draw on accumulated inventory. But roses are perishable, so wholesalers can't store them. And sure enough, the price of candy won't go up at all on Valentine's Day, though seasonal demand for it increases far more than the demand for roses. Why? Candy isn't highly perishable.

Don't feel like you have to buy your sweetheart a dozen roses on Valentine's Day. In fact, less than half of our Valentine's Day sales are attributed to purchases of arrangements made entirely of roses. If you want to send flowers, but are looking for something other than roses, your local florist can provide lots of options. The trend these days is toward the mixed arrangement. Most florists will have a wide variety of flowers on Valentine's Day to meet almost any request or color scheme. Women tend to respond well to mixed arrangements with pastel tones of pinks, peaches and lavenders, while men - yes even manly men can appreciate flowers - tend to prefer bold and vibrant colors such as red, orange, purple, blue and yellow.

One popular item that isn't often thought of as a Valentine's Day flower is the tulip. Tulips are much less expensive than roses and make a beautiful arrangement. You can purchase a simple, yet elegant arrangement of one or two bunches of tulips in a clear glass bowl or you can add them to your custom-made mixed arrangement.

In addition to cut flowers there are a number of plants that are very suitable for Valentine's Day. These include potted cyclamens which are available in many colors and have beautiful decorative foliage and lots of blooms. Other favorites are miniature roses, gerberas, African violets and azaleas. The bromiliad, a relative of the pineapple, is a daring choice. Commonly called air plants, these beautiful, exotic plants require very little care.

In order to get the best selection and timely delivery of your Valentine order, I suggest you place your order at least a week before. Remember, don't pay an order taker, like "toll-free flowers.com." Cut out the middleman by calling the florist that will be designing and delivering your order. This can often save you up to $10 in processing/service fees. You will get a better value, meaning your Valentine will receive a beautiful arrangement. Also, you will often talk to an experienced floral professional and not someone who is just reading to you from a script on a computer screen.

The bottom line for Valentine's Day floral purchases is that it really comes down to what you think your loved one would like and what you are comfortable spending. Talk with your local florist so that they can help you come up with a happy medium.

So on Valentine's Day you should get out there and spread the love!

For additional information about flowers and plants visit www.aboutflowers.com

reviewjournal.com -- News: NORM: Smitten high roller has no luck at love

reviewjournal.com -- News: NORM: Smitten high roller has no luck at love

NORM: Smitten high roller has no luck at love


Money doesn't buy everything in Las Vegas.

But a love-struck high roller gave it a try anyway at the Las Vegas Hilton last weekend.

After spotting the girl of his dreams, the high roller approached the young beauty and asked her out on a date. She declined, according to my spy.

He returned the next night accompanied by two security guards carrying a jeweler's box. Inside was a $100,000 diamond and sapphire necklace. He invited her out to dinner. She turned him down again.

Told she could still keep the gems while she thought about it, she again declined.

The next night he came in and upped the ante: matching earrings and bracelet to go with the necklace.

She told him she'd think about it.

When he returned the next night, she agreed to have dinner. The night went well until the suitor popped the question.

She said no to the offer and the $250,000 treasure trove of jewelry and walked away.

Well I am off to bed it has been a long day. If I could get my computer working it would be so much better. I have to get up early and run some errands before Sarah's big Superbowl Party.