End of the Semester

Another semester has flown by. I've really enjoyed learning how to use Dreamweaver to create my website. The internet is a major news provider and journalists must embrace this medium. I think it's important for journalism students to learn the stuff we have been doing in class because knowing how to write online stories and how to create websites are skills that many employers will want their employees to have. The internet will continue to grow and new news websites will be looking to hire journalists who know their way around the internet. I am happy that I now have the knowledge to create websites. I look forward to seeing my site grow as time goes on.

The Beatles Deliver "Love"

The Beatles are back with the release of "Love", according to The Washington Post. The 78-minute CD doesn't recycle old hits and outtakes but instead presents edited, reshuffled or otherwise tweaked versions of the group's originals. "Love", which has the backing of surviving Beatles Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, comprises 26 of the Fab Four's hit songs, many of them mixed together using previously unheard material, globeandmail.com said. "I hope this will help people to hear Beatles music again," Giles Martin, son of the Beatles' original producer, George Martin said. The two Martins worked for three years on the project, which forms the soundtrack to a Beatles stage show of the same name, put on since June in Las Vegas by Canadian entertainment company Cirque du Soleil. "Paul and Ringo have heard the music and loved it," George Martin said, according to The Toronto Star. "I think George (Harrison) would have approved of everything too. John? He was never satisfied with anything. In his mind, he always had a dream that could never become reality. That's what made him the man he was."

As a huge fan of The Beatles' music, I cannot wait to hear the new album. I consider The Beatles the greatest band of all time and I am happy that George Martin is involved with the project. He is the undisclosed hero behind The Beatles' success. I am interested to see how him and his son take these classic songs and tweak them. I know that there must be tons of unheard Beatles music still out there and it will be nice to finally get to hear some of it. I hope that this album will get younger generations to appreciate the artistic value of The Beatles' music. I know I can't wait to hear the "Love"!!!

Britney Spears Sex Tape

Britney Spears' soon to be ex-husband Kevin Federline is shopping a four-hour sex tape featuring the couple to internet sites who want to make the tape available to the public, according to News of the World. Spears fears the tape will destroy her image unless she gives in to Federline's demands for a payoff of $16 million and custody of their two children. "It makes Paris Hilton's homemade video look like a Disney cartoon," a source told News of the World. "This footage is dynamite and Kevin knows it. He has told Britney she could comply with his demands otherwise the whole world will see her having sex." Federline has told friends the tape shows footage of Britney performing a number of explicit sexual acts. A film company in Arizona has allegedly offered Federline $26 million for the tape. The tape was made allegedly during the first two weeks of their relationship in the Beverly Hills Hotel. "They were in the honeymoon stages of their relationship and did nothing all day but have sex and play chess," a source told News of the World. "Britney didn't think twice about making the video, she believed their love would last." Spears attempts at putting a stop on the selling of the video have had no success as Federline owns the copyright of the tape. Spears filed for divorce from Federline after supposedly finding him in bed with another woman in a New York hotel. Fedreline is entitled to $2 million anf half of the money from the sell of their $7 million Santa Barbara home according to the couple's prenuptial agreement.

Britney is in some very big trouble. I don't see anyway she can come out of this situation looking good. Her reputation already took a majorl hit when she married Federline and now it seems things will just get worse and worse for Spears. I don't see a stop being put on the tape, because I don't believe that Spears is willing to give up the custody of her two children to this scumbag as well as the $16 million he is demanding from her. Plus, I doubt that Federline cares enough about having custody of his children to turn down the $26 million he is being offered for the tape. Only time will tell if Britney's exploits are made available to the public.

Arnold Loves California

Arnold Wins By A Landslide.
By Adam Suter

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's re-election on Tuesday was one of the Republican’s few bright spots on Election Day. The former Hollywood star first elected three years ago in an unprecedented recall vote beat his Democratic opponent, State Treasurer Phil Angelides, by 17 points with 99.6 percent of Tuesday's vote counted, according to elections.us.reuters.com.

Schwarzenegger’s excitement over his re-election was made clear at his Beverly Hills victory celebration on Tuesday night.

"What a fantastic evening; I love doing sequels," Schwarzenegger said. "But this without any doubt is my favorite sequel."

Schwarzenegger distanced himself from President Bush in the past months, avoiding him during recent California visits and criticizing the White House on issues such as global warming, elections.us.reuters.com said.

"Schwarzenegger was successful in embracing a more moderate agenda that affected people's lives in a positive way,” former California Gov. and Schwarzenegger challenger Gray Davis told Reuters. "The Republicans in Washington tuned out that agenda and are paying the price for that tonight."

Schwarzenegger said during his celebration that his second term will be characterized by continued willingness to work with the Legislature's Democratic majority, according to SFGate.com.

"Tonight the people have given us a mandate," Schwarzenegger said. "Not a mandate for me, not a mandate for any specific party, but a mandate to move the state ahead. A mandate for leadership. A mandate for a bigger and brighter future for California."

A bipartisan $37 billion package of initiatives to rebuild highways, levees, schools and housing, a pillar of Schwarzenegger's agenda, was passed by California voters, who at the same time rejected other measures that would have raised taxes, SFGATE.com said.

“While Schwarzenegger won a clear victory, voters were choosy about the long lineup of propositions on the ballot,” political analyst Sherry Bebitch Jeffe said. “They have given Schwarzenegger a mandate. They did belie the national trend for change and I do think they sent a message to the Legislature yet again: 'We're not ready to go back to deciding policy totally through the initiative process.’”

The moderate approach proved essential in California, where 42 percent of the 15.8 million registered voters are Democrats, compared to 34 percent Republicans, according to TheStar.com.

In more than 18 months of campaigning, Angelides' disjointed team never managed to coalesce around one issue, according to the San Jose Mercury News. At times he seized on everything from a plan to raise taxes on the rich to bringing California's National Guard troops home from Iraq to attempts to link Schwarzenegger to an unpopular president.

The race was Angelides' to lose a year ago after the Republican governor's popularity collapsed along with his grand scheme to realign political power in Sacramento, and Schwarzenegger was forced to ponder the possibility that his first term might be his last, SFGate.com said. But Schwarzenegger admitted mistakes and changed course. Aided by a rolling state economy, his campaign won back Democratic and independent support by blending Reaganesque optimism with a return to the middle-ground politics that helped propel him to office amid the historic recall of Gov. Gray Davis in 2003.

Democrats Win The House

It's A Full House For Democrats
By Adam Suter

Democrats took control of the House of Representatives Tuesday after winning a large majority of election day races, while also gaining seats in the Senate. Democratic candidates are leading in many districts held by Republicans and are on track to win a lot more than the 15 seats needed to take control of the House.

House Democratic Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., celebrates the Democratic victory at an election-night rally. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Democrats won a cliffhanger race in Montana on Wednesday that brought them to the brink of control of the Senate, The Hindu said. The focus is now on the outcome in Virginia which would give Democrats control of both Houses of Congress if they win, according to aljazeera.net. Democrat James Webb holds a small lead over Republican incumbent George Allen, but a recount is possible. Democrats captured five of the six Republican seats they needed for control: Ohio, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Missouri and Montana and managed to hold endangered Democratic seats in New Jersey and Maryland. The breakdown for the new Senate on Wednesday stands at Democrats 50, Republicans 49, with Virginia still too close to call.

Democratic supporters celebrate their victory.
(Jason Reed/ Reuters)

The State Board of Elections in Virginia announced it would not certify the outcome of the race between Webb and Allen until Nov. 27, after which recounts could begin, according to Fox News.com. There are no automatic recounts in Virginia. The candidates were separated by about 7,800 votes out of more than 2.3 million cast, with indications from both camps that any final outcome could wind up in court.

Fire Damages Orlando's Gatorland Park

A fire early Monday destroyed a section of Gatorland, one of Florida's oldest tourist attractions, and killed as many as four pythons and crocodiles, according to the Associated Press. The fire damaged the gift shop, entrance and ticket booth, and the giant concrete gator head that serves as the main entrance. Alligators were apparently safe in a lake, but the fire claimed two 8-foot pythons kept in a pen near the gift shop, according to park spokeswoman Michelle Harris. Two 5-foot crocodiles held in the same pen are missing and feared dead. The 110-acre park opened in 1949 and attracts 400,000 tourists every year. Gatorland houses a few thousand animals, according to the park's director of media production Tim Williams. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

It is always sad to hear about a fire claiming the lives of innocent animals that have no way of escaping. I wonder if the park had fire detectors in the pens where the animals are housed. If not, they better invest in a fire alarm system to protect the wildlife in the park. I also wonder if someone is on duty at all times monitoring the animals. I think this tragedy could have been avoided with better fire safety precautions by the park. Hopefully in the future such an incidence will be avoided by better fire safety regulations in the park. These animals are innocent and defenseless and deserve to be protected by their keepers.

Snoop Dogg Arrested

Rapper Snoop Dogg was booked Monday in Santa Ana, Calif. on one felony count of possession of a deadly weapon filed after security officers at John Wayne International Airport found a collapsible baton in his carry-on luggage, according to the Associated Press. The 35-year-old, whose real name is Calvin Broadus, turned himself over to authorities at the Orange County Jail on Monday morning. He was expected to post $150,000 bail, said Susan Schroeder of the district attorney's office. The Sept. 27 incident occurred as Snoop Dogg prepared to take a flight to San Francisco. At the time of his arrest, he told deputies the baton was a prop for a movie, a spokesman for the sheriff's office has said. The weapon charge was filed Thursday and an arrest warrant was issued. Snoop Dogg's attorney, Donald Etra, has called the charge "bogus." Last month, the rapper was arrested at Bob Hope Airport in Burbank for investigation of illegal drug and gun possession. He posted $35,000 bail and was ordered to appear in court Dec. 12.

This story comes as no surprise to me. Snoop getting arrested once again, no big shocker. Celebrities feel that they are above the law and for the most part it is true because they have the money to get the best defense lawyers who will get them cleared of charges against them. If a regular average joe had as many arrests as Snoop, they would most likely be sitting behind bars for a good while. Since Snoop is loaded with money, he has done very little jail time for his crimes. It is sad that celebrities are able to get away with crimes just because they are wealthy. Celebrites and everyday people should be treated the same in the eyes of the law. As long as celebrities are put on a pedestal and are not punished accordingly for their crimes, they will continue to break the law with little or no discipline thrown their way.

Armstrong Runs Marathon

Seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong made an impressive New York City marathon debut Sunday, accomplishing his goal of finishing in less than 3 hours and thrilling fans who seemed much more enthused at seeing Armstrong than watching a Brazilian man and a Latvian woman win titles earlier on a crisp autumn afternoon, according to the Associated Press. He finished in 2 hours, 59 minutes and 36 seconds. "I think I bit off more than I could chew, I thought the marathon would be easier," Armstrong said. "My shins started to hurt in the second half, especially the right one. I could barely walk up here, because the calves are completely knotted up." He called the race "the hardest physical thing I have ever done" — even more grueling than his worst days on the Tour. "I never felt a point where I hit the wall, it was really a gradual progression of fatigue and soreness."

It is amazing how much one single man can accomplish in his life. Despite a grueling battle with cancer, Armstrong managed to overcome his sickness and win a record straight seven Tour de France championships from 1999-2005. Armstrong is an inspiration to all of those out there battling cancer and other illnesses. I was surprised to hear that he thought that running the marathon was harder then riding in the Tour de France. I would think that after all the training he has done for cycling, that it wouldn't be too far of a stretch for him, but it is now clear to me that running in a marathon must be more grueling of a task than riding up and down a mountain on a bike. I think that Armstrong may start running in more marathons to give himself a new challenge in life. Armstrong is an inspiration to all of us hard workers who live everyday to its fullest. He doesn't sit around and complain, he makes things happen.

Cobain Still Raking in the Money

Kurt Cobain, the acclaimed Nirvana frontman who committed suicide in 1994, vaulted to the top of Forbes' sixth annual list of top-earning dead celebrities, dethroning Elvis Presley, who had held the list's top slot since its inception, according to mp3.com. Although Nirvana's music continues to sell--1.1 million units were sold in the US in 2005, according to Nielsen SoundScan--Cobain had never before appeared on the list, as he and his former bandmates Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic had rejected licensing their songs for commercial use. That changed with Cobain widow Courtney Love's sale of a 25 percent stake in his song catalog to New York-based publishing company Primary Wave for a reported $50 million. Cobain's earnings were pegged at $50 million between October 2005 and October 2006, the period on which Forbes based its rankings. Presley wound up in the No. 2 slot with $42 million, down from last year's $45 million, while John Lennon placed fourth at $24 million. Ray Charles and Johnny Cash, whose estates have benefited from biopics and several posthumous releases, placed eighth and 10th, respectively earning $10 million and $8 million. George Harrison and Bob Marley rounded out the 13-member list at $7 million apiece.

It’s amazing how much money someone who is not living can earn annually. The fact that Cobain earned $50 million this past year is astounding. It is proof of the high quality work he did while he was still alive. I think that the fact that he died at such a young age actually was a boost to his music career. People took his lyrics even more literally after he died. Elvis is still going strong as well. His love from his fans is very evident with the fact that he made $42 million last year several years after his death. The families of these rich, once alive icons are raking in the dough. I hope that they do not take the money they are getting for granted and donate some of the money they are getting to help improve our society.

Internet Explorer 7 vs. Mozilla Firefox 2.0

Just two weeks after Microsoft delivered its highly anticipated Internet Exlorer 7, Mozilla has shipped a major update to its Firefox browser, according to cio.com. Firefox 2.0 was officially released just after 2 p.m. Pacific Time on Tuesday, a day after an early version of the software was leaked onto Mozilla’s FTP site. But that early version was not integrated with Mozilla’s Web and add-on sites, making Tuesday’s version the first release that offered the complete Firefox 2.0 user experience, said Mike Beltzner, a user interface expert with the open-source project. New features in this latest version of the open-source browser include a spellchecker for Web forms, antiphishing warnings, and improved search and tabbed browsing capabilities.

As an everyday computer user, I do not find much of a difference between Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox. I have heard varying stories from people about which one is safer to use. I have been a long time Internet Explorer user, but have switched to Firefox recently. I don’t feel that the new versions of these search engines will be much different from their predecessors. Maybe I will be surprised and one will stand out to me more than the other.