It’s In The Bag! Dynamic City Unlimited = WWW.DCUNY.COM

Just wait until you see what’s in the bag; from Dynamic City Unlimited “The Mall that never closes!” Offering free Delivery right to your home! Some restrictions apply.

Runnin’ With Reggie

Fashion Or Trend: When this particular style first started to catch everyone’s attention including minds, my first thought was ‘he needs a belt.’ But, when I took a second look I saw that he had a belt on that was going through all of the loops of his pants! … ??? … What the #@&! Well, this can’t be…Fashion or is it (Fashion is also one’s personal appearance and, style of dress.). Maybe it’s a Trend, part of a movement; they want to move in a certain direction, that’s it. But, I don’t think that they (young men) want to move in the direction that started this style of dress.

Prison Lock: Wearing pants below the waistline was born out of California. Young men that were arrested were not allowed to wear belts. Young men were easily sexually assaulted (if they couldn’t fight) in jail they started wearing their pants low, to say that they were available. So, for all of the young men and the older men who wear their pants below their Butts, who do not know what this particular dress style means (it means the same as a female hookers dress style). For the record … you are hereby informed … how this dress style came about … what its purpose is for. Everything that you may see others do is not cool and, not for you. Raise your pants, and raise your image! http://www.nysenate.gov/senator/eric-adams

Don’t Be A Victim - Fix It

Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.

-M. Kathleen Casey

Important Disclosure

The Pre-Paid Legal Business Opportunity: The Pre-Paid Legal Business Opportunity involves the marketing of various legal and specialty service memberships. There are opportunities in the realm of relationship building, but our primary business and corporate focus is the sale and persistency of these memberships. Pre-Paid Legal Independent Associates are independent contractors and not employees of Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc. or any subsidiary.
Nothing worth achieving is easy – this includes the Pre-Paid Legal Business Opportunity: The Pre-Paid Legal business opportunity is a simple concept. A wide variety of personality types and prior experience levels are represented in the roster of our most successful entrepreneurs. It requires hard work and is not a “get-rich quick” scheme – and we’re incredibly proud of that and would never try to hide that fact! It shows we are a legitimate business; here to stay.
With that in mind, you should know… Actual earnings potential depends on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, effort and ability. Any earnings representations, stated or implied, found on this website will not reflect the majority of our independent associates earnings. As with any opportunity worth pursuing, expectations of success should be realistic and carefully considered along with your individual work ethic and ability. The examples provided are intended to show potential results, and the people achieving these results worked hard, and in some cases, many years, to achieve the level of success shown. Such results should not be considered typical within our Independent Associate base. Pre-Paid Legal is a multi-level marketing company, and to achieve financial success under our business model requires the individual to work hard and either possess, or develop, abilities in the area of product/service sales and relationship building. Any person considering becoming an independent contractor under the Pre-Paid Legal business model should read and understand fully the terms and conditions printed on the back of the standard Associate Agreement. It is important to note that the company may modify, supplement, or terminate any business/compensation program at any time.

Everyone Counts, but Watch Out for Scams Targeting 2010 Census

Have you received your 2010 Census packet yet? If not, it’s probably coming soon as forms were sent to 120 million mailboxes across the country in early March. The Census is a constitutionally mandated population count of Americans that has been taken 23 times in our country’s history. By law, the personal information taken by the census is confidential. The Census is publicized as a 10 question form taking about 10 minutes to complete. This seems like a short time to give when the data ultimately determines how federal funding is distributed to tribal, state and local government each year. Schools, roads, health care and other programs in your area are funded depending on your responses. Unfortunately, scammers have also taken the opportunity to prey upon the importance of the Census and victims willing to reveal too much information. The U.S. Census Bureau has issued this warning about fraudulent activities, including phishing scams in emails asking for Social Security Numbers, donations, requests for PIN codes, passwords or financial account information. These are not questions asked by the Census Bureau or its workers, and, as of right now, Census information is not gathered via the Internet. On the ground, Census workers may visit homes or hand deliver forms to some areas. Official staff members should be able to provide government credentials that include their names. You can also ask for a photo ID or another source to confirm identification. A call to the Regional Census Center can confirm employment or report suspicious activity witnessed in person or online. As a side note, our friends in Canada count too. A Census in that country is scheduled for 2011.

'Dancing' Star's Nanny Battle

Heather Mills squares off against former nanny: LONDON— Heather Mills, the ex-wife of Paul McCartney, defended herself from accusations made by a former nanny at an employment tribunal in Britain on Tuesday. Sara Trumble, 26, said Mills was a rude, angry and dishonest woman who forced her to lie to McCartney. But Mills said Tuesday she treated Trumble like a daughter, showering her with gifts and foreign travel. It was the second day the case was heard at an employment tribunal in the town of Ashford, in southern England, where Trumble is suing Mills for allegedly stripping her of her child-care duties after she gave birth to her own baby girl. Trumble worked for McCartney and Mills, looking after their young daughter Beatrice, but she claims her relationship with Mills began to deteriorate after her split from the ex-Beatle. Trumble says she was progressively moved out of her job as a nanny, and that Mills refused to show her any flexibility once she became pregnant with her own child. The former nanny also claimed that the 42-year-old "Dancing With The Stars" contestant became increasingly bad-tempered after the separation. "I wasn't the only person who felt that at that time," Trumble said. "It's just that nobody else will stand up. I decided to take action and fight this for myself." Mills said the charge that she refused to make allowances for her nanny's child was insulting, and both agreed that they had once been close. In previous testimony, Trumble said she provided Mills with "comfort and support" after her split with McCartney. Taking the stand Tuesday, Mills said she was the one who gave her nanny a shoulder to cry on. "I treated Sara like my daughter as she often complained that her mother was cold and distant to her," Mills said. "I spent much of my time consoling her, especially when she said she was having problems with her partner." Trumble accuses Mills of reducing her to tears after calling her back into work while she was still on maternity leave, and humiliating her when she reassigned her to work as a cleaner following the hiring of a new nanny. Mills herself briefly broke into tears as she described the support she said she'd given her employee. Describing herself as "overly helpful Heather," Mills said she hired Trumble as a way "to help her better herself, as I thought she had huge potential." She added that Trumble was "more of a baby sitter" than a qualified nanny. She also catalogued the gifts she gave her employee, including 1,500 pounds ($2,260) when her money was stolen, 500 pounds ($755) for the deposit on a new apartment, and a convertible for loyal service. The nanny went with Mills to celebrate her birthday in Slovenia and was invited to Richard Branson's private Caribbean island, Necker. Mills said the two got along so well Trumble even asked her to serve as her child's godmother. Trumble acknowledged receiving the gifts _ as well as a 10,000 pound ($15,000) pay off from McCartney when she resigned in 2008.

Judge Upholds Adult Store Zoning Rules

A judge has sided with the city in its efforts to regulate adult book and video stores. The Manhattan judge's ruling Tuesday allows the city to enforce 2001 zoning rules, which adult stores have been fighting. City zoning regulations limit where many sex-oriented businesses can operate. The rules don't apply if at least 60 percent of the business is non-adult. A lawyer for the city said many businesses made sham efforts to comply with that rule by stocking their shelves with non-adult videos. "If you've got a peep show in your store, no matter how many copies of Disney movies you have, you're an adult video store, and so what this really means is that we can continue to enforce the law, and it makes a difference to parents who are walking their kids to school in the morning, and it makes a difference to the police chief who's trying to make sure that the criminal element stay out of their neighborhood. It makes a difference to the quality of life of New Yorkers," said city attorney John Feinblatt. City officials say an unknown number of businesses could be forced to move.

What’s Special Today! Dynamic City Unlimited = WWW.DCUNY.COM

Mostly everything, come in and take a look around Dynamic City Unlimited “The Mall that never closes!” Offering free Delivery right to your home! Some restrictions apply.

Runnin’ With Reggie

Authority (Police Department) Figures: On Friday, March 26, 2010 I left my building on my way heading to the gym (something that I do regularly every Wednesday and Friday about 2:00 pm). Only on this day I was stopped by two plain clothes detectives (male and female) in an unmarked police car. Their statement to me was that I came out of my building to fast. Oh, forgive me … I did not know that I must come out of my building at a snail’s pace and, I have been coming in and out of my building for over twenty plus years…go figure? Is this some new type of training that the Police Department has authorized as a requirement for their officers (due to all of the new terrorist threats in the world?). Although this was the first time I have gotten stopped for coming out of my building (fast or slow), I doubt very much that it will be the last time that something like this will happen. Again, I was shocked, put off guard, and saddened to see this type of thing still happens. I was upset so much that I could not go to the gym and workout as I normally would do. Instead after they (Police) found that they could not antagonize me and, that I have not done anything and that I was not on any of their lists (after running my name through they’re system), they let me go free as if they have done nothing wrong. Keep in mind that in my neighborhood you will always see someone running, jogging, and walking fast, hurrying to catch a bus or hurrying to the train station hoping that they have not missed it. So, if someone comes out of their building somewhat quick, more likely they are hurrying for an appointment in which they don’t want to be late. From me to you my readers/followers they (the Police Officers) have done something wrong to me. They humiliated me in public, they stopped me from heading to my appointment, they harassed me to the point where I could barely think straight, and they embarrassed me in front of neighbors in my community; leading them to think that I was a criminal of some sort. I think that these officers should be reprimanded and retrained.

I recall when I was very young that there were times that a police officer would not pay any attention to me (especially in my community), even if I really needed their help. Don’t get me wrong they (the police) would pay attention to me but, only if it helped them. That’s when I was a kid but, now I am a grown man, an adult. It seems that nothing has changed!!! If I truly needed help from the Police Department (then and even now) it’s a toss up (heads that they will come, tails that they will take their time getting to me) but, that’s me. (Whatever reason that they give it will be accepted by those higher up); I was not the only person and, I am not the only person treated in such a special way by these sentinels. Yet, I cannot help but to think, hmmm! As a young man I thought it very odd, very strange; as the days, months and the years continue to pass I see more of the same type of non caring from people who are supposed to be in a position of authority. So, I have come to believe that although these people are placed in a position of authority (to watch over and protect people), they are now and have always been a gang. Basically, if you really weigh the PROS and the CONS their rules are the same, only they have the law on their side. I really have to say that my neighborhood has become gentrified in the last few years and nothing like this had happened to me prior to the gentrification so I am going to call it like I see it – I was a victim of racial profiling. Let me state here and now that NOT ALL OF THE MEN AND WOMEN IN BLUE ARE SELFISH but, there are not many in my book. THAT’S THE STORY BEHIND THE NEWS!

I’d just like to add that this same incident happened to (and keeps happening) Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. on July 20, 2009, of last year. See below:

Harvard professor Gates arrested at Cambridge home: Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., one of the nation's pre-eminent African-American scholars, was arrested Thursday afternoon at his home by Cambridge police investigating a possible break-in. The incident raised concerns among some Harvard faculty that Gates was a victim of racial profiling. Police arrived at Gates’s Ware Street home near Harvard Square at 12:44 p.m. to question him. Gates, director of the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research at Harvard, had trouble unlocking his door after it became jammed. He was booked for disorderly conduct after “exhibiting loud and tumultuous behavior,” according to a police report. Gates accused the investigating officer of being a racist and told him he had "no idea who he was messing with,'' the report said. Gates told the officer that he was being targeted because "I'm a black man in America.'' Friends of Gates said he was already in his home when police arrived. He showed his driver’s license and Harvard identification card, but was handcuffed and taken into police custody for several hours last Thursday, they said. The police report said Gates was arrested after he yelled at the investigating officer repeatedly inside the residence then followed the officer outside, where Gates continued to upbraid him. "It was at that time that I informed Professor Gates that he was under arrest,'' the officer wrote in the report. Gates, 58, declined to comment today when reached by phone. The arrest of such a prominent scholar under what some described as dubious circumstances shook some members of the black Harvard community. “He and I both raised the question of if he had been a white professor, whether this kind of thing would have happened to him, that they arrested him without any corroborating evidence,” said S. Allen Counter, a Harvard Medical School professor who spoke with Gates about the incident Friday. “I am deeply concerned about the way he was treated, and called him to express my deepest sadness and sympathy.” Counter, who had called Gates from the Nobel Institute in Sweden, where Counter is on sabbatical, said that Gates was “shaken” and “horrified” by his arrest. Counter has faced a similar situation himself. The well-known neuroscience professor, who is also black, was stopped by two Harvard police officers in 2004 after being mistaken for a robbery suspect as he crossed Harvard Yard. They threatened to arrest him when he could not produce identification. That incident was among several that ignited criticism from black students and faculty, highlighting the prejudices that many black students say they continue to face at Harvard. “This is very disturbing that this could happen to anyone, and not just to a person of such distinction,” Counter said. “He was just shocked that this had happened, at 12:44 in the afternoon, in broad daylight. It brings up the question of whether black males are being targeted by Cambridge police for harassment.” Cambridge police would not comment on the arrest, citing an investigation into the incident by Middlesex District Attorney Gerard T. Leone Jr. A spokesman for Leone said Gates is scheduled to be arraigned on Aug. 26 and said the office could not provide details on the arrest until that time. Gates is being represented by Harvard Law School professor Charles Ogletree, who has taken on previous cases with racial implications. THAT’S THE STORY BEHIND THE NEWS!

Take It With A Gain Of Salt

Reputation is character minus what you’ve been caught doing.

-Michael Iapoce

Suicide Prompts Bullying Charges

9 charged with bullying Mass. teen who killed self: NORTHAMPTON, Mass. -- Insults and threats followed 15-year-old Phoebe Prince almost from her first day at South Hadley High School, targeting the Irish immigrant in the halls, library and in vicious cell phone text messages. Phoebe, ostracized for having a brief relationship with a popular boy, reached her breaking point and hanged herself after one particularly hellish day in January _ a day that, according to officials, included being hounded with slurs and pelted with a beverage container as she walked home from school. Now, nine teenagers face charges in what a prosecutor called "unrelenting" bullying, including two teen boys charged with statutory rape and a clique of girls charged with stalking, criminal harassment and violating Phoebe's civil rights. School officials won't be charged, even though authorities say they knew about the bullying and that Phoebe's mother brought her concerns to at least two of them. Northwestern District Attorney Elizabeth Scheibel, who announced the charges Monday, said the events before Phoebe's death on Jan. 14 were "the culmination of a nearly three-month campaign of verbally assaultive behavior and threats of physical harm" widely known among the student body. "The investigation revealed relentless activity directed toward Phoebe, designed to humiliate her and to make it impossible for her to remain at school," Scheibel said. "The bullying, for her, became intolerable." Scheibel said the case is still under investigation and that one other person could be charged. It wasn't immediately known Monday whether the teens who have been charged have attorneys. Scheibel said the harassment began in September, occurring primarily in school and in person, although some of it surfaced on Facebook and in other electronic forms. At least four students and two faculty members intervened to try to stop it or report it to administrators, she said. Schiebel refused to discuss the circumstances of the rape charges. No school officials are being charged because they had "a lack of understanding of harassment associated with teen dating relationships," and the school's code of conduct was interpreted and enforced in an "inconsistent" way, Scheibel said. "Nevertheless, the actions _ or inactions _ of some adults at the school are troublesome," she said. A message seeking comment was left Monday for South Hadley Schools Superintendent Gus A. Sayer. Phoebe was born in Bedford, England and moved to County Clare, Ireland, when she was 2. She moved last summer to South Hadley, home to Mount Holyoke College, because the family had relatives there. Her family has since moved away and could not immediately be located for comment. Scheibel spoke for them at a news conference to announce the charges. "The Prince family has asked that the public refrain from vigilantism in favor of allowing the judicial system an opportunity to provide a measure of justice for Phoebe," she said. Some students accused of participating in the bullying have been disciplined by the school and will not be returning to classes. The Massachusetts Legislature cited Prince's death and the apparent suicide of 11-year-old Carl Walker-Hoover of Springfield last year when members passed anti-bullying legislation earlier this month. South Hadley is among several college towns in western Massachusetts that pride themselves on their urbane cultural offerings, good schools and safe streets. After Phoebe's death, the community formed an anti-bullying task force that drew more than 400 people to its first meeting in February. Robert Judge, a South Hadley selectman and task force member, said hundreds of people have become involved in hope that something good comes from the incident. "Like most towns, we like to think of ourselves as a good place to live, and then this happens and your reputation is sullied nationally and even internationally, and people look at you differently, and they make assumptions," Judge said. Scheibel said the teens will be issued summonses to appear in court on yet-undetermined dates. The teens who face criminal charges under the indictments announced Monday are: Sean Mulveyhill, 17, of South Hadley. Charged with statutory rape, violation of civil rights resulting in bodily injury, criminal harassment and disturbance of a school assembly. A woman who answered the phone at his home Monday would not identify herself and told The Associated Press, "You don't know the full story." Kayla Narey, 17, of South Hadley. Charged with violation of civil rights resulting in bodily injury, criminal harassment and disturbance of a school assembly. A message left at a number listed to a Narey family was not immediately returned; another line was out of service. Austin Renaud, 18, of Springfield. Charged with statutory rape. A telephone number could not immediately be found. Ashley Longe, 16, of South Hadley. Charged as a youthful offender with violation of civil rights resulting in bodily injury. A telephone number could not immediately be found. Sharon Chanon Velazquez, 16, of South Hadley. Charged as a youthful offender with stalking and violation of civil rights resulting in bodily injury. There was no telephone listing. Flannery Mullins, 16, of South Hadley. Charged as a youthful offender with stalking and violation of civil rights resulting in bodily injury. A message left at a Mullins home was not immediately returned. Three 16-year-old South Hadley girls, whose names were not released, face delinquency charges that include the civil rights offense, criminal harassment and disturbance of a school assembly.

Ricky Martin Says He's Gay

Ricky Martin is livin' la vida open, says he's gay: NEW YORK— Ricky Martin is no longer denying the rumors: He's gay. In a statement posted via Twitter in both Spanish and English, and later confirmed with his representative, Martin said: "I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man. I am very blessed to be who I am." For many, Monday's announcement will come as no surprise; the "Livin' La Vida Loca" singer's sexuality has been speculated about for years. But the Puerto Rican star, who got his start as a child in the teen group Menudo, never directly addressed it and was usually seen at events with beautiful women on his arm. Martin, 38, said he decided to reveal the truth after working on his memoirs helped him realize that he had to be free with himself, and not keep any more secrets. "From the moment I wrote the first phrase I was sure the book was the tool that was going to help me free myself from things I was carrying within me for a long time. Things that were too heavy for me to keep inside," he said. "Writing this account of my life, I got very close to my truth. And this is something worth celebrating." Martin said one of the reasons why he kept his homosexuality hidden was because he was told by some that it would hurt his career. While his U.S. career peaked after the release of his 1999 self-titled English album, a multiplatinum success that included the hits "Livin' La Vida Loca" and "Shake Your Bon-Bon," he is still a hugely successful Latin artist. "Because all this advice came from people who I love dearly, I decided to move on with my life not sharing with the world my entire truth," he said in his statement. "Allowing myself to be seduced by fear and insecurity became a self-fulfilling prophecy of sabotage. Today I take full responsibility for my decisions and my actions." Martin, who is the father of two boys born via surrogate in 2008, said he couldn't continue to hide his sexuality now that he is a father: "Enough is enough. This has to change." Martin's book is still a work in progress.

McCain Reunion's Awkward Side

McCain-Palin Reunion Has Awkward Side: Despite being his running mate, John McCain is not Sarah Palin's usual cup of tea. The former vice-presidential candidate came out in support of the Arizona senator's re-election campaign despite being an icon for the Tea Party movement he's running against. Can Palin balance these conflicting obligations? Find out from the senator's daughter, Megan McCain, as she shares her thoughts on Sarah Palin, the Tea Party, and the future of the Republican Party.

Brooklyn Building Collapses; Multiple Injuries Reported

Brooklyn Building Collapse Injures Three: At least three construction workers were hurt Monday afternoon following the partial collapse of a three-story building in Brooklyn. Police say it happened at 36 Conselyea Street in Williamsburg just before 2 p.m. The fire department says one of those involved has what could be a life-threatening injury. All four were taken to local hospitals for treatment. "Just a big boom of smoke, you couldn't see anything. These two buildings disappeared, the rubble and debris from falling smoked up the dust it was pretty scary," said one witness. "I was mostly worried I was hoping we weren't doing more harm then good because he was standing vertically like this...if we were to step in the wrong place that could add more pressure to the rubble and do something terrible," said another witness. "We were trying to stay out of harms way but also help straighten the bricks off." The Department of Buildings website says a complaint was filed about the building on February 4th. However, inspectors were not able to gain access inside. The cause of the collapse is under investigation.

A To Z - Dynamic City Unlimited = WWW.DCUNY.COM

I feel safe while shopping or just browsing the websites of Dynamic City Unlimited “The Mall that never closes!” Offering free Delivery right to your home! Some restrictions apply.

Make Sure That You’re A Good Example

If you can’t be a good example, then you’ll just have to be a horrible warning.

-Catherine Aird

Expect Shortage Of Primary Doctors

Health overhaul likely to strain doctor shortage: WASHINGTON— Better beat the crowd and find a doctor. Primary care physicians already are in short supply in parts of the country, and the landmark health overhaul that will bring them millions more newly insured patients in the next few years promises extra strain. The new law goes beyond offering coverage to the uninsured, with steps to improve the quality of care for the average person and help keep us well instead of today's seek-care-after-you're-sick culture. To benefit, you'll need a regular health provider. Yet recently published reports predict a shortfall of roughly 40,000 primary care doctors over the next decade, a field losing out to the better pay, better hours and higher profile of many other specialties. Provisions in the new law aim to start reversing that tide, from bonus payments for certain physicians to expanded community health centers that will pick up some of the slack. A growing movement to change how primary care is practiced may do more to help with the influx. Instead of the traditional 10-minutes-with-the-doc-style office, a "medical home" would enhance access with a doctor-led team of nurses, physician assistants and disease educators working together; these teams could see more people while giving extra attention to those who need it most. "A lot of things can be done in the team fashion where you don't need the patient to see the physician every three months," says Dr. Sam Jones of Fairfax Family Practice Centers, a large Virginia group of 10 primary care offices outside the nation's capital that is morphing into this medical home model. "We think it's the right thing to do. We were going to do this regardless of what happens with health care reform," adds Jones. His office, in affiliation with Virginia Commonwealth University, also provides hands-on residency training to beginning doctors in this kind of care. Only 30 percent of U.S. doctors practice primary care. The government says 65 million people live in areas designated as having a shortage of primary care physicians, places already in need of more than 16,600 additional providers to fill the gaps. Among other steps, the new law provides a 10 percent bonus from Medicare for primary care doctors serving in those areas. Massachusetts offers a snapshot of how giving more people insurance naturally drives demand. The Massachusetts Medical Society last fall reported just over half of internists and 40 percent of family and general practitioners weren't accepting new patients, an increase in recent years as the state implemented nearly universal coverage. Nationally, the big surge for primary care won't start until 2014, when the bulk of the 32 million uninsured starts coming online. Sooner will come some catch-up demand, as group health plans and Medicare end co-payments for important preventive care measures such as colon cancer screenings or cholesterol checks. Even the insured increasingly put off such steps as the economy worsened, meaning doctors may see a blip in diagnoses as those people return, says Dr. Lori Heim, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians. That's one of the first steps in the new law's emphasis on wellness care over sickness care, with policies that encourage trying programs like the "patient-centered medical home" that Jones' practice is putting in place in suburban Virginia. It's not easy to switch from the reactive _ "George, it's your first visit to check your diabetes in two years!" _ to the proactive approach of getting George in on time. First Jones' practice adopted an electronic medical record, to keep patients' information up to date and help them coordinate necessary specialist visits while decreasing redundancies. Then came a patient registry so the team can start tracking who needs what testing or follow-up and make sure patients get it on time. Rolling out next is a custom Web-based service named My Preventive Care that lets the practice's patients link to their electronic medical record, answer some lifestyle and risk questions, and receive an individually tailored list of wellness steps to consider. Say Don's cholesterol test, scheduled after his yearly checkup, came back borderline high. That new lab result will show up, with discussion of diet, exercise and medication options to lower it in light of his other risk factors. He might try some on his own, or call up the doctor _ who also gets an electronic copy _ for a more in-depth discussion. "It prevents things from falling through the cracks," says Dr. Alex Krist, a Fairfax Family Practice physician and VCU associate professor who designed and tested the computer program with a $1.2 million federal grant. In a small study of test-users, preventive services such as cancer screenings and cholesterol checks increased between 3 percent and 12 percent. Pilot tests of medical homes, through the American Academy of Family Physicians and Medicare, are under way around the country. Initial results suggest they can improve quality, but it's not clear if they save money. Primary care can't do it alone. Broader changes are needed to decrease the financial incentives that spur too much specialist-driven care, says Dr. David Goodman of the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice. "What we need is not just a medical home, but a medical neighborhood."

Final Four Is All Set

Duke, Coach K back in Final Four: HOUSTON— Mike Krzyzewski insisted all along the drought didn't bother him. Sure, he hadn't been to a Final Four since 2004. But there was no need to put extra pressure on this Duke team just because the last five fell short. Hey, Coach K, look who's chasing another national championship. Duke restored some order to a topsy-turvy NCAA tournament on Sunday, getting a career-high 29 points from Nolan Smith in a 78-71 victory over Baylor that put Krzyzewski and the Blue Devils back in college basketball's biggest event. "It's not about the moments that I've been in, it's the moments that your players put you in right now," Krzyzewski said. "I'm really happy for this group. ... It's as close a team as I've had. You want great things to happen for people who are great with us." Jon Scheyer added five 3-pointers and scored 20 for Duke, ending Baylor's run to redemption in the South Regional final. The Blue Devils became the only No. 1 seed to advance to Indianapolis and earned their 11th Final Four berth under Krzyzewski. "I don't know if it's a relief, but it's nice that no one can say anymore that we haven't been to a Final Four in so many years," Kyle Singler said. Now, Singler and his teammates get the chance at a championship that every player who goes through the program expects to have. "I don't know that it's fully hit me," said Scheyer, one of the three Duke seniors. "I'm sure after the year I'll have a better appreciation. But right now, I'm just ecstatic." Smith hit the tiebreaking 3 with 3:33 remaining immediately after missing a free throw. Senior forward Lance Thomas grabbed the rebound _ one of Duke's 17 offensive boards after halftime. "I can't put it into words," Thomas said. "It took us four years to get here and we're not done yet." The Blue Devils will play East Regional champion West Virginia in the national semifinals Saturday night. They have won 11 of their last 12 regional finals under Krzyzewski, but haven't won a national title since 2001. Coach K made his first Final Four with Duke in 1986 and hadn't had a gap this long between trips. To end the drought, Duke had to win at Reliant Stadium _ only 3 1/2 hours from Baylor's campus. Most of the crowd of 47,492 was dressed in the green and gold of the Bears. "We played against a great team," Krzyzewski said. "It was such a well-played game, and we were fortunate to win." Smith and Scheyer helped the Blue Devils (33-5) offset a poor game from Singler, who was 0 for 10 from the field and made only five free throws. It was the first time in his college career the junior forward failed to hit a field goal. LaceDarius Dunn had 22 points and Ekpe Udoh scored 18 for the third-seeded Bears (28-8), whose program was in shambles when coach Scott Drew took over in the wake of murder and scandal less than seven years ago. Drew took the Bears from tatters to the cusp of their first Final Four appearance in 60 years. After three consecutive 20-win seasons and an inspiring postseason run, maybe Baylor can be recognized more for its success now than the tragic summer of 2003 that is finally starting to feel like a long time ago. "I really hope so and I really feel it has," Drew said, his voice quivering. "I do really want to thank all the fans in the state of Texas." After tying the game for the 12th time on a free throw with 3:36 left, Smith missed his second attempt. But Thomas grabbed one of his nine rebounds and quickly passed the ball right back to Smith, who hit a 3-pointer from the right wing to put Duke up 64-61. Scheyer then extended the lead to six with his fifth 3-pointer. "Those two 3s in a row, by Nolan and then Jon, those were big-time plays," Krzyzewski said. "The big guys kicked it out and those are the best 3s to take." And the long-range shots were the best for Duke against Baylor's tenacious zone defense featuring a combination of a 7-footer and a pair of 6-10 players. The Blue Devils made 11 of 23 3-pointers (48 percent) _ and shot only 11 of 38 from inside the arc. But they didn't need a miracle shot on the 18th anniversary of Christian Laettner's game-winner against Kentucky in the 1992 tournament. With Baylor desperately trying to get the ball back after a turnover by Tweety Carter, there was a scuffle by the sideline following a whistle and Quincy Acy was called for a technical foul. Scheyer hit both free throws, pushing the lead to 10 with 1:19 left. The fairy-tale ending wasn't meant to be for the Bears _ at least this year. "It's not over for this program. It was a great season," said Dunn, the junior guard who had obviously shed tears before the postgame interview. "Teammates should hold their head up high and be proud of the things we accomplished this year." Carter and Acy had 12 points each for Baylor. Udoh had 10 rebounds, six assists and five blocks. Drew was 32 when he was hired and had been a head coach only one season, winning 20 games at Valparaiso after nine years there as his father's assistant. He had to rebuild in the powerful Big 12 with reduced scholarships and a roster decimated by the transfers of the top three scorers after that tragic summer in 2003 when Patrick Dennehy was shot to death by a teammate. Baylor made it to the NCAA tournament two years ago, when it lost in the first round to Purdue, and to the NIT championship game last April. The Bears were picked 10th in the preseason poll by the Big 12 coaches at the beginning of this season after losing three 1,000-point scorers to graduation. But they were the last Big 12 team still playing. After Dunn darted through traffic for a layup and then made two free throws, the Bears were up 57-54 with just under 6 minutes left. Their lead didn't last long. Scheyer missed a 3-pointer, but Mason Plumlee got the rebound and threw the ball right back to the senior guard _ who hit from about 25 feet to tie it.

Archbishop Defends Pope's Handling Of Sex Abuse Claims

Archbishop Timothy Dolan defended the Pope's handling of the recent sex-abuse scandal, which has rocked the Catholic Church. At the end of Palm Sunday Mass at Saint Patrick's Cathedral, the archbishop condemned the alleged abuse of minors by priests in Ireland and Germany, saying it intensified the somber nature of Holy Week. Dolan also criticized suggestions that Pope Benedict did not come out more strongly against the abuse or somehow aided in coverups. "What deepens the sadness now is the unrelenting insinuations against the Holy Father himself, as certain sources seem frenzied to implicate the man who, perhaps more than anyone else has been the leader in purification, reform, and renewal that the Church so needs," Dolan said. Most of the parishioners NY1 spoke with applauded the archbishop's remarks. "Short, straight, right to the point, said what he needed to say, I was very touched by it. It was just what the congregation and the Catholic Church, everyone needed to hear," said one parishioner. "I think it's a speech I'd like to see some of the bishops in Ireland saying in masses. I think it got to the point, very much so," said another parishioner. "They shouldn't have been made in church. There's a place and time for everything, but not inside of a church," said a third. Dolan urged the congregation to pray for the Pope, who he said was suffering some of the same unjust accusations once faced by Jesus.

Where Home Prices Are Rising

Where housing markets are set to recover: Home values in most of the nation’s metro areas look stagnant — except for these places.
Where Homes Prices Are Rising: The drama is nearly over. After a decade of extremes—the ebullient highs of the real estate boom, then the devastating lows of the bust—calmer forces are beginning to prevail in the housing market. The big fall-off in home values, which has taken the median price of a house down almost 30% since 2006, looks to be in its final stages in most places: Three-quarters of the nation’s 384 metropolitan areas will see prices down less than 5% a year from now, according to projections from Fiserv and Moody’s Economy.com; 10% seem poised for modest increases. Meanwhile, Uncle Sam is lending a steadying hand with programs designed to prop up the market — at least for a while yet. In this quieter environment lie new challenges and opportunities for homebuyers, sellers, owners, and investors. For the first time in years you aren’t completely at the mercy of market forces: You can really affect how much you make (or lose). To come out on top, though, you need to understand the key trends shaping the shifting market. You’ll find them outlined below.

1. Santa Rosa, CA: Home price forecast (1 year):* 6.0% - Many cities close to the Bay Area saw a huge run-up in home prices during the boom as real estate buyers branched out to less expensive markets. Santa Rosa, the largest city in northern California's wine country, was no exception: Prices grew more than 121% from 2000 to the early 2006 peak. They've since plunged more than 45%. But forecasts show the decline is over and Santa Rosa prices will gain 6% this year, more than any other U.S. city.

2. Cheyenne, WY: Home price forecast (1 year):* 4.7% - The city has attracted some new employers in recent years, giving the local economy a boost. Cheyenne's job market is also tied to the city's status as state capital, which has kept area unemployment below the national rate. Cheyenne was one of the few metro areas that recorded home price gains in the past three years, and population growth should help drive up home prices further. The number of city residents jumped by double digits during the 2000s and will probably do so again in the coming decade. That will provide a steady demand for housing, and prices are projected to grow by about 5.5% through 2012.

3. Kennewick, WA: Home price forecast (1 year):* 4.6% - This small metro area may share the same state with Seattle and Tacoma but it's an entirely different world on the eastern side of the Cascades. Kennewick is in the rain shadow of the mountains and geographically has more in common with dry, southwestern Idaho than the rainy Washington coast. Employment has remained strong here. Median income is more than $61,000 while home prices, a median of $172,000, and other expenses remain low. The cost of living is about 27% lower than Seattle. That should keep housing markets on their steady uphill climb.

4. Merced, CA: Home price forecast (1 year):* 4.4% - Many industry observers may be surprised to find Merced on the list of cities where prices are forecast to grow this year. The Central Valley area is still being battered by brutally high foreclosure rates: One home in 10 received a foreclosure filing last year. Unemployment is also extremely elevated, a 19.8% rate in December. Perhaps home prices have fallen as far as they can go; they've dropped a whopping 73% from their 2006 high, including more than 22% last year. The median home sold for $113,000 in 2009, an affordable 2.4 times the median household income.

5. Fairbanks, AK: Home price forecast (1 year):* 4.2% - Fairbanks is a boom and bust city at the end of the road in America's Last Frontier. The economy often depends on government -- especially military contracts -- and the volatile oil industry. But the area's unemployment rate has remained a bit lower than the national average, 8.3% in December. And wages tend to be high -- as are living expenses. The city has a rapidly expanding population putting housing in short supply and contributing to projections of accelerating home prices over the next couple of years.

5. Bremerton, WA: Home price forecast (1 year):* 4.2% - Home prices rose quite steeply here during the boom years, gaining about 110% between 2000 and 2007 and have declined only modestly since then, down 18% from their peak. But the city and its suburbs, nestled around the Puget Sound, have limited open land for building new homes, which props up resale prices. Plus employment is strong: The metro area's unemployment rate was 7.6% in December, well below the national average. As a result, homebuyers will propel prices above the current $255,000 median in 2010, with a tepid, but significant, 4.2% increase predicted.

7. Corvallis, OR: Home price forecast (1 year):* 4.1% - Corvallis is a college town, home to the 150-year-old Oregon State University, one of the area's major employers and a stable source of jobs. The steady supply of college-educated residents has attracted high-paying jobs in the tech, pharmaceutical and health care industries. Unemployment of 7.1% is low and the median household income is high at $68,000. Homes have kept their values well, falling only 6.3% from their peak. That has set the stage for the city to resume its steady growth and a 4.1% price gain is projected in 2010.

8. Tacoma, WA: Home price forecast (1 year):* 3.9% - Tacoma's downtown has gone through a revival over the past few decades, and its metro area lies within striking distance of some of the most spectacular scenery in the Pacific Northwest, including the Puget Sound, Mount Rainier and Olympia National Park.Still, the local housing market has lost more value since its peak than did nearby Seattle. It did, however, outperform the nation as a whole. Careful growth policies that Washington has urged its cities to pursue will help boost prices in Tacoma. The city is projected to keep growing, with an annualized gain of 3.9% through 2011.

I Need? Dynamic City Unlimited = WWW.DCUNY.COM

Just when I thought that I could not find it I found Dynamic City Unlimited “The Mall that never closes!” Offering free Delivery right to your home! Some restrictions apply.

Knowledge Requires Effort

Be curious always! For knowledge will not acquire you: you must acquire it.

-Sudie Back

Auto Worries Not Just in U.S.

Car fire raises safety concerns for Tata Motors: MUMBAI, India— When it was launched less than a year ago, the $2,500 Tata Nano was promoted as a safe, ultra-cheap car for poor Indians, an alternative to the motorbikes that zoom precariously around the country. New questions about the safety of the pint-sized auto are being raised, however, after one of them burst into flames Sunday as it was being driven home from the showroom. Software engineer Satish Sawant, his wife and 5-year-old son escaped from the silver Tata Nano _ which still bore a celebratory garland of marigolds on the front hood _ before the tiny car was engulfed by fire. A chauffeur initially was at the wheel, but Sawant said he had taken over driving before the fire broke out. Tata has offered Sawant a replacement Nano or a refund. "My wife now doesn't want to buy any car," Sawant said by phone from his home in northern Mumbai on Thursday. "She doesn't even want to go for a Mercedes." His ordeal showed just the latest problem with the low-cost Nano as Tata Motors sets its sights on global expansion and aims to ramp up production of the car with a new factory next month. Tata Motors spokesman Debasis Ray said the company is investigating the cause of the fire. Although Ray said the automaker believed it was "a one-off, stray incident," he also said he did not know how the blaze began. "It did catch fire. We're trying to figure out what may have caused it," Ray said. Last fall, three customers in India complained that their Nanos started smoking, but Ray said Thursday the incidents are not related to this week's fire. Tata Motors attributed those to a faulty electrical switch and said it had changed suppliers and done additional tests to rule out a recall or redesign. The switch problem, he said, "has been comprehensively addressed." "Safety has never been an issue with Tata cars," Ray added. "They are one of the safest cars on Indian roads." The Nano has gotten rave reviews and awards, but some say the smoke and fire problems are symptomatic of pervasive quality control issues at India's No. 3 carmaker. The Nano was meant to bring automobile ownership to the impoverished masses _ first in India but eventually around the world _ by offering a safe car to people who couldn't otherwise afford one. Ratan Tata, who heads the Tata Group empire, has said he conceived of the idea for a "people's car" after seeing entire families crammed precariously on motorbikes. He decided they deserved a safer, all-weather transport option. The four-seater can travel up to 65 mph (105 kph) and gets 55.5 miles to the gallon (23.6 kilometers per liter). The Nano does not have air bags or antilock brakes _ neither of which is required in India _ and air conditioning and power windows are extra. It has as few moving parts as possible. There's only one windshield wiper, one side mirror and the headrests aren't adjustable. The dinner-plate-sized wheels have three bolts rather than four. The tiny trunk doesn't open; you access it from the inside, behind the rear seats. There are four gears, plus reverse. The dashboard of the base model has only a speedometer, an odometer and a fuel gauge. Tata Motors, which also owns Jaguar and Land Rover, plans to start selling versions of the Nano in Europe in 2011, and later in the U.S. "As of today, is Tata good enough to take on the world? I would say no," said Deepesh Rathore, an auto analyst at IHS Global Insight in New Delhi. "On quality standards, Tata barely makes the cut." There are fewer than 30,000 Nanos on the road today, which means that on a percentage basis, the problem rate is fairly high, he said. "The Nano is a wonderful product, but these incidents really tarnish the image of the car as well as the company," Rathore said. "This is the time for Tata to have a deep look at quality." He said the company recently made a step in the right direction, hiring Carl-Peter Forster, former head of General Motors in Europe, as group chief executive. "They've got a guy running the show now who knows how the industry should work," he said. "How soon will the effects be seen across the Tata product range? Well, that will take time."

Wild Night At the Dance

Pullen's key 3 helps K-State advance to round of 8: SALT LAKE CITY— Long after the jump shots stop falling and their ballyhooed beards go gray, Kansas State players will look back on this game as one of the best they ever played. Same for the guys at Xavier, hard as it was to appreciate after a heartbreaker like that. Jacob Pullen _ the guard who brought the phrase "Fear the Beard" to the Little Apple _ hit a pair of 3-pointers in the second overtime to help K-State outlast Xavier 101-96 on Thursday night in the West Regional semifinals. An instant classic. "It was two teams that didn't want their season to end," said Pullen, who finished with 28 points. It added yet another dramatic chapter to an NCAA tournament that has already been crazy. This was the fifth game to go to overtime _ and the second that went to double OT. After knocking off one so called mid-major, the second-seeded Wildcats (29-7) will play another _ fifth-seeded Butler _ on Saturday to try to make their first Final Four since 1964. This is the first time Kansas State has made it this far since 1988. The sixth-seeded Musketeers (26-9) were seeking their third trip to the regional finals in seven years. They missed, just barely, but it was hard to call anyone a loser on this night. "As good a game as I've ever coached or been a part of," coach Chris Mack said. Trailing by three at the end of regulation, Xavier's Terrell Holloway got fouled while heaving up a 30-footer with 5 seconds left and calmly made all three free throws. Xavier was down by three again at the end of the first overtime, but Jordan Crawford jacked up a 35-footer that hit nothing but net. "It was just one of those moments," Pullen said. One that certainly belongs on YouTube, right beside Crawford's dunk on LeBron James, for sure. But for Kansas State, this victory might land in a more permanent archive. It was the next great moment in a season that took on its own personality in January, when Pullen decided to let the beard he grows along his jaw turn into something Abe Lincoln could love _ and the K-State administration went along with it, passing out fake beards to fans who came to Bramlage Coliseum. Now, the whole team has facial hair and fans wear T-shirts that say "Fear the Beard." Only entertaining if the team plays well, and at this point, there's no arguing that. "Real proud of our guys to find the courage and character to figure out a way to overcome some of our mistakes and some of the shots that Xavier made," K-State coach Frank Martin said. With Pullen slowed down and in foul trouble, Denis Clemente kept Kansas State in it, scoring 21 of his 25 points in the second half. It looked as though Kansas State had it wrapped up when Pullen made a 3-pointer and two clutch free throws late in regulation to help the Wildcats take a pair of three-point leads. "It was an emotional roller-coaster," Pullen said. "I hit a shot at the end of the game, I'm thinking, `That's game. That's the nail in the coffin.'" Xavier still had 9.7 seconds left, though, and needed to go the length of the court and make a 3-pointer. Martin called on the familiar strategy of trying to foul before a Xavier player could take the shot. Clemente and Chris Merriewether were hacking away at Holloway (26 points), but no whistle came _ until Holloway, feeling the slaps, heaved up a shot from 30 feet and got the whistle with 5 seconds left. Hit all three free throws _ and the first overtime was on. "Denis tried to foul beforehand, but the ref didn't see it," Pullen said. "And then Chris went to foul again, and Holloway made a smart play and put the ball up." K-State's inside team of Curtis Kelly (21 points) and Jamar Samuels (14) did most of the damage in the first OT to make it 87-84 with 18.1 seconds left. But, proving that no three-point lead is safe against Xavier, Crawford spotted up from 35 and made it to force the decisive OT. The sophomore finished with a career-high 32 points. "When you make a couple of them shots, you do kind of start to think that it's meant to be," Crawford said. "Unfortunately, it didn't happen that way." Xavier led 93-91 with 1:23 left in the second overtime. Exhausted and in foul trouble, the Musketeers had no answer for Pullen at the end. He hit an open 3 from the top of the key for a 94-93 lead with 1:09 left. Jason Love made one of two free throws on the next possession, then Pullen hit the next 3 to make it 97-94. Pullen and Clemente then combined for four straight free throws over the last 24 seconds to ice the game. When it was finally over, K-State fans, who made the 1,000-mile trip from Manhattan, Kan., chanted "K-S-U! K-S-U!" Love stood near the foul line and drooped his head _ dispirited and exhausted, certainly taking little consolation that he was part of an instant classic. A game that nonetheless featured 53 fouls, as the refs tried to gain control of a meeting between opponents who were playing for the fourth time in four seasons. The first three were brutal contests that weren't particularly close or fun to watch. The fourth one _ a masterpiece, especially for Pullen, who played 40 minutes, and Clemente, who played 48 and has less than 48 hours to get ready for Butler. "I expected it to be a hard-fought game. I didn't expect it to be like this," Martin said. "But they were phenomenal. And our guys were pretty good, too."

Movie Legend On Death Bed?

Divorce attorney says Dennis Hopper is dying: LOS ANGELES— Dennis Hopper is terminally ill and unable to undergo chemotherapy as he battles prostate cancer, his attorney wrote in a court filing. Attorney Joseph Mannis wrote about the "Easy Rider" star's grave condition in a declaration filed Wednesday asserting the actor cannot be questioned by his wife's attorneys in a deposition. The prognosis contradicts previous filings in the divorce proceedings that were bullish about Hopper's recovery chances. Hopper, 73, and his wife, Victoria, have been locked in a bitter feud since the actor, director and artist filed to end the couple's nearly 14-year marriage in January. He weighs barely 100 pounds and was described by his physician Dr. David Agus in the court filing as extremely weak and unable to carry on long conversations. Agus states that undergoing a deposition "could actually threaten his ability to survive his current health crisis." The doctor added, however, that he approved an appearance Friday by Hopper to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame because it is likely to be a positive experience. A phone message seeking comment from Victoria Hopper's attorney, Sorrell Trope, was not immediately returned. Mannis did not return a call seeking further comment. Hopper filed a declaration last month saying he was undergoing promising chemotherapy treatments and remained hopeful "that this treatment will be successful so that I may soon resume the full enjoyment of my life and work." Dennis and Victoria Hopper have agreed to stay 10 feet away from each other while the divorce is ongoing. She has stated in court filings that Hopper filed for divorce to cut her out of her inheritance, a claim the actor has denied. The case is scheduled for a court hearing on April 5.

Bloomberg, Clinton Attend UFT Bash

An all-star cast of New York politicians came out Thursday night to speak at the 50th anniversary celebration of the city's teachers union. Speakers at the Midtown event included New York State Lieutenant Governor Richard Ravitch, National Teacher's Union President Randi Weingarten and former U.S. President Bill Clinton whom the union gave a check to for $100,000 for his work in Haiti. "There's not a person alive today who's ever made anything of herself or himself that cannot point to somewhere between one and a dozen teachers without whom they would not have been made," Clinton said. Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who often clashes with the union, was greeted with both cheers and boos as he stepped up to the podium. The heckling grew loudest when the mayor mentioned Schools Chancellor Joel Klein, who was sitting in the front row. "Some of you cheer, some of you boo," said the mayor. "But the bottom line is in the last eight years we've made together some amazing progress and our children are the beneficiaries and you should be very proud and so am I." The mayor did get some jokes in, saying the union president told him to put the coyote trapped in TriBeCa in one of those so-called rubber rooms for teacher's accused of wrongdoing. The infamous rubber rooms are one of the sticking points in the stalled contract negotiations between the city and the union. Many in attendance acknowledged the city and the teacher's union still have a lot to iron out after the party is over. "If someone tries to say the unions are causing a problem to the system I want you to say without our great union there wouldn't be a system," said Former UFT Vice President Frank Carucci. More than 3,000 of the union's 167,000 members attended the dinner.

At Your Service! Dynamic City Unlimited = WWW.DCUNY.COM

Day or night! Whenever you want or need just reach for your nearest computer and, go to Dynamic City Unlimited “The Mall that never closes!” Offering free Delivery right to your home! Some restrictions apply.

You Have To Look To Create

I do believe it is possible to create, even without ever writing a word or painting a picture, by simply molding ones inner life. And that too is a deed.

-Etty Hillesum

Can Octomom Save Her Home?

Will porn and PETA be octomom's latest saviors?: LOS ANGELES -- Nadya Suleman's octuplets have brought her plenty of fame, but apparently not nearly the fortune she expected when she moved into a house her father agreed to buy last year for more than a half-million dollars. Suleman's father, Ed Doud, has defaulted on a $450,000 balloon payment on that house, mortgage holder Amer Haddadin said Wednesday. He told The Associated Press he plans to file foreclosure papers in court within days if he doesn't get his money. Although Suleman's lawyer, Jeff Czech, said earlier this week his client's father was hoping to work something out, he was blunt when it came to the balloon payment: "Mr. Doud at this moment doesn't have $450,000 to pay off," he said. In a brief e-mail Wednesday, he added that he was negotiating with Haddadin's attorney for more time to refinance. Not that Suleman doesn't have the opportunity to raise the money quickly, although not in ways she would want to. Steven Hirsch, co-chairman of Vivid Entertainment, one of the world's largest purveyors of adult films, announced this week that his company would pay off Suleman's mortgage if she would make a porn film. Hirsch assured it would be, well, as tasteful as those things can be with her input on male co-stars and script. He declined to say whether Suleman had expressed interest in the offer, but Czech indicated she had rejected it out of hand. He did say that Suleman had accepted a much more modest offer from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals -- $5,000 to put a sign in her front yard proclaiming, "Don't Let Your Dog or Cat Become an Octomom. Always Spay or Neuter." As an added incentive, the animal rights organization had said Wednesday it would throw in a month's supply of veggie burgers and veggie hot dogs for Suleman and her 14 children, who range in age from 1 to 8. "No porn. Just Peta. Nadya prefers animals over men," Czech said in an e-mail exchange with The Associated Press. When Suleman's children were born in January 2009 it seemed inconceivable that a little more than a year later she might be scrounging up hot dog offers from an animal rights group. The arrival of the longest-surviving octuplets in history was hailed as a medial miracle and it appeared a joyful public was ready to line up to help raise them, providing free diapers, food and other necessities. There was also talk of book and movie deals and perhaps a reality show along the lines of "Jon & Kate Plus 8." But public opinion quickly turned against her when it was discovered she was a single mother who had conceived eight children by in vitro fertilization when she already had six youngsters to raise. What's more she was unemployed and surviving on a combination of student loans, disability checks for other children and workers' compensation checks for an old back injury. At the time she was also living with her mother whose own home was in foreclosure. Still, she made some money. The European production company, Eyeworks, whose credits include "Breaking Bonaduce" and "The Biggest Loser," signed a deal under which her children would earn nearly $250,000 over a three-year period. Suleman also struck a deal with RadarOnline.com that came to light after the tabloid site was cited by the state labor commissioner for allegedly failing to get the required permits to videotape her children and for filming too many hours a day and too late at night. But she also spent money, too. She's been photographed shopping at expensive stores, getting manicures and working out. Her father bought her current home in La Habra, a bedroom community of 60,000 southeast of Los Angeles, for $565,000, including a $130,000 down payment. Under the terms of the deal, Haddadin said, he was to receive $4,000 in monthly payments, followed by the balloon payment, which was due March 10. Suleman's attorney has said Haddadin failed to disclose several major defects in the home, including one that leaves it susceptible to flooding during rainstorms. "Toys were floating around in the garage," during a recent storm, he said. Haddadin angrily denied there were any problems with the house. "It was in good condition," he said. "I lived there 11 years and we had no problems."

'60s Star Culp Dies

Robert Culp, who starred in `I Spy,' dead at 79: LOS ANGELES— Robert Culp, the actor who teamed with Bill Cosby in the racially groundbreaking TV series "I Spy" and was Bob in the critically acclaimed sex comedy "Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice," died Wednesday after collapsing outside his Hollywood home, his manager said. Culp was 79. Manager Hillard Elkins said the actor was on a walk when he fell. He was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead just before noon. The actor's son was told he died of a heart attack, Elkins said, though police were unsure if the fall was medically related. Los Angeles police Lt. Robert Binder said no foul play was suspected. Binder said a jogger found Culp, who apparently fell and struck his head. "I Spy" greatly advanced the careers of Culp and Cosby and forged a lifelong friendship. Cosby said Wednesday Culp was like an older brother to him. "The first born in every family is always dreaming of the older brother or sister he or she doesn't have, to protect, to be the buffer, provide the wisdom, shoulder the blows and make things right," he said. "Bob was the answer to my dreams."No matter how many mistakes I made on 'I Spy,' he was always there to teach and protect me," Cosby said. Candace Culp, the actor's ex-wife, said she was devastated. "He was a wonderful, creative man who contributed so much to his business, as an actor, as a writer, as a director," she said. Robert Culp lately had been working on writing screenplays, Elkins said. "I Spy," which aired from 1965 to 1968, was a television milestone in more ways than one. Its combination of humor and adventure broke new ground, and it was the first integrated television show to feature a black actor in a starring role. Culp played Kelly Robinson, a spy whose cover was that of an ace tennis player. (In real life, Culp actually was a top-notch tennis player who showed his skills in numerous celebrity tournaments.). Cosby was fellow spy Alexander Scott, whose cover was that of Culp's trainer. The pair traveled the world in the service of the U.S. government. Culp followed "I Spy" with his most prestigious film role, in "Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice." The work of first-time director Paul Mazursky, who also co-wrote the screenplay, lampooned the lifestyles of the sexual revolution of the 1960s. Bob and Carol (Culp and Natalie Wood) introduced wife-swapping to their best friends, Ted and Alice (Elliott Gould and Dyan Cannon). Culp also had starring roles in such films as "The Castaway Cowboy," "Golden Girl," "Turk 182!" and "Big Bad Mama II." His teaming with Cosby, however, was likely his best remembered role. Cosby won Emmys for actor in a leading role all three years that "I Spy" aired, and Culp, who was nominated for the same award each year, said he was never jealous. "I was the proudest man around," he said in a 1977 interview. Both he and Cosby were involved in civil rights causes, and when Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968 the pair traveled to Memphis, Tenn., to join the striking garbage workers King had been organizing. Culp and Cosby also costarred in the 1972 movie "Hickey and Boggs," which Culp also directed. This time they were hard-luck private detectives who encountered multiple deaths. Audiences who had enjoyed the lightheartedness of "I Spy" were disappointed, and the movie flopped at the box office. "His proudest moments were when he was writing and directing 'I Spy' and 'Hickey and Boggs,'" Cosby said. "Bob was meticulous and committed." After years of talking up the idea, they finally re-teamed in 1994 for a two-hour CBS movie, "I Spy Returns." In his first movie role Culp played one of John Kennedy's crew in "PT 109." His first starring TV series, "Trackdown" (1957-1959) was a Western based partly on files of the Texas Rangers. In the 1980s, he starred as an FBI agent in the fantasy "The Greatest American Hero." He remained active in movies and TV. Among his notable later performances was as a U.S. president in 1993's "The Pelican Brief." More recently, he had a recurring role as Patricia Heaton's father in the sitcom "Everybody Loves Raymond" and appeared in such shows as "Robot Chicken," "Chicago Hope" and an episode of "Cosby." Robert Martin Culp, born in 1930 in Oakland, led a peripatetic existence as a college student, attending College of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif., Washington University in St. Louis and San Francisco State College before landing at the University of Washington drama school. Then at age 21, a semester removed from his degree, he moved to New York, where he began landing roles in off-Broadway plays. One of them was in "He Who Gets Slapped." "I saw it in college in Seattle, and I said, `My God, that's my part, that's my part,'" he once told an interviewer. After he won the role in a Greenwich Village production "the floodgates opened," he said. Good reviews and an Obie award led to offers from Hollywood. Culp was married five times, to Nancy Ashe, Elayne Wilner, France Nuyen, Sheila Sullivan and Candace Culp. He had four children with Ashe and one with Candace Culp.

Health Bill Hits Snag In Senate

Health bill hits a snag in Senate: Republicans seize on rule violations in the health reform "fix-it" bill, forcing the House to vote again.
Senate will have to return health bill to House: WASHINGTON – Senate Republicans learned early Thursday that they will be able to kill language in a measure altering President Barack Obama's newly enacted health care overhaul, meaning the bill will have to return to the House for final congressional approval. It appeared initially that deleting the provisions, dealing with Pell grants for low-income students, should not cause major problems for Democrats hoping to rush the bill to Obama and avoid prolonging what has been a politically painful ordeal for the party. Democrats described the situation as a minor glitch, but did not rule out that Republicans might be able to remove additional sections of the bill. The president, who signed the landmark legislation into law on Tuesday, was flying to Iowa later in the day for the first of many appearances he will make around the country before the fall congressional elections to sell his health care revamp. Obama was appearing in Iowa City, where as a presidential candidate in 2007 he touted his ideas for health coverage for all. His trip comes with polls showing people are divided over the new health law, and Democratic lawmakers from competitive districts hoping he can convince more voters by November that it was the right move. As an exhausted Senate labored past 2 a.m. on a stack of GOP amendments, Jim Manley, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, told reporters that Republicans consulting with the chamber's parliamentarian had found "two minor provisions" that violate Congress' budget rules. Republicans have been hunting for such violations in hopes of bringing down the legislation. Democrats had also been consulting with the parliamentarian, Alan Frumin, and hoped they had written a measure that would not be vulnerable to such problems. The two provisions are expected to be formally removed from the bill on Thursday. Manley said he expected the Senate to approve the measure without them and send it to the House. He said Senate leaders, after conversations with top House Democrats, expect the House to approve the revised measure. The Senate scheduled passage of the health bill for Thursday afternoon. Both chambers are hoping to begin a spring recess by this weekend. Besides reshaping parts of the landmark health overhaul, the legislation transforms the federal student loan program — in which private banks distribute the money — into one in which the government issues the loans directly. That produces some federal savings, which the bill uses in part to increase Pell grants to needy students. Democratic aides said the problematic provisions deal with protecting students from future cuts in their grants if Congress does not provide enough money for them. They violate budget rules because they do not produce savings, one aide said. The development came as the Senate completed nine hours of uninterrupted voting on 29 GOP amendments to the legislation. Majority Democrats defeated every amendment. The legislation would change the new health care law by making drug benefits for Medicare recipients more generous by gradually closing a gap in coverage, increasing tax subsidies to help low-income people afford health care, and boosting federal Medicaid payments to states. It kills part of the new statute uniquely giving Nebraska extra Medicaid funds — designed to lure support from that state's Sen. Ben Nelson — that had become a glaring embarrassment to Democrats. It also eases a new tax on expensive health coverage bitterly opposed by unions and many House Democrats, while delaying and increasing a new levy on drug makers. As they began pushing the bill to passage on Wednesday afternoon, Democrats ran into a mountain of GOP amendments. Outnumbered and all but assured of defeat, Republicans forced votes on amendments aimed at reshaping the measure — or at least forcing Democrats to take votes that could be used against them in TV ads in the fall campaigns. "There's no attempt to improve the bill. There's an attempt to destroy this bill," said an exasperated Reid, D-Nev. "The majority leader may not think we're serious about changing the bill, but we'd like to change the bill, and with a little help from our friends on the other side we could improve the bill significantly," answered Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. Senators voted on 29 consecutive GOP amendments between 5:30 p.m. Wednesday and 2:30 a.m. Thursday, when they recessed. By 57-42, Democrats rejected an amendment by Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., barring federal purchases of Viagra and other erectile dysfunction drugs for sex offenders. Coburn said it would save millions, while Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., called it "a crass political stunt." Democrats also deflected GOP amendments rolling back the health law's Medicare cuts; killing extra Medicaid funds for Tennessee and other state-specific spending; barring tax increases for families earning under $250,000; and requiring the president and other administration officials to purchase health care from exchanges the statute creates. The landmark legislation that Obama signed Tuesday would provide health care to 32 million uninsured people, and make coverage more affordable to millions of others by expanding the reach of Medicaid and creating new subsidies. Insurance companies would be forbidden to refuse coverage to people with pre-existing illnesses, individuals could buy policies on newly created exchanges and parents could keep children on their family plans until their 26th birthdays. The $938 billion, 10-year price tag would be financed largely by culling savings from Medicare and imposing new taxes on higher income people and the insurance, pharmaceutical and medical device industries.

NYPD To Shuffle Around Top Brass

Some changes are in store for New York City Police Department brass. According to police sources, the commanding officer of Manhattan South, two-star Chief Raymond Diaz will move up to the vacant Commanding Officer of Transit position. He will also be promoted to a three-star officer. The move will open up the Manhattan South position to Bronx Borough Commander, Chief Thomas Purtell. A chief from Queens will take over the Bronx spot.

3, 2, 1, Blastoff! Dynamic City Unlimited = WWW.DCUNY.COM

‘Blastoff’ provides you with the necessities needed to start your Home Business, from one of the greatest sites; Blastoff pays you with ‘Cash Back’ rewards. Find out more by going to Dynamic City Unlimited “The Mall that never closes!” Offering free Delivery right to your home! Some restrictions apply.

We Need Both Imagination And Humor

Imagination was given to us to compensate for what we are not; a sense of humor was given to us to console us for what we are.

-Mark McGinnis

ACORN Buried After Scandal

Conservatives, Video Scandal And Money Woes Bury ACORN: The once mighty community activist group ACORN announced Monday it is folding amid falling revenues -- six months after video footage emerged showing some of its workers giving tax tips to conservative activists posing as a pimp and prostitute. ACORN's financial situation and reputation went into free fall within days of the videos' release in September. Congress reacted by yanking ACORN's federal funding, private donors held back cash and scores of ACORN offices closed.

America's Most Rotten Sneakers

Something foul is afoot in Conn. girl's sneakers: MONTPELIER, Vt.— An 11-year-old from Connecticut has the most disgusting shoes in America. Trinette Robinson of Bristol, Conn., was crowned the winner of the 35th annual National Odor-Eaters Rotten Sneaker contest Tuesday in Montpelier, Vt. Her sneakers were judged the most vile on the basis of their condition and odor. She says she got them dirty by playing hard in Girl Scout Camp and doing community walks for charity. She was among nine kids ages 6 to 16 competing in the contest. She wins $2,500 and an expenses-paid trip to New York City. The runner up was 6-year-old Madilyn Taylor of West Jordon, Utah.

Google still censoring for some China customers

BEIJING— Google Inc. is still censoring search content for some of its customers in China, a company spokeswoman said Wednesday, in a decision that underscores the Internet giant's delicate effort to hold onto its mainland businesses days after moving its search engine offshore. The decision to provide censored searches was made to honor contracts with current business partners, and Google will continue to meet those commitments, said Jessica Powell, the company's Tokyo-based spokeswoman. She said that all censoring done by Google in China would be phased out over a time period she would not specify. "If there are cases where we were providing a censored search and were contractually required to provide censored search, then we will honor those requirements," Powell said. She added separately in an e-mail that over time Google would "not be offering syndicated censored search to any partners in China." Powell declined to name the customers, but Li Zhi, an analyst for Analysys International, a Beijing research firm, said Google was likely referring to search services on sites such as Sina, China's most popular portal, and Tianya.com, a popular forum site. More than two months after saying that cyber-attacks, hacking and censorship were causing it to consider leaving China, Google earlier this week began redirecting queries made to its China search address, google.cn, to an uncensored site in Hong Kong. Though part of China, Hong Kong has a semiautonomous status due to its past history as a British colony, and Google is not legally required to censor results there. Google's deliberations set off a nasty, public dispute with Beijing's Communist government, which disliked having its policy of censoring the Internet questioned. Google's partial pullout has caused consternation among its China-based partners and raised the possibility that they would come under government pressure to stop doing business with the U.S. company. Mainland users who are redirected to the Hong Kong site are not allowed unfettered access to everything on the Internet. Chinese government Web filters _ collectively known as the Great Firewall _ still automatically weed out anything considered pornographic or politically sensitive before it can reach computers in China.

Police: Arizona Rabbi Accused Of Raping City Girl Arrested

Police Arrest Arizona Rabbi In Connection With NYC Rape: A rabbi accused of raping a 7-year-old girl in the city a decade ago has been arrested. Officials say Bryan Bramly, 45, was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals and New York City Police Department detectives outside his Arizona synagogue on Tuesday. Bramly is accused of raping the girl in March 2000 when she spent the night at his family's home in New York. Police say the victim, now 17, reported the crime last August. Authorities say the rabbi is being held at a Phoenix jail. He is set to have an extradition hearing on Wednesday. Bramly faces first degree rape charges.

Blastoff Now! Dynamic City Unlimited = WWW.DCUNY.COM

Start your own Internet Business that pays you with ‘Cash Back’ rewards. Blastoff - Find out more by going to Dynamic City Unlimited “The Mall that never closes!” Offering free Delivery right to your home! Some restrictions apply.

Fool Me Once, Shame On You, Fool Me Twice Shame On Me!

To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it.

-Confucius

Tea Partiers Vow Revenge

Tea partiers vow revenge over health overhaul: TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Tea party activists aren't just angry that Democrats passed a major health care overhaul, they are out for revenge. They do not see passage of the landmark reforms that usher in near-universal medical coverage as the end of the debate. Tea partiers instead vow to support attorneys general who plan a lawsuit seeking to declare the law unconstitutional. They are demanding the bill be repealed or not funded and want to kick out of office all supporters of the measure. So far, the nascent movement has almost reveled in its rebellious and grass roots nature and has avoided becoming as much a part of the establishment as the Republican and Democratic parties. But some tea party organizers see the health care debate as a galvanizing force that could stir its followers to greater action and something to rally around with midterm elections this year. In states across the country, tea party groups planned protests and vowed to target any congressional member who supported the measure passed Sunday night. "There's going to be a whole, all-out effort for an Election Day onslaught," said Michael Caputo, a public relations consultant who works with tea party activists on the national level, as well as in Florida and New York. "The health care process has been an incendiary issue for the tea party organizations since Day 1. Losing that vote is going to inflame them more." The number of tea party groups has been growing for a little more then a year. Many in the movement were previously not politically active and have a strong independent streak, making organization sometimes difficult. Most share a common belief that government spending and influence should be limited and they're angry about policies President Barack Obama and the Democratic-controlled Congress are implementing, including last year's $787 billion federal stimulus package and health care. In a conference call with tea party activists Monday night, Eric Odom of the Patriot Caucus mapped ambitious plans to set up state chapters, organize voters online and raise money to oust incumbents who supported the health care overhaul. He predicted the vote would increase support for the movement across the country. The government "has declared war on our way of life," Odom from Nevada told listeners. "It's now time to boot them from office," said Odom, who chairs the Liberty First PAC, a fundraising arm of the group. "We absolutely must have your help." In Florida, about 85 tea party groups encompass about 100,000 people, according to Everett Wilkinson, a leader in the state's movement. A small rally is being planned in Boca Raton on Tuesday with more likely the rest of the week in response to the vote, he said. There are similar reactions elsewhere. "We will be more determined than ever to see that this country is governed the way the constitution intended," said Brenda Bowen, a tea party organizer in Greenville, Ala. "We are all getting our second wind. When we do, you'd better watch out." Even though they didn't stop the bill, Tim Dake, organizer of the Milwaukee-area group GrandSons of Liberty, said he and others intend to push for a state constitutional amendment that would prohibit forcing people to buy health insurance. The amendment has been introduced by Republicans in the Democratic-controlled Wisconsin Legislature, but there are no plans to hold a hearing on it. The Republican-controlled Legislature is pushing a similar measure in Florida. If lawmakers put it on the ballot, at least 60 percent of voters would have to approve it. Christen Varley, head of the Greater Boston Tea Party Organizers, said the House health vote was both "heartbreaking" and a wake-up call. "I think we all went to bed a little dejected last night, but from the communication I received this morning, people are energized," said Varley. Sarah Palin is scheduled to headline a tea party rally on historic Boston Common on April 14. Massachusetts already has a form of universal health care, yet the state made passage of the bill more difficult when voters elected Republican Scott Brown to replace the late Sen. Ted Kennedy -- who spent nearly his entire career pushing for health care for all. Brown's election took away Democrats' filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. Willie Lawson, a Tampa-area conservative radio talk show host who speaks at tea party rallies, wondered what effect the vote will have on an April 15 event at a University of South Florida stadium. "It's just a big punch in the gut. It really is to a lot of people," said Lawson, who wondered whether people new to the movement will be discouraged by the vote and not bother to come. Others, he's sure, will be more fired up. "For some people it will just be more raw meat, more raw meat out the back door to get people to come," he said. "The hardcore people will be there. They'll be angrier than ever." Whether or not tea partiers will be able to turn anger into organization may vary from state to state. "People in the Tea Party movement are fiercely independent. They don't like being told what to do. It's like herding cats," said Chad Capps, strategy coordinator for a Huntsville, Ala., group. While tea party activists have made themselves heard, University of North Florida political science professor Matthew Corrigan said the movement alone won't be enough to oust incumbents. "Do they have energy? Yes. Have they been getting into the media? Yes, but they still haven't sold me on the fact that they can swing elections," Corrigan said. He added, however, that tea party activists could be more influential if they work with Republicans against Democrats. And for Wilkinson, it doesn't just stop at voting out the lawmakers who supported the measure. "When they leave office, we're going to make sure the private sector is aware of who they are and we'll make it virtually impossible for them to have a job even after they leave office," Wilkinson said. "Wherever they are, we will be there. We are not stopping. We're not going away. This is just the beginning."

Officer Breaks Army Customs

1st Sikh in decades graduates Army officer school: SAN ANTONIO— The soldiers in standard-issue fatigues and combat boots stood side-by-side repeating their creed: "I am an American soldier. I am a warrior and a member of a team. I serve the people of the United States and live the Army values ...." Capt. Tejdeep Singh Rattan was no different except that he wore a full beard and black turban, the first Sikh in a generation allowed to complete U.S. Army basic officer training without sacrificing the articles of his faith. He completed the nine-week training Monday after Army officials made an exemption to a policy that has effectively prevented Sikhs from enlisting since 1984. "I'm feeling very humbled. I'm a soldier," said the 31-year-old dentist, smiling after the ceremony at Fort Sam Houston. "This has been my dream." Rattan had to get a waiver from the Army to serve without sacrificing the unshorn hair mandated by his faith. An immigrant from India who arrived in New York as a teenager, Rattan said he hopes his military commitment will allow him to give back to his adopted home country and will help diminish prejudice Sikhs sometimes face in the U.S. The Army in 1984 eliminated an exemption that had previously allowed Sikhs to maintain their articles of faith while serving, but officials can issue individual waivers to the uniform policy after considering the effects on safety and discipline, said Army spokesman George Wright. Only a handful of such individual religious exemptions are ever granted. Rattan and Dr. Kamaljeet Singh Kalsi, who will attend basic training this summer after completing an emergency medicine fellowship, are the first Sikhs to receive exemptions in more than 25 years. Rattan _ who received a master's degree in engineering before pursuing a dental education_ and Kalsi both offer health care skills that are in high demand in an Army stretched by wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Rattan said he encountered no trouble from fellow soldiers during training. "The Army is all about what you have to offer. If you're sitting back there, not doing anything, they're definitely going to talk about you. But if you're up there running with them, you have good scores, you run neck-and-neck with them, they love you," he said. "I made a lot of friends." 1st Sgt. Jeffrey DeGarmo said he made sure the officers-in-training in his unit understood that Rattan wasn't a foreign national and had received the Army's permission to maintain his beard and turban. Once the other soldiers understood that, there were no issues, he said. "It went pretty well," DeGarmo said. "I think he did an outstanding job adjusting." During training, Rattan wore a helmet over the small turban, which he doesn't remove, and was able to successfully create a seal with his gas mask despite the beard, resolving the Army's safety concerns, said Harsimran Kaur, the Sikh Coalition's legal director. Rattan also worked with an Army tailor to create an insignia patch normally worn on soldiers' berets that could be affixed to his black turban, she said. An estimated 300,000 Sikhs live in the United States. The unshorn hair wrapped in a turban and beard are required to keep adherents in the natural state in which God made them, said Amardeep Singh, director of the Sikh Coalition, a New York-based advocacy group that helped Rattan and Kalsi push for Army admittance. The Sikh community has a long tradition of military service in India, from where most adherents originally emigrated, and in other countries, such as the United Kingdom and Canada. Sikhs represent 2 percent of India's population but make up about 30 percent of that country's army officers, Singh said. Before the Army's regulation change in 1984, Sikhs served in the U.S. military during every major armed conflict going back to World War I. Those who joined before the change were allowed to serve with their beards and turbans, but the policy effectively prevented new enlistment of Sikhs, Kaur said. The coalition continues to push the Army to change the overall policy. "If government can say to someone, 'You can't serve, not for any reason that has to do with your abilities,' that sends the wrong message," Singh said. "We don't want to be perpetual outsiders."

Grisly Scene At Death Bed

Witness: Michael Jackson doctor interrupted CPR: LOS ANGELES— As Michael Jackson lay dying in his bedroom in a rented mansion, his doctor stopped CPR on him and delayed calling paramedics so he could collect drug vials at the scene, according to an employee of the pop star who called 911. Alberto Alvarez, who worked as Jackson's logistics director, told investigators that after receiving a distress call from another worker June 25, he rushed up the stairs of Jackson's home and entered a bedroom to find the singer lying on a bed with his arms outstretched and his eyes and mouth open. At his side, Jackson's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, was administering CPR with one hand. "Alberto, Alberto, come quickly," Murray said, according to a statement obtained by The Associated Press. "He had a reaction, he had a bad reaction." Two of the star's children, Prince and Paris, came in the room and cried as they saw Murray trying to save their father. They were quickly ushered away. The account and other statements obtained by the AP depict a grisly scene in Jackson's room in the final minutes before paramedics arrived. Jackson's death at age 50 was ruled a homicide caused by an overdose of the powerful anesthetic propofol and other sedatives. The possibility that Murray may have tried to hide evidence is likely to be a focus as prosecutors move ahead with their involuntary manslaughter case against him. Alvarez told police he arrived at Jackson's home around 10:20 a.m. He was awaiting instructions for the day in a security trailer outside Jackson's rented mansion when, at 12:17 p.m., his phone rang. It was Jackson's personal assistant Michael Amir Williams, who said Jackson was in trouble. Alvarez said he was "frozen and stunned" when he saw Jackson on the bed.

City Reaches Strip Search Settlement

For years, tens of thousands of people sent to city jails were subjected to illegal strip searches. Now, after plenty of litigation, the city has agreed to pay them millions of dollars. NY1's Bobby Cuza filed the following report. David Sanchez was arrested in November 2006 for misdemeanor marijuana possession. Though searched twice by police, at Rikers Island he was subjected to a much more invasive procedure. "I squatted. I grabbed my buttcheeks. Wow. It’s like a blur now. But I had to run my fingers through my hair, through my mouth. I had to grab my genital area and lift it for them," Sanchez said. Sanchez' charges were later dismissed, but he joined a lawsuit against the city. On Monday, lawyers announced the city has agreed to pay $33 million to settle the case. An estimated 100,000 people who came through Rikers Island and other city jails between 1999 and 2007 could be eligible under the class-action suit. Under the law, those arrested on misdemeanor charges can be strip searched only if there's reasonable suspicion the person is concealing contraband. Attorneys say city corrections officers performed mass strip searches even after the city said they has been discontinued in 2002. They also say two women were even given gynecological exams without their consent. "It was a means of subjecting or exercising their power over people coming into the system," said attorney Mariann Wang. "It was horrifying, it really was," Sanchez said. "Because I’m a grown man, having to take off my clothes in front of corrections officers. And when you question why are you getting strip searched, their only response is just shut up and do as you're told." In a statement, the city said it has "worked diligently to ensure that both safety and privacy are given high consideration during intake search procedures. The settlement reached today is the final step in a process during which DOC's intake search procedures were modified in 2007." Plaintiffs could each receive up to $2,900, depending on how many file claims. Those who believe they may be eligible can call 800-760-5508 or visit nycstripsearch.com for more information. Attorneys say based on past experience, they expect only about 15 percent of those eligible will come forward and file a claim, which works out to about $1,800 or $1,900 per person. They also say settlement payments could begin by the end of the year.

You Can! Dynamic City Unlimited = WWW.DCUNY.COM

Start making your money from home with your own ‘Blastoff Network’ it’s FREE; go to: Dynamic City Unlimited “The Mall that never closes!” Offering free Delivery right to your home! Some restrictions apply.

Sometimes…You Have To Stretch To Reach

Behold the turtle. He only makes progress when he sticks his neck out.

-James Bryant Conant

Health Overhaul Passes Congress

House sends health care overhaul bill to Obama: WASHINGTON -- A transformative health care bill is headed to President Barack Obama for his signature as Congress takes the final steps in Democrats' improbable and history-making push for near-universal medical coverage. On the cusp of succeeding where numerous past congresses and administrations have failed, jubilant House Democrats voted 219-212 late Sunday to send legislation to Obama that would extend coverage to 32 million uninsured Americans, reduce deficits and ban insurance company practices such as denying coverage to people with pre-existing medical conditions. "This is what change looks like," Obama said later in televised remarks that stirred memories of his 2008 campaign promise of "change we can believe in." "We proved that this government _ a government of the people and by the people _ still works for the people." Obama's young presidency received a much needed boost from passage of the legislation, which would touch the lives of nearly every American. The battle for the future of the health insurance system _ affecting one-sixth of the economy _ galvanized Republicans and conservative activists looking ahead to November's midterm elections. A companion package making a series of changes sought by House Democrats to the larger bill, which already passed the Senate, was approved 220-211. The fix-it bill will now go to the Senate, where debate is expected to begin as early as Tuesday. Senate Democrats hope to approve it unchanged and send it directly to Obama, though Republicans intend to attempt parliamentary objections that could change the bill and require it to go back to the House. Obama is expected to sign the larger bill early this week. The complicated two-step process was made necessary because Senate Democrats lost their filibuster-proof supermajority in a special election in January, a setback that caused even some Democratic lawmakers to pronounce the yearlong health care effort dead. Under the relentless prodding of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in particular, it was gradually revived, and the fix-it bill will be considered under fast-track Senate rules that don't allow minority party filibusters. "We will be joining those who established Social Security, Medicare and now, tonight, health care for all Americans," said Pelosi, D-Calif., partner to Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in the grueling campaign to pass the legislation. "This is the civil rights act of the 21st century," added Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, the top-ranking black member of the House. GOP lawmakers attacked the legislation as everything from a government takeover to the beginning of totalitarianism, and none voted in favor. "Hell no!" Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, shouted in a fiery speech opposing the legislation. "We have failed to listen to America and we have failed to reflect the will of our constituents." Thirty-four Democrats also voted "no" on the Senate-passed bill. Sunday night's votes capped an unpredictable and raucous weekend at the capitol, with Democratic leaders negotiating around the clock for the final votes as hundreds of protesters paraded outside, their shouts of "Kill the Bill! Kill the Bill!" audible within the Capitol. A last-minute deal with a critical group of anti-abortion lawmakers Sunday afternoon sealed Democrats' victory. The leader of the anti-abortion bloc, Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., didn't get to add stricter anti-abortion language to the underlying bill, but was satisfied by an executive order signed by Obama affirming current law and provisions in the legislation that ban federal funding for abortions except in cases of rape, incest or danger to the life of the mother. Republican abortion foes said Obama's proposed order was insufficient, and when Stupak sought to counter them, a shout of "baby killer" was heard coming from the Republican side of the chamber. Far beyond the political ramifications _ a concern the president repeatedly insisted he paid no mind _ were the sweeping changes the bill held in store for Americans, insured or not, as well as the insurance industry and health care providers. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said the legislation awaiting the president's approval would cut deficits by an estimated $138 billion over a decade. For the first time, most Americans would be required to purchase insurance, and face penalties if they refused. Much of the money in the bill would be devoted to subsidies to help families at incomes of up to $88,000 a year pay their premiums. The second measure, which House Democrats demanded before agreeing to approve the first, included enough money to close a gap in the Medicare prescription drug coverage over the next decade, starting with an election-season rebate of $250 later this year for seniors facing high costs. It also included sweeping changes in the student loan program, an administration priority that has been stalled in the Senate for months. For the president, the events capped an 18-day stretch in which he traveled to four states and lobbied more than 60 wavering lawmakers in person or by phone to secure passage of his signature domestic issue. He also postponed an overseas trip to remain in Washington and push for the bill. Obama watched the vote in the White House's Roosevelt Room with Vice President Joe Biden and dozens of aides, exchanged high fives with Rahm Emanuel, his chief of staff, and then telephoned Pelosi with congratulations. Now Obama will have to sell the bill to the public, and a White House aide said he was likely to take at least one trip this weekend to emphasize the legislation's benefits. The measure would also usher in a significant expansion of Medicaid, the federal-state health care program for the poor. The insurance industry, which spent millions on advertising trying to block the bill, would come under new federal regulation. Parents would be able to keep children up to age 26 on their family insurance plans. To pay for the changes, the legislation includes more than $400 billion in higher taxes over a decade and cuts more than $500 billion from planned payments to hospitals, nursing homes, hospices and other providers that treat Medicare patients.