| Nancy & Kerrigan |
As a self described American Idol junkie, I've been pretty much underwhelmed this season. But last night's announcement of the final 12 was pretty intense! First, is anyone else getting way creeped out by Kara's "space invader" on Simon? Seriously, back off girl...it's really uncomfortable! As far as the results, even tho I never "got" her, I was surprised to see "Betty Boop" Lilly Scott get the heave ho. She was strange, but so much better than Katie Stevens! Gah! Katelyn Epperly is gone too, but no big deal. I was hoping Todrick Hall would be around for awhile, at least he was entertaining, and Mullet Man Alex Lambert's ousting broke my heart! Siobhan was in tears!! Wow...Tim Urban stays? Must be the Teen Idol thing. As far as I'm concerned, I'm watching Crystal, Big Mike, Siobhan, Lee and Casey. The rest, meh!
You never know when you'll find a hero. Of course, we see them every day...soldiers, teachers, doctors, firefighters, police officers, moms, dads, every day folks, but not often do you hear one who is just seven years old! Read the story from the Calif. associated press out of the informum.com.
Calif. boy thanks dispatcher who took his 911 call about gunmen threatening parents
By THOMAS WATKINS Associated Press Writer , The Associated Press - NORWALK, Calif.
A 7-year-old boy who called 911 from a locked bathroom while armed robbers threatened his parents hugged and high-fived on Wednesday the sheriff's dispatcher who took his call.
The boy, identified only as Carlos, told reporters at a news conference that he remained calm during the ordeal because his mother used to make him practice dialing 911 in case of emergencies.
How did his mother say he did?
"Excellent!" the second grader said.
Carlos, sporting a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Dept. baseball cap, gave a hug to dispatcher Monique Patino, who called the boy "my little hero."
"I said he was very brave and I'm very proud of what he did," Patino said, occasionally dabbing tears from her cheek.
The assailants held the parents at gunpoint Tuesday while the boy and his 6-year-old sister hid in a bathroom. Carlos told Patino breathlessly that there was "some guy who's going to kill my mom and dad" and begged authorities to "bring cops. A lot of them! ... And bring soldiers, too."
About 90 seconds into the call, his sister starts screaming as someone apparently breaks into the bathroom. The line stays connected, and a distraught-sounding Patino can be heard telling colleagues what she'd heard.
"Just hearing them scream and crying for help, I just felt their fear through the phone," said Patino, herself a mother of 7- and 8-year-old children.
Carlos said there were three assailants. They left the home without stealing anything when Carlos told them he'd called 911, authorities said.
"I'm still astounded by his mindset," Los Angeles County Sheriff's Sgt. Douglas Jensen said. "To be able to think about getting his sister, grabbing his phone, locking himself in a bathroom and calling 911. It shows so much."
Detectives were trying to determine the motive for the break-in. Capt. Patrick Maxwell said the 6-year-old girl had left the front door open after running to the family's car to grab her lunch box. The assailants burst in soon after.
"We don't know if it was random, we don't know if it was targeted," Maxwell said.
Carlos' parents declined to appear at the news conference and were "still pretty traumatized" by events, Maxwell said.
In the 911 call, Carlos sounds frightened but keeps his composure and explains what is happening.
"Come really fast, please, please," he said. "They come, they ring the door and they have guns."
At the news conference, Patino said she was emotionally affected by the call, especially not immediately knowing what the outcome was.
"I had to take a walk and shake it off a little bit," she said.
Deputies were on scene within three minutes, but the assailants had escaped in a green or gray two-door compact car, Jensen said.
"When one of the cops cars came, they just ran," Carlos told reporters.
So, the top eight girls performed last night on American Idol. For me, outside of Crystal Bowersox, it was kind of dull. However, Simon's ringing endorsement of her as the "one to beat" is kind of like the kiss of death, ala Melinda Doolittle, Chris Daughtry and Adam Lambert. Going home tonight? I'm thinking Paige Miles for sure...at risk, Katie Stevens and Katelyn Epperly. (Maybe if I don't say Lacey Brown, she'll go bye bye!). And sorry, but I don't get the appeal of Lilly. She's ok, but reminds me of Betty Boop! The final eight guys perform tonight at 9! In the meantime, anyone else think the whole opening segment with Ellen on Simon's lap was a-w-k-w-a-r-d? Take a look...
American Idol back on tonight!!! Finally getting interesting, as this week we're gonna narrow it down to the final 12!!! Last night, Simon Cowell visited Jay Leno and had some interesting revelations about his replacement. Loves me some Simon. He really is a funny guy! Check out the chest hair! Raoorrww!
No real surprises at the Academy Awards last night. Jeff Bridges won Actor, Sandra Bullock Actress, Mo'Nique Supporting Actress and Christoff Waltz Supporting Actor. "The Hurt Locker" beat out "Avatar" for best movie. Interesting to note Best Director (of Hurt Locker) Kathryn Bigelow was up against her ex, James Cameron, who was nominated for "Avatar." Can you say "awkward?" But she handled her win with grace and dignity and even gave props to Jim, the self-proclaimed "King of the World." But if you ask me, and I know you didn't, my favorite part was the unexpected opening song and dance by Neil Patrick Harris. Well done Doogie!
Funny story about Roxy Reynolds. She told me she is friends with someone who told her she reminds him of a famous person, who acts in movies. Let's just leave it at that..so..Roxy isn't sure if she should be offended or flattered? Ever been told you look like someone famous--good or bad?? Kerrigan found a website, www.myheritage.com where you can upload a picture of yourself and it will match you up with the celebrities you resemble. A lot depends on the picture itself, so we tried a bunch of different onces. Kerrigan's always said he looks like former British Prime Minister Tony Blair! My analysis said I look like Mandy Moore, Molly Simms, Sharon Osbourne (!) and Lucy Lawless, better known as Xena, Warrior Princess, which is cool with me!!!! Try it this weekend and tell us who you look like!
Does this look like me?
American Idol dramz this week! Well, not really, but boy did they try to make it a MAJA deal about Crystal Bowersox's hospitalization, because it FORCED A SWITCH! Meaning, the guys went Tuesday and the girls Wednesday. No big deal to me. Tuesday's dude performance reinforced the strengths of Big Mike and Lee Dewyze. Casey James was ok, and I think Kara went overboard in her critique to get us off the "cougar thing." Yeah right. I'm also liking the Alex Lambert kid a bit. You know, the dude with the mullet? He reminds me a little bit of Michael J. Fox, whom I admire a great deal. Who is bye bye? Jermaine and Todrick...maybe even John Park...ouch. As far as the ladies go, nice to see Crystal tearing it up again. I'm also a Siobvan fan. Sorry, Haeley and Lacey..you girls need to go. Anyone else think the judges are excessively harsh? And Simon needs to button up his shirt? How about Kara invading his personal space? Maybe it's just me! Enjoy some Crystal
This just might a Dancing with the Stars I'll watch this Season! Typical lineup in that we have an Olympic star, a football player, some celebreality stars, has-been TV show stars and a dancer or two. Strangely enough, I'm actually looking forward to Cincinnati Bengals player Chad Ochocinco! Don't like 85 all that much, but I think he might be very entertaining! Here's the story from mtv.com's Larry Carroll.
'Dancing With The Stars' 2010 Lineup Revealed
Nicole Scherzinger, Kate Gosselin, Pam Anderson
and more to hit the dance floor starting March 22.
For "Dancing With the Stars" fans, only Christmas comes close to the excitement surrounding this very day, the one in which new names are officially unveiled for the new season. Now, the all-new cast of celebrities has been announced -- and when its 10th season kicks off March 22, everyone from the infamous to the athletic to the iconic will be hitting the dance floor.
On Monday night (March 1), ABC announced the new contestants during "The Bachelor." Read on for a breakdown of which big names will be making their ballroom-dancing debut and fox-trotting into your living room.
 | The veteran actress/ model/ Borat abduction target, 42, will soon be adding competitive dancing to her résumé. Rumors of America's favorite Canadian lifeguard joining the cast have been swirling around the Internet for quite sometime, but now that it has been confirmed, we can all breathe easy and start explore a different topic: how Pam will keep her balance on the dance floor considering her famously oversized, ahem, assets. |
 | Best known as the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls, the 31-year-old Scherzinger would seem to have a natural advantage on "DWTS" due to her extensive singing/dancing work. Now that her bandmates are moving on and she's strapping on her dancing shoes, could this indicate that the Pussycat Dolls have made their last meow? |
 | The newly divorced reality star and mother of eight, Kate, 34, has fueled so many tabloid reports that she's as recognizable to supermarket shoppers as Aunt Jemima. Now, she'll be talked about for her dancing skills or -- according to her -- lack thereof. Will Jon be doing some heavy-duty babysitting on his own this season? |
 | Every class needs a football player, and Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco will soon be using his soft hands to cradle a dancing partner rather than a pigskin. Ochocinco joins the fast-growing ranks of NFL players who have competed in the dancing competition, including Warren Sapp and Jerry Rice. Born Chad Johnson, the colorful player legally changed his name to the Spanish words for "eight" and "five," and recently announced he'd be changing it again to the Japanese words -- so, get ready for Chad Hachi Go. Let's just hope there's a lot of room for name inscribing on that mirror-ball trophy. |
 | Like former co-stars Jennie Garth and Ian Ziering before her, "Beverly Hills, 90210" alum Shannen Doherty, 38, will be leaving West Bev in the dust for "Dancing With the Stars." The former Brenda Walsh spoke out publicly in 2007 against going on such shows, setting her up perfectly to continue a career-long tradition of rocking the boat. In semi-related news, Brian Austin Green continues to wait by the phone wearing a leotard and tap shoes. |
 | At the just-concluded Winter Olympics, this 24-year-old figure skater took home the gold; now, he'll be trying to duplicate that success on the dance floor. Trading in his skates for dance shoes, Lysacek won't be able to move quite as fast without the ice beneath him -- but hey, at least he'll be warmer. |
 | Long beloved by sports fans for her brains, beauty and sideline-reporting skills, Andrews has spent her recent days making TV commercials and dealing with a bizarre peeping-Tom video. Forget about dancing -- it will be weird just to see her without a microphone in her hand. |
 | The original moonwalker, Aldrin was on the historic Apollo 11 mission and accompanied Neil Armstrong as they set foot on the moon. Now, he's 80 years old and still active enough to think he can teach those other "DWTS" whippersnappers a thing or two. Something tells us it's gonna take a lot more than Tang and powdered ice cream to get him through this one. |
 | The British stud, best known for his role as Aidan Devane on "All My Children," follows in the footsteps of other ABC soap stars like Kelly Monaco and Cameron Mathison on "DWTS." A cameo in Spice Girl Geri Halliwell's "Bag It Up" music video might give the 32-year-old a leg up on the competition. |
 | The "Reno 911" funnywoman has often branched out from acting, with her hosting duties on "Clean House" and her panelist gig on "The Insider." Now, the 40-year-old comic actress will stretch her skills even further to see how she fares on the dance floor. |
 | It might have seemed like an odd choice to reveal the "DWTS" lineup during "The Bachelor," but then the last contestant was announced: Jake. Between his search for love and now the dancing show, ABC is really taking care of the pilot. |
Some Missouri legislators are thinking of renaming "Mark McGwire Highway" after the baseball slugger admitted he used steroids. Read the story from Steve Birmingham of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat
Senator wants McGwire benched in favor of Twain
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Basically Missouri Senator Ryan McKenna (D-Crystal City) wishes he knew then what he knows now.
The Crystal City legislator wants to rename the part of Interstate 70 in St. Louis from "Mark McGwire Highway" to its original "Mark Twain Highway."
McKenna attached an amendment last week to an omnibus transportation bill that renames a few highways in the state, and the bill is approved "McGwire" will fan and "Twain" will step to the dish.
As a state representative in 1999 McKenna carried the water for the bill changing the interstate's name in honor of the former St. Louis Cardinal player and current hitting instructor. Now he says he wishes he hadn't.
"Now I know a lot more than I knew then," McKenna said. "When McGwire admitted to using steroids I thought it was proper and time for me to change that back to the original name of Mark Twain."
"I guess I had a regret when I sponsored that bill in 1999 and this was my opportunity to change it," he said.
McKenna also said that when McGwire testified before Congress ion 2005 and responded to questions from U.S. Congressman Lacy Clay that he did not want to talk about the past and instead wanted to be the spokesperson for steroid abuse, but then never "made a statement or took any action to help people who struggle" with steroid abuse, he changed his thinking even more.
McKenna said McGwire's admission to steroid use during the 1980s and1990s means he was using banned substances while breaking many home run records.
"We now know that when he didn't fairly break Roger Maris' record, he was using steroids at the time," McKenna said. "During his time of using steroids he passed over, in home runs, Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew, Reggie Jackson, Mike Schmidt, Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams and even our own Stan Musial."
"I think it's a black eye on baseball and it's also a black eye on baseball when Jack Clark criticized McGwire and he was booed by Cardinals fans while McGwire was cheered," McKenna said. "That was disheartening too."
What do you think?
Ooookkkkaaayyy....couldn't have been more off on the Idol contestants kicked off this week than if we had just randomly picked out of the phone booth! We thought for sure we would say "adios" to Haeley, Lacey, Tim and Alex. Instead, it was Janell Wheeler, Ashley Rodriguez, Joe Munoz and Tyler Grady! Pretty much goes to show that American Idol voters don't really care about the singing part and the judges critiques, huh? Bye bye!
 Ashley Rodriguez |  Janell Wheeler |
 Joe Muñoz |  Tyler Grady |
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