Hail, hail!: Golf ball-sized projectiles

It was hard to look at Target Field on Tuesday night and not wonder if the ballpark's tractors could be equipped with those golf ball picker-upper things.

Indeed, the entire outfield looked like a driving range on a busy weekend afternoon when a hail storm moved into the Twin Cities and caused a 64-minute delay during the Detroit Tigers' 10-2 win over the Minnesota Twins.

The wild weather, of course, had everyone scrambling for cover. And once there, they marveled at the huge chunks of ice that were dropping out of the skies and onto the field

By 'Duk

Phone call by Kuwaiti courier led to bin Laden

Phone call by Kuwaiti

By ADAM GOLDMAN and MATT APUZZO, Associated Press Adam Goldman And Matt Apuzzo, Associated Press – Tue May 3, 7:57 am ET

WASHINGTON – When one of Osama bin Laden's most trusted aides picked up the phone last year, he unknowingly led U.S. pursuers to the doorstep of his boss, the world's most wanted terrorist.
That monitored phone call, recounted Monday by a U.S. official, ended a years-long search for bin Laden's personal courier, the key break in a worldwide manhunt. The courier, in turn, led U.S. intelligence to a walled compound in northeast Pakistan, where a team of Navy SEALs shot bin Laden to death.

After Uncertainty, a Moment of Triumph in the Situation Room: 'We've IDed Geronimo'

moment of Triumph

By MICHAEL SCHERER Michael Scherer – Mon May 2, 6:15 pm ET

The people who gathered Sunday in the Situation Room know all about high-pressure situations. But this was something else. For 40 minutes, the President and his senior aides could do nothing but watch the video screens and listen to the operation and ensuing firefight on the other side of the world. At Barack Obama's orders, special operations teams were invading the airspace of a foreign country, targeting a compound with unknown occupants, and hoping to get out unscathed. The target was America's No. 1 enemy, Osama bin Laden. But no one knew for sure if he was even there.

NATO strike kills Gadhafi's son but leader escapes

GadhFI'S ESCAPES

By KARIN LAUB, Associated Press Karin Laub, Associated Press – Sat Apr 30, 10:25 pm ET

TRIPOLI, Libya – Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi escaped a NATO missile strike in Tripoli on Saturday, but his youngest son and three grandchildren under the age of 12 were killed, a government spokesman said.
The strike, which came hours after Gadhafi called for a cease-fire and negotiations in what rebels called a publicity stunt, marked an escalation of international efforts to prevent the Libyan regime from regaining momentum.
Rebels honked horns and chanted "Allahu Akbar" or "God is great" while speeding through the western city of Misrata, which Gadhafi's forces have besieged and subjected to random shelling for two months, killing hundreds. Fireworks were set off in front of the central Hikma hospital, causing a brief panic that the light would draw fire from Gadhafi's forces.

Tornadoes devastate South, killing at least 281

killing at least 281

By GREG BLUESTEIN and HOLBROOK MOHR, Associated Press Greg Bluestein And Holbrook Mohr, Associated Press – Thu Apr 28, 7:34 pm ET

PLEASANT GROVE, Ala. – Firefighters searched one splintered pile after another for survivors Thursday, combing the remains of houses and neighborhoods pulverized by the nation's deadliest tornado outbreak in almost four decades. At least 281 people were killed across six states — more than two-thirds of them in Alabama, where large cities bore the half-mile-wide scars the twisters left behind.
The death toll from Wednesday's storms seems out of a bygone era, before Doppler radar and pinpoint satellite forecasts were around to warn communities of severe weather. Residents were told the tornadoes were coming up to 24 minutes ahead of time, but they were just too wide, too powerful and too locked onto populated areas to avoid a horrifying body count.
"These were the most intense super-cell thunderstorms that I think anybody who was out there forecasting has ever seen," said meteorologist Greg Carbin at the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla.

IMF Bombshell: Age of America Nears End

Bombshell
by Brett Arends
Tuesday, April 26, 2011

The International Monetary Fund has just dropped a bombshell, and nobody noticed.
For the first time, the international organization has set a date for the moment when the "Age of America" will end and the U.S. economy will be overtaken by that of China.
And it's a lot closer than you may think.
According to the latest IMF official forecasts, China's economy will surpass that of America in real terms in 2016 — just five years from now.

10 Lost Cities Of The World

lost cities

By Morgan Brennan

Gazing at the Andean peaks soaring above the Lost City of the Incas and the lush valley below, it's easy see why it was voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007. The 15th century A.D. Peruvian site was abandoned shortly after Spanish conquistadors invaded the neighboring areas, falling to ruin until 1911, when an American scholar stumbled across the remains.

Crews work to reopen St. Louis airport after storm

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_missouri_storms

JIM SALTER and JIM SUHR, Associated Press Jim Salter And Jim Suhr, Associated Press – 9 mins ago

ST. LOUIS – A severe storm that struck the St. Louis area left homes flattened in suburbs around the main airport, which remained closed Saturday a day after being hit by a tornado.
Crews had worked through the night in trying to clean up Lambert Airport, boarding up windows and sweeping up shattered glass. That effort pressed on Saturday, with police standing guard at spots where windows had been blown out. No passengers were evident.

Belt knocked for loop on birthday as Giants demote young slugger

Belt Knocked

By David Brown

The unhappy coincidence was not lost on Brandon Belt(notes), who was sent to the minors 23 years to the day after he was born. "Yeah, a pretty good birthday present," Belt told reporters with humility after learning the San Francisco Giants had demoted him to Triple-A Fresno on Wednesday.
Belt, who many pegged as the likely NL Rookie of the Year, was batting .192/.300/.269 with a homer, a double and 13 strikeouts in 60 plate appearances.
It's not a huge sample size, but the Giants have put themselves in a bind; they have more major league-caliber players (or contracts) than available roster spots.

Arizona governor vetoes birther, campus gun bills

Allow guns on campus

By David Schwartz David Schwartz – 2 hrs 33 mins ago
PHOENIX (Reuters) – Arizona's Republican Governor Jan Brewer on Monday vetoed two controversial bills, one mandating proof of U.S. citizenship to run for president, the other allowing guns on college campuses, in a clear setback for conservatives who control the state legislature.
Brewer, who grabbed headlines a year ago when she signed a get-tough state law cracking down on illegal immigrants, vetoed the bills in an announcement late on Monday.
The so-called "birther bill," would have made Arizona the first state in the nation to require presidential candidates prove U.S. citizenship by providing a long form birth certificate, and other forms of proof including baptismal or circumcision certificates, to be placed on the state ballot.

Is the president of the Czech Republic a pen stealer?

Stealer

By Brett Michael Dykes

As just about anyone who's ever worked in an office can attest, one of life's most festering annoyances are people who don't return pens that they borrow. Now it appears as though Czech Republic President Vaclav Klaus may be one of those people, and the citizens of the nation he rules over are none too pleased about it.

5 Worst Drive-Thru Foods

5 worst

By David Zinczenko with Matt Goulding
Apr 08, 2011
How much time did you spend in your car last week? Ten hours? Fifteen maybe? Wow, that sounds like a lot. But it's still probably an underestimate: As it turns out, the average American now spends 21 hours per week stuck inside a mobile metal box.
No wonder the drive-thru is so appealing. All those hours spent in traffic leaves scarcely any time to sit and eat. Add to that the stress of daily life and the desire to feel like you're accomplishing something while you drive, and you've got a pretty good case for turning the center console into a dining table.

Japan ups nuke crisis severity to match Chernobyl

japan ups nuke
By YURI KAGEYAMA and RYAN NAKASHIMA, Associated Press Yuri Kageyama And Ryan Nakashima, Associated Press – 36 mins ago

OKYO – Japan's nuclear regulators raised the severity level of the crisis at a stricken nuclear plant Tuesday to rank it on par with the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, citing the amount of radiation released in the accident. The regulators said the rating was being raised from 5 to 7 — the highest level on an international scale overseen by the International Atomic Energy Agency. However, there was no sign of any significant change at the tsunami-stricken Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant

Boy, 10, buys The Fridge’s Super Bowl ring, then returns it

boy gives ring back
By Chris Chase

Thu Apr 07 10:32am EDTA Pittsburgh-area 10-year-old took $8,500 out of his college savings account to buy William "The Refrigerator" Perry's Super Bowl XX ring. And then he gave it right back to its original owner.
With the help of his mother and a hefty college fund, Cliff Forrest Jr. purchased the ring after seeing it at Mickey Mantle's Restaurant in New York. Cliff's father, Cliff Forrest Sr. (above, left), said he wouldn't have approved his son's spending, "but his mother is a little more soft-hearted," he said.
Perry, a former Chicago Bears defensive lineman, had put his ring up for auction in 2007 for reasons unknown.

NASA Spacecraft Snaps 1st Photo of Mercury from Orbit

Space.com Space.com Staff,
space.com – Tue Mar 29, 5:45 pm ET1 photo 

"This image is the first ever obtained from a spacecraft in orbit about the solar system's innermost planet," Messenger mission scientists explained in a statement.
The new Mercury photo shows a region around the south pole of Mercury. A 53-mile (85-kilometer) wide crater called Debussy clearly stands out in the upper right of the image, with bright rays emanating from its center. [More photos of Mercury from Messenger]
A smaller crater called Matabei, which is 15 miles (24 km) wide and is known for its "unusual dark rays," is also visible in the image to the west of the Debussy crater, mission managers explained.

New York law firm, advertising agency under fire over 9/11 ad

Scumbag

By Brett Michael Dykes

One of New York's Bravest is objecting to the use of his likeness in a poster marketing the services of a New York law firm that specializes in 9/11-related illnesses.
The ad in question features a firefighter holding a photo of the devastated World Trade Center site, accompanied by the words, "I was there. And now, Worby Groner Edelman & Napoli Bern is there for me." And therein lies the issue: the man in the ad, Robert Keiley, didn't become a firefighter until 2004.
According to the New York Post's Reuven Fenton and Jennifer Fermino, Keiley is particularly upset that the photo in the poster was manipulated from a generic promotional photo for the department--of Keiley holding his fire helmet. The law firm's ad agency, Barker/DZP, swapped a picture of the World Trade Center in place of the helmet. They then debuted the poster at a fundraiser, the World Police Fire Games Event Gala; a move Keiley thinks makes him look like a "scumbag."

Bachelor Builds Slide Between His NYC Apartments

http://realestate.yahoo.com/promo/bachelor-builds-slide-between-his-nyc-apartments.html

By Joey Arak, Curbed

Mar 25, 2011 

 

Fresh off snatching up a pair of penthouses in a brand new luxury condo building, our hero was faced with a dilemma: How to combine the two apartments into one bonkers bachelor pad to rule them all?
The answer was surprisingly simple: Duh, a slide!

Bret Michaels Blames Tony Awards For His Brain Hemorrhage, Files Lawsui

Michaels blame
In 2009, reality-TV rocker Bret Michaels was nearly decapitated--or at least almost lost some of his trademark blonde locks--when a descending set piece toppled him over at the end of Poison's "Nothin' But A Good Time" Tony Awards performance with the Rock Of Ages cast. At the time--once it was announced that Bret was SUPPOSEDLY okay--it seemed pretty funny, the most Spinal Tap-esque moment in Broadway history. But when Bret was hospitalized with a massive subarachnoid hemorrhage six months later, and nearly died, no one was laughing. Back then, I always wondered if Bret's brain condition was linked in any way to the nasty bump on the noggin that he received at the 2009 Tonys
Posted Fri Mar 25, 2011 4:17pm PDT by Lyndsey Parker in Reality Rocks

How to Make $1 Million Before You Graduate

how to get rich
by Forbes Staff
Tuesday, March 22, 2011

The last three years, started launching businesses by the tender age of 9. Some of them identified problems and created companies to solve them, while others turned their hobbies into money-making ventures. Some teamed up with friends, parents and mentors; others plowed ahead on their own.

Florida House Approves Ending Tenure for New Teachers

Ending Tenure

In Miami they pass a bill that will end tenure.For the new teachers there job will be link on how good their student score on test.
Taking on the teachers’ union, House Republicans used their super-majority to handily approve the legislation, which will dramatically change the way teachers in Florida are hired, fired and rewarded.

By LIZETTE ALVAREZ

Published: March 16, 2011

super size that meal

super size me

SUPER SIZE ME
caption of the week

Diet Coke Wins Battle in Cola Wars

Diet coke wins
by Mike Esterl
Thursday, March 17, 2011
The U.S sales  of Diet Coke overtook those of Pepsi-Cola for the first time in 2010, making the diet soda the No. 2 carbonated soft drink in the country behind Coca-Cola, industry data are expected to confirm Thursday
.both of the companies have fought for shares over the past decade.

japan begins air droping sea water

Air droping sea water

By ERIC TALMADGE and MARI YAMAGUCHI, Associated Press
ZAO, Japan – Japanese military helicopters dumped loads of seawater onto a stricken nuclear reactor Thursday, trying to avoid full meltdowns as plant operators said they were close to finishing a new power line that could restore cooling systems and ease the crisis.

Explosion rocks Japanese nuclear plant

third explosion rocks japan  

  By ERIC TALMADGE and MARI YAMAGUCHI, Associated Pressa 

nationally televised statement, Prime Minister Naoto Kan said that radiation has spread from four reactors of the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant in Fukushima province that was one of the hardest-hit in Friday's 9.0-magnitude earthquake and the ensuing tsunami.

As safety officials sought desperately to avert catastrophe, the government said radioactive material leaking from reactors was enough to "impact human health" and the risk of more leaks was very high.

Blast at Japan nuke plant; thousands missing

nuke plant blast ; thousand missing
nuclear plant

• Slideshow:Huge Japan quake spawns tsunami
• Play Video Video:Americans Waiting for Word ABC News

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AP – Local fire company members search through a home collapsed by Friday's powerful earthquake-triggered …

By ERIC TALMADGE and YURI KAGEYAMA, Associated Press 

WAKI, Japan – An explosion shattered a building housing a nuclear reactor Saturday, amid fears of a meltdown, while across wide swaths of northeastern Japan officials searched for thousands of people missing more than a day after a devastating earthquake and tsunami.
he confirmed death toll from Friday's twin disasters was 686, but the government's chief spokesman said it could exceed 1,000.

 

.Space shuttle Discovery lands, ends flying career

shuttle lands

By MARCIA DUNN, AP Aerospace Writer Marcia Dunn, Ap Aerospace Writer – 46 mins ago

 

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Discovery ended its career as the world's most flown spaceship Wednesday, returning from orbit for the last time and taking off in a new direction as a museum piece.
After a flawless trip to the International Space Station, NASA's oldest shuttle swooped through a few wispy clouds on its way to its final touchdown.

Five reasons not to give up coffee

why not to stop drinking coffe

By Kerri-Ann Jennings, M.S., R.D
 It protects your heart: Moderate coffee drinkers (1 to 3 cups/day) have lower rates of stroke than noncoffee drinkers, an effect linked to coffee’s antioxidants.. It diverts diabetes: Those antioxidants (chlorogenic acid and quinides, specifically) play another role: boosting your cells’ sensitivity to insulin, which helps regulate blood sugar.

whip

http://realestate.yahoo.com/promo/americas-most-toxic-cities-2011.html

Obama daughter donthave facebook

By Rachel Rose Hartman

 http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_theticket/20110209/ts_yblog_theticket/michelle-obama-reveals-daughters-not-on-facebook-president-doesnt-dye-hair
The First Lady also revealed that daughters Sasha, 9, and Malia, 12, are not on the the popular social networking site, Facebook.
Obama noted that there are Secret Service barriers and other constraints on her daughters, who she suggested are too young to be on the site anyway. "I'm not a big fan of young kids having Facebook," Obama told Lauer. "So, you know, it's not something they need. It's not necessary right now."

Alley- opp

By Eric Freeman
thttp://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Video-Stephen-Curry-hits-Dorell-Wright-for-a-70?urn=nba-316747hursday night was about the All-Star game reserve selections, a fact which was emphasized by the fact that TNT showed two games featuring eight All-Stars in total.They were incidentally both exciting games, with both coming down to the final seconds.
They where both great games.

class disccusion

 My opinon about our little chat is that the health reform need to be turned down.
IT was really great because i got to see lots of other classmate opinon.
wakatella

Unrest in Egypt: What’s going on?

Unrest in Egypt: What’s going on?Unrest in Egypt

M.D.: Yes, there is a real possibility, but that does not seem to be imminent yet. As in Tunisia, the regime would begin to be uncertain if internal security services could not handle demonstrations and the army were called in. Armies generally don't like firing on their own civilians and sometimes will choose keeping the loyalty of the population over defending an unpopular ruler.

Famous player fined

http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/blog/dirty-tackle/post/Messi-fined-for-wishing-his-mother-a-happy-birth?urn=sow-312467

By Brooks Peck

Tue Jan 25 07:56pm

To someone who makes as much as Messi does, a fine of a couple thousand euros is hardly worth caring about and probably something he knew would happen before doing it. Still, that money could have gone to more Legos.

'Jersey Shore' Will Spend Season 4 in Italy

Jersey shore in Italy


MTV's reality show "Jersey Shore" has become a true pop cultural phenomenon in this country, setting ratings records and creating tie-in merchandising opportunities — from iPhone apps to one (to date) bestselling novel — for its memorable stars.

Packers tie to work, is promptly fired

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Chicago-man-wears-Packers-tie-to-work-is-prompt?urn=nfl-311976

By MJD
Firing an employee because of the sports logo emblazoned on his necktie seems rather small and petty.

The Tribune goes on to detail how general manager Jerry Roberts said the dealership had previously done promotions involving the Chicago Bears. 

Moscow airport terror attack

Airport terror attack

By NATALIYA VASILYEVA and IVAN SEKRETAREV
A suicide bomber set off an explosion that ripped through Moscow's busiest air port on Monday
.A man in blood-soaked clothes said he was just a few yards (meters) away from the explosion and thought he had been severely injured.

Gifford transferd to Houston rehabilitation center

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110121/ap_on_he_me/us_congresswoman_shot

By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN and MARILYNN MARCHIONE
Jan 21,2011
less then two weeks after the congresswoman was shot in the head.
She is going to be transfered.Get well Gabby" lined the ambulance's route between the hospital and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, where Giffords was loaded on a specially outfitted jet.

Angry at Netflix

http://blog.movies.yahoo.com/blog/432-netflix-is-abandoning-dvds-customers-who-prefer-dvds
by Tim Grierson
Tue Jan 18 2011, 4:27 PM

Netflix has predicted that in about two years their economics will be geared more toward their "Watch Instantly" service than through physical discs. this is the reason for netflix wanting to remove the dvd.

Sarah Palin "I hate violence"

Palin charges critics with 'blood libel' Jennifer Epstein Jan 12, 2011

In this article Sarah Palin talks about that Americans must be stronger then  the evil we saw happen last week.

We are better than the mindless finger-pointing we endured in the wake of the tragedy.

Arizona Shooting

Neighbor: Parents of shooting suspect devasted JUSTIN PRITCHARD and AMANDA LEE MYERS. January 11, 2011.

This article talks about the Arizona shooting and the charges in which Jared Loughner  will have to face the day of his court view.Some of the charges that he will have to face are one count of attempted assassination of a member of Congress, two counts of killing an employee of the federal government and two counts of attempting to kill a federal employee.

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