| Farmington Hills teen named new Miss America
Reality Check," which followed the contestants as they were pushed to shed the dated look of Miss Americas past and adopt a more updated style. The show was the latest in a series of attempts to find an audience with a younger demographic after more than a decade of declining ratings. The 52 newly made-over beauty queens who sought the top tiara sported updated hairdos, sassy attitudes and red carpet-worthy fashion throughout the competition. Usually tame by modern TV standards, the swimwear competition kicked it up a notch. Most contestants wore black bikinis, and some struck provocative poses and twirled as the audience howled. Contestants also wore blue jeans and added a bit of humor to the traditional opening number, the parade of states. "Entertainment Tonight" reporter Mark Steines was the master of ceremonies of the show.
Science USAF's F-15 Woes Continue to Unfold
It appears that the problems with F-15 are more than just skin deep. The aircraft, which has been in service for more than 30 years, continues to the hug the ground instead of protecting the skies over the United States. A November 2 crash during a routine dogfighting maneuver in Missouri caused an F-15 to break apart in mid-air. The aircraft buckled and broke apart aft of the cockpit while performing an 8G dogfighting maneuver at 500 MPH. "I heard a big rush of air, very loud, like a tornado ripping the roof off a house," said Maj. Stephen Stilwell. "It was like I was in a car and it's flipping down the road. I felt like the airplane was tumbling and I'm being slammed around, left, right, front and back." Early analysis of Stilwell's crash and subsequent inspections of the grounded F-15s showed that cracks in the "longeron" main support beams aft of the cockpit were the cause of the crash.
Miss Michigan, Kirsten Haglund, crowned Miss America 2008: Photos
Miss Michigan, Kirsten Haglund, 19, was crowned Miss America 2008 Saturday, January 26 at the Planet Hollywood Resort Las Vegas. She beat Miss Indiana Nicole Elizabeth Rash, the first runner up, and Miss Washington Elyse Umemoto, the second runner up. .
TheStar.com | Special | Towards a Fairer Canada Without Poverty
A Liberal government will make Canada a richer, greener, fairer country. We need a greener Canada. You in the GTA know that all too well. Toronto has the highest number of smog days in Canada. Studies show that every year in Toronto, pollution contributes to about 440 premature deaths and puts 1,700 more people in our hospitals. And it is our most vulnerable who always are most at risk. Our elderly, our children and those in poverty. Whenever the next election comes, we Liberals will have a platform that ensures Canadians have clean air, clean water, a credible plan to meet the climate change crisis and a healthy natural environment. We need a richer Canada. Our economy is facing strong competition from emerging economies, higher energy prices and a dollar that is above parity with the US dollar.
Wall St stocks return to negative territory
All this came after the Federal Reserve had sliced its Fed funds rate to 3.50 per cent, a 75 basis point cut nearly a week before its scheduled January meeting. Another cut of at least 25bp is expected. Market volatility surged to levels seen last August as stocks continued to slide, and sectors exposed to the global economy, such as energy, industrials and technology, were hit hard. The Vix index, which measures S&P 500 option volatility surged past last August's intra-day peak of 37.50 on Wednesday, before it sharply subsided below 30. Late on Friday, Vix was at 29.08. On a closing price level, the Vix has now settled above 30 three times since August. This type of pattern suggests that the market has established a strong ceiling that should hold unless there is a major shock traders say.
Friday wild card
If you aren't in town before 10:30 AM you will be subjected to a wait, while the parade goes by. We have stocked up on your favorite beverages, and expect the usual unbelievable crowd. After an afternoon of food and beverages, take in the very good fireworks display that will take place around 10:00 PM. I'll be at the Captain's Wheel. I hope those of you that attend our celebration, stop by to say hi to me. Question: Got big plans for the weekend? .
Hillary's show of emotion
The talkers and pundits fill the airways with noise trying to explain what happened in New Hampshire this week. A day before the voting took place (or maybe it was the afternoon of the primary) I heard someone on Hardball explain that Hillary got teary eyed because she knew she was going to lose in New Hampshire. Bill Krystal dismissed Hillary's unscripted moment saying “Clintons don't cry without calculating first", and Tucker Carlson confessed to his viewers he was repulsed by Hillary's emotional display. Hillary Clinton sounded frustrated in the debate last Saturday, reminding us that she has spent 35 years working to change how we do things in this country. She could have knocked on every door in New Hampshire with that message and it wouldn't have given her the edge over Barack Obama.
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