Mega Millions has sold its $206 million lottery ticket at King Kullen's Grocery Store in Long Island but the winner is yet to be discovered. The ticket is floating out there and hopefully that person will know to bring it in to redeem their prize. At this time of year and in this economy (or any economy actually) a prize like this is a huge deal, and such a high number is one of the biggest Mega Million jackpots yet. People are clearly desperate for some extra cash this winter as can be seen by such a high number of buyers for this lottery. The ticket was chosen randomly by a computer of 6 numbers that only matched once, and the winner was announced Tuesday but still no follow up as of Wednesday.
-tt 12/18/11
Christmas has come and gone but just as busy a shopping week is ahead. Many people are going to the mall this week to buy gifts with gift-certificates, Christmas cash, to see a movie or to return unwanted gifts. Merchants find this week just as important as the weeks before Christmas and many put great sales to bank on this popular time to shop. Interestingly, there is a new trend picking up this year with regards to unwanted gift-certificates. In the past one had to simply use the gift certificate they got but this year certain websites have arisen where you can sell an unwanted gift certificate for cash from the highest bidder. Maybe you don't eat red meat, so you sell your $20 In-n-Out certificate online to a bidder that will pay $18. Not ideal, but better than $20 worth of inedible burgers... for example.
Anyways, it's a new trend and maybe a good one to check out if you find yourself in that situation. Happy holidays! -tt 12/26/11
Singer Adam Lambert was arrested today in Finland when breaking out into a fight with his boyfriend Sauli Koskinen. The fight began in a bar and was carried out to the street, where police came and arrested the non-cooperating Lambert. Lambert was originally a runner up for hit show American Idol and has his own musical career since then. Also today Fox's show X-factor announced their first winner, Melanie Amaro. X-factor is another Simon Cowell production like American Idol. When asked after being released from jail, Koskinen said ""Celebrities are people too and fame is not easy. Love is not always easy either, but it's forever." Charges were not serious since no on was injured or property damaged during the fight. Not really sure why, but this story was incredibly popular in news and blogs sites today. -tt 12/22/11
A plane crashed today in New Jersey killing 5 people aboard: Greenhill and Co. managing directors Jeffrey F. Buckalew and Rakesh Chawla, and Buckalew's wife and 2 children. No one was injured on the ground as the plane crashed into Interstate 287. Buckalew, an NYC banker, was the owner of the plane and it was headed to Georgia before it crashed. It is unclear why the plane crashed but some think it may be due to a collection of ice that built up. The plane had only been in the air 14 minutes coming from Teterboro Airport in New Jersey. Greenhill and Co. is an investment firm. Chairman Robert F. Greenhill said today that,"the firm is in deep mourning over the tragic and untimely death of two of its esteemed colleagues and members of Jeff's family. Jeff was one of the first employees of Greenhill. He and Rakesh were extraordinary professionals who were highly respected by colleagues and clients alike. They will be sorely missed and our sympathies go out to their families and friends." -tt 12/20/11
Just reported the long-time leader of North Korea, Kim Jong Il, has died at age 69. Not many are certain what the cause of his death was, only saying that it was"overwork." Kim Jong Il was known for his unusual characteristic both privately and publicly in his political relations. I've always personally associated him with those sunglasses he always had on. But he was also known for his extreme loyalty to North Korea and a very stubborn nature when dealing with other nations. -tt 12/18/11
One of the busiest freeways in North America. I happened to be right by it today and filmed it for a little while. The number one busiest freeway is Toronto's 401. And the longest is the Pan-American Highway.
Today it has been announced that the War in Iraq is officially over. Violence and unrest remain apparent in the country but as far as the US interference and presence there, the war is considered over as troops were pulled out and sent back home today. The war has been going on for a decade now starting on September 11th, 2001 at the attack on the Twin Towers. It initially began as a US invasion to overthrow Saddam Hussein and then a constant policing to make sure the country stayed peaceful and in order. Over the course of the decade 4,487 US soldiers were killed, and many more wounded. The future will now tell whether Iraq can stay in a peaceful state on its own. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said at the ceremony in Iraq today, "“the cost was high — in blood and treasure of the United States, and also for the Iraqi people. But those lives have not been lost in vain — they gave birth to an independent, free and sovereign Iraq.”
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I think many Americans will be happy that this war has finally come to an end. What began as strong reaction to September 11th seems to have been drawn out into an almost pointless and endless effort to change and control a country on the the other side of the world. With the economy in as bad shape as it is the extremely high cost of military funding seems to be not in the country's best interest, and the loss of lives only makes the scenario worse. Although September 11th was a tragic day perhaps the military response to it is not as relevant as it was ten years ago, and so moving the troupes out of Iraq probably seems like the right idea to many americans.
Today Russian tycoon and owner of the New York Nets Mikhail Prokhorov announced his intention to run for president against Prime Minister Valdimir Putin in 2012. Prokhorov has made remarks against Putin in the past and due to apparent vote-counting fraud in the last election, may have an edge in the nomination. Running a country is much harder than running a basketball team, so it is certainly very ambitious of Prokhorov to make the leap. If Prokhorov were to win he'd be the first president to own an American basketball team. Either way, he is serious about it saying in a conference today, "I made a decision, probably the most serious decision in my life: I am going to the presidential election." -tt 12/12/11
The Swedish performer Robyn put on a mesmerizing performance on SNL last night, singing her two songs Call Your Girlfriend, and Dreaming On My Own. . Dressed in a glittery-brown outfit, the singer not only put on a great vocal performance but danced and tumbled around the stage at the same time. And by tumble, I literally mean she would role and crawl around the stage while somehow maintaining a great voice at the same time. Many performers try to put on the illusion of enthusiasm an charisma just to put on a show but Robyn seemed to really be giving it her all last night. Her music is basically pop. She plays with a full band but the show is really focused on her. And although it is pop, it has a great sound to it, and for someone who wasn't so familiar with her music, I was enticed to perhaps listen to more. The show itself was hosted by another female pop-star, Katy Perry, and was interesting to see her not singing herself, but actually introducing another musician instead. Here is some footage of Robyn:
-tt 12/11/11 Other sites with this story: Spinner Zap 2 It Ace Showbiz
NASA has announced that tomorrow morning, December 10th, there will be a Lunar Eclipse. The moon will be completely blocked by the Earth from the sun's rays, creating a reddish color. This will happen at 7:45am EST and 4:45am PST. NASA scientists said, "“For people in the western United States, the eclipse is deepest just before local dawn.”
The Lunar Eclipse happens when the Earth is directly in between the Sun and the Moon.
This, along with an announcement earlier this week by NASA that a new planet has been discovered possibly hosting life, makes this a big week for news stories in science. To add to this, there is also talk of a meteor shower coming up next Wednesday. I saw one yesterday, but not sure if it is related.
So get up early, and watch the moon look like it rarely does. Definitely worth the view!
Last night I was playing a game of Taboo
. It's that board game where one person has to get his team to guess a word, without saying the word, or certain other words that are not allowed. One of my teammates starting describing Pearl Harbor... "it's that attack... American soil," me: "Hawaii?" "Yes!" "oh Pearl Harbor?" "Yes!!!"
Its not something I think about a lot, so I was surprised to have gotten it with such ease. Coincidentally, today is the remembrance of Pearl Harbour, that with the exeption of September 11th, is the only attack on American soil. I really think I must have picked up on something subconscious to have gotten that clue last night.
Today, American remembers Pearl Harbor, and salutes those who died and faught in it 70 years later. In Hawaii, at 7am, a ceremony was held at the site of Pearl Harbor. -tt 11/07/11
This fall for the first time, Hollywood made an official attack on Internet companies that host or support piracy. The initial attack was to create a bill, SOPA, that would give the government power to shut down sites that violated certain rules. Now, as the issue has developed, it does not seem as likely that the SOPA bill will be passed.
Companies like Google and Yahoo that have stood behind Internet companies, have fought hard to keep their businesses alive, spending $91.5 million in legal fees, against Hollywood's $91.8 million. Politically, both Democrats and Republicans represent both sides of the battle, as there are clearly interests in both parties. The debate is rough, as both the freedom of the web and the rights of media companies are equally important, and have a huge place in our economy. -tt 12/05/11
It looks like Occupy Wall Steet continues in full force. Today and last night, protestors in Los Angeles who have been occupying the area around city hall, have ordered a court ruling agains the city of Los Angeles after being told to evacuate. The protestors say that the city is violating their civil rights. Last night 1,000 protestors blocked an intersection downtown, and 4 arrests were made. Portestors chanted "na na na na na na na, hey hey hey, occupy," when confronted by the police to move out of the intersection. Many "Occupy LA" supporters have been living in tents and on the street in Downtown LA, and the city is very close to having them evicted. The "Occupy" movement has struck all over America, and other parts of the world. In cities like New York, Portland Oregon, and Los Angeles, more and more stories are coming out about the protests. Los Angeles is now said to have the largest amount of protestors in the nation. The protests are still for the most part peaceful, but police force is needed to have them move out of areas. -tt 11/28/11
Matt Leinhart, quarterback of the Houston Texans, threw out his shoulder on Sunday, during a game against the Jaguars. Reports say that Leinhart is likely not to play the rest o the season, which might seriously effect the Texans' outcome for the season. Leinhart over-threw his shoulder, and claims to may have also broken his shoulder bone, despite Texans' win against the Jaguars. "There's a pretty strong possibility I won't be coming back this season," he said. As far as their season is concerned, this could be a set back, as their running game might not be enough to keep the team winning. This is their first time they have been close to winning the AFC South Title, but it may not happen this year. - tt 11/27/11
Green Bean Casserole seems to be coming back this Thanksgiving as a retro-dish for those who remember it from the baby boomer generation. The meal is very reminiscent of the 50's and 60's, combing heavy creams and canned oinons and mushrooms, mixed in together in a dish. Recipes for this dish are listed below. Enjoy! -NB 11/23/11
This Thanksgiving, be prepared for lines and many people to deal with while traveling and shopping. Black Friday, which has been pushed back to 4 or 5am Friday morning, has now moved back to Thanksgiving itself. Could this be due to a recession, where people are more interested in cheap deals than ever? It seems mind boggling that in hard economic times, people would be even more eager to buy extra things. Either way, if you are looking to get in on the great deals, you might as well start Thursday to avoid to even bigger lines on Friday. -tt 11/22/11
At the Philadelphia Marathon on Sunday, two runners died from heart attacks. One of the runners died just after crossing the finish line, and the other about a quarter mile before. The two deaths were apparently unrelated. Doctors say that some of the participants are "weekend warriors," working all week at their normal jobs, and then trying to squeeze in intense exercises on the weekends. A practical training for a marathon should actually occur over several weeks. Regardless, participants of the marathon were shocked and saddened at the events on Sunday. The names of the two people are being kept confidential at the moment. -tt 11/21/11
It turns out the motion from Occupy Wall Street continues to increase, and the stories are getting more drastic. Today, Saturday, protests at UC Davis led police to use pepper spray on students to control the crowd. A video of the police apparently staying students at close range has been circulating in the Internet and is subject for investigation. This kind of violence seems far too extreme for the procedure to deal with protestors who are just practicing their first amendment. As long as the protestors don't increase any violent behavior on their end, police will be crossing a line.
-tt 11/19/11
A wildfire has broke out in southwest Reno, reported to have started around 1am today. The fire continues to spread now, and put the entire city in a state of emergency, leaving 1,000 people without power, and 9,000 voluntarily evacuating. The fire has been said to have started by natural strong desert winds. Firefighters have been dispatched and are aggressively fighting to stop the fire. Fire Chief Mike Hernandez says, "We have crews leap frogging from one neighborhood to another... our biggest challenge is the wind, and it's not going to lie down anytime soon."
Following the shooting on Friday, when 2 shots were fired at the White House, a suspect has been arrestedand is scheduled to appear in court Thursday afternoon in Pennsylvania. Reports say the suspect, Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez, felt to have been on a "personal mission from God." The man will be charged for carrying a dangerous weapon, and security is said to get a double check at the White House.
Many people have been tweeting, writing, and reporting about the so called SOPA (Stop-Online-Piracy-Act.) The act has not been passed yet, but there is talk that such a bill could come into effect. The idea behind the bill would be to protect the entertainment industry from sites that steal their content. In order to do this, however, the government would have the power to "block" a website, basically shutting it down and removing all ads from the site. There would be a "blacklist" of sites that the Attorney General would feel are violating the act. Although the intentions of this act are good and understandable, the way it would be done seems very intrusive and unfair. In order to make this happen, there needs to be a better way of determining what is stolen and what is not, as opposed to giving those in power the right to choose at their own will. -tt 11/16/11
Last night on "Rock Center With Brian Williams," Bob Costas interviewed Jerry Sandusky about his recent allegations and departure from Penn State. The interview was intense and to the point, leaving Sandusky much room to maneuver any exaggerations. At times it was hard to watch, as Sandusky admitted openly to showering with kids. "I have hugged them and touched their leg. Without any sexual intent.". Sandusky claimed he never had any other intentions than just "enjoying" their company. A hard interview to watch, but a good job by Costas. -tt 11/15/11
On Sunday, Buffalo Bills' David Nelson, after scoring a touchdown, celebrated with his team and then handed the football to his girlfriend, a Cowboys' Cheerleader. The relationship has been known that the two are dating, but this was the first sign of public affection displayed during an actual game. Mixed responses followed the incident. Some of Nelson's twitter followers responded with "adorable," and "classy." Some others wrote, "you embarrassed Buffalo and its fans by celebrating down 21-7... act like you care about the game!"It's certainly a fine line to walk if you are dating one of the opponents' cheerleaders. Rules might have to be made for Nelson's behavior if more fans or even teammates start complaining. Either way it was a bold move by Nelson. -tt 11/14/11
Other sites with this story More recent stories at Newsbound
On Saturday, an Occupy Portland movement started in Portland, Oregon, following a refusal of an eviction. The family that refused the eviction to the police gained some followers, and eventually erupted into thousands of people rallying in the streets around the home. This movement is associated with the Occupy Wall Street protests, but was specifically attempting to protect any other people from being evicted. People filled the entire street, but remained non-violent, with one of the leaders saying, "Occupy the street, remain peaceful and aware."
The Occupy Wall Street movement seems to be continuing, but is often argued to not have a clear point. If we are to rally against evictions, then what about the landlords? They have bills to pay too... Whenever its broken down, there doesn't really seem to be a specific person to point a finger at. However, it's great to see people practicing the First Amendment, and attempting to find justice in peaceful ways. The movement grows strong, and people certainly feel very passionate about their cause.
-tt 11/13/11
Other sites with this story: More recent stories a Newsbound
The baseball team formally known a the Florida Marlins announced last night in an opening ceremony that they will be now called the Miami Marlins and have new uniforms. The new uniforms are orange, black, yellow and blue. Along with their change in appearance, the MLB team is getting a new stadium, New Marlins Ballpark, and recruiting many new players. -tt 11/12/11
Today is Veterans Day, a national holiday that is celebrated on November 11th at the Arlington Cemetery. The day commemorates all soldiers that have served in wars. Poland also celebrates their Veterans Day today. Many restaurants and stores offer deals to soldiers and veterans on this day. Happy Veterans Day!
-tt 11/11/11
The MLB catcher, Will Ramos, has been kidnapped in his home country of Venezuela. In regards to his kidnapping, the MLB has said "Our foremost concern is with Wilson Ramos and his family and our thoughts are with them at this time. Major League Baseball's Department of Investigations is working with the appropriate authorities on this matter. Both Major League Baseball and the Washington Nationals have been instructed to make no further comment." Recently, police and officials say they have found the abandoned vehicle that was used to kidnap Ramos. It is very disturbing and sad news for many, and the search continues.
Mega Millions has sold its $206 million lottery ticket at King Kullen's Grocery Store in Long Island but the winner is yet to be discovered. The ticket is floating out there and hopefully that person will know to bring it in to redeem their prize. At this time of year and in this economy (or any economy actually) a prize like this is a huge deal, and such a high number is one of the biggest Mega Million jackpots yet. People are clearly desperate for some extra cash this winter as can be seen by such a high number of buyers for this lottery. The ticket was chosen randomly by a computer of 6 numbers that only matched once, and the winner was announced Tuesday but still no follow up as of Wednesday.
Today it has been announced that the War in Iraq is officially over. Violence and unrest remain apparent in the country but as far as the US interference and presence there, the war is considered over as troops were pulled out and sent back home today. The war has been going on for a decade now starting on September 11th, 2001 at the attack on the 
-tt 12/11/11
. It's that board game where one person has to get his team to guess a word, without saying the word, or certain other words that are not allowed. One of my teammates starting describing 
