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The Huffington Post | Full News Feed         Michael Heizer's 'Levitated Mass' Earthwork Coming To LACMA May 18, 2011 at 5:08 AM   As you may have read in Sunday's Los Angeles Times, we've got a new major artwork on its way to LACMA--Michael Heizer's Levitated Mass. We are beginning prep work for its installation this month and it will make its official debut on campus in November. So, what is it? The short if incomplete answer is it's a 340-ton, 21'-6" high boulder that Heizer discovered in a quarry in Riverside some years back. (In terms of height, the boulder is roughly as tall as the Resnick Pavilion. It's big.) Read More... More on Museums         New Study Shows That Looking At Art Gives Same Pleasure As Being In Love (VIDEO) May 18, 2011 at 4:43 AM   There is a reason why art has served as a means of soulful self-expression for centuries upon centuries. All forms of art, from painting to dancing to music, are very personal and emotional experiences -- both for the artists and the viewers. While it is a common experience to fall in love with a certain artwork, scientists now have evidence that shows the brain reacts similarly when viewing artwork and when falling in love. New research by Semir Zeki, Professor of Neuroesthetics at University College London demonstrates that viewing a beautiful work of art creates the same chemical response as love. Both experiences trigger the feel-good chemical dopamine. So if you're missing that special someone, perhaps partake in a daily dose of art inspiration. Check out the video below for a more in-depth look at the Zeki's findings. Read More... More on Love         Mildred Patricia Baena: Mother Of Arnold Schwarzenegger's Love Child May 18, 2011 at 1:55 AM   Mildred Patricia Baena, 50, has been identified as the mother of Arnold Schwarzenegger's love child, RadarOnline.com reported Tuesday night. Baena, who goes by Patty, was a housekeeper for the Schwarzenegger family for 20 years before retiring in January. According to TMZ, the former housekeeper--who lives several hours outside of Los Angeles with Schwarzenegger's illegitimate son and her three other children--began to "pursue Arnold" in the late 1990s. She reportedly told friends that she and Schwarzenegger had unprotected sex during the day at his house, though she didn't tell him that he was the father of her child until the boy was a toddler. Read More... More on Video         Dirk Nowitzki's 48 Leads Mavericks Past Thunder In Game 1 May 18, 2011 at 12:26 AM   DALLAS — Dirk Nowitzki showed no rust from a long layoff, making 10 of his first 11 shots and an NBA playoff-record 24 straight free throws on the way to 48 points, leading the Dallas Mavericks to a 121-112 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals on Tuesday night. Nowitzki was impossible for the Thunder to cover. Six guys tried stopping him, and the big German either shot over them or put them in foul trouble. He made 13 free throws in the third quarter alone. Read More... More on NBA         Boehner To Silicon Valley: Will The GOP Embrace Innovation? May 18, 2011 at 12:26 AM   With local heroines including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Silicon Valley has long been perceived to be a stronghold of the country's Democratic elite. The affair between President Obama and denizens of Sand Hill Road has been a public romance: Throughout his political career, Obama has held fundraisers in the area, headlined town halls and touted local businesses like Google and Facebook as exemplars of American ingenuity. But on Tuesday, Speaker of the House John Boehner went where few conservatives like him have gone before, taking to Palo Alto and holding forth at a fundraiser in the heart of the valley with some of the industry's leading lights. Boehner's outreach to the tech sector may come as little surprise: A trek to northern California, with its deep coffers, carries with it the promise of campaign-building fortune. But Boehner's visit also represents a tactical shift by the tech community towards a strategy less partisan and more pragmatic than in years past. Read More... More on Republicans         Newt Gingrich Apologizes To Paul Ryan For Criticism Of Medicare Reform Proposal May 18, 2011 at 12:10 AM   ATLANTA — Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich has apologized to congressman Paul Ryan for criticizing his proposal to overhaul Medicare. Spokesmen for both Gingrich and Ryan tell The Associated Press that the former House speaker called Ryan on Tuesday and offered an apology. Read More... More on Paul Ryan         Bruins Beat Lightning 6-5 To Tie Series: Rookie Seguin Scores 2 Goals May 17, 2011 at 11:54 PM   BOSTON — Tyler Seguin had two goals and two assists and the Boston Bruins fed off the energy of the recently promoted rookie to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-5 and tie the Eastern Conference finals at one game each on Tuesday night. Boston earned a split at home and snapped the Lightning's eight-game winning streak that began when they were down 3-1 to Pittsburgh in the first round. Game 3 is at Tampa Bay on Thursday. Read More... More on Hockey         Threats To Members Of Congress Hard To Calculate May 17, 2011 at 11:54 PM   One came from a high school student who was goofing off on the school computer during civics lessons. Another from a man angry over an automated call. And another from a man who claimed he grew up with President Barack Obama in Wisconsin. Read More... More on Congress         Santorum: McCain Doesn't Understand Interrogation May 17, 2011 at 11:12 PM   WASHINGTON -- Former Sen. Rick Santorum said Tuesday that Sen. John McCain, who spent 5 1/2 years enduring brutal treatment at the hands of his North Vietnamese captors, doesn't know how effective waterboarding and other harsh interrogation techniques can be. The Republican presidential contender insisted the tactics led the United States to al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden. McCain, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a speech last week that waterboarding al-Qaida's No. 3 leader, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, did not provide information that led to bin Laden's compound in Pakistan. Read More... More on Rick Santorum         Doug Blubaugh Dead: Ex-Olympic Gold Medalist Killed In Traffic Accident May 17, 2011 at 10:49 PM   TONKAWA, Okla. -- A 1960 Olympic gold medalist and former NCAA wrester has been killed in a traffic accident in Tonkawa. Oklahoma State wrestling coach John Smith confirmed Tuesday that former Cowboys wrestler Doug Blubaugh died Monday. He was 76. Read More... More on Olympics         Mildred Baena Revealed As Mother Of Arnold Schwarzenegger Love Child May 17, 2011 at 10:49 PM   Mildred Baena is the mother of Arnold Schwarzenegger's love child, RadarOnline.com and Star magazine have learned exclusively in a joint investigation. Read More... More on Arnold Schwarzenegger         Summer Fashion Tips: 7 Ways To Sport A Socially Conscious Look May 17, 2011 at 10:02 PM   Is it summer yet? In our anticipation of rising temperatures, this time of year often prompts in us the urge to splurge on sandals, slather on sunscreen and show some skin. If you're in the market for a new summer style, consider these hot ways to make an impact. Who says you can't make a difference while working on your tan? Read More... More on Photo Galleries         CIA Flew Stealth Drones Into Pakistan To Monitor Bin Laden House May 17, 2011 at 10:02 PM   The CIA employed sophisticated new stealth drone aircraft to fly dozens of secret missions deep into Pakistani airspace and monitor the compound where Osama bin Laden was killed, current and former U.S. officials said. Read More... More on Osama bin Laden         Newt Gingrich Glitter Prank: GOP Presidential Candidate Hit With Confetti At Minneapolis Book-Signing (VIDEO) May 17, 2011 at 9:54 PM   MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich and his wife Callista were hit with glittery confetti by a protester Tuesday during the couple's appearance at a book-signing. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO The man approached the Gingriches during the signing at a downtown Minneapolis hotel, dumped a cracker box full of colorful confetti on the pair and said, "Feel the rainbow, Newt! Stop the hate! Stop anti-gay politics!" Read More... More on Newt Gingrich         Newt Gingrich Glitter Prank: GOP Presidential Candidate Hit With Confetti At Minneapolis Book-Signing (VIDEO) May 17, 2011 at 9:46 PM   MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich and his wife Callista were hit with glittery confetti by a protester Tuesday during the couple's appearance at a book-signing. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO The man approached the Gingriches during the signing at a downtown Minneapolis hotel, dumped a cracker box full of colorful confetti on the pair and said, "Feel the rainbow, Newt! Stop the hate! Stop anti-gay politics!" Read More... More on Newt Gingrich         Mississippi River Floods 2011: Coast Guard Reopens Part Of Swollen River May 17, 2011 at 9:46 PM   JACKSON, Miss. — The Coast Guard reopened the swollen Mississippi River north of New Orleans on Tuesday, allowing cargo vessels on the nation's busiest waterway to pass slowly, one at a time in the latest effort to reduce pressure from rising floodwaters. A 15-mile stretch at Natchez, Miss., was closed entirely earlier in the day, blocking vessels heading toward the Gulf of Mexico and others trying to return north after dropping off their freight. Had the channel remained closed, it could've brought traffic to a standstill up and down the river, which moves about 500 million tons of cargo each year. Read More... More on Extreme Weather         NBA Draft Lottery 2011: Cavaliers Get No. 1 Pick May 17, 2011 at 9:30 PM   The NBA draft lottery took place Tuesday night and the order of the 2011 draft has been revealed. The Cleveland Cavaliers won the No. 1 overall pick, along with the No. 4 pick. The Cavs selected LeBron James with the first overall pick in the 2003 draft. Check out the rest of the draft order below. 1. Cleveland Cavaliers Read More... More on NBA         Newt Gingrich Glitter Prank: GOP Presidential Candidate Hit With Confetti At Minneapolis Book-Signing May 17, 2011 at 9:18 PM   MINNEAPOLIS -- GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich and his wife Callista were hit with glittery confetti by a protester Tuesday during the couple's appearance at a book-signing. The man approached the Gingriches during the signing at a downtown Minneapolis hotel, dumped a cracker box full of colorful confetti on the pair and said, "Feel the rainbow, Newt! Stop the hate! Stop anti-gay politics!" Read More... More on Newt Gingrich         'L.A. Noire' Review: A Gritty Detective Game That Demands Your Attention May 17, 2011 at 9:18 PM   Rockstar Games has a reputation. People see the R* icon on a game box and expect chaos of the first degree. The Manhattan-based company's pushed the boundaries of portraying sex, violence and postmodern attitudes in their best-known series like Grand Theft Auto and Manhunt, letting players turn whole cities into unpredictable petri dishes of mayhem. So, expectations with Rockstar tend to run towards open-world anarchy. Read More... More on Games         Camille Grammer Slams Kelsey Grammer's Bid To Get Sole Custody Of Their Two Children May 17, 2011 at 8:45 PM   Camille Grammer is privately blasting her ex-husband Kelsey Grammer over his bid to get sole custody of their children ... telling friends the kids have already made it clear ... they want to live with her Read More...         Summer 2011 Outdoor Wine Events in Los Angeles May 17, 2011 at 8:24 PM   This summer, Los Angeles wine enthusiasts can get out of the cellar and out on the town with these casual and quirky wine events. Cowboys vs. Mimes and Colorado Wine Company: This wine tasting event at Eagle Rock's Colorado Wine Company pits American rosés (the cowboys) against French rosés (the mimes). Attendees are encouraged to dress up in either boots and spurs or white face paint and a beret. The winner of this "battle of epic pink" is determined by how many of each country's wines are left unsold at the end of the night. "The mimes almost always win, says Colorado Wine Company co-owner John Nugent, "just like they do in real life." The ticket price includes the six wines and a selection of artisan cheeses. In September, the shop also hosts a White Trash Wine event which pairs cheese balls, Spam, and ho-ho's with high-end wines. May 21, 5pm, $20 Read More... More on LA Around Town         Google, Apple Invited To FCC Location-Tracking Forum May 17, 2011 at 8:24 PM   WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In its first look at the growing controversy about location tracking by smartphones, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission has invited Apple, Google and consumer advocates to a forum in late June. The FCC will study the risks and benefits of location-based services at a "public education forum" on June 28 that will include wireless carriers, other technology companies and consumer advocacy groups, the FCC said on Tuesday. Read More... More on Android         Arnold Schwarzenegger's Love Child: Tammy Tousignant Denies It's Her Son May 17, 2011 at 8:08 PM   Who is Arnold Schwarzenegger's love child? The blogosphere is buzzing with speculation, and outlets like The Atlantic and Gawker.com have dredged up old love child allegations dating back to 2003. According to Gawker.com, the Daily Mail first reported that Schwarzenegger fathered a child out of wedlock in 2003, alleging that Tammy Tousignant--a stewardess on Schwarzenegger's private jet--had an ongoing affair with the former California Governor. The story, which is no longer online, was picked up by the National Enquirer, the Drudge Report, and the New York Daily News, though Tousignant vehemently denied the allegations at the time. Read More... More on Arnold Schwarzenegger         Bill Gates Says He Encouraged Microsoft To Buy Skype May 17, 2011 at 8:08 PM   Microsoft's founder, Bill Gates, has said he advocated the company's takeover of Skype, and urged other board members to support the move. Read More... More on Bill Gates         Apple Job Interviews Give The Best And Brightest A Run For Their Money May 17, 2011 at 7:37 PM   In Pirates of Silicon Valley, Steve Jobs tears into a potential Apple employee by asking him, "Are you a virgin?" The frightened interviewee stammers, intimidated by the question, but eventually says, "No." Jobs lays into him and says, "You're still a virgin, you just think you're not." Read More... More on Apple         L.A. Noire Captures 1940s Los Angeles May 17, 2011 at 7:37 PM   Star in your own version of "Double Indemnity" -- but this time, you're the cop, not the criminal. Rockstar Games' newest video game, L.A. Noire, captures 1940s Los Angeles in all its art deco glory with an intricately recreated virtual world (check out Popular Science's slideshow of city landmarks in the game). The game's level of detail, a signature feature of Rockstar games, has design nerds as well as video game geeks paying attention. KCRW interviewed production designer Simon Wood about the a five-year process that went into creating the game. Woods came across hand-drawn street maps at the Huntington Library, requested a three-dimensional map of the city from the U.S. Geological Department, and found a wealth of information UCLA's archived photography -- what he described as "an Aladdin's cave for us." John Buntin, author of LA Noir and an expert on historical Los Angeles, was able to preview the video game and told KCRW that it was, "an exquisite period reproduction, just as Mad Men is." Buntin's favorite part of the game? Being able to experience Los Angeles landmarks that have since been demolished or paved over, like the Pacific Electric train cars, Pershing Square when it was planted with baby palm trees, and the Spring Arcade. Read More... More on Video         Phaidra Knight In Strongman Competition (VIDEO) May 17, 2011 at 7:37 PM   Phaidra Knight has spent the last 12 years playing for the USA Rugby Women's National Team, competing in three Rugby World Cups with the team. In her spare time she stays in shape by training for Crossfit competitions. Now she is competing in her very first Strongman: the "Proven Performance Strongman I," which was held in Northborough, Mass., last weekend. For those unfamiliar with Strongman competitions, they essentially see who can lift, throw or fling extremely heavy objects as fast as possible. Each contestant gets 60 seconds to flip a 50-pound tire as far as possible along an 80-feet course. (Knight made it almost 60 feet.) We'll be checking in with Knight in a few weeks about her goals to break into the male-dominated world of rugby sportscasting, but we couldn't help but give you a preview of this athlete's strength. Read More... More on The Playing Field         'The Clock' Premieres At LAMCA May 17, 2011 at 7:21 PM   On Monday night, Angelenos flocked to the Bing Theater at LACMA for the west coast premiere of Christian Marclay's The Clock. Last month at LACMA's Collectors Committee, Trustee Steve Tisch purchased the film installation out-of-pocket. At the time of the Committee Auction, Michael Govan (LACMA's CEO and Director) told the LA Times: "We don't have a general acquisitions endowment, which most museums of our size have, so this is an important occasion where we can buy works of art for the public." The museum followed through with their word by screening the film free to the general public. Images from the Museum's Private Reception, hosted by Michael Govan. Story continues below.: Read More...         Police Mace JPMorgan Chase Protesters May 17, 2011 at 7:21 PM   WASHINGTON -- Police maced several elderly protesters Tuesday at JPMorgan Chase's annual shareholder meeting in Columbus, Ohio, according to activists present at the event. Hundreds of people from dozens of community organizing groups swarmed the Tuesday meeting to demand the company overhaul its widely criticized foreclosure policies. JPMorgan Chase has improperly broken into the homes of its borrowers in order to pursue foreclosures and has been accused of robo-signing thousands of key foreclosure documents. Federal regulators slapped the company with a consent order over foreclosure problems earlier this year, and the federal government is currently contemplating filing charges that the company defrauded taxpayers with its foreclosure policies on government-backed loans. In telephone interviews with HuffPost, multiple protesters complained of an overly aggressive police presence. Read More... More on Financial Crisis         Christian Marclay's 'The Clock' At LACMA May 17, 2011 at 7:21 PM   My late father once told me, "Time is our most precious commodity," and after attending west coast premiere of Christian Marclay's The Clock, I'm confident he is not alone in this sentiment. Recently acquired by LACMA Trustee Steve Tisch, The Clock comprises twenty-four hours of appropriated film footage depicting the minutes (and sometimes seconds) from clocks, watches, or announcements of time on screen. The magic of this project surrounds the reel/real time sync: when you see a clock on screen, it will match the time on your wristwatch- sometimes down to the second. (Thanks to this, I realized my own watch was running slow.) Prior to LACMA, Marclay's vision debuted at London's White Cube Gallery and New York's Paula Cooper Gallery. The New York Times proclaimed Marclay's greatness, but also the installation's ability to "horrify movie buffs." Yet, as a amateur cinephile, I can't help but view this collage as an homage to cinema. The Bing Theater was filled with laughter when suddenly- though Marclay's edits- Woody Allen, Cher, and Hannibal Lecter were watching the curtain rise at the same opera. Other clips included scenes from "Almost Famous", "True Lies", "Rosemary's Baby", "Casino Royale", "Double Indemnity", "Funny Games", "The 39 Steps", "Eyes Wide Shut", and "A Hard Day's Night". In just two of the twenty-four hours, I watched a film starring: Mickey Rourke, Michael Keaton, Warren Beatty, Steve McQueen, Robert Duvall, Joan Crawford, Katherine Hepburn, Jack Nicholson, John Cusack, Robert Redford, Barbra Streisand, and Humphrey Bogart - to name only a few. Read More...         Causes Of Catholic Abuse Scandal Pinpointed By Study May 17, 2011 at 7:21 PM   By David Gibson Religion News Service NEW YORK (RNS) Nearly a decade after revelations of widespread sexual abuse of minors rocked the Catholic Church in the U.S., a comprehensive report on the scandal is set for release on Wednesday (May 18), hoping to provide answers about a crisis that has raised myriad questions despite years of attention. Read More... More on Catholic Church         Pippa Middleton Inspires New Butt-Lifting Surgery May 17, 2011 at 7:21 PM   Move over, Jennifer Lopez, Beyoncé and Jessica Alba! Pippa Middleton is the new ideal for U.K. women who want a tighter, firmer bottom. Read More... More on Kate Middleton         Democrat Eric Bauman Calls For Investigation Into Arnold Schwarzenegger May 17, 2011 at 7:21 PM   Arnold Schwarzenegger after his bombshell baby confession. Eric Bauman, Vice Chair of the California Democratic Party and Chair of the Los Angeles Democratic Party, exclusively told RadarOnline.com that there should be an official inquiry into Arnold's finances to determine if he used state or campaign money to pay the woman. Read More... More on Arnold Schwarzenegger         Charter School Ruling In Ga. Draws Hundreds Of Protesters May 17, 2011 at 7:05 PM   ATLANTA — Hundreds of Georgia charter school parents, students and school administrators are protesting a ruling by the state's highest court that overturned a law allowing the creation of state-approved charters. More than 400 people gathered at the state Capitol on Tuesday to share their fears about what will happen to the 15,000 students enrolled in the 16 charter schools affected by the ruling. Read More... More on Charter Schools         Senate GOP Votes Down Bill To End Big Oil Subsidies May 17, 2011 at 7:05 PM   WASHINGTON -- A ceremonial vote over whether to end subsidies to major oil companies failed on Tuesday, with 45 Republicans and three Democrats voting to continue the tax incentives to the five largest oil companies. Atlhough the 52-48 vote broke down mostly along party lines, Republican Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine split with the rest of the GOP to support the effort to repeal oil subsidies. Democratic Sens. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and Mark Begich (D-Alaska), voted against the bill. Still, the debate over whether to end the subsidies is unlikely to die with Tuesday's vote. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) vowed to continue pushing for the government to end a series of tax credits to five oil companies, which Democrats say could produce $21 billion over the next decade. Read More... More on GOP         Top 5 Los Angeles References In The WikiLeaks Cables May 17, 2011 at 7:05 PM   The Wikileaks cables keep coming, and we've pored through them to find the most interesting news related to Los Angeles. Mostly LA seems to be a haven for international organized crime; many of the other cables discuss relations with Latin America vis-a-vis Los Angeles, but aren't specific to our city. We tried to pick out the most interesting 5 so far. Let us know what you've found in the comments. Read More... More on Wikileaks         International Day Against Homophobia: How The World Celebrated May 17, 2011 at 7:05 PM   Today, the world made a statement about tolerance. May 17, 2011 marks the 21st annual International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO), the anniversary of the World Health Organization declassifying homosexuality as a mental illness. From activism in Asia to transvestite beauty pageants in Cuba, here's how the world spoke out against homophobia and transphobia. Asia Numerous Asian organizations are asking the World Health Organization to do more to follow-up on its previously released statement: Read More... More on Gay Rights         Whistleblowing Kentucky Miner Fired, Alleges Discrimination May 17, 2011 at 6:53 PM   WASHINGTON -- A Kentucky miner whose whistleblower case recently caught the attention of mine safety proponents on Capitol Hill was fired yesterday, his lawyer said. According to attorney Tony Oppegard, Charles Scott Howard lost his job at the Cumberland River Coal Company after a doctor employed by the mining company determined he could no longer work underground. The firing came just days after an executive at Cumberland River's parent company Arch Coal was accused by House Democrats of giving "contradictory" testimony regarding alleged whistleblower retaliation against Howard. The well-known mine safety gadfly has now filed a discrimination complaint and asked that the Mine Safety and Health Administration investigate. Over the years, Howard has lodged several safety complaints against his employers. He even shot video of apparently dangerous conditions at the mine where he worked once and aired it at a public MSHA meeting -- an action which allegedly led to previous retaliation from Cumberland River. Read More... More on West Virginia Mine Disaster         Light Saber Rape: Javier Enrique Perez Convcted Of Raping Boy With Toy Light Saber May 17, 2011 at 6:53 PM   RIVERSIDE -- A teenager was convicted Tuesday of sexually assaulting a 9-year-old boy with a toy light saber. Javier Enrique Perez, 19, was found guilty by a jury of one felony count of sexual penetration by foreign object by force, one felony count of aggravated sexual assault of a child, and two felony counts of forcible lewd acts on a child. Read More...         'Top Chef Masters' Contestant Cuts Off Tip Of Thumb May 17, 2011 at 6:53 PM   In tomorrow night's episode of Top Chef Masters, contestant Mary Sue Milliken accidentally slices off the top of her thumb, and as a result, has to toss it in the garbage. Milliken, who admits that she hadn't cut herself like that "in decades" takes the whole incident like a champ. "Oh darn it," she exclaims, as if she had just gotten a paper cut. She later assures her fellow competitors, "I'll be fine." See the clip below for all the details (you only see a little bit of blood). Read More... More on Top Chef         Michele Bachmann: Donations 'Pouring In' For Potential 2012 Presidential Bid (VIDEO) May 17, 2011 at 6:53 PM   WASHINGTON – Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) said Tuesday she may speed up her planned announcement of a potential 2012 presidential run in response to the outpouring of support she is getting from her base. "Our phones have been ringing off the hook. Our Facebook has been lit up. Our donations are pouring in," Bachmann told Fox News. "And people are saying, 'Michele, jump in, we want you to run.'" The Minnesota Republican previously said she would announce her plans in June. But with other potential GOP candidates peeling off in the past week -- Donald Trump and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee both bowed out -- Bachmann said her shop "may move that [date] up" in the face of growing momentum for her to run. Read More... More on 112th Congress         Texas Wildfires: Months Of Flames, Drought Devastate The Lone Star State (VIDEO) May 17, 2011 at 6:35 PM   A battle raged in the backcountry of Western Texas last week. On one side: 35 volunteer firefighters from Brewster County. On the other: two wildfires, each more than 100 square miles wide and capable of traveling at a rate of one football field per minute when the wind whips up. Read More... More on Tornadoes         Westwood Explosion Lands Bus Driver In Hospital May 17, 2011 at 6:35 PM   An underground electrical vault exploded Tuesday morning in Westwood, sending the driver of a Metro bus to the hospital and shutting down Westwood Boulevard between Weyburn and Le Conte Avenues. Read More...         Martin Seligman, Positive Psychology Founder, Thinks Happiness Is Overrated May 17, 2011 at 6:35 PM   By John Tierney The New York Times As the investigation of happiness proceeded, Dr. Seligman began seeing certain limitations of the concept. Read More... More on Happiness         HUFFPOST HILL - Anonymous GOP Lobbyist And Dem House Member Square Off May 17, 2011 at 6:35 PM   The Washington Post took another step toward having Ezra Klein teach Kaplan SAT prep courses. Willie Nelson is supporting Gary Johnson for president, no doubt because of Johnson's plan to turn entitlements into block grant programs. And if Newt Gingrich's presidential campaign doesn't go anywhere, he can always be the silhouette in the next De Beers commercial. This is HUFFPOST HILL for Tuesday, May 17th, 2011: ANONYMOUS RADICALIZED MARGINAL HOUSE DEM: GOP EXHIBITS 'OPEN BIGOTRY TOWARD LATINOS' TO 'REACH THEIR VIRULENT NATIVIST BASE VOTERS' - Our two favorite confidential contributors, the Paranoid Self-Loathing GOP Lobbyist (who is an actual GOP lobbyist) and the Anonymous Radicalized Marginal House Democrat (who is an actual House Democrat) debated the politics of immigration reform today, with HuffPost Hill acting as moderator. PSLGOPL asked why "a filibuster proof Senate, bullet proof liberal Majority in the House and a President dedicated to Change" hasn't done anything about "Comprehensive Immigration Reform, or better yet, just the DREAM Act." ARMHD responded: "Easy: because desperate Republicans two years ago had to swap dog whistles for bull horns to reach their virulent nativist base voters, and now nativism has become a litmus test for Republicans. Read More...         Live Chicken Vending Machines: The Latest Animal Rights Stunt May 17, 2011 at 6:35 PM   NOAH, the German equivalent to PETA, recently installed a live chicken vending machine in Frankfurt in order to call attention to the living conditions of battery-caged hens. The live chickens were not actually dispensed. Instead, the machine produced coins with eggs on them, with numbers on the coin corresponding to the sort of conditions chickens were raised in. For example, the number 1 indicated free range, while the number 3 meant the chickens were kept in cages. The video below shows the vending machine in action, along with some facts to get NOAH's point across (at around 35 seconds, the video reads "16 chickens were demonstrating for their right to a fair life." As far as we know, the chickens did not consent to being put inside a fake vending machine). The video also notes, "no chickens were harmed during the campaigning for their fellow hens." Read More... More on PETA         Obama Middle East Speech Will Redefine U.S. Policy After Bin Laden May 17, 2011 at 6:35 PM   WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama is expected to lay out a new vision for American relations with the Middle East later this week in his first extended remarks on the region since the Arab Spring uprisings and the killing of Osama bin Laden, White House spokesman Jay Carney said Tuesday. The Thursday address at the State Department will be "an opportunity to sort of step back and assess what we've all witnessed, the historic change we've seen, and to talk about how he views it," Carney said. He added it is a chance to explain the values and principles that will inform the administration's policies and its support for pro-democracy movements in the region. A senior State Department official familiar with the contents of a draft of the speech said Obama would focus on political and economic reform in the region. Security issues, including Iran's nuclear ambitions and its support of Islamist groups like Hezbollah, will also be touched upon, although it is not expected to be the centerpiece of the address. Read More... More on Osama bin Laden         Skin Crawling: Experts Find It's All In Your Head May 17, 2011 at 6:35 PM   For years, dermatologists have been aware of--and baffled by--people who feel a constant creepy-crawly sensation beneath their skin, which they believe is due to bugs, worms, or eggs below the surface. Now, in the largest study to date to examine skin samples from patients with these symptoms, doctors have firm proof that these infestations--known as delusional parasitosis or delusional infestation--are not real. The researchers acknowledge, however, that the findings may not be enough convince many of these patients. Read More... More on Beauty and Skin         Jewish Heritage Month: Obama Hosts Reception May 17, 2011 at 6:35 PM   Read Transcript: Remarks by the President at Reception in Honor of Jewish American Heritage Month Read More... More on Barack Obama         Santorum: McCain Doesn't Understand Interrogation May 17, 2011 at 6:35 PM   WASHINGTON -- Former Sen. Rick Santorum said Tuesday that Sen. John McCain, who spent 5 1/2 years enduring brutal treatment at the hands of his North Vietnamese captors, doesn't know how effective waterboarding and other harsh interrogation techniques can be. The Republican presidential contender insisted the tactics led the United States to al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden. McCain, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a speech last week that waterboarding al-Qaida's No. 3 leader, Khalid Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, did not provide information that led to bin Laden's compound in Pakistan. Read More... More on Rick Santorum             This email was sent to cbzvdani.delluve@blogger.com. Delivered by Feed My Inbox PO Box 682532 Franklin, TN 37068 Account Login Unsubscribe Here