Ah Yes! Grammy Night! A mystical event that always leaves spectators in awe, and confusion.

Lady Gaga...always the outkast, skip-tripped into her usual solo of weird, erotic alternative showcase. Followed by Pink who apparently felt dangling herself from a king size flat sheet and dripping water on the 150+ fans below was a way to steal the show. Then followed Black Eyed Peas with choreography led by the black tin man from Wizard of Oz himself, will.i.am.

After a neverending performance of I'm a, I'm a, they were followed up by the always foolish Jamie Foxx and Mr Big Ass Chain himself, T-Pain. Evidently producers thought it would be even more exciting to bring Jamie's sister on stage to "dance" and top it off with a 4 minute and 7 second guitar solo for Blame It On The Alcohol.

The party didn't stop there! Up next was what was supposed to be a 3D tribute to Michael Jackson featuring Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson, Smokey Robinson, Carrie Underwood & Usher. Nevermind there not being a need at all for 3D glasses, unless you enjoy looking at still life's in 3D, but all 5 singers did a great rendition of one of Mike's greatest songs.

Moving on, there was a quick crowd shot of Quincy Jones, who bears a striking resemblance to Paul Winfield-that's not a compliment, but....okay...So they award MJ the Lifetime Achievement Award or something to the affect, and his "kids" accept the award on his behalf. (pause) Maybe the kids look like MJ's with 3D glasses, but on the screen I watched....moving forward...Mary J & someone who sounded like Pavorotti sang Bridge Over Troubled Waters...beautiful song...but I think Mary let Dionne Warwicke do her hair....I ain't sayin, I'm just sayin.

Wyclef, the man in the middle of controversy, treated us all to a Creole lesson by going out on a limb to repeat once again he is for Haiti, and always has been-think we got the message Clef, thanks, stage right!

Up next was America's Sweetheart, Maxwell featuring Roberta Flack? WTF? Granted, I'm a huge fan of her work, but they did one of her songs, which isn't a remake on his album and had no tie to the theme of the show. (sigh)

This was followed by other poor setups (Mos Def in a valet outfit), a few people got awards I've never heard of...then...you guessed it....the Negro Moment of the night!!!!! Wayne, Drake & Eminem accompanied by drummer Travis Barker composed an electrifying performance! Too bad CBS bleeped out 85% of it! Thanks for keepin' it clean fellas!

Of course, Taylor Swift won Best Album of the Year. I know Kanye is somewhere takin' shots of Hennessy slappin' himself!

You could smell the tension between Jay & Beyonce, but no friction between the big homie & Rihanna when she won her award! I'm smitten by you two!!! As a side not, B, the extra large cotillion shoulder pads aren't necessary when you reach 21.

Overall, a pretty dull and uneventful showcase of artists you either never heard of or are tired of hearing about! Nuff said.

In buying a vehicle, it is necessary to weigh the options between buying new or used. One would also have to take into consideration current financial times and the possibility of ballin' on a budget. So, with that being said, all of you "Ballers on Budgets" might want to take a look at the 2010 lineup of whips under $15,000. The prices listed are the MSRP and also come with some hefty rebates. Check 'em out:


MSRP $15,455Honda Civic Coupe

MSRP $15,450Toyota Corolla

MSRP $16,100Pontiac Vibe

MSRP $15,295Mazda 3

MSRP $13,300 Kia Soul

SAMSUNG GALAXY 2

In these days, it doesn’t matter if you don’t have a good sense of orientation when you are driving. It is enough if you have one of those devices known as satellite navigators (aka automotive navigation systems or satnav) at hand.

But those gadgets are not cheap at all. Currently, the most inexpensive satellite navigator costs about $100, and the most sophisticated one costs about $400. Besides, if you need additional services such as traffic reports or suggestions about how to avoid traffic congestions, then you have to pay a monthly subscription.

However, all of this might change soon. Satellite navigation is moving more toward the mobile phones market. And now, Nokia has launched a free satnav service, which is called OVI Maps. This service does not even require an Internet connection in order to operate.

In sharp contrast with other similar services, the OVI Maps users won’t have to update the maps themselves or download several updates from Internet. Instead, Nokia stores those maps directly (and automatically) on mobile phones.



VODAFONE MiFi 2352
These days, Vodafone is launching and promoting some interesting products in the field of Internet access through a 3G connection. One of those marketed products is the new MiFi 2352 (an intelligent Mobile Hotspot for European HSPA Networks). So, this is now an additional option Vodafone users can pick if they need an Internet 3G connection.

The MiFi 2352 is a small device (it weighs hardly 100 grams) that can works as WiFi router as well as 3G modem to access Internet through mobile networks by using a computer or even any device with Internet connection like a smartphone, a video game console, a media player, etc.

It can be configured to operate in two different modes:

1. To work as a WiFi router: This MiFi is able to act as a conventional WiFi router (just like those used in many residential and corporate environments). In this case, the 3G data connection can be shared with up to five computers or other devices.

2. To work as a USB modem: It also works as a conventional 3G USB modem. So, you can connect it to a USB port of your computer in order to have Internet access wherever you want. Of course, you need an adequate mobile Internet plan, and in this case, only your computer will have Internet access through the MiFi.

Q: I am a single woman who recently ended a relationship because of infidelity. After the breakup, I noticed that I began having cold sores on my mouth. Afraid of what may have caused them, I never went to see a doctor or even tell my family. But I feel like it's more to it and am scared to know what it is. Help! (Worried in Joliet, IL)

A: Well Worried in Joliet, what you have encountered is one of two infections. Herpes simplex viruses -- more commonly known as herpes -- are categorized into two types: herpes type 1 (HSV-1, or oral herpes) and herpes type 2 (HSV-2, or genital herpes). Most commonly, herpes type 1 causes sores around the mouth and lips (sometimes called fever blisters or cold sores). HSV-1 can cause genital herpes, but most cases of genital herpes are caused by herpes type 2. In HSV-2, the infected person may have sores around the genitals or rectum. Although HSV-2 sores may occur in other locations, these sores usually are found below the waist.

What Causes Herpes Infections and Outbreaks?
Herpes simplex type 1, which is transmitted through oral secretions or sores on the skin, can be spread through kissing or sharing objects such as toothbrushes or eating utensils. In general, a person can only get herpes type 2 infection during sexual contact with someone who has a genital HSV-2 infection. It is important to know that both HSV-1 and HSV-2 can be spread even if sores are not present.

Pregnant women with genital herpes should talk to their doctor as genital herpes can be passed on to the baby during childbirth.

For many people with the herpes virus, attacks (or outbreaks) of herpes can be brought on by the following conditions:

General illness (from mild illnesses to serious conditions)
Fatigue
Physical or emotional stress
Immunosuppression due to AIDS or such medications as chemotherapy or steroids
Trauma to the affected area, including sexual activity
Menstruation
What Are the Symptoms of Herpes Simplex?
Symptoms of herpes simplex virus typically appear as a blister or as multiple blisters on or around affected areas -- usually the mouth, genitals or rectum. The blisters break, leaving tender sores.

How Is Herpes Simplex Diagnosed?
Often, the appearance of herpes simplex virus is typical and no testing is needed to confirm the diagnosis. If a health care provider is uncertain, herpes simplex can be diagnosed with laboratory tests, including DNA tests and virus cultures.

How Is Herpes Simplex Treated?
Although there is no cure for herpes, treatments can relieve the symptoms. Medication can decrease the pain related to an outbreak and can shorten healing time. They can also decrease the total number of outbreaks. Drugs including Famvir, Zovirax and Valtrex are among the medications used to treat the symptoms of herpes. Warm baths may relieve the pain associated with genital sores.

How Painful Is Herpes Simplex?
Some people experience very mild genital herpes symptoms or no symptoms at all. Frequently, people infected with the virus don't even know they have it. However, when it causes symptoms, it can be described as extremely painful. This is especially true for the first outbreak, which is often the worse. Outbreaks are described as aches or pains in or around the genital area or burning, pain, or difficulty urinating. Some people experience discharge from the vagina or penis.

Oral herpes lesions (cold sores) usually cause tingling and burning just prior to the breakout of the blisters. The blisters themselves can also be painful.

Can Herpes Be Cured?
There is no cure for herpes simplex. Once a person has the virus, it remains in the body. The virus lies inactive in the nerve cells until something triggers it to become active again.


If you have a question, please email "Tha Doc" at sitonthacouch@gmail.com. All personal information will be kept strictly confidential.

In an attempt to solicit financial and political support against the White House and Democrats in Congress, TeaParty.org sent out an email to its members likening President Barack Obama to a “health care pimp”

The email was sent by Tea Party founder Dale Robertson, the same man who was photographed last year carrying a sign comparing Congress to Slavemasters and Taxpayers to N——

From Talking Points Memo

The photograph– showing the president as a stereotypical African-American pimp, sporting a pencil-thin mustache and a zebra-striped, fur-brimmed fedora, complete with a feather — illustrated the theme.

The email goes on to explain that Democrats still plan to pass health-care reform despite Scott Brown’s win in Massachusetts. It asks readers to send faxes to Congress, and to donate to TeaParty.org. And it contains an exhortatory quote from Robertson, identified as the group’s “President/Founder”: “I am greatly encouraged with the progress of the Tea Party, but our work has just begun!”

Talking Points Memo reports that the Republican leadership is not on board with Robertson’s strategy and is keeping its distance from the group.

Fox News commentators Bill O’Reilly and Glenn Beck are embroiled in controversy AGAIN; this time for comments comparing the southside of Chicago to Haiti. WTH?

O’Reilly made the comments on Jan.23 in Westbury, NY as the two Fox commentators are on the Bold Fresh Tour, a national traveling town hall meeting to talk about political and cultural issues while promoting their brand and books. My question is when were you two on the southside of Chicago and what did you see that no one else sees?

Hear the shocking comments for yourself.

What is it with people making comments about Haiti?

ESPN fired former NBA player Paul Shirley from his position as a sports blogger for a blog he wrote on another website criticizing Haiti relief efforts and the victims of the Jan. 12 earthquake.

In the blog Shirley posted on Flipcollective.com he alleged that Haitians are responsible for their own fate and should bear the brunt of their recovery.

I haven’t donated a cent to the Haitian relief effort. And I probably will not. I haven’t donated to the Haitian relief effort for the same reason that I don’t give money to homeless men on the street. Based on past experiences, I don’t think the guy with the sign that reads “Need You’re Help” is going to do anything constructive with the dollar I might give him. If I use history as my guide, I don’t think the people of Haiti will do much with my money either.

… Shouldn’t much of the responsibility for the disaster lie with the victims of that disaster?”

Later on in the blog Shirley wrote a letter “from the rest of the World” to the Haitian people

Dear Haitians –

First of all, kudos on developing the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Your commitment to human rights, infrastructure, and birth control should be applauded. As we prepare to assist you in this difficult time, a polite request: If it’s possible, could you not re-build your island home in the image of its predecessor? Could you not resort to the creation of flimsy shanty- and shack-towns? And could some of you maybe use a condom once in a while?

Sincerely, The Rest of the World

In a one paragraph statement ,ESPN said Shirley will no longer contribute to their sports coverage.

NFL Star Steven Jackson is accused of beating his then pregnant girlfriend in their Las Vegas home last year.

The incident occurred in March 2009, according to Supriya Harris, who was 9 months pregnant at the time Jackson allegedly assaulted her.

According to TMZ, court documents pertaining to the case report that Jackson got into an argument with Harris that turned into a physical altercation. Harris said she was slammed into a door handle with so much force that she had to be hospitalized.

She also added that Jackson convinced her to make up a story to emergency room personnel to explain her injuries. Less than two weeks later, Harris gave birth to Jackson’s son.

Harris already has a legal action against Jackson in family court seeking more child support.

Jackson denies the allegations and Las Vegas police have not made a decision whether to investigate the complaint.

Well its that time again the 52nd annual Grammy Awards, which honor music released between Oct. 1, 2008, and Aug. 31, 2009, will air tomorrow Sunday Jan. 31 on CBS at 8Eastern time.

There will be some great tributes GRAMMY night. GRAMMY winners Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson, Smokey Robinson, Carrie Underwood, and Usher will join together, along with the voice of Michael Jackson, in a moving tribute to Jackson at the 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards on Sunday, Jan. 31. This very special GRAMMY Moment will feature the never-before-seen 3-D mini-movie for "Earth Song" that was created by Jackson as the centerpiece of his much-anticipated This Is It tour, but was never seen by the public prior to this GRAMMY performance.

From Sunday, Jan. 24 through Sunday, Jan. 31, Target stores nationwide will exclusively offer these 3-D GRAMMY Glasses so that fans have the opportunity to see the film that was very personal to Jackson from their home.

So who are the nominees this year? Beyoncé leads all artists with 10 nominations, followed closely by Taylor Swift's eight. The Black Eyed Peas, Maxwell and Kanye West are up for six Grammys each, while Lady GaGa will contend for five statues. Uh oh Kanye will be in the house so will he tantrum if Beyonce doesn't win or if he doesn't win? Any takers?

All in all it should be a interesting night with some edgy moments so make sure you check back with us so we can give you all the details!!

(CNN) -- In a messy drug bust this week, investigators uncovered more than 700 pounds of marijuana stuffed in a septic tank truck full of human waste, Arizona police said Friday.

And the search of the truck was as awful as it sounds.

"Yeah, that really does suck," Arizona Department of Public Safety spokesman Bart Graves told CNN. "It's a long way to go to make a bust."

Hidden in the holding tank of the truck were 743 pounds of pot, worth about $409,000 on the street, police said in a news release.

An officer pulled over the septic tank truck Wednesday after a check of the license showed it was invalid, police said. The truck was headed northbound on I-19 and stopped about 35 miles south of Tucson, Arizona. Police patrolling the area tend to be more vigilant, Graves said, because the interstate -- which leads directly to Mexico -- is a major thoroughfare for drug and human trafficking.

After the stop, the officer discovered that the commercial vehicle markings on the truck were also invalid. A subsequent search revealed the bales of marijuana in red and orange packages amid the waste.

"It just shows how desperate these drug cartels are," Graves said. "They'll go to any lengths to conceal their product. We've seen it concealed [among] watermelons, bell peppers. This is the first time we've seen it concealed in human waste."

Police arrested the driver, Leonard Salcido, 24, of Tucson, and charged him with possession of marijuana, possession of marijuana for sale and transportation of marijuana, police said.

Wednesday's smelly pot was just one major bust this week. On Thursday, police confiscated $681,000 worth of methamphetamine concealed in the false floor of a vehicle.

The driver was stopped for speeding on I-17 near Camp Verde, Arizona, police said. The officer asked to search the vehicle and found 15 pounds of meth, police said.

I think this can fall under the Worlds Dumbest Criminals, invalid license & speeding? C'mon!!

Usher's home, and he's ready to get busy. But will you be waiting for him in the bedroom? That's the question posed by "Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home)," a song about several things, most of which seem to be coital.

"Daddy" is the proper first single from his upcoming Raymond v. Raymond album, which, by all accounts, is a very personal thing — last year, producer Bryan Michael Cox told MTV News that Ush made the record because he's "in a place where he really wants to express what's going on in his life" — and chief among those things is an impending divorce from wife Tameka Foster-Raymond. And if the so-called "buzz" single, "Papers," was a document of their crumbling relationship, well, then "Daddy" provides some of the reasons behind that crumble.

Because while the song — and accompanying video, is about temptation, love and lust, it's also about distance and the effect it has on all those things. Here is Usher, somewhere far away, with his lady (who I assume is his wife) waiting patiently, eagerly, at home. All Ush wants to do is make it back to her, to do all those things that husbands and wives tend to do. The only problem is he can't.

The reasons why are never explained, though in the video we do see Usher being pulled in many different directions — the boardroom, the studio, the club — at the same time. There is a moment where he takes a phone call on the roof of a building and while we're never clear if it's about business or pleasure, you can kind of see why it'd be about both. Such is the life he's chosen, and now he must deal with the repercussions.

And, of course, with distance comes the threat of infidelity. On the road, there is temptation around every turn, and Ush is subjected to his fair share, mostly from some over-friendly dancers (though in one sequence he is also sipping — and spitting — champagne in a place that looks very much like a strip club). And for that matter, we're not even sure that the woman he's singing about is his wife — it's entirely possible that, unbeknownst to her, he's got someone special stashed in a nearby suite.

At song's end, we're not sure if Usher even makes it home — in the video, the object of his affection (model Noemie Lenoir) waits and waits, then, finally fed up, just leaves.

One thing's for certain: Distance may make the heart grow fonder, but there are limits to everything. Usher may want to be no place but home, but there's a big, wide world out there with pitfalls aplenty. He's a superstar, a businessman, a father and an (ex-) husband, but at the end of the day, Ush is also human, and "Hey Daddy" is proof of that.

A Long Island school-bus driver was fired for taping shut a loud student's mouth for 10 minutes to keep him quiet, sources said.

Officials at the South Country School District in Bellport said the unidentified male driver had a full load of kids from the Frank P. Long Intermediate School on Jan. 22 when the incident occurred.

The driver "pulled over the bus when students were making too much noise and put tape over one boy's mouth," said an official.

The boy's mouth remained taped shut for some 10 minutes with duct tape as the bus made stops, a source said.

Board of Education president Gregory Miglino Jr. said the district ordered the Montauk Bus Co. to fire the driver because he "allegedly engaged in conduct where he placed tape over the mouth of a student under his charge."

Identical siblings made a twin killing off about 30 friends and acquaintances, swindling them out of more than $2 million, prosecutors said yesterday. Makara and Tsele Nkhereanye got the cash by passing themselves off as sophisticated and successful stock whizzes, when in reality they were block-headed investors whose only talent was losing money, Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau said.

The pair preyed on working-class types who were unfamiliar with the stock market, and were able to rope in more and more victims by saying they were making profits of 10 to 15 percent on their investments, and at "one point claimed profits as high as 23 percent," prosecutors said.

"If a deal sounds too good to be true, it's probably not true," Morgenthau said.
The twins -- Makara has a geology degree from Princeton and Tsele attended Stanford -- started the scam in 2005, when they offered to invest some cash for a friend, the DA said.

The California-born con men's biggest victim was a plumber from White Plains, whom they soaked for $1.1 million, Morgenthau said.
The DA said the brothers -- who until recently lived with their mom in the East Village -- had been investing in the stock market for 10 years, posting bigger and bigger losses every year. He said they only once turned a profit, making a measly $5,000 in 2004.

The 38-year-olds both pleaded not guilty to grand larceny, forgery and securities fraud, and were ordered held on $2 million bail. They face up to 25 years in prison if convicted.

Nelly, Jermaine Dupri and Trey Songz are reportedly working on a new television project that has been described as the male version of the popular ABC talk show, "The View."


According to Nelly, the project is currently under development.

"Not sure if you're familiar with the Ocean's 7 Crew. It's me, Jermaine Dupri, Trey Songz, Johnta Austin, Brian Michael Cox and Tyrone "International" Davis. We're working on kind of like the male version of 'The View.' We're working on that. You ever seen that movie called The Ugly Truth? You know how the guy had his show; well we're working on that. I'm starting to do more now, but I wanted to do stuff that made sense to me. I had a lot of offers and a lot of things that probably could've been cool, but I turned it down because I felt I wasn't ready yet. I never want to disrespect the culture and the thing that is acting, thinking just because I'm Nelly I'm going to transition and be good at it." (BV Buzz)
Last year, news outlets reported that the rapper was working on a variety show called "Nelly's Night in Vegas."

"Nelly's Night in Vegas," a weekly talkshow-variety hybrid series, would feature Nelly performing and interacting with other celebrities. 25/7's Dave Broome is set to executive produce along with Nelly and "The Daily Show" co-creator Madeleine Smithberg. (Entertainment Weekly)
Nelly has expressed interest in television in the past.

"I was thinking about what was missing on TV, and when this idea came about, it made sense for me," Nelly said in a statement. "We do have talkshows, but no one's speaking from the pop culture perspective. Let's get a little more pop, a little more edge, a little bit younger, and not look like you're sitting in the principal's office. As a performer, that's the type of show you look forward to going on." (Gossip Rocks)
Nelly is also working with producers like Jim Jonsin on a new solo album.

"We've done a few songs so far," Jonsin said in an interview. "Nelly's great, he's really super talented. I just know he looks pretty anxious about dropping [it] within the next couple of months for sure. I did 'Dilemma (Part 2)' with [songwriter] Rico Love and Nelly had this melody idea. I've worked with Kelly Rowland and I've heard her sound, and that kind of triggered me to call and put her in the studio. It came out really amazing. It's similar in that it's musical and it has a great melody. But the sound is a little different, a little newer."

In December, Facebook made a series of bold and controversial changes regarding the nature of its users' privacy on the social networking site. The company once known for protecting privacy to the point of exclusivity (it began its days as a network for college kids only - no one else even had access), now seemingly wants to compete with more open social networks like the microblogging media darling Twitter.

Those of you who edited your privacy settings prior to December's change have nothing to worry about - that is, assuming you elected to keep your personalized settings when prompted by Facebook's "transition tool." The tool, a dialog box explaining the changes, appeared at the top of Facebook homepages this past month with its own selection of recommended settings. Unfortunately, most Facebook users likely opted for the recommended settings without really understanding what they were agreeing to. If you did so, you may now be surprised to find that you inadvertently gave Facebook the right to publicize your private information including status updates, photos, and shared links.

Want to change things back? Read on to find out how.

1. Who Can See The Things You Share (Status Updates, Photo, Videos, etc.)

Probably the most critical of the "privacy" changes (yes, we mean those quotes sarcastically) was the change made to status updates. Although there's now a button beneath the status update field that lets you select who can view any particular update, the new Facebook default for this setting is "Everyone." And by everyone, they mean everyone.

If you accepted the new recommended settings then you voluntarily gave Facebook the right to share the information about the items you post with any user or application on the site. Depending on your search settings, you may have also given Facebook the right to share that information with search engines, too.

To change this setting back to something of a more private nature, do the following:


From your Profile page, hover your mouse over the Settings menu at the top right and click "Privacy Settings" from the list that appears.
Click "Profile Information" from the list of choices on the next page.
Scroll down to the setting "Posts by Me." This encompasses anything you post, including status updates, links, notes, photos, and videos.
Change this setting using the drop-down box on the right. We recommend the "Only Friends" setting to ensure that only those people you've specifically added as a friend on the network can see the things you post.

2. Who Can See Your Personal Info

Facebook has a section of your profile called "personal info," but it only includes your interests, activities, and favorites. Other arguably more personal information is not encompassed by the "personal info" setting on Facebook's Privacy Settings page. That other information includes things like your birthday, your religious and political views, and your relationship status.

After last month's privacy changes, Facebook set the new defaults for this other information to viewable by either "Everyone" (for family and relationships, aka relationship status) or to "Friends of Friends" (birthday, religious and political views). Depending on your own preferences, you can update each of these fields as you see fit. However, we would bet that many will want to set these to "Only Friends" as well. To do so:


From your Profile page, hover your mouse over the Settings menu at the top right and click "Privacy Settings" from the list that appears.
Click "Profile Information" from the list of choices on the next page.
The third, fourth, and fifth item listed on this page are as follows: "birthday," "religious and political views," and "family and relationship." Locking down birthday to "Only Friends" is wise here, especially considering information such as this is often used in identity theft.
Depending on your own personal preferences, you may or may not feel comfortable sharing your relationship status and religious and political views with complete strangers. And keep in mind, any setting besides "Only Friends" is just that - a stranger. While "Friends of Friends" sounds innocuous enough, it refers to everyone your friends have added as friends, a large group containing hundreds if not thousands of people you don't know. All it takes is one less-than-selective friend in your network to give an unsavory person access to this information.

3. What Google Can See - Keep Your Data Off the Search Engines

When you visit Facebook's Search Settings page, a warning message pops up. Apparently, Facebook wants to clear the air about what info is being indexed by Google. The message reads:

There have been misleading rumors recently about Facebook indexing all your information on Google. This is not true. Facebook created public search listings in 2007 to enable people to search for your name and see a link to your Facebook profile. They will still only see a basic set of information.

While that may be true to a point, the second setting listed on this Search Settings page refers to exactly what you're allowing Google to index. If the box next to "Allow" is checked, you're giving search engines the ability to access and index any information you've marked as visible by "Everyone." As you can see from the settings discussed above, if you had not made some changes to certain fields, you would be sharing quite a bit with the search engines...probably more information than you were comfortable with. To keep your data private and out of the search engines, do the following:


From your Profile page, hover your mouse over the Settings menu at the top right and click "Privacy Settings" from the list that appears.
Click "Search" from the list of choices on the next page.
Click "Close" on the pop-up message that appears.
On this page, uncheck the box labeled "Allow" next to the second setting "Public Search Results." That keeps all your publicly shared information (items set to viewable by "Everyone") out of the search engines. If you want to see what the end result looks like, click the "see preview" link in blue underneath this setting.

Zelda Rubinstein, a 4-foot-3-inch character actress best known for playing the indomitable ghost-purging psychic in “Poltergeist,” died on Wednesday in Los Angeles. She was 76 and lived in Los Angeles.

The cause was complications of a heart attack she had two months ago, her agent, Eric Stevens, said. No immediate family members survive.

Released in 1982, “Poltergeist” featured a brief bravura turn by Ms. Rubinstein as Tangina, the clairvoyant summoned to scour a suburban home of spirits. “This house is clean!” Tangina memorably declared after attempting the job. The Washington Post called her performance one of the best by a film actress that year.

Ms. Rubinstein reprised the role of Tangina in “Poltergeist II” (1986) and “Poltergeist III” (1988).

A medical lab technician who became an actress in her late 40s, Ms. Rubinstein made her film debut in 1981 in the comedy “Under the Rainbow.” Her other films include “Frances” (1982), “Sixteen Candles” (1984), “Teen Witch” (1989) and “Sinbad: The Battle of the Dark Knights” (1998). On television she had a recurring role as the sheriff’s dispatcher Ginny Weedon in the CBS series “Picket Fences.”

Ms. Rubinstein was also known for her public advocacy of AIDS education and the rights of little people, the term she preferred. In 1981 she helped found the Michael Dunn Memorial Repertory Theater, whose tallest actor was 4 foot 6. Mr. Dunn, who died in 1973, was a dwarf actor known for the film “Ship of Fools” (1965).

Rapper Mystikal is heading right back to work since being freed from jail after serving 6 years in a Louisiana prison or sexual battery and extortion.

The Grammy Award winning rapper has been tapped to headline the “Mystikal and Friends” Mardi Gras concert at the Mahalia Jackson Theater for Performing Arts.

The rapper, who was released from prison on January 11, will perform hits like “Danger,” “Shake Yo Ass,” “Bouncin Back (Bumpin’ Me Against the Wall),” and “Move B**ch.”

“I’m back. It almost feels like a dream,” he said in an interview with New Orleans’ radio station Q93 FM after his release on January 11. “Six years off the scene for most rappers, it would be over with, but it’s a new beginning for me….we cant be foolish especially when you are blessed and successful. We gotta tighten up”

During his incarceration, Mystikal, born Michael Tyler, wrote hundreds of songs, which he plans on recording for a new, untitled release.

“The Mystikal and Friends” concert is slated to take place February 16 at 7:30 PM. Tickets range from $36-$63.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Bandits in Haiti are preying on vulnerable earthquake survivors, even raping women, in makeshift camps which were set up in the capital of Port-au-Prince after the disaster.

"With the blackout that's befallen the Haitian capital, bandits are taking advantage to harass and rape women and young girls under the tents," Haiti’s national police chief Mario Andresol said yesterday.

"We have more than 7,000 detainees in the streets who escaped from the National Penitentiary the evening of the earthquake... It took us five years to apprehend them. Today they are running wild."

Rachelle Dolce, who is living at a large makeshift camp on the Petionville Club Golf Course, said she thought a rape had occurred outside her tent the previous night. She said she heard men making noise and a woman struggling.

"I heard a fight outside, and I saw panties on the ground," she said. "I started to shout a lot, and they left."

Figures for the number of crimes were not available but women's organizations have already detailed a number of cases and alerted the United Nations mission in Haiti, Andresol said.

Bill Gates, the Microsoft founder and philanthropist, is to make the largest ever single charitable donation with a pledge of $10 billion for vaccine work over the next decade, it was announced Friday.

Gates said that he hoped the coming 10 years will be the decade of the vaccine to reduce dramatically child mortality in the world’s poorest countries. It is calculated that his pledge alone could save more than eight million lives.

Announcing the commitment, which far outstrips even the enormous previous donations by his own foundation, Gates called for increased investment in vaccines by governments and the private sector to help research, develop and deliver vaccines.

"We must make this the decade of vaccines," Mr Gates said. "Vaccines already save and improve millions of lives in developing countries. Innovation will make it possible to save more children than ever before."

Gates and his wife, Melinda, made their announcement at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting at Davos, where they were joined by Julian Lob-Levyt, the head of the vaccine consortium the GAVI Alliance.

"Vaccines are a miracle - with just a few doses, they can prevent deadly diseases for a lifetime," Melinda Gates said. "We’ve made vaccines our number-one priority at the Gates Foundation because we’ve seen firsthand their incredible impact on children's lives."

Among the infections to be targeted with the money are rotavirus, which causes severe diarrhea, and pneumococcal disease, which causes pneumonia, blood poisoning, and a form of meningitis.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has used a model developed by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health to project the potential impact of vaccines on childhood deaths over the next 10 years.

By significantly scaling up the delivery of life-saving vaccines in developing countries to 90 percent coverage - including the new vaccines to prevent severe diarrhea and pneumonia - the model suggests that the deaths of 7.6 million children under 5 could be prevented between now and 2019.

It also estimates that an additional 1.1 million children could be saved with the rapid introduction of a malaria vaccine beginning in 2014.

Gates said that if additional vaccines are developed and introduced in this decade - such as for tuberculosis - even more lives could be saved.

The new funding is in addition to the $4.5 billion that the Gates Foundation has already committed to vaccine research, development and delivery over the last 10 years.

A large portion of the money is expected to go to the GAVI Alliance, which was launched at the World Economic Forum 10 years ago this week. To date GAVI, which focuses on public private partnerships, has reached 257 million additional children with new and underused vaccines, and prevented 5 million deaths.

Hip-Hop Summit Action Network (HSAN) Founder Russell Simmons and CEO Dr. Benjamin Chavis have partnered with several organizations to create the Music 4 Peace Initiative and Tour.



HSAN will team with the Music4Peace Foundation, Tribes of the Worlds, SwaggMedia and The Gandhi Tour to promote a global message of peace, using music, artists and global resources.



Under the new partnership, Simmons and Chavis will launch an international extension of their Hip-Hop Summits, which have been active in every major city since it’s inception in 2001.



A Hip-Hop Summit will take place in South Africa in conjunction with the World Cup and FIFA this June, while another Summit is being planned for India in November.



Additionally, HSAN will support The Gandhi Tour’s International day of Peace in Brazil.



“Hip-Hop music artists are leaders in the youth movement,” Russell Simmons told AllHipHop.com in a statement. “We’re excited about the potential these diverse organizations have in coming together to harness music as a transformative and unifying power to promote peace throughout the world.”



Music4Peace has also announced a contest to raise funds for HSAN and Haiti with the Film 4 Peace contest.



One filmmaker will be awarded a trip for two to South Africa to attend The Hip Hop Summit’s inaugural concert and event during The World Cup this June.



For more information visit http://www.music4peacetour.com for more details.

The nationwide Sprite Step Off competition will be the focus of a new docu-series hosted by rapper/actor Ludacris.



The six-part series, titled Sprite Step Off, will follow six step teams from fraternities and sororities across the country as they prepare for the regional rounds of the Sprite Step Off competition while learning steps and beats as well as juggling round-the-clock rehearsals and family, friends and school demands.



Each team will compete for a chance to win one of two $100,000 scholarships at the event’s national final. The Sprite Step Off is regarded as the largest national step team competition in history as it celebrates the creativity and originality of the multicultural college experience through stepping, scholarship and service.



The combined prize pool of the Sprite-sponsored event amounts to $1.5 million in scholarships. In addition to the competition, the Sprite Step Off competition promotes a national program called the Sprite Step Off Challenge, an effort designed to inspire youth nationwide to help their communities by donating a collective total of 1.5 million hours of volunteerism and service between September 12, 2009 and September 12, 2010.



For Ludacris, the chance to showcase teams in the Step Off as well as the merits of stepping provides a win-win situation for viewers and step enthusiasts.



"I love that MTV2 and Sprite are giving a Step competition national exposure and introducing this creative dance form to an audience outside of the urban college landscape," the entertainer said about the half-hour series, which was shot on location at college campuses around the country. "The teams competing on the show are not only dedicated but diverse and will take Step competitions to a new level."



Fraternities and sororities featured on Sprite Step-Off include Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.; Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.; Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.; and Zeta Tau Alpha.



“We are thrilled to be partnering with Sprite to bring these student performances to television as part of our new original series lineup for MTV2 and to provide a platform for the rich and historic tradition of college stepping," added Chris McCarthy, senior vice president of Strategic Development and Digital TV Networks, MTV.



The Sprite Step Off docu-series featuring Ludacris will premiere Sunday (Jan. 31) on MTV2.

Hosted by Short Brown Dark Skin & Evil DJ, this seamless collaboration defies the general outline of a mixtape. Introducing new artists from Philly, this project delivers street anthems complimented with gritty tales of the hood.
The production carries a unique blend of import funk, mid 70's soul & heavy basslines, creating a nostalgic fusion. You put the two together, you create Manhole Entertainment.

Download: http://www.zshare.net/download/7139894237d83db1/

Pres. Obama explains how the $30 mil bailout was paid back and how he is investing it in small businesses. PAY ATTENTION!

OMAHA, Neb. — A 41-year-old Nebraska woman is accused of having sex nightly with her teenage son when he was in seventh and eighth grades, officials said Wednesday.

Omaha Police said the now 15-year-old boy reported the alleged abuse last week to a counselor, who notified authorities. The boy told police his mother was addicted to prescription drugs when the alleged abuse took place in 2008 and 2009 while he lived with her in Omaha.

The woman, who now lives in Fort Calhoun, was arrested Monday, according to Officer Michael Pecha. She made an initial appearance Wednesday in Douglas County Court and her bond was set at $30,000.

The Associated Press is not identifying the woman to protect her son's identity as a possible victim of sexual assault.

The teen has a younger brother, but authorities do not suspect the younger boy suffered any abuse, Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine said.

The boy's father told Omaha television station WOWT this week that he had previously had a feeling something was wrong, but didn't learn about the alleged abuse until a few weeks ago. He said his son is receiving counseling.

The woman will be represented by the Douglas County public defender's office, but an attorney wasn't to be assigned to her case until Thursday. A preliminary hearing to discuss details of the charge against her was scheduled for Feb. 8.

Court records show the woman pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor after being charged in January 2009 with intentionally violating narcotics laws. The Washington County Sheriff's office said the woman had been trying to fill 15 different prescriptions from seven different doctors for 468 pills of the sleep aid Ambien or its generic equivalent.

The woman was sentenced to one year probation and ordered to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings as part of a deal with prosecutors.

You gotta give little man props!

J.D. Salinger, the legendary author, youth hero and fugitive from fame whose “The Catcher in the Rye” shocked and inspired a world he increasingly shunned, has died. He was 91.

Salinger died of natural causes at his home on Wednesday, the author’s son said in a statement from Salinger’s literary representative. He had lived for decades in self-imposed isolation in the small, remote house in Cornish, N.H.

“The Catcher in the Rye,” with its immortal teenage protagonist, the twisted, rebellious Holden Caulfield, came out in 1951, a time of anxious, Cold War conformity and the dawn of modern adolescence. The Book-of-the-Month Club, which made “Catcher” a featured selection, advised that for “anyone who has ever brought up a son” the novel will be “a source of wonder and delight — and concern.”

VATICAN CITY -- Pope John Paul II whipped himself with a belt, even on vacation, and slept on the floor as acts of penitence and to bring him closer to Christian perfection, according to a new book by the Polish prelate spearheading the late pontiff's sainthood case.

The book, "Why He's a Saint," also includes previously unpublished speeches and documents written by John Paul, including one signed memo from 1989 in which he said he would resign if he became incapacitated.

The book was written by Monsignor Slawomir Oder, the postulator, or main promoter, for John Paul's canonization cause and was released yesterday. It was based on the testimony of the 114 witnesses and boxes of documentation Oder gathered on John Paul's life to support the case.

At a news conference yesterday, Oder defended John Paul's practice of self-mortification, which some faithful use to remind them of the suffering of Jesus on the cross.

"It's an instrument of Christian perfection," Oder said, responding to questions about how such a practice could be condoned, considering that Catholic teaching holds that the human body is a gift from God.

In the book, Oder wrote that John Paul "frequently spent the night on the bare floor," messing up his bed in the morning so he wouldn't draw attention to his act of penitence.

"But it wasn't limited to this. As some members of his close entourage in Poland and in the Vatican were able to hear with their own ears, John Paul flagellated himself. In his armoire, amid all the vestments and hanging on a hanger, was a belt which he used as a whip and which he always brought to Castel Gandolfo," the papal retreat where John Paul vacationed each summer.

Behold, the iPad.

In a presentation today that bred more anticipation than tonight's State of the Union speech, Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the company's new tablet computer, the touch-screen iPad.

In making the announcement today in San Francisco, Jobs noted that there are two main mobile computing devices now, laptops and smartphones. He dismissed netbooks as "cheap laptops" and then said, “We think we've got something that is better. We call it the iPad."

The tablet looks in many ways like a bigger version of the iPhone, which quickly made Apple a serious player in the smartphone market.


The iPad has thick black borders on the sides, it's a half-inch thick and features a 9.7-inch multi-touch display.

It comes with 6, 32 or 64 GB of flash storage and features Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and an accelerometer and compass. The battery is billed as lasting 10 hours. It starts at $499 and the top model with 3G will cost $829.

The iPad has Wi-Fi and there are two wireless plans. For 250MB a month, you pay $14.99. For unlimited use, you pay $29.99. AT&T will provide the service. There's no contract.

The first models will ship in 60 days.

The iPad will run applications from the iPhone store and developers will get new tools to build apps for the bigger device.

Jobs said it’s a dream to type on, is a great way to use iTunes -- it has a built-in iPod -- and watch TV shows and movies, calling it more intimate than a laptop.
Browsing a newspaper site, he pointed out that the “whole Web site is in your hand,” according to the Journal. A newspaper app looks more like an actual newspaper than it does on the iPhone.

The iPad's e-book functionality builds on what the Kindle and other readers began, Jobs said. "We are going to stand on their shoulders and go a little bit further," he said.

The iPad has an iBookstore with five partners: Penguin, Harper Collins, Simon Schuster, Macmillan and Hachette.

Browsing through a book mimics turning the pages of a book. Books can use video and photos.

Electronics Arts showed off its "Need for Speed" game. With the additional screen space, the company added a shifter and rearview mirrors, Travis Boatman from EA said.

Apple has a challenge with the iPad. It'll have to show why consumers ought to pay for yet another Internet-connected screen, on top of the TVs, computers and smart phones they already have. Tablet computers have existed for a decade, with little success.

The device was introduced after weeks of rumors.

The best report came from The Onion under the headline “Frantic Steve Jobs stays up all night designing the tablet.”

Jobs finally “glued nine separate iPhones to the back of a plastic cafeteria tray. ‘OK, yeah, this will work. This will definitely work. Just need to write 'tablet' on this little strip of masking tape here and I'm golden.'"

Sean "Diddy" Combs was feeling royally ripped-off after losing the golden crown he rented for his son Justin's "Sweet Sixteen" party. Diddy -- who spared no expense entertaining 1,000 friends at M2 in Chelsea -- was said to be annoyed he'd have to pay $5,000 for the prop, rented from a theatrical agency along with two giant thrones. Justin, who was given a Maybach by his dad, wore the crown as he was unveiled to the crowd -- but by the end of the night it had disappeared. Fortunately, after an intense search, the headpiece was found in a stylist's car along with Justin's change of clothes, Diddy's rep confirmed. The expensive night didn't put Diddy off from handing out cash to a crowd at a birthday bash for DJ Enuff at Quo on Sunday, and then later donating more money to a homeless man outside.
Dang Diddy! I'm having a rent party this Friday, u comin' thru?

Straphangers on the uptown 6 train had to stand clear of the clucking poultry last night when a man wearing a shirt with an MTA logo began wrestling a live chicken.

Riders cleared out from their seats as the unidentified man, lying on the subway floor next to a grocery cart loaded with beer cans and junk, manhandled the fowl.

An intrepid rider posted a 1:15 minute video of the incident to his Web site that was later picked up by the blog Gothamist.

It depicts the man hugging and holding the chicken over his head in the middle of a subway car. Other riders are standing by snapping photos and recording the bizarre scene.

Live animals not in an "enclosed container" are not allowed on the subway, according to MTA rules.

If the animal is in a holder, it should be "carried in a manner which would not annoy another person," said New York City Transit Spokeswoman Deirdre Parker.

"Since the man with the chicken is wearing what looks like an MTA patch on his sweater, I have asked personnel at the Department of Subways to look at the photos to see if he can be identified," she added.

The Ohio Highway Patrol says 47-year-old Deborah McDonald of Crystal Rock had just left the bar near Sandusky on Tuesday night and was hit as she was walking along a road.

An Ohio Lottery spokeswoman says McDonald won $8,000 in the lottery's TV game show "Cash Explosion Double Play."

The show was taped Jan. 12 and is set to air at the end of the month.

Bar patrons say McDonald was with a group that had been celebrating her winnings and playing pool.

Patrol Sgt. Joe Wentworth says police are looking into whether alcohol was a factor, but they don't think the driver of the car was drinking.

Two Massachusetts high school students have been suspended following the suicide of a teen girl who was allegedly bullied at school and online, the BostonHerald.com reported.

Friends and school officials stated Phoebe Prince, 15, had been picked on since moving to Massachusetts from Ireland last fall. School bullies reportedly taunted the teen through text messages, Facebook and other social networking sites.

South Hadley High School superintendent Gus Sayer said there have been students "disciplined already in connection with the incident."

"There’s still an investigation going on, which may lead to disciplinary action against other students," said Sayer.

South Hadley High Principal Daniel Smith sent out a letter to parents of students at the high school. In the letter, he called Prince "smart, charming, and as is the case with many teenagers, complicated ... We will never know the specific reasons why she chose to take her life," Boston.com reported.

Smith said the bullying often surrounded arguments about "teen dating."

In the letter to parents, dated Jan. 20, Smith addressed the disagreements: "These disagreements centered on relationship/dating issues. School personnel immediately intervened ... and both counseled and provided consequences as the situations required. It is what happened after those incidents were over that is cause for significant concern.’’

Even after her death, bullies posted disparaging messages on her Facebook memorial page. The comments had to be removed from the page.

Local police and the Northwestern District Attorney are investigating. First Assistant District Attorney would not comment on whether any criminal charges would be brought against any students.

Toyota Motor Sales USA, Inc. said Tuesday it is asking dealers to temporarily suspend sales of eight models.
The company's sales suspension is part of a recall announced last week to correct a problem that could cause the accelerator pedal to stick.
"Helping ensure the safety of our customers and restoring confidence in Toyota are very important to our company," said Toyota USA group vice president Bob Carter. "This action is necessary until a remedy is finalized."
About 2.3 million vehicles will be affected by the recall, Toyota said Tuesday in a statement.

The automaker also said that it will halt the production of vehicles in certain production facilities in Canada, Indiana, Kentucky and Texas during the week of Feb. 1 to "assess and coordinate activities."

The vehicles covered under the recall are:
2009-2010 RAV4, Corolla, Matrix,
2005-2010 Avalon,
certain 2007-2010 Camry,
2010 Highlander,
2007-2010 Tundra
2008-2010 Sequoia.

The new recall involving sticking accelerator pedals is separate from an on-going recall of 4.2 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles due to the risk of pedal entrapment because of a loose floormat.
About 1.7 million Toyota Division vehicles have been affected by both recalls.
Toyota owners with questions should call Toyota's customer service line at 800-331-4331.

A Democratic candidate for Cook County Assessor was hurt during a fight outside his home on the northwest side of Chicago.

Retired Cook County Circuit Court Judge Raymond Figueroa saw someone trying to take an election sign from his home near Addison Street and Avers.

He said he confronted the man who then tried to hit him.

Figueroa fought back and hit the man, who then took off.

Figueroa had some minor injuries to his hand, but refused to be taken to the hospital.

Colorado Springs, CO-- A guy walked into a little corner store with a shot gun and demanded all the cash from the cash drawer. After the clerk put the cash in a bag, the robber saw a bottle of gin that he wanted behind the counter on the shelf. He told the clerk to put it in the bag as well, but the clerk refused and said "I don't believe you are over 21." The robber said he was, but the clerk still refused to give it to him because he didn't believe him. At this point the robber took his driver's license out of his wallet and gave it to the clerk. The clerk looked it over, and agreed that the man was in fact over 21 and he put the gin in the bag. The robber then ran from the store on foot. The clerk promptly called the police and gave the name and address of the robber that he got off the license. They arrested the robber two hours later. In the voice of Fred Sanford....YA BIG DUMMY!!!!

(CNN) -- A Tennessee man -- accused in a fatal attack at a military recruiting center in Arkansas in June -- wants to plead guilty and claims to have ties to al Qaeda in Yemen in a letter he wrote to the judge presiding over his case.
In the handwritten letter dated January 12, Abdul Hakim Muhammad said he did not want a trial and insisted the shooting was "justified" under jihad.
"This was a jihadi attack on infidel forces that didn't go as plan," he wrote. "Flat out truth."

It was not immediately clear whether the judge, Herbert Wright Jr., would accept the plea. Muhammad's lawyer, Claiborne Ferguson, called the letter "highly inappropriate."
"If my client had the intention of pleading guilty, it is misguided and misinformed as to Arkansas law," Ferguson said from Memphis, Tennessee, on Thursday. "He can't plead guilty to a capital crime."

That response is why Muhammad said he decided to bypass his lawyer with a letter to Wright. He wrote that he believed it was "a lie" that he could not plead guilty.
Muhammad, formerly known as Carlos Bledsoe, is charged with killing Pvt. William Long, 23, and wounding Pvt. Quinton Ezeagwula, 18. The attack happened on June 1 at a recruiting center in Little Rock, Arkansas. In June, Muhammad pleaded not guilty to one count of capital murder and 16 counts of engaging in a terrorist act.

Before pleading not guilty, Muhammad waived his Miranda rights and gave a video statement indicating political and religious motives, authorities said.
He "stated that he was a practicing Muslim ... that he was mad at the U.S. military because of what they had done to Muslims in the past," Detective Tommy Hudson wrote in a police report at the time. Muhammad told police "he fired several rounds at the soldiers with the intent of killing them," according to Hudson's report.

In his letter to the judge, Muhammad claimed he had links to al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula in Yemen, a group that has claimed responsibility for the attempting bombing of a U.S.-bound airliner on Christmas Day. "My lawyer has no defense," he wrote. "I wasn't insane or post traumatic nor was I forced to do this act. Which I believe and it is justified according to Islamic laws and the Islamic religion jihad -- to fight those who wage war on Islam and Muslims."

That's likely what crowds at the Australian Open have been asking themselves since tennis legend Venus Williams took to the court and appeared to flash her backside last week.

However, the 29-year-old star was quick to put any rumors to rest via Twitter.

"I am wearing undershorts the same color as my skin, so it gives the slits in my dress the full effect!" she wrote on Thursday.

For the last few days during the tournament, Venus has donned a bright green one-piece, with undergarmets that match her dark skin. This sparked debate online that she had elected to battle her opponents commando style.

"Please put on some decent panties. I do not watch tennis to see your exposed buttocks!" wrote one fan on her website, venuswilliams.com.

Reaction to the ensemble has been mixed, based on the posts.

"I just love her dress it has flare and it has imagination," wrote "margaret joyce." However, "Susan A. Yeck" had a different reaction.

"Your choice of outfit at a Grand slam tournament (or any tournament) was disgusting," she posted. "People really do not want to see your body parts exposed."

Although the mixed response may have come from the illusion she was naked, photos (like the one above) clearly show she was thoroughly covered. Venus indicated via Twitter that she was pleased with her choice to wear the outfit.

"My dress for the Austrailian Open has been one of my best designs ever! Its all about the slits and V-Neck," she wrote.

Whatever she may wear, the famous sibling has been burying her opponents at the Grand Slam of Asia/Pacific. She defeated Casey Dellacqua on Saturday in the second set.

Venus will play along side her sister on Sunday against Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka.
That's likely what crowds at the Australian Open have been asking themselves since tennis legend Venus Williams took to the court and appeared to flash her backside last week.

However, the 29-year-old star was quick to put any rumors to rest via Twitter.

"I am wearing undershorts the same color as my skin, so it gives the slits in my dress the full effect!" she wrote on Thursday.

For the last few days during the tournament, Venus has donned a bright green one-piece, with undergarmets that match her dark skin. This sparked debate online that she had elected to battle her opponents commando style.

"Please put on some decent panties. I do not watch tennis to see your exposed buttocks!" wrote one fan on her website, venuswilliams.com.

Reaction to the ensemble has been mixed, based on the posts.

"I just love her dress it has flare and it has imagination," wrote "margaret joyce." However, "Susan A. Yeck" had a different reaction.

"Your choice of outfit at a Grand slam tournament (or any tournament) was disgusting," she posted. "People really do not want to see your body parts exposed."

Although the mixed response may have come from the illusion she was naked, photos (like the one above) clearly show she was thoroughly covered. Venus indicated via Twitter that she was pleased with her choice to wear the outfit.

"My dress for the Austrailian Open has been one of my best designs ever! Its all about the slits and V-Neck," she wrote.

Whatever she may wear, the famous sibling has been burying her opponents at the Grand Slam of Asia/Pacific. She defeated Casey Dellacqua on Saturday in the second set.

Venus will play along side her sister on Sunday against Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka and I'm sure they will do what they do best underwear or not!!

In a world where competition for stupidity never ends, these clowns (no pun intended)are almost in first place. Do you really think McDonald's is endorsing them?

Port-au-Prince, Haiti-- Two weeks after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake devastated Haiti, the numbers have mounted. The numbers tell stories of death and destruction, as well as a global outpouring of aid.

Below is a compiled list with the most reliable figures available as the devastation continues to unfold:

THE TOLL
150,000: Latest estimate of the death toll, from the Haitian Health Ministry. The European Union and the Pan American Health Organization, which is coordinating the health-sector response, have estimated the quake killed 200,000 people.
194,000: Number of injured
134: Estimated number of people rescued by international search teams since the quake

THE EFFECT
9 million: Population of Haiti
3 million: Estimated number of people affected by the quake
1.5 million: Homeless people living on streets, including the thousands who lived in slums or makeshift homes prior to the quake
235,000: People who have left Port-au-Prince using free transportation provided by the government. The number who left by private means is undetermined.
At least 50: Aftershocks of magnitude 4.5 or higher that have hit Haiti since the January 12 quake

THE CHILDREN
300,000: Children younger than 2 who need nutritional support
90: Percentage of schools in Port-au-Prince that have been destroyed
497: Haitian orphans who have been evacuated

THE RESPONSE IN DOLLARS
$1.12 billion: International aid pledges
$783 million: Funds received as of Tuesday
$317 million: U.S. assistance as of Monday

THE RESPONSE IN MANPOWER
17,000: U.S. military personnel in and around Haiti
8 million: Meals the World Food Programme has delivered to nearly 400,000 people
300: Aid distribution sites that are up and running
130 to 150: Flights arriving every day at the single-runway Port-au-Prince airport with aid
Huge crowd of Haitians lines up for rice

EFFECT ON FOREIGNERS
12,000: U.N. workers in the country at the time of the quake
53: U.N. workers still missing
At least 82: U.N. workers confirmed dead
27: U.N. workers injured or hospitalized
11,500: Americans and family members who have been evacuated
4,800: Americans unaccounted for
60: Americans confirmed dead

Sources: Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the Red Cross, the United Nations, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. State Department and the World Food Programme, Haiti Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive

The first year of the Obama Era has been defined by noise-voracious political pundits, screaming Tea Partiers, and cries of "too left" and "not left enough" from competing corners of political world. With the surprise election of Scott Brown yesterday following a loud and boisterous campaign built on voters' anger at a still-stagnant economy, the noise isn't likely to ebb soon.
But quietly, under-the-radar and away from the cameras, the Obama Administration has been diligently working to lay the foundation for a more vibrant and equitable America. Of course, not all of these projects and proposals have had time to show results yet -- but, over the long-term, they will significantly improve the lives of low-income people of color.

These are the twelve vital ways Obama is building a more equitable nation for you and your kids.

1. Created the White House Office of Urban Affairs Our first truly urban president in generations has put the unique challenges of cities and city residents at the forefront of his domestic agenda. During a national listening tour last year, several cabinet secretaries joined some of the nation's top urban policy thinkers and advocates to highlight the most innovative and promising local community-building efforts. Our best ideas come from the communities closest to our challenges. The Office of Urban Affairs gets that.

2. Funded the "Pathways Out of Poverty" programThe Department of Labor ensured disadvantaged communities will have a prominent role in the coming wave of green jobs. The program has already awarded $150 million in grants to job-training and job-placement programs across the country, from St. Louis, Mo., to Ocala, Fla., to Apache Junction, Ariz. This is part of a larger $650 million job training effort funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

3. Improved Our Health by Investing in Community-Level Prevention Efforts
The Recovery Act set aside $1 billion for prevention and wellness programs. This money helps fund traditional health-care efforts like community clinics and immunizations. But it also goes beyond health-care to include expanding access to healthy foods in our schools and communities and ensuring residents have healthy and safe places to live and play.

4. Gave the Gulf Coast the Resources They Need to Rebuild - And the Space to Do It
When Obama took office more than three years after Hurricane Katrina, local residents were still facing myriad frustrating and indefensible challenges to rebuilding. Red tape and misdirected programs still prevented many people from rebuilding their homes and moving back to the city. Entire communities remained empty. Obama put people on the ground with authority to help local leaders cut through the bureaucracy. They redirected resources to meet housing needs for the most vulnerable. They authorized plans to rebuild safer community facilities. And just last week, Vice President Joe Biden announced that more than 100 communities that received $1.2 billion in disaster loans after the storm could apply to have those loans forgiven.

5. Forged the Sustainable Communities Initiative
A joint effort by HUD, the Department of Transportation, and the EPA, the Sustainable Communities initiative seeks to "improve access to affordable housing, more transportation options, and lower transportation costs while protecting the environment in communities nationwide." This rare cross-agency collaboration is a promising attempt to break down the stovepipes and silos we see far too often in government.

6. Hosted the first White House meeting with all Tribal Nations leaders in 15 years
Leaders of all 564 federally recognized tribes came to the White House in November to meet with Obama and several cabinet secretaries to discuss issues of economic development, natural resources, public safety, housing, education, and health. This was the first such summit since the early 1990s - a sign of the administration's significant commitment to Tribal Nations.

7. Got the Ball Rolling on Promise Neighborhoods
Since his days on the campaign trail, the president has trumpeted the remarkable success the Harlem Children's Zone has had in breaking the cycle of inter-generational poverty. The Administration has already invested $10 million in planning dollars to help other communities develop their own neighborhood-based approaches to child poverty.

8. Connected Housing and Economic Opportunity through Choice Neighborhoods
Where you live determines the access people have to opportunity. By improving and expanding upon HUD's HOPE VI program, Choice Neighborhoods would ensure that housing was linked to school reform, early childhood innovations, and supportive social services. Here, Obama saw a program that was showing some results and promise...and made it better.

9. Built on Successes of the Nonprofit Sector through the Social Innovation Fund
The Obama Administration has repeatedly recognized the crucial role the nation's nonprofit infrastructure plays in ensuring all Americans have access to social and economic opportunities. In setting aside $50 million in seed money for the Social Innovation Fund, the administration made a commitment to expanding the capacity of the nonprofit sector and bringing the most proven, results-oriented innovations to scale.

10. Encouraged Access to Quality Jobs in Infrastructure Projects
We know the administration has made historic investments in our nation's infrastructure. But what few people realize is that - through executive orders and new Office of Management and Budget guidelines - the administration has encouraged that investment will help create quality, well-paying jobs and guided those jobs to local residents.

11. Cracked Down on Mortgage Abuses that Tanked the Economy in the First Place
Unscrupulous lenders and poor-quality mortgage products have decimated the financial foundation of countless low-income neighborhoods and communities of color. By proposing the Consumer Financial Protection Agency to regulate consumer financial products, Obama has shined a much-needed light on the unfair and uneven impacts of a broken financial sector - and may help stop the next downturn before it starts.

12. Proposed Major investments in our community college system
Increasingly, community colleges are the most accessible and cost-effective way for young people (and older people) to get the beyond-high-school training you need for almost any good-paying job these days. In proposing a remarkable $12 billion investment to improve our community college system and help 5,000,000 additional people earn degrees and certificates by 2020, Obama demonstrated a commitment to helping lift up all people, including low-income people and people of color who are too often shut out of the cutting-edge economy.

Obama hits his one-year mark at a bumpy time, no doubt. But I hope he continues his quiet campaign to make America work for all people. Years from now, we will look back on the first year of the Obama Era as one when tough, smart choices got made. It may not pay off politically right now, but it will pay off in years to come in the form or a stronger, more equitable nation for all Americans.