current event
title:Spears coming back to 'How I Met Your Mother'
who:Britney Spears
what:Britney Spears, who proved she's worth a cool million viewers to "How I Met Your Mother," is paying another visit to the CBS sitcom.Spears will reprise her role as bubbly secretary Abby in the May 12 episode, CBS said Monday.
"We're all so thrilled to have Britney joining us once again," series executive producer and co-creator Craig Thomas said in a statement.
"And just to head it off at the pass this time around: Yes, Mom, Britney's very nice and no, I can't get her autograph for you," Thomas added, jokingly.
when:4/29/08
where:LOS ANGELES
why:Desperate to get a rise out of his former pal, Barney pops a surprising question to Abby," CBS said in a release.
"How I Met Your Mother" stars Harris, Radnor, Cobie Smulders, Alyson Hannigan and Jason Segel ("Forgetting Sarah Marshall") as an urban family of 20-something New Yorkers.
The pop star's camp originally approached the show about taking part, executive producer Carter Bays told The Associated Press earlier this month.
how:Spears' appearance in the March 24 episode won her good reviews and boosted the show's viewership to 10.6 million viewers, in comparison to the 9.6 million who had tuned in the previous week.
When last seen, Abby was flirting with womanizer Barney (cast member Neil Patrick Harris). The new episode, which began production Monday, has Abby and Barney sharing their mutual dislike of Ted (cast member Josh Radnor) and acting on it.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
4/28/08
current event
title:Despite bumper crops in Vietnam and India, export limits and bans have created a global shortage and driven up prices
who:local stores Costco,wal-mart etc;
what:At the Costco in San Francisco, rice is all the rage. Not long after the 10 a.m. opening on Apr. 24, the warehouse club was well on its way to selling out the day's supply of Thai jasmine rice. Within an hour, customers cleared three pallets loaded with 50-lb. bags of Super Lucky Elephant brand jasmine rice from Thailand. Real estate broker Mary Jane Galviso snapped up two bags -- the limit imposed by this particular store. "This is very frightening," says Galviso, who hails from Orosi, a rural community in California's Central Valley, more than 200 miles southeast of San Francisco. Her local grocery, which specializes in Filipino foods, has run out of Thai jasmine.
when:Sun., April. 27, 2008
where:sunday
why:In a statement Apr. 24, Sam's Club said its rice limits "are designed to prevent large distributors or wholesalers from depleting our stock. We believe limiting rice purchases to four bags per visit is consistent with the needs of the majority of our members, including many restaurants . We will continue to work with our suppliers to manage inventories to meet demand."
how:The rice rationing in the U.S. comes as the torrid pace of commodity price increases has led to violence over food supplies and costs in several nations. Globally, rice prices are starting to hit record highs, following a host of other commodities. However, experts are clear: There's currently no shortage of rice. "Vietnam and Thailand have had record rice crops in the past year, and India too has had bumper crops," says Nathan Childs, a senior economist who follows the global rice market at the Economic Research Service of the U.S. Agriculture Dept.
Instead, what's driving the price of rice so high are widespread worries about food inflation in many rice-growing nations. "In poorer nations, a large share of people's earnings is spent on food, and big price increases in other kinds of food are harming consumers," Childs says. So to protect their supplies of rice -- a staple food in much of the world -- several countries have imposed export bans or sharp limits. That has led to a sharp reduction of rice available for trade in the global market. In 2007, India and Vietnam, two of the world's biggest rice exporters, reduced their rice shipments. Since then, Cambodia, Egypt, and Brazil have all halted rice exports. And many observers worry that Thailand, the world's largest rice exporter, might jump on the bandwagon.
title:Despite bumper crops in Vietnam and India, export limits and bans have created a global shortage and driven up prices
who:local stores Costco,wal-mart etc;
what:At the Costco in San Francisco, rice is all the rage. Not long after the 10 a.m. opening on Apr. 24, the warehouse club was well on its way to selling out the day's supply of Thai jasmine rice. Within an hour, customers cleared three pallets loaded with 50-lb. bags of Super Lucky Elephant brand jasmine rice from Thailand. Real estate broker Mary Jane Galviso snapped up two bags -- the limit imposed by this particular store. "This is very frightening," says Galviso, who hails from Orosi, a rural community in California's Central Valley, more than 200 miles southeast of San Francisco. Her local grocery, which specializes in Filipino foods, has run out of Thai jasmine.
when:Sun., April. 27, 2008
where:sunday
why:In a statement Apr. 24, Sam's Club said its rice limits "are designed to prevent large distributors or wholesalers from depleting our stock. We believe limiting rice purchases to four bags per visit is consistent with the needs of the majority of our members, including many restaurants . We will continue to work with our suppliers to manage inventories to meet demand."
how:The rice rationing in the U.S. comes as the torrid pace of commodity price increases has led to violence over food supplies and costs in several nations. Globally, rice prices are starting to hit record highs, following a host of other commodities. However, experts are clear: There's currently no shortage of rice. "Vietnam and Thailand have had record rice crops in the past year, and India too has had bumper crops," says Nathan Childs, a senior economist who follows the global rice market at the Economic Research Service of the U.S. Agriculture Dept.
Instead, what's driving the price of rice so high are widespread worries about food inflation in many rice-growing nations. "In poorer nations, a large share of people's earnings is spent on food, and big price increases in other kinds of food are harming consumers," Childs says. So to protect their supplies of rice -- a staple food in much of the world -- several countries have imposed export bans or sharp limits. That has led to a sharp reduction of rice available for trade in the global market. In 2007, India and Vietnam, two of the world's biggest rice exporters, reduced their rice shipments. Since then, Cambodia, Egypt, and Brazil have all halted rice exports. And many observers worry that Thailand, the world's largest rice exporter, might jump on the bandwagon.
Friday, April 25, 2008
4/25/08
current event
title:Americans tightening their belts
Who:Monique Blake
what:Monique Blake won't be shopping for new clothes. William Acosta got rid of his cell phone. Paula Rockwell put off buying a home.
when:April 25, 2008
where:WASHINGTON
why:In ways both large and small, Americans are doing without. Squeezed by lofty prices for gasoline, food and other products, worried about their jobs and rattled by talk of a recession, people are hunkering down.
Each person's decision to give up something and trim spending can collectively carry crucial implications for the economy.
Personal spending accounts for the single-biggest chunk of gross domestic product, which measures national economic activity. Because of that, people's behavior is important in determining whether the country will survive the economic turmoil or fall victim to it.
how:Sixty percent of the public say they are now less comfortable about making a a big-ticket financial commitment, such as buying a home or a car, than they were just six months ago, underscoring their more circumspect behavior, according to the RBC Cash poll conducted by Ipsos, an international polling firm, in early April. A year ago, 48% said they were less comfortable about making a major purchase.
"I'm feeling more cautious about buying a house. We were thinking about that, but we'll be waiting a little bit longer than we otherwise would have," says Rockwell, 53, a homemaker in Baltimore, Md. She described the current economic climate as being fraught with insecurity. "A larger number of people are really hurting and even people fairly well off are feeling insecure," she says.
title:Americans tightening their belts
Who:Monique Blake
what:Monique Blake won't be shopping for new clothes. William Acosta got rid of his cell phone. Paula Rockwell put off buying a home.
when:April 25, 2008
where:WASHINGTON
why:In ways both large and small, Americans are doing without. Squeezed by lofty prices for gasoline, food and other products, worried about their jobs and rattled by talk of a recession, people are hunkering down.
Each person's decision to give up something and trim spending can collectively carry crucial implications for the economy.
Personal spending accounts for the single-biggest chunk of gross domestic product, which measures national economic activity. Because of that, people's behavior is important in determining whether the country will survive the economic turmoil or fall victim to it.
how:Sixty percent of the public say they are now less comfortable about making a a big-ticket financial commitment, such as buying a home or a car, than they were just six months ago, underscoring their more circumspect behavior, according to the RBC Cash poll conducted by Ipsos, an international polling firm, in early April. A year ago, 48% said they were less comfortable about making a major purchase.
"I'm feeling more cautious about buying a house. We were thinking about that, but we'll be waiting a little bit longer than we otherwise would have," says Rockwell, 53, a homemaker in Baltimore, Md. She described the current economic climate as being fraught with insecurity. "A larger number of people are really hurting and even people fairly well off are feeling insecure," she says.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
4/22/08
current event
title:Record gas prices squeeze drivers
who:nation
what:NEW YORK (AP) -- Cabbies here complain their take-home pay is thinner than it used to be. Trucking companies across the country are making drivers slow down to conserve fuel. Filling station owners plead that really, really, the skyrocketing prices aren't their fault.
when:April 22, 2008: 4:42 AM
where:NEW YORK (AP)
why:"Bottom line, we can't afford it no more, man. It's too much," Bak Zoumane said as he filled up his yellow cab at a BP station in midtown New York. The West African immigrant said his next car will likely be a hybrid so he won't have to pay so much at the pump.
Gasoline prices typically rise in the spring as stations switch over to pricier summer-grade fuel and demand picks up as more travelers take to the road.
But this year prices are rising even faster than normal, experts say, because of the massive jump in benchmark crude prices, which spiked to a record $117.76 a barrel Monday before settling a record settlement price of $117.48 on the New York Mercantile Exchange, up 79 cents from the previous close. It was the sixth day in a row prices set new records.
how:AAA figures show California has higher prices than anywhere in the country, with regular now selling for an average of $3.86 a gallon.
"It's a mess here," Goldstone said. "People just are not shopping and everyone's trying to figure out a way to get people back in their cars."
Diesel prices are rising even higher than gasoline, putting pressure on trucking and other shipping companies that use the fuel to transport goods around the country.
The American Trucking Associations on Monday said it will host a "fuel strategies workshop" in June to help fleet operators cope with soaring prices.
ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello said fuel has now surpassed labor as the trucking industry's biggest cost, prompting some companies to install devices that prevent drivers from speeding. Companies are also shelling out for auxiliary power units and offering bonuses to drivers who cut down on idling and operate their trucks more efficiently.
title:Record gas prices squeeze drivers
who:nation
what:NEW YORK (AP) -- Cabbies here complain their take-home pay is thinner than it used to be. Trucking companies across the country are making drivers slow down to conserve fuel. Filling station owners plead that really, really, the skyrocketing prices aren't their fault.
when:April 22, 2008: 4:42 AM
where:NEW YORK (AP)
why:"Bottom line, we can't afford it no more, man. It's too much," Bak Zoumane said as he filled up his yellow cab at a BP station in midtown New York. The West African immigrant said his next car will likely be a hybrid so he won't have to pay so much at the pump.
Gasoline prices typically rise in the spring as stations switch over to pricier summer-grade fuel and demand picks up as more travelers take to the road.
But this year prices are rising even faster than normal, experts say, because of the massive jump in benchmark crude prices, which spiked to a record $117.76 a barrel Monday before settling a record settlement price of $117.48 on the New York Mercantile Exchange, up 79 cents from the previous close. It was the sixth day in a row prices set new records.
how:AAA figures show California has higher prices than anywhere in the country, with regular now selling for an average of $3.86 a gallon.
"It's a mess here," Goldstone said. "People just are not shopping and everyone's trying to figure out a way to get people back in their cars."
Diesel prices are rising even higher than gasoline, putting pressure on trucking and other shipping companies that use the fuel to transport goods around the country.
The American Trucking Associations on Monday said it will host a "fuel strategies workshop" in June to help fleet operators cope with soaring prices.
ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello said fuel has now surpassed labor as the trucking industry's biggest cost, prompting some companies to install devices that prevent drivers from speeding. Companies are also shelling out for auxiliary power units and offering bonuses to drivers who cut down on idling and operate their trucks more efficiently.
Monday, April 21, 2008
April 21, 2008
current event
title:Gas prices push higher
who: nation
what:The nationwide average for a gallon of gas touches $3.47.
when:First Published: April 20, 2008: 4:17 PM EDT
where:CAMARILLO, Calif
why:CAMARILLO, Calif. (AP) -- A survey says the national average price for regular gasoline rose nearly 16 cents in the past two weeks.
how:The average price of self-serve regular gasoline on Friday was $3.47 a gallon, mid-grade was at $3.59 and premium was $3.70. That's all according to the Lundberg Survey of 7,000 stations nationwide released Sunday.
Regular is up 60 cents from a year ago.
The national average price for a gallon of diesel is $4.21. That's $1.24 more than a year ago.
Of the cities surveyed, the cheapest price is in Newark, N.J., where a gallon of regular cost $3.21, on average. The highest was in San Francisco at $3.88.
title:Gas prices push higher
who: nation
what:The nationwide average for a gallon of gas touches $3.47.
when:First Published: April 20, 2008: 4:17 PM EDT
where:CAMARILLO, Calif
why:CAMARILLO, Calif. (AP) -- A survey says the national average price for regular gasoline rose nearly 16 cents in the past two weeks.
how:The average price of self-serve regular gasoline on Friday was $3.47 a gallon, mid-grade was at $3.59 and premium was $3.70. That's all according to the Lundberg Survey of 7,000 stations nationwide released Sunday.
Regular is up 60 cents from a year ago.
The national average price for a gallon of diesel is $4.21. That's $1.24 more than a year ago.
Of the cities surveyed, the cheapest price is in Newark, N.J., where a gallon of regular cost $3.21, on average. The highest was in San Francisco at $3.88.
Friday, April 18, 2008
4/18/08
current event
tile:Pope to visit New York, address United Nations
who:Pope Benedict XVI
what:After a dramatic three days in which he put the country's clergy sexual abuse scandal front and center, Pope Benedict XVI turned his attention Friday to the original purpose of his first U.S. visit as leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
when:4/18/08
where:WASHINGTON
why:The setting will contrast dramatically with the intimacy of a meeting Thursday, in which he prayed with weeping victims of childhood sexual abuse by priests.
When Benedict addresses diplomats from around the world, he'll likely touch on several broad themes, said Jo Renee Formicola, a Seton Hall University political science professor who has studied the papacy and international affairs.
Among them: a call for bedrock ethical and moral principles as a guiding force even in pluralistic societies, a human rights agenda that encompasses religious freedom and the sacredness of human life and the responsibility of first-world nations to aid developing ones.
how:The pope will encourage the notion that individuals and states can rise above their own self interests and pursue the common good, Formicola said.
"This is his first real foray onto the world stage," she said. "I think he recognizes this as a historic moment. I don't think it's going to be about divisive issues. It's going to about all the things that unite us -- themes of peace, opportunity, aid and assistance."
The forum also gives Benedict license to discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Iraq, subjects he avoided at the White House as he stood next to the architect of the five-year-old war.
tile:Pope to visit New York, address United Nations
who:Pope Benedict XVI
what:After a dramatic three days in which he put the country's clergy sexual abuse scandal front and center, Pope Benedict XVI turned his attention Friday to the original purpose of his first U.S. visit as leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
when:4/18/08
where:WASHINGTON
why:The setting will contrast dramatically with the intimacy of a meeting Thursday, in which he prayed with weeping victims of childhood sexual abuse by priests.
When Benedict addresses diplomats from around the world, he'll likely touch on several broad themes, said Jo Renee Formicola, a Seton Hall University political science professor who has studied the papacy and international affairs.
Among them: a call for bedrock ethical and moral principles as a guiding force even in pluralistic societies, a human rights agenda that encompasses religious freedom and the sacredness of human life and the responsibility of first-world nations to aid developing ones.
how:The pope will encourage the notion that individuals and states can rise above their own self interests and pursue the common good, Formicola said.
"This is his first real foray onto the world stage," she said. "I think he recognizes this as a historic moment. I don't think it's going to be about divisive issues. It's going to about all the things that unite us -- themes of peace, opportunity, aid and assistance."
The forum also gives Benedict license to discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Iraq, subjects he avoided at the White House as he stood next to the architect of the five-year-old war.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
4/17/08
current event
title:Tibetans protest as torch arrives in India
Who: The Olympic torch runner's
what:The Olympic torch arrived Thursday morning in India, the heart of the world's largest Tibetan exile community, sparking the first of what officials fear may be a string of protests during the torch's relay of the country.Police dragged several protesters into vans as they chanted anti-China slogans outside a luxury hotel near Rajpath. Olympic officials are keeping the torch there before the start of the 4 p.m. (6:30 ET) relay.
when:4/17/08
where:NEW DELHI, India
why:Officers detained another 32 protesters even before the torch touched down on Indian soil, according to a state-run news agency, the Press Trust of India. Tibetan exiles had blocked a road near an army hospital in southwest Delhi, the agency said.
Tibet activists groups have said they will do what is necessary to get their voices heard during the torch's stay in India.
how:Tibet activists groups have said they will do what is necessary to get their voices heard during the torch's stay in India.
"I cannot predict what will happen." said Tsewang Rigzin, president of the Tibetan Youth Congress, a worldwide organization of exiles boasting more than 300,000 members.
By noon, hundreds of Tibetan monks and supporters took part in a parallel torch relay to highlight the Tibetan struggle against China.
title:Tibetans protest as torch arrives in India
Who: The Olympic torch runner's
what:The Olympic torch arrived Thursday morning in India, the heart of the world's largest Tibetan exile community, sparking the first of what officials fear may be a string of protests during the torch's relay of the country.Police dragged several protesters into vans as they chanted anti-China slogans outside a luxury hotel near Rajpath. Olympic officials are keeping the torch there before the start of the 4 p.m. (6:30 ET) relay.
when:4/17/08
where:NEW DELHI, India
why:Officers detained another 32 protesters even before the torch touched down on Indian soil, according to a state-run news agency, the Press Trust of India. Tibetan exiles had blocked a road near an army hospital in southwest Delhi, the agency said.
Tibet activists groups have said they will do what is necessary to get their voices heard during the torch's stay in India.
how:Tibet activists groups have said they will do what is necessary to get their voices heard during the torch's stay in India.
"I cannot predict what will happen." said Tsewang Rigzin, president of the Tibetan Youth Congress, a worldwide organization of exiles boasting more than 300,000 members.
By noon, hundreds of Tibetan monks and supporters took part in a parallel torch relay to highlight the Tibetan struggle against China.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
4/15/08
current event
title:
who:Piers Bannister
what:China reduced the number of executions it carried out last year but still executed more people than any other country in the world, Amnesty International said Tuesday in its annual report on the death penalty worldwide.Piers Bannister, a death penalty researcher at Amnesty, said the group fears that the slowdown is only a "logjam" that will lead to a rise in executions once a review by China's top court of all capital cases is concluded.
when:4/15/08
where:Beijing, China
why:The Chinese Foreign Ministry in Beijing did not respond to requests for comment on the findings in the Amnesty report. The ministry has said in the past that Amnesty is "biased and hostile toward China."
More than 60 offenses in China are punishable by the death penalty, including drug trafficking and embezzlement, Bannister said.Amnesty reported that three countries -- Iran, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia -- put people under the age of 18 to death, the youngest a 13-year-old executed in Iran in April.
how:Amnesty's report cited research by other groups claiming the number of people put to death in China was much higher, with some research indicating that as many as 6,000 people may have been executed in 2007. Death penalty figures are treated as a state secret in China.
In all, at least 3,347 people were sentenced to death in 51 countries, and as many as 27,500 people are estimated to be on death row, Amnesty said.
title:
who:Piers Bannister
what:China reduced the number of executions it carried out last year but still executed more people than any other country in the world, Amnesty International said Tuesday in its annual report on the death penalty worldwide.Piers Bannister, a death penalty researcher at Amnesty, said the group fears that the slowdown is only a "logjam" that will lead to a rise in executions once a review by China's top court of all capital cases is concluded.
when:4/15/08
where:Beijing, China
why:The Chinese Foreign Ministry in Beijing did not respond to requests for comment on the findings in the Amnesty report. The ministry has said in the past that Amnesty is "biased and hostile toward China."
More than 60 offenses in China are punishable by the death penalty, including drug trafficking and embezzlement, Bannister said.Amnesty reported that three countries -- Iran, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia -- put people under the age of 18 to death, the youngest a 13-year-old executed in Iran in April.
how:Amnesty's report cited research by other groups claiming the number of people put to death in China was much higher, with some research indicating that as many as 6,000 people may have been executed in 2007. Death penalty figures are treated as a state secret in China.
In all, at least 3,347 people were sentenced to death in 51 countries, and as many as 27,500 people are estimated to be on death row, Amnesty said.
Friday, April 11, 2008
4/11/08
current event
title:
who:Storms pound heartland; 2 die in Oklahoma flooding
what:A line of severe thunderstorms, tornadoes and even snow pounded the nation's heartland on Thursday, flooding nearly 200 roads in Missouri, closing schools in Arkansas and ripping the roofs of dozens of houses in Texas.
when:4/11/08
where:ST. LOUIS, Missouri
how:Rescuers using ropes and life jackets pulled nine people from the offices of the Monett Times newspaper after the Kelly Creek burst its banks and surrounded the building. Police said the creek also threatened other businesses in downtown Monett and forced the evacuation of a nearby trailer park with about 10 to 12 homes.
Times publisher Lisa Craft said the afternoon newspaper's presses were high enough not to be threatened. But she said it was unclear when staff could get back in the building.
National Weather Service hydrologist Mark Fuchs said the Meramec, the eastern Missouri river that flooded in March and forced the evacuation of hundreds of residents, could reach what the service considers "major" flood stage in Arnold, about 20 miles south of St. Louis.
In Texas, at least 100 homes and buildings were damaged in West Texas and the Dallas-Fort Worth area. A gas field worker who was inside a trailer south of Fort Worth when a possible tornado struck had an arm severed up to the elbow.
Straight-line winds carved out a destructive path across the city of Hurst, just east of Fort Worth. Downed trees littered residential neighborhoods, blocking streets, snapping utility poles and snagging power lines. Some large tree trucks had snapped just a foot or two above ground level.
title:
who:Storms pound heartland; 2 die in Oklahoma flooding
what:A line of severe thunderstorms, tornadoes and even snow pounded the nation's heartland on Thursday, flooding nearly 200 roads in Missouri, closing schools in Arkansas and ripping the roofs of dozens of houses in Texas.
when:4/11/08
where:ST. LOUIS, Missouri
how:Rescuers using ropes and life jackets pulled nine people from the offices of the Monett Times newspaper after the Kelly Creek burst its banks and surrounded the building. Police said the creek also threatened other businesses in downtown Monett and forced the evacuation of a nearby trailer park with about 10 to 12 homes.
Times publisher Lisa Craft said the afternoon newspaper's presses were high enough not to be threatened. But she said it was unclear when staff could get back in the building.
National Weather Service hydrologist Mark Fuchs said the Meramec, the eastern Missouri river that flooded in March and forced the evacuation of hundreds of residents, could reach what the service considers "major" flood stage in Arnold, about 20 miles south of St. Louis.
In Texas, at least 100 homes and buildings were damaged in West Texas and the Dallas-Fort Worth area. A gas field worker who was inside a trailer south of Fort Worth when a possible tornado struck had an arm severed up to the elbow.
Straight-line winds carved out a destructive path across the city of Hurst, just east of Fort Worth. Downed trees littered residential neighborhoods, blocking streets, snapping utility poles and snagging power lines. Some large tree trucks had snapped just a foot or two above ground level.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
4/10/08
current event
title:Club Mansion bouncers accused of beating patron.
who:Sean Sweeney, Trevor Costello and John Merryman
what:Sean Sweeney, Trevor Costello and John Merryman, who were in South Florida on spring break, were ''knocked to the ground and struck upon the head and body with closed fists, kicked via feet and held down,'' according to a police report.
when:4/10/08
where:South Beach's Club Mansion
why:Sean Sweeney and his two buddies since high school were back in class Monday -- despite sporting wounds from spring break. Sweeney's family was so concerned that they had doctors perform a CAT scan.
Fort Lauderdale lawyer Kevin ''Bo'' Dennis plans to file a lawsuit this week on the three men's behalf.
how:The report named the following men as suspects in the beating, although it is not known if they were charged: Antonio Marshall, Miami Beach; Jason Nieves, West Palm Beach, and Orlando Hernandez, Miami Beach.
According to the report, the entire episode was captured on surveillance video.
The Opium Group released the following statement Monday: ``We are continuing to work closely with the police regarding these unsubstantiated claims and cannot comment further as the police have not concluded their investigation.''
According to Dennis, the young men asked to sit in Mansion's VIP section early Friday and bought a bottle of alcohol, as required.
After about two hours, a waitress told the three men they had to give up their table for other patrons. Then they were told their tab for the vodka was $700.
Surprised by the amount, the students asked twice to see a bill. Twice they were refused.
At this point, they were ushered into a back room, which was packed with bouncers. When the young men again refused to pay without seeing a tab, employees of the club turned physical.
title:Club Mansion bouncers accused of beating patron.
who:Sean Sweeney, Trevor Costello and John Merryman
what:Sean Sweeney, Trevor Costello and John Merryman, who were in South Florida on spring break, were ''knocked to the ground and struck upon the head and body with closed fists, kicked via feet and held down,'' according to a police report.
when:4/10/08
where:South Beach's Club Mansion
why:Sean Sweeney and his two buddies since high school were back in class Monday -- despite sporting wounds from spring break. Sweeney's family was so concerned that they had doctors perform a CAT scan.
Fort Lauderdale lawyer Kevin ''Bo'' Dennis plans to file a lawsuit this week on the three men's behalf.
how:The report named the following men as suspects in the beating, although it is not known if they were charged: Antonio Marshall, Miami Beach; Jason Nieves, West Palm Beach, and Orlando Hernandez, Miami Beach.
According to the report, the entire episode was captured on surveillance video.
The Opium Group released the following statement Monday: ``We are continuing to work closely with the police regarding these unsubstantiated claims and cannot comment further as the police have not concluded their investigation.''
According to Dennis, the young men asked to sit in Mansion's VIP section early Friday and bought a bottle of alcohol, as required.
After about two hours, a waitress told the three men they had to give up their table for other patrons. Then they were told their tab for the vodka was $700.
Surprised by the amount, the students asked twice to see a bill. Twice they were refused.
At this point, they were ushered into a back room, which was packed with bouncers. When the young men again refused to pay without seeing a tab, employees of the club turned physical.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
4/8/08
title:
current event
who:Sen. John McCain, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, and Sens
what:The emotional debate over the war will once again dominate presidential politics when all three candidates have opportunities to question the top U.S. general in Iraq during congressional hearings Tuesday.
when:4/8/08
where:WASHINGTON
why:Sen. John McCain, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, and Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, the two rivals for the Democratic nomination, will share the spotlight when Army Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker, the top U.S. diplomat in Iraq, testify.
McCain and Clinton will question Petraeus and Crocker -- and possibly advocate their positions on whether U.S. troops should be withdrawn -- when they appear before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday morning. McCain is the committee's top Republican.
how:Petraeus is expected to recommend a pause in the withdrawal of troops from Iraq after July, when the troop levels will be lowered to roughly the number deployed before President Bush agreed to a "surge" of troops into the country in early 2007.
Despite the war being hugely unpopular, McCain has been a strong advocate of continuing the U.S. deployment, arguing that a precipitous departure would permit Iraq to fall into chaos.
current event
who:Sen. John McCain, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, and Sens
what:The emotional debate over the war will once again dominate presidential politics when all three candidates have opportunities to question the top U.S. general in Iraq during congressional hearings Tuesday.
when:4/8/08
where:WASHINGTON
why:Sen. John McCain, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, and Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, the two rivals for the Democratic nomination, will share the spotlight when Army Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker, the top U.S. diplomat in Iraq, testify.
McCain and Clinton will question Petraeus and Crocker -- and possibly advocate their positions on whether U.S. troops should be withdrawn -- when they appear before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday morning. McCain is the committee's top Republican.
how:Petraeus is expected to recommend a pause in the withdrawal of troops from Iraq after July, when the troop levels will be lowered to roughly the number deployed before President Bush agreed to a "surge" of troops into the country in early 2007.
Despite the war being hugely unpopular, McCain has been a strong advocate of continuing the U.S. deployment, arguing that a precipitous departure would permit Iraq to fall into chaos.
Monday, April 7, 2008
4/7/08
Title:Archaeologists unearth 35,000-year-old tools in Australia
current event
who:archaeologists and a stone tool called a chert knife
what:A piece of flint the size of a small cell phone and hundreds of tiny sharp "knives" unearthed deep in a rock shelter in Australia date back at least 35,000 years, archaeologists said Monday
when:4/7/08
where:SYDNEY, Australia
why:The tools, along with seeds, bark and other plant material, were found nearly two meters (6.5 feet) beneath the floor of a rock shelter on the edges of an iron ore mine site in Australia's remote northwest, about 950 kilometers (590 miles) northeast of Perth, the capital of Western Australia.
The excavation was carried out between October and February by archaeologists from Australian Cultural Heritage Management who were hired by the local Aborigines to find and preserve heritage sites within the mine area run by resource giant Rio Tinto.
how:The excavation was carried out between October and February by archaeologists from Australian Cultural Heritage Management who were hired by the local Aborigines to find and preserve heritage sites within the mine area run by resource giant Rio Tinto.
Archaeologist Neale Draper said the tools included at least one "beautifully made" piece of flint from which sharp knifelike shards were knocked off, hundreds of tiny knives, and pieces of grindstones. He hopes that testing of the knives will reveal residue that could indicate what the people ate.
current event
who:archaeologists and a stone tool called a chert knife
what:A piece of flint the size of a small cell phone and hundreds of tiny sharp "knives" unearthed deep in a rock shelter in Australia date back at least 35,000 years, archaeologists said Monday
when:4/7/08
where:SYDNEY, Australia
why:The tools, along with seeds, bark and other plant material, were found nearly two meters (6.5 feet) beneath the floor of a rock shelter on the edges of an iron ore mine site in Australia's remote northwest, about 950 kilometers (590 miles) northeast of Perth, the capital of Western Australia.
The excavation was carried out between October and February by archaeologists from Australian Cultural Heritage Management who were hired by the local Aborigines to find and preserve heritage sites within the mine area run by resource giant Rio Tinto.
how:The excavation was carried out between October and February by archaeologists from Australian Cultural Heritage Management who were hired by the local Aborigines to find and preserve heritage sites within the mine area run by resource giant Rio Tinto.
Archaeologist Neale Draper said the tools included at least one "beautifully made" piece of flint from which sharp knifelike shards were knocked off, hundreds of tiny knives, and pieces of grindstones. He hopes that testing of the knives will reveal residue that could indicate what the people ate.
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