New Glee episode TV tonight

TV tonight: New Glee episode is all about love

TONIGHT'S MUST-SEE II: "Glee," 8 p.m., Fox.

After a long break, this show is ready for a second-half spurt.

First was Sunday's post-Super Bowl special; now new episodes resume in the regular spot. That starts with this Valentine episode: There's a kissing booth, romantic woe and some love songs.

TONIGHT'S ALTERNATIVE: "Pioneers of Television," 8 p.m., PBS.

In their early days, TV stations scrambled to fill their daytime slots. They created local kid shows, with cartoons and puppets and clowns that may or may not have been humorous.

Some shows launched individuals forward (Merv Griffin, Adam West, Ted Knight, Willard Scott, Stan Freberg); some ("Bozo," "Romper Room") became repackaged at other stations.

And sometimes, the shows produced something that would become big nationally. Fred Rogers started with puppets in Pittsburgh; Jim Henson had his Muppets in Washington, D.C.

The best shows aimed for grown-ups, too. Steven Spielberg savored "Wallace and Ladmo"; Albert Einstein confessed a passion for "Time for Beany." This is a fun history, neatly told.
Also today

• "NCIS," 8 p.m., CBS. This is a tough way to work: The team probes a murder, while being shadowed by a woman doing mandatory psych evaluations.

• "NCIS: Los Angeles," 9 p.m., CBS. Someone makes the mistake of breaking into Callen's home. Soon, that leads to a cache of counterfeit computer chips.

• "Only in America" debut, 9 p.m., History. Larry the Cable Guy pays amiable visits to opposite pieces of America. In Georgia, he meets the roots of NASCAR - moonshiners and drivers re-creating the backwoods rides of old. In Vermont, he learns from the descendants of etiquette expert Emily Post. And in California, he visits the county fair that continues a frog-jumping tradition Mark Twain described.

• "Raising Hope," 9:01 p.m., Fox. This comedy has been plagued by inconsistency, as we see tonight. There are a few fun moments, as Jimmy finds a potential friend - another single guy with a baby.

• "The Good Wife," 10 p.m., CBS. Michael J. Fox returns as a lawyer who uses his disability to get courtroom favor. Now he and Alicia race to see who can round up more clients for a class-action suit.

• "For Love of Liberty," 10 p.m., Channel 23 (WKAR). This is the second half of a documentary on blacks in the U.S. military. Ironically, this Black History Month film takes a spot PBS had intended for "When I Rise," a portrait of pioneering black opera star Barbara Smith Conrad.

How to Use New Auction Sites to Nab Must-Have Merchandise

How to Use New Auction Sites to Nab Must-Have Merchandise for up to 95% Off Retail

Have you ever heard of "Penny Auctions"?

They’re a new online auction model that is becoming hugely popular. Penny auctions allow individuals to do just what the name implies – buy new popular products for just pennies on the dollar.

One of the most interesting and successful companies offering penny auctions is called QuiBids. This Oklahoma based company auctions off brand new products such as iPads, Macbooks, HDTVs, Digital Cameras, Gaming Consoles, and more for steep discounts, often as much as 85% off their retail price.

So how do they do it? In the case of QuiBids it’s quite simple. You see, whenever a prospective buyer places a bid for an item on QuiBids, the company collects a small fee. This fee is really inconsequential to the bidder, but based on the volume of sales and bids, the company is able to collect a substantial amount. This revenue allows the QuiBids to sell these expensive products to the winning bidders even if their bid is only a tiny fraction of the value of the product.

Savvy bidders have recently been able to buy a brand new Apple Macbook Pro for $23.90, a Nikon D90 Camera for $45.84, and Sony Playstation 3 for $12.32. On average, buyers pay just 25% of retail for items they win in auction on QuiBids.

The auctions are also insanely fun. Each bid costs just 60 cents, and each auction has a strict time limit. When you place your bid, the system adds a little time to the auction to see if any other bids come in. If you have the winning bid when the clock runs out – you win the item for that price. According to QuiBids CEO Matt Beckham, “A huge part of our growth is generated by word of mouth and friends recommending us to their friends – so we must be doing something right.”

But the best part of QuiBids may be the “Buy-It-Now” feature. This allows bidders who did not win an auction to still buy the product they want and apply the cost of the bids they placed as a discount on the regular product price. So you still get the item and the bids you placed previously in the auction don’t cost you anything!

Some customers have really made out like bandits on the site. We spoke with Cyril Bennet, a QuiBids customer in Arizona who recalled a recent auction that he participated in, “As I was bidding, my roommate was asking me how the auction was going. At that moment, gazing at the screen, I watched as the timer read, "3… 2… 1…SOLD!" and I won this VIZIO 32 HDTV for $2.60. True story. I’ve really enjoyed using QuiBids…its awesome!"

In today’s tight economy, it’s more important than ever to seek out the best possible deals on must-have items. Sites like QuiBids give savvy shoppers the opportunity to nab products at ridiculously low prices. Add in the element of fun, and the fact that their “Buy-It-Now” feature means that you can’t ever pay too much – and it means there is simply no reason not to try it out for yourself.

Story From: www.howlifeworks.com

Andre Balazs And Chelsea Handler dating

 Chelsea Handler new boyfriend,  Andre Balazs,  Chelsea Handler dating, Chelsea Handler Spotted Kissing New Man at Sundance

Chelsea Handler and the man she was with on Saturday night looked like they could have used a room while out at the Sundance Film Festival.

The good thing is her close companion was hotel mogul Andre Balazs.

Handler and Balazs, who used to date Uma Thurman, were first spotted kissing at a Florence + the Machine concert at the Bing Bar.

Next, the two headed over to Tao at the Samsung Galaxy Lift, where we’re told they sat next to each other on a banquette. “They kissed for a bit and left together” at around 3 a.m., a source tells Gossip Cop.

But that wasn’t all.

The following night, Handler and Balazs dined with a friend at the restaurant 350 Main Brasserie.

Looks like Handler has made a change from 50 Cent.

News From: www.gossipcop.com

Watch Kourtney And Kim Take New York

Watch Kourtney And Kim Take New York Review: Sisterly Love With a Side of Scott Disick

New city. Same contrived nonsense.

Sunday's premiere of Kourtney & Kim Take New York on E! marked yet another reality series for this infamous family, a crew for which fame and living their scripted lives on camera has become synonymous with breathing.

Who are we kidding, we love it. And had a staff member review it here:

Kourtney & Kim Take New York premiered last night, and I enjoyed it. I would enjoy it more were the duo Kourtney and Khloe, but we'll see where the season goes.

I confess, I'm entertained by the Kardashians.

Sure, dollar signs blur their vision more often than not, but the family makes me laugh. Kris reminds me of my mother (don't tell her I said that), and Kim, Kourtney and Khloe remind me of my sisters and I (minus the great wardrobe and disposable income).

Don't lie - you and your sisters play "Which Kardashian Sister Are You" and fight over who is who. I find Khloe and Kourtney's relationship to be thoroughly amusing, and I find Kim to be a bit boring. Ergo I'm nervous about how the two older sibs will fare together in New York.

In both Keeping Up With The Kardashians and Kourtney & Khloe Take Miami, the bookends of the sisterhood were slap-happy and always pantsing each other, simultaneously mocking Kim.

Now that Khloe's married and not as much fun, Kourtney decided to bring Snora Nora on her quest to bring Dash to New York City. Kim's single (that Miles Austin situation was short and awkward), and she headed to New York under the impression that this gig was all about her and Kourtney toasting their "All The Single Ladies" brigade.

Pump the brakes.

It seemed Kourtney wasn't on the same page as little sister. Kourtney's baby-daddy, Scott Disick, tagged along on and crashed on the same floor of their hotel (in other words, he's all up in Kim's grill every night).

Maybe everyone should have had a sit-down prior to this trip, because Kim is solo and expected a different totally different story than the one that played out.

And is it me, or is each season starring our favorite Kardashians becoming more and more contrived? It's as if they're handed an scenario, and have twenty-two minutes to reach their Full House-ish moral climax.

Someone move Scott somewhere far far away. His spray tan ruined my HD experience.

Things you're talking about at the water cooler:

* New York is great when you're rich. Why wouldn't you skip into the Smyth Tribeca when you have the penthouse?
* Kourtney acknowledged her snoozy relationship with Snora, and we all nodded solemnly in agreement. "Kim and I just aren't as lovey-dovey."
* Kim Kardashian: "I've never been in New York City in the wintertime." It's bad, Kim. It's worse than bad. Think no escape from the blistering wind chill and dirt-and-pee-in-the-snow bad.
* Love Kourtney's Gucci fedora. Need one to wear around my apartment while I watch TV all day.

News From: www.thehollywoodgossip.com

Smith finds Sundance buyer

Smith finds Sundance buyer for new film: Himself

PARK CITY, Utah -- Kevin Smith has premiered his latest movie at the Sundance Film Festival and sold it to the highest bidder - himself, for $20.

Smith had indicated he would auction off distribution rights to his fundamentalist horror film "Red State" after its Sundance premiere Sunday night, and he brought up the movie's producer, Jonathan Gordon, to handle the sale.

Gordon told the audience the bidding was open, Smith offered $20, and his producer proclaimed the film sold.

The auction was a stunt to emphasize Smith's real plans - to release "Red State" himself, without the tens of millions of dollars in marketing money that Hollywood pours into its releases.

Smith says he will take "Red State" out city to city beginning in March.

News From: www.washingtonpost.com

Kim Kardashian New Boyfriend Michael Copon

Michael Copon: Kim Kardashian's New Boyfriend?

Kim Kardashian is filming her new reality series 'Kourtney and Kim Take New York' in NYC, and she already has a new man, In Touch Weekly reports.

Just this week, Kim said that she'd be "down for some hookups" if friends wanted to set her up on dates.

In Touch's press release follows:

It's all about new beginnings for Kim Kardashian -- she has a new TV show, a new zip code, and now, a new man, too! A galpal of Kim's tells In Touch that she's dating actor and musician Michael Copon, who's best known for his role on One Tree Hill. "Kim is dating Michael," the source tells In Touch. "They have known each other for years, but he and Kim just recently reconnected." Kim and Michael are currently in New York, where she's filming Kourtney and Kim Take New York, and fans can expect to see more of her new hottie. "He'll definitely be making appearances on Kim's new TV show," the source adds. Kim and Michael met in 2006 when they filmed Beyond the Break together, in which they played boyfriend and girlfriend. "They have been running in the same circles and going to the same events forever, but now they are hitting it off romantically," the source says. "The timing is right for both of them."

Terrible Towel

Terrible Towel: Pittsburgh Rally Towel Could End Up on New York Landmark

Terrible Towel: Pittsburgh Rally Towel Could End Up on New York Landmark

Terrible Towel: There are many things that will not die in the sports world, the Terrible Towel is one of them. Well it seems that the Steelers long beloved rally towel could grace the Manhattan skyline shortly.

The mayors of New York, Michale Bloomberg, and Pittsburgh, Luke Ravenstahl, have a friendly wager. If the Jets win, Ravenstahl will hang a Jets firefighter helmet on an undisclosed Pittsburgh landmark.

But if the Steelers beat the Jets in the AFC Championship game, Bloomberg will unenthusiastically hang a Terrible Towel from an undisclosed New York City landmark.

So far it is a close one at Heinz Field. The Jets and Steelers are giving their fair share of tight defensive looks. So far, the Steelers lead in the second quarter 7-0. If this keeps up, there will be some mighty angry New York natives come Monday.

News From: bleacherreport.com

New Hyperbaric Chambers

New Hyperbaric Chambers at Springfield Hospital

SPRINGFIELD, Ore. -- Doctors at RiverBend Hospital in Springfield are now able to use hyperbaric chambers to treat patients.



"It's not a therapy that works predictably 100 percent of the time, like take an aspirin and call me in the morning," said Dr. Robert Barnes, Hyperbaric Center Medical Director.



But it doesn't mean the people who spend time in one of these chambers don't notice a difference.



"A majority of the patients are doing better than when we first saw them," Dr. Barnes said.



Doctors at PeaceHealth now have another tool at their disposal in the form of two brand new hyperbaric chambers.



They help treat patients with non-healing wounds or soft tissue damage.



Kay Wilson, for example, was diagnosed with tonsil cancer last year.



"Three weeks ago I couldn't even eat mashed potatoes, and this morning I had toast, a fried egg and applesauce and yogurt for breakfast," Wilson said.



To put it simply, a hyperbaric chamber is an enclosed tube. The inside is pressurized with 100 percent oxygen, which creates a healing atmosphere two to three times greater than normal.



"Under those conditions, the concentration of oxygen in the patient's tissues is greatly increased compared to normal, and that engenders the growth of blood vessels that supply injured tissue," Dr. Barnes said.



Wilson says her cancer is gone, and right now she's about halfway through her hyperbaric treatments.



She says she's grateful to the RiverBend staff for helping her get her life back to normal.



"It's just helped me so much. I can't even tell you...I just feel really blessed to be here," Wilson said.



Hyperbaric chambers can also be used to treat carbon monoxide poisoning, certain kinds of skin and bone infections, gangrene or decompression sickness.



To figure out if hyperbarics will work for you, contact your doctor.

News From: kezi.com

Bob Dylan Signs New Book Deal

It’s not official, but Bob Dylan reportedly has signed a six-book deal, according to Crain’s New York Business.

The singer is expected to release the books through Simon & Schuster. The deal is rumored to include the next two volumes of Dylan’s New York Times bestselling Chronicles series and a collection of material from his Sirius/XM radio show, Theme Time Radio Hour.

Dylan’s literary agent, Andrew Wylie, put the as-yet-unconfirmed deal together with Simon & Schuster, the same publishing house that took care of Chronicles: Volume One.

The autobiographical Chronicles: Volume One was released in 2004 and nominated for a National Book Critics Award. The title spent 19 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list.

The 69-year-old singer-songwriter hosted his weekly show on Sirius/XM from 2006 to 2009; he played a variety of music from his personal collection, told jokes and even recited poetry.

There’s no word yet about what the other three books in the Simon & Schuster package will be about. We also have no clue when any of the books will hit stores. But no doubt wherever Dylan is right now – he’s writing.

News From: beatcrave.com

Potential new DH paRayde in Tampa Bay

The soon-to-be-official acquisition of Manny Ramirez by the Tampa Bay Rays is the latest attempt to solve an issue that has plagued them for five seasons -– how to get the most production out of the designated hitter slot. In the last five seasons, Rays DHs have never hit higher than .246. They rank among the least productive in all three slashline statistics (batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage), as well as home runs.

Despite his age, Ramirez still does something that makes him worthy of a low-cost risk for certain teams -– he gets on base at a high rate. Ramirez ranked eighth in the majors in on-base percentage last season, among those who had at least 300 plate appearances.

Ramirez’s acquisition does prevent him from adding to his totals against Tampa Bay. Rays fans will have to get used to cheering for the all-time leader in RBI against their team. Ramirez was particularly impressive from 1998 to 2003, amassing 86 RBI in 81 games against the then-Devil Rays. Johnny Damon, who has compiled the second-most hits, runs and stolen bases against Tampa Bay, is on the verge of some major-league history, whether he ends up sharing the DH role with Ramirez or playing left field.

Via the National Pastime Baseball Almanac, we can tell you that he’s one of only five players to have 15 straight seasons of at least 140 games played. The only players with more are Brooks Robinson, Hank Aaron and Pete Rose (16 each)

To merit that much playing time, Damon may need to improve in a couple of areas from what he did last season – not an easy thing for a 37-year-old to do. Rays rookie Desmond Jennings is waiting to be the regular left fielder should Damon falter.

Damon, a career .290 hitter with runners in scoring position, hit .209 in such situations last season, but perhaps more alarmingly, struck out 33 times in 148 at-bats.

It was the second straight season in which Damon’s strikeout rate with runners in scoring position was just about double what it had been in his career prior to 2009. Damon’s weakness is similar to that of someone we wrote about Friday, Vernon Wells. He struggled against breaking pitches last season. He went from getting hits on 15 percent of his swings against breaking balls in 2009 to only nine percent in 2010.

Leaving Yankee Stadium for Comerica Park and the Detroit Tigers hurt Damon’s power numbers, as his slugging percentage in his home park dropped 98 points (perhaps also cause for alarm, it dipped 82 points on the road). He went from 24 home runs in 2009 to eight in 2010, and his home run total on breaking pitches went from eight to zero.

Damon also went homerless against left-handed pitchers in 2010. He only had one RBI in 120 at-bats against southpaws last season.

That would seem to be an argument for making him part of a DH platoon, rather than having him open the season having to fill the shoes of fan favorite and superstar left fielder Carl Crawford. The Rays may have their own game plan in mind.

News From: espn.go.com

DNA test in Meredith Kercher murder Italy court orders

Italy court orders new DNA test in Meredith Kercher murder

An Italian court asked two independent experts Saturday to re-examine DNA evidence in the trial for the murder of British student Meredith Kercher.

Kercher's American flatmate, Amanda Knox, and her former Italian boyfriend are appealing against prison sentences of 26 and 25 years, respectively, for their role in the killing.

The judges who handed out the sentence in December 2009 ruled that the murder was the result of a sexual assault which spiralled out of control.

The appeals court said last year it would allow new evidence in the trial and Saturday appointed two forensic experts to review DNA tests on the knife allegedly used in the murder and on a bra clip belonging to Kercher.

Kercher, 21, was found half-naked and with her throat slit in the flat she shared with Knox in the university city of Perugia on November 2, 2007. The case has attracted huge media attention in Italy and abroad.

The experts will have 90 days to review the DNA evidence and will report their findings to the court on May 21. "This is an important step to establish the truth," said Knox's lawyer Luciano Ghirga, who had asked for the DNA tests to be re-examined.

The defence lawyers maintain that the DNA evidence in the case is either inconclusive or was "contaminated" during the lengthy investigation.

Knox, 23, and her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, 26, deny any role in the murder.

News From: uk.reuters.com

New business Sierra Leone war children

New business hope for Sierra Leone's war children

Youths in the village of Robaka are learning traditional farming skills forgotten during the war

Farming in the remote bush of Sierra Leone is hard and punishing work.

Growing crops such as cassava, beans and sweet potatoes requires skill in the often dry and arid climate of West Africa.

Methods of farming in the region have traditionally been handed down from generation to generation.

But Sierra Leone's bitter civil war disrupted much of that transfer of knowledge.
War victims

Alpha Turay was barely five years old when the conflict began two decades ago.

The war forced his family to flee their village of Robaka, in northern Sierra Leone, and seek refuge in the bush.

It also robbed him - and his generation - of their childhood, and the chance to gain a livelihood.
However, a project being run by the charity War Child is aiming to change that.

Almost a decade after the war finally ended, the Dutch-based organisation is helping young Sierra Leoneans to re-learn traditional farming skills.

"The project is helping to educate us," says Alpha Turay. "We're learning agricultural activities - like how to plant crops.

"War Child also helped build a rice hauler for our community, so instead of pounding rice by hand now we have a machine. We're learning skills to earn a living."
Traditional skills

The village of Robaka is located deep in the interior of Sierra Leone.

A settlement of earthen brick buildings, it is surrounded entirely by palm forests and is at least a two-hour drive - over almost impassable roads - from the district capital.

Robaka's inhabitants are poor, but they've come a long way since the civil war, which ended in 2002 after claiming the lives of more than 50,000 Sierra Leoneans.

Life goes on as it always has done - with traditional methods of food production, and other skills, encouraged.
Profit motive

Overseeing War Child's work in the village is local Sierra Leonean Ibrahim Kamara.

He encourages Robaka's youths to see themselves as business-people and entrepreneurs in the making.

"We train them in how to do negotiating skills," says Mr Kamara. "Some of them are business people, but they still grumble about not having profit and the like."

"Whomsoever runs a business wants to maximise profit, and the maximisation of profit starts from negotiation," he adds.
'Helping us to forget'The civil war left tens of thousands of youngsters across Sierra Leone without access to proper education.

Alpha Kanu, a 22-year-old from Robaka, was among them.

The conflict claimed the life of his father. Along with other youths in the village, he now attends school classes, but painful memories of the civil war remain.

"The rebels bombed our house, my uncle's arm was amputated, there was a lot of destruction within the family," he says. "I felt bad about my father's death. But now I've joined this programme and it's helping me to forget."

Alpha Kanu is also busy thinking about his future.

"I want to import goods, and if the chance permits, to buy and sell cars," he says.
Unlocking potential

As evening draws in at the end of another day, both in the fields and the classroom, Robaka's residents - young and old - gather to sing and dance.

Like original methods of farming, cultural traditions - all but forgotten during the war - are being re-learnt.

Sierra Leone's troubled past is being is confronted in places like Robaka.

Strife once brought about by war is being replaced with the hope that Sierra Leone's entrepreneurial potential - and future wealth - can be unlocked by the nation's youth.

News From: www.bbc.co.uk

New Bikes 2011 New York Motorcycle Show

Top 10 New Bikes 2011 New York Motorcycle Show

This weekend's show will not be the biggest show in terms of public attendance because of mediocre weather. But perhaps more importantly, it won't be a huge show because the motorcycling industry, like the rest of the economy, isn't exactly on fire. There were plenty of bikes in every segment, even if the rate of new-bike intros was a little thin. Several of the major manufacturers had no new-products at all. Nonetheless, there are still some high signs, including a burgeoning adventure-tourer segment and some stunning new bikes. The line at the door seemed plenty long at the noon opening gun—and the floor filled up with bikers mighty fast. Here's what we saw during the press introductions before the show opened to the public. More Pictures

American Idol TV rivals hold strong against new

TV rivals hold strong against new "American Idol"

"American Idol" lost another 4 million viewers on the second night of its new season and rival TV networks held up strongly against the revamped but aging singing contest, early ratings figures showed on Friday.

"American Idol," the Fox show which for years has wiped out the competition, attracted 22.9 million viewers on Thursday, losing 9 percent of its 10th season premiere audience the previous night.

The numbers were enough to retain "Idol's" crown as the most-watched TV show in the United States. But fans of "The Big Bang Theory" on CBS stayed loyal, as the Emmy-winning comedy was watched by 13.6 million Americans in a head-to-head match.

Over at ABC, some 8.3 million viewers tuned in to game show "Wipeout", while NBC's comedy "Community" pulled in 4.7 million.

"American Idol" has undergone a wholesale make-over in the last six months, bringing in singers Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler as judges, after the exit of Briton Simon Cowell to launch a new talent show on Fox later in 2011.

Fox executives said that when combining the two-nights of the new-look show this week, "American Idol" audiences are down just 12 percent from last year's opening week, which they said was great for a show in its 10th season.

Young adults, however, are among the biggest groups of viewers who have decided not to tune into "Idol" this year, despite months of hype about the new celebrity judges.

Thursday's episode was down 16 percent from last year among 18-49 years olds -- the category most coveted by advertisers.

"American Idol" has been a major generator of advertising revenue to Fox television, and driven record sales and digital downloads with early discoveries like Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Daughtry.

But the show has lost about 6 million viewers since 2006 and recent winners have seen dismal sales for their debut albums.

"American Idol" is produced by 19 Entertainment, a unit of CKX Inc., and by London-based FremantleMedia, a unit of Bertelsmann AG. Fox is a unit of News Corp. Universal Music Group is a unit of Vivendi.

News From: www.reuters.com

Britney Spears new number one single

Britney Spears new number one single 'Hold It Against Me' breaks Billboard records

Britney Spears' new single, "Hold It Against Me" debuted at Number One on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart and sold 411,000 digital singles in one week after being released exclusively on iTunes, breaking a record previously held by Taylor Swift.

Spears is also only the second artist in Billboard history to debut multiple songs at No. 1, Mariah Carey was the first artist to earn that honor.

Most surprising, is the fact that the single found so much success without any promotion by the singer herself. The single also found a number one spot in 19 other countries, including Australia, Belgium, Japan, Canada, Switzerland, France and Ireland.

"Seriously, I have the best fans ever," Spears wrote on Twitter after making her first-day sales record. "I love you all so much! Everything I do is for you!"

The 29-year-old mother of two also confirmed on Twitter that she is currently working on the "Hold It Against Me" music video with director Jonas Akerlund, who previously directed Lady Gaga's "Telephone" music video and has also worked with Madonna, Moby, Christina Aguilera and directed Prodigy's most controversial music video.

Spears, who has sold more than 100 million records, launched a successful "Circus" tour and recently guest-starred on Glee, earning the FOX musical sitcom its highest ratings yet.

The new album is set for release in March 2011, by the end of Sony's fiscal year. Listen to Britney Spears' single, "Hold It Against Me," below.



News From: www.ontheredcarpet.com

UNC faces new budget reductions

UNC faces new budget reductions, state-funded position hiring freeze

State and University leaders are doing what they can now to help offset the challenges that lie ahead in coping with an estimated $3.7 billion revenue gap for the 2011-12 fiscal year.

Gov. Beverly Perdue and the Office of State Budget and Management recently directed state agencies to reduce state spending by an additional 2.5 percent in one-time cuts, to hold state-funded jobs vacant and to limit purchase orders, travel and training. That is on top of a 1 percent management flexibility reduction directed last August, Chancellor Holden Thorp said in a campus e-mail message on Monday.

Although the freeze did not specify the UNC system, President Tom Ross and Erskine Bowles endorsed adopting the same state cut targets and the hiring freeze on state-funded positions last month. On Jan. 3, the University announced how the freeze affects positions here.

At Perdue’s request, UNC campuses submitted permanent state funding cut scenarios of 5 percent and 10 percent to General Administration, Thorp said. Chancellors also have been asked to consider potential cuts of up to 15 percent.

Thorp said he hoped cuts would not reach that level. “Postponing inevitable cuts for next year until later this spring or summer will only make things worse later,” he said. “For three years, we’ve been well served by taking proactive steps, and it’s more important than ever to do that again.”

Thorp announced cuts in programs, operations and staffing equal to a campuswide 5 percent permanent state budget reduction – about $26 million – effective July 1.

News From: www.unc.edu

Jonathan Knight, Tiffany Out

Did Tiffany Out “New Kid on the Block” Jonathan Knight?

On Bravo’s “Watch What Happens Live” last night, after the show’s host Andy Cohen asked 1980s pop sensation Tiffany if she had ever dated any of the New Kids on the Block, her onetime opening act, she said she used to go out with Jonathan Knight, before adding, ”He became gay later.”

“We used to do facials together,” recalled Tiffany. “He was so easy to talk to… and he was fabulous.”

Now a number of outlets have attacked Tiffany for “outing” Knight, who’s never publicly said whether or not he’s gay.

And while it certainly wasn’t her place to talk about Knight’s sexuality one way or the other, Tiffany’s actually not the one who “outed” him.

In February 2009, the National Enquirer did an interview with Brazilian model Kyle Wilker who alleged in a piece titled, “Jonathan Knight’s Gay Lover Tells All,” that he dated the singer f0r 18 months.

Here’s a suggestion: In the future, let’s leave discussion of Knight’s sexuality to Knight himself.

It’s actually a good rule of thumb for lots of stories.

News From: www.gossipcop.com

Charles Li new China boss

1-ANZ names RBS's Li as new China boss

* ANZ appoints Charles Li from RBS as China CEO

* Ex-ANZ China CEO Christine Ip joins UOB - sources

* Ip's appointment could point to UOB China push - source

(Adds details on Ip's new appointment, quote)

SYDNEY/HONG KONG, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ.AX) named Charles Li from the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS.L) as its new chief executive for China on Thursday, as it continues to expand in the region.

Li was most recently country executive and head of global banking for China at RBS, Australia's No.4 bank said in a statement, replacing Christine Ip who quit and moved to Singapore late last year.

"Since establishing our locally incorporated entity last October we have increased the pace of our expansion," ANZ's China Chairman Gilles Plante said in a statement.

ANZ runs its own operations in China and also owns a 20 percent stake in the unlisted Bank of Tianjin and Shanghai Rural Commercial Bank.

Separately, Ip has joined Singapore's No.3 lender United Overseas Bank (UOBH.SI) as its senior vice president for the Greater China region, two sources with direct knowledge of the information said on Thursday.

Ip's appointment points to a stronger push by UOB to expand its operations in China outside of its Singapore home market, one of the sources said. The two sources declined to be named because the information was not yet public.

The former HSBC (0005.HK)(HSBA.L) and Standard Chartered (2888.HK)(STAN.L) banker had previously helped ANZ receive approval from the Chinese authorities to incorporate locally in the country, and was crucial in the bank's China expansion drive.

UOB was not immediately available for comment.

Competition for experienced financial talent has been intensifying in recent years, with bankers frequently moving between firms as new players seek to gain a slice of the fast-growing China pie.

News From: www.reuters.com

American Idol 2011 New Judges Steven Tyler Jennifer Lopez

American Idol 2011 New Judges Steven Tyler Jennifer Lopez: How Did They Do?

American Idol 2011 kicked off tonight, and viewers couldn’t wait to check out the new judges. Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez have replaced Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson is the only judge there from past seasons. What did you think of the new American Idol judges 2011? How did they do?

I actually thought that new American Idol judges Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler fit into the show quite nicely. Steven Tyler seems to have a good wit about him…even asking one contestant, “did you eat a lot of paint chips as a kid?” That sort of sounds like a Simon Cowell statement to me.

Jennifer Lopez was honest, while remaining sweet, even getting up to hug one poor, crying contestant.

It honestly seems like Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez have always been a part of American Idol. What do you think?

Cara Castronuova New Biggest Loser Trainer video

Cara Castronuova is the New Biggest Loser Trainer Video

Meet Cara Castronuova, the boxing champ who was just revealed as one of the new Biggest Loser trainers. She’s got a warrior mentality and a vice for New York pizza.








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