Astronaut. Quincy Jones won’t fly to the moon

The Pioneer Press is happy to host community conversations about news and life in the Twin Cities. As hosts, we expect guests will show respect for each other. That means we don’t threaten or defame each other, and we keep conversations free of personal attacks. Witty is great. Abusive is not.

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astronaut jones

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Published in:  on 26/07/2009 at 09:38 Leave a Comment
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Return Living. TV news giant Walter Cronkite dead at 92

It was Cronkite’s lifelong fascination with flight — and his unabashed enthusiasm for the U.S. space program — that may be his enduring legacy: His power as a broadcaster was such that he helped stir the public’s support for space exploration. “In that age of TV,” 60 Minutes creator Don Hewitt said, “Walter Cronkite was as well known as John Glenn.” He was on NASA’s list to be the first journalist in space, a project scrubbed after the Challenger explosion. “I can’t imagine any red-blooded person not wanting to get into space,” Cronkite said in 1998 before he co-anchored CNN’s coverage of John Glenn’s return to space at age 77. “Shaking off that idea lacks a certain imagination, a spirit of adventure.

I can’t think of anything better out there.” Cronkite retired in 1981, replaced by Dan Rather. Cronkite was supposed to have a continuing relationship with the network, but it didn’t work out that way, and in ensuing years he smarted at the way CBS rarely invited him back on its air. “CBS did not live up to the arrangement we had,” Cronkite said. “I thought I was only stepping down from the Evening News, but I’d continue to do special events coverage and in-depth reporting. They chose not to use me.

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Published in:  on 18/07/2009 at 09:36 Leave a Comment
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Obama visits with Pope Benedict at end of Italy trip

His recent graduation speech at Notre Dame University drew protests. However, Obama won a majority of the Roman Catholic vote, has had cordial relations with many church leaders and lauds the church’s teachings on social justice and help for the poor. “The president, in both his words and in his deeds, expresses many things that many Catholics recognize as fundamental to our teaching,” McDonough said. “One is that the president often refers to the fundamental belief that each person is endowed with dignity, and as it relates to the issues I work on most frequently with the president, the president often underscores that dignity of people is a driving goal in what we hope to accomplish in development policy, for example, and in foreign policy.

” He said the president also had spoken about the late Cardinal Joseph Bernadin of Chicago, who talked about the “seamless garment” of respect for human life. “That garment speaks to not just taking care of the poor and the needy but also investing in the kind of health care infrastructure that would ensure that people like those on the South Side of Chicago, who the president is very familiar with, are oftentimes finding their health care not in publicly funded hospitals but in Catholic hospitals, for example.” As a community organizer, Obama was helped by financing from the Catholic campaign for human development, McDonough said. While opposing the president’s stand on abortion rights and stem cell research, the pope and the Vatican have been open to him.

obama italy

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Published in:  on 10/07/2009 at 16:12 Leave a Comment
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Memorial. CNN Live Stream of Michael Jackson Memorial: 9.7 Million Views

Today I watched the memorial tribute to a Legendary Icon (Michael Joesph Jackson). I celebrated his life in my home in front of my television as I was not fortunate to attend in person. MJ was and will always be as one of his hits so clearly defined (HUMAN NATURE).

I have followed Michael from childhood to adulthood and his music touches the lives of all of us! Michael was a gift from GOD who shared his love on earth, he has gone home, but will never be forgotten. (His memory will forever live on)…The celebration, performances, speakers all presented there contribution to MJ’s memory with grace , style and love. John Mayer’s instrumental rendition of Human Nature brought me to my feet.

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Published in:  on 08/07/2009 at 09:02 Leave a Comment
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Usbank. Online Scams Jump as More Africans Go Online

A phishing attack aimed at Absa customers features a plain, yet clever unsolicited message instructing them to follow a link and confirm their account information as a way for criminals to obtain passwords and user IDs. Absa’s online customers can download Trend Micro’s Internet Security Pro 2009 for free, said Christo Vrey, managing executive of Absa Digital Channels. The software is expected to protect home or office computers against viruses, spyware and other malicious threats.

The phishing attacks have risen since 2005 when Barclays Bank bought Absa. South African consumers are exposed to more phishing attacks because it is the only Sub Saharan country with a developed online banking service. Other countries do not offer full-fledged online banking services and most of the population lacks bank accounts, but cybercriminals have not spared them either. The Communications Commission of Kenya has set out on an exercise to educate consumers on cybercrime and other threats posed by the expected increase in Internet usage as a result of cheaper bandwidth.

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Published in:  on 06/07/2009 at 09:49 Leave a Comment
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Lisle Fest 2009. Ribfest returns with big flavor, big acts

Ribfest: This festival will be from noon to 10 p.m. to July 5 at Knock Park in Naperville. It will include fireworks, food and live entertainment on two stages.

Headliners include: Heart, Blue Oyster Cult and Huey Lewis and the News. Visit www.ribfest.net/. Proceeds benefit the Exchange Club of Naperville. How much: Admission at the gates is $10. Children 11 and under are admitted free. $2 pre-sale discounts available.

lisle fest 2009

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Published in:  on 04/07/2009 at 08:46 Leave a Comment
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Hilary Rhoda. Model Sportsman: Mark Sanchez Strips Down for GQ

Since day one when quarterback Mark Sanchez led the USC Trojans to a decisive victory over Penn State in the Rose Bowl, 2009 has been a good year for the 22-year-old from Orange County, for whom everything’s coming up…well, you know…roses! After his controversial decision to turn pro a year early, despite a solid but hardly unqualified record in his single season at the helm of the storied USC program, Sanchez surprised most prognosticators when he was picked fifth in the NFL draft by the New York Jets. Now the new New Yorker has already made a splash in the fashion scene, appearing in a swimwear photo gallery for thereby cementing his place among the pantheon of New York pigskin heartbreakers. Sanchez jokes in the brief article accompanying the six-photo collection, “I wouldn’t necessarily be caught in those shorts,” but not only does the curly haired Mexican-American look deliciously good in every shot, he also had the perk of working with the upward-bound supermodel Hilary Rhoda, who served both as fellow model and mentor to the young star. “Yeah, she’s, uh…Well, obviously she’s gorgeous,” he told the magazine. “She made me feel really…comfortable.

” (To which GQ made a public offer to connect the two if Sanchez so desired, citing the supermodel-quarterback precedent of new rival quarterback Tom Brady and his wife Gisele Bundchen.) Sanchez is just the latest in a long if somewhat uneven list of football stars using their more aesthetic talents off the field and on camera, with varying degrees of success (or, in one case, knowledge). Here’s a look back at some of our favorite transfers from the field to the photo.

hilary rhoda

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Published in:  on 22/05/2009 at 07:42 Leave a Comment
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Order Selfish. Hilary Duff guests on SVU

Hilary Duff is guest starring on a lot of series television lately. Tonight, Duff visits Law and Order: SVU. Apparently everyone in Los Angeles jumped on the freeway early last night as they rushed to the opening of Ghosts of Girlfriends Past at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. The reason is I saw a rare thing in Los Angeles last night, no traffic on the freeway at six o’clock.

Really, folks, you have no idea how rare that is. So rare that I thought perhaps the city had been evacuated and I missed the news. Don’t miss our interview with Jennifer Garner and Matthew McConaughey from the film ! I wasn’t there for the premiere but I did see one of the movie’s stars, Michael Douglas at the restaurant where we had dinner. How cool is that.

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Published in:  on 29/04/2009 at 07:50 Leave a Comment
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Murph. WAITING FOR GODOT’s Lane & Irwin Featured in NY Magazine

Roundabout Theatre Company’s (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) Waiting for Godot began previews Friday, April 3rd at 8:00PM. Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot stars (in order of speaking) Nathan Lane (Estragon), Bill Irwin (Vladimir), John Goodman (Pozzo), John Glover (Lucky) and is directed by Anthony Page at Studio 54 on Broadway. Roundabout Theatre Company’s (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) Waiting for Godot will begin previews tonight, Friday, April 3rd at 8:00PM.

Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot stars (in order of speaking) Nathan Lane (Estragon), Bill Irwin (Vladimir), John Goodman (Pozzo), John Glover (Lucky) and is directed by Anthony Page at Studio 54 on Broadway. Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) presents (in order of speaking) Nathan Lane (Estragon), Bill Irwin (Vladimir), John Goodman (Pozzo), David Strathairn (Lucky) and in a new Broadway production of Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett and directed by Tony? award winner Anthony Page. Waiting for Godot will now begin previews one week earlier on Friday, April 3rd, 2009 and open officially on Thursday, April 30th, 2009 at Studio 54 on Broadway (254 West 54th Street). This will be a limited engagement.

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Published in:  on 22/04/2009 at 08:27 Leave a Comment
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Mother Cast. The Week in DVR: Get Treated by Gabriel Byrne, Immediately! Plus, Donna Martin Matriculates

Speaking of Ms. Cody… we’ve been pretty much addicted to all things “Fempire” since reading. For the uninitiated, “The Fempire” includes Ms. Cody, , and , and for some reason, their exploits both fascinate and repel us on a daily basis. (Ms. Cody’s interminable might also have something to do with this.) Ms. Fox, a Stanford graduate, is responsible for What Happens in Vegas, a standard romantic comedy that actually gets lifted out of the doldrums by its exceptional cast.

In addition to always-charming megastars Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher, What Happens in Vegas features under-the-radar people like Rob Corddry, Zack Galifianakis, Andrew Daly, Lake Bell and Jason Sudekis, proving that the line between mainstream Hollywood and niche comedy is blurrier than ever. [HBO2, 6:15 p.m.].

how i met your mother cast

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Published in:  on 14/04/2009 at 07:18 Leave a Comment
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