New Found Earth?

NASA has lead the Kepler space mission through which they have located thousands of "earth-like" planets. This particular planet has been given the name Kepler-22b, which, among other newly discovered planets, sits in the "habitable zone" of the star it revolves around. The distinction of being "habitable" is based on the temperature of the planet, which is around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. A temperature such as 70 degrees is a possible indicator that liquid water is present on the planet, something essential to all life. While they are not sure of the composition of the planet itself, nor its atmosphere, this is a large step in locating other planets like ours.

cbc.ca

"Jingle Jam" Brings Big Names to CT

(story courtesy of www.courant.com)

On Friday night, December 2nd, Hot 93.7's "Jingle Jam" concert brought some of the biggest names in hip-hop and R&B to the Hartford XL center. Acts included Drake, Wiz Khalifa, Mindless Behavior, Mavado, and Hartford native Talon Haynes.

The concert was said to be fantastic, with very supportive interaction between fellow acts as well as with the audience.

For more details on the individual concert acts, visit:

http://www.courant.com/entertainment/music/sound-check/hc-concert-review-drake-wiz-khalifa-jingle-jam-xl-center-hartford-20111202,0,4516705.column

Mr. RHAM Contestants and Hosting List Finalized

After a one year hiatus, Mr. RHAM is back this year to the satisfaction of RHAM students. It will take place on December 16th from 6:30pm-9:30pm. After a long string of confusion over who is taking part in Mr. RHAM this year, senior class president Jacob Grover has recently announced that the list has been finalized.

There will be six contestants for the event, who are:

- Tim Fitzgerald (Junior)

- Ben Pitler (Junior)

- Mike Slusarczyk (Senior)

- Cody DePersia (Senior)

- Peter O'Connell (Senior)

- Jacob Grover (Senior)

The event will be hosted by Brandon Henley and Brendan Hall.

Jacob Grover is hoping that the revival of this age-old tradition will be successful, saying on the event's facebook group: "Mr. RHAM used to be wicked sick, so we need to make sure it happens, because it's a lot of fun".

Biden presides over ceremonial handover in Iraq

On Thursday December 1, 2011 vice President Joe Biden flew in to Iraq to join the handover ceremony of Camp Victory to the Iraqi forces. In the ceremony the Vice President paid respects to all the troops that have lost theirlives defending the camp and and celebrated the leaving of the United States. Citizens of Iraq have mixed feelings about this departure and the hands the country was in. Some say that the Iraqi forces are not ready to handle all the violance that happens but some have hope in the goverment and say that their country has grown and learned how to defend its self over the past nine years. Iraq's president Jalal Talabani said during the ceremony " History will record that the liberation of our country was not only an important turning point in iraq itself, but it was an important beginning for the region". No-one called it a handover ceremony because the war will not be over until the last troops leave in a few weeks. Now the camp that was once a symbol of American presence is now in Iraqi hands to keep the people safe.-stltoday

Drug Mushrooms in Vernon

Police found in Vernon, among other things, 3 grams of hallucinogenic mushrooms, 7 ounces of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. The two residents of the home on 20 Neil Road are Seth and Amanda Jennings, 18 and 20 respectively. A. Jennings was only given an infraction for drug paraphernalia whereas S. Jennings was charged with multiple offences, including possession of hallucinogens, possession of more than 4 oz. of marijuana and operating a drug factory. S. Jennings had a bail set for her at $10,000.

Source: Courant.com

UConn Goes Patriotic

Back on Spetember 16th, 2011, during the football game versus Ohio State, UConn started saying the Pledge of Allegiance before playing the Star Spangled Banner. This was at first done as a remembrance of 9/11, but school officials want it being said at football and basketball games because they want traditions associated with the sports. As well, Paul Pendergast, the UConn interim athletic director, thinks it would "enrich the university" by saying the Pledge. According to UConn message boards, some people like it and others not so much. One poster said that they feel honored to say the Pledge and sing the Anthem whereas another believes that people that would not want to say the Pledge may be pressured into doing so, even though they are not being forced. In terms of the athletes, UConn Women's Basketball player Bria Hartley thinks that "It's a good tradition. It represents our nation well."

Pledge of Allegiance Facts:

• Written in 1892 by a socialist minister named Francis Bellamy
• "the Flag of the United States of America" added in 1923
• Fmr. President Eisenhower lobbied Congress for the adding of the words "under God" as a responce to communism

Source: Courant.com

Next Stop, Mars!

In the most recent of space related news, NASA launched their largest rover to date, on Saturday. As the rest of the U.S. was catching up on sleep after Black Friday, an Atlas V rocket hurtled into space to release the extraterrestrial explorer, nicknamed Curiosity, and begin a 345 million mile journey to Mars. Once it arrives, it will be tasked with collecting data about the microbial makeup of the surface of the fourth rock from the sun. It will also measure weather while on Mars, and hopefully the combination of this data will allow scientists to draw more conclusions about the possibility of life on Mars.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/27/science/space/nasas-curiosity-rover-sets-off-for-mars-mission.html

Fatal Accident in Marlborough on Rt 66

There has been a fatal accident in Marlborough on Rt 66 near the Hebron town line. Sources say a motorcycle collided with a car.

(Story courtesy of Hendrik Bilek)

Coldplay "Mylo Xyloto" Review

The same group that made Fix You, Every Teardrop is a Waterfall and Viva la Vida has just released their newest album. Coldplay released "Mylo Xyloto" on Thanksgiving 2011 and its the groups third album to debut at #1 on the US Billboard 200. Coldplay has included some of their most popular recent singles, "Every Teardrop is a Waterfall" and "Paradise", into this album. They even included "Princess of China" featuring Rhianna.

The eye-catching album cover is inspired by the 1970's New York City graffiti and fits the sense of freedom and liberty that the artist took when creating the songs. These songs touch upon many humanistic and transcending messages of hope and prosperity. For example the song "Us Against the World", captures the sense of chois and delicate nature of the world and how its inhabitants are the main force that will make the world prosper or come to its end. In the song Every "Teardrop is a Waterfall", it inspires the listener to find the inner sense of hope for everyone. If you take these songs for their face value they are great songs to listen to, evoking images of skiing videos accompanied by a plethora of time lapses scenic shots and slow-motion jumps. But if you dive into the deeper meaning and lyrics of the song you find that you are caught in the middle of a powerful ad humanistic message.

The British alternative rock band's last 2 albums brought a lot of attention and popularity to the band and lead to much anticipation to the this album. The band is very unique and has their own sense of direction and inspiration. But to compare it to some other groups they are much like the band Muse which released The Resistance and the band Long-View which released Further. Coldplay would fall into the category of alternative rock however I believe that they created their own subcategory that only Coldplay can fit into. This album would get a 5/5 because the music is positive and powerful. The future of the band looks bright and they have yet to hit any brick wall that might slow them down. They only thing that might slow them down is the pessimistic and negative view of some listens who have the idea that Coldplay is a bad band. They are mistaken and haven't heard this album yet.

Sources:

Coldplay

What Hi-Fi

Stories from an Old Salt

James Henry, 98 and of Mystic, has just written a autobiography called "In a Fisherman's Language", which is a 29 chapter book covering the entirety of his life from boyhood to lobster fisher and captain of 3 ships through his career to old age. However, James Henry was illiterate until age 96, which was when he moved to Academy Point Senior Home in Mystic. He learned to read during his 96th and 97th years of life and now he wrote his book. The website is www.fisherman'slanguaage.com

Source: Fox CT/ CT now.com

Pepper Spray Apology

One of the Chancellors of UC Davis, Linda Katehi, apologized to a crowd of students, faculty and parents for the handling of a situation last Friday. The incident was that campus police officers were pepper spraying individuals who were protesting as a part of the 'Occupy' movement, which protests things such as corporate greed. The protesters were blocking a sidewalk by sitting down. The police officers sprayed the protesters to make them move out of the way. A spokesperson for the college said that although Katehi wanted the protesters moved, but not in a forceful way like this was. Despite the apology, many want Katehi to resign.

Source: Courant.com

RHAM Athletics Have a Losing Trifecta

Over the weekend, three of RHAM High School's sports teams played some of their first games in their post seasons at the state-wide level. Boys' soccer, girls' soccer, and volleyball all made it to states, and they played their hardest in games spanning over the last three days. It is unfortunate to say that all three teams lost before claiming victorious titles in their post seasons. While disappointed, many fans are still happy for their teams progress. Senior class president Jacob Grover said, "We may have lost these games, but we'll never lose school spirit".

UCONN Huskies Cause Public Disappointment

On Saturday the 19th, the UCONN Huskies Football Team had a 34-20 loss to the Louisville Cardinals. The game has caused upset in that Rentschler Field had its lowest attendance in over two years. Also, it was said that the Huskies played a poor game, ruining many opportunities for scoring and progression of the ball. UCONN coach Paul Pasqualoni said that there was no excuse for the way that his team played in the game.

(Story courtesy of courant.com)

Volleyball semi-finals

The RHAM Sachems volleyball team took on the Indians of Farmington in an exciting show down on Thursday November, 17.  The Game Itself had the fans holding there breath in anticipation of the first serve.  The first set was won by RHAM in decisive fashion  25-10.  The Kills by Sarah Veilleux sent the RHAM fans into a frenzy egging on our chants drowning out the sounds of the Farmington fans.  The second set was very close a nail biter but Farmingto came out on top with a 25-23 set win.  The fans did not give up though.  Screaming and yelling ensued.  The third set was no better then the second set.  The Indians rallying behind there fans pulled off a 25-16 set win.  The nervous energy in the RHAM section was heavy in the air.  To try to get life back into the fans Patrick Straton got up and did a RHAM roller coaster.  After that the fans got back into the game with full force putting energy into the gym.  Lead on by there captains excellent play and key kills by Sarah and an excellent block by Briana Geoghegan the Sachems were on the move for a comeback.  They won the fourth set 25-22.  With the sets tied at 2 a piece it was time for the final set.  The RHAM fans and the Farmington fans were battling it out in the stand the chants and yells reverberating of the walls and shaking the stands.  The two respective teams took there sides of the court and play resumed.  The fifth set is only played to 15 in high school volleyball.  The Sachems were rallying for points going up 10-3.  A timeout called by Farmington allowed the fans a chance to yell for there teams.  The sachems re-took there side of the court with the ringing chant of lets go sachems filling the air. Back on the court Francesca Mack helped lead RHAM with dominating play on the front line.  The Sachems completed the comeback winning the set  15-5.  The gym exploded on the final point.  The RHAM fans stormed the court just to be stopped by the security.  That did not stop the celebration, once we were allowed we ran to our volleyball team.  Hugs everywhere and cheers could be heard throughout the city.  RHAM will continue its march in the state at the championship vs. East-Lyme on Saturday.  Joining will be the RHAM fans.

New CL&P CEO

Jeff Butler, chief operating officer of Connecticut Light and power has officially resigned from his position. This news comes after the recent snow storm brought criticism to the company's slow restoration of power after the storm. Butler did not show up to any of the post storm debriefings. Butler joined CL&P in 2009 after he left Pacific Gas and Electric Company in San Francisco. The new CEO of the company is Leon Olivier and is effective immediately.

Sources: CBS New York

Shots Fired at the White House

21 Year old Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez, an Idaho resident, was arrested last Wednesday because he was possibly shooting at the White House with a semi-automatic rifle the Friday prior. The suspect's family said that he had an obsession with President Obama. Even though Ortega- Hernandez has gotten in trouble with the law before, the Secret Service didn't have his name on file for threatening the President. The man was allegedly looking suspicious on that same Friday, though police didn't arrest him at that time. The United States Park Police looked around in the Occupy D.C. site for the man, though they didn't find him there. However, the Secret Service were told where he was by a hotel worker. Pennsylvania State Police were sent out to get Ortega-Hernandez. As for a motive, Sgt. David Schlosser of the U.S. Park Police said that the suspects motives for doing this won't be clear "until we can talk to this guy."

Source: The New York Times

Turkey: Missing, Believed Deflated

Tom the Turkey, the Thanksgiving mascot for Miller Foods in Avon, has been stolen. Capri Frank of Miller Foods says that the turkey was unplugged and deflated before leaving the premises. This theft is being investigated by Avon police. As are other turkeys, Tom is brown with orange and red markings. As is appropriate to the situation, Miller Foods will give a fresh turkey to whoever returns Tom.

Source: The Hartford Courant

Occupiers on the Move

The protesters of the Occupy Wall Street movement are taking a two week journey to travel by foot to Washington D.C. They plan to stay at volunteering locations during the night, if not camping. They will pass through states such as Pennsylvania , Delaware and Maryland. They plan to be in the Capitol city by 11/23. They want to arrive by this date so that their presence will influence a congressional committee that is deciding whether or not to keep Bush tax cuts. The organization, who protest against corporate greed, says that the cuts only benefit the rich.

Source: The Seattle Times

Connecticut Man Lost Winning Lottery Ticket

A winning lottery ticket was supposedly sold at the Belltown Superette, located in Stamford, CT. According to the store's owner Suni Patel, it was purchased by a sanitation worker. The person has not yet claimed the prize. If he can find or prove that he had that ticket, he wins the biggest prise in CT Lotto history: $254 million. The winner might not know that they won, for there was Winter Storm Alfred last month. The winner has until 4/30/12 to claim their prize. The winning numbers, if anyone is curious, were 12, 14, 34, 39, 46, 36.

Source: ABC News

Greyson Chance Reveiw

Greyson Chance is a 14 year old kid who started out just like Justin Bieber did but unlike him Greyson has his own beat that changes with each song. His songs have a mix of country and hip hop and the beat of his songs are easy and fun to follow. A couple of his songs are about leaving a girl and learning how to turn away and get a new perspective which is close to Justin Bieber but the beats in his songs are stronger, unlike justin Bieber who had a lot of duets and his beats were softer. Gryeson Chance has a more mature voice then most 14 year olds. Another artist that Greyson could be compared to is Usher, mostly because when Usher does his songs he has a lot of deep beats and does a lot of songs himself. So Greyson Chance is a good artist for mostly teenagers because they can relate to him the most, and his songs will draw you in in the first couple of sentences. I would give Greyson Chance a 4 out of 5

Doctor Arrested for "Involuntary Manslaughter"

More than two years ago, the pop star Michael Jackson passed away. It was not until Monday, November 7th, that a verdict was reached. It was ruled by the court that Mr. Murray, Jackson's doctor, had been practicing reckless medical treatment. He apparently "used anaesthetic propofol without adequate safeguards" which was the cause for death in this case. It was reported that this anesthetic was given to Jackson to help him cope with insomnia. His lack of sleep was interfering with his ability to perform live concerts, which gives reason to the large amounts of sedatives and anesthetics he was taking. During the trial, Murray claimed to have given Jackson less anesthetic on the day of Jackson's death than on previous days. One proposed scenario depicted Jackson treating himself with the medication, causing his own death, a theory the jury rejected.

thehindu.com

Occupy Wallstreet Update

The Occupy Wallstreet protests have been gaining momentum over the past few months. Already most major cities in the U.S. have seen protests from the Occupy protests. It has recently spread outside of the U.S., to places such as Canada and Britain.

On Guy Fawkes Day, a holiday in Britain which commemorates the man who tried to blow up the Parliamentary building, protesters marched to parliament to send them a message. Although the message wasn't exactly spoken, Parliament should remember that government can be overthrown by the masses.

There were also protesters outside of St. Paul's Cathedral in London; protesters preaching against social inequality and big-corporation greed. Apparently the Cathedral has been a venue for protesters for the past couple of weeks as the Occupy protests have been increasing in size.

businessweek.com

RHAM High School Fall Concert

Friday November 4th the RHAM High School auditorium was home to a special event. The symphonic band, wind ensemble, encore and chamber singers entertained an audience with a night full of music. The concert was originally planed for the 1st but was delayed due to the recent snow storm. The night also featured a brass quintet, saxophone quartet, clarinet trio, flute trio and a combined choirs and wind ensemble performance. The last piece preformed by the combined group was called Hymn to the Fallen and was a tribute to all who died on September 11th 2001.

Deer Gutted in Public

Just in time for Halloween, Lawrence Massey, 37 and of Berlin, CT, was arrested for supposedly gutting a deer in a parking lot in the area of Wesleyan University. The man found the deer to the side of Route 9 Southbound and brought it to his sons at 594 Main Street A to show them " how to field strip a deer after it had been killed." When police came over, an officer reported the smell of the dead deer and found Massey covered in blood, holding his knife. Without being ordered, Massey cleaned up the entrails, which he had placed on a tarp. Massey is to appear in court on November 11 and was charged with disorderly conduct.

Source: middletownpress.com

Attack of the 8 Foot Lego!

In the early morning on Tuesday, October 25, the invasion began (okay, not really). An 8 foot lego man made of fiberglass appeared on the Siesta Key Beach in Florida. On the front, it read on its chest area "No Real Than You Are". On the back, it read "Ego Leonard" with the number "8". "Ego Leonard" is actually the name of the artist who made the sculpture. Other Lego men made by this artist have appeared on beaches in England and Holland. The police officers of the Sarasota County Sherif's Office removed it later on. The figure is under protective custody and will be held for the owner for 90 days. Even though the LEGO Group had just opened a theme park in Florida, the company denies any involvement with this event.

Source: ABC News

School Record Broken

On Saturday October 22, 2011 Mike Luby (junior) Set a new school record for most yards rushing in a single game. He broke this record with an outstanding game vs. Fermi High gaining 206 rushing yards. RHAM defeated Fermi 48-12.

Boys Cross Country CCC Conference Meet

Wednesday October 19th was the planed date for the CCC conference cross country race at Wickham Park in Manchester. Due to the rain the race was moved to Tuesday the 20th. RHAM senior captain Greg Bento ran in the varsity race and he came in 1st for RHAM boys cross country with a time of 19:45. The muddy course made it difficult for the runners. Greg was trailed by fellow RHAM senior captain Kevin Garcia in the varsity race.

Controversial Musical Performed At Hartford Public High School

The musical "Zanna, Don't!" was performed at Hartford Public High School for the Law And Government and the Nursing academies on Oct. 14th. The play, sponsored by The Knox Foundation and the Samuel Roskin Trust at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving (with additional funds supplied by the non profit True Colors and Leadership Greater Hartford's Quest), deals about issues pertaining to homosexuality. The thought behind showing this musical is so that the students are tolerant of gays and lesbians. It is set in an alternate world where homosexuality is normal and heterosexuality is shunned. The most controversial moment of the play came when two male actors shared a kiss. Some students who where watching the show at that moment made noise to being offended, and some students decided to walk out of the auditorium (even though a few of them decided to resume watching the performance). David Chambers, principal of the nursing academy, said "Our kids never deal with this, they keep it inside. That's why they walked out." However, many students cheered on the gay characters. Student Dineily Vargas commented "I think it opened a lot of people's eyes." "Zanna, Don't!" will be shown twice more on Oct. 21st. There will be another performance just for students during the school day, then at 7:30 P.M. a free public showing will be held.

Source: Courant.com

Exotic Animals Set Loose in Ohio

Police in Zanesville, Ohio where sent to the farm of Terry Thompson last Tuesday because of reports of exotic animals running free. When police arrived, they found Thompson dead with a mortal wound and his cages for the animals were open. Thompson had been known to get in trouble with the law on matters related to the animals, including being accused of depriving them of food. The animals were loose throughout the town. The creatures varied from Bengal tigers to grizzly bears. On Wednesday, citizens of the town were told to keep inside their homes. Sheriff Matt Lutz of Muskingum County gave an order to kill the animals after an attempt to use tranquilizers on a tiger proved ineffective. The animals, 49 dead of the fifty six total animal population of the farm, were buried in a mass grave on the farm property. However, there is still a macaque monkey on the loose, that may or may not be carrying the virus Herpes B.

Source: Reuters

Review Apple iOS 5

With the new release of the iPhone 4s and iPod updates an new iOS operating system update is only natural. Apple has put in a lot of though and time to create a iOS that takes portable devices to a whole new level. Five features stood out to me.


1. Notifications: Apple has redesigned their notifications. In the last iOS, updates and notifications would pop-up and stop you from your work and game play. It would require you to stop what your doing and hit the ignore button to get rid of the pop-up. Now all notifications come in on a small scrolling bar at the top of your screen. If you want to view the notification simply tap the bar at the top and if you want to ignore it, it disappears in a few seconds. And this doesn't stop game play at all. Also the new notification center can be accessed by swiping down from the top of the screen to the bottom. The center will have all the updates and notifications and can also be accessed from the lock screen as well.

2. PC free & wireless sync: You used to need a computer to dock your brand new iPod or iPad to in order to register it and unlock it for use. Now you can buy a new iPod or iPad with iOS and you can register it right on your device. This makes it easy to start using for those who are new to Apple devices but you can also then dock it with a computer. Also you can sync your device without using a cable to connect to your computer. Now as long as your computer and device are in a wifi area then the wireless sync can take place.

3. Reminder: Apple put a new app that ships with the new iOS. This allows you to create lists and reminders. You can tag these lists and reminders with dates and times so you can set it to push out a reminder. This can work for either time or location. Say that you want to remember to shop as you leave work. You can set a shopping list to remind you as you leave the store.

4. Newstand: Apple released iBooks in the past and it allowed for users to buy books and read them on their devices. Now, Apple released Newstand which allows for the user to subscribe to magazines and read them on their deceives. These magazines update automatically and will be right in the Newstand ready to read the day it comes out.


5. iMessage: With the new iOS comes a new app from Apple. iMessage allows for all iOS users to communicate via photo or text message right on their iOS device. This only works if both deceives have wifi or 3G connection and it doesn't work with other devices such as a computer or phone since they aren't running iOS 5.

These are only 5 of 500+ features that Apple says has been updated with the new iOS. However not all features will work on all devices. For instance, multi-touch gestures will only work for the iPad and not the smaller iOS devices. Also in order to access the new camera feature from the lock screen you need to double tap the home button. This is only a minor inconvenience. Also when changing the music from anywhere on the device I find a bit of a lag, longer then I had before. This can be annoying sometimes but again it is nothing more then a minor inconvenience. Lastly I would have expected to see more major updates however I was impressed with this update and I would give it a 5/5.

Sources:

Apple

Footloose

Footloose the movie is a highley entertaining, high energy film that combines dancing, drama, and romance all in one. The Film takes place in the small town of Bomont. After a tragic incedent the town puts in a curfew and a law prohibiting dancing in public and loud music. This may change when Ren McCormic moves from Boston to Bomont.


This movie deserves a 4/5. Great filming, fun music and average actors. Overall though an awesome film.

Iceland Prepares for Another Eruption

The Katla Volcano, which is located in Vik, Iceland, is showing signs of a possible eruption in the near future. Seismologists testing the area for seismic activity indicate that recent earth quakes could possibly set off a volcanic eruption. This eruption is expected to be much larger than the volcanic eruption which halted air travel last year for weeks, costing airlines upwards of 2 billion dollars. Its last eruption took place in 1918, and the ash blocked out the sun, killing crops and livestock, and bringing devastating flooding. There has been an evacuation plan and alternate housing provided for the surrounding areas incase the eruption occurs. For now, it is a waiting game.

Source: time.com

UCONN Huskies Upset South Florida

On Saturday afternoon beginning at 3:30 p.m., the UCONN Huskies football team played against the South Florida Bulls. The Bulls were projected to win the game by a decent margin, however UCONN played strongly an emerged with a 16-10 victory. This was a pleasant surprise to the mass of UCONN fans attending the game, some of whom were heard chanting "game of the year" on their way out of Rentschler Field.

UCONN scored three field goals in the game and scored their last 7 points off an interception that was run in for a touchdown.

SPORT REPORT: RHAM Boys' Soccer, 10/15

On Saturday, RHAM boys' soccer played a tough game against Tolland. They played away at Cross Farms in Tolland. The result of the game was a 1-1 tie.

The RHAM boys' soccer team plays again this week on Tuesday at home against E.O. Smith.

Zucotti Park Cleaning in New York Postponed

The plan was to push the Occupy Wall Street protest out of Zucotti Park for cleaning. However, Bloomfield, the company who owns the park, decided to call off the cleaning for now. The movement, which has existed for about a month and primarily focuses on issues such as corporate greed and youth employment, decided to start cleaning up on their own so that they could stay in the park. However, if they were made to leave, they planned to form a human chain. The OWS thinks that the cleaning of the park by the company who owns the park is an attempt to get them to leave. If they had been made to leave, NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly said, "After it's cleaned, they'll be able to come back. But they won't be able to bring back the gear, sleeping bags, that sort of thing will not be able to be brought back to the park" This is for sanitary reasons. As well, Bloomfield reinstated park rules with no lying down and no leaving personal property.

Source: FOX News

NOW PLAYING: Two Award-Winning Films at the Connecticut Film Festival

On October 19th, the Bethel Cinema will host the Connecticut Film Festival's annual monthly film series. The two films being shown on that day, starting at 7:00 PM, will be "The Green" and "Caught". The first film being shown: "The Green", won " Best Narrative Feature" at a Connecticut Film Festival which took place earlier this year and was written and produced by Molly Pearson and by Paul Marcarelli, who is most famous for being Verizon's "Can You Here Me Now" guy. It is about a gay teacher accused of having inappropriate relations with a student of his and faces uncertainties from practically everyone he knows. He even loses his trust in his partner when a long lost secret emerges during the investigation.

The second film, "Caught", also won an award at an earlier Connecticut Film Festival, except that this time it was for "Best Dramatic Short Film". This film was directed by Elizabeth Page and written by Lori Martini, who also plays the lead role of the film. "Caught" is about a woman named Hannah, who is a baseball fan who uses baseball as an escape from the chaos of her relationship with her mother and brother. This chaos eventually overcomes the sanctuary that Hannah found in "America's Favorite Pastime". Tickets to see both films are $7.50 for anyone who is 65 or older or 12 and under. Anyone else who would like to attend shall pay $9.50 for admission. If you would like to reserve seats, go to www.bethelcinema.com or contact their box office at 269 Greenwood Avenue. The theater's phone number is 203-778-3100.


Source: ctpost.com

Blackberry Network Failure Brings Trouble

The four day, system-wide failure of the Blackberry network left millions unable to use their email accounts, instant message, and browse the web. This may seem like a small inconvenience to some, but those whose work is coordinated through their Blackberry's, chaos was the result. The customers were the first to experience the pains of network failure, but it is expected that Blackberry will fall behind in the smartphone race. Research In Motion (RIM) was still recovering from product issues and profit warnings when the crash occurred. Blackberry's reputation may also be damaged due to the network failure, possibly detering future consumers and reducing current customers. Blackberry could also lose millions on current customers for network loss. The recovery has been said to be slow, giving the company a tough period of time ahead.

reuters.com

Kraken Theory?

Mark McMenamin, a paleontologist and professor from Mount Holyoke College, proposed a theory last week that has been raising some eyebrows. For years a set of fossils have perplexed scientist and paleontologists alike. These remains were found in Nevada and are believed to be that of an ichthyosaurs and experts are hard pressed to find an explanation to their positioning and location. The fossils are arranged in a geometric pattern, resembling art or at the very least an appealing arrangement of bones. McMenamin has proposed that these fossils were placed there by a Kraken. Not only this, but he also believes that it then took pleasure or attempted to amuse itself by arranging them how they are now. Many are skeptical as the Kraken is not only fictitious, but the idea that it was creating Monet's millions of years before Claude's time tends to draw attention. He didn't expect the sort of coverage he received but he is sticking to his bold claim saying this was no accident, the arrangement was intentional.

Source:

LA Times

Deep Sea Explorers Find 'Buried Treasure'

Odyssey Marine Exploration, a deep sea robotics team based in Tampa, Florida, discovered the lost wreckage of the Mantola. The Mantola was a British Steamship that was by German torpedos in 1917 and was lost until Monday. The OME was contracted by the British Department of Transportation to find the ship and they set out immediately with their tethered robots to explore the area where it had reportedly sunk. This type of expedition is nothing new however, as many cash-strapped governments have set out looking for lost treasure that once belonged to them. Luckily this time they struck gold, or to be more accurate, silver. The Mantola was carrying an estimated 20 tons of silver which is worth approximately $18 million dollars today. These finds are continuing to unearth not only historic treasures, but those worth their weight in gold.

Source:

nytimes.com

New Police Cameras Raise Issues

In many recent cases there has been a new type of witness, the video camera. But this is not your typical camera, these are worn by a select number of police officers who use these to record what is happening when they are out on the job. Using video evidence is nothing new as the police have used dashboard-mounted cameras for years, and bystanders are now more likely to be carrying a phone or device that can capture video. However, there are now new issues associated with these 24/7 on duty observers. Some are arguing that it may be an invasion of privacy as much of what cops deal with tend to be something that those involved don't want on tv or on youtube. Despite these protests, the departments are moving forward and have begun distributing these to on duty officers. They believe that it will help provide irrefutable evidence in court cases.

Source:

nytimes.com

A New Meaning to Road Rage

According to www.courant.com, Ansonia, CT resident Anthony Sporko was angry about people's driving habits in his neighborhood, so he decided to take matters into his own hands. Unfortunately instead of truly taking "matters" into his hands, he picked up a shotgun.

The enraged man was allegedly seen on Monday afternoon yelling at traffic while carrying a double-barreled shotgun. Police arrested him shortly after, finding the shotgun and shells in his home. Sporko has been charged with second-degree breach of peace and reckless endangerment.

"The Art of Flight" Is Bringing Action Sports to a Mainstream Audience

In the past, action sports films have been accesible only to those acquainted with the action sports world. For example, only a skateboarder would be able to find, watch, and truly understand the latest skate film.

Fortunately, this old trend has ended with arrival of a new, state-of-the-art snowboard film, "The Art of Flight". This fully HD film led by director Curt Morgan was created and is now being distributed with an intent to reach a mainstream audience. Available on iTunes in both standard and high definition versions, it is cheap (under $10) and very easily accesible.

The film depicts some of the most beautifully shot, epic action sports scenes ever filmed. Following some of the world's premier snowboarders through places including Alaska, Colorado, Patagonia, Chile, and British Columbia, it also showcases the best of today's tricks and rides. Even for those who are not snowboarding enthusiasts, the film is bound to blow them away. It does not take a snowboarder to know that double backflip combinations over 60+ foot gaps are impressive. Also interspersed within the riding are sprawling helicopter shots of the mountains and their surrounding locations that look like something straight out of "Planet Earth".

Only time will tell of Morgan's film will truly reach a more mainstream crowd, however it certainly has the potential to.

Prescription Fraud in New London County

There were three people from New London County suspected of perscription fraud. Two of them are residents of North Stonington and one is a resident of Niantic. These arrests were a part of a crackdown by various police agencies against illegal use of prescription drugs, which has accused almost 50 people, even law enforcement officials, of bringing thousands of oxycodone illegally into the state from Florida.

Two of the three people, Linda McDougal and Susan Turitto, allegedly obtained the pills by using the licensing information of a New London surgeon, albeit during different periods of time. The alleged recipients of the pills were Turitto and her husband Craig Levine. Law enforcement was tipped off by a Waterford pharmacist who received a fake prescription for 60 vicodin pills. They were arraigned in the U.S. District Court in Hartford last Thursday.





Source: Courant.com

"Occupy Wall Street" Protests Will Come to Hartford

"Occupy Wall Street", a movement that is against corprate greed. This protest against excess started in New York City and has spread from Atlantic to Pacific, through mediums such as Facebook. It has had people protesting in front of the Federal Reserve Bank in Chicago, in the streets of Los Angeles and now is coming to Hartford. The movement will have meetings discussing its plans for protest in Hartford on Wednesday at 8:30 A.M. and 5:00 P.M. in Bushnell Park. The reason why the group is having this discussion at this venue is, according to Peter Goselin, a laywer from Hartford supporting "Occupy Wall Street", "The idea of conducting a democratic meeting in the open where people can see is in sharp contrast to the way buissness and politics is done now, where everything is behind closed doors." On a meeting that was held on Sunday, members of this movement, which is popular with colledge graduates who can't find work, were interested in doing either a march or a "sleep in". The date for the actual protests hasn't been determined.





Source: courant.com

New York to Los Angeles: Anti-Corporation Protests

This past weekend several hundred "anti-corporate" protesters set up shop in the City Hall of Los Angeles. This was a movement inspired by the some 700 protesters who were arrested on the Brooklyn bridge for anti-corporate demonstrations. These protesters are fighting against the economic policies which they claim only aid the top 1% of Americans.

-Los Angeles Times

Large Amount of Arctic Ozone Loss

Over the past the past year there has been a record amount of ozone loss over the Arctic circle. The amount of damage has created a large enough break to be labeled a 'hole' similar to the one over the Antarctic. Approximately 80% of the ozone in this area was lost during the recorded time. It is difficult for scientists to tell if this trend will continue as this is a large drop; uncommon in the past few years. This loss is attributed to the colder weather of the last year. This cold weather causes the chlorine chemicals that destroy ozone to become more active. This trend in cold winters has been documented over the last decade, and has shown that it has gotten progressively colder. For now Michelle Santee from Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, says that "Given that trend and the high variability, we'd anticipate that we'll have other cold ones, and if that happens while chlorine levels are high, we'd anticipate that we'd have severe ozone loss."

Information from bbc.co.uk

Marlborough Fire Department Chicken BBQ Draws Crowds

Those driving through Marlborough on Sunday, October 2nd may have noticed a large group of cars and police in the center of town. While this sounds like it could be a bad traffic accident or a store break-in, think again; it was simply the day of the Marlborough Fire Department's annual chicken BBQ.

Fire fighters had been travelling the roads of Marlborough for weeks prior to the BBQ, going door to door to sell meal tickets. Each of the meals served included a half-chicken, a baked potato, cole slaw, and a small dessert.

Based on the traffic clogging up the center of Marlborough, the event must have been a success. To visit the Marlborough Fire Department's website, go to
"http://marlboroughfire.com/public/".

David Guetta, "Nothing but the Beat" Music Review

The great David Guetta beats return in his newest album l, "Nothing but the Beat." His songs have made it to the top of the list when it comes to popular club hits. Along with his famous beats he is well know for featuring many popular artist as well. In this new album he has such artist as Snoop Dog, Usher and Lil Wyane. He also included some of his top singles such as Where them Girls at, Without You and Little Bad Girl. All together this makes a great album that will captivate music listeners and make it to the top o the charts. I give this album a 5/5 and I have been listening to these songs ever since the album came out. He knows how to create driving beats that will motivate any audience.

MUSIC VIDEO REVIEW: "Make It Stop (September's Children)" by Rise Against

It isn't very often that an adult band focuses a song or video on a pressing youth issue. However, in their new music video "Make It Stop", rock band Rise Against did just that. While there have been an excruciating mix of rock music videos dealing with love, hate, and social anarchy, "Make It Stop" digs into new territory; teen bullying and suicide. Tim Mcilrath, lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the band, teamed up with the It Gets Better Project to make the video. The project has a goal of preventing teen suicide by letting kids know that outside of high school, things will improve for them.

"I immediately felt that if our song is the road, then the It Gets Better Project is the destination," said Mcilrath, "I hope the synergy between the two can reach people and make a difference."

The music video features three dramatized scenarios of teen bullying leading to suicide mixed in with shots of the band playing in a high school auditorium. Both facets of the production are very well done; the band shots look very cinematic and well-lit and the bullying scenarios are both powerful and disturbing.

The three teen stories depicted in "Make It Stop" mesh very well with ending theme of the video. The students have been shown getting bullied to the point where they are on the brink of suicide. When they think about their futures outside of high school, however, they put down their gun, noose, and step back from the bridge that were about to end their lives. In the last section of the video, when different webcammed teens are shown saying "Don't Worry, It Gets Better" a truly powerful message has been brought to the viewer.
Overall, the video for "Make It Stop (September's Children)" by Rise Against is both well-made and inspiring. Because of this, it receives a rating of 4/5.


RATING: 4/5


To view the video on YouTube, use the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XP4clbHc4Xg&ob=av2e)

Man Fakes Own Assualt

According to Connecticut police, a man, Daniel Vagnini, allegedly punched himself in the face, tore at his shirt, and threw both his wallet and keys into a river, all in an attempt to convince police he had been assaulted.


Also according to the police, the man admitted he made the story up, after he had sped through a stop sign, and nearly crashing his car. He has been charged with reckless driving, and driving under the influence.

-Hartford Courant

Wildfire in Arizona Forces Residents out of Town

The Arizona wildfire, that has burnt 486 square miles of forest, reached the 11th day. The fire is being fueled by dry weather and 60 mph winds. The source of the fire is believed to be an unattended campfire. This fire has landed in the state record books as being the second largest wildfire. Although no one has yet to be seriously injured, the fire destroyed 10 structures and forced aircraft to alternative airports some 200 miles away. Not to mention, smoke from the fire has been seen in Iowa and it can be seen by satellites in space. Thousands of firefighters, including some as far away as New York, have worked to suppress the fire. They used firebreaks to create a perimeter of already burnt sections of land to prevent the fire from spreading. In surrounding towns, over 7,000 residents have been asked to evacuate from their homes. Firefighters are getting support from residents to help with battling the blaze.



Sources:
Seattle pi

Pfizer Inc.'s Aromasin can cut the risk of developing breast cancer down by more than half. This is not suggested for women at average risk of breast cancer. For women who are at a higher risk due to other reasons, such as gene mutations, are the target subjects. They're prior choices of prevention had adverse side effects, such as, blood clots and uterine cancer. During the study, subjects on the drug showed a 65% risk reduction. Despite the drug's postive results so far, nothing is guaranteed. However, this is important research being done considering that breast cancer diagnoses are on the rise.



-Associated Press

Museum Passes for FREE!

The Douglas Library in Hebron is offering many deals this summer for museums, zoos, aquariums, and more! Some deals offer passes for 2 adults and 2 or 4 children. Examples would be: Beardsley Zoo in Bridgeport, the Old Connecticut State House, the Connecticut Trolley Museum and multiple others. The library also offers discounts. Admission for up to four people into the Roger Williams Park Zoo is three dollars. Admission for four into the Peabody museum is five dollars. Other passes are available at the library too.

So, if you are looking to have fun this summer but are low on cash, don't worry! The Friends of the Douglas Library are sponsoring these deals all summer! For further information contact the Douglas Library.

New E. Coli Suspect: Bean Sprouts

German agricultural authorities have blamed Bean Sprouts for the recent outbreak of E. Coli. Authorities have found the farm that is believed to be the source of the outbreak and have shut down production. The health ministry warns against eating bean sprouts, tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce from Germany. In Hamburg Germany alone 22 have died and more than 1,600 have been sicken from this outbreak. It has also taken a toll on the economy. Many people have avoided the local markets in fear of getting E. Coli. Officials have not said when the farm will resume production or when the outbreak is expected to stop.

Sources:
The Wall Street Journal

Questions before Heading into WWDC 2011

Apple Computer's annual World Wide Developer's Conference will kick off Monday June 6, in San Francisco California. Their is much anticipation to the conference because it is expected that Apple will release their new operating system, OS X Lion. This is only one of the many things that will be covered. Apple's iCloud is also expected to be a big topic of the keynote address. This software allows for cloud sharing among computers for work or other important files. With all of the software updates many expect a possible hardware release as well. Some expect Apple's Time Capsule to update since it has not been updated in a while. And lastly, many people wonder when all of this new technology will be released after it has been announced on Monday. In the past Apple has tried to have some time between the time that a new product is announced to the time it is on the market.









Sources:

CNET

Atlantis Prepares for Final Voyage

NASA's final space shuttle mission that is scheduled to launch on July 8th. The space shuttle Atlantis will be NASA's final shuttle launch. At 8:42 PM on Tuesday May 31, Atlantis began its 3.4 mile crawl to launch pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center for the last time. NASA will retire the space shuttle program after this launch of STS-135. The space shuttle program has been flying since 1981 and this final mission will be 135th space shuttle mission for NASA and will mark the end of an era. NASA will announce the offical launch date shortly after the June 28th Flight Readniess Review.





Sources:

MSNBC

Sheriff's Deputy Shoots ex-qife, then shoots a local police officer.

According to CNN, on Saturday, in Virgina, a county sheriff's deputy, Jonathan Agee, allegedly walked out of his car in a convience store parking lot and shot his ex-wife, Jennifer Agee, 3 times, killing her. This rampage reportedly began at 11:30 A.M after Jennifer and Jonathan pulled into the parking lot. However, the battle did not stop there, According to CNN, Jonathan was spotted by a man by the name of Sgt. Brannock, a local deputy police officer. Brannock followed Jonathan down route 460 because he saw that Jonathan's car was marked. After Brannock pulled Jonathan over, Brannock was shot at least one time. At around 11:48 A.M two other police officers responded to Brannock's dispatch call, and the two local police officers shot Jonathan several times.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/05/30/virginia.shooting/index.html?hpt=T2

Connecticut Light and Power Reports Power Outages

According to courant.com, stormy weather conditions have caused over 3,500 Connecticut Light and Power (CL&P) customers are without power. Thousands of people were left without power after the rough weather conditions on Monday morning. At 3 pm, there were still about a thousand customers without electricity, as reported by the CL&P website. At the peak of the storm, there were about 5, 100 people without power, according to Spokeswoman Kaite Blint. People living around a substation on Sand Bank Road in Cheshire were also customers effected by the storm because of wires knocked down after being struck by lightning. Over 2, 800 customers in Cheshire and Bristol near the substation lost power, but as of 1 pm, all of the people had electricity again. Anyone who sees fallen wires shouldn't go near them and needs to call 911 right away.

Firefighters Find Injured Hiker In Manchester

According to courant.com, in Manchester, Connecticut, a 34-year-old man was rescued by firefighters on Monday. The man became injured when he fell down an embankment while walking on the trail that connects the Birch and Case Mountains. At 4:38 pm, the hiker called firefighters by using a cell phone and said that he was injured. Manchester firefighters worked with the Glastonbury firefighters with their all-terrain vehicle and the Manchester Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). They found the man around 5:25 pm and he was brought out of the woods by 6 pm. The man, who is a Manchester resident was taken to Manchester Memorial Hospital to be treated. The man was carried back up the embankment and moved out of the woods by firefighters. The hiker was in contact with a 911 dispatcher all through the search and was able to help the firefighters locate him. According to Manchester Battalion Chief Michael Dubois, the hiker was out in the woods for several hours with only 1 bottle of water and may have been dehydrated. The man's name has not been released.

Serbian War Criminal Arrested After 15 Years

According to CNN:

Ratko Mladic, former Serbian war commander in the Bosnian War, was arrested in Serbia on Thursday for committing war crimes after more than 15 years in hiding. Serbian President Boris Tadic stated that Mladic was arrested after an investigation that lasted for about 3 years. Mladic, now 69 years old, was the highest-ranking war crimes suspect still at large from the Bosnian War, and is wanted on charges of genocide, extermination, torture, and murder among others. The war crimes refer back to a killing of over 8,000 men and boys back in 1995, in what was considered the largest individual mass killing in Europe since WWII and the Holocaust. Mladic is the last of a trio of leaders accused of war crimes against Muslims and Croats to be arrested. The other two were former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, who was arrested in 2000 and died in 2006, and Serb leader Radovan Karadzic, who was arrested in 2008 and is on trial in The Hague. President Tadic stated that Ratko Mladic's arrest should assist in the reconciliation in the Balkans.

Couple Sentenced to Pool Time

A couple from northeast Ohio rafted down a flood-swollen river without life preservers. To make it worse, when they reached land and were confronted by the authorities who had been searching for them for hours, the couple proceeded to lie about being in the water.

A judge sentenced the couple to stand in a tiny pool while wearing life jackets and handing out water safety brochures during a festival in Painesville, which is thirty miles away from Cleveland.


The couple pleaded guilty and accepted the pool and community service option rather than 60 days in jail.

-Associated Press

Toy Tiger Causes a Stir for Police

UK police ordered tranquilizers and scrambled helicopters to hunt what they believed was an escaped tiger in Southern England. The Hampshire police say they responded to multiple calls from residents claiming that they had seen a white tiger in a field. It became apparent to the officers that the tiger was actually a life sized stuffed toy. However, it was stressed that the officers responded appropriately to the possible threat.

-Associated Press

Hartford Man Killed In Manchester Crash

According to courant.com, early Friday morning a Hartford man was killed when his car went off the road and hit a utility pole. Steven Lenois, 24 was headed westbound on Highland near Porter Street when the crash happened right before 3 am. According to police, Lenois' car went off the road, traveled in the shoulder, and then hit the pole on the south side of the road. He was brought to Manchester Memorial Hospital by ambulance, where he later passed away. The crash is being investigated by a regional accident investigation team and Manchester police. Anyone who may have witnessed the crash or that has any information are asked to call Manchester police Officer Stephen Bresciano at 860-645-5560.

Convenience Store Clerk Shot In Manchester, CT

According to courant.com, a convenience store clerk has been admitted to the hospital after a shooting at the Super convenience store on Hartford Avenue on Sunday night. Police wouldn't confirm if the shooting happened during an attempted robbery. The clerk has identified as Avrang Zaib-Sahib by family members at the scene. He was working alone when the shooter entered the store around 6 pm and shot him. According to police, customers that were inside the store during the shooting called 911. Zaib-Sahib's condition isn't known at this time, but according to family members, he's unconscious and fighting for his life. Family members have said that Zaib-Sahib is in his mid-30s and has two children and another on the way. The store's owner, Mirza Baig said that the store is a family-owned business and Zaib-Sahib is family.

8 Libyan Warships Destroyed by NATO

According to CNN:

Thursday night saw Libya being repeatedly bombed by NATO jets, an attack which destroyed 8 warships belonging to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. The ships were targeted in Sirte, Al-Khums, and Tripoli when it became evident that the ships were being used to attack civilians. NATO spokesman Mike Bracken stated that Gadhafi was hampering the flow of humanitarian aid by using the ships to install mines in the waters of Misrata. He also stated that NATO's campaign was progressing and Gadhafi's forces had been significantly weakened. Despite this, Libyan military forces continued to bomb the Tunisian border, causing the border crossing for aid to close.

BREAKING NEWS: Accident on CT Route 2

There has been a car crash near exit 13 on route 2, no traffic is being held up as of now, it seems that the two firetrucks, ambulace, and police car on the scene have everything under control

Pakistani PM Wants "Blame Game" to End

According to CNN:

Following the demise of Osama bin Laden, several accusations have been aimed at Pakistan's government that they didn't use good enough measures to capture the terrorist leader. On Monday Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani addressed Parliament about the accusations and denied that the government had hidden bin Laden. He called accusations of "complicity and incompetence... absurd." Further, he also stated that, while calling the operation "justice done", the U.S. military had violated Pakistani sovereignty by conducting the operation without their knowledge or involvement.

Scuffle over iPhone in China

A fight broke out in an Apple store in China between a customer and an employee. Some reports state that three or four customers have been injured. The Apple store resorted to closing its doors to protect themselves and other customers from the hysteria.

The demand for the iPhone and iPad in China has been continuously high. Hopefully, the attitudes will cool down before the next Apple product is releasef.


-Associated Press

Japanese Nuclear Plant to Shut Down

According to CNN:

After warnings from the Japanese Prime Minister regarding natural disasters, the owner of the Chubu Electric Company has announced that they will shut down their reactors at the Hamaoka nuclear power plant. This move, which will effectively shut down the plant, comes after PM Naoto Kan requested that there be more protective measures against tsunamis and earthquakes to prevent possible grave damage similar to the Fukushima Daiichi plant incident.

Meanwhile, several workers re-entered the Fukushima Daiichi plant to measure radiation levels in the damaged facility. On Thursday, workers installed a ventilation system to filter radiation from the air. On Monday they went into the plant to see if the system was working. If radiation levels are low enough, workers will be sent in to try and restore the cooling system in the plant.

Suspects Caught by Pocket Dial

Three suspects in New York state were arrested for grand larceny when one of the men pocket dialed 911 while driving near the scene of an earlier heist.


The dipatcher recieving the call heard the men discussing their plans, their surroundings, and even the statement, "There go the cops now." The dispatcher relayed all information to deputies. Which was enough for the cops to pull over the Kia Sportage full of stolen tools from local Syracuse businesses.

-Associated Press

Man In Critical Condition After Shooting In New Haven

According to courant.com, in New Haven, Connecticut, a man is in critical condition after being shot. According to police, a 47-year-old man, whose name hasn't been released, was shot in the lower stomach just around 3:30 am at the intersection of Lamerton and Button streets. The man was taken to Yale-New Haven Hospital, where he is in critical condition, police said. Police haven't yet made any arrests. Anyone with information about the shooting are asked to call police at 203-946-6316.

Teen Rescued From Housatonic After Canoe Accident

According to courant.com, on Sunday in Cornwall, Connecticut a 17-year-old female was rescued by the Cornwall Volunteer Fire Department. The teen was canoeing in the Housatonic River when she was thrown from the boat, according to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The teen was brought to a nearby hospital by helicopter with non-life threatening head injuries. According to DEP spokesman Dwayne Gardner, the female was conscious and alert. A part of Route 7 was closed during the rescue, state police said.

Prince William and Kate to visit California

It was confirmed on Thursday morning, May 5, that the newlywed couple, Prince William and Kate, will be visiting California following a tour of Canada this July. This news comes after a week long speculation of where the new couple will be traveling for a honeymoon. Many reports of the royal family have said that William and Kate would be taking an elaborate honeymoon due to the recent economy. They said it would look bad if the royal family were to spend more money then needed to travel when the majority of the population is struggling to make ends meet.

Sources:
US Magazine.com

Apple Releases New iMacs

Tuesday, May 3, Apple Computers released a new lineup of iMacs. Apple's update to its top-selling desktop computer includes many new awaited features and updates to the iMac's inside and outside. The iMac, which shipped out Tuesday, has a LED backlit display, "HD FaceTime camera", and a multi-touch trackpad. On the inside it harnesses the new Intel CORE i7 processor, an advanced AMD Radeon HD graphics processors, and can be modified to hold 1 TB of storage memory. This is a big leap from the older version. The new iMac can cost you $1199 for the 21.5 inch and $1699 for the 27 inch version. Many Apple fans await the new operation system OS X Lion this summer. This will be available for all of Apple's computers, including the iMac.

Sources:
Apple Computers
PCWorld

Sub Recovers Air France Memory Unit

According to CNN:

Recently, a submarine has discovered the memory unit from a crashed Air France plane at the bottom of the ocean. Back in 2009, Air France Flight 447 to Rio de Janeiro mysteriously crashed into the ocean, killing all 228 people on board. Investigators were baffled as to how the crash happened, but a remote controlled submarine managed to find the unit under the ocean. French investigators hope that this will shed light on how the crash occurred.

Man In Critical Condition After Hartford Shooting

According to courant.com, after being shot twice late on Friday night, a man is in critical condition. As reported by police, two men were bickering in the parking lot of 60 Wadsworth Street, which is a housing complex in Hartford, Connecticut, just around 11 pm. One of the men pulled out a gun and began firing multiple shots at the victim. He was taken to Hartford Hospital by private car, where he is in critical but stable condition. According to police, the victim was shot twice in the chest. Police are saying that they have identified a suspect in the shooting, but haven't made any arrests.

Serious Crash On I-95 South In Guilford

According to courant.com, Connecticut State police are at the scene of one-car crash on Interstate 95 southbound between exits 58 and 59 in Guilford, Connecticut. The car, a Dodge Stratus, drove off the highway and hit a tree. The accident was reported after 8 pm. People in the car were taken to Yale New Haven Hospital, according to officials on the scene. The extent of the passengers' injuries are not known at this time. The highway's right lane, which was closed while police investigated the accident, is now reopened to traffic.

-picture provided by courant.com

Hacker Steals Playstation users' Information

According to CNN:

Rocking the tech world right now is the announcement from Sony that a hacker has managed to break into the Playstation Network and steal the personal information of over 70 million Playstation users. Investigators have stated that the breach occurred around April 20, and that the hacker managed to steal usernames, passwords, e-mail and home addresses, and credit card numbers of the account holders. The breach also crippled Sony's network. Sony is urging its users to protect themselves against identity theft and check their billing information to see if anyone is using their credit cards. Officials from Sony have stated that they are investigating the issue further.

President Obama to Appoint New Secretary of Defense

According to CNN:

President Barack Obama has chosen CIA Director Leon Panetta to succeed Robert Gates as the Secretary of Defense. Panetta took over as the director of the CIA two years ago and has worked closely with Obama since. It is expected that General David Petraeus, the current top United States commander in Afghanistan, will take over the CIA when Panetta leaves the position.

At Least 6 Americans Killed in Afghan Gunfight

According to CNN:

Afghan officials have reported that a gunfight broke out in an airport in the Afghan capital of Kabul, killing at least six American service members. Col. Baha Dur announced that, "A 50-year-old man opened fire at armed U.S. military inside the airport after an argument between them turned serious." The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the incident, claiming that a man named Azizullah killed nine foreigners and five Afghans before being gunned down himself. NATO has denied the Taliban's claims, and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) has stated that the incident is "still ongoing."

Allstar Weekend "Not Your Birthday" Music Review

Being a modern music junkie and an avid movie goer, the Allstar Weekend's "Not Your Birthday" sounds like the perfect choice for the new to release movie, "Prom". This new album is featured on Disney's "Prom", which is set to release this Friday, 4/29/11. This track has quite the modern buzz that you would expect to find in a movie that the majority of viewers would be middle school/high school girls. Although it is a catchy tune that will be stuck in my head for the remainder of the week, I would have liked to see the theme and lyrics of the song reflect something other than "partying like its not your birthday" ,which is repeated more than one could count. I just think that there are too many songs out their that promote and encourage "partying" everyday or no reason. I guess this seems to be the popular type of song. I would have liked to see something that was a bit different. Other than that, I don't think this is the next hit, but, I do think it has some potential to being a song that would be found a lot in movies and found on the iPods of many. I would give it 3 out of 5 stars.

Apple Sued Over iPhone Tracking

Vikram Ajjampur of Florida and William Devito of New York have filed a class-action lawsuit against Apple Computers over their location based services found on iOS 4.0. The two men say that Apple is tracking the whereabouts of all iPod Touch and iPhone users with the GPS system found on the devices. They also claim that every time a user "syncs" their device to their computer, or the devices is connected to wifi or 3G signals, the information is put onto the computer and sent over internet to Apple. They believe that not only Apple can track your location but anybody can hack to find where you are. Apple has stated, "We don't track anyone. The info circulating around is false." Their is no official word from Apple regarding the lawsuit.

Sources:
PC Magazine

Two Teens Rescued From Connecticut River

According to courant.com, on Sunday afternoon, two teenagers were rescued from the Connecticut River by police and fire officials. The teenagers, one male and one female were clinging to a tree when rescued. Police are not saying how the teens ended up in the river. "It appeared they had been in the water for quite some time," said Hartford Fire Department Deputy Chief Robert Walsh," They were very, very cold...shivery." The police and fire departments from Hartford had the situation brought to their knowledge around 4:40 pm by a photographer walking on the riverfront right below the train tracks near Riverside Park. According to police, the teens' remote location made the chances of someone finding them very slim. Crews found it difficult to reach the teens because of the river is high from spring snow melt and last night's rain. The river's current was very strong, so strong that rescue workers couldn't paddle against it and had to use ropes to pull the boats to the teens and back. The paramedics were waiting for the teens with blankets when they were brought to shore. One of the teens could walk and the other had to be carried.

-picture provided by courant.com

Route 69 In Bethany, Connecticut Reopened After Crash

According to courant.com, after a rollover accident on Route 69 in Bethany on Sunday morning, the road has been reopened. Police responded to the accident just before 4 am on route 69 near the Hatfield Hill Road intersection. According to police, crews were working on wires that were down in the area. The wires weren't down because of the crash. They were down because of the weather. Connecticut Light and Power said that there was one power outage in Bethany. No one was seriously injured in the crash. Police reopened the road just before noon on Sunday.

No Tanning for Some Teens

The Melanoma Foundation of New England is on a mission to explain to teens the dangers of tanning, not only in the sun, but also in tanning beds. Using a tanning bed before the age of 30 increases the chance of a person getting skin cancer by 75%.

With prom and summer right around the corner the foundation finds it extremely important to spread awareness among teens. The foundation is issuing pledges outlining the dangers of tanning. They are also awarding two $1,000 prizes to schools with the highest percentage of pledges. Waltham Highschool in Waltham Mass. has been named one of this years winners.

Heather Metallides, a health teacher and Waltham High, says she has noticed a difference in the students. She says that the local spray-tanning place has never had so many kids coming in. For Metallides it is also a personal mission, while working in a hospital prior to coming to Waltham High, she met a woman diagnosed with melanoma at age 21. That woman never had any idea of the risks.



-AOL Inc.

USPS Stamp a Faux Lady Liberty

The United State's Postal Services' Statue of Liberty stamp is in fact not based upon the Statue of liberty in New York City. The stamp is actually based off of the replica located in front of the New York-New York casino hotel in Las Vegas.

Postal officials say they were not aware of this until it was pointed out to them by a stamp expert. They say the photo the stamp was designed from was licensed only as "Statue of Liberty". Officials of the USPS also say that they are happy with the stamp and have no plans to remove the stamp, originally issued in December, out of circulation.



-Associated Press

Review: London - Diving Heart First

1. Only Want You



2. Carried Away



3. Call me back



4. Second Chance



5. Tools of Persuasion



6. Enough



7. Girl in the Crowd



8. Because Because



9. Tear Out My Heart



10. Promises to the East Coast

This album was fantastic! If you love acoustics with some good electric guitar, and really enjoy clean vocals; this is the artist for you. "Driving Heart First" was London's debut album and I enjoyed it. This album consisted of 10 songs all with a classic rock rhythm to it mixed in with beautiful vocals. I recommend checking out the song "Promises to the East Coast" or "Because Because" if you are interested; considering those are the two highest rated songs on the album. London will be comming out with another album in May, and I personally can't wait. I hope you enjoy this artist, I know I have.

Andover Friends To Hold 8th Annual Auction

According to courant.com, on April 29th, the 8th Annual Andover Friends of the Library's "Goods and Services Auction" will be held. The event will be at the Andover Elementary School cafeteria on 35 School Road in Andover. The auction will start at 6:30 pm. The items that will be in the auction may be viewed at 6 pm. There is no entrance fee to get into this event. This year's auctioneer will be Jay Linddy. Also to take place at the auction will be a bake sale, 50/50 raffle, and a silent auction. The current list of items that will be in the auction can be located at the Andover Library's website: http://www.andoverctlibrary.org/. Over 80 items have been donated to the auction so far. All the money raised at the event will be used to buy goods and services for the Andover Library, that is beyond the library's budget. Items are still being collected for the auction. For more information or to donate anything to the auction, please call Events Coordinator, Carol Lee at 860-646-4467.

Truck Rollover Closed Lanes On Route 9

According to courant.com, Connecticut State Police are at the scene of a truck rollover at Route 9 northbound in Haddam near exits 9 and 10. Traffic in the northbound lane was briefly brought down to one lane. Since the accident, traffic has continued to run normally. A Lifestar helicopter was brought to the scene of the accident. There is no word on how many people were injured in the crash. No other vehicles were involved in the accident.

Fire Damages Old Wethersfield Barn

According to courant.com, on Friday afternoon, a barn was damaged by a fire on Main Street in Old Wethersfield, CT. Firefighters responded to a call around 3:50 pm to go to 350 Main Street. When they arrived, the fire was coming from the first and second floors of the building, according to Fire Captain Paul Thompson. Throughout the structure, there was heavy smoke damage. Firefighters are still investigating the cause of the fire. No injuries have been reported.

-picture provided by courant.com

Music Review: Rise Against: Endgame

Track List:

1. Architects

2. Help is on the Way

3. Make It Stop (September's Children)

4. Disparity by Design

5. Satellite

6. Midnight Hands

7. Survivor Guilt

8. Broken Mirrors

9. Wait For Me

10. A Gentleman's Coup

11. This Is Letting Go

12. Endgame

Rise Against has come quite a long way from their early years. Over the last ten years they seem to have been moving more to a political protest-sounding style while maintaining their classic punk sound... at least mostly. Some fans have been disappointed with their newer albums like The Sufferer and the Witness where they seem to have been taking a more pop/political approach, while others encouraged it. So will their newest album Endgame be the one that pleases everyone?

Endgame is a very good album, with great sound from the instruments and vocalist Tim McIlrath pouring his soul into the lyrics. All the songs, especially the first single "Help is on the Way", have a lot of feeling put into them, and it shows. The songs are very well crafted overall, so the question at the end of the day is "Will you enjoy it?" Well, the answer to that depends on what you liked more about Rise Against, the old or the new. If you liked their more recent stuff, you'll love Endgame. The album is very much like a more polished version of Appeal to Reason. The messages these songs deliver is a bit heavy-handed, but emotional. However, if you preferred the band's older music, you may not like their latest outing. It sounds a little more pop than punk. Overall, though, Endgame is a good addition to your music library. 4/5.

Possible Government Shutdown Threatens National Parks

According to CNN: Officials have stated that, in the Beltway showdown, a government shutdown is very possible, which could result in disaster for national parks. This measure would be the first shutdown in over 15 years, and would result in shutting off an average of $32 million in revenue for national parks, seashores, and historic sites. Wyoming's Yellowstone National Park and Arizona's Grand Canyon National Park could possibly be closed as a result of the shutdown.

Utah Judge Orders Sex Offender be Freed

According to CNN: A Utah judge has ordered that a man being held for sexually abusing children be freed due to mental incompetence. Lonnie Johnson, a 38-year old man charged with twenty-one charges of sexually abusing children, was examined by doctors for mental competence. The doctors diagnosed him with a cognitive disorder and deemed him to be mentally incompetent and not a danger to society. Utah's Fourth District Judge James Taylor deemed that he was not competent to be charged on sex crimes. Since those were the only kinds of charges against him, Taylor ordered him be let free because now there were no legal grounds for holding him. The reaction to this decision has been very angry. Utah Gov. Gary R. Herbert was "outraged that a convicted child sex offender... could be released without being tried for current charges." A status hearing will be held on the judge in November and prosecutors have filed a motion to re-examine Johnson's competency.

Libyan Air Strikes Kill Two People

According to CNN: Forces opposing Libyan president Moammar Gadhafi are left questioning what happened after an airstrike kills at least two rebels. Witnesses said Thursday that aircraft launched several missiles at a rebel formation in Eastern Libya. The rebels are now questioning whether NATO was misguided into launching attacks on the people they are trying to protect. This has happened earlier in the week as well, where a NATO aircraft killed about 13 people in al-Braega. NATO has announced that they will be investigating the reported attacks. On the diplomatic side of the matter, Gadhafi has sent a letter to U.S. President Barack Obama asking him to cease the bombings. An administration official has stated that they are not taking the note seriously.

"Third Palestinian Intifada" Page Cut from Facebook

A high-profile Israel appeal called for the "Third Palestinian Intifada" page to be removed from facebook. When it was taken down it had 350,000 fans. Facebook said the page originally started as a peaceful protest, but as the page grew more popular the comments deteriorated to calls for violence. Facebook's content regulations state that it prohibits the posting of material that promotes violence directed at a particular group, including those based on religion or nationality. As "Facebook Revolutions" helps to bring down regimes in Egypt and Tunisia, the social netoworking site has become a more powerful politcial tool. This leaves Facebook with a greater responsibility. The content on the site will not just endanger people, but the site itself. The growing involvement in politics has people crying out for government regulation. If Mark Zuckerberg would like to remain in sole control of his site, he should watch out for the pages popping up on Facebook. -Associated Press

New Haven County Least Healthy

In a study released by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, it was stated that the New Haven County in Connecticut has three times the rate of sexually transmitted infections than that of Tolland County. New Haven County also has three times the teen birth rate. In New Haven County the poverty rate of children 15%, in Tolland County the rate is only 6%. The rankings used by the study include: smoking, obesity, excessive drinking, teenage births, uninsured adults, availibility of doctors, and high school graduation rates. -The Associated Press

Old East Hampton Town Manager Won't Face Charges

The ex-town manager for East Hampton, Jeffery J. O'Keefe, who was accused of sexual harrassment and unlawfully removing the police-chief will not be facing charges. After an invesitgation by the Connecticut state attorney general's office announced that it was decided not to charge O'Keefe. O'Keefe commented that the investigation found "no credible evidence to support" the accusations. The police chief has since reinstated. -Associated Press

Music Review: Mumford and Sons- Sigh No More

Track list:

1. Sigh No More

2. The Cave

3. Winter Winds

4. Roll Away Your Stone

5. White Blank Page

6. I Gave You All

7. Little Lion Man

8. Timshel

9. Thistle & Weeds

10. Awake My Soul

11. Dust Bowl Dance

12. After the Storm

This is a fantastic album. The band from the U.K. penetrated the U.S. with their single Little Luion Man and now have stops scheduled on the west coast and will also be stopping in on the Beale Street Music Festival this summer. This is a group of talented musicians. They have a wide mix of uptempo and ballad style songs. One of the things you will notice in this Irish rock feel is the driving force of the banjo. Not typically considered a rock instrument, the banjo adds an extra texture into their music. With their originality and their musical talents they pulled a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Music Review: Shirock-Everything Burns

Track List:

1. New Solution 8. Calm Inside the Storm

2. Time Goes By 9. Silver

3. Still Young 10. Everything Burns Intro

4. I'll Take the Rain 11. Everything Burns

5. Say it Out 12. I Have Been Redeemed

6. Drag You Down

7. Man inside

Shirock's debut album, "Everything Burns" realesed on March 22, 20011. This pop/rock band from nashville has started off fairly well. After listening to this entire album you can respect them as musicians. They lean a little bit to the pop side but have written some decent tracks. There is not much unique about the tracks. It seems like good background music, not something you belt at the top of your lungs. What they do have are some well constructed songs. They don't always stick to the same four chords and they have a good mix of ballads and up tempo songs. This young band has a long way to go but i see them goping no where but up. I would give this alubum 3 out of 5 stars.