Woman dies after being hit by tire from NHRA crash

CHANDLER, ARIZ.(AP) —A woman died Sunday after being hit by a tire from a crashing dragster at the NHRA Arizona Nationals.

The woman was watching a first-round Top Fuel run at Firebird International Raceway when Antron Brown’s Matco Tools/U.S. Army dragster went out of control on the strip and its left rear wheel came off.
Alia Maisonet, a spokeswoman for the Gila River Indian Community, said the woman was airlifted to a hospital for treatment and later died. Gila River emergency personnel were among the first to respond to the scene.

New Obama health proposal would limit rate hikes

WASHINGTON – Taking the fight to insurance companies, President Barack Obama is trying to revive his stalled health care overhaul.

Afghan Cabinet: Airstrike kills at least 33

KABUL – The Afghan Cabinet says at least 33 civilians are dead as the result of NATO airstrike in southern Afghanistan — an incident that is inflaming already heightened sensitivities over noncombatant casualties in the war.

Chavez: Saboteurs targeting Venezuela's power grid

CARACAS, Venezuela – President Hugo Chavez accused his adversaries on Sunday of sabotaging Venezuela's electricity grid as part of a broader plan aimed at bringing about the system's collapse — and his downfall.

China PLA officer urges new Internet control agency

BEIJING (Reuters) – A senior Chinese military officer has called for a new national body to enforce Internet controls, while China faced fresh claims on Monday about the source of hacking attacks that hit search giant Google.

USA beats Canada 5-3, gains top seed in quarterfinals

VANCOUVER — A sign at Canada Hockey Place read, "This is our game." But the Americans came into Canada's home and stole it Sunday by posting their first Olympic win over Canada in 50 years on a 5-3 decision.

Haiti leader says quake toll could reach 300,000

PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico – The president of Haiti said Sunday the death toll from his country's earthquake could reach 300,000 once all the bodies are recovered from wrecked buildings.

WASHINGTON (AFP) – Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Sunday his department was aware some Toyota vehicles had "unintended acceleration" issues in late 2003, three years before it launched a preliminary probe into sticky Toyota floor mats.

Canadian skier Barr gets surprise last-minute call to Olympics

From the backup's backup to standout, Davey Barr personifies how anything can happen in ski cross.

As late as Saturday, the Canadian was supposed to be home in Brackenbale, B.C., watching his buddies compete in Sunday's men's ski cross. Instead, two Canadian injuries later, Barr finished sixth after being summoned to Vancouver at what a coach called "the 13th hour."

India, Pakistan meet after year of living dangerously

NEW DELHI (Reuters) – The first official talks between India and Pakistan since the Mumbai attacks offer a tiny step to stability in South Asia, but the recent bombing in Pune shows the nuclear rivals' ties may be as fragile as ever.

North Korea seeks military talks with rival South

SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korea has proposed holding military talks with the South next week after it raised tension on the troubled peninsula last week by warning it would hold live-fire drills near the border with its rival.

Israel sees little fallout from Dubai killing

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israeli intelligence experts dismissed on Sunday the prospect of lasting diplomatic fallout for Israel or damage to its Mossad spy agency over the spotlight shone on the assassination of a Hamas commander in Dubai.

Reunited Aerosmith plots summer European tour

DETROIT (Billboard) – Aerosmith will add more European dates to its summer itinerary to follow up the booking at the Download Festival in England, a spokeswoman said.

Johnny Weir goes furless for free skate

As promised, Johnny Weir did not wear fur for the free skate as he did at the U.S. Championships, which drew the ire of animal rights groups. Instead of the controversial costume with a fox fur trim, Weir wore a costume that he wore to Grand Prix events, including the Cup of Russia and the Grand Prix Final.

In this outfit, Weir skated an excellent routine. He did not throw a quadruple jump as he had mentioned that he might, but the skate was technically and artistically sound. He finished in sixth place, but seemed pleased with his performance.

Premiums jump 14 percent on Medicare private plans Millions of seniors face 14 percent premium increase for popular Medicare Advantage plans

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Millions of seniors who signed up for popular private health plans through Medicare are facing sharp premium increases this year -- another sign that spiraling costs are a problem even for those with solid insurance.

A study to be released Friday by a major consulting firm found that premiums for Medicare Advantage plans offering medical and prescription drug coverage jumped 14.2 percent on average in 2010, after an increase of only 5.2 percent the previous year. Some 8.5 million elderly and disabled Americans are in the plans, which provide more comprehensive coverage than traditional Medicare.

"These premium increases fit within a broader trend of increased financial pressure on the insured," said Lindsey Spindle, a vice president of Avalere Health, a data analysis firm that produced the statistical study. "We see very large premium increases and a continued upward creep in how much out-of-pocket expenses beneficiaries are expected to pay, such as copayments."

The Medicare findings are bad news for President Barack Obama and his health care overhaul, bogged down in Congress. That's because the higher Medicare Advantage premiums for 2010 followed a cut in government payments to the private plans last year. And the Democratic bills pending in Congress call for even more cuts, expected to force many seniors to drop out of what has been a rapidly growing alternative to traditional Medicare.

Republicans have seized on the Medicare Advantage cuts in their campaign to derail the health care bills, and seniors are listening. Polls show they are they are more skeptical of the legislation than the public as a whole, even though Democrats would also reinforce original Medicare by improving preventive benefits and narrowing the prescription coverage gap. About three-fourths of Medicare recipients remain in the traditional program.

The Avalere study found that the average monthly Medicare Advantage premium for 2010 is $39.61, representing an increase of nearly $5 a month from the previous year. That compares with a rise of less than $1.75 a month in 2009. The averages are adjusted based on enrollment levels in particular plans that offer medical and prescription coverage, reflecting the choices that seniors make.

Seniors who did not shop around for lower-priced coverage during open enrollment in the fall got hit with some of the biggest increases, averaging 22 percent.

The report on Medicare comes after a series of double-digit premium increases around the country for privately insured working households who buy their own coverage. Obama has cited those increases as an argument for reviving his stalled health care overhaul plan.

Administration officials did not dispute the Avalere study, but they sought to pin responsibility on the private insurers that participate in the program, a list that includes such industry giants as UnitedHealthcare and Aetna. Nonpartisan technical advisers to Congress say Medicare Advantage plans are being overpaid because of a flawed formula.

"Medicare Advantage plans continue to be paid about 13 percent more than original Medicare," said Medicare spokesman Peter Ashkenaz. "The plans need to explain why these increases are necessary."

Eric Hammelman, a senior Avalere data analyst, said that after the government cut payments to the plans last year, the insurers faced a choice. "They could raise premiums or lower benefits, and what most of them decided to do was raise premiums," he said.

The study also found that Medicare Advantage premium increases varied by the type of plans that seniors picked. Private fee-for-service plans, which offer a broad choice of doctors and hospitals, saw increases averaging 31.2 percent. Health maintenance organizations, which account for most of the program enrollment, had an increase of 11.3 percent. Preferred provider organizations -- some of which already have high premiums -- experienced more modest increases.

Avalere serves industry, government and private foundations, analyzing Medicare financial data.

Failure on Economy

Feb. 19 (Bloomberg) -- Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, a potential 2012 Republican presidential candidate, said President Barack Obama focused on overhauling the U.S. health care system to the detriment of the economy.

Addressing the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington yesterday, Romney denounced the Democratic president’s $862 billion stimulus program enacted one year ago.

Obama didn’t know that “the number one cause of failure in the private sector is lack of focus, and that the first rule of turning around any troubled enterprise is focus, focus, focus,” Romney told the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington yesterday. “His energy should have been focused on fixing the economy and creating jobs. He failed to focus, and so he failed.”

The administration has said the stimulus package saved or created about 2 million jobs.

Attendance at the American Conservative Union’s gathering is projected by organizers to reach a record 10,000 people, about 1,500 more than last year. The meeting, which ends tomorrow, takes place as support for Obama and his policies have declined, according to public opinion polls.

Another possible presidential contender, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, is to speak to today. Former Vice President Dick Cheney made an unannounced appearance yesterday.

Insurgents Showcased

The conference also is serving as a showcase for Republican insurgents such as former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio, who is challenging the state’s governor, Charles Crist, for the party’s nomination for U.S. Senate.

“We are witnessing the single greatest political pushback in American history,” Rubio said. “A long list of early establishment endorsements will not spare you a primary.”

A Feb. 5-10 CBS News-New York Times poll gave Obama a 46 percent job-approval rating, down from 50 percent in December. Majorities disapproved of the way he is handling the economy and health care.

“Will the economy and unemployment recover? Thanks to a vibrant and innovative citizenry, they always do,” said Romney, who unsuccessfully sought his party’s nomination in 2008. “But this president will not deserve the credit he will undoubtedly claim. He has prolonged the recession, expanded the pain of unemployment and added to the burden of debt we will leave future generations.”

Obama Policies

Romney’s speech offered a litany of criticism of Obama policies, including his proposals to curb the emissions blamed for global warming, overhaul health care and allow tax cuts for the wealthy enacted under President George W. Bush to expire. Those tax cuts benefitted single filers earning more than $200,000 a year and couples earning more than $250,000.

Obama “said that the government can create the conditions, the environment, which leads the private sector to add employment,” Romney said. “But consider not what he said, but what he did last year and ask whether it helped or hurt the environment for investment, growth and new jobs.”

“Liberals are convinced that government knows better than the people how to run our businesses, how to choose winning technologies, how to manage healthcare, how to grow an economy and how to order our very lives,” Romney said. “They want to gain through government takeover what they could never achieve in the competitive economy -- power and control over the people of America.”

Terrorism Cases

Romney also criticized the Obama administration’s decision to try some terrorism suspects in U.S. courts, as was done under Bush as well.

He praised Obama’s predecessor, saying history would judge President George W. Bush “far more kindly.”

Democratic National Committee spokesman Brad Woodhouse, asked for a comment, said Bush and his administration “bankrupted this country financially, with their reckless economic policies, and ethically, with their allegiance to special interests over the American people.”

Romney, 62, was introduced by newly elected Republican Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts, who received a loud welcome from the convention. Brown’s victory in a Jan. 19 special election deprived the Democrats of the 60 votes in the Senate needed to overcome Republican filibusters.

“For the big government spenders, I’m sure my election does not make them feel good at all,” Brown said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Jonathan D. Salant in Washington at jsalant@bloomberg.net .

robbed of gold

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Russian figure skating chiefs were planning their own Crime Scene Investigation on Thursday night, as accusations of sporting robbery followed Evan Lysacek’s dramatic victory in the men’s long program at Pacific Coliseum.

The American star’s triumph sparked a furious reaction from Alexei Mishin, the coach of silver medalist Evgeni Plushenko, with Mishin claiming his athlete had been unfairly “robbed” of a second consecutive gold.

Russia's Evgeni Plushenko regards his silver medal on the podium on Thursday.
(AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

This is nonsense,” Mishin told Yahoo! Sports. “It is wrong. It is criminal. How can it be like this? They are killing figure skating and taking it back 20 years. They have robbed him of his destiny.

“There is nothing we can do but we want to know what happened because this is not right. We will investigate. Someone needs to explain to me how this is possible. I cannot believe it.”

Mishin was disgusted that Lysacek was awarded an overall score of 257.67, enough to overcome his 0.55 deficit from the short program and push him ahead of Plushenko, the sport’s shining star.

Mishin’s ire centered around the quadruple jump, the most difficult maneuver in the sport. Lysacek opted not to include one in his program but was awarded higher marks for his clean execution of simpler elements. Plushenko nailed his quad, but it wasn’t enough.

Plushenko felt he had performed strongly enough to clinch gold with his routine and even jokingly motioned to step on to the top level of the podium during the medal ceremony.

“I was certain I had won,” he said.

Plushenko had previously claimed the quad and its variations are the future of figure skating. Mishin focused his accusations of thievery on the judging panel.

“Any judge who thinks this is the right champion is a Cyclops,” Mishin said. “Without the quad, there is no difference between the men’s competition and the women’s. Why not let them skate together? Why not have it as a unisex competition in the Olympics?”

The Olympic competition has only served to put the controversial current judging system under further scrutiny. The complicated marking format, which replaced the old and popular 6.0-is-a-perfect-score method, has alienated some fans and made figure skating a nightmare to understand for the uninitiated.

However, Lysacek’s coach Frank Carroll was adamant that the right man had won.

“I looked at the performance of Evgeni and Evan, and I saw strengths and weaknesses in both,” Carroll said. “It was up to the panel to sift through it and see who came up with the most points.

“There were things about Evgeni’s routine that were weaknesses. It was up for grabs and we didn’t know how they were going to go through it

Parents surprise Bright in her golden moment

Torah Bright of Australia celebrates winning the gold medal in the women's snowboard halfpipe final on Thursday.

WEST VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Torah Bright almost ruined the surprise. Her parents drove six hours to the airport in Sydney, spent 20 hours more on a flight to the Winter Olympics and did all of it behind the back of the world’s best female snowboarder. At Bright’s Vancouver abode the night before the women’s halfpipe competition, Peter and Marion Bright heard her voice, and it begged for immediate improvisation.

“We hid in the closet,” Marion said. “She even came into the bedroom.”

Eventually, they slinked out, plan intact, and prepared to conceal themselves again at Cypress Mountain. It was a jig they couldn’t keep up very long, not when their daughter was winning Australia’s first gold medal of the Vancouver Games and breaking the United States’ near decade-long stranglehold on snowboarding supremacy.

After putting in the worst first run of the 11 finalists, Bright bounced back with the best of the night, scoring a 45.0 of 50 on the strength of a switch backside 720, in which she rode opposite her dominant foot and spun into a blind landing. Once she hit that, the rest of the evening was spent taking pictures and accepting hugs, as no one – not even Americans Hannah Teter and Kelly Clark, the silver and bronze medalists – could challenge Bright’s technical supremacy.

Of course, Bright first needed to wipe the tears from her eyes. As she embraced her coach and brother, Ben, following the run, Bright noticed a shock of blond hair in the crowd. The bald spot looked familiar. And only then did the 23-year-old realize mom and dad had ignored her wishes.

“I told them not to come,” Bright said. “I told them I’d prefer them at my wedding. I should’ve known they were going to come. Of course they were going to come.”

They were always coming – here and to Bright’s June wedding in Salt Lake City. Her snowboarding coronation was four years, multiple concussions and one dislocated jaw in the making. What Shaun White is to men’s snowboarding Bright is to women’s: the uber-talent whose technical ability supersedes her competitors’ by a significant amount.

“We thought we won’t rock the boat,” Marion said. “Whatever you want, Torah, you get. Well, it’s going to be a surprise then. We didn’t want it to be a shock, so we’ll hide ourselves until after the last run.”

By then, Bright, whose first name is Hebrew for “teach,” had dished a lesson in modern snowboarding, where style and grace is as important as ability to spin an obscene number of times. Particularly among the female riders, who still have yet to perfect the double-cork maneuvers that revolutionized men’s snowboarding, such artistry counts extra.

Bright’s predilection for the daring – she has attempted double corks and considered pulling one out if necessary – led to a lifetime’s worth of injuries in the past eight weeks alone. Before Christmas, Bright banged her jaw on a halfpipe, dislocating it and necessitating a chiropractor to put it back together. Since then, she has suffered multiple concussions, the double corks a doctor’s boon and rider’s thorn.

Her headaches didn’t subside until recently, and though Bright’s doctors weren’t sure they would clear her to participate, her fiancée, Jake Welch, said “she was always going to be here.” Bright couldn’t miss this, neither the huge crowd nor the recognition that comes with Olympic gold.

Overseas, advertisers will swoon at Bright’s toothy smile and intriguing accent. In Australia, everywhere from her small hometown of Cooma to Sydney and Melbourne, snowboarding will carry evermore cachet.

“I think every little girl will want a snowboard for Christmas,” said Holly Crawford, Bright’s Australian teammate.

Torah Bright competes in the women's snowboard halfpipe.
(AP Photo)

And why wouldn’t they? Bright cuts an excellent role model: doesn’t smoke, drink or curse, as an LDS church member, and is so universally liked on the women’s snowboarding tour that even her fellow medalists and opponents’ coaches were giving her hugs and congratulating her. Certainly keeping her family close doesn’t hurt the image, either.

Best of all, Bright showed incredible perseverance following her first run, a mess in which she missed the switch backside 720 and another trick at the bottom of the pipe. Her score: 5.9.

“Falling on the first run is never good,” Bright said. “Falling twice, while I was trying to have a bit of fun with that? Yeah. That wasn’t good, either.”

While Bright went last during the first round, her low score meant she needed to go first in the second round. So she commiserated with her brother, who said he had faith, and thought to herself: This is easy.

Once Bright stuck her final trick and wiped away her tears, she retired to a holding area where the highest-scoring riders stood. Ten other riders had a chance to beat her. None could.

“Torah’s been amazing competition,” Clark said. “It’s just inspiring. Snowboarding’s a unique sport. It’s not as cutthroat or competitive. We’re happy for each other when we do well.”

No one felt as much elation as Bright’s family. The emotional yo-yo of snowboarding is palpable. Her brother knows she’ll hit a double cork in competition soon enough and set an even higher standard. And her parents, so distraught watching officials drag Bright off the X Games halfpipe following a nasty crash and so thrilled to hear over the radio that she was carrying the Australian flag at the Opening Ceremony, live vicariously through the adventures of their daughter, who seeks thrills for a living.

It was edifying, then, to have a thrill of their own. Their daughter is an Olympic champion, and that’s nothing to hide.

TF1 est un leader avec un esprit de challenger

Nonce Paolini, PDG du groupe TF1. Crédits photo : Le Figaro

Nonce Paolini, le PDG du groupe audiovisuel, estime que 2010 sera une année de rebond.

Le groupe TF1 a publié jeudi, un résultat 2009 en retrait de 30 %, à 115 millions d'euros.

LE FIGARO. Comment TF1 a-t-il traversé la crise de 2009 ?

Nonce PAOLINI. Paradoxalement ces résultats prouvent, après deux années de recadrage, que le modèle TF1 est pérenne à condition d'avoir une gestion performante. Qui aurait dit en juin 2009 que nous serions capables de présenter un résultat de 115 millions d'euros en versant un intéressement important pour nos salariés, un dividende convenable à nos actionnaires, et en constituant une provision de 17 millions d'euros sur la Coupe du monde de football. Les résultats du quatrième trimestre 2009 ont prouvé qu'une chaîne comme TF1 était capable de rebondir et d'afficher une rentabilité de 9 %.

Ces résultats ont été obtenus grâce à une parfaite maîtrise des coûts tout en exploitant les programmes les plus attractifs. Cette gestion rigoureuse s'est traduite par une baisse de plus de 10 % de notre coût de grille. Une première dans l'histoire de la chaîne. Nous avons réussi à faire baisser les droits sportifs de 10 millions d'euros, notamment sur le contrat de la Ligue des champions et sur les droits de l'équipe de France renégociés à hauteur de 45 millions. Sur la Coupe du monde de football, grâce à la revente de 37 matchs à Canal + et France Télévisions TF1 ne paiera cette année que 87 millions pour 27 matchs contre 108 millions en 2006 pour 24 matchs. Nous avons également renouvelé nos grands contrats avec nos principaux partenaires, comme Endemol et certaines grandes majors américaines.

En 2010 allez-vous poursuivre vos économies ?

Nous devons être un leader avec un esprit de challenger. Ce qui signifie une gestion rigoureuse sans misérabilisme. Ce sont nos concurrents qui devront investir ! La valeur de nos programmes et de nos stocks nous permettra de rester performants et si la conjoncture est au rendez-vous, 2010 sera une année de rebond.

Comment atteindrez-vous l a croissance de 2 % promise ?

Du point de vue publicitaire, personne aujourd'hui n'est capable de dire ce que sera 2010. Nous avons pris l'hypothèse d'une reprise molle. Pour ce qui concerne les recettes, nous adoptons une stratégie de segmentation entre les écrans les plus faibles, comme ceux de la journée, et ceux à forte valeur autour de nos pics d'audience, au plus grand bénéfice de nos clients.

TMC et NT1 vous appartiendront bientôt, qu'en ferez-vous ?

Notre ambition pour ces deux chaînes est d'en augmenter la qualité en optimisant notamment les stocks de TF1 et en respectant leur identité. TMC bénéficie déjà d'une image solide auprès de sa cible féminine et dispose encore d'une petite marge de progression en audience comme sa concurrente W9. Quant à NT1, qui séduit une cible plus jeune de 15-35 ans, beaucoup reste à faire. Pour ces deux chaînes, il s'agira de faire progresser l'audience tout en conservant leur rentabilité afin que l'équation économique reste la bonne. Nous attendons encore la décision du Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel. Quand nous en aurons les clés, nous nous mettrons au travail.

Quel modèle envisagez-vous pour Internet et les nouveaux médias ?

Il y a deux manières d'envisager la monétisation sur Internet. D'abord en intégrant ces nouveaux médias au cœur du programme, comme dans «Secret Story» ou «La Ferme», ce qui nous permet de renforcer l'audience de la chaîne. Pour nos programmes les plus forts - comme les séries américaines - nous ne pouvons pas nous permettre d'en altérer la valeur en les donnant gratuitement et durablement sur la Toile. Il faudra donc les financer soit par la vente à l'unité, soit par abonnement, comme le propose déjà TF1 Vision, avec succès, dénombrant 300 000 téléchargements payants.

Quels sont vos chantiers en 2010 ?

Tout d'abord apporter à nos téléspectateurs sur nos différentes antennes les meilleurs programmes. La HD et la 3D demain donnent de l'avenir à la télévision grand spectacle qui est notre métier principal.

Ensuite, multiplier les points de contact avec le grand public, grâce aux développements réussis sur le Web et le mobile cette année. Ils nous ont permis de renforcer notre lien de proximité avec les téléspectateurs internautes. Explorer également les nouveaux territoires, comme les jeux en ligne, grâce à notre partenariat avec La Française des jeux avec laquelle nous développerons de la publicité du parrainage, des jeux en ligne et des licences.

Nous testons aussi nos premiers services de jeux en Angleterre avec Eurosport Bet. Enfin, nous allons poursuivre notre réflexion sur l'avenir des chaînes payantes du Groupe et notamment sur LCI. J'ai demandé à Catherine Nayl et Éric Revel de repenser le modèle marketing et éditorial de la chaîne d'ici à 2012.

J'ai la conviction forte que les profonds changements que nous avons opérés depuis deux ans, dans tous nos métiers, et qui commencent à porter leurs fruits aujourd'hui, nous permettront de saisir toutes les opportunités qui se présenteront dans les prochaines années et de renforcer la rentabilité du Groupe TF1.

Pack Sport Design pour la Jaguar XKR

19/02/2010 - Jaguar propose deux nouveaux packs pour les plus sportifs des acheteurs de coupé XKR ! Le premier, se prénomme de façon provocatrice "Pack Vitesse" et propose de faire sauter la bride électronique à 250 km/h. Histoire de ne pas faire les choses à moitié, ce pack est associé à un spoiler redessiné à l'avant, un large béquet à l'arrière et un diffuseur arrière. L'objectif est d'augmenter la déportance pour ne pas risquer de voir partir le beau coupé jaguar dans les arbres lorsqu'il accrochera les 280 km/h sur Autobahn. Le différentiel arrière électronique est également reparamétré pour augmenter la stabilité à très haute vitesse.

Le second pack pour les sportifs est plus soft dans sa vocation. Baptisé Sport Design, il permet, comem son nom l'indique, de rendre plus viril le design du félin britannique. La métamorphose s'opère via des jantes de 20 pouces en alliage noir brillant et trois teintes de carrosserie inédites (noir Black Ultimate, blanc Polaris White ou rouge Salsa Red). Une finition noir brillant est appliquée aux contours de fenêtres, calandre et prises d'air latérales. Dans l'habitacle, la sellerie est recouverte de cuir anthracite (Charcoal) personnalisable grâce à une large gamme de surpiqûres et de grains. En option, les étriers de freins peuvent être peints en rouge pour faire plus "sport".

Combinez les deux packs et vous obtenez la Jaguar XKR Édition Spéciale, à découvrir au salon de Genève début mars.

Franck Riboud veut être le « levier » économique d'Annecy 2018

Tout en refusant d'être ce que fut Arnaud Lagardère pour Paris 2012, le patron de Danone engage son nom et sa filiale Evian derrière la candidature savoyarde aux Jeux d'hiver.

Le comité de candidature de la ville d'Annecy pour les jeux Olympiques d'hiver de 2018 compte un nouveau soutien de poids : Franck Riboud. Le PDG de Danone doit annoncer aujourd'hui la signature d'un accord de partenariat faisant de son groupe le « supporteur » de la préfecture de la Haute-Savoie, qui affrontera Munich et Pyeongchang (Corée du Sud) en juillet 2011 à Durban devant les membres du Comité international olympique. Mardi prochain, le 23 février, le magnat de l'agroalimentaire se rendra à Vancouver pour participer à la vaste opération de séduction du mouvement olympique entreprise par les Français depuis le début des XXI ^es JO d'hiver.

Ambassadeur mais pas leader

Dès le 15 février, au lendemain de la cérémonie d'ouverture, le comité de candidature a tenu une conférence de presse devant les journalistes présents au Canada. Sous la houlette du Comité national olympique et sportif français (CNOSF), sept soirées auront permis de recevoir les représentants olympiques de différents continents. Et, guidé par un Jean-Claude Killy décidé à s'impliquer, Edgar Grospiron, nommé directeur général d'Annecy 2018 (après la décision des politiques de se cantonner à un conseil de surveillance présidé par Guy Monteil, président du Conseil général de Haute-Savoie), aura rencontré quelque 65 membres du CIO. « Nous ne sommes pas visibles sur le plan international, Vancouver est notre dernière chance », a déclaré à « L'Equipe » l'ancien champion olympique de ski de bosses. Franck Riboud constitue donc le maillon économique de ce plan sinon de sauvetage, du moins d'accélération de la promotion de la candidature française.

Tout en prétendant ne pas être un ambassadeur plus important qu'Aimé Jacquet ou le cuisinier Marc Veyrat, le fils d'Antoine Riboud, qui fut proche de Jean-Claude Killy et sponsor d'Albertville avec Evian, reconnaît que « mettre en avant le nom et le poids de Danone (15 milliards d'euros de chiffre d'affaires, NDLR) donne du crédit à la candidature ». Pour autant, celui qui rappelle « avoir été élevé à Annecy » dans une maison au bord du lac, propriété de la famille depuis trois générations, et qui affirme être « un excellent skieur », « n'entend pas être à Annecy 2018 ce qu'était Arnaud Lagardère à Paris 2012 ». Ambassadeur de bonne volonté, oui, leader d'un pool d'entreprises, non. « Il faut m'utiliser comme un levier », préfère-t-il.

« En réalité, précise-t-il également, ce sont les entités du groupe situées dans la région, la source Evian, les casinos et hôtels d'Evian, le golf d'Evian qui soutiennent le projet, avec comme animateur Jean-Pierre Deffis (président d'Evian Volvic Source, NDLR) ». « C'est avant tout un engagement politique et social local », insiste-t-il, en affirmant : « Cela n'implique pas les autres filiales et si Annecy obtient les Jeux, rien ne dit que le groupe ou l'une de ses marques sera sponsor. »

Franck Riboud sait que Coca-Cola, « top » partenaire du CIO, a préempté la catégorie boissons rafraîchissantes des événements olympiques. Mais, malicieux comme son père qui avait brandi un Carambar sur le plateau de « L'Heure de vérité », et non ignorant des techniques de l'« ambush marketing », il prévient : « Si la candidature est un succès, il serait logique que l'on bénéficie d'un renvoi d'ascenseur et que la ville d'Evian soit intégrée aux sites des Jeux. »

« On y va pour gagner »

Modeste, ou malin, dans son positionnement, le patron de Danone ne tarit cependant pas d'éloges sur le projet d'Annecy. « C'est extraordinaire. Toutes les infrastructures sportives existent déjà et sont rodées. Les capacités hôtelières sont là aussi. Et pour les transports, avec le réseau autoroutier et le TGV, tout existe à 100 %. »

Pour lui, la question de savoir si la candidature d'Annecy a une chance face à Munich, notamment, et à la propension des membres du CIO à privilégier pour les Jeux d'hiver de grandes villes, dussent-elles être situées loin des pentes enneigées, ne se pose pas. « On y va pour gagner. On sait, surtout avec l'expérience de Paris 2012, qu'il faut cocher un certain nombre de cases, que le dossier n'est pas tout, qu'il faut séduire les bonnes personnes au bon moment. Il faut le faire. » D'ailleurs, s'il va à Vancouver, « c'est aussi pour faire du "benchmark", voir comment cela est organisé car les choses ont évolué depuis Albertville ». L'indice que son intérêt pour Annecy 2018 pourrait malgré tout se prolonger au-delà de la simple période de candidature…

PHILIPPE BERTRAND, Les Echos

Here's What's Insane: LOTS Of People Are Defending Joseph Andrew Stack

We didn't think we were being remotely controversial earlier when we characterized Joseph Andrew Stack's manifesto as insane.

Well, LOTS of people disagree, and if you look in the comments of that post -- or in our inbox -- you'll find plenty of Stack fans out there.

Anger at the IRS and the bailouts holds tremendous resonance, clearly, if even a suicide plane bomber isn't seen as "insane" by plenty of folks.

Such is the climate of American politics right now.

Plusieurs personnes blessées lorsque l'avion de hits du Nord-Ouest bâtiment Austin

Par American-Statesman personnel | Jeudi, Février 18, 2010, 05:19 PM

A small plane crashed into a Northwest Austin building that houses federal offices about 10 this morning, injuring several people and sparking a fire that sent plumes of smoke into the air that could be seen for miles. Un petit avion s'est écrasé sur un bâtiment Austin Nord-Ouest qui abrite les bureaux du gouvernement fédéral d'environ 10, ce matin, blessant plusieurs personnes et provoquant un incendie qui a envoyé des panaches de fumée dans l'air qui pourrait être vu pour miles.

Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said the crash, at the Echelon 1 building in the 9400 block of Research Boulevard, “appears to be an intentional act, appears to be by a sole individual, and it appears this individual was targeting federal offices inside that building.” Austin chef de la police Art Acevedo a déclaré l'accident, à la 1 bâtiment Echelon dans le bloc de 9400 Research Boulevard, "semble être un acte intentionnel, semble être par un individu isolé, et il semble que cette personne a été ciblant les bureaux fédéraux intérieur de ce bâtiment ».

The plane, a single-engine Piper Cherokee PA-28-236 Dakota , took off from a Georgetown airport at 9:40 am, Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Laura Brown said. L'avion, un monomoteur Piper Cherokee PA-28-236 Dakota, a décollé d'un aéroport de Georgetown à 9:40 heures du matin, la porte-parole de la Federal Aviation Administration Laura Brown.

A federal official confirmed for the Statesman that its tail number is registered to a plane owned by Andrew Joseph Stack, a private plane pilot whose nearby home was on fire at roughly the same time . Un fonctionnaire fédéral a confirmé pour l'homme d'État que son numéro de queue est enregistré à un avion appartenant à Andrew Joseph Stack, un pilote d'avion privé dont la maison voisine était en feu à peu près au même moment.

The North Austin home was destroyed, but officials have not confirmed that the two incidents are connected. La maison de North Austin a été détruit, mais les autorités n'ont pas confirmé que les deux incidents sont liés.

It is unclear who was piloting the plane when it crashed into the building, but an FBI agent said all indications are that Stack was piloting the plane. Il est difficile de savoir qui pilotait l'avion quand il s'est écrasé sur le bâtiment, mais un agent du FBI a dit tout indique que la pile pilote de l'avion.

A note posted on a Web site registered to Stack suggested that Stack was disgruntled with the US tax system. Une note publiée sur un site Web enregistré de la pile a suggéré que la pile était mécontent avec le système fiscal américain.

The Georgetown airport had been shut down and evacuated about 12:30 pm, Georgetown police Lt. Todd Turbush said, though he did not have details on why. A dispatcher with the Williamson County Sheriff's Office said emergency officials were investigating Stack's car, which he had left at the airport. L'aéroport de Georgetown avaient été fermés et évacués vers 12h30, Georgetown le lieutenant de police Todd Turbush dit, s'il n'avait pas de détails sur la raison. Un répartiteur avec le bureau du shérif du comté de Williamson a déclaré responsables des urgences enquêtaient voiture Stack, qu'il avait laissé à l'aéroport.

Flights there were to resume about about 5:15 pm, said an official with the Austin-Travis County Emergency Operations Center who did not wish to be named. Vols, il y avait à reprendre les propos À propos 5:15 pm, a déclaré un officiel de l'Austin-Travis County Emergency Operations Center qui ne souhaitent pas être nommés.

Austin Fire Department Division Chief Dawn Clopton said that the FBI would be taking over the investigation. Austin Fire Department Chef de division Dawn Clopton dit que le FBI serait prise en charge de l'enquête. An FBI agent who declined to identify himself said the agency is investigating the incident as an assault on a federal officer. Un agent du FBI qui a refusé de s'identifier déclaré que l'agence enquête sur l'incident comme une agression sur un agent fédéral.

Officials said 13 people were treated at the scene, mostly with burns and heat-related injuries. Selon les autorités, 13 personnes ont été soignées sur place, la plupart avec des brûlures et des blessures liées à la chaleur. Two were critically injured and transported to area hospitals. Deux ont été grièvement blessés et transportés vers les hôpitaux locaux.

An IRS revenue collection agent who worked on the building's second floor is missing, said Mark Menn, a 59-year-old field revenue agent who worked in the building. Une collection de recettes IRS agent qui a travaillé sur le deuxième étage de l'immeuble est manquant, a déclaré Mark Menn, a 59-agent-champs year recettes anciennes qui ont travaillé dans le bâtiment. Menn declined to give the man's name. Menn a refusé de donner le nom de l'homme.

Matilda Sanchez, spokeswoman for the Seton Family of Hospitals, said an injured man was admitted to University Medical Center Brackenridge in good condition with minor injuries and smoke inhalation. Mathilde Sanchez, porte-parole de la famille Seton des hôpitaux, a déclaré un homme blessé a été admis au Centre médical universitaire Brackenridge en bon état avec des blessures mineures et l'inhalation de fumée. The man was later discharged. L'homme a ensuite été libéré.

Sanchez said a second man was admitted in serious condition with burns, then transported to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. Sanchez a dit un autre homme a été admis dans un état grave avec des brûlures, puis transportés à Brooke Army Medical Center à San Antonio.

A second hospitalized patient was identified by the Texas Comptroller's office one of its employees, 38-year-old Shane Hill. Un deuxième patient hospitalisé a été identifié par un bureau du contrôleur du Texas de ses employés, 38 ans, Shane Hill. The comptroller's office said Hill was at the Echelon building for work, but did not elaborate. Le bureau du contrôleur a déclaré M. Hill était à l'édification d'Echelon pour le travail, mais n'a pas élaboré.

“The thoughts and prayers of Texas Comptroller Susan Combs and her agency are with Shane Hill and his family,” the office said in a written statement. "Les pensées et les prières du Texas contrôleur Susan Combs et son agence sont avec Shane Hill et sa famille, a affirmé le bureau dans une déclaration écrite.

To see more on the condition of the patients, click here . Pour voir plus d'informations sur l'état des patients, cliquez ici.

Authorities have been unable to reach the crash impact site and do not yet know the condition of the pilot, Clopton said. Les autorités ont été incapables d'atteindre le site d'impact de l'accident et ne connaissent pas encore l'état du pilote, Clopton dit.

“That is part of the building that is unstable,” she said. "Cela fait partie de l'immeuble qui est instable, dit-elle. Battalion Chief Palmer Buck said that part of building has collapsed and some steel beams are bowed down. Chef de bataillon Palmer Buck a déclaré qu'une partie du bâtiment s'est effondré et quelques poutres d'acier sont courbés.

The pilot did not file a flight plan or, as far as FAA officials know at this time, have any other contact with the agency. Le pilote n'a pas déposé de plan de vol ou, dans la mesure où les représentants des FAA savons à l'heure actuelle, aucune autre contact avec l'agence.

Federal investigators said two F-16 fighter jets were scrambled from Houston as a precaution, but were returned after initial details showed no terrorist connection to the crash. Les enquêteurs fédéraux a déclaré que deux F-16 avions de chasse ont été brouillés de Houston à titre de précaution, mais ont été retournés après les détails initiales n'ont révélé aucun lien terroristes à l'accident.

“At this time, we have no reason to believe there is a nexus to terrorist activity. "A ce moment, nous n'avons aucune raison de croire qu'il existe un lien avec des activités terroristes. We continue to gather more information, and are aware there is additional information about the pilot's history,” the US Department of Homeland Security said in a statement. Nous continuons à recueillir plus d'informations, et sont conscients qu'il existe des informations supplémentaires sur l'histoire du pilote, "le ministère américain de la Sécurité intérieure a déclaré dans un communiqué.

The Internal Revenue Service has offices in the Echelon building, including its civil enforcement and criminal investigations divisions, said Special Agent Michael Lemoine, a spokesman for the criminal investigations division. L'Internal Revenue Service a des bureaux dans l'immeuble «Echelon», y compris son exécution civile et pénale des divisions des enquêtes, a déclaré l'agent spécial Michael Lemoine, un porte-parole pour la division des enquêtes criminelles.

He said that some IRS offices are on the first floor, which Lemoine said was hit by the plane. Il a dit que certains bureaux de l'IRS sont au premier étage, qui dit Lemoine a été frappé par l'avion.

William Winnie, an Internal Revenue Service agent, said he was in a training session on the third floor of the building when he saw a light-colored, single-engine plane coming at the building. William Winnie, un agent de l'Internal Revenue Service, a déclaré qu'il était dans une session de formation sur le troisième étage de l'immeuble quand il a vu un de couleur claire, avion mono-moteur à venir devant l'immeuble.

“It looked like it was coming right in my window,” Winnie said. «On aurait dit qu'elle venait juste de ma fenêtre" Winnie dit. He said the plane veered down and to the left and crashed into the floors below. Il a dit que l'avion a viré vers le bas et vers la gauche et s'est écrasé dans les étages ci-dessous. “I didn't lose my footing, but it was enough to knock people who were sitting to the floor.” «Je n'ai pas perdu mon pied, mais ce fut suffisant pour frapper les gens qui étaient assis à même le sol."

To read more witness accounts, click here . Pour lire la suite de témoignages, cliquez ici.

Mischelle Diaz, a spokeswoman for St. Edward's University, said the plane hit next to a building where the university's Professional Education Center provides software training and teaches some graduate students. Mischelle Diaz, porte-parole de l'Université St. Edward's, dit que l'avion a frappé à côté d'un bâtiment où l'université Professional Education Center fournit des logiciels de formation et enseigne à des étudiants des cycles supérieurs. She said the education center has been evacuated and that university officials were trying to confirm that students and instructors all got out safely. Elle a dit que le centre d'éducation a été évacué et que les autorités universitaires ont essayé de confirmer que les étudiants et les instructeurs tous sortis en toute sécurité.

“We're just desperately trying to get some information,” Diaz said. «Nous sommes juste d'essayer désespérément d'obtenir de l'information», a déclaré Diaz.

The American Red Cross of Central Texas will be providing food and water to the firefighters and investigators at the crash site, said spokeswoman Marty McKellips. L'American Red Cross of Central Texas, sera fournissant de la nourriture et l'eau pour les pompiers et les enquêteurs au lieu de l'accident, a déclaré la porte-parole Marty McKellips.

Echelon Building Austin frappé de Petit avion

The seven-story Echelon Building Austin, TX was struck by a small plane just as the 9/11 terrorist attack on Twin Towers. Les sept étages du bâtiment Echelon Austin, TX a été heurté par un petit avion comme l'attaque du 9 terroristes du 11 septembre sur Twin Towers. The investigations are going on, to establish the cause and source of the crash rigorously. Les enquêtes sont en cours, pour établir la cause et la source de l'accident de façon rigoureuse.

As per the latest news from ground zero, two people were gravely injured with the attack and were taken to hospital immediately, apart from the two there are others still unaccounted for. Selon les dernières nouvelles de Ground Zero, deux personnes ont été gravement blessés à l'attaque et ont été emmenés à l'hôpital immédiatement, à part les deux, il y en a d'autres toujours portés disparus. The plane crashed into Echelon Building Austin Texas was stolen from the airport and was a small four seater plane. L'avion s'est écrasé sur Echelon Building Austin au Texas a été volé à l'aéroport et était un petit avion quatre places.

The plane was flown by Joe Stack who had some personal grudges against IRS services and to take the revenge he took this step. L'avion était piloté par Joe Stack qui avait des griefs personnels contre les services de l'IRS et de prendre les venger, il a pris cette mesure. The pilot Joe Stack is presumed dead and it is known that the he before executing this crash, burned his own house along with little daughter and his wife. Le pilote Joe Stack est présumé mort, et on sait que l'île avant l'exécution de cet accident, brûlé sa maison avec sa petite fille et sa femme.

Investigators are looking into the reason of the Austin plane crash deeply and are making sure that there are no terrorist strings attached to the crash. Les enquêteurs étudient la raison de l'accident d'avion Austin profondément et faisons en sorte qu'il n'existe pas de chaînes terroristes attachés à l'écrasement. Meanwhile complete protection and security alerts has been sent all over and the security agencies are making sure nothing ill happens due to the crash. En attendant une protection complète et alertes de sécurité ont été envoyés de partout et les agences de sécurité assurons que rien ne se passe malades à cause de l'accident. Also there hasn't been any terrorist involvement established in the crash till now. Aussi il n'y a pas eu d'implication terroriste mis en place dans l'accident jusqu'à présent.

Homme qui volait avion dans le Texas immeuble de bureaux ont assisté à Milton Hershey School, a étudié à Harrisburg Area Community College

February 18, 2010, 4:14PM 18 février 2010, 4:14 PM

AP Photo/Jack Plunkett Smoke billows from a seven-story building after a small private plane crashed into the building in Austin, Texas. AP Photo / Jack Plunkett flots de fumée à partir d'un bâtiment de sept étages après un petit avion privé s'est écrasé dans le bâtiment à Austin, au Texas.

This post was updated from a previous version. Ce poste a été mis à jour depuis une version précédente.

The man believed to have flown a small plane into an Austin, Texas office building this morning graduated from Milton Hershey School in 1974 and studied engineering at Harrisburg Area Community College in the mid-1970s, a college spokeswoman has confirmed. L'homme soupçonné d'avoir volé un petit avion dans une Austin, Texas immeuble de bureaux, ce matin, est diplômé de Milton Hershey School en 1974 et a étudié l'ingénierie à Harrisburg Area Community College, au milieu des années 1970, un porte-parole du collège a confirmé.

Provided photo, Milton Hershey Class of 1974 Joseph Andrew Stack Pourvu photo, Milton Hershey, classe de 1974, Joseph Andrew Stack

Joseph Andrew Stack, the man authorities say set fire to his home, then flew the single-engine Cirrus aircraft into the Echelon building, killing himself and injuring two others. Joseph Andrew Stack, les autorités homme dire mis le feu à sa maison, s'est ensuite dirigé vers un seul moteur de l'avion Cirrus dans le bâtiment «Echelon», se tuant et blessant deux autres. A lengthy suicide note/manifesto found on the Internet that was apparently posted by Stack rants about his perceived injustice at the hands of the IRS. Une note de suicide longues / manifeste trouvé sur l'Internet qui a apparemment été mis en ligne par rants Stack sur son sentiment d'injustice face aux mains de l'IRS.

In the missive, Stack wrote: "The significance of independence, however, came much later during my early years of college; at the age of 18 or 19 when I was living on my own as student in an apartment in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania." Dans la missive, Stack a écrit: "L'importance de l'indépendance, cependant, est venu beaucoup plus tard au cours de mes premières années de collège; à l'âge de 18 ou 19 ans lorsque je vivais dans mon propre comme étudiant dans un appartement à Harrisburg, en Pennsylvanie."

Stack went on to write about how he claimed incompetent management, unions and the government colluded to rob an elderly neighbor of her husband's pension and retirement benefits from a local steel mill. Stack a continué à écrire sur la façon dont il a réclamé une gestion incompétente, les syndicats et le gouvernement a agi de connivence pour voler une vieille voisine de la pension de son mari et de la retraite bénéficie d'une aciérie locale.

An engineering major, Stack earned 60 credits at HACC between 1975 and 1977. Une ingénierie d'envergure, Stack a obtenu 60 crédits à HACC entre 1975 et 1977. He did not earn an associates degree at the school. Il ne gagne pas un degré associés à l'école. Records do not show if he transferred those credits to a four-year-school, the HACC spokeswoman said. Dossiers ne montrent pas si il a transféré ces crédits à un quatre-année scolaire, le porte-parole de HACC dit.

Little else about Stack, including any local address where he lived in school here, is readily available in HACC's records because of a change in the school's computerized filing system in the late 90s, when HACC stopped using social security numbers as student ID numbers, the spokeswoman said. Peu d'autres choses à propos de la pile, y compris toute adresse locale où il a vécu à l'école ici, est disponible dans les dossiers HACC à cause d'un changement de système d'archivage informatisé de l'école à la fin des années 90, lorsque HACC cessé d'utiliser les numéros de sécurité sociale comme étudiant en nombre, les porte-parole.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. L'Associated Press a contribué à ce rapport.

Plane Crash Austin, Texas dans Echelon bâtiment de l'IRS!

Pland s'écrase dans le bâtiment Echelon à Austin, au Texas, avec une énorme explosion. Building 1 dans le bâtiment Echelon a été frappé par un avion à Austin, TX. It was a small plane hitting the Echelon building which caused a massive explosion. C'était un petit avion a frappé le bâtiment «Echelon» qui a provoqué une explosion massive. No worries about this being terrorist attack because it is not a commercial airliner. Pas de soucis au sujet de cette attaque terroriste être parce qu'elle n'est pas un avion de ligne commerciale. NORAD sent out 2 F-16 fighter planes in order to respond to the crash quickly. NORAD a envoyé 2 F-16 avions de chasse afin de répondre rapidement à l'accident. The damage the Echelon building sustained is incredible. Les dégâts du bâtiment Echelon soutenue est incroyable. Although it is early in the plane crash; however, only 2 people have been taken to the hospital. Bien qu'il soit trop tôt dans l'accident d'avion, mais seulement 2 personnes ont été prises à l'hôpital. Law enforcement needs to time to investigate the causes of the small plane's crash; however, they do not believe it is caused by a terrorist attack. Application de la loi a besoin de temps pour enquêter sur les causes du crash de l'avion petit, mais ils ne croient pas qu'elle est causée par un attentat terroriste. However, it is possible that the small plane could have crashed the plane on purpose or it could have been an accident. Toutefois, il est possible que le petit avion pourrait s'être écrasé l'avion sur le but ou il pourrait avoir été un accident. Rumors are indicating that the pilot was mad at the IRS so he first set his own house on fire and then crashed into the building where the IRS is located in Austin, Texas. Les rumeurs sont ce qui indique que le pilote était en colère contre l'IRS ainsi il d'abord définir sa propre maison en feu, et s'est ensuite écrasé dans le bâtiment où l'IRS est situé à Austin, au Texas. Law Enforcement and Emergency Personnel are asking people to stay away from the Echelon Building and all roads around the Echelon building in Austin, Texas. Application de la loi et de la Protection du personnel demandons aux gens de rester loin de l'édifice Echelon et toutes les routes autour de l'édifice Echelon à Austin, au Texas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfDmlM2938o

Austin plane crash: Full text of Joe Stack online suicide note posted on website embeddedart.com Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/

If you’re reading this, you’re no doubt asking yourself, “Why did this have to happen?” The simple truth is that it is complicated and has been coming for a long time. The writing process, started many months ago, was intended to be therapy in the face of the looming realization that there isn’t enough therapy in the world that can fix what is really broken. Needless to say, this rant could fill volumes with example after example if I would let it. I find the process of writing it frustrating, tedious, and probably pointless… especially given my gross inability to gracefully articulate my thoughts in light of the storm raging in my head. Exactly what is therapeutic about that I’m not sure, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

We are all taught as children that without laws there would be no society, only anarchy. Sadly, starting at early ages we in this country have been brainwashed to believe that, in return for our dedication and service, our government stands for justice for all. We are further brainwashed to believe that there is freedom in this place, and that we should be ready to lay our lives down for the noble principals represented by its founding fathers. Remember? One of these was “no taxation without representation”. I have spent the total years of my adulthood unlearning that crap from only a few years of my childhood. These days anyone who really stands up for that principal is promptly labeled a “crackpot”, traitor and worse.

While very few working people would say they haven’t had their fair share of taxes (as can I), in my lifetime I can say with a great degree of certainty that there has never been a politician cast a vote on any matter with the likes of me or my interests in mind. Nor, for that matter, are they the least bit interested in me or anything I have to say.

Why is it that a handful of thugs and plunderers can commit unthinkable atrocities (and in the case of the GM executives, for scores of years) and when it’s time for their gravy train to crash under the weight of their gluttony and overwhelming stupidity, the force of the full federal government has no difficulty coming to their aid within days if not hours? Yet at the same time, the joke we call the American medical system, including the drug and insurance companies, are murdering tens of thousands of people a year and stealing from the corpses and victims they cripple, and this country’s leaders don’t see this as important as bailing out a few of their vile, rich cronies. Yet, the political “representatives” (thieves, liars, and self-serving scumbags is far more accurate) have endless time to sit around for year after year and debate the state of the “terrible health care problem”. It’s clear they see no crisis as long as the dead people don’t get in the way of their corporate profits rolling in.

Did Sen. Scott Brown rationalize Joseph Stack's plane crash?

What senator would publicly associate his political ideals with the frustrations espoused by a man who crashed a plane into a government building -- just hours after Joseph Stack's destructive suicide?

Massachusetts Republican Senator Scott Brown.

And when would said senator have made such an association?

In what Fox News said is his first nationally televised interview since he took office. What's worse -- by tying in the voter frustration that got him elected and not saying Stack was wrong, Brown appears to rationalize how he may have been right.

Watch:

Politicians rooting talking points in this morning's Austin plane crash? It could become a trend, or it could be ruled "too much, too soon." That all depends on how Stack is portrayed by the public and the media. Was he a crazy man with defensible ideas, or just crazy?

Fox News anchor Neil Cavuto began the interview by asking for Brown's reaction to the incident and to the "really crazy stuff" Stack rants about in the note he put on his Web site.

"Well it's certainly tragic and I feel for the families obviously being affected by it," Brown began.

And I don't know if it's related, but I can just sense not only in my election, but since being here in Washington, people are frustrated. They want transparency, they want their elected officials to be accountable and open and talk about the things that are affecting their daily lives. So I'm not sure that there's a connection, I certainly hope not. But we need to do things better.

Cavuto: Um, you know invariably people are going to look at this and say, well, that's where some of this populist rage gets you. [At this point, footage of the building IRS building in Austin appears on the right of the screen.] Isn't that a bit extreme?

Brown: Well, yeah, of course it's extreme. You don't know anything about the individual. He could have had other issues, certainly. No one likes paying taxes, obviously. But the way we're trying to deal with things and have been in the past, at least until I got here is, there's such a logjam in Washington. And people want us to do better. They want us to help solve the problems that are affecting Americans in a very real way.

[Here, the display zooms back to just Cavuto and Brown.]

And I think we, I'm hopeful that we can do that, with a lot of the things that are coming forward. At least what I'm hearing through, and speaking with my colleagues this seems to be a diff feel there's kind of a message that was sent with my election, the fact that I was elected by a substantial margin taking the former Ted Kennedy's seat. They want difference up here and I'm hopeful that's going to happen.

Plane crash: Cedar Park man missing

CEDAR PARK, Texas (KXAN) - Austin News has learned from a family friend that the man missing during the aftermath of Thursday's plane crash at the Eschelon building in north Austin is Vernon Hunter of Cedar Park.

Cars formed a line leading up his home outside Austin Thursday night. Friends stopped by to check on Hunter’s wife and share their condolences after an unimaginable day.

Vernon Hunter and his wife both worked as revenue officers for the Internal Revenue Service in the building struck by a plane that morning. One of their co-workers, a close family friend, stepped outside to speak with KXAN on the condition of anonymity.

“She (Hunter’s wife) can’t speak right now,” the woman said. “She just too overwhelmed by everything that’s happened.”

The woman said she and Hunter’s wife were both about 20 feet away from where the plane crashed through a second-floor window. That window overlooking Research Boulevard was part of Hunter’s office.

“He was in there,” she said. “We just heard a loud boom, then the ceiling started to fall.”

She said the lights went out, and people were screaming amid sounds of crashing glass. Some of her co-workers made it to safety by crawling out the window. She and Hunter’s wife followed the sound of someone’s voice to the exit.

“We just heard, ‘This way. Follow me. Follow my voice.’”

Both uninjured beyond minor smoke inhalation, the two women eventually learned from police that Hunter was the only person they could not find. As crews discovered two bodies within the rubble, she said they knew one of those must be Hunter.

“It’s hard to believe,” the woman continued. “First we go through this, then we have to deal with something so sad.”

Hunter was also a group leader among the IRS agents in the building. The woman, who did not recall Hunter’s age, said he has six grown children. The family is now waiting for word from police concerning the identification of the two bodies.

“He loved his wife dearly,” she added. “There was nobody like him. One of the kindest people I’ve ever met.”

Cavs get Jamison, Telfair in 3-team deal

Cavaliers Wednesday acquired Antawn Jamison from Washington in a three-team deal that sent big man Zydrunas Ilgauskas to the Wizards.

The Cavs, who currently sport the best record in the NBA at 43-11, sent their top 2010 draft pick and the rights to forward Emir Preldzic to Washington in a deal that also saw them acquire point guard Sebastian Telfair from the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Clippers got Drew Gooden from the Wizards and sent forward Al Thornton, the Clippers' first-round draft pick in 2008, to Washington.

All six players involved in the transaction must either pass physicals or have their physicals waived by their new team, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer reported Wednesday.

Jamison is a former all-star who played for Team USA and is averaging 20.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per game for Washington this season.

Ilgauskas is the all-time Cavs leader in rebounds, blocked shots and games played.

The NBA trade deadline is 3 p.m. Thursday.

Clippers trade Telfair, Thornton, get Gooden in 3-team deal

The NBA trading deadline is Thursday, and the Clippers are staying busy.

The Clippers landed veteran forward Drew Gooden from Washington, while shedding reserves guard Sebastian Telfair and forward Al Thornton, according to the Washington Post.

As part of this three-team deal, the Wizards sent forward Antawn Jamison to Cleveland, according to the Washington Post and Yahoo.

This apparently means Cleveland did not land forward Amare Stoudemire from Phoenix.

-- Barry Stavro

The Cavs Get The Final Piece Of The Puzzle…Sebastian Telfair

The Cleveland Cavaliers have made the blockbuster deal that has been speculated for days now, landing Sebastian Telfair from the Los Angeles Clippers in a three team deal.

(image via)

With recent injuries to starters Mo Williams and Delonte West, it was widely speculated that the Cavs would make a move to strengthen their short handed back court, and Telfair was their main target.

"Sebastian Telfair brings something to the team that was very unique–an ESPN2 documentary", said Cavs GM Danny Ferry.

"If you look at even the outtakes–the OUTTAKES–of ‘Through the Fire’, you will see that we not only acquired one of Stephon Marbury’s cousins, but one of Coney Island’s finest high school point guards of all time".

Rumor had it that the Cavaliers were looking to land both Telfair and Marbury in a family package deal, but Marbury has just signed a deal to play for Shanxi, a team in the Chinese Basketball Association.

Ferry was disappointed to not land the both of them.

"Sure, who wouldn’t want a back court consisting of Stephon and Sebastian? But hey, look at it this way…we got the younger of the Marbury bunch–and he isn’t even the one who eats Vaseline."

With Delonte West’s pending legal issues, it was extremely important to get a point guard in house that could provide stability and maturity.

"Although Telfair has had a couple of firearm incidents himself, we see these as a non issue, Ferry added. I mean come on, team chartered flights aren’t exactly the safest of environments. Did you see all of that crap that happened in Washington?"

It’s not clear how much playing time Telfair will get initially, with Williams practicing today for the first time in weeks and Delonte West’s ring finger finally healed. According to Telfair, he’s not even concerned about that right now. He says he’s only here for one reason:

"Win a ring…for the King".

And that’s exactly what he’s going to do.

In the other components of the deal, the Cavs acquired power forward Antawn Jamison, while Zydrunas Ilgauskas and a first round pick were sent to Washington, and the Los Angeles Clippers will receive Drew Gooden.

Washington will also get Al Thornton.