IN MEMORIAM II

WE MISS YOU ALEX. OUR HEARTS ARE HEAVY AT THE LOSS. WE WILL ALWAYS TREASURE THE JOY THAT WAS YOU. REST EASY BOO-BOO.

SNAPSHOTS

ICE LAYS HEAVY ON THE TREES NEAR DANVILLE, KENTUCKY YESTERDAY. OVER 1 MILLION PEOPLE ARE WITHOUT POWER AFTER A SEVERE ICE STORM HIT THE REGION LATE THIS WEEK.

BTOB/ ALEXANDRE GAUCHO UNCOVERED

As you may know, I closed my previous blog many weeks ago. My plans are to delete the entire blog tomorrow. Over the last several weeks, with that in mind, I have published a few articles from that blog, here on Chikane Deluxe under the heading "BOTB," short for Best of the Blog. This will be the final BTOB post. This posting on Brazilian soccer player Alexandre Gaucho originally appeared on August 10, 2007.

ALEXANDRE GAUCHO IS A BRAZILIAN SOCCER PLAYER WHO CURRENTLY PLAYS FOR THE FIGUERIENSE TEAM IN FLORIANOPOLIS, BRAZIL.

MUSIC HISTORY/ 30 YEARS AGO

BILLBOARD TOP 10 SINGLES FOR WEEK ENDING JAN 31,1979:
1. LE FREAK--CHIC
2. YMCA--VILLAGE PEOPLE
3. DO YA THINK I'M SEXY--ROD STEWART
4. A LITTLE MORE LOVE--OLIVIA NEWTON JOHN
5. TOO MUCH HEAVEN--BEE GEES
6. MY LIFE--BILLY JOEL
7. EVERY 1'S A WINNER--HOT CHOCOLATE
8. FIRE--POINTER SISTERS
9. SEPTEMBER--EARTH, WIND, & FIRE
10. I WILL SURVIVE--GLORIA GAYNOR

TOP DEBUT ON HOT 100: #82 DOG & BUTTERFLY--HEART

TV/ TOP 10 PROGRAMS 1-31-09

1. PRAYERS FOR BOBBY (Lifetime) **
2. LOST (ABC)
3. THE CLOSER (TNT) *
4. CSI (CBS)
5. DAMAGES (FX)
6. THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS (CBS & Soapnet)
7. GHOST WHISPERER (CBS)
8. THE MENTALIST (CBS)
9. 2009 SAG AWARDS (TNT) **
10. AMERICAN IDOL (FOX)

*--Season Premiere
**--One Off Special

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

SPORTS/"THORPEDO" ADDRESSES RUMOURS: One of Australia's best-known sporting heroes has issued a statement after press speculation about the nature of his relationship with a fellow swimmer. Ian Thorpe, known as the "Thorpedo," won 5 Olympic gold medals for Australia and 11 World Championship golds. He retired in 2006. The 26-year-old has been the victim of persistent rumours about his sexuality. A recent month-long holiday with close friend, longtime housemate and fellow swimmer and Daniel Mendes let to more press speculation. Yesterday Thorpe spoke out. "Over the last few days there have been a series of press articles published speculating about my friendship with Daniel Mendes," he said. "I am still friends with many of the people I competed and trained with during my swimming career. Daniel is one such good friend whom I have known for many years. I have only commented on this issue at this time because I draw a line when innuendo implicates people like my family and my friends. I find this kind of inaccurate speculation tiresome and I am annoyed by the hurt it has caused those closest to me." Thorpe said in 2006 that he did not mind being a gay icon. At the time he said: "People can think whatever they want to think and people will tell you black and blue that I am gay. There is no basis for what they are saying. It's no big deal because that doesn't affect any part of my life. I don't care what people are saying in that regard because it doesn't mean when I get in my car I worry about what's going to happen today or am I being followed. It's not embarrassing." Thorpe has his own jewellery line and fragrance and has worked as an 'ambassador' for Armani.

MUSIC/JADE IS UK EUROVISION: Jade Ewen has been chosen to sing Andrew Lloyd Webber's Eurovision Song Contest entry for the UK in Moscow. The Londoner won the public vote today, ahead of identical sibling act The Twins and Welshman Mark Evans after all 3 acts performed "My Time". The ballad, heard for the first time, was composed by Lloyd Webber with US Grammy-winning lyricist Diane Warren. The composer said he would give "101% commitment" to the singer ahead of the Eurovision final on May 16. Jade is now faced with the task of reversing the UK's very poor recent form at Eurovision, including last place at the 2008 final. She is expected to go on a tour of Europe to promote the song ahead of the competition. Lloyd Webber has said that a top 10 placing, last achieved in 2002, would be a "realistic" goal.

MUSIC/"NOW" POSSIBLE TV SERIES: "Now That's What I Call Music!," the long-running series of hit-single compilations, is being shopped as a TV show by Simon Fuller and his 19 Entertainment company. While still in its early stages, the show doesn't have an official title yet, although it's likely to incorporate some variation of the "Now" brand name, details are beginning to emerge. Fuller, the mastermind behind "American Idol" and "So You Think You Can Dance," has the exclusive global rights to negotiate a TV deal based on the property. "This show will be nothing like 'American Idol' and definitely won't be a spinoff," he says. "It will be a new take on music programming." At the center of the show will be the hits themselves, by such acts as Britney Spears, U2 and Jay-Z. "The TV show is designed to take the brand 'Now' and bring it to a broader level," says Bob Mercer, CEO of Now That's What I Call Music, a partnership involving Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and EMI Music. (Warner Music Group has a competing product called "Only Hits.") "A lot of people are buying 'Now' as their guide to what is happening in the music world over the last few months," Mercer says. "The intent is to take that brand and that trust in that brand and establish it as a TV show with the same elements."

AVIATION/ WORLDS BEST COMPLAINT LETTER

A VIRGIN AIRILNES passenger whose hilarious complaint letter became a viral internet phenomenon has been invited to select food and wine on future flights. The identity of the letter's author was revealed to be Oliver Beale, 29, a high-flying advertising executive. Mr Beale addressed his letter directly to Virgin boss Richard Branson to complain about the quality of his in-flight meal during a flight from Mumbai to Heathrow in December last year. He attached photographs of the meal as evidence. London media reported that Mr Branson had called Mr Beale personally to apologise and invited him to select food and wine for future Virgin flights. "He was incredibly nice about the whole thing but I haven't received any compensation since talking to him," Mr Beale said. The letter read:
Dear Mr Branson:
REF: Mumbai to Heathrow 7th December 2008
I love the Virgin brand, I really do which is why I continue to use it despite a series of unfortunate incidents over the last few years. This latest incident takes the biscuit.
Ironically, by the end of the flight I would have gladly paid over a thousand rupees for a single biscuit following the culinary journey of hell I was subjected to at thehands of your corporation.
Look at this Richard. Just look at it: (picture sent).
I imagine the same questions are racing through your brilliant mind as were racing through mine on that fateful day. What is this? Why have I been given it? What have I done to deserve this? And, which one is the starter, which one is the desert?
You don't get to a position like yours Richard with anything less than a generous sprinkling of observational power so I KNOW you will have spotted the tomato next to the two yellow shafts of sponge on the left. Yes, it's next to the sponge shaft without the green paste. That's got to be the clue hasn't it. No sane person would serve a desert with a tomato would they. Well answer me this Richard, what sort of animal would serve a desert with peas in: (picture sent).
I know it looks like a baaji but it's in custard Richard, custard. It must be the pudding. Well you'll be fascinated to hear that it wasn't custard. It was a sour gel with a clear oil on top. It's only redeeming feature was that it managed to be so alien to my palette that it took away the taste of the curry emanating from our miscellaneous central cuboid of beige matter. Perhaps the meal on the left might be the desert after all.
Anyway, this is all irrelevant at the moment. I was raised strictly but neatly by my parents and if they knew I had started desert before the main course, a sponge shaft would be the least of my worries. So lets peel back the tin-foil on the main dish and see what's on offer.
I'll try and explain how this felt. Imagine being a twelve year old boy Richard. Now imagine it's Christmas morning and you're sat their with your final present to open. It's a big one, and you know what it is. It's that Goodmans stereo you picked out the catalogue and wrote to Santa about.
Only you open the present and it's not in there. It's your hamster Richard. It's your hamster in the box and it's not breathing. That's how I felt when I peeled back the foil and saw this: (picture sent).
Now I know what you're thinking. You're thinking it's more of that Baaji custard. I admit I thought the same too, but no. It's mustard Richard. MUSTARD. More mustard than any man could consume in a month. On the left we have a piece of broccoli and some peppers in a brown glue-like oil and on the right the chef had prepared some mashed potato. The potato masher had obviously broken and so it was decided the next best thing would be to pass the potatoes through the digestive tract of a bird.
Once it was regurgitated it was clearly then blended and mixed with a bit of mustard. Everybody likes a bit of mustard Richard.
By now I was actually starting to feel a little hypoglycaemic. I needed a sugar hit. Luckily there was a small cookie provided. It had caught my eye earlier due to it's baffling presentation: (picture sent).
It appears to be in an evidence bag from the scene of a crime. A CRIME AGAINST BLOODY COOKING. Either that or some sort of back-street underground cookie, purchased off a gun-toting maniac high on his own supply of yeast. You certainly wouldn't want to be caught carrying one of these through customs. Imagine biting into a piece of brass Richard. That would be softer on the teeth than the specimen above.
I was exhausted. All I wanted to do was relax but obviously I had to sit with that mess in front of me for half an hour. I swear the sponge shafts moved at one point.
Once cleared, I decided to relax with a bit of your world-famous onboard entertainment. I switched it on: (picture sent).
I apologise for the quality of the photo, it's just it was incredibly hard to capture Boris Johnson's face through the flickering white lines running up and down the screen. Perhaps it would be better on another channel: (picture sent).
Is that Ray Liotta? A question I found myself asking over and over again throughout the gruelling half-hour I attempted to watch the film like this. After that I switched off. I'd had enough. I was the hungriest I'd been in my adult life and I had a splitting headache from squinting at a crackling screen.
My only option was to simply stare at the seat in front and wait for either food, or sleep. Neither came for an incredibly long time. But when it did it surpassed my wildest expectations: (picture sent).
Yes! It's another crime-scene cookie. Only this time you dunk it in the white stuff.
Richard. What is that white stuff? It looked like it was going to be yoghurt. It finally dawned on me what it was after staring at it. It was a mixture between the Baaji custard and the Mustard sauce. It reminded me of my first week at university. I had overheard that you could make a drink by mixing vodka and refreshers. I lied to my new friends and told them I'd done it loads of times. When I attempted to make the drink in a big bowl it formed a cheese Richard, a cheese. That cheese looked a lot like your baaji-mustard.
So that was that Richard. I didn't eat a bloody thing. My only question is: How can you live like this? I can't imagine what dinner round your house is like, it must be like something out of a nature documentary.
As I said at the start I love your brand, I really do. It's just a shame such a simple thing could bring it crashing to it's knees and begging for sustenance.
Yours Sincererly
XXXX

AVIATION/ SPIRIT ADS UNDER FIRE

Flight Attendants and Pilots for US carrier SPIRIT AIRLINES want the company to pull a series of sexually suggestive advertisements, along with a new requirement they wear a Bud Light patch on service aprons. Patricia A. Friend, head of the US Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, complained in a letter to Spirit executives this month. When the Airline refused to change the ad campaigns, and the aprons were handed out Monday, the union issued a public statement. Pilots followed suit Wednesday. "I feel as though I have entered a time warp and am reliving the battles for respect and justice for women that we fought for 40 years ago," Friend said. Some of Spirit's ads invite customers to enjoy its DD's (deep discounts) and "MILF" specials - double entendres that also refer to large breasts and a crude acronym popularized in the 1999 movie "American Pie" that describes an attractive mother. Spirit spokeswoman Misty Pinson said the union was consulted last year when the carrier began the discussion on selling apron ad space, and it raised no concerns. Pinson said some of the ads in question have been used for more than a year. "Actually we've had great response from passengers that love the fares we offer through those promotions," Pinson said. She disputed the Flight Attendants' characterisation that the aprons made them "walking billboards," and called them small and tasteful. The union argues they undermine Flight Attendants' federal obligation to cut off drunk or unruly passengers, and are offensive to employees with religious objections to alcohol. The apron space is available in Spirit's larger push to sell advertising in any plausible format - including seat-back trays, overhead bins, napkins and cups. Spirit, located in the Miami suburb of Miramar, Fla., describes itself as "ultra low-cost." It does not offer any complimentary snacks, drinks or checked bags. The company has a history of off-color advertising. In 2006, it was forced to pull a promotion called "The Hunt for Hoffa," playing off the FBI's search for Jimmy Hoffa's remains, after receiving customer complaints. Other recent campaigns include the "Threesome Sale" and December's "Cheap and Easy and Nothing to Hide" sale. "These initiatives not only support continued growth of the company, but also help keep secure jobs for our valued employees, at a time when the Airline industry continues to cut capacity and jobs," Spirit said in a statement.

AVIATION NEWS BRIEFS

787 PRODUCTION RESUMES: Boeing says production of its 787 Dreamliner resumed Thursday, for the 1st time since last year's machinists strike, with the join of the 5th airplane designated for flight test. Aircraft ZA005 is the first to be powered with General Electric GEnx engines. The major assemblies were loaded in final body join over the past several days. The fuselage and wing joins occur simultaneously. 5 of the 6 airplanes designated for flight test are now in varying stages of production. Power was restored earlier this week to the 1st flight-test airplane, ZA001, and production testing has resumed as the airplane prepares for 1st flight in the 2nd quarter. Rolls-Royce engines are hung on ZA002, in the 4th and final production position in the factory. The 3rd and 4th flight-test airplanes, ZA003 and ZA004, are in the 3rd and 2nd production positions, respectively. Assemblies for the final flight-test airplane, ZA006, are in production at partner sites worldwide. In all, assemblies for 30 Dreamliners are in production at this time. The Dreamliner has orders for 895 airplanes from 58 Airlines. That figure was once over 900 aircraft, but this week, Russian Airline S7 announced it has cancelled its order for 15 planes, due to uncertainty about the global economy.
NEW LAWSUIT IN LEAR CRASH: A new lawsuit has been filed in the September 2008 takeoff crash of a Learjet 60, alleging the layout of the Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE) in South Carolina was culpable for the accident that killed 4 people. INTER TRAVEL & SERVICES, owner of the aircraft, joined with operator Global Exec Aviation of Long Beach in seeking over $12 million in damages from CAE, as well as Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co and Bombardier Aerospace. The 2 year-old Learjet crashed on takeoff at 11:53pm, the night of September 19. The jet skidded off Runway 11 and impacted a berm across a road from the runway end, the plane's fuselage splitting in 2 just forward of the empennage. That circumstance likely saved the lives of former Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker, and Hollywood party DJ Adam Goldberg, who were able to escape through the cracked fuselage but were both severely burned. The 4 fatalities in the accident were Pilot Sarah Lemmon, 31 ; Co-Pilot James Bland, 52; and Charles Monroe Still Jr. and Chris Baker, associates of Barker and Goldstein. It's still too soon to say what caused the accident, though the NTSB noted in its preliminary report the aircraft's crew thought a tire had blown on takeoff, and attempted to abort the takeoff at close to V1, based on tapes from the Lear's cockpit voice recorder. Investigators also recovered pieces of tire at about 2800 feet down from where the Lear started its takeoff roll. Barker, Goldstein, and relatives of Baker and Still have already filed at least 4 lawsuits related to the crash. The latest lawsuit contends CAE did not have proper overrun areas at the runway end, and that an Airport security fence and other items damaged the jet's fuel tanks, causing fuel to spill which later caught fire. The lawsuit also asserts had the adjacent roadway not been lower than the ground surrounding it, the jet may not have crashed nose-down into the embankment on the other side. Officials at CAE denied the allegations levied against their Airport, while a spokesman for Bombardier declined to comment on the pending litigation.
NTSB REPORTS ON OMNI 370: The NTSB have released their final report into an incident involving an OMNI AIR DC10 on May 2, 2007. Omni Flight 370 was on Non-Scheduled International Service from Shannon, Ireland, to Atlanta, Georgia, on behalf of the USAF, when the incident took place. Flight 370, with 292 passengers and 14 crew members onboard, was at 13000 feet and slowing down to 250mph, while on approach to Atlanta, when the "autopilot out of trim light" illuminated and remained lit for about 5 to 6 seconds. Subsequently the DC10 pitched sharply down, before the crew regained control using "demanding" control forces and landed safely on runway 27R. No injuries or damages occured. The NTSB concluded in their final report, that the cause of the incident was "the improper overhaul of the horizontal stabilizer chain drive unit drive assembly."
INCIDENTS
AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 183: The Boeing 757 was on Scheduled Domestic Service from Boston, Massachusetts, to San Francisco, California, when it had to divert while enroute, yesterday, January 30. Flight 183 declared PAN PAN PAN while inflight near Chicago due to unspecified technical problems. The 757 was diverted to Chicago OHare, where it landed without incident. The 757 has been removed from service for inspection and possible repairs. AA is investigating the incident.

IN MEMORIAM

ALEX 1995-2009
WE MOURN THE LOSS OF ALEX, WHO PASSED AWAY SUDDENLY LATE THIS AFTERNOON. ALEX, AKA A-YIX, A, & BOO BOO, LOVED SHRIMP, PLAYING BATTERY RAM, NAPS, AND SPARRING WITH SOPHIA. ALEX LEAVES BEHIND A GRIEVING FAMILY, MOST OF ALL HIS STEP -SISTERS CHERI & SOPHIA. REST WELL GENTLE MAN, UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN.

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable. All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind. They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster. You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart. Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together.

SNAPSHOTS

MOUNT REDOUBT NEAR ANCHORAGE, ALASKA, IS PICTURED IN A QUIETER MOMENT IN TIME. THE VOLCANO IS SHOWING SIGNS OF AN IMMINENT ERUPTION, CAUSING ALASKA TO PUT THE REGION ON ALERT.

LUXE MEN

LUXE MEN

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

FILM/"CONTROVERSY FOR "SLUMDOG": The makers of the Oscars contender "Slumdog Millionaire" have disputed claims that 1 of the child actors face uncertain futures in the squalor of Mumbai's slums. The parents of Azharuddin Ismail, who plays the young Salim, accused the producers of exploiting the 8-year-old by paying him less than many Indian servants and leaving them in grinding poverty. However, Rafiq Qureshi, whose 7-year-old daughter, Rubina, appears in the film as the young Latika, the makers of "Slumdog Millionaire" have done more for the film's child stars than their parents ever could. "Whatever a parent could have done, they have done much more than that," he said during an interview in Mumbai, India on Wednesday. Rubina said working on the film has inspired her to follow in the footsteps of Bollywood actress Preity Zinta. "I would like to study and also pursue a career in the films," Rubina said, adding, "Our movie should definitely get an award (at the Oscars) because it's such a nice movie." As well as raising doubts about the filmmakers' ethics, the claim from threatens 20th Century Fox's campaign to win 10 Oscars, including best picture, next month. But director Danny Boyle and producer Christian Colson insist they paid "painstaking and considered attention" to how the children could benefit from appearing in the film. They had paid for the children to attend school and had established a fund to cover living costs, health care and emergencies. "As an incentive for them to continue to attend school, a substantial lump sum will be released to each child when they complete their studies," Boyle and Colson said yesterday.

MUSIC/LIZA PALACE SET COMING: Liza Minnelli will release "Liza's At The Palace," a recording from her recent Broadway stint at the Palace, on February 3. The 2 disc set includes all the highlights from the SRO show, including "Cabaret," "Maybe This Time," and "New York, New York". The set is shaping up to be one of her most popular releases, ever. Very highly recommended.

US NEWS/ ZOMBIE ALERT IN TEXAS!

Drivers in Austin, Texas, making their morning commute were in for a surprise this week, when 2 road signs on a busy stretch of road were taken over by hackers. The signs usually warn drivers about upcoming construction, but Monday morning they warned of "zombies ahead." The City of Austin does not own the signs, but they are responsible for the message. The contractor on the construction project owns the signs. A city spokesperson said the hacked messages were only up for a few hours, until the construction project manager saw them during his morning commute and immediately ordered them to be changed back. "Even though this may seem amusing to a lot of people, this is really serious, and it is a crime," said a Austin Public Works spokesperson. "And you can be indicted for it, and we want to make sure our traffic on the roadways stays safe." The spokesperson said though it was a locked sign, the padlock for it was cut. Signs such as these have a computer inside that is password-protected, thus whoever did it had to hack into the computer. This crime is a class C misdemeanor in Texas because it endangers the public. Speculation on the Internet is that the signs were inspired by the video game Call of Duty 5, World at War, which is the top game in the country right now and features "nazi zombies," or an upcoming movie about zombies called "Dead Snow". There are also several online sites that teach people how to break into these construction signs.

US NEWS/ PROP 8 SUPPORTERS LOSE A ROUND

Californians who donated money to the campaign to pass Proposition 8 will not have their identities kept secret, a US federal court has ruled. Prop 8 took away the rights of gay and lesbian couples to get married in California. It was approved by 52% of voters in a state ballot in November and brought to an end almost 6 months of legal same-sex weddings. The names and addresses of most donors to the Prop 8 campaign are already in the public domain but the court was asked to conceal the identities of 1,600 late donors. The state is due to release their details on Monday. Prop 8 supporters claimed that donors had been harassed and suffered death threats. Some had their businesses boycotted. However, the court's ruling has been hailed by the organisation that enforces campaign disclosure laws. "This clearly is a victory for the people of California and disclosure," said Roman Porter, executive director of the California Fair Political Practices Commission. "The commission will continue to vigorously defend any suit brought against disclosure of campaign statements." There are legal challenges to Prop 8's validity before the California Supreme Court. In May 2008, the court ruled against a previous Proposition approved in 2000 that defined marriage in the state as between a man and a woman. It ruled that laws that treat people differently based on their sexual orientation violate the equal protection clause of the California Constitution and that same-sex couples have the same fundamental right to marry as other Californians. Proposition 8 challenged this ruling by explicitly denying gay people the right to marry. 18,000 same-sex couples got married before Prop 8 passed. On November 19 2008 the California Supreme Court granted review in the legal challenges to Proposition 8 and established an expedited briefing schedule. Oral arguments could be held as early as March.

US NEWS/ HAGGARD ADMITS TO NEW CLAIMS

Evangelical pastor Ted Haggard said last night it was "fundamentally true" that he engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a 20-year-old male volunteer in 2006. The incident occurred when the 2 men were in bed together, Grant Haas said in a videotaped interview played on CNN's "Larry King Live," last night. "He pretty much asked me if it was OK if he masturbated in front of me or masturbated in the bed next to me," Haas said. "I told him no, it would make me really uncomfortable. But he grabbed a bottle of lotion and started masturbating." Haas added, "(Haggard) used to say to me, 'You know what, Grant, you can become a man of God, and you can have a little bit of fun on the side." Haggard, 52, said the incident was "an indicator of the compulsive behavior" that ruled him at the time. However, he said he has been undergoing therapy during the 2 years since and "working it out." Controversy involving Haggard first erupted in November 2006, when a former prostitute, Mike Jones, said the pastor had paid him for sex over 3 years and had used methamphetamine in his presence. Haggard initially admitted in interviews that he received a massage from Jones but denied having sex with him. He also said he bought methamphetamine, but threw it away instead of using it. Haggard is the former president of the National Association of Evangelicals, which claims to represent millions of people in 45,000 congregations nationwide. He was also the head pastor at New Life Church. Haggard likened his struggles with his desires to the struggles faced by dieters who say, "'I'm not going to eat today' and then they eat." "Many of the charges against me are exaggerated, but it doesn't matter," Haggard told Larry King. "I'm guilty enough of so many things." He acknowledged that his actions were hypocritical, but said he could not control his urges. "I felt like God's plan was for sexuality to be in a monogamous, heterosexual marriage," he said. "I wanted that. But at the same time, I had these other things going on." Asked if he has engaged in inappropriate conduct with any other men, Haggard did not give a direct answer, saying only, "I have thoroughly discussed all of my sexual history with my wife and my therapist and, to some degree, the family, and we think that's an appropriate boundary for that." Asked whether he considers himself bisexual or gay, Haggard said that different therapists have described him in different ways. "The first said, 'You are a heterosexual with homosexual attachments.' I wasn't sure what that meant." His current therapist, he said, described him as "a heterosexual with complications." Haggard said he has, at least, another year of therapy ahead of him. His appearance coincided with the debut of an HBO documentary called "The Trial of Ted Haggard," which premiered last night. Haggard also appeared on Oprah earlier this week.

US NEWS/ ILLINOIS OUSTS BLAGOJEVICH

The Blago saga in Illinois is over. After weeks of shocking twists and turns, the conclusion of Rod Blagojevich's tenure as Illinois governor offered no surprises at all. Blagojevich addressed his Senate impeachment trial and offered familiar lines: He was innocent. The trial rules were unfair. His goal always was to help people. Then the Senate did what was expected and voted to throw Blagojevich out of office. And on an identical 59-0 roll call, it barred the 2-term Democrat from ever again holding public office in the state. Blagojevich, accused of trying to sell Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat, becomes the first US governor in more than 20 years to be removed by impeachment. Democratic Lt. Governor Pat Quinn, one of Blagojevich's critics, was promptly sworn in as governor. "The ordeal is over," declared Quinn, 60. Blagojevich's troubles, however, are not over. Federal prosecutors are drawing up an indictment against him on corruption charges. Outside his Chicago home last night, Blagojevich vowed to "keep fighting to clear my name," and added: "Give me a chance to show you that I haven't let you down." The ordeal capped a head-spinning string of developments that began with his arrest by the FBI on December 9. Federal prosecutors had been investigating Blagojevich's administration for years, and some of his closest cronies already have been convicted. The most spectacular allegation was that Blagojevich had been caught on wiretaps scheming to sell an appointment to Obama's Senate seat for campaign cash or a plum job for himself or his wife. "I've got this thing and it's (expletive) golden, and I'm just not giving it up for (expletive) nothing. I'm not gonna do it," he was quoted as saying on a government wiretap. Sen. James Meeks, a Chicago Democrat, mocked Blagojevich during debate: "We have this thing called impeachment and it's bleeping golden and we've used it the right way." Obama himself, fresh from his historic election victory, was forced to look into the matter and issued a report concluding that no one in his inner circle had done anything wrong. "Today ends a painful episode for Illinois," the president said in a statement last night. "For months, the state had been crippled by a crisis of leadership. Now that cloud has lifted."

AVIATION/ AIRLINE REFUSES TO HELP F/A CREW

3 US AIRWAYS Flight Attendants have been sued by a Co-Pilot over an incident in 2003, and the Airline has refused to assist them with the case. The incident took place on January 24, 2003, onboard AMERICA WEST Flight 851, on Scheduled International Service from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, to Phoenix, Arizona. Since the incident took place, America West has been absorbed into US Airways. The 3 Flight Attendants were onboard the aircraft that morning, along with a Pilot and the Co-Pilot, who is sueing. All 3 Flight Attendants reported that ice was accumulated on the aircraft and suggested that it be de-iced prior to departure. According to the Flight Attendants, it took 3 attempts before the cockpit crew "unwillingly" agreed to de-ice the aircraft. The aircraft was then de-iced, and departed Calgary without incident. The aircraft arrived in Phoenix without delay. As per Federal regulations, the Flight Attendants reported the case to the FAA, which dropped proceedings against the Pilots in 2006 stating, that they couldn't substantiate the allegations, even though the Flight Attendants may have been telling the truth. The Co-Pilot, put in charge by the Captain to decide about de-icing, hired an attorney to represent him before the FAA, which cost him around $21,000. The Co-Pilot then filed a law suit for $2 million dollars against the 3 Flight Attendants in 2006, for defamation. US Airways has informed the Flight Attendants that they are on their own for that law suit, and wouldn't cover the bills for legal representation, even though they were on duty and following required crew cooperation procedures to ensure safety of flight. Unknown to the Flight Attendants, Calgary Airport had filed an irregularity report as well, as ground staff had observed contamination of the wings and approached the flight crew asking, whether de-icing would be needed and received a blunt "no". The Co-Pilot has admitted in a court deposition that there was frost on the wings of the aircraft indeed, but denied, that they were approached by the Flight Attendants until after having pushed back. Contaminated wings have been cause of many crashes in the past, and federal law requires that wings must be free from any contamination before takeoff. The 3 Flight Attendants have set up a blogspot website, helpflightattendantcrew, asking for donations to fund their legal defense.

AVIATION NEWS BRIEFS

CANADA INVESTIGATES NEAR COLLISION: Transport Canada and Nav Canada are investigating an incident earlier this week, when 2 aircraft came close to colliding. CANADIAN NORTH Flight 1821 was on Scheduled Domestic Boeing 737 Service from Fort MacKay,Horizon Airfield, Alberta, Canada, with 23 passengers and crew onboard, on Monday January 26, when the incident took place. Flight 1821 took off from runway 17 at Fort MacKay Horizon, and begun its climb out of the area. At the same time, a private ERJ170 was descending thru 7000 feet, towards Fort Mackay's Albian Airfield. Both aircraft received onboard TCAS advisories, and the ERJ climbed back up to 7200 feet, while Flight 1821 descended to 5800 feet. Both flights continued on their planned path, without further issues. Transport Canada and NavCanada are investigating the incident, and are examining the air space configuration, that combines 4 airfields: Albian, Horizon, Firebag and Ft. McMurray Mildred Lake, within a 50 mile radius. Traffic has risen dramatically in this area in recent years due to development.
INCIDENTS
MALDIVIAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 406: The Dornier 228 was on Scheduled Domestic Service from Male to Hanimaadhoo, Maldives, when it had to make an emergency return to Male, yesterday, January 29. Flight 406 declared the emergency after takeoff from Male, after the landing gear would not retract. The Dornier landed back at Male without incident, and has been removed from service for inspection. Maldivian is investigating the incident.
AIRTRAN FLIGHT 373: The Boeing 717 was on Scheduled Domestic Service from Columbus, Ohio, to Orlando, Florida, when it experienced a severe delay due to icing, on Wednesday, January 28. The 717 had been parked at Columbus the night before Flight 373 was scheduled to depart. During the night, a heavy snowstorm moved over the Columbus area. While preparing Flight 373 for departure on Wednesday, an inspection revealed 6mm ice on the aircrafts left side. The flight was posted as delayed at that point. Over the next 4 hours, it took the contents of 3 de-icing trucks to remove the ice from the left side of the 717. After boarding the aircraft for departure, and then on taxi from the gate, the aircraft iced over again, and had to be pulled back to the gate. The aircraft was then removed from service and AirTran brought in a new aircraft for the flight. Flight 373 then departed Columbus after a 12 hour, total delay. AirTran is investigating the incident, and has offered all passengers scheduled on the flight, a free round-trip flight with the Airline.
JAL FLIGHT 950: The Boeing 747 was on Scheduled International Service from Seoul, South Korea, to Tokyo, Japan, when a passenger was seriously injured while inflight, on Tuesday, January 27. Flight 950, with 330 passengers and crew onboard, was about 30 minutes into its flight, when the incident took place. As the Flight Attendants began meal service, one of the trolleys rolled away from a Flight Attendant, and hit the seat of a female passenger. A full carafe of hot tea spilled onto the passengers arm. The aircraft continued on to Tokyo, were the passenger was taken to hospital with serious burns on her arm. The Japanese Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation in cooperation with Authorities in South Korea.
TRIP LINHAS AEREAS FLIGHT 5603: The ATR72 was on Scheduled Domestic Service from Carajas to Brasilia, Brazil, with a stop in Araguaina, Brazil, when it had to make an emergency diversion while enroute, on Wednesday, January 21. Flight 5603 was on inflight, when a loud strange noise was heard within the aircraft, followed by severe vibrations. The crew declared an emergency and was diverted to Palmas, Brazil, where it landed without incident. Upon inspection, Airport Officials found that an entire fuselage skin panel was missing from the airframe underside. The aircraft was removed from service. Brazil's ANAC has opened an investigation into the incident, and is looking into possible maintenance issues within the Airline.

SNAPSHOTS

THE VIEW OF THE RIVER THAMES IN LONDON, AS SEEN FROM HIGH ABOVE AT NIGHT IN LATE 2008. THE IMAGE WAS ONE OF SEVERAL RELEASED IN THE UK THIS WEEK FOR A NEW PHOTOGRAPHIC ESSAY BOOK.

LUXE MEN/ CANDID SHOTS (#20)

5 SHOTS OF AMATEUR MEN FROM ALL OVER THE GLOBE.

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

MUSIC/BILLY POWELL DIES AT 56: Lynyrd Skynyrd keyboard player Billy Powell has died at the age of 56 of a suspected heart attack in Florida. Powell, who played on hits including Sweet Home Alabama, called police saying he was having trouble breathing. Emergency services tried to resuscitate the musician but he was pronounced dead an hour later, police said. Powell joined the band in 1972 after working as their roadie and survived a 1977 plane crash which killed 6 people, including 3 band members. They were lead singer and founder Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines and his sister, backing vocalist Cassie Gaines. Powell, who had a history of heart problems, had missed an appointment with a doctor on Tuesday. A statement on the Lynyrd Skynyrd website said: "Beloved pianist for the Lynyrd Skynyrd Band, Billy Powell, passed away last night. The family and band request your respect and understanding during this difficult time." Lynyrd Skynyrd were formed by a group of high school students in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1966, taking their name from their sports teacher Leonard Skinner. They gained popularity in the early 1970s with a string of US hits including "Free Bird" and "What's Your Name". Powell suffered facial injuries in the fatal plane crash in Mississippi on October 20, 1977, but soon recovered. 2 years later, he formed the Rossington-Collins Band with fellow Lynyrd Skynyrd members Allen Collins, Gary Rossington and Leon Wilkeson. The Rossington-Collins Band split up in 1982. In 1991, the reformed Lynyrd Skynyrd released a new album, appropriately titled "Lynyrd Skynyrd 1991," and started a tour in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where they had been travelling to when their plane crashed in 1977. Their last album, "Vicious Cycle," was released in 2003. In 2006, the band was inducted in the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The band, who is currently on a US tour, has canceled upcoming performances. Further concerts had already been scheduled in Europe for this Spring.

MUSIC/JOHN MARTYN DIES AT 60: English Singer-songwriter John Martyn has died at the age of 60. The folk, blues and funk artist was widely regarded as one of the most soulful and innovative singer-songwriters of his generation. He was born in Surrey but grew up in Glasgow. He was appointed an OBE in the New Year Honours. A statement on his website on today said: "With heavy heart and an unbearable sense of loss we must announce that John died this morning." The musican, who passed away in hospital in Ireland, has been cited as an influence by artists as varied as U2, Portishead and Eric Clapton. He collaborated with many musicians throughout his life, including Phil Collins, and his song "May You Never" was covered by many artists, including Clapton. He was the first white act to be signed to Chris Blackwell's Island Records, and recorded his debut album, "London Conversation," for £158 in 1968. Many of his albums, especially "Solid Air," released in 1973, are regarded as classics.

FILM/"NARNIA" FINDS NEW LIFE: 1 month after Disney decided to pull the plug on co-financing the 3rd movie in Walden Media's "Chronicles of Narnia" series, Walden has found a new partner in 20th Century Fox. Fox, which was entitled to first crack at "The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader" after Disney dropped out because of the shared Fox Walden marketing and distribution label, has made a commitment to develop the project. The 2 sides are still working out budget and script issues, but the hope is to shoot the film at the end of summer for a holiday 2010 release through the Fox Walden label. Fox studio seems to be an ideal fit for the "Narnia" books given that it's been looking for a family-friendly, lit-based franchise for years, Fox 2000's "Eragon" failed to catch on with audiences and died after 1 installment. Fox's commitment to the summer start date is contingent upon Walden's selection of a writer. "Dawn Treader" will instead likely shoot in Australia because of concerns for the drug violence and kidnappings that are taking place near Baja. Ben Barnes, Skandar Keynes and Georgie Henley are reprising their roles as Caspian, Edmund and Lucy, respectively. New to the production is Will Poulter ("Son of Rambo"), who will portray Eustace Clarence Scrubb. Pic is being directed by Michael Apted.

FILM/"THE THING" TO RETURN: Universal will add a new chapter to "The Thing," lining up another take on the paranoid horror classic most recently brought to the screen by John Carpenter in 1982. Studio has set "Battlestar Galactica" exec producer Ron Moore to write the script and commercials director Matthijs Van Heijningen to direct the re-imagining. New project borrows heavily from the John W. Campbell Jr. short story "Who Goes There," the basis of the Carpenter film and 1951 Howard Hawks original "The Thing From Another World." It is set in a Norwegian camp and chronicles how the shape-shifting alien was first discovered and overcame the inhabitants of that camp.

WORLD NEWS/ GAY VICTORY IN COLOMBIA

Gay and lesbian couples in Colombia are entitled to the same rights as straight couples in common-law marriages, the country's Constitutional Court ruled yesterday. In April 2008 gay rights group Colombia Diversa, the Centre for Law, Justice and Society (Dejusticia) and the Group of Public Interest Law at the University of the Andes, filed a lawsuit for equal rights for unmarried heterosexual and same-sex partners. The court's ruling means that civil and political rights such as nationality, residency, housing protection and state benefits will now be granted to same-sex partners. Colombia's 1991 constitution promises equal rights for all citizens. Although homosexual relationships were decriminalised in the 1980s, serious human rights violations against LGBT people are commonplace. The South American country of 45 million people is heavily Roman Catholic, and there is significant discrimination against gay people, despite recent court rulings granting rights to same-sex couples. The police have also been accused on numerous occasions for abuse of authority and mistreatment of gay people. However, since the election of Álvaro Uribe Vélez in 2002, the general security situation has improved.

AVIATION/ AIRLINERS HEAD DIES IN CRASH

The head of Airliners.net, one of the worlds authortative websites devoted to aviation, was 1 of 2 people killed in a plane crash last evening in Santa Monica, California. Although authorities have not released the victims names, Airliners 1 of the victims was Paulo Emanuele, the General Manager of the popular aviation enthusiasts Web site. According to media reports, the Marchetti F260 took off from the Santa Monica Airport around 5:00pm. The aircraft went down at the W end of the runway and burst into flames around 5:05pm. Witnesses say the plane took off from the Airport, encountered some sort of a mechanical problem, and tried to return, but crashed. Reports from the scene indicate the plane may have encountered engine failure and crashed, nose first, into the runway. The FAA has opened an investigation into the crash.

AVIATION/ A380 CREATES PROBLEMS AT LAX

Every time QANTAS lands one of its giant A380s at Los Angeles International Airport, parts of the nation's 4th busiest Airport come to a halt. Service roads, taxiways and runways must be closed to airfield trucks, cars and other commercial aircraft as the world's largest passenger plane, with wings almost as long as a football field, arrives, departs and taxis with an official escort of operations vehicles. The plane is so immense that ATC gives it priority so it doesn't have to wait for takeoff at the end of the Airport's southern runways in cloudy or foggy weather because it can disrupt radio signals from the Airport's instrument landing system. More than any other airliner, LAX officials say, the A380 requires special procedures because LAX was not built to accommodate a plane of its size. Despite occasional griping from Airlines, LAX, Qantas, and FAA officials say that A380 operations have gone fairly well since October, when the Australian carrier began service to Los Angeles from Melbourne and Sydney. But ATC and LAX officials caution that as Airlines put more A380s into service, they could hamper Airport operations and delay other commercial flights if improvements to runways, taxiways and terminals are not made in the next few years. Based on Air Transport Assn. figures, every minute of delay for an airliner carrying 150 people costs the carrier and passengers an average total of $152, including the value of fuel, crew time, lost productivity and other expenses. ATC at LAX say the current procedures work because A380s have priority, there are only 1 or 2 planes a day and the Airport isn't as busy as it once was. Since 2000, the average number of daily takeoffs and landings has dropped from about 2150 to 1500 because of declines in air travel after 9/11, high aviation fuel prices last summer and the nation's sagging economy. Controllers say the potential for delay could increase dramatically with the addition of 4 or 5 A380 flights a day. Qantas flies an A380 into LAX on Mondays through Fridays, though there are exceptions to the schedule. A May 2008 study indicated that Qantas and 5 other international carriers wanted to put at least 10 A380s into service at LAX by 2012, but an unprecedented downturn in the Airline industry and a deepening global recession could derail those plans.

AVIATION/ AA LIMITS 767-300 CAPACITY

AMERICAN AIRLINES will limit the number of passengers allowed to fly onboard its Boeing 767-300s, after the carrier found the planes did not have the required number of life rafts onboard. An American spokesman said the problem stems from American's recently-redesigned business-class cabins on the widebody planes, which expanded the number of available seats. Some aircraft have been flying since 2005 without a suitable number of rafts onboard. American said the problem came to light when the Airline reviewed life raft capacity on its recently added Boeing 737-800s, spurred by the recent ditching of US AIRWAYS Flight 1549, and opted to conduct similar reviews throughout the fleet. FAA regulations require enough life rafts to accommodate a full cabin of passengers, including children seated on parents' laps, even of 1 life raft fails to inflate. American's 767-300s can hold 236 people, including 11 crewmembers. Until more rafts are added, American expects the process to take about a month, including crewmember training, the carrier will limit passenger capacity to no more than 228 people on 767-300 flights to Europe and Latin America. The Airline stressed passengers were not endangered by the oversight, as there are other flotation devices available for passengers to use in the event of a water landing. American has 58 767-300s in its fleet. All other types passed the test.

AVIATION NEWS BRIEFS

CARIBAIR GROUNDED: The Dominican aviation authority Instituto Dominicano de Aviación Civil (IDAC) has suspended the Air Operators Certificate (AOC) of CARIBAIR for at least 1 year, because it has failed to resolve safety concerns over unauthorized charter flights. The IDAC said that Caribair has repeatedly violated aviation laws by carrying out charter flights in privately registered planes. The most recent incident was a gear up landing of a Cessna 550 Citation II jet at the Wilmington, North Carolina Airport on January 4. The Citation, on a flight from the Dominican Republic, with 5 passengers and 2 crew members onboard, reportedly suffered fuel exhaustion and crash landed at the Airport. No one onboard was injured in the incident, however the aircraft did suffer sustantial damage. IDAC alleges that Caribair used this plane on on a commercial basis without IDAC authorization.

RUSSIA GROUNDS 4 AIRLINES: The Russian Federal Agency of Air Transport revoked the Air Operator Certificates (AOC) of 4 Airlines after no improvement was seen within 3 months after the initial suspension. The AOC of DALAVIA AIRLINES was revoked on January 26. OMSKAVIA AIRLINES and SIBAVIATRANS AIRLINES were grounded on January 14, while SAMARA AIRLINES was grounded on on December 30, 2008. It is believed that the groundings were related to safety concerns within each Airline.

SINGAPORE CUTS FLIGHTS: SINGAPORE AIRLINES said yesterday that it will suspend some international flights as the worsening global economy takes its toll on travel demand. Flights to India, Southeast Asia, the United States and Europe will be affected, SIA said in a statement. It said the changes will be implemented progressively and will apply until the end of March. Flights between Singapore and the Indian city of Hyderabad will be cut to 3 times weekly from 4, the Airline said. Service between Singapore and New Delhi will be trimmed, as well as Mumbai-Singapore service. In SE Asia, 2 flights between Singapore and Bangkok will be suspended, although the Airline said it will continue to operate 25 flights a week to and from the Thai capital. In Europe, the frequency on the Singapore-London route will be cut to 19 flights a week from 21. Services between Singapore and Zurich will also be reduced. SIA also said it was reducing its all-business class service to New York and Los Angeles. The 14 weekly Airbus A345 flights will be cut to 10.

BOEING 787 TESTS TO GO FORWARD: Boeing has announced it will make the 1st flight of its new 787 Dreamliner without replacing faulty fasteners in some hard-to-reach areas of the plane, to avoid further delays in development. A spokesman for Boeing said, "There has been a huge effort to go in and replace a huge number of these fasteners." The ones to be left in place do not pose safety risks, but will ultimately be replaced before the affected aircraft reach customers. The Dreamliner development has been held up, first by a shortage of fasteners for assembly of composite portions of the plane, then by a contractor who installed them improperly. Then, in November, Spirit Aerosystems, another contractor, discovered that for more than a year, nutplates used in inaccessible areas of Boeing's 737s had missed getting required anti-corrosive cadmium coatings. Days later, the problem was also found to affect widebody models as well, 476 planes in all. Boeing reports 910 Dreamliners on order from Airlines and leasing companies. Boeing says the latest fastener headache will not change plans to make the 787's 1st flight by mid-year. A total of 6 development aircraft will be flown through testing with the substandard fasteners.

INCIDENTS

AEROFLOT FLIGHT 779: The A320 was on Scheduled Domestic Service from Moscow to Krasnoyarsk, Russia, when they had to make an emergency return to Moscow, on Tuesday, January 27. Flight 779 developed unspecified hydraulics problems upon taking off from Moscow. The aircraft entered a holding pattern to burn off fuel, before making a safe landing back at Moscow. The A320 was removed from service for inspection and possible repairs. Aeroflot is investigating the incident.

JET AIRWAYS FLIGHT 65: The Boeing 737 was on Scheduled International Service from Bangkok, Thailand, to Kolkata, India, when a potentially dangerous situation occurred as the aircraft neared Kolkata, on Tuesday, January 27. As the 737 was handed off to Kolkata ATC, they entered into an area of a radio frequency jam. As soon as the Controller made contact with Flight 65, he lost contact with all other aircraft in the area. All other inbound aircraft were contacted on another radio frequency and were put in a holding pattern until the Jet Airways aircraft was on the ground. The 737 landed in Kolkata without incident. No technical problems were found on the 737, and Indian Officials investigating the incident believe it was either caused by ATC equipment problems, or, that another unknown aircraft may have been following the Jet flight and purposely jammed the frequencies. The investigation is ongoing into the incident.

AIR CANADA FLIGHT 206: The ERJ190 was on Scheduled Domestic Service from Vancouver to Calgary, Canada, when it had to make an emergency landing in Calgary, last Thursday, January 22. Flight 206, with 76 passengers and crew onboard, was on approach to Calgary when the slats would not deploy. The crew declared an emergency, and attempted to troubleshoot the problems. Unable to fix the problem, the crew made a safe flapless landing. During inspection, tripped sensors were detected. Both were repaired and the aircraft has since returned to service.

SNAPSHOTS

A LIGHTNING STORM CAPTURED THIS PAST WEEKEND NEAR TENNANT CREEK, IN NW AUSTRALIA.

LUXE MEN

LUXE MEN

MUSIC/ TOP 20 SINGLES 1-28-09

1. FAME(THE GAME)(remix)--DONNA SUMMER
2. DADDY'S GONE--GLASVEGAS
3. USE SOMEBODY--KINGS OF LEON
4. NEVER(remix)--KRISTINE W
5. BROKEN STRINGS--JAMES MORRISON w/ NELLY FURTADO
6. ALLEIN ALLEIN--POLARKRIES 18
7. CRACK THE SHUTTERS--SNOW PATROL
8. CI PARLIAMO DA GRANDI--EROS RAMAZZOTTI
9. LOVE LOCKDOWN--KANYE WEST
10. ALLA MIA ETA--TIZIANO FERRO
11. ULYSSES--FRANZ FERDINAND
12. RUN--LEONA LEWIS
13. WANN--XAVIER NAIDOO w/ CASSANDRA STEEN
14. SPACEMAN--THE KILLERS
15. HUMAN--THE KILLERS
16. DREAM ON(remix)--CHRISTIAN FALK w/ ROBYN
17. LIFE IN TECHNICOLOUR II--COLDPLAY
18. HALO--BEYONCE
19. ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY--ANASTACIA
20. TIME TO PRETEND--MGMT

NEW ENTRIES IN BOLD BLUE TYPE

CHARTBOUND
* DIVA--BEYONCE
* FLOWERS & FOOTBALL TOPS--GLASVEGAS
* GET ON YOUR BOOTS--U2
* LONG DISTANCE--BRANDY
* MY LIFE WOULD SUCK WITHOUT YOU--KELLY CLARKSON
* SHINING LIGHT--ANNIE LENNOX
* STUCK ON REPEAT--LITTLE BOOTS
* THE FEAR--LILY ALLEN
* TO LOSE MY LIFE--WHITE LIES
* TONIGHT--JAY SEAN
* WHAT I CANNOT CHANGE(remix)--LEANN RIMES

MUSIC/ TOP 20 ALBUMS 1-28-09

1. TONIGHT--FRANZ FERDINAND
2. SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE--SOUNDTRACK
3. THE CRYING LIGHT--ANTONY & THE JOHNSONS
4. A HUNDRED MILLION SUNS--SNOW PATROL
5. GLASVEGAS--GLASVEGAS
6. ONLY BY THE NIGHT--KINGS OF LEON
7. E2--EROS RAMAZZOTTI
8. THE STEADY RHYTHM--IVRI LIDER
9. WETT SINGEN--SOHNE MANNHEIMS & XAVIER NAIDOO
10. EVERYTHING IS BORROWED--THE STREETS
11. VOM SELBEM STERN--ICH & ICH
12. SONGS FOR YOU, TRUTHS FOR ME--JAMES MORRISON
13. BACK TO NOW--LABELLE
14. DECADE IN THE SUN/THE BEST OF--STEREOPHONICS
15. SPIRIT(DELUXE EDITION)--LEONA LEWIS
16. HEAVY ROTATION--ANASTACIA
17. DAY & AGE--THE KILLERS
18. METAMORFOZ/REMIXES--TARKAN
19. GREATEST HITS--ENRIQUE IGLESIAS
20. SLIPWAY FIRES--RAZORLIGHT

NEW ENTRIES IN BOLD BLUE TYPE

BOOKS/ TOP 20 BOOKS 1-28-09

1. PRAYERS FOR BOBBY--LEROY AARONS
NonFiction/A mothers christian faith is shattered by her gay son's suicide.
2. THE ASSOCIATE--JOHN GRISHAM
Fiction/A new associate at a law firm has a secret.
3. CONQUISTADORS OF THE SKY--DAN HAGEDORN
NonFiction/The history of aviation in Latin America.
4. DEWEY--VICKY MYRON
NonFiction/The small town library cat that touched the world.
5. REVOLUTIONARY ROAD--RICHARD YATES
Fiction/The classic novel of martial bliss and discord.
6. EXECUTIVE MEN--MAP
NonFiction/A new portfolio from Men At Play productions.
7. 2666--ROBERTO BOLANO
Fiction/3 lives intersect in Santa Teresa, a city of hundreds of murders.
8. SING THEM HOME--STEPHANIE KALLOS
Fiction/A familiy comes full circle after the passing of their father.
9. DEAR FATTY--DAWN FRENCH
NonFiction/Autobiography of the iconic British Comedian.
10. JUST AFTER SUNSET--STEPHEN KING
Fiction/A new collection of stories from the master of suspense.
11. THE HOUR I FIRST BELIEVED--WALLY LAMB
Fiction/A question of faith and the future by a family rocked by tragedy.
12. PORTOBELLO--RUTH RENDELL
Fiction/Secrets shaken by the impact of chance of conincidence.
13. WESLEY THE OWL--STACEY O'BRIEN
NonFiction/The story of a barn owl and the woman who raised him.
14. THE CHARLEMAGNE PURSUIT--STEVE BERRY
Fiction/Cotton Malone in a dangerous quest to Antarctica
15. THE GR BOOK OF THE DEAD--MARION WINK
NonFiction/Rememberances of lives lived and lost.
16. ALL THE COLOURS OF DARKNESS--PETER ROBINSON
Fiction/Inspector Banks investigates a murder, staged as a suicide.
17. THE PRIVATE PATIENT--P.D. JAMES
Fiction/Adam Dalgliesh and his team investigate a murder at a private clinic.
18. FLOOD--STEPHEN BAXTER
Fiction/Rains and rising ocean waters threaten the world.
19. A LION AMONG MEN--GREGORY MAGUIRE
Fiction/The continuing series that began with "Wicked".
20. EXTREME MEASURES--VINCE FLYNN
Fiction/Mitch Rapp and the CIA take on a new and dangerous enemy.

NEW ENTRIES IN BOLD BLUE TYPE

MEDIA/ DNA 109 SPOTLIGHTS MEN OF X

DNA Issue #109 has the newstands in Australia this week. Cover story is on Randy Blue Studios, with Reese Rideout and Xander Scott taking the coveted cover shot. In the same vein, the issue explores the explosion of twins and triplets appearing in porn, most notably the Visconti Triplets. A sneak peek of the "Gods of War" DVD, from the calender of the same name, is also featured this month. In addition, profiles on the film "Milk," singer Jason Donovan, and much more. Issue #109 should arrive stateside in about 3 weeks.