We Are Marshall a True Story

Marshall University Plane Crash We Are Marshall a True Story We are Marshall is currently being hot in the internet. This is an American 2006 drama film based on the true story. It was air tragedy on the November 14, 1970 in which members of the Marshal University football team (team, coaches, staff, members, crew members) died on a plane crash.

According tthe details story, the twin-engine, 95-seat Southern Airways DC flight 932 departed at 6:38 p.m. for Kinston carrying 75 Marshall University football players, coaches and fans. The plane was suddenly crashed during its flight killing all the passengers. This chartered and twin-engine flight was also accompanied with a crew of five including pilot, a first officer, two stewardesses and a charter coordinator when it was crashed.

The tragedy and the rebuilding efforts were dramatized in the 2006 Warner Brothers feature, We Are Marshall which opened in Huntington a week before its national release date. Many scenes in the movie were filmed on the campus and throughout Huntington.

Characters of the movie includes, Matthew McConaughey as Coach Jack Lengyel, Matthew Fox as Red Dawson, Anthony Mackie as Nate Ruffin, Kate Mara as Annie, January Jones as Carol Dawso, Ian McShane as Paul Griffin, and David Strathairn as Donald Dedmon.

Commercial Mortgage

As with the majority of the mortgage and housing market in general, the commercial mortgage sector has suffered as a result of the overall economic downturn. Throughout the UK the past year or so has seen existing successful companies through to viable start up companies struggling to raise sufficient finance because of the dwindling numbers of commercial mortgage products that were available on the market. This has inevitably left a good proportion of small to medium sized firms, entrepreneurs and investors with little scope to pursue or develop a wide range of business activities without having to pay a premium to do so.

However, as the British summer weaves its way along in a multitude of seasonal swings, the commercial mortgage market has also begun to heat up as there appears to be some funding lines opening up as lenders appear to be returning to the market. This will have the knock on effect of increasing competition which will provide the stimulus needed for more products to become available for those looking businesses looking for a commercial mortgage to purchase their premises or for commercial property investors looking to finance either a purchase or remortgage.

To illustrate this rise in positivity, buy-to-let and commercial mortgage specialists Mortgages for Business has recently reported to have seen a 41% increase in new mortgage cases since January 2009, which it attributes to an upturn in the number of property investors returning to the market.

With the residential housing market also showing tentative signs of growth it appears that commercial mortgage transactions are showing the healthiest signs of improvement with the number of new cases more than doubling over the first six months of the year.

Commenting on the current commercial mortgage market conditions, David Whittaker, managing director of Mortgages for Business, says: “There are the first glimpses of a shift in the commercial sector, with enquiries and cases on the increase. This is significant as the commercial property sector has suffered horrendously over the past two years, but, we appear to have turned a corner. With the number of mortgage cases gaining momentum it is clear that banks are open for business and willing to lend, as long as the numbers stack up.”

Further momentum will continue in the form of increased funding becoming available to lenders which, hopefully, will in turn become available to borrowers through increasingly competitive commercial mortgage products. There is no doubt that there are some businesses that will continue to struggle but as with any market downturn, winners will emerge and it will be those firms that have greater control over their financial situation that will come through relatively unscathed. The commercial mortgage market is showing signs of some recovery but there is still some way to go. There are promising signs that a degree of positivity has returned to the market, so with this in mind the commercial mortgage market is certainly one to watch for in the later part of 2009 and early 2010.

Citizens insurance

BATON ROUGE -- The board that operates the state-run insurer of last resort will seek a 9.2 percent statewide rate increase at its meeting Thursday, but some policyholders may see a decrease in their premiums if those rates are approved, the chief executive officer of the company said today.

John Wortman, who oversees the day-to-day operations of the Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corp., said the average policyholder, who now pays about $1,800 a year, will see premiums go to about $1,966 annually if the proposed rates are approved.

Wortman said the increase is expected to generate about $20 million a year in additional revenue for the company, bringing it to about $245 million a year.

By law, Citizens' premiums must be at least 10 percent more than premiums of private insurance companies that write at least 2 percent of the business in a parish. Wortman said the 10 percent mark-up is include in the proposed 9.2 percent rate hike because the new rates are based on existing premiums that have already been marked up.

Citizens insures about 125,000 policies in the state, about 45 percent of that in Orleans and Jefferson parishes -- roughly 56,000 policies.

Wortman said based on preliminary numbers, about two-thirds of Citizens customers may see rate decreases in the two parishes and one-third may see rate increases. Statewide, he said, about 70 percent of the policyholders may see an increase and 30 percent a decrease.

Wortman said Thursday's meeting will break out the increases and decreases by parish. Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon, whose office must approve or reject the rates of Citizens and other insurance companies, said last-minute surveys and calculations were still being run on the parish rates.

Preliminary data show that the variance in the premiums charged may be 40 percent -- from a decrease of 10 percent in some areas to a 30 percent increase in others, based on location and type of policies written, Wortman said.

Donleon said the new rates "could go either way (higher or lower) but only incrementally" when the board receives the data Thursday.

The board approved a rate increase of 14 percent last year but Donelon's office reduced that to a 7 percent rate hike. The Citizens board last month proposed a 10.1 percent rate increase but postponed action on the request for a month.

In the meantime, Donelon said, a more refined request of 9.2 percent is pending. State law exempts from the mandated 10 percent markup through Aug. 15, 2011, 12 parishes hit hardest by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005: Calcasieu, Cameron, Vermilion, Iberia, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard, Plaquemines, Terrebonne and Lafourche.

"I'd like to get the rate (increase) filed (with Donelon) in August and approved in September,'' Wortman said. "We'd like to get it moving.''

The board can approve it, reject it or defer action. After it clears the board, Donelon's office must approve it, reject it or send it back to the board for more work.

Once approved, Wortman said, the new rates would go into effect Dec. 1 for new policies and Feb. 1 for policies that are being renewed.

The board Thursday also is scheduled to take up the imposition of a 5 percent assessment on all property insurance policies in the state to help pay off $1 billion in bonds Citizens issued in the wake of the 2005 hurricanes to keep the company solvent.

The issue came up at the July board meeting but State Treasurer John Kennedy's representative on the board, Jim Napper, questioned the need for 5 percent assessment when all that was needed to help service the bonds this year is a 4.3 percent assessment.

The 5 percent assessment would generate about $100 million and the 4.3 percent would bring in about $86 million to service the bonds this year.

Napper wanted a legal opinion on whether state law allows the board to impose an assessment higher than what is needed for the bonds, essentially generating a surplus of $14 million.

Napper said the $14 million would amount to "an excess surplus'' that state law may not allow.

Ed Anderson can be reached at eanderson@timespicayune.com or 225.342.5810.

Mortgage Laws and the Case for Moving Insurance Across State Lines

The most common argument against allowing health insurance to move across state lines is that each state has their own state laws governing health insurance and thus it is not practical to do this. Different states have different levels of regulations and allowing health insurance to cross state lines would turn into chaos and take power away from the states the critics say. The critics say that insurance companies will simply set up shop in those states with the loosest regulations.

Today, I asked Sandy Praeger to share her perspective on the issue. Praeger is insurance commissioner for Kansas and president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

Praeger told me she was against lifting restrictions on the sale of insurance across state lines.If the change was implemented, here’s what she predicts will happen: Insurers will set up shop in states with few regulations and market low-cost policies to people across the country. These policies will offer minimal coverage and appeal primarily to younger consumers.

“It will be a race to the bottom,” Praeger said, and there will be “very few consumer protections. … You’ll have plans that don’t cover the benefits that people need. … And healthy people are going to buy those less costly plans, because they don’t think they need [the protection].”

Now, I have dealt with something similar in mortgages for years. In fact, in mortgages, there are numerous state laws and federal laws. For instance, in Illinois, there is something called the Illinois high cost law. This law does two things. First, it sets a maximum rate that any borrower can be charged on any loan. Second, it sets the maximum fees that can be charged on any loan, 5.5%. My only experience with Illinois high cost was when a protege of mine tried to do a difficult loan that was deemed illegal at the end of the process. This was a loan on an investment property with a borrower with a marginal credit score and they were putting little down to purchase the property. As such, the rate on the loan approached 11%. Everything seemed fine until we got the loan ready to close and the bank realized it couldn't be done because the rate was illegal. In fact, there was no way to make the loan legal.

Illinois high cost also comes up often for FHA loans. That's because there is a 1.5% fee that FHA charges up front for Mortgage Insurance Premiums. As such, before anyone charges a single dime, there is already 1.5% of the 5.5% used. Of course, different banks have different interpretations of whether or not that 1.5% should be counted in the overall 5.5%. So, often there are disputes between bank and broker about whether or not a loan has exceeded the Illinois High Cost law.

That's just in the state of Illinois. The state of Minnesota has created all sorts of state laws to prohibit "predatory lending". The state of North Carolina also has very strict "predatory lending" laws. If a bank wants to do business in any state, they must follow the laws of that state along with federal laws as well rules set out by Fannie/Freddie and FHA. Sometimes, laws become so burdensome that banks actually stop doing business in a state. For instance, HB 4050, in my county of Cook, became so burdensome in 2006 that dozens of banks simply stopped doing business in that County.

Why do I point this out? It's because mortgages is among the most heavily regulated industries in the country. Anyone who has ever closed on a loan knows full well just how regulated it is since they sign hundreds of pages worth of closing documents in response to regulation. We have something called a regulation z. That's because there are so many regulations that they span the alphabet. Each individual state sets out their own regulations along with federal regulations. Yet, banks are able to sell loans across state lines even despite this hyper regulation.

In other words, the mortgage industry allows for mortgages to "cross state lines" despite the plethora of competing regulations. In fact, banks, much like insurance companies, set up shop in one state and then sell mortgages across state lines. They are able to figure out how to navigate all of the state laws, federal laws, and other regulations, and still be able to produce their product in all fifty states at one time. The regulations and complexity of mortgages is no less than is the regulations and complexity of health insurance. Yet, banks are able to figure out how to sell mortgages across state lines, and no one is claiming that you can only get a mortgage from a bank in your home state. In the same way, we could figure out how to sell health insurance across state lines.

Standard Insurance partners Willis Group

As part of its strategies to effectively work with the Federal Government to entrench the local content policy in the Oil & Gas sector, Standard Insurance Consultants is partnering with Willis Group, a global player in insurance business.

Standard Insurance Consultants Limited (SIC) hosted an event at their headquarters in Lagos for visiting Willis Group directors. Bob Peilow, Managing Director, Willis Global Specialties & Middle East and Lesley Harding, Executive Director, Willis Energy were visiting Nigeria for three days on one of the Group’s regular sojourns to the country to meet with clients and markets.

Willis Group Holdings Limited is a leading global insurance broker with more than 400 offices in nearly 120 countries, with a global team of approximately 20,000 Associates serving clients in some 190 countries. Willis’ Global Energy Practice comprises over 130 energy insurance professionals, working in 10 offices to deliver world-class risk management solutions for the technical and operational risks inherent in the energy industry.

Over 80 guests attended the high-profile SIC cocktail evening, including representatives from major clients in the Oil & Gas, Aviation and Marine sectors; senior executives from leading insurers and a number of government dignitaries.

Welcoming Mr. Peilow and Ms. Harding to the event, Mallam Ahmed O. Salawudeen, President/Chief Executive of SIC Limited said, “Willis’ visit re-affirms their commitment to supporting the burgeoning Nigerian insurance marketplace. This is important in light of the Federal Government’s policy on developing the local insurance industry especially with regards to risk management for the Oil & Gas sector.”

Mr. Peilow said of their visit, “Effective, world-class risk management is essential to the success of Nigeria ’s growing economy. Willis is committed to contributing to the development of the active and vibrant Nigerian insurance market, which will facilitate the growth of industry in the country.”

His views were corroborated by Ms. Harding, saying, “The rapidly developing Nigerian Oil & Gas sector brings both opportunities and challenges. As projects expand, risks get bigger and it is important that there is a strong insurance industry to find innovative solutions to these risks so that companies have the space to grow.”

1969 Fast Facts: Apollo 11's Historic Moon Landing

• U.S. astronauts landed on the Moon on July 20, 1969.

• An estimated half billion television viewers--at that time, the largest audience ever-watched.

• Neil Armstrong descended from the lunar module and became the first person to walk on the moon.

• As Armstrong walked on the moon he declared "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind."

• A massive three-stage Saturn V booster rocket launched Apollo 11 on its lunar mission on July 16, 1969.

• After orbiting the earth for several hours, the third stage of the Saturn rocket was fired, sending Apollo 11 toward the moon.

• The spacecraft, which now consisted of a command and service module (CSM) and a lunar module (LM), orbited the moon for a day before the LM, with Armstrong and Air Force Colonel Edwin (Buzz) Aldrin on board, was separated from the CSM and began its descent to the moon.

• Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Michael Collins, the CSM pilot, remained in lunar orbit.

• The LM, dubbed "Eagle," touched down on the moon's surface on July 20.

• About 6 hours later, Armstrong and Aldrin donned their spacesuits and exited the LM.

• After practicing walking on the moon the astronauts deployed various equipment for scientific experiments.

• The astronauts collected about 50 pounds of lunar rocks and soil. T

• Television cameras that the astronauts had mounted on the moon's surface broadcast live images of their activities to viewers around the world.

• Following their 2.5 hour moonwalk, Armstrong and Aldrin blasted off from the moon on July 21, leaving behind a U.S. flag and a plaque bearing the inscription: "Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the moon. July 1969 A.D. We came in peace for all mankind."

• In a lunar orbit rendezvous, Armstrong and Aldrin joined Collins in the CSM and set the LM adrift in space.

• The Apollo 11 crew safely splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on July 24.

• U.S astronauts would return the moon's surface five more times through December 1972

After Bomb Kuningan, Jakarta will create ID Card Electronic

after the bomb explosion at the Ritz Carlton Hotel and JW Marriott, Mega Kuningan, South Jakarta, Jakarta provincial government will strengthen the identity of the card making, namely the system of electronic identity cards.

Head Office for Demography and Civil Note (Dukcapil) DKI Jakarta Mangantas Franky says, will sign the card (KTP) for residents Jakarta will card shaped like automated teller machine (ATM). In the user's identity card will be Applied security system that is a barcode label and the withdrawal card is electric.

Franky explained, creating electronic ID card is made possible because of the Presidential Regulation Number 26 Year 2009 on Implementation of ID cards. According to him, this step is done to minimize circulating ID cards to illegal circulating in the community.

If in accordance with the plan, the ID card will be integrated with the driving license (SIM) System Administration issued Manunggal One Roof (Samsat) Polda Metro Jaya.

Truth the identity of the owner will also be known quickly because the data are linked electronically.

"If there are suspicious guests who come to the hotel and the object can be a vital truth identity with this computerized system," accuse him, on Monday (20/7/2009).

Franky explained, electronic ID cards have been implemented in some countries, such as in Malaysia.

Franky did not explain further when electronic ID cards will be launched. The launch must wait for the Decree of the Minister of Home Affairs

Police check DNA Parents Related Nur Sahid Jakarta bomb

Parents and younger sister Nur Sahid strongly suspected as the suicide bombing in the Mega Kuningan, South Jakarta, police picked Polda Jawa Tengah.

They met for the purposes of their blood samples. Of blood, saliva, and hair to match the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) Nur Sahid with his family.

"They brought a car with two officers to Polda Central Java village head accompanied Mr. H Thohari," said Sergeant Two Sugianto, Bintara Binaan Village Katekan (Babinsa), District NGADIREJO, Temanggung regency, Central Java, on Monday (20/7/2009).

Apparatus Polda Central java came at 06.30 WIB. The police officer came accompanied Temanggung police station and police station Dokkes Temanggung.

"The officers came very quickly and bring the two parents and younger sister Nur Sahid . In fact, they have not had a bath," explained.

Nur Sahid father called Muh Nasir, his mother called Tuminem, while one was brought to his younger sister Semarang, named Udi Mas'ud. Nur Sahid own son is a third pair of these.

Result in both parents post-Nur Sahid and younger sister, homelike parents Nur Sahid looks quiet. Main meeting room is locked, only the side of the room can be opened.

Mumbai Terror Attack Suspect Pleads Guilty

The lone surviving suspect captured during last year's terrorist assault on Mumbai confessed his involvement in the attacks in court Monday.

Mohammed Ajmal Kasab is one of 10 Pakistani nationals who police said unleashed terror on India's financial capital for four days and three nights in November. Other gunmen were killed during the attacks.

"The plea of guilt has not been completely recorded in court," Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told reporters.

"We will now determine whether he is telling the truth. Is there more he has to say? Is he trying to shift the blame to the attackers who died? We will analyze his statement fully."

Police said the gunmen killed more than 160 people, including many foreigners, as they laid siege on buildings such as the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower and Oberoi-Trident hotels, Mumbai's historic Victoria Terminus train station and the Jewish cultural center, Chabad House.

Authorities said Kasab, 21, was trained by Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, which was banned in Pakistan in 2002 after an attack on India's parliament. The group denied responsibility.

The man was caught on surveillance camera holding a gun as he stalked and killed people inside the train station, police said. He's also accused of shooting people at the city's Cama hospital.

Kasab faces 86 charges, including waging war against India, murder and attempted murder. He had pleaded not guilty to all charges, and recanted a confession to the crimes that he said was made under duress.

CNN's Mallika Kapur said Kasab had stood up in court and told the judge: "Sir, I plead guilty to my crime." Asked to clarify his plea, Kasab said he pleaded guilty to all charges, Kapur said.

His confession Monday caught prosecutors by surprise, Nikam said. The trial had been under way for two weeks, and the court had heard from 134 of 150 witnesses.
"Not only is he a grade-A terrorist, he is a good actor also," Nikam said. "He has tried many different tactics. But this is a big victory for the prosecution.

Police May Found Jakarta Bombers Laptop

Indonesian police have recovered a laptop that they believe belonged to one of the bombers of Friday's twin hotel attacks in Jakarta, the country's official news agency said Sunday.

Police investigate the aftermath of a bomb blast at a restaurant in the Marriot hotel in Jakarta.

The laptop contained information and codes that the attackers may have used to communicate with each other, the state-run Antara News Agency said.

The computer was found in a room at the Ritz Carlton, one of two hotels targeted Friday. The other site was the JW Marriott.

The blasts killed nine people -- including at least two presumed suicide bombers -- and wounded more than 50.

Anti-terrorism officials are investigating the links between the attacks and Noordin M. Top, the suspected leader of a small Jemaah Islamiyah splinter group. The group has ties to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda terrorist network, but so far there has been no claim of responsibility for the latest attack.

Top is reportedly an officer, recruiter, bomb-maker, and trainer for the group, which was involved in a previous attack on the Marriott -- in August 2003 -- as well as attacks on a Bali nightclub in 2003 and the Australian embassy in Jakarta in 2004, according to the FBI.

Among the victims who have been identified by Indonesia's health ministry, two were Australian, and one each from New Zealand, Singapore and Indonesia

Among the wounded were six U.S. nationals, according to the State Department.

On Sunday, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd confirmed one of the victims, saying Garth McEvoy was the first government official to be killed by a terrorist attack in the line of duty.

Rudd also said two other Australians were presumed dead.

Indonesia's National Police Chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso has said the type of explosives found were similar to those found in a recent raid on a home in West Java that was linked to Top.

"We cannot clearly determine at this time if these bombings are linked to Noordin Top's network. We have only established similarities in the explosive cache that were found in the island of Java and the Bali bombings," police said.

Closed-circuit television footage from the Marriott shows a man, sporting a baseball cap and pulling a wheeled suitcase, heading toward the hotel's lobby-level restaurant seconds before the deadly blast.

Didik Ahmad Taufik, the Marriott's security supervisor, told reporters Saturday that a man, matching the image on the security camera footage, was walking "awkwardly" into the hotel's restaurant about 30 minutes before the blast.

The man told Taufik he was at the hotel to deliver an item to his boss.

Taufik said he asked a security guard to accompany the man as he made his delivery.

"But unluckily, a few minutes after that, I heard an explosion and was hit by debris from the ceiling," Taufik said, according to Antara.

One of the suspected bombers had been staying at the hotel since June 15, he said.

The bombings at the two luxury hotels -- which are connected by an underground tunnel -- happened shortly before 8 a.m. (9 p.m. Thursday ET). Both blasts struck the hotels' restaurants. The hotels are frequented by international visitors and many foreign nationals.

California officer admits to sexual assault while on duty

A former California police officer accused of sexually assaulting a motorist during a traffic stop pleaded guilty in federal court, federal prosecutors said Friday.

Federal prosecutors charged Feliciano Sanchez with deprivation of rights under color of law.

Feliciano Sanchez, 34, admitted in court Thursday that while on duty on May 16, 2007, he pulled over a female driver in a traffic stop and forced her to perform oral sex on him, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney Thomas O'Brien, who heads the office for the Central District.

Sanchez, then of Los Angeles County's Bell Police Department, stopped the woman for speeding or weaving down the road, said central California U.S. attorney spokesman Thom Mrozek, citing court documents.

After learning the woman, identified as R.H. in court documents, did not have a driver's license with her, Sanchez told her he suspected her of drinking and her car would be towed, Mrozek said.

Sanchez offered to drive R.H. to her job, but instead drove her to the parking lot of an auto repair outlet in Bell, Mrozek said.

Sanchez placed his hand on his gun and forced her to perform sex on him in his patrol car, Mrozek said. Afterward, Sanchez drove R.H. to her work place, Mrozek said.

"Officer Sanchez brutalized a person he had sworn to serve," O'Brien said in the release. "As a result of his criminal conduct, Mr. Sanchez now faces a substantial amount of time in federal prison. His conduct eroded public confidence in law enforcement and cast a pall over his former colleagues who obey the law, proudly working to preserve public safety."

Federal prosecutors charged Sanchez with a civil rights violation, according to the release.

The crime carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison upon sentencing. Sanchez has been held without bond since his arrest in May 2007, Mrozek said. Sanchez's sentencing is scheduled for November 18.

Sanchez resigned as an officer after his indictment, Bell Police Department Capt. Anthony Miranda said. Miranda said Sanchez's case was a first for the department.

"We were in shock, and actually, disbelief," he said

Families argue Nur Said Involved Bom Kuningan

Family Nurhasbi large parrot Hasdi or Nur Said does not believe if Nur Sahid action involved in the bombardment and the JW Marriott Hotel Ritz Carlton, Jakarta, on Friday July 17 yesterday.

Even if they disprove the perpetrator is a suicide bombing at the hotel, such as the General Chairman of the Movement ditudingkan Muslims (GUII), Abdurrahman Assegaf.

Rebuttal submitted by the uterus brother Nur Sahid, Udi Mas'ud found when a number of journalists in the residence of her parents in the Hamlet Katekan, Katekan Village, District NGADIREJO, Temanggung regency, Sunday (19/7/2009).

"During this time he has a good personality. So we do not believe my sister is the suicide bomb," Udi Mas'ud firm.

According to him, brother alleged as suicide bombing is not fundamental. Especially concerning the involvement of Nur Sahid in the movement through a network of radical Wahabi Imam Samudera, criminal vonis dead Bom Bali II. "I do not believe it," he said.

As known, Abdurrahman Assegaf, the weekend of the data concerning the involvement of Nur Said to team Mabes Intelligence and the police came to her house in Jalan Witana Harja III Blok C20, Pemulang Barat, South Jakarta. Date from the members GUII that, Nur Said is the bomb man sucide in the JW Marriot Hotel.

Still according to the date, Nur Said is Jamaah Islamiyah members who recruited Tedy Reno or Mubarok, who is suspected at this time as a deputy at the same time a strong right hand Noordin M Top. Then he joined the Banten group together with the Imam Samudera.

Taliban Video Show Captive US Soldier

WASHINGTON — The Taliban has released a video of an American soldier who went missing from his base in eastern Afghanistan June 30 and was later confirmed captured.

The soldier, whose identity has not yet been confirmed by the Pentagon pending notification of members of Congress and the soldier's family, says his name, age and hometown on the video, which was released Saturday on a Web site pointed out by the Taliban. Two U.S. defense officials confirmed to The Associated Press that the man in the video is the captured soldier.

The soldier is shown, dressed in a gray, nondescript outfit, eating and sitting on a bed, and he says the date is July 14. He says he was captured when he lagged behind on a patrol. The military said the soldier was captured July 2.

The 28-minute video shows the soldier being interviewed in English by his captors, where he states his views on the war, Islam and the morale of American soldiers.

Planets Jupiter, Venus and nearby stars often mistaken for UFOs in July skies

One of my favorite things to do on a clear summer evening in Seattle is to sky watch, and this weekend will be a treat for anyone with an inexpensive pair of binoculars or telescope.

When I first started losing sleep to enjoy the evening canvas, there were more than a few occasions where I thought I was witnessing my first UFO. If you consider yourself a novice to sky gazing, meaning you can't remember the last time you spent more than a minute or two wishing on a star, I'll have you know how easy it is to make the same mistake.

In fact, sightings of the planet Jupiter, the International Space Station and traveling satellites make up nearly 75 percent of UFO reports during certain times of the year, and I suspect this week's unique configuration of planets will offer many opportunities for the newbie sky-watcher to cry wolf.

So for my first story on the evening sky, I thought I would share my own mistakes with the reader so that you can enjoy the show without worrying about alien abductions or being overpowered by strange craft. Here's what's happening this weekend on the real life planetarium that is worth noting.

The wee hours of Saturday morning offers an eye-popping surprise with a waning full moon to the south and Jupiter hanging loose near the 5 o'clock mark. This configuration is so stunning that the sight of these two orbs so close together might make you squint against the brightness, but once your eyes get adjusted to the stark contrast between the moon and sky, see if you can locate all four of Jupiter's four Galilean moons.

I guarantee that it will be rare treat worth staying up for and here's why: Jupiter's moons are currently going through what's known as a series of occultations and eclipses-- meaning they're moving around like a game of Pong, so it’s neat to get a glimpse of them when they're in close proximity to one another.

If you were able to find those moons and you want to continue with the hunt, Monday you will have a prime opportunity because Titan, Saturn's largest moon can be found counting about four rings to Saturn's east. Of course you'll need to get your hands on a small telescope, and an identification guide wouldn't hurt either. I found one in the July issue of Sky & Telescope on page 47, but you'll need to find your own copy if you aren't able to find one online.

If the sky continues to keep its clear complexion in the Seattle area, The International Space Station (ISS) can be seen entering the sky at least twice every evening into the week, and if you've never waited for its approach you're missing one of my favorite G-rated cheap thrills.

On Saturday it approaches from the SW at about 9:40 and meanders towards the NE for a total of five or six minutes, depending on where you're standing. Customizable sky charts and satellite itineraries are easily found and downloadable for free on the heavens-above website http://www.heavens-above.com/ so if you haven't found your own favorite astronomy site, check it out. While nothing too fancy, it is user friendly and easy on the virtual memory.

Before the sun comes up, follow the progress of planet Venus as she travels away from a less dazzling Mars, and this week both planets can be found smack dab between two of summer's celebrity star clusters, the Pleiades and their nemesis the Hyades. Look for the brightest star at the head of the constellation Taurus and you'll be looking at one of the brightest stars in the sky. If you can't find the bull's eye readily, first try locating Orion, then look at the three stars of the belt from left to right. Do you see the twinkling sun at the top of the line? That's our friend Alde.

Worth noting is that since the Earth is moving at its slowest orbital speed right now, summer is the longest season in the northern hemisphere. So while the nights are short, they are also clear more frequently than in winter which offers us the best opportunities for sightings. Remember, it's not quantity, but quality that counts, and a cloudless night is what you need for optimal nighttime viewing.

As far as those UFOs go, I do know from my own first hand experience that the opportunities to witness the unexpected increase dramatically once you sit still for a spell and fix your peepers on the evening sky. Hopefully after reading this you'll at least have a better idea of what you're looking at in the night sky so when you do see the "unexpected," you won't blame Jupiter and keep those MUFON folks up all night answering the phone for no good reason.

Obama going to Martha's Vineyard in August

The first family is heading to Massachusetts next month for some rest and relaxation.

White House aides said President Obama, first lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia will spend the final week of August together in Martha's Vineyard, a favored vacation spot for then-President Bill Clinton and his family in the '90s.

The aides confirmed on Friday what had been rumored for months but had been kept under wraps for security and other reasons, including the fact that vacation plans are very sensitive in the middle of a painful recession.

Aides have privately held open the possibility that Michelle Obama and the girls may arrive at the vacation spot a few days earlier while the president works on a variety of issues, including his push for health reform

Room 1808 of the bomb explosion in by team Gegana

Stuf evidence that bombs found in room 1808 Ritz Carlton Hotel, Mega Kuningan, South Jakarta , Headquarters Complex in explosion comando Brimob, Kelapa Dua, Depok, West Java, Saturday (18/7/2009).

Type of low explosive bomb was as much in explosion at 07.30 WIB, the morning line. Boom explosion was heard up to the settlement residents. However, there is no panic.

"It is deliberately in explosion as already domesticated. explode Because the wall is low, so no need to clear," said Treasurer of the Brimob AKBP Ketut Budiman.

Blasting process, according to Ketut, take as much of 30 minutes. Blasting is done by a team that was Gegana Brimob seven people.

Batal ke Indonesia, MU Cari Negara Pengganti

Manchester United akan mencari negara lain untuk disinggahi setelah dipastikan batal mengunjungi Indonesia dalam rangkaian tur Asia 2009. Negara mana yang beruntung?

Indonesia adalah negara kedua yang rencananya akan dikunjungi MU dalam rangkaian tur Asia 2009. "Setan Merah" pertama akan mengunjungi Malaysia, setelah ke Jakarta, anak asuh Sir Alex Ferguson akan berlanjut ke Korea Selatan dan Cina.

Menyusul kepastian batal mengunjungi Jakarta, agenda MU untuk tanggal 18 hingga 21 Juli dipastikan kosong. Namun menurut pernyataan resmi klub juara Liga Inggris tersebut, mereka saat ini tengah menjajaki mengunjungi negara lain menggantikan Indonesia.

"Saat ini kami sedang mengupayakan untuk melakukan perjalanan alternatif di luar Indonesia. Kami akan membuat pengumuman lebih lanjut saat keputusan tersebut sudah dibuat," demikian pernyataan resmi kubu The Red Devils seperti diberitakan Telegraph.

Sebelumnya sempat beredar kabar kalau MU akan membatalkan seluruh kegiatan tur Asia 2009 lantaran pemain yang membawa keluarga dikhawatirkan akan mengalami depresi. Namun dengan pernyataan terbaru ini dipastikan kalau pasukan "Setan Merah" masih akan melanjutkan rangkaian tur Asia tersebut.

5 victims bodies JW Marriott Hotel has been identified

Department of Health launch five names that have been ascertained to be the victims killed in the explosion that supposedly comes from the suicide bomb.

Data received from the Head of Central Department of health, Rustam Pakaya mention five names are:

1. Timothy D Mackay (61) male New Zealand origin
2. Nathan Verity Watson (39) male Australia
3. Gath McVoc (40) male Australia
4. Arnold man Singapore
5. Darmanto male Indonesia

One dead body was identified various sex woman. But until now there is no further information about the identity of the victim is killed

Seven foreign citizens Victims Bomb JW Marriott Hotel Log In Space Otopsi

Seven foreign nationals corpse explosion victim JW Marriott Hotel bombing brought to the Central Police Hospital in Kramatjati, East Jakarta, Jumat (17 / 7). Five ambulance carrying several bags, the corpses otopsi space, where there are four of them remains foreign citizens. One other car carrying the body serpihan destroyed due to the explosion.

After Friday prayers, re-entry three bones foreign citizens space otopsi. Among the seven dead bodies, there is the president director of PT Holcim Indonesia, Timothy David McKay. One more dead body is identified Nathan Verity Watson, foreign citizens Australia home. Victim worked as a labor pengerah services. According to colleagues of the victim, Nathan often came to the JW Marriott on Friday to meet fellow colleagues Australians [read: Holcim Indonesia Presdir Be Victims killed.

There is speculation that his corpse bombardment of suspected perpetrators not brought to full participate hospital police. The hospital police are seen carrying bags containing corpses discount human body.

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motiv bombardment at Hotel JW Marriott and Ritz Carlton

Head of the Police of the Republic of Indonesia (Kapolri) Police General Bambang Hendarso Danuri ensure the explosion at Hotel JW Marriott and Ritz Carlton, in Mega Kuningan,south Jakarta , friday (17 / 7) morning, as the suicide bombing. "The suicide bombing is still in the process of identification," said Bambang in Jakarta on Friday.

It results from the venue, found the two suicide bomb detonation. Police believe the perpetrators of one of the blitz in the second room as a hotel explution the bomb assembly.

The suicide bombing at the Ritz Carlton, he said, the face is still intact in the conditions. While the actors in the Marriott, he continued, even though the head were destroyed, but the skin can still be identified. "For the Ritz Carlton in the face is still intact, while at the Marriot, although the head is broken, the skin can still be identified face," said Bambang.

Police have succeeded in identifying one of identity of the perpetrator. "One of the perpetrators berinisial N," accuse him.

The two bombs that exploded in the Mega Kuningan area of the same type. Police have successfully tame a bomb found in a room Marriott Hotel in 1808