TV best bets: Thu., Nov. 19

THE VAMPIRE DIARIES — Damon and Stefan (Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley) find they have competition, and Damon learns a startling fact about the town's founding fathers while helping Sheriff Forbes (Marguerite MacIntyre) track down the killer. (8 p.m., CW/Channel 11)
BONES — Always a bit of a lone wolf, Booth (David Boreanaz) is forced to make some adjustments when his grandfather (guest star Ralph Waite) comes to live with him and tags along as he and Brennan (Emily Deschanel) investigate human remains that were found by a real estate agent showing a property to prospective buyers. (8 p.m., Fox)
TERROR IN MUMBAI — CNN host Fareed Zakaria, a native of Mumbai, narrates filmmaker Dan Reed's harrowing documentary that chronicles the bloody period in 2008 when a band of 10 young Pakistani men made coordinated attacks across the city, leaving more than 170 people dead. (8 p.m., HBO)
THE OFFICE — David Wallace (Andy Buckley) invites Michael (Steve Carell) to the Dunder Mifflin shareholders meeting in New York. Back in Scranton, co-manager Jim (John Krasinski) has a hard time getting Ryan (B.J. Novak) to do work. (9 p.m., NBC)
THE BRIDGES AT TOKO-RI — Lt. Harry Brubaker (William Holden), a Navy pilot, is tired of war. When he's sent to Korea on yet another bombing mission, he questions the entire point of the war. Grace Kelly co-stars as his wife, Nancy, who doesn't care about politics and just wants her husband safe and sound at home. (10 p.m., TCM)
— Compiled by Raymond A. Edel
THE VAMPIRE DIARIES — Damon and Stefan (Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley) find they have competition, and Damon learns a startling fact about the town's founding fathers while helping Sheriff Forbes (Marguerite MacIntyre) track down the killer. (8 p.m., CW/Channel 11)

B.J. Novak stars on "The Office" at 9 p.m. on NBC.
BONES — Always a bit of a lone wolf, Booth (David Boreanaz) is forced to make some adjustments when his grandfather (guest star Ralph Waite) comes to live with him and tags along as he and Brennan (Emily Deschanel) investigate human remains that were found by a real estate agent showing a property to prospective buyers. (8 p.m., Fox)
TERROR IN MUMBAI — CNN host Fareed Zakaria, a native of Mumbai, narrates filmmaker Dan Reed's harrowing documentary that chronicles the bloody period in 2008 when a band of 10 young Pakistani men made coordinated attacks across the city, leaving more than 170 people dead. (8 p.m., HBO)
THE OFFICE — David Wallace (Andy Buckley) invites Michael (Steve Carell) to the Dunder Mifflin shareholders meeting in New York. Back in Scranton, co-manager Jim (John Krasinski) has a hard time getting Ryan (B.J. Novak) to do work. (9 p.m., NBC)
THE BRIDGES AT TOKO-RI — Lt. Harry Brubaker (William Holden), a Navy pilot, is tired of war. When he's sent to Korea on yet another bombing mission, he questions the entire point of the war. Grace Kelly co-stars as his wife, Nancy, who doesn't care about politics and just wants her husband safe and sound at home. (10 p.m., TCM)
— Compiled by Raymond A. Edel
link: http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=7366282558401262752

Stefanie Spielman, wife of NFL star, dies at 42

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Stefanie Spielman, the wife of NFL and Ohio State star Chris Spielman who led a public fight against breast cancer, died Thursday after a lengthy battle with the disease. She was 42.
Stefanie Spielman died at the family's home in Upper Arlington, surrounded by her family, said WBNS radio in Columbus, where Chris Spielman co-hosts a show.
"Stefanie has gone home to be with the Lord," Chris Spielman said in a statement released by the station. "For that, we celebrate, but with broken hearts. I want to thank everyone for their support over the last 12 years. Together, with your help, hopefully we made a difference in this fight."
Stefanie Spielman was 30 years old and three months pregnant in 1998 when she detected a lump in her breast. She later miscarried and discovered she had cancer. She survived four bouts with cancer before a fifth recurrence in March.
Chris Spielman was playing linebacker with the Buffalo Bills when he decided to give up football for a year to stay home with his wife and children. When his wife lost her hair because of chemotherapy treatments, he shaved his head.
"People say 'It's a great thing that you're doing,' Chris Spielman said at the time. "I always say it would be a terrible thing if I didn't."
The Spielmans became advocates for breast-cancer detection and research, winning several awards for their dedication to the cause.
The Spielmans raised more than $6 million for breast cancer research at Ohio State through the Stefanie Spielman Fund for Breast Cancer Research.
She helped form a support group for young women with breast cancer, hosted an annual event that honored cancer survivors and created a fund to help breast cancer patients and their families who struggled financially. She was inducted into the Ohio Women's Hall of Fame in 2002 for her work.
"We have lost a leader in the fight against cancer," seven-time Tour de France winner and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong said. "Stefanie was a living example of courage and strength to everyone around her. "
Two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin, the president and CEO of the Ohio State Alumni Association, said Stefanie Spielman was a compassionate person who "took her personal struggle and used it as a platform to help other women battling breast cancer." He said the Ohio State community was "tremendously saddened" by her death.
Chris Spielman played 10 seasons in the NFL with the Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills before retiring after a violent hit that left him momentarily paralyzed when he was with the Cleveland Browns.
Stefanie Spielman is survived by her husband and their four children, Madison, Noah, Macy and Audrey.

link : http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=7366282558401262752

School superintendent investigated before

BELLEVILLE, Ill. - A newspaper has learned that Illinois State Police had been investigating sexual abuse allegations against Freeburg District 70 Superintendent Robin Hawkins in the weeks before Hawkins' apparent suicide. State police reports obtained by the Belleville News-Democrat under the Freedom of Information Act showed agents interviewed Hawkins on April 13 and confiscated several computers. In May, Hawkins' body was found in a 1964 Mustang convertible in a barn near Belleville. The cause of his death appeared to be suicide by carbon monoxide asphyxiation. Reports showed at least five possible victims, including a minor who was interviewed by police the week after Hawkins' death. In an interview with Illinois State Police, Hawkins denied sexual relationships with any student but admitted to having what he called inappropriate sexual conversations with some students. ------ Information from: Belleville News-Democrat, http://www.bnd.com

link: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-il-superintendentinv,0,5996298.story

NEWSWEEK Explains Thinking Behind Palin Cover

As Sarah Palin’s book tour kicked off this morning, the debate continues to rage about what exactly she means for America and the Republican Party. This week’s NEWSWEEK takes a look at those questions, exploring the unique challenges posed by a would-be candidate both loved and loathed but almost nothing in between.Our choice of a cover image this week has also stirred the debate. Yesterday, NEWSWEEK Editor Jon Meacham responded to critics of the photo, explaining the magazine’s policy, which is, and has always been, to choose the most interesting image available to us to illustrate the theme of the cover.This morning, on the Today show, NEWSWEEK Managing Editor Daniel Klaidman further explained the editorial choice. “Since [Sarah Palin] has been on the national stage, there have been these questions about her gravitas and her seriousness. Sarah Palin has cultivated this image of a down-home, folksy, outdoorsy woman. And I'm not suggesting it's not authentic, but there is a sense in which she understands that it resonates politically,” Klaidman told Today host Matt Lauer. “There are a lot of people who would see that image and say 'that’s Sarah Palin, that’s why she connects with people, there’s that authenticity.' I don’t think this is an image that is taken out of context, especially when you consider what the point of the story was: to raise these questions about her seriousness."
link : http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thegaggle/archive/2009/11/18/newsweek-explains-thinking-behind-palin-cover.aspx

Nephelococcygia: Cloudy Day Fun

For those types out there who got excited the first time they heard stamp collecting had a name ("philately"), you'll be delighted to know that nephelococcygia is the technical term for cloud gazing.
The word nephelococcygia originates from Aristophanes' play The Birds. It is the Greek for "Cloud Cuckoo Land," the utopian city in the clouds that the main character persuades all the birds in the world to build.
Cloud gazing, or sky gazing, can be a fun way to pass the afternoon hours. More than fun, though, I've found it to be incredibly relaxing. It's getting a bit cold out to do it lately, but it's a favorite spring/summer tradition.

link: http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.actionarticleId=281474977906736&grpId=3659174697244816

Mayoral Elections: There Are Others At Stake Besides New York?

For all the writeups about Tuesday's off-year elections, you'd never know that there are other big-city mayoral elections on the ballot in addition to New York.
New York is the largest city, of course, and much of what happens there is bigger than life. Indeed, the mayor seeking a third term, Michael Bloomberg (R/I), has spent upwards of $85 million, most of it his own money, in his campaign against City Comptroller William Thompson, a Democrat. Bloomberg is nationally known as a multi-billionaire, as a crusader against handguns, as someone who might have once had -- or might still have -- a desire to reach the White House.
But he is also going to win on Tuesday going away. Everyone knows that.
And so, with just four days to go, wouldn't it be nice if we paid attention to the other mayoral races at stake? I thought so. Here are five races worth watching:
ATLANTA: Since 1973, when the city elected Maynard Jackson as mayor, Atlanta has had a continuous string of black mayors: Jackson, Andrew Young, Jackson again, Bill Campbell and Shirley Franklin, the current term-limited mayor. This is, as has often been said, the cradle of the civil rights movement in the South. And yet the frontrunner for Tuesday's election is Mary Norwood, a fiscally-conservative white city councilwoman who has not only attracted overwhelming support from the city's business elite but significant support from African-Americans as well. Crime in Atlanta is up, and the economy has faltered. Norwood is facing two black candidates: City Council President Lisa Borders and former state Sen. Kasim Reed. Neither is as polished a campaigner as Norwood, and neither has made the case to the African-American community that black voters should rally behind one of them to avoid Norwood sneaking in. Andy Young is backing Reed, who has raised the most money of the three candidates. Norwood is seen as having the best chance of the three winning the race outright on Tuesday; if no one gets a majority of the vote, it goes to a Dec. 1 runoff.
BOSTON: Just as Bloomberg has campaigned on his seeming invincibility in New York, there is an air of super-confidence on behalf of Thomas Menino, Boston's longest-serving mayor who is seeking an unprecedented fifth term. But unlike the aggressive tactics employed by Bloomberg, who is on the air constantly attacking his rival, Menino is running a play-it-safe campaign, shaking hands and smiling. His opponent in this officially nonpartisan race (both are Democrats) is City Councilor at Large Michael Flaherty, who has been hammering Menino from the outset over a liquor license scandal that has hit City Hall and a subsequent deleting of emails by a top Menino aide. But he is woefully unfunded, can't afford to buy expensive TV time, and has had trouble attracting media attention.
CHARLOTTE, NC: With Mayor Pat McCrory (R) stepping down after a record 14 years in office, the race is between two members of the city council -- John Lassiter, a Republican, and Anthony Foxx, a Democrat. The issues facing Charlotte seem to be basic ones involving taxes, transportation and infrastructure; a recent debate centered on whether to go ahead with a proposed streetcar. In recent years, Charlotte mayors have attempted to advance their political careers, with limited success. McCrory was the GOP nominee for governor in 2008. His predecessor, Richard Vinroot (R), sought the same office in 2000. Before Vinroot was Sue Myrick (R), who was elected to Congress in 1994 and still serves. Prior to Myrick was Harvey Gantt, who was the Democratic nominee for the Senate against GOP incumbent Jesse Helms in both 1990 and 1996. And before Gantt was H. Edward Knox, who narrowly lost the Democratic nomination for governor in a 1984 runoff.
DETROIT: Dave Bing, the former NBA Hall of Famer who was elected mayor back in May following the resignation of scandal-plagued Kwame Kilpatrick, is heavily favored to win a full term over businessman Tom Barrow, who ran twice against Mayor Coleman Young in the 1980s.
HOUSTON: The mayor of the nation's fourth largest city is the popular Bill White, a Democrat who is stepping down after three terms and who is running for the U.S. Senate. Everyone agrees that the three-way race to succeed him on Tuesday will go to a runoff. The three major candidates, all Democrats, are Eugene Locke, a former City Attorney backed by business leaders who is African-American; Peter Brown, a wealthy architect and councilmember-at-large; and City Controller Annise Parker, who could become the first openly gay woman to be elected mayor of a major American city. (The Republican candidate, Roy Morales, is not thought to be a factor.) Parker's sexual orientation has not been an issue. She and Brown are expected to advance to the December runoff.

link :http://www.npr.org/blogs/politicaljunkie/2009/10/mayoral_elections_there_are_ot.html

It's the time of the season for manatees: Florida boaters are urged to watch out for gentle giants

Florida wildlife officials are urging boaters to be on the lookout for manatees that are migrating to warmer waters for the winter.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says boaters should stay in marked channels and obey speed zone signs during the winter migration period. Kipp Frohlich, a leader of the FWC's Imperiled Species Management Section, says boaters should also give a manatee plenty of room in the water because it might not be traveling alone.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website, manatees generally travel along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts during the fall and spring.
-- Associated Press
Photo: A manatee and her calf lounge in western Florida's Crystal River. Credit: Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times

Permalink : http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/unleashed/2009/11/manatee.html