Dick Clark Rings In His Last New Year!

Dick Clark has done it again! Four years after a stroke, Dick Clark appeared for another New Year's Eve celebration, his 36th year in Times Square.
Clark, who turned 79 last month and has been in front of the cameras for 61 years, said in a recent interview by e-mail that his involvement in "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2009," diminished though it may be, is a labor of love and "not really a job."
"Obviously, I'm not able to be as actively involved as I used to be out on the street, up on a platform and interacting with the crowds in Times Square" in New York, Clark wrote. "Thank goodness my friend Ryan Seacrest is able to handle that end of the activity on the show these days.
ABC-TV's 3 1/2-hour live extravaganza features performances by Natasha Bedingfield, Fall Out Boy, Jesse McCartney, Ne-Yo, Pussycat Dolls, Solange and Robin Thicke. Fergie hosts the Hollywood segments.
Clark woke up with right-side paralysis on Dec. 6, 2004 — "Your life changes overnight," he said. (Regis Philbin filled in for Clark on the New Year's Eve show that year.) Clark still uses a walker or wheelchair, and speaking is difficult.
"I am one of the fortunate ones who survived and have been minimally impaired, so I'm just thankful I'm still able to enjoy this once-a-year treat of bringing in the New Year."
"There was a time when they attracted a huge audience," Clark wrote. "The audiences have dropped off as the years have gone by because of increasing television competition.
"What we are seeing is more and more talent and less emphasis on people getting awards. Television's award shows have now become gigantic showcases for variety."
Clark was there at the birth of rock 'n' roll ("American Bandstand" kicked off July 9, 1956), and he's watched dramatic changes in the music industry. Not that those changes would come as much of a surprise.
"I can remember writing an article several years ago where I let my imagination run wild," Clark wrote. "I said we'd see the day when music is delivered directly to our homes, and delivered to us in some form of wireless communication.
"The fun of actually holding a record in our hands will disappear and we'll all have our own individual library of our favorite songs that we'll listen to at home, at work, in the car wherever we happen to go."
These days, Clark divides his time between his Malibu home and Burbank office. There's an hourlong therapy session each morning, then he answers mail and phone calls, attends meetings and reads.
The day ends with his devoted wife Kari.

Top 7 New Year Resolutions For 2009

It's not difficult to figure out the top New Year's resolution for 2009. In fact, most of them fit the economic times ahead. So here the top 7 New Year's resolutions for 2009 in America.

1. Do more quality work on the job
With the economy the way it is, people don't want to lose their jobs. And the best way to save your job is to put in a better effort at work.

2. Spend more time at home
This makes sense. Most of us are looking to save money and spend less. So the obvious thing to do is to spend more time at home with family which saves you money and brings you back to the things that have real meaning.

3. Get in shape
Many of us are looking to get back in shape from the holiday feasting. We also want to look good in the Spring. One thing is many of us will be working out at home - saving money on gym membership fees.

4. Eat Healthy
We all want to live a little longer but we need to find a diet plan that works

5. Look to save money
The economy is a prominent theme this year. Folks will look to save money any way they can. Some ideas include growing your own vegetables, building your own greenhouse or saving money on energy at home.

6. Become Green Friendly
This will be the main theme of Barack Obama's first presidential term. He will be pushing the "green" envelope and expect all Americans to become greener

7. Eat Out Less
Again, with the economy - it's a no-brainer

2009 looks to be a tough year for all of America. Things will get worse before they get better. The tightening of budgets is definitely the central theme for New Year's resolutions this year

Polar Ice Sheets Are Following The Economy Down The Drain

Not only is the economy going down the drain, so are the glaciers at the North and South Poles. According to NASA scientists between 1.5 trillion and 2 trillion tons of ice in Greenland, Antarctica and Alaska has melted at an accelerating rate since 2003. A tell tale sign that global warming is heating up.

NASA geophysicist Scott Lutchke estimates that the amount of ice lost in 2003 would fill Chesapeake Bay more than 20 times.

"The ice tells us in a very real way how the climate is changing," said Luthcke, who will present his findings this week at the American Geophysical Union conference in San Francisco, California.

NASA's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment, or GRACE, mission uses two orbiting satellites to measure the "mass balance" of a glacier, or the net annual difference between ice accumulation and ice loss.

"A few degrees of change [in temperature] can increase the amount of mass loss, and that contributes to sea level rise and changes in ocean current," Luthcke said.

According to the report, in the past five years, Greenland has lost between 150 gigatons and 160 gigatons each year, (one gigaton equals one billion tons) or enough to raise global sea levels about .5 mm per year, said Zwally, who will also present his findings at the conference this week.

"Every few extra inches of sea level have very significant economic impacts, because they change the sea level, increase flooding and storm damage," said, Zwally, ICESat Project Scientist. "It's a warning sign."

Melting ice, especially in Greenland and the Arctic, is also thought to contribute to global warming, Zwally said. When the vast ice sheets and glaciers melt, they lose their reflective power, and instead, oceans and land absorb the heat, causing the Arctic waters and the atmosphere to warm faster.

In the 1990s, Greenland took in as much snow and water as it let out, Zwally said. But now, about 15 years later, sea levels are rising about 50 percent faster, making the global climate situation even more unpredictable.

"The best estimates are that sea levels will rise about 18 to 36 inches by the end of the century, but because of what's going on and how fast things are changing, there's a lot of uncertainty," he said.

This is a wakeup call to all mankind. It's time for action - not discussion.

Bonus Checks Arrive For Dallas School Employees

It seems that the checks are here! More than 1,200 Dallas public school employees received bonuses in their monthly paychecks today, the first ones handed out through a new effort to reward workers for boosting student achievement.

The bonuses ranged from several hundred dollars for non-classroom workers to $10,000 for teachers whose students posted notable academic gains last school year.

Workers at 59 pilot schools were eligible for the federally-funded awards. Over all, an estimated 1,200 workers received a collective $3.2 million for their efforts last school year

What a perfect time for the extra cash - wouldn't you say!

Frankly Speaking, Gay Frank Screams About The Auto Bailout

In a 60 minutes interview with Lesley Stahl, Barney Frank, the Democratic congressman was asked what his thoughts are on the auto industry bailout. Frank responded "There's only one thing you can do in bankruptcy: break your word, break your deals. It allows you to say to the small businesses, who have been catering lunches for you, 'Sorry, we're not paying you.' It allows you to go to the workers and say, 'Sorry, we're not paying you.'"
Barney Frank has been called the "smartest guy in Congress" and his record speaks for itself. He is a 14-term, 68 year-old Harvard-educated chairman of the House Financial Services Committee. He is also a gay liberal who has never been known to back down from an argument.
During the interview he stated "I'm antisocial, there's no question about it. I think that I love this job. But the biggest problem is there are thousands of people in Washington who earn a living by trying to waste my time. They repeat themselves. They ask you stupid questions." Barney can be sharp-tongued: a master of the putdown, and a master of the dress-down.
He has been at the center of both the $700-billion dollar rescue for financial institutions, and the bailout attempt for the car companies that failed in the Senate.
Barney has been a major player in pressuring Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson to deal with home foreclosures, and negotiating with the White House on the loan for GM and Chrysler.
Barney Frank may not be liked many Republicans or discrimminating Americans but he serves his position well and doesn't back down from expressing his thoughts and trying to do what feels is right for America.
Frank complains about a lack of leadership during the financial crisis. "Part of the problem now is that this presidential transition has come at the very worst possible time," Frank says. "We saw it coming. I don't know if there was any way to avoid it. You know ... Senator Obama has said, 'We only have one president at a time.' Well, that overstates the number of presidents we have at this time. We don't appear to have any."
You haven't heard the last of him about the financial crisis. It will be interesting to see how he deals with the new administration.

Convictions And Inquiries, Now Madoff, OH MY!

What is going on? It seems that everywhere you look, where ever you turn; politicians, sports stars and securites firm executives are being convicted, arrested or being indicted on crimes
In the last two weeks we had O.J. Simpson convicted of several felonies including kidnapping and armed robbery., Plaxico Burress of the New York Giants was arrested for an unregistered firearm (he shot himself in the thigh). Governor Rod Blagojevich was arrested for trying to sell Obama's Senate Seat and Charles Rangel, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee is being investigated by the House Ethics Committe for Off-Shore Tax Shelters.
And now the latest - Bernard L. Madoff, the founder of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities and a former chairman of the Nasdaq Stock Market, was arrested today by FBI agents and charged with a $50-billion criminal securities fraud.
The Wall Street Journal reported late Thursday that charges against Madoff allege that he told senior employees on Wednesday that the firm was "a giant Ponzi scheme" after trying to distribute the "couple of hundred million dollars" he had left before turning himself in, according to the Journal, citing a person familiar with the matter. The alleged scheme involved tens of billions of dollars.
Is there something in the air? Is the economy? Is there any rhyme or reason to these events? We will probably never know.
But what we do know is that it will probably continue. As investigating expand on the open cases, there is a good possibility that other rich, famous and powerful individuals will face the same fate.

Nothing surprises me anymore!

2008 Aggie 100 Honored

Texas A&M alumni has an annual "Aggie 100" list that lists the top 100 fastest-growing companies owned and operated by former Texas A and M students. The Internet Truckstop in New Plymouth and D&S Factors in Fruitland are among the firms selected for the fourth annual “Aggie 100” list.
The program is sponsored by Mays Business School’s Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurship. Internet Truckstop was recognized as No. 82 on the list, while D&S Factors was recognized as No. 3 on the list.
The company, Internet Truckstop, provides more than 140,000 users across North America with access to the largest database of load and truck availability on the Internet.
In addition it provides the most comprehensive credit information on freight brokers and shippers as well as performance ratings for more than 40,000 trucking fleets. It also supplies freight rate index information and rate trending tools to more than 6,000 transportation companies.
Founded in 1995 by Texas A&M graduate Scott Moscrip, Internet Truckstop has risen to the position of market leader when it comes to transportation information services for the North American trucking industry.
“We are very excited to be recognized as an Aggie 100 company,” Moscrip said. “This is the second year in a row that we have been honored to be included as on of the fastest growing companies in America. Not only do we have Internet Truckstop on the list, our sister company, literally run by my sister, Diana Clover, D&S Factors, is also on this list.”
The 100 companies with the highest compound annual revenue growth from 2005 to 2007 were recognized at a formal luncheon at The Zone Club at Texas A&M University’s Kyle Field Oct. 31. The honorees are also featured in the November 2008 issue of Texas Aggie published by The Association of Former Students.
“Texas A&M is proud of making the Aggie 100 an annual event to celebrate Aggies who have gone on to create businesses that are thriving not only in the U.S., but also around the world,” Richard Scruggs, Director of the Mays Business School’s Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurship, said.
Companies were required to meet the following criteria: In business for five years or more as of June 30, 2008; verifiable revenues of $100,000 or more for calendar year 2005, and operations consistent with the Aggie Code of Honor.

Go Nuts With The Mediterranean Diet

Bloomberg reports that a Mediterranean diet plus a daily serving of nuts may lower stomach fat and blood pressure in older adults at risk for heart disease, a Spanish study found.

The prevalence of patients who had metabolic syndrome, which includes a large waistline, high cholesterol and high blood pressure, decreased almost 14 percent after a year among those on the Mediterranean diet -- which is rich in fish and healthy fats -- plus mixed nuts. That compares with a 2 percent drop in those on a low-fat diet, according to research released today in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Nuts contain nutrients that may affect insulin resistance, blood pressure and blood fats such as cholesterol. Studies have shown that eating nuts may protect against heart disease, the researchers said. A July report in the New England Journal of Medicine found that overweight people lost more pounds on a Mediterranean diet than did those on a diet low in fat.

“There are enough scientific evidences to recommend the Med diet over the low-fat diet for health outcomes,” said Emilio Ros, a doctor in endocrinology and nutrition service at the Hospital Clinic Barcelona, and an author of the study, in a e-mail on Dec. 5. “This study adds another piece of evidence to the abundant literature on the subject.”

A Mediterranean diet includes olive oil and oily fish such as salmon, and little red meat. The low-fat diet is rich in carbohydrates and low-fat dairy foods. Both diets encourage fruits and vegetables. Nuts are rich in fiber, potassium, the amino acid arginine, calcium and magnesium.

Metabolic syndrome is characterized by a large waistline, higher-than-normal levels of triglycerides, a type of fat found in the blood; lower than normal HDL, so-called good cholesterol; high blood pressure; and high blood sugar. The condition increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke, according to the National Institutes of Health. The syndrome is diagnosed when a person has at least three of the symptoms, according to the NIH.

The syndrome, rising with increases in obesity, affects about 25 percent of people in developed countries, and more than half of the older population, Ros said.

Researchers in the study looked at 1,224 patients, ages 55 to 80, who were at high risk for heart disease. The patients were divided into three groups. One received advice on a low-fat diet. The other two were educated about the Mediterranean diet.

One of the Mediterranean-diet groups was given 1 liter (33.8 ounces) a week of virgin olive oil. The other received 30 grams (1.06 ounces) a day of mixed nuts, half of which were walnuts and the rest almonds and hazelnuts.

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome decreased 6.7 percent in the group given the olive oil compared with 13.7 percent among those in the nut group, the study found.

Weight didn’t change among the participants after one year. Those on the Mediterranean diet plus nuts experienced more of a drop in waist size, triglycerides and blood pressure compared with those on the low-fat diet, Ros said.

Longer follow-up of the patients in the study is needed to confirm the benefits, the authors wrote.

According to Diet Right Evaluations the Mediterranean Diet is identified as one of the highest rated diet and healthy plans available on the planet.

So get ready early for your New Year's resolution by choosing a healthy weight loss plan that is effective and highly rated by consumers who have applied this dietary approach to weight loss.

What Is a Schnabel?

Julian Schnabel is the film director who gained rave reviews for his recent works, particulary for is most recent masterpiece called "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly." Julian is also an accomplished and highly controversial one American painter, with both critics and avid followers.
Julian has helped his own career by having a knack for attracting attention to himself. He is a poster boy for the "me generation", who likes to party in pajamas - an out of the closet Hugh Hefner. His is so full of himself, you either love him or hate him.
One of his large paintings, according to Schnabel, sells for around a million dollars. His art works have made him a wealthy man with real estate in Montauk, Long Island and a palazza in Greenwich Village (NYC).
According to interview to air on 60 minutes, the Greenwich Village palazzo - known as the pink palace - is his base of operations. Outside, there are 360 degrees of killer views. Inside, touring the place with him, you feel like Gulliver in the land of the giants, surrounded by huge sculptures, 20-foot high ceilings, and Schnabel paintings that are both larger than life and larger than some New York apartments.
The living room is dominated by one of his favorite works, a painting of a girl's head. It's one of a dozen similar big girls Schnabel has painted in recent years, all of them inspired by a small amateur painting he found in a junk shop years ago.
"My father said to me, 'How come you painted her eyes out?' And I said, 'So you look at her chin,'" Schnabel remembers.
What's it all about? As Schnabel well knows, explaining art can be an elusive and treacherous pursuit.
He's constantly on the prowl for new surfaces, painting on old tarpaulins, rugs, and velvet. His current passion is for a stash of old navigation charts that seem to say to him "color me purple."
"I probably paint like a jazz musician. I know where to begin, but I don't really have necessarily an idea of how the thing's going to turn out. And I'm sort of leaning toward a divine light. And I think maybe it'll hit me, maybe it won't. But in making a movie, it’s the same thing," he told Safer.
Divine light or earthly savvy, there's no questioning his success as a filmmaker: his movies were nominated for five Oscars, and he himself won top prizes at the Golden Globes and the Cannes Film Festival.
"I thought I was too old to be a movie director. But once I was doing that, Dennis Hopper was on the set. He said, 'Looks like you’ve been doin' this for 40 years,'" Schnabel remembers.
There was "Basquiat," the tragic biography of the young artist who died of a toxic mix of drugs at age 28, a victim of the overheated New York art world of the 1980’s, a culture Schnabel knew firsthand.
"Before Night Falls" was an uncompromising portrait of the persecuted Cuban novelist Reinaldo Arenas, who died of AIDS, believing that writing was the best revenge.
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" is a true and compelling story about a French man-about-town suddenly imprisoned by a rare and almost total paralysis.
Making the films, Schnabel quickly developed his own method for working with actors: short on rehearsal, long on improvisation. "My technique is, you throw everybody in a hole and if they can climb out, you go home at the end of the day - and that includes me," he explains.
What if they don't "climb" out?
"If they don’t, then the movie dies," Schnabel tells Safer.
Now that he has taken Hollywood by storm you can expect to hear from a lot more from this talented, but egotistical man.