mimblr.com

AUSTIN — Arson is suspected in a fire that swept through the historic Texas Governor’s Mansion early Sunday and left much of the 152-year-old home charred and severely damaged, the state fire marshal said.
“We have some evidence that indicates that we do have an intentionally set fire,” said state Fire Marshal Paul Maldonado. “So we believe that we may be looking at a criminal act here.”
Calling it a “devastating loss to the state of Texas,” Maldonado did not provide details on how the fire may have been set or whether authorities had identified a suspect.
Security cameras are set up around the mansion, which sits downtown on a lot the size of a city block, and investigators were interviewing people who were nearby and might have noticed suspicious activity.
“We’re going to come get the person that’s responsible for causing this damage,” Maldonado said.
About 100 firefighters responded when an alarm went off just before 2 a.m. The mansion has been unoccupied since Gov. Rick Perry and his wife, Anita, temporarily moved out last fall so the mansion could undergo a $10 million renovation. It was scheduled to be completed next year.
No injuries were reported, and there was no immediate financial estimate of the damage.
“We are heartbroken by the fire that has ravaged the Texas Governors Mansion,” Perry, who was out of the country, said in a prepared statement. “It has not only been our home for the past eight years, but has stood as a symbol of Texas pride throughout its history. Though it can certainly be rebuilt, what Texas has lost today can never be replaced.”
Small hot spots were still smoldering more than six hours after the fire began. Puffs of smoke billowed from the building.
State officials said damage to the Greek Revival-style mansion — first occupied by Gov. Elisha Marshall Pease — was extensive.

chron.com

In 2006, Linda Manna helped a constable find her former husband – wanted for being one of the state’s worst deadbeat dads – at his mother’s wake.
But the same constable suspected that Manna was less than truthful this week when he called to ask the whereabouts of her boyfriend, an ex-con who owes child support, penalties and interest totaling nearly $100,000.
“I gave her the names of a couple of attorneys he could call to keep from getting arrested,” Jerry Loomis of All State Constables Inc. of Weymouth said. “I was doing her a favor. She kept insisting her boyfriend was looking for a job out of state and was nowhere around. I asked her several times if he was here and she continued to assure me that he was out of state and wouldn’t be back until July 3.”
Loomis found that unlikely because Manna’s boyfriend, Lawrence Robertson, had only recently been released from jail and was on 10 years of probation for crashing into a car driven by a pregnant Quincy woman in July of 2005. The woman’s baby died a month after the accident, which took place on Copeland Street in Quincy.
Loomis, who runs a constable business with his son Adam, decided to go to Manna’s Patten Avenue home on Thursday to check out her story.
It was there that the Loomises and Braintree police found the 46-year-old Robertson.
“I walked to the porch area and I could see him through the glass in the kitchen,” Loomis said. “When he saw me, he took off.”
Loomis said Manna first refused to allow a search of the home, but the constables had a civil arrest warrant from Norfolk County Probate and Family Court in Canton.
Manna continued to deny that Robertson was there, according to Loomis.
When the constables went to the basement, Manna stood in front of a door and refused to let them enter.

patriotledger.com

Click above to view the Maybach 62 Landaulet in hi-res
Okay, it just hit us: eccentric. That’s what the Maybach 62 Landaulet is, in a word. In fact, you could apply that to the whole Maybach venture. Like Dennis Hopper said in the Keanu-tastic action flick Speed, “Poor people are crazy, Jack. I’m eccentric.” Daimler is evidently hoping that there are enough “eccentric” people in the United States to warrant bringing over the head-scratchingly-strange Maybach 62 Landaulet to the American market.
With trepidation and a considerable measure of revulsion, we’ve covered the emergence of the Landaulet from the initial rumor, through the preview before the car’s unveiling in Dubai (where else), the first video footage, its North American debut and its eventual production confirmation. It’s been a long and crazy wind-tousled process, and now comes confirmation that it’s coming our way. Oh, and the price? Ultimately confirmed at $1.35 million. That’s not a typo, and it’s higher even than the highest estimates we received previously. In case you, like us, are wondering who would spend that kind of money on a convertible version of a car that ordinarily costs (an already exorbitant) $433,750, ask Hans-Dieter Mulhaupt, the VP in charge of the Maybach program: “The Landaulet is for a superrich individual who wants something that is extremely extraordinary and enjoys being driven in a car with acres of sky above them.” There you have it: “extremely extraordinary”, for a million-dollar premium. Check out the images in the gallery below…those are free.
I guess when something is so grossly overpriced you only need to sell two to make a huge profit… and I’m not sure how well these new convertible ones will do.
I’d never pay such a hefty premium for a car that looks like it came from the Mercedes parts bin.

autoblog.com

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***Please visit our site to find genuine analyst reports on numerous publicly traded companies
Spanish Broadcasting Systems Inc. was up over $0.03 on below average volume early trading Thursday, May 8, 2008. They recently announced the following:
Thursday, May 8, 2008 -Spanish Broadcasting System, Inc. reported financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2008.
Results and Discussions
For the quarter ended March 31, 2008, consolidated net revenue totaled $36.4 million compared to $38.9 million for the same prior year period, resulting in a decrease of $2.5 million or 6%. This consolidated decrease was mainly attributable to our radio segment which had a net revenue decrease of $3.8 million or 10%, offset by an increase in our television segment net revenue of $1.3 million or 62%. Our radio segment had a decrease in net revenue primarily due to lower local and national sales. The decrease in local sales occurred primarily in our Miami, Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago markets, offset by an increase in our Puerto Rico market. The decrease in national sales occurred in our Miami, Chicago, and New York markets, offset by an increase in our Los Angeles market. Our television segment net revenue growth was primarily due to increases in subscriber revenue related to the DirecTV affiliation agreements, local spot sales, and local integrated sales.

tradingmarkets.com

JANE GLENN HAAS The Orange County Register
About a quarter of a century ago, Muhammad Ali was standing with one of his daughters (he has nine children) by a driveway at Los Angeles International Airport.
We were walking by when my son, Andrew, spotted the famous boxer. My other son, Tom, immediately ran over to him and Ali did a right-left-right handshake and gave Tom an autograph.
He was gracious and friendly to the boys, characteristics I recalled while talking to his oldest daughter, Maryum “May May” Ali.
“May May,” a social worker with delinquent children and soon-to-be screenwriter, lives in Los Angeles. She was at the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach, Calif., to talk to the Parkinson Wellness Symposium.
She talked about how the disease has impacted her father, diagnosed 30 years ago, and about her sister, Raysheda’s, children’s book, “I’ll Hold Your Hand So You Won’t Fall: A Child’s Guide to Parkinson’s disease” (Merit Publishing, 2005).
“He’s a very positive person,” she told me. “He’s positive and peaceful. He’s not angry he has Parkinson’s. He says he’s optimistic and he’s not in any pain.”
Q: Your father has had Parkinson’s for 30 years. He’s now 66. How is he coping?
A: He’s in the stage where his balance and speech are impacted. But the disease progresses so slowly. He still looks good and still does pretty well, although sometimes he uses a walker.
A: I’ve adopted my father’s thinking. I don’t walk around with negatives.
You know “The Secret” and all those books about how to live life? My father practiced all those positives. He never read the books, but he said “I won’t achieve a goal if I don’t proclaim it first.”
Q: He put a face on Parkinson’s disease. He changed public thinking about the illness.

timesleader.com

Did Patrick Dempsey go commando for the big screen?
The McDreamy doc dons a mini-kilt in a scene in his latest rom-com Made of Honor and reveals he tried his best to follow the upstanding Scottish tradition of wearing nada underneath.
“For a short time [I was],” he tells AOL. “I tried it out and I realized that this is not the kilt I want to be doing that in. Yeah, I didn’t need to show that.”
Unfortunately for fans, it may be a while before Patrick will try it again as he must scrub up for Grey’s Anatomy. With the season finale fast approaching on May 22, the 42-year-old star drops some hints as to what the future holds for Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) and Derek.
“I have like a rainbow color of pages in front of me that I’m trying to put together in my script, and I just got to the final scene. And it’s a beautiful scene where we get back together,” he says. “It’s really quite something. It’s unexpected, I think, the way it plays itself out. It kind of gets back to the essence of what made this show so great.”
Calling it a “good” decision by creator Shonda Rhimes to rekindle the achy lovebirds’ relationship, Patrick hopes the storyline will keep viewers’ interest well into next season – the show’s fifth.
“I hope we just keep entertaining people. I think that’s the key here,” he says. “And hopefully, we don’t get stuck in a rut and we don’t repeat ourselves. I just want the show to keep moving forward and hopefully stay fresh.”

okmagazine.com

I’m just waitin’ for when the paps find a copy of her real birth cerificate. You know, the one that posts 1976 instead of 1986 (??) as her real birth year. Because if that did happen, it would explain why Megan looks like a 32 year old instead of 22 year old. Seriously why the fack does she look so mature? “School spirit”? Ha! Maybe if she was cheering her 5 year old from the bleachers.
Forget the sluttiness, that would be a real scandal!
Stunning girl, but she can’t act. At least she’s been bad in everything I’ve seen her in.
Lol, if we go by your theory #27 johnny then you must be jealous of Jake Gyllenhaal, since he’s probably better looking & famous then you, and your girlfriend would bang him in a heartbeat over your ass any time. But what am I talking about, you probably never even had one, judging how well you know women. I am hardly jealous of a girl who is younger than me, but manages to look even older than MY age

justjared.buzznet.com

The members of the Crapaud Women’s Institute met in the seniors common room for their April meeting.
Nine members were present. The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved, and the treasurer gave out copies of the financial report.
Correspondence consisted of a thank-you card, letters from the Queen Elizabeth and Prince County hospitals and the Bedford MacDonald House and the WI Notes and News. 
The members were asked to bring grab bags to the May meeting to be sold at the provincial convention.
Members were also reminded of the bake sale to be held at the garden show.
Funds were voted to the Queen Elizabeth and Prince County hospitals and the Bedford MacDonald homeless shelter.
Members were reminded that the provincial convention will be held on May 28.
The members of St. John’s Anglican Church Women, Crapaud, visited Andrews Lodge in Charlottetown for their April meeting and social time and had as their guests Muriel Crosby and Annie Moore, former members of the group who are now living at the lodge.
President Marilyn Myers welcomed everyone and then read about how being an older women can be rewarding. She used as examples Mary and Elizabeth from the Bible as it was quite possible that Elizabeth gave Mary, the mother of Jesus, encouragement and support as she prepared for the birth of Jesus.
Gladys Lowther read a scripture lesson from Titus.
The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved, and members answered roll call with a verse of Scripture.
Some of the members also read some funny church stories, and lunch was served, provided by the members. Stories and reminiscences of the picnics, suppers, get togethers and friends past and present were enjoyed before the guests were helped back to their rooms,
Upcoming events include a Mother’s Day tea to be held at the old Canoe Cove School today, 2-4 p.m. Admission is $5 at the door. It is sponsored by the Canoe Cove Community Association, and proceeds will go towards the beautification and maintenance of the old school. Tea and sweets will be provided. All are welcome.

theguardian.pe.ca

A teachers’ strike, a mighty U-turn on the 10p tax band – it’s been a pretty terrible week for the government and for Ed Balls, Gordon Brown’s right-hand man and the secretary of state for children, schools and families. But as he shuttles between London and his Yorkshire constituency with his wife Yvette Cooper, also a cabinet minister, and their three young children, Balls is surprisingly upbeat. Perhaps he has his eye on an even bigger prize
The timing is so perfect that it feels like a plot. Nearing the end of a long tour of a flagship city academy in Leeds, Ed Balls agrees to drop in on one last class and finds himself in the middle of a debate on whether MPs should be allowed to vote against their party.
The irony is probably lost on year 9, most of whom cannot know just how close the government came to melt-down over a threatened rebellion by backbenchers last week.
But for the secretary of state for children, schools and families, Gordon Brown’s closest ally, the seemingly innocent question is painfully close to the bone. It would be hard even for Balls to deny that the prime minister’s authority suffered a severe blow when he was forced to cave in to the demands of Labour MPs who were unhappy about the abolition of the 10p tax rate. Now more rebellions loom, which makes the subject of party discipline acutely sensitive.
So what’s the answer? Twenty pairs of eyes swivel towards the minister, awaiting his verdict.
“The deal is that all MPs vote for the party line on things that are in our manifesto. Otherwise we wouldn’t get anything done,” he says briskly. But he does admit that if the government doesn’t respect or listen to its MPs, “they get angry”.

timesonline.co.uk

All Access: Courageous Chloe Lattanzi
The aspiring young singer, and daughter of Olivia Newton-John, has been making news — but not with her music. Now, Chloe clears up the many misconceptions about her eating disorder.
Paris & Benji’s Beverly Hills Lunch (April 30, 2008)
Paris Hilton and Benji Madden caused a media havoc at Prego in Beverly Hills yesterday. Inside the restaurant, Paris can be seen taking pictures with a baby. Footage: X17
Robert Downey Jr. Gets An ‘Iron Man’ Slurpee Surprise
Being cast as “Iron Man” was cool. Getting your face on a Slurpee cup? Now that’s something special — just ask Robert!
Dolly Talks Plastic Surgery!
Maureen McCormick, aka: Marcia Brady, could barely contain herself when she met her idol, Dolly Parton. And then, Maureen and Dolly have a very candid discussion about plastic surgery. The result?Â… one of the most fun moments we’ve had in quit
Harrison Ford’s Wax Job!
Harrison is a guy who is willing to do almost anything for the cause he is passionate about — deforestation. Each year over 30 million acres of forest are destroyed. To illustrate this, Harrison is sacrificing a chunk of his chest hair.
Jaime Pressly Goes Green!
Jaime Pressly, along with Glenn Close, Chevy Chase, Bette Midler, Martha Stewart, Christie Brinkley and others, have all designed their own green slogan t-shirts to benefit the Earth Day Network.
All Access: ‘Celebrity Circus’
It’s not exactly breaking news to say Hollywood is a circus. But now a new TV show takes this concept to a whole new level.

accesshollywood.com