As schools across the country start the academic year, many questions remain on the minds of parents who are considering having their children vaccinated against the H1N1 flu virus.
H1N1 has infected well over 1 million people in the United States, and it is now the CDC's No. 1 priority. The World Health Organization predicts a third of the world's population will eventually be infected.
Not surprisingly, you may have a lot of questions. We’ve done our best to answer them.
Who’s at risk?
Every year, seasonal flu infects between 5 percent and 20 percent of a given population and kills between 250,000 and 500,000 people globally. But unlike seasonal flu, research shows that older children and young adults are by far the most likely to be infected with the new H1N1 virus.
“Flu viruses change every year, so the people who have been around longer and have been infected with the novel H1N1 flu virus probably have a partial immunity to this new virus that’s circulating now,” said Dr. Peter Gross, senior vice president and chief medical officer at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey.
Partial immunity means that they may still get infected with the flu, but they would be less likely to be in the hospital or have severe consequences, he added.
Doctors are recommending that patients who fall into high-risk categories get vaccinated, including those with chronic illness, heart disease, lung disease, diabetes or suppressed immune systems, people between 20 and 40 years old, pregnant women and infants.
Why get vaccinated?
Flu is one of the most complex and confusing of all viruses. Others, like measles, stay the same year after year. But because there are so many variants and sub-types of influenza, people have to get vaccinated every one to three years. Influenza viruses are genetically unstable, and that causes them to mutate.
Each year, health officials decide in January or February which flu strains will be included in the seasonal flu vaccine. But there is a chance that by the time it becomes available in September, the viruses may have changed.
“It happens every few years with the influenza,” Gross said. “But when it does happen, there is still some protection from the vaccine, so it’s always worthwhile to get vaccinated, because at least you’ll have partial protection. And H1N1 strains of the flu virus change less often.”
This flu season, there will be two vaccines available: the standard seasonal flu vaccine, which protects against three different strains of the virus, and new H1N1 vaccine.
“For most people under 50, they’ll need two shots of H1N1 vaccine three-to four weeks apart,” said Gross. “So their immune system will be primed with the first shot and completed with the second shot.”
What are the side effects?
Like the seasonal influenza vaccine, the side effects associated with the H1N1 flu vaccine are minimal.
“The main side effect is soreness at the injection site, and sometimes you may feel achy, but you can always take Tylenol,” Gross said. “You don’t want to take aspirin during an influenza epidemic because there have been reports of Reye’s syndrome in people who become infected and take aspirin.”
What about Guillain-Barre syndrome?
Guillain-Barre syndrome is a rare disorder where the body’s immune system attacks the nerves, causing weakness and numbness to the arms and legs — and sometimes even paralysis.
Many Americans are concerned about the safety and efficacy of the newly developed H1N1 flu shot because of a similar vaccine that was linked to a swine flu-like outbreak in the 1970s.
In 1976, when 40 million people received the H1N1 vaccination over a period of a few months, the incidence of Guillain-Barre syndrome was about one out of 150,000, Gross said. This compares to about 1 in a million people who develop the syndrome from the seasonal flu shot.
Guillain-Barre occurs naturally following upper respiratory illnesses, digestive illnesses and is rarely associated with some drugs and vaccines, he cautioned. But he said the fear of Guillain-Barre syndrome would not prevent him from giving most vaccines — including the seasonal influenza vaccine.
The new H1N1 vaccine is being vigorously tested before it will be dispensed to the public, which should guard against a similar Guillain-Barre outbreak this time around. However, what, if any, rare side effects will occur will be unknown until hundreds of thousands or even millions of people have received the vaccine, Gross said.
So what are my options if I don’t want to get vaccinated?
Pregnant women, children and teens are at extreme risk for dangerous H1N1 complications, including death, and should be vaccinated no matter what.
Others, however, may have some leeway to play with.
If you had a documented case of H1N1 during the 2008-2009 flu season, you probably have partial immunity. But if the strain changes between now and December, you could be susceptible to contracting the new virus without any immunity.
Many people who were around during the swine flu outbreak in 1976 have been found to have an immunity to H1N1. Also, people over the age of 50 who have been getting an annual flu shot for most of their adult lives (all flu shots contain some form of the H1N1 virus) also appear to have partial immunity.
On Sunday, health officials reported that an estimated 10 percent of the population in New York City was infected with the virus in the spring. While not all cases of H1N1 flu virus were documented, some people may be surprised to find that they have partial immunity when the virus re-emerges as predicted in the fall.
And if you think you may fall into that category, there are ways to find out.
If you had flu-like symptoms in the spring but weren't diagnosed with H1N1, you can get tested to see if the virus antibodies are in your system. There are labs that can test to find out if you are immune to this strain or a previous strain — but you’ll have to pay out of pocket.
Doctors strongly advise getting the seasonal flu vaccine because while a resurgence of the H1N1 flu virus may be on the horizon, there may be other strains of flu making their rounds, and you don’t want to leave yourself susceptible to them
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
BMW Unveils Triple Threat Plug-In Sports Car
BMW's Vision EfficientDynamics concept has been the subject of rumor and innuendo for weeks, but now the German car company is setting the stage for its 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show display with new details of its concept.
As the name implies, this concept car grafts fashionable green technology on the body of a 2+2 sports car. The promise: BMW M-car performance from a vehicle with a three-cylinder diesel plug-in hybrid powertrain.
To break down everything in that last clause takes some effort. The combination of fewer cylinders, plug-in hybrid technology, lithium-ion battery cells, and diesel combustion is a technological tour de force, should it ever reach production. It's a holy grail for green-car drivers that melds the state of the art in lower-consumption driving in ways that haven't made the step from engineering lab to the street quite yet.
The drivetrain marries a direct-injection, 1.5-liter, 163-hp, three-cylinder turbodiesel to two electric motors (one per axle), a set of lithium-ion batteries and a software controller that modulates and marries both powertrains to a combined total of 356 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. Using only the diesel engine's power, a six-speed dual-clutch transmission sends power to the rear wheels. The hybrid powertrain is less conventional: it's actually two distinct applications, a hybrid system on the rear wheels and a hybrid motor on the front wheels. The rear-wheel hybrid system operates in tandem with the diesel engine, while the front system operates on battery power alone. With this arrangement--similar in concept to the Ferrari hybrid system announced earlier this year--the Vision EfficientDynamics could provide all-wheel drive in electric-only mode, with battery power twisting its front and rear axles simultaneously.
Performance is geared to please the toughest Bimmerphile. BMW claims a 155-mph top speed and a 0-60 mph time of less than 4.8 seconds, while providing fuel economy of almost 63 mpg, and for European enthusiasts, CO2 emissions of 99 grams per kilometer.
Because it's also a plug-in hybrid, those controversial CO2 emissions could be halved to 50 grams per kilometer, if the Vision EfficientDynamics were juiced up with electricity and driven on battery power alone. The plug-in technology used means the concept car would use a standard 220-volt household outlet to recharge its batteries. A 2.5-hour recharge time is predicted, though on a 380-volt line, BMW says a 44-minute full recharge is possible.
Driving range could pass 400 miles with fuel or 31 miles on electricity alone, BMW also adds.
A grand tourer in silhouette, the concept wears aerodynamically influenced cues for style and purpose. A low front end and active louvers cool the drivetrain when needed, and close to improve airflow when unnecessary. The racing-inspired details continue with well-managed airflow--so tightly tuned, the EfficientDynamics concept generates a coefficient of drag of 0.22, while today's best production cars sit at 0.24 (the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe).
Dimensions place the EfficientDynamics concept in the middle of BMW's current coupe range. It measures 181.1 inches long, 74.8 inches wide, and 48.8 inches tall, and weighs 3076 pounds. The concept has 5.3 cubic feet of luggage space, enough for two golf bags.
The body of the Vision concept is lightweight in design and execution, its engineers say. The body shell and suspension are rendered in aluminum, the roof and door skins are formed from polycarbonate glass that darkens automatically in response to climate--like photochromic glasses. The cockpit of the Vision concept also uses lightweight materials. Kevlar frames the seats, and connects them to the center console, but elsewhere, sustainability is penned into the colors and materials chosen. LED lighting inside has ambient hues, while the headlights and taillights are linked to the ambient lighting to shift its color and intensity, depending on exterior conditions. A head-up display and night vision are configured into the gauges and driver displays.
Sophisticated software underpins virtually every system of the concept. That software takes constant readings from the car's systems and interprets the data to enable more efficient operation. BMW says, for example, the navigation system's traffic data can cue the drivetrain to shut down the concept's cooling fans to prepare it for more efficient highway operation. Even the air conditioning and electric power-steering sensitivity are constantly tweaked in this way for optimum performance, BMW says.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
New iPhone App Could Help Students Save on Books
A new iPhone application claims to help students save money on textbooks, according to Jeff Sherwood, CEO of BIGWORDS.com.
BIGWORDS, a free iPhone application, can help students find the best deals on their textbooks from Multi-Item Price Optimization which calculates the cheapest combination of textbooks from stores with multi-item orders and finds the best deals available, Sherwood said.
Sherwood said people using the site and the app save $225 on average on multi-item orders.
Students search for textbooks on BIGWORDS by plugging in the title, author or ISBN code and drop the books into a virtual book bag. It searches from over 20 different sources, like Amazon, Textbooks.com, and Barnes & Noble, to find the best deals by factoring in shipping cost and promotions.
"Our site or software runs every combination of all of the books at all of the stores that we cover and comes up with the cheapest combination of stores from which to buy your books," Sherwood said.
Sherwood said he got the idea to start BIGWORDS from his time as a college student.
"At that time there were no online alternatives to the college bookstore," he said. "We would wait in line for three hours to check out and there was virtually no availability for used books and half the time they didn't even have the inventory for new books."
More than 750,000 people visit the Web site at the beginning of the semester and it generates $13.5 million in textbooks sales and the Web site is constantly updated with the latest coupons and promotions, he said. BIGWORDS also supports textbook rentals, international editions and guaranteed buyback, he said.
Samantha Stroud, a freshman criminal justice major, said she would use the app in the future to help her find the best deals. For now, she used the university bookstore's Web site.
"I went to the bookstore Web site and got my books off of there," Stroud said.
Katie Bain, a senior psychology major, said she gets her books from the bookstore, but has sold her books online.
"I thought I could get a better price from them than I could get from the bookstore," she said.
Sherwood said that BIGWORDS plans to update the app in November and plans to add the service to other devices like BlackBerry phones.
Megan Fox Will Be the Next Catwoman
That's what UK paper The Sun is reporting.
Columnist George Smart says the "Transformers" star is set to follow in the footsteps of Michelle Pfeiffer and Halle Berry in donning the skintight catsuit.
HOT SHOTS: The lovely and talented Megan Fox.
"All the other stars who have reinvented the Batman films are back on board," he reports. "(Including) Christian Bale, Michael Caine, and director Christopher Nolan."
Smart says shooting is scheduled to start next year, with the film slated for release in 2011.
Last year's "Batman: The Dark Knight" became the fourth highest-grossing movie of all time, with total sales over $1 billion.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Linda Bollea Sues Hulk Hogan for Her Harley, Wants Him in Prison
Just a few weeks ago, Hulk Hogan and the mother of his children Linda Bollea finally reached an undisclosed divorce settlement that they were both satisfied with, and Pop Tarts was assured Bollea was particularly delighted with her prominent payout. But is the former pro wrestler not living up to his legal word and giving his ex the agreed-to goods?
Bollea filed a motion against Hulk in the Pinellas County Superior Court in Florida on Tuesday for the "Enforcement of the Confidential Marital Settlement." In the suit, Bollea claims her ex has failed to release her Harley Davidson motorcycle and pay her $225,000 due on August 7 as promised in the settlement.
RAW DATA: NEW HOGAN COURT DOCUMENTS (PDF)
Consequently, Bollea is not only demanding her money and motorcycle, but now wants him to cover all the transport and attorney fees she has incurred, and if he still refuses to comply, has filed a request to have Hulk "incarcerated."
But a Harley wasn’t the only mode of moving Bollea is allegedly entitled to. According to the documents, their confidential marital settlement also involves her getting "exclusive possession and ownership of her Mercedes Benz, Cadillac Escalade, Corvette and Rolls Royce."
"We are proceeding against the Hulk with enforcement and contempt proceedings to make him comply with the marital settlement, whether he likes the agreement or not, and regardless of his stalls, emotional issues and games," Bollea’s attorney Ray Rafool told Pop Tarts on Tuesday.
A rep for Hogan told Tarts that the "Hogan Knows Best" star has done no wrong and is "absolutely complying with the terms of the marital settlement agreement."
"Linda will receive everything she is entitled to under the agreement as soon as it is available to give to her," the rep said.
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Less than a month ago both parties issued statements to Pop Tarts declaring their happiness to move on with their lives in the hope that could sustain a friendship and "work together" as parents of their two children Brooke, 21 and Nick, 19.
Kristen Cavallari Earning More Money Than Lauren Conrad?
While it was Lauren Conrad’s decision to bid farewell her MTV reality show "The Hills," Pop Tarts has learned that her replacement, Kristin Cavallari, is actually banking a little more than she did.
Reports recently emerged indicating that Cavallari was earning an impressive $63,000 per episode. However, an inside source assured us that such numbers were "totally inaccurate" and that the Denver-born 22-year-old was actually earning around $90,000 per episode. Poor ol’ LC reportedly made "only" about $75,000 a pop.
It figures that the figures were pretty good, as just weeks before inking the deal to narrate the next two season of "The Hills," Cavallari swore up and down that she was absolutely done with reality television.
"I haven’t even watched an episode of 'The Hills,'" she told Tarts, saying her focus was on being a "serious actress."
Kid Rock Takes Naughty Pics; Jeremy Piven Downs 17 Shots; And That's the PG Stuff
Hollywood’s hottest turned up to über-socialite Diana Jenkins' annual summer party in her palatial Malibu pad on Saturday, but as the day turned to night, we’re told the A-list crowd continued to turn up the heat.
Aside from the multitude of modelesque guests wearing next-to-no-clothes, attendees included Justin Timberlake, Sean Penn, Jeremy Piven, Salma Hayek and billionaire husband, Francois-Henri Pinault, Justin Murdock, Rick Rubin, Matthew Perry, Shannon Doherty, Paris Hilton, Nicky Hilton, David Katzenberg, Ludacris (who had just played at a nearby party in Malibu), and Kid Rock (who performed at the party).
According to spies, Pamela Anderson’s former flame was up to his usual tricks, and joined a group of men in taking very racy body shots of DeLeón tequila wedged in the cleavage of the cocktail waitresses, while Jeremy Piven drew more attention to himself by downing almost 17 shots of tequila at the bar. Not bad for a guy who just eight months ago was struck down and forced to quit his Broadway play with a death-defying bout of "mercury poisoning."
But we're told a lot more "adult-themed" behavior went down at the ultra-exclusive bash (especially behind the bar) and that all photography was strictly prohibited. In fact, one party person that was caught taking happy snaps on his cell phone was not only kicked out but had to "beg" not to be arrested.
"No photographers were even allowed near the property, as the 40 sheriffs that guarded all sides of her house during the party made sure of," added our snitch. "It was an absolutely crazy, adult-themed, scandalous party."
On-again couple Sophia Bush and Austin Nichols spotted last week at Soho’s Pop Yogurt sharing a cold nutritious dessert together. This past Friday the couple journeyed to the east where they were spotted dining and cuddling at Georgica Restaurant and Lounge in East Hamptons. Also at Georgica on Friday night was Avril Lavigne who took a break from recording her album to hang out with "Hell's Kitchen" season 6 contestant, Robert Hesse. She was overheard giving cooking tips to the chef and letting everyone know that she loves the Hamptons, where she has been getting inspiration for her new album.
"Real Housewife of New York City" Ramona with husband Mario Singer enjoying the fresh local fluke and veal carpaccio at Matto in East Hampton on Saturday.
Stephanie Pratt chatting to Billy Zane about parties and Hollywood as she had her makeup done (alongside Zane's wife Jasmine) at Valerie Beverly Hills on famed Canon Drive on Saturday.
Anne Hathaway at Hotel Healdsburg in Healdsburg, California on the weekend with beau Adam Shulman to attend his brother’s wedding at the Trentadue Winery.
Liev Schreiber riding his bicycle to La Fondita in the Hamptons on Saturday afternoon, refueling on some fish tacos and a salad.
Rachel Bilson and Hayden Christensen all lovey dovey while checking into a suite at the W Union Square, NYC on Saturday.
Kourtney Kardashian judging the 5th Annual Miss Malibu pageant alongside Ludacris and Elisabeth Rohm at a private residence on Sunday afternoon.
Alanis Morrisette picking up a few tank tops while shopping at Fred Segal Fun in Santa Monica on Sunday.
Jermaine Jackson and Michael Jackson’s three children, Prince Michael, Paris and Prince Michael II (Blanket) enjoying dinner with a party of twelve in the private dining room at N9NE Steakhouse inside The Palms.
Ice-T (enjoying veal and Pepsi) and wife Coco (who opted for Merlot and Lobster Bisque) while dining with four others inside the private wine room at Strip House at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, Las Vegas on Sunday before going backstage after the 9pm performance of PEEPSHOW.
Ashlee Simpson and co-star Stephanie Jacobson sipping Vita Coco coconut water in between takes on the set of their new show, "Melrose Place" on Monday.
Mila Kunis, Jason Bateman and Jessica Stroup laughing together at the Los Angeles Premiere of "Extract," co-hosted by Three-O Vodka at Arclight Hollywood on Monday. Other attendees included Gene Simmons, Johnny Knoxville, Cheech Marin, Jonathon Schaech, and Doug Benson.
Madonna looking ultra svelte while rocking out on stage during her concert in Belgrade, Serbia on Monday.
Jared Leto, Kevin Connolly, Kristin Cavallari and Eliza Dushku helping "True Blood" starlet Anna Paquin celebrate her cover of NYLON Magazine's Annual TV Issue with an intimate dinner and roaring after party at West Hollywood's SkyBar at the Mondrian Hotel.
Justin Timberlake (sans Jessica Biel) Monday night at Hollywood's Madame Royale on the patio drinking his own tequila, 901, with a couple pals.
Martin Short’s Jiminy Glick character grilling a "fried" Ronald McDonald (played by Andy Dick) in Chicago for a two-minute spot to highlight McDonald’s inhumane slaughter practices.
Neil Patrick Harris, Judah Friedlander, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Mekhi Pfifer and Reba McEntire filming a "Get Schooled" PSA as part of a five-year national initiative co-developed by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Viacom that creates a platform for corporate and community stakeholders to address the challenges facing America’s public schools.
Brace yourself: Beer prices are going up
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Beer drinkers beware: The cost of a cold one is going up.
Brewers across the globe are hiking prices to compensate for lower volumes and higher commodity costs in the recession.
Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world's largest brewer and maker of Budweiser, announced plans to raise prices Tuesday.
"We plan on taking price increases on a majority of volume and in a majority of markets this fall," Anheuser-Busch InBev said in a statement. "The increase helps cover some input costs."
The U.S.-Belgian brewer said prices will go up "across different price tiers" including its high and low-end brands.
The price hikes are part of a broader industry trend.
Heineken, best known for its Heineken and Amstel brands, said Tuesday that its global price increases have helped it turn profits despite sagging volumes.
0:00 /2:10Battle brewing over beer
Anheuser-Busch InBev (ABI) was formed in November 2008 when InBev, which brews Beck's and Stella Artois, bought St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch for $52 billion.
The looming price hike comes as sales volumes in the brewing industry have declined. Anheuser-Busch InBev said earlier this month that total beer volumes were down 1.5% in the second quarter versus the same period last year.
Heineken, based in Amsterdam, said Tuesday that price increases helped the company offset the pull back in consumption. Heineken makes and brews 170 international beers and ciders, but is best known for its brands Heineken and Amstel.
"The economic and trading conditions remain difficult, and there will be continued pressure on volumes in the second half of 2009," CEO Jean-François van Boxmeer said in a statement.
Obama calls Kennedy 'greatest U.S. senator of our time'
U.S. President Barack Obama: For five decades, virtually every major piece of legislation to advance the civil rights, health and economic well being of the American people bore his name and resulted from his efforts.
I valued his wise counsel in the Senate, where, regardless of the swirl of events, he always had time for a new colleague. I cherished his confidence and momentous support in my race for the Presidency. And even as he waged a valiant struggle with a mortal illness, I've profited as President from his encouragement and wisdom.
An important chapter in our history has come to an end. Our country has lost a great leader, who picked up the torch of his fallen brothers and became the greatest United States Senator of our time.
Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick: "One of the Commonwealth's brightest lights went out last night. Ted Kennedy was a compassionate, effective, visionary statesman, family man and friend. Diane and I were blessed by his company, support and many kindnesses, and miss him profoundly. We pray for comfort for his beloved wife and partner Vicki and his entire family."
Harry Reid, Senate majority leader: "Because of Ted Kennedy, more young children could afford to become healthy. More young adults could afford to become students. More of our oldest citizens and our poorest citizens could get the care they need to live longer, fuller lives. More minorities, women and immigrants could realize the rights our founding documents promised them. And more Americans could be proud of their country. Ted Kennedy's dream was the one for which the founding fathers fought and for which his brothers sought to realize. The liberal lion's mighty roar may now fall silent, but his dream shall never die."
Nancy Reagan, former first lady: "Given our political differences, people are sometimes surprised by how close Ronnie and I have been to the Kennedy family. In recent years, Ted and I found our common ground in stem cell research, and I considered him an ally and a dear friend. I will miss him."
Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah): "Today America lost a great elder statesman, a committed public servant, and leader of the Senate. And today I lost a treasured friend. "Ted Kennedy was an iconic, larger than life United States senator whose influence cannot be overstated. Many have come before, and many will come after, but Ted Kennedy's name will always be remembered as someone who lived and breathed the United States Senate and the work completed within its chamber."
Nancy Pelosi, House Speaker: "Today, with the passing of Senator Edward M. Kennedy, the American people have lost a great patriot, and the Kennedy family has lost a beloved patriarch. Over a lifetime of leadership, Senator Kennedy's statesmanship and political prowess produced a wealth of accomplishment that has improved opportunity for every American."
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"Senator Kennedy had a grand vision for America, and an unparalleled ability to effect change. Rooted in his deep patriotism, his abiding faith, and his deep concern for the least among us, no one has done more than Senator Kennedy to educate our children, care for our seniors, and ensure equality for all Americans."
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (married to Kennedy's niece Maria Shriver): "Maria and I are immensely saddened by the passing of Uncle Teddy. He was known to the world as the "Lion of the Senate," a champion of social justice, and a political icon. Most importantly, he was the rock of our family: a loving husband, father, brother and uncle. He was a man of great faith and character."
Former President George H.W. Bush: Barbara and I were deeply saddened to learn Ted Kennedy lost his valiant battle with cancer. While we didn't see eye-to-eye on many political issues through the years, I always respected his steadfast public service so much so, in fact, that I invited him to my library in 2003 to receive the Bush Award for Excellence in Public Service. Ted Kennedy was a seminal figure in the United States Senate a leader who answered the call to duty for some 47 years, and whose death closes a remarkable chapter in that body's history.
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair: Senator Kennedy was a figure who inspired admiration, respect and devotion, not just in America but around the world.
He was a true public servant committed to the values of fairness, justice and opportunity. "I saw his focus and determination first hand in Northern Ireland where his passionate commitment was matched with a practical understanding of what needed to be done to bring about peace and to sustain it. I was delighted he could join us in Belfast the day devolved government was restored.
My thoughts and prayers today are with all his family and friends as they reflect on the loss of a great and good man.
Gordon Brown, British prime minister: "Senator Edward Kennedy will be mourned not just in America, but in every continent. He is admired around the world as the senator of senators. He led the world in championing children's education and health care, and believed that every single child should have the chance to realise their potential to the full. Even facing illness and death, he never stopped fighting for the causes which were his life's work."
Brian Cowen, Irish prime minister: "In this country, Ted Kennedy will be remembered with great affection and enduring respect. Throughout his long and distinguished career in politics, Ted Kennedy has been a great friend of Ireland. He has used his considerable influence in the world's most powerful parliament for the betterment of this island."
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
World's Oldest Christian Bible Digitized
LONDON — The surviving pages of the world's oldest Christian Bible have been reunited — digitally.
The early work known as the Codex Sinaiticus has been housed in four separate locations across the world for more than 150 years.
But starting Monday, it became available for perusal on the Web at http://www.codexsinaiticus.org so scholars and other readers can get a closer look at what the British Library calls a "unique treasure."
"[The book] offers a window into the development of early Christianity and firsthand evidence of how the text of the Bible was transmitted from generation to generation," said Scot McKendrick, head of Western manuscripts at the British Library.
As it survives today, Codex Sinaiticus comprises just over 400 large leaves of prepared animal skin, each of which measures 15 inches by 13.5 inches (380 millimeters by 345 millimeters). It is the oldest book that contains a complete New Testament and is only missing parts of the Old Testament and the Apocrypha.
The 4th-century book, written in Greek, has been digitally reunited in a project involving groups from Britain, Germany, Russia and Egypt, which each possessed parts of the 1,600-year-old manuscript.
They worked together to publish new research into the history of the Codex and transcribed 650,000 words over a four-year period.
The Codex was both a key Christian text and "a landmark in the history of the book, as it is arguably the oldest large-bound book to have survived," McKendrick said.
Codex Sinaiticus, which loosely translated means "the book from Sinai," was discovered at the Monastery of Saint Catherine at Mount Sinai by German Bible scholar Constantine Tischendorf in the mid-19th century. Much of it eventually wound up in Russia — just how exactly the British Library won't say, citing lingering sensitivity over the circumstances surrounding its removal from the monastery.
The British Library bought 347 pages from Soviet authorities in 1933. Forty-three pages are at the University Library in Leipzig, Germany, and six fragments are at the National Library of Russia in St. Petersburg. And in 1975, monks stumbled on 12 more pages and 40 fragments stashed in a hidden room at the monastery at Mount Sinai.
Juan Garces, the Codex Sinaiticus project manager, said putting the book online was a "definitely a historical moment."
"It's special because it's the oldest almost completely preserved bible," Garces said.
Garces said the only other Bible that rivals Codex Sinaiticus in age is the Codex Vaticanus, which was written around the same time but lacks parts of the New Testament.
"It's such an important book — that's why it should be accessible," Garces said. "If you would have liked to see it before you would have had to travel to four countries in two continents. If you want to see the manuscript right now all you have to do is go online and experience it for yourself."
On the Codex parchment leaves is written around half of the Old Testament and Apocrypha, the whole of the New Testament and two early Christian texts not found in modern Bibles. Most of the first part of the Bible manuscript — containing most of the so-called historical books, from Genesis to 1 Chronicles — is missing and presumed to be lost.
Garces said Codex Sinaiticus was handwritten by four scribes. Experts had previously believed there were only three, but researchers at the British Library looked at the script with high quality digital imaging that revealed the hand of a fourth penman.
"From Parchment to Pixel: The Virtual Reunification of the Codex Sinaiticus," an exhibit about the Bible's reunification process, opened at the British Library on Monday and runs until Sept. 7.
The digitized manuscript includes more than 800 pages and fragments, including the pages discovered in 1975 — published for the first time.
"There's a high demand," Garces said. "Our Web site has crashed because people want to look at it."
Taliban buying children for suicide attacks
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- A top Taliban leader in Pakistan is buying and selling children for suicide bombings, Pakistani and U.S. officials said.
Children are shown at a training camp in this video footage shot by the Taliban.
Children are shown at a training camp in this video footage shot by the Taliban.
Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud has been increasingly using the children in attacks, the officials said. A video released by Pakistan's military shows the children training for the task.
In the video of a training camp, children can be seen killing and going through exercises.
Mehsud has been selling the children, once trained, to other Taliban officials for $6,000 to $12,000, Pakistani military officials said. Video Watch more about the child bombers »
Some of the children are as young as 11, the officials said.
"He has been been admitting he holds a training center for young boys, for preparing them for suicide bombing. So he is on record saying all this, accepting these crimes," said Major General Akhtar Abbas, spokesman for the Pakistani army.
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The young suicide bombers may be able to reach targets unnoticed, the military said.
"If he is approaching on foot, there is a possibility he will bypass security," Abbas said.
"In certain areas, there is a possibility in the population centers everyone can not be checked physically, so he can create havoc there."
Pakistan has launched an offensive against the Taliban, started in the Swat region of the North West Frontier Province. The Taliban have countered with a spate of suicide bombings, including a July 2 attack in Rawalpindi, in which a suicide bomber on a motorcycle struck a Pakistani Defense Ministry bus. At least one person was killed and 29 others were wounded.
Pakistan's army said it is hunting Mehsud in the hopes that the supply of suicide bombers will dry up after the Taliban leader is captured.
Meanwhile, a suspected U.S. drone attack killed at least 12 people and wounded five others in northwest Pakistan Tuesday, Pakistani officials said.
The missile strikes in South Waziristan targeted a suspected Taliban hideout at a madrassa, or Muslim school, in Zangarah, according to intelligence officials.
The attack near the border with Afghanistan involved a pair of missiles shot from an unmanned drone, local resident Janbaz Mehsud told CNN. He said all the dead and wounded were Taliban.
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A local government official, who asked not to be named, said the madrassa was a training center for the Taliban and belongs to Baitullah Mehsud. That official put the death toll at 14, but said the number of dead could rise.
The U.S. military routinely offers no comment on reported drone attacks. However, the United States is the only country operating in the region known to have the ability to launch missiles from drones, which are controlled remotely.
Ex-NFL star McNair's girlfriend bought gun
(CNN) -- The pistol found at the scene of the shooting that killed former NFL quarterback Steve McNair and his girlfriend was purchased by the woman two nights before, police said Monday.
Steve McNair, 36, spent 13 seasons in the NFL, the majority with the Tennessee Titans.
Steve McNair, 36, spent 13 seasons in the NFL, the majority with the Tennessee Titans.
McNair, 36, and Sahel Kazemi, 20, were found fatally shot in a condominium in downtown Nashville, Tennessee, on Saturday afternoon. McNair was shot twice in the head and twice in the chest, and Kazemi was shot once in the head, authorities said.
Police found a semiautomatic pistol beneath Kazemi's body and determined that she bought it Thursday night, Nashville Metropolitan Police Department Spokesman Don Aaron said Monday. He said he didn't know whether it was a legal purchase but noted that Kazemi wouldn't meet the age requirement for a permit to carry a handgun, which is 21.
Officials are calling McNair's death a homicide but are awaiting results from ballistics and gunshot residue tests before classifying Kazemi's death.
The pistol was purchased Thursday evening, hours after Kazemi -- who was accompanied by McNair in a Cadillac Escalade he had purchased for her -- was pulled over in a traffic stop and charged with driving under the influence. McNair was allowed to leave the scene in a taxi after Kazemi was given a field sobriety test.
Kazemi told the officer that she was "high" from a "hookah situation," Aaron said. Video Watch Aaron talk about the crime and McNair's relationship with Kazemi »
McNair, a married father of four, and Kazemi were dating, police have said.
Police found their bodies in the condo -- leased to McNair and his friend Wayne Neeley -- about 1:30 p.m. Saturday.
The two had been dead for "a period of hours" before Neeley, who had to use a key to enter the building, discovered the clothed bodies Saturday afternoon, Aaron said. Neeley then called his friend Robert Gaddy, who arrived at the condo and called police.
Investigators are trying to pinpoint how much time elapsed between the bodies being discovered and the phone call to police.
"We believe it could have been 40 minutes or even longer," Aaron said, adding, "Suffice it to say we are concerned about the time that elapsed between the discovery of the bodies and the time the 911 call was made."
Asked whether the crime scene was "cleaned up" before police arrived, Aaron replied, "I would disagree that the crime scene was 'cleaned up.' "
Aaron said Kazemi's ex-boyfriend also was questioned as part of the investigation but was allowed to go home.
Witnesses told police that McNair had been at the Blue Moon Lagoon Bar and the Loser's Bar -- both Nashville establishments -- late Friday into early Saturday, Aaron said. Staff and management of both bars will be interviewed, he said.
McNair spent 13 seasons in the NFL, most with the Tennessee Titans. He was named the NFL's co-MVP in 2003 and spent his last two seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, before announcing his retirement in April 2008.
The Titans reached the Super Bowl in 2000, losing to the St. Louis Rams.
Former Titans teammate Eddie George said Monday that he did not want to judge McNair for the extramarital affair.
"We all make mistakes we all wish we could go back on, but I'm not here to dwell on that," he said. "I'm here to celebrate the life of a dear friend and teammate."
Titans coach Jeff Fisher, who said he knew McNair for 15 years, said Monday that McNair would want people to remember him for his athleticism and what he did for the community.
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"My hope is that Steve will be remembered -- and also forgiven -- but remembered for what he did and what he meant to this organization," Fisher said.
McNair attended Alcorn State in Mississippi.
Monday, July 6, 2009
New York Congressman Blasts Jackson as 'Pervert, Low-Life'
A New York congressman says Michael Jackson was a "pervert" and calls on society to stop "glorifying" the late entertainer in a YouTube video.
Rep. Peter King said Jackson -- whom he called a "low-life" -- is being glorified in the days after his death while society ignores the efforts, of teachers, police officers, firefighters and veterans. In the two-minute video, King claims the "day in and day out" coverage of Jackson's death is "too politically correct."
"Let's knock out the psychobabble," King said in the video taped outside an American Legion Hall on New York's Long Island. "He was a pervert, a child molester; he was a pedophile. And to be giving this much coverage to him, day in and day out, what does it say about us as a country? I just think we're too politically correct."
King, a Republican who is among the possible contenders for the seat held by Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, said Jackson "may have been a good singer" and "did some dancing," but blasted the singer as someone who could not be trusted around children.
"There's nothing good to say about this guy," King continued. "But the bottom line is, would you let your child or grandchild be in the same room as Michael Jackson?"
Calls placed to King early Monday were not immediately returned.
In 2005, Jackson was acquitted of molesting a boy who spent time at his Neverland ranch and appeared with him in the 2003 British documentary, "Living With Michael Jackson." The entertainer had been accused of plying the boy with alcohol and groping him.
Earlier, in 1993, Jackson was accused of molesting a boy who often stayed at his home. The singer denied any wrongdoing, reached a settlement with the boy's family -- reported to be $20 million -- and criminal charges were never filed.
Stacy Brown, co-author of "Michael Jackson: The Man Behind the Mask," said King's comments were "irresponsible and insensitive" despite the fact he too thought Jackson had molested children.
"I'm not surprised that someone would feel that way," Brown told FOXNews.com. "I'm surprised that you would get a public official to say that. Let's face it, I'm not one to believe that Michael was innocent of molesting children, but he was never convicted. If he was convicted of those crimes, then hey, I'd have to agree with him."
Brown said the molestation allegations against Jackson were "devastating," professionally and personally.
"In hindsight, it was the beginning of the end of his life because I don’t think he ever recovered," he said. "This was a guy who spent most of his life protecting his privacy and that was shattered, obliterated during the trial [in 2005]. He was undressed during that trial."
Jackson had partially "recovered" from allegations of molestation during the 1990s, Brown said, in part due to his marriage to Lisa Marie Presley and the birth of his children. Still, some previous fans of Jackson had grown tired of the controversy surrounding the singer.
"He lost a lot of his adult audience, people who grew weary of the weirdness," Brown said. "But he reached far and wide and was able to sell 750,000 tickets for this comeback tour. Americans particularly and the world in general loves a comeback story … There was no one else like Michael Jackson. He was Elvis, the Rolling Stones, Sinatra and the Bealtes all rolled into one.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
FBI spokesman: We're not investigating Palin
(CNN) -- The FBI, in a rare response to rampant rumors on the Internet, said it is not investigating Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin on public corruption charges.
Alaska's Sarah Palin is stepping down as governor at the end of the month.
Alaska's Sarah Palin is stepping down as governor at the end of the month.
"Normally, we don't confirm or deny those kind of allegations out there. But, by not doing so, it just casts her in a very bad light," said FBI Special Agent Eric Gonzalez, who confirmed for CNN the statement he made to the Anchorage Daily News. "There is just no truth to those rumors out there in the blogosphere."
Gonzalez told The Los Angeles Times that there was "no wiggle room" in his comments for any kind of inquiry.
The speculation began almost immediately after Palin's unexpected announcement on Friday that she would step down as Alaska's chief executive with 18 months left in her term.
Palin, who was John McCain's surprise vice presidential candidate in the 2008 election, said she already knew she would not seek a second term and decided against being a lame duck governor for the next 18 months.
She also said too much time and taxpayer expense were going toward fighting ethics investigations, and that the mainstream media were continuing with unfair attacks on her and her family.
Some analysts think Palin will seek the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, and that her resignation is intended to free her to prepare.
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Immediate reaction to Palin's resignation among fellow conservatives was not positive.
Karl Rove, the "architect" of George W. Bush's successful presidential campaigns, said the resignation left many of Palin's fellow Republicans "a little perplexed."
"It's a risky strategy," Rove told "Fox News Sunday."
"Astounding," was the pronouncement by Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, and conservative columnist George Will said Palin was declaring herself a quitter.
"The one that rings most hollow is she doesn't want to put Alaska through the terror of [her] being a lame-duck governor," Will told the ABC program "This Week." "If she is just weary of it, one can understand that. Still, she made a contract with them [voters] to serve out her term. And she said, in her own words, she now is a quitter."
"How sad that Washington and the media will never understand; it's about country," Palin said in a statement attributed to her on her Facebook page.
"And though it's honorable for countless others to leave their positions for a higher calling and without finishing a term, of course we know by now, for some reason a different standard applies for the decisions I make. But every American understands what it takes to make a decision because it's right for all, including your family."
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Drink Beer, Win a Trip to Space
he company behind the dark Irish beer Guinness will give loyal drinkers a taste of space along with their stout, but only if they win a new contest.
Guinness has reserved a seat aboard a suborbital Virgin Galactic spaceliner as one of three experience prizes in an online contest honoring the 250th birthday of the beer's brewery this year.
Founded by British billionaire Sir Richard Branson, Virgin Galactic is a commercial space tourism company that plans to launch passengers on $200,000 trips to suborbital space using a fleet of SpaceShipTwo spacecraft.
• Click here to visit FOXNews.com's Space Center.
The spaceliners are designed to be launched from the air by a massive WhiteKnightTwo mothership and send two pilots and six passengers on a weightless joyride.
Virgin Galactic currently plans to launch and land space tourist flights from a terminal at Spaceport America in New Mexico — which began construction earlier this month — as well as from a spaceport in Kiruna, Sweden.
The first WhiteKnightTwo carrier ship "Eve" has been flying a series of test flights this year.
Guinness officials said their space trip contest runs through Sept. 24 and promised a thrilling ride for the winner.
The launch will catapult passengers beyond Earth's atmosphere at nearly 2,500 mph (4,023 km/ph) — three times the speed of sound — to a point about 68 miles (109 km) above the planet, Guinness officials said.
Once in space, passengers will have a view of the blackness of space and unbroken vistas of the Earth for 1,000 miles (1,609 km) in every direction before re-entering the atmosphere and gliding back to its home port, they added.
The beer company announced the new contest on Wednesday to commemorate founder Arthur Guinness's signing of the 9,000-year lease on the St. James's Gate brewery in Dublin, Ireland.
Some 250 events are planned in participating countries around the world. They are open to adults of legal drinking age in their respective countries.
"Since 1759, Arthur Guinness and the Guinness brand have been behind some remarkable and hugely momentous achievements," Guinness officials said in a statement. "To continue this legacy and as part of the 250 celebrations, Guinness is giving something back to Guinness supporters around the world by offering the chance to win one of these three remarkable Guinness experiences."
The two other prizes include an undersea trip to a Guinness bar 229 feet (70 meters) below the ocean's surface near the Lofoten Islands in Norway, as well as a private live studio performance by the band The Black Eye Peas.
Virgin Galactic's carrier ships and spacecraft are being built by the California-based company Scaled Composites.
The new vehicles build on the firm's SpaceShipOne and WhiteKnight vehicles that won the $10 million Ansari X Prize in 2004.
Obama Seeks New Start in U.S.-Russia Relations
MOSCOW - Presidents Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev end a seven-year hiatus in U.S.-Russian summitry on Monday, with both men declaring their determination to further cut nuclear arsenals and repair a badly damaged relationship.
Both sides appear to want to use progress on arms control as a pathway into possible agreement on other, far trickier issues -- like Iran and the tiny country of Georgia, a former Soviet republic.
Those difficulties and many others have soured a promising linkage in the first years after the Cold War and pushed ties between Moscow and Washington to depths not seen in more than two decades.
Obama arrives here Monday afternoon, the first stop on a weeklong trip that will also take him to Italy and Ghana.
"It's not, in our view, a zero-sum game, that if it's two points for Russia it's negative two for us, but there are ways that we can cooperate to advance our interests and, at the same time, do things with the Russians that are good for them, as well," Obama's top assistant on Russia, Michael McFaul, said in a pre-summit briefing.
He seemed to be of one mind with the Russian leader, Medvedev.
"Russia and America need new, common, mutually beneficial projects in business, science and culture," the Russian president said in his weekly Internet address. "I hope that this sincere desire to open a new chapter in Russian-American cooperation will be brought into fruition."
Two things appear certain to be on the agenda:
--The Russians have said they will agree to allow the United States to use their territory and air space to move munitions and arms to U.S. and NATO forces fighting Taliban Islamic extremists in Afghanistan. The Kremlin announced the deal three-days before the summit as a significant sweetener for Obama.
--A directive by both presidents for negotiators to work on a nuclear agreement that would further reduce warheads and replace the 1991 START I accord that expires Dec. 5. Both sides are agreed in principle to cut warheads from more than 2,000 each to as low as 1,500 apiece.
Those deals are likely to be announced at an Obama-Medvedev news conference.
Both sides appear to want to use progress on arms control as a pathway into possible agreement on other, far trickier issues -- like Iran and the tiny country of Georgia, a former Soviet republic.
Those difficulties and many others have soured a promising linkage in the first years after the Cold War and pushed ties between Moscow and Washington to depths not seen in more than two decades.
Obama arrives here Monday afternoon, the first stop on a weeklong trip that will also take him to Italy and Ghana.
"It's not, in our view, a zero-sum game, that if it's two points for Russia it's negative two for us, but there are ways that we can cooperate to advance our interests and, at the same time, do things with the Russians that are good for them, as well," Obama's top assistant on Russia, Michael McFaul, said in a pre-summit briefing.
He seemed to be of one mind with the Russian leader, Medvedev.
"Russia and America need new, common, mutually beneficial projects in business, science and culture," the Russian president said in his weekly Internet address. "I hope that this sincere desire to open a new chapter in Russian-American cooperation will be brought into fruition."
Two things appear certain to be on the agenda:
--The Russians have said they will agree to allow the United States to use their territory and air space to move munitions and arms to U.S. and NATO forces fighting Taliban Islamic extremists in Afghanistan. The Kremlin announced the deal three-days before the summit as a significant sweetener for Obama.
--A directive by both presidents for negotiators to work on a nuclear agreement that would further reduce warheads and replace the 1991 START I accord that expires Dec. 5. Both sides are agreed in principle to cut warheads from more than 2,000 each to as low as 1,500 apiece.
Those deals are likely to be announced at an Obama-Medvedev news conference.
Madoff Hires Consultant to Find Best Possible Jail
Bernard Madoff has hired a veteran prison consultant to help him to find the best possible jail in which to serve his 150-year sentence for Wall Street’s biggest fraud.
After his sentencing this week Madoff, now Prisoner No 1727-054, met Herb Hoelter, of the National Center for Institutions and Alternatives, whose previous clients include the jailed Sotheby’s chairman Alfred Taubman and the financiers Michael Milken and Ivan Boesky.
The draconian maximum sentence imposed by the judge means that Madoff, 71, will be assigned to a tougher category of prison than most white-collar criminals.
Federal convicts are assigned to minimum, low, medium, high-security prison, or even the sole Supermax facility, by the U.S. Bureau of Prisons using a score-card known as Form BP-337 to calculate an inmate’s “Security Point Total”. A first-time non-violent white-collar criminal convicted in a U.S. federal court would normally qualify for incarceration at a minimum-security “prison camp” with easygoing rules and no perimeter fence. But the length of Madoff’s jail term means that he has no hope at all of going to one of them.
Russians create shrine to Michael Jackson
MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- They headed to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow after news broke that Michael Jackson had died. And they're still coming.
Alexandra Belayeva, left, and Zhenya Iordanskaya visit the Michael Jackson memorial in Moscow.
Alexandra Belayeva, left, and Zhenya Iordanskaya visit the Michael Jackson memorial in Moscow.
Young Russian fans, some of whom don't even speak English, bring homemade signs, pictures and drawings of Jackson, Russian religious icons, candles, teddy bears -- all signs of how much they loved the singer.
"At first I couldn't believe it had happened," 23-year-old Zhenya Iordanskaya said. "I thought it was another rumor. My friend told me about it, and then I saw it on TV, on every channel. I was really in shock. And I still can't believe it."
Iordanskaya was standing in the rain Sunday with her friend Alexandra Belayeva, 20, looking at the shrine Jackson's fans have erected along the fence in front of the Embassy.
Iordanskaya says she was 8 when she first heard "Black or White."
"I didn't understand English, but the faces of all the different people really inspired me. And the fact that he dealt with all these issues, you really have to give him credit for that," Iordanskaya said.
Belayeva says she became a fan about three years ago.
Michael Jackson: The Memorial
Join CNN for all-day coverage Tuesday as the world celebrates the life of a worldwide pop icon, and don't miss our prime-time coverage starting at 8 p.m. ET.
see full schedule »
"The way he lived his creative live really inspired me," she said. "I really got into him as a person. Because you can really see the soul of a person in their creativity, can't you? It was such a shame that people put him down so much."
Belayeva says she's still in shock over Jackson's death at his California home on June 25. "When I heard he had died, I really couldn't believe it. He was so close to us. Not one of us, but so close. He was unbelievably kind.
"It's so sad to lose a person like him. It's also so sad that he was so alone at the end of his life. People didn't understand him. But at least they recognized his genius during his life. Sometimes that doesn't happen."
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Iordanskaya and Belayeva love to dance, and when they saw "Dangerous," they knew they had to try it out. "We studied his moves in that for days! We practiced. We really loved it!"
I ask the women to name their favorite Jackson songs. They roll their eyes. Where do you start? Iordanskaya starts with "Liberian Girl." "Also 'Earth Song.' "
"It's really powerful," she said, "the energy and the lyrics!"
On a rainy, cold day in Moscow, Iordanskaya and Belayeva say they still cry thinking that Jackson is no longer on Earth.
In the garden of flowers and mementos that sprouted almost overnight in front of the U.S. Embassy, next to eight flickering votive candles that make you feel as if you are in a Russian church, one fan has written a poem: "You're an angel flying into the distance, you're an angel, a carefree angel, flying into the distance."
Monorail crash at Disney World kills driver
(CNN) -- A monorail train at Walt Disney World crashed into the back of another train early Sunday, killing one driver, according to an amusement park spokesman and a witness interviewed by CNN.
A 2 a.m. ET monorail crash at Disney World killed one person, a park spokesperson said.
The crash occurred about 2 a.m. at one of the monorail stops at Disney World in Florida, said the witness, who requested anonymity.
"Today we mourn the loss of our fellow cast member," said a statement by Mike Griffin, Disney's vice president for public affairs. "Our hearts go out to his family and to those who have lost a friend and co-worker."
The statement said the monorail was shut down, "and we will continue to work closely will law enforcement to determine what happened and the appropriate next steps."
The witness said one monorail train rammed into the back of a stationary train. A photo of the crash provided by the witness showed the front car of a train badly damaged where it hit another train at a station.
According to the witness, a family of six in one train was freed from a damaged car. The witness said the family was shaken but uninjured
Steve "Air" McNair Dead
NASHVILLE (Reuters) - Former star NFL quarterback Steve McNair was found shot to death in a Nashville condominium on Saturday, police said. A woman's body was also found at the scene.
McNair, who was 36, suffered several gunshot wounds, the Nashville Tennessean newspaper reported, citing police. A 20-year-old woman was found alongside him with a single gunshot wound to her head and a pistol near her body, it reported.
The newspaper described the deaths as an apparent murder-suicide.
Police were called to the scene in the early afternoon.
"The circumstances surrounding the shooting deaths remain under active investigation," Nashville told Reuters in a statement. Police department spokesman Don Aaron said no suspects had been taken into custody.
McNair, a hometown hero who did extensive charity work in Nashville, played 13 seasons on the NFL, mostly with the Tennessee Titans and its predecessor team, the Houston Oilers.
Drafted by the Oilers in 1995 out of Alcorn State College in Mississippi, McNair led the Titans to their only Super Bowl appearance -- after the 1999 season, losing to the St. Louis Rams. He was the NFL's co-MVP in 2003, and was selected for the Pro Bowl three times.
McNair ended his career with the Baltimore Ravens and retired after the 2007 season.
"We are saddened and shocked to hear the news of Steve McNair's passing today," Titans owner K. S. "Bud" Adams said in a statement on the team's website.
"He played with unquestioned heart and leadership and led us to places that we had never reached, including our only Super Bowl."
Ravens wide receiver Derrick Mason, a former teammate, said: "Steve was such a happy person. I even called him 'Smile'. He was always smiling and was always willing to lend a hand to anyone who needed it. I've known him for 13 years, and he was the most selfless, happiest and friendliest person I have known."
McNair last month opened a restaurant in Nashville -- Gridiron9.
As word of McNair's death spread around the city, fans gathered at LP Field, the Titans' stadium, to leave cards, flowers and signs.
(Writing by Ros Krasny in Chicago; editing by Todd Eastham)
Harry Potter Star Recovering from Swine Flu
Not even the powers of the invisi-cloak could save Rupert Grint from catching the dreaded swine flu.
The Harry Potter star who plays Harry's best friend Ron Weasley in the film series is recovering from a mild case of the illness, according to BBC.
The wizard-in-training's publicist told the network that the actor has returned to work on the set of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows—the film based on the last book in JK Rowling's popular fantasy series.
Grint's doctor confirmed that the 20-year-old thesp was no longer contagious. The Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is back in session.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Doctor: Men Should Have Sex Daily
Daily sex can improve the genetic quality of a man’s sperm and could enhance his chances of fathering a child, new research has suggested.
Couples who are trying for a baby are often advised to have sex every other day, so that the man’s sperm count has time to recover, but scientists in Australia have discovered that this may lower some men’s fertility.
While abstaining from sex for a few days does boost sperm counts, sperm quality as well as quantity is important to male fertility and this can be damaged if a man ejaculates too infrequently.
A study at Sydney IVF, a center for infertility treatment, has found that daily sex for a seven-day period substantially improves the genetic quality of sperm, without lowering sperm counts enough to impair fertility. Scientists plan to examine whether this also affects pregnancy rates.
Dr. David Greening, who led the research, said that for some couples, having intercourse every day during the woman’s most fertile period could make all the difference to their efforts to start a family.
The findings, which he presented Monday at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology conference in Amsterdam, could also have important implications for couples having IVF.
Men are usually advised to abstain for ejaculation for three days before providing a sperm sample for fertilising their partner’s eggs and many couples do not have regular sex while going through IVF. “It could be that it’s better to keep the river flowing at this time,” Greening said.
When men go without ejaculating, the number of sperm stored in the epididymis at the top of the testicle increases, hence the standard advice to have sex every two to three days if you are trying to conceive.
The longer that sperm sits in the epididymis, however, the more genetic damage it accumulates through exposure to heat and to oxygen free radicals. Regular ejaculation empties this sperm reservoir, ensuring that newly-produced sperm of higher genetic quality can get out.
Couples who are trying for a baby are often advised to have sex every other day, so that the man’s sperm count has time to recover, but scientists in Australia have discovered that this may lower some men’s fertility.
While abstaining from sex for a few days does boost sperm counts, sperm quality as well as quantity is important to male fertility and this can be damaged if a man ejaculates too infrequently.
A study at Sydney IVF, a center for infertility treatment, has found that daily sex for a seven-day period substantially improves the genetic quality of sperm, without lowering sperm counts enough to impair fertility. Scientists plan to examine whether this also affects pregnancy rates.
Dr. David Greening, who led the research, said that for some couples, having intercourse every day during the woman’s most fertile period could make all the difference to their efforts to start a family.
The findings, which he presented Monday at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology conference in Amsterdam, could also have important implications for couples having IVF.
Men are usually advised to abstain for ejaculation for three days before providing a sperm sample for fertilising their partner’s eggs and many couples do not have regular sex while going through IVF. “It could be that it’s better to keep the river flowing at this time,” Greening said.
When men go without ejaculating, the number of sperm stored in the epididymis at the top of the testicle increases, hence the standard advice to have sex every two to three days if you are trying to conceive.
The longer that sperm sits in the epididymis, however, the more genetic damage it accumulates through exposure to heat and to oxygen free radicals. Regular ejaculation empties this sperm reservoir, ensuring that newly-produced sperm of higher genetic quality can get out.
changes: A visual history of Firefox
The official release of Mozilla Firefox 3.5 is due this week. It's a significant milestone in the open-source browser's history. Putting pure features aside, let's take a look at some of the big design changes Mozilla has made over the years, beginning with version 0.8 when Mozilla renamed it from Firebird to Firefox.
For the sake of simplicity we're keeping it limited to just the Windows and Mac versions. And for certain features where there is little, if any, difference between the platforms--we're sticking to the Windows version.
The four things we're comparing are navigation, tabs, bookmarks, and the settings menu:
Navigation
Navigation has experienced subtle changes over the years, with the exception of version 3. This brought the increased size of the back button, and noticeable shrinking of the rest of the controls. Mozilla also made it easier to bookmark pages, by adding a star button right into the address bar, which users can click, avoiding having to use keyboard shortcuts or on-screen menus to save a page.
Note: To see the full-size versions of these images just click on them.
(Credit: CNET)
Tabs
Tabs are a very important part of Firefox. Version 3.5 adds a new plus button that users can click on to create a new tab. Previously this required a keyboard shortcut or selecting the option from a menu.
Version 3.5 is also getting "tab tearing," which lets users pull away tabs from one window to add to another, or break off into an entirely new window. Early versions of the browser wouldn't even let you re-order them without a third-party extension, and up until Firefox 2, the controls to close individual tabs were kept on the far right side. Version 2 also introduced a new way to view a list of all your tabs by clicking the arrow on the right side of the browser. This let you pick any one of your tabs without having to hunt for ones that could be off the screen.
(Credit: CNET)
Bookmarks
Bookmark management saw its biggest change in Firefox 3. This version had a completely overhauled tool, which included things like tags and navigation controls that let you surf around your bookmarks as if you were visiting Web pages.
Firefox 3 also did a better job of letting users import and export their bookmarks right from the manager. It included simple controls for reverting back to previous versions of bookmark history, and merging multiple libraries of bookmarks into one master file.
(Credit: CNET)
Settings menus
The options menu is the least sexy thing on this list, but one that most easily shows the changes in the way people are using Web browsers. Besides a total reduction in size, logo changes, and a swap in navigation from the side to the top, later versions simply moved things around. They also gave users more control over what the browser displayed when it started up, and where downloads went when finished.
(Credit: CNET)
The next Firefox
Visual alterations are easy to track, but some of the biggest changes to Firefox have been under the hood. As browsers begin to borrow features from one another, the underlying differentiation becomes what they're built on. Rendering engines and resource management are becoming big selling points as users begin to care less about what their browser looks like (see Google Chrome's and Apple Safari 4's understated looks), and more about how fast pages load and recover from crashes.
So what will the next version of Firefox bring? We're still a long way off from version 4.0, but Mozilla has been quite open about where the browser is going. The company has already published its road map of intended features for version 3.6, which is due sometime next year.
One of the most exciting features that's planned for 3.6 is what Mozilla is calling "task bar navigation." It's described as a way for a user to "organize tabs, history, downloaded files, and other resources according to the task they were attempting to accomplish," which means you're going to spend less time tracking around menus or third-party sites, and more time simply typing a few letters into Firefox's address bar to do tasks. Other features include a way to search through open tabs, and more easily open up sets of tabs you had open in an earlier session.
Until then, the easiest way to stay on the cutting edge of Firefox (and other browsers) is to use the beta versions, which are released to brave users weeks and sometimes months before the general public. These may come with a few bugs, but the risk is often outweighed by the reward.
Michael Jackson's mom gets kids, estate control for now
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Michael Jackson's three children asked to see their father's body in the UCLA emergency room after they were told he was dead, according to the lawyer for Jackson's personal doctor.
From left: Prince Michael Jackson II, Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson and Michael Joseph Jackson Jr.
From left: Prince Michael Jackson II, Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson and Michael Joseph Jackson Jr.
"My understanding is that they did" see the body, attorney Ed Chernoff said.
On Monday, the children, ages 7, 11 and 12, were placed under the temporary guardianship of their paternal grandmother, Katherine Jackson, by a Los Angeles judge.
The biological mother of Jackson's two oldest children, Debbie Rowe, will be invited to a hearing next Monday in which the judge will consider who should have custody of them. She has, so far, not publicly indicated whether she will challenge the Jacksons for custody.
The Jackson family said it has not found a will for the singer, which would leave the division of his estate to the court.
The judge Monday also gave Katherine Jackson temporary control of her son's "tangible personal property."
No funeral plans have been announced for Jackson, although his father, Joe Jackson, said Monday the famed singer would not be buried at the Neverland estate. He also indicated the family would wait until they get the results of a second autopsy before holding a funeral. See the court papers (PDF file)
Los Angeles police detectives and Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter returned to Jackson's rented Holmby Hills, California, home to "recover some additional items as a result of our investigation," Winter said.
The investigators carried off medications, but Winter did not say what they were. Read supplement to court documents (PDF file)
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Chernoff -- attorney for Dr. Conrad Murray, who was at the home when Jackson collapsed -- responded to unsubstantiated reports that Jackson was given a shot of Demerol, a powerful painkiller, shortly before his death. Video Watch police take drugs from Jackson home »
"Dr. Murray never prescribed Demerol, never administered Demerol, never saw Michael Jackson take Demerol, and that goes, as well, for Oxycontin," Chernoff said.
Murray was was not aware of any prescription drug abuse by Jackson, Chernoff said. Video Watch Jackson's doctor denies prescribing Demerol »
"He had no reason to suspect that he had," Chernoff said. "Let's not rush to judgment here and say Michael Jackson was a drug addict. We don't know that."
Chernoff, known as a criminal defense lawyer, said Murray is not worried about criminal charges. Murray hired him because "one of the most famous men in the world literally died in his arms."
"We want to get to the bottom of it just like the family does," Chernoff said.
Murray rode in the ambulance with Jackson and worked with UCLA doctors in the efforts to revive him, Chernoff said.
He also was the one to tell the Jackson family gathered at the hospital that he was dead, Chernoff said.
When the children asked to see their father, Murray consulted with a psychologist for advice, Chernoff said, adding that it was his understanding the children did see the body. Video Watch why the court is giving custody to Jackson's mother »
Since leaving the hospital Thursday, Murray has been available to meet with investigators and "he's not hiding out," Chernoff said.
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The children are happy playing with other kids at their grandparents' home because they were never around other kids, according to Joe Jackson.
"We're going to take care of them and give them the education they're supposed to have," he said. "We can do that."
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Britain Demands Release of Embassy Employees in Iran
Iranian authorities have detained several local employees of the British Embassy in Tehran, a move that Britain's foreign secretary Sunday called "harassment and intimidation" and reflected a hardening of the regime's stance toward the West.
Iranian media said eight local embassy staff were detained for an alleged role in postelection protests, but gave no further details. British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said "about nine" employees were detained Saturday and that four had been released.
The detentions signaled a further toughening of Iran's dealings with the West, which has become increasingly vocal in its condemnation of a crackdown on opposition supporters.
Opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi has alleged massive fraud in the June 12 presidential election and says he is the rightful winner, not President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Iran has accused the West of stoking unrest, singling out Britain and the U.S. for alleged meddling. Last week, Iran expelled two British diplomats, and Britain responded in kind. Iran has also said it's considering downgrading diplomatic ties with Britain.
On Sunday, the semiofficial Fars news agency reported that the embassy staffers were detained for what was described as a "significant role" in postelection unrest.
The British Foreign Office says the embassy has a staff of more than 100, including at least 70 locally hired Iranians. Last week, Britain sent home 12 dependents of embassy staff because the protests had disrupted their lives.
Miliband, who is on the Greek island of Corfu for a foreign ministers' meeting, said Britain has lodged a protest with the Iranian authorities over the detentions. He described the step as "harassment and intimidation of a kind that is quite unacceptable."
"The idea that the British Embassy is somehow behind the demonstrations and protests that have been taking place in Tehran. ... is wholly without foundation," he said. The foreign minister discussed the detentions with his EU colleagues, who said later they drafted an agreement that "reaffirms solidarity among member states" in backing Britain in the dispute.
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In London, a Foreign Office spokeswoman, speaking on customary condition of anonymity, said any further harassment of British Embassy employees would be met with "a strong and united EU response." She declined to comment on whether Britain was considering recalling its ambassador in protest or for consultations.
Iran's government has tried to discredit opposition supporters by alleging they have been directed by the West.
On Friday, a senior Iranian cleric, Ahmed Khatami, lashed out at Britain in a nationally televised sermon. "In this unrest, Britons have behaved very mischievously and it is fair to add the slogan of 'down with England' to the slogan of 'down with USA,"' he said.
Britain, a colonial power in the region with a long history in Iran, has been a prominent target. Britain and the U.S. were behind the 1953 coup that toppled Prime Minster Mohammad Mossadegh, who nationalized Iran's oil industry. Britain had almost complete control over Iran's oil industry for decades.
The British have also drawn fire because of the BBC's prominent role as a trusted broadcaster in Farsi inside Iran.
This is a reversal from the way the state and publicly funded BBC was perceived in the run-up to the Iranian Islamic Revolution. At the time, the BBC was widely listened to because it extensively covered anti-Shah demonstrations and activities of the Islamic Republic's founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who was in exile in France.
Iran's leaders have countered Western condemnation with increasingly angry rhetoric. The confrontation appears to be dashing hopes for a new dialogue, as initially envisioned by President Barack Obama when he took office.
Obama wants to engage Iranian leaders in talks over the country's suspect nuclear program which the U.S. and other western countries worry is aimed at developing nuclear weapons. Iran defends its nuclear program as civilian in nature. On Sunday, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said the 27-nation bloc would "like very much" to restart nuclear talks with Tehran despite the rising tensions.
Senior White House adviser David Axelrod played down Ahmadinejad's accusations against the U.S., saying Sunday they aren't credible and are meant for domestic consumption. "This is political theater," he said on ABC's "This Week."
Iran's rulers have unleashed club-wielding militiamen to crush street protests and arrested hundreds of journalists, students and activists.
On Sunday, Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called for national unity, appealing to both sides in the dispute, even though he has come down firmly on the side of Ahmadinejad.
"I admonish both sides not to stoke the emotions of the young or pit the people against each other," he said in comments carried on state TV. "Our people are made of one fabric."
Mousavi signaled he is not dropping his political challenge.
In a new statement, he insisted on a repeat of the election and rejected a partial recount being proposed by the government. However, Mousavi's challenge seemed largely aimed at maintaining some role as an opposition figure.
The latest statement by Mousavi, who has been increasingly isolated, appeared Sunday on Ghalamnews, a Web site run by supporters. Mousavi-related Web sites have frequently been blocked by the government, and one was shut down by hackers last week.
Iran's top electoral body, the 12-member Guardian Council, has proposed recounting 10 percent of the votes. On Friday, the council offered to bring in six more political figures to oversee a partial recount, presumably to give the effort greater legitimacy in the eyes of the challengers.
However, Mousavi reiterated his demand for nullification as "the most suitable solution to restore public confidence." He called for independent arbiters to settle the dispute.
Another defeated candidate, Mahdi Karroubi, also expressed doubt that a fair review is possible.
"How is it possible to answer controversies through counting some ballots?" he wrote in a letter to the Guardian Council, published Sunday in his newspaper, Etemad-e-Melli.
A third candidate, Mohsen Rezaei, said he would only send a representative to the council, for observation of a re-count, if the other two candidates did the same.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Iranian authorities have barred journalists for international news organizations from reporting on the streets and ordered them to stay in their offices. This report is based on the accounts of witnesses reached in Iran and official statements carried on Iranian media.
Electric Car Company Launches Car-Sharing Program
BALTIMORE — The nation's first all-electric car-sharing program debuted Tuesday at the city's Inner Harbor, with manufacturer Electrovaya hoping urban residents seeking to go green and curious tourists will take the concept for a spin.
Electrovaya Inc. is offering its Maya 300 for rent at the Maryland Science Center. The car can go up to 120 miles on one charge of its lithium-ion battery system, and it gets its juice from a regular 110-volt outlet.
"This is an example of what science centers do best," said Van Reiner, president and CEO of the science center. "We are showcasing new technology, and that's what makes us so excited."
Ten cars will be available starting Wednesday through the new car-sharing Web site Altcar.org. A two-hour trip costs $29, with discounts for science center members.
The manufacturer calls the fleet of emission-free cars a "game changer" in urban transportation alternatives. Electrovaya CEO Sankar Das Gupta said that's because the vehicle has the look and feel of a four-door, gas-powered sedan and should appeal to consumers who want to reduce oil dependence.
"Creative ventures like this are essential in finding new energy solutions," Das Gupta said.
The car makes little noise, provides dashboard gauges for battery life and temperature, and offers other conveniences of gas-powered cars.
Maryland Energy Administration research found that Baltimoreans typically drive about 30 miles to work, well within the Maya's range, and Das Gupta noted the car could be plugged in at the driver's destination for a charge.
Driving 50 miles will cost about $1 in energy, according to Electrovaya's estimates. The cost could be lower through some utilities that give discounts for charging during off-peak hours.
The car-sharing service ZipCar Inc. also operates in the Baltimore market, but Das Gupta said Mississauga, Ontario-based Electrovaya is looking to feature its technology, not challenge ZipCar for market share.
Electrovaya's battery technology is made possible by ExxonMobil Corp.'s battery separator film. The film, with lithium-ion batteries, allows for the units to operate at higher temperatures with a reduced risk of meltdown.
The battery system is designed to shut down the flow of electricity if the engine is overheating.
Businesses and local governments can also buy the Maya 300 for their fleets. The company will make the cars available to the public in 2011, starting at $25,000 for a 60-mile range vehicle and $35,000 for the 120-mile range vehicle.
Son Thought Pop King Was Joking When He Collapsed
Michael Jackson's eldest son thought his father was joking around when he collapsed on the living-room floor — but soon stood "in a trance" as the King of Pop's personal doctor frantically tried to revive him, a family confidant told the New York Post.
"The horror of it all is that Prince thought his dad was just being his dad and clowning, but it was real, and he watched as they worked on him," said Stacy Brown, a Jackson family biographer who has spoken extensively to the Jackson's relatives since he died Thursday.
"Prince was stunned — in a trance — just watching," Brown said. "There was no movement, just looking around and not really processing what was really happening."
Brown said he was told that when Jackson went into cardiac arrest, he was in the living room of the $100,000-per-month Los Angeles rental with the 12-year-old boy — whose full name is "Prince" Michael Joseph Jackson Jr.
Also there were the pop star's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, his longtime friend and one-time manager, Frank DiLeo, and a security guard named Tippy.
Jackson's doctor cooperating with investigation
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Michael Jackson's cardiologist, who met with detectives Saturday, has provided information that will help with the investigation into the singer's death, the Los Angeles, California, Police Department said.
Rev. Jesse Jackson (left) and Joseph Jackson (right) stand outside Michael Jackson's home.
Rev. Jesse Jackson (left) and Joseph Jackson (right) stand outside Michael Jackson's home.
The department said late Saturday that it conducted an "extensive interview" with the doctor, who may have been the last person to see Jackson alive.
"Dr. Conrad Murray, the physician who was with Michael Jackson at the time of his collapse, voluntarily contacted the Los Angeles Police Department," the statement said.
"Detectives assigned to Robbery-Homicide Division met with Dr. Murray and conducted an extensive interview. Dr. Murray was cooperative and provided information which will aid the investigation."
Jackson's family suspects Murray can answer some lingering questions about the singer's last hours, but they have been unable to contact him, the Rev. Jesse Jackson said Saturday. Video Watch latest developments in Jackson's death investigation »
"The routine inquiry is now an investigation," Jesse Jackson said. "They (Jacksons) didn't know the doctor. ... He should have met with the family, given them comfort on the last hours of their son."
Murray's lawyer said earlier that the doctor was upset but willing to cooperate.
"It's a human tragedy and he's upset obviously over the loss of Mr. Jackson. But he is not a suspect in the death of Mr. Jackson," Matthew Alford said. Video Watch attorney for Jackson's doctor say his client is not a suspect »
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Los Angeles police, who met briefly with Murray after Jackson's death Thursday, had been trying to set up the interview.
"It is important to interview everybody that was in contact with Mr. Jackson immediately prior to his demise particularly anyone involved in his medical care," said Deputy Police Chief Charlie Beck. "So it's extremely important to talk to his doctor."
Detectives impounded Murray's car, which was parked at the singer's rented home, because it may contain evidence related to Jackson's death, possibly prescription medications.
Police have released no information on what they may have found.
Alford said he did not have any details.
"I have no information as to what if any treatment, or course of treatment he was doing for Mr. Jackson at all," he said.
Also Saturday, the Jackson family spoke out in a statement to People magazine and obtained by CNN. Read statement from People
"In one of the darkest moments of our lives we find it hard to find the words appropriate to this sudden tragedy we all had to encounter," said patriarch Joseph Jackson, speaking on behalf of the family.
"Our beloved son, brother and father of three children has gone so unexpectedly, in such a tragic way and much too soon," he said. "It leaves us, his family, speechless and devastated to a point, where communication with the outside world seems almost impossible at times.
The statement went on to thank fans worldwide for their condolences and expressions of grief.
"Please do not despair, because Michael will continue to live on in each and every one of you," Joseph Jackson said.
Family members including Jackson's mother, Katherine, were at the estate Jackson had rented in Holmby Hills. Around midday, two moving vans pulled up. One left empty, and the other apparently contained objects from the house. Other vehicles came and went, including a silver Range Rover driven by a plain clothes police officer.
Vidal Herrera, founder of 1-800-AUTOPSY, a specialty autopsy business, told CNN on Saturday that the Jackson family had contacted the business to inquire about possibly having a second autopsy done there.
Herrera, a former deputy field investigator for the Los Angeles County coroner's office, said the funeral home where Jackson's body was taken contacted him on Thursday, and a representative of the family called him on Friday. The name of the funeral home was not disclosed.
He said he told the funeral home that he didn't believe another autopsy was required. An autopsy was performed Friday by the Los Angeles County coroner's office. The body was moved to a funeral home Friday night.
It was not immediately confirmed early Sunday whether a second autopsy was performed.
Michael Jackson died Thursday after suffering cardiac arrest. A spokesman for the Los Angeles County coroner's office told reporters Friday that more tests must be conducted before a cause of death can be determined. That could take four to six weeks.
The coroner said there was no indication of external trauma or foul play.
The 50-year-old pop star was discovered unconscious Thursday by paramedics at his home, where Murray apparently had tried to revive him. He was rushed to a Los Angeles medical center, where he was pronounced dead. Video Listen to the 911 call »
Meanwhile, radio stations around the world dusted off the singer's records and fans took part in hastily-organized dance celebrations.
"I just felt I had to come, just to say goodbye," said Los Angeles nurse Lydia Cook. "I could never afford to go to his concerts but I kind of grew up with him. And I loved his music."
On the island of Cebu in the Philippines, 1,400 of the most hardened prisoners spent 10 hours perfecting a carefully choreographed 15-minute tribute to Jackson. Video Watch prisoners' tribute to Jackson »
"We idolize him really," said Mavin Cabido, a convicted robber. "The moonwalk is my favorite. I like that."
The prisoners at the Cebu Detention and Rehabilitation Center in central Philippines reprised their performance of "Thriller," which has garnered more than 24 million views since 2007 -- when prison supervisor Byron Garcia first uploaded it to the video-sharing Web site.
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Garcia said he had hoped Jackson would, one day, come to Cebu and dance himself.
"Now it's not going to happen," Garcia said.
Billy Mays, OxiClean pitchman, found dead
The 50-year-old known for his shouting OxiClean ads was pronounced dead at 7:45 a.m. The Hillborough County medical examiner will perform an autopsy, Tampa police Lt. Brian Dugan said.
Mays was on the US Airways flight from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Tampa on Saturday that had a hard landing at Tampa International Airport when the plane's front tire blew out. There were no reported injuries on Flight 1241, US Airways told CNN.
According to a local Tampa TV station, Mays said: "All of a sudden as we hit you know it was just the hardest hit, all the things from the ceiling started dropping. It hit me on the head, but I got a hard head."
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Airline spokesman Jim Olson told CNN Sunday there were no reported passenger injuries from flight 1241. The airline vowed to "cooperate fully" with authorities in the investigation.
"We were very sad to learn of Billy Mays' passing and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family," Olson said. Tampa officials say the Medical Examiner's Office expects to complete an autopsy by Monday afternoon. In a statement, Deborah Mays said that although "Billy lived a public life," the family does not plan immediate public statements about his death.
Mays was a spokesman for Orange Glo and detergent OxiClean and appeared in commercials for other products.
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He is featured on the reality TV show ''Pitchmen'' on the Discovery Channel, which follows pitch people in their jobs.
"It is with incredible sadness that we have to report that Billy Mays died in his sleep last night," said a statement from the Discovery Channel. "Everyone that knows him was aware of his larger-than-life personality, generosity and warmth. Billy was a pioneer in his field and helped many people fulfill their dreams. He will be greatly missed as a loyal and compassionate friend. Our deepest sympathies go out to his family at this time of incredible loss."
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