Pass on E-Cigarettes | Warning: TOXIC CHEMICALS

The Daily Dose - MSN Health & Fitness

This product is due for a warning label.

Posted by Erik at MSN Health on Friday, July 24, 2009 9:52 AM

A week ago, MSN's home page had a link to an article titled, "E-Cigarettes: Can They Help You Quit?"article below

It was an intruiging article about battery-powered cigarette look-alikes that don't produce smoke, and contain no tar or known carcinogens. It's basically an item that delivers nicotine to the "smoker's" system, sort of like the patch or the nicotine gums. It's being marketed as a tool to help smokers quit.

Upon further review, it looks like the carcinogens have been found, however. On July 22, the FDA released a warning about electronic cigarettes. Its Division of Pharmaceutical Analysis noted that the ingredients in a small sample of cartridges from two leading brands detected nitrosamines, and also diethylene glycol, a chemical used in antifreeze that's toxic to humans.

Yum!

If you look at the label of one of these products, which can be found at kiosks at local shopping malls, you won't find any health warnings. They're also available in different flavors like mint and chocolate. It's pretty obvious that the makers of these products are targeting the youth of America, not the smokers who want to quit.

"The FDA is concerned about the safety of these products and how they are marketed to the public," said Margaret A. Hamberg, M.D., commissioner of food and drugs.

E-Cigarettes are not made in the United States, and the FDA is trying to stop the import of these products. Fifty shipments have been seized, according to Michael Levy, the division director of the Office of Compliance at the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

We can't blame the U.S. tobacco industry on this one, yet. I'm certain that over time, as more and more research is done on these questionable products, the news about what's in them is only going to get worse.

E-Cigarettes: Can They Help You Quit?

I recently was surprised to see cigarettes for sale at several kiosks at my local mall. At least, I thought they were cigarettes. Then I discovered that they actually were "electronic cigarettes"--battery-powered puffables that produce no smoke and contain no known carcinogens or tar.

The look-alikes, which are less expensive than cigarettes, are made to re-create the real experience. They're marketed in fancy packages with gold inscriptions and photos of good-looking people "smoking." They produce a vapor that looks like smoke, and the tip glows red as you puff on it. When you inhale, your lungs get a dose of chemicals that typically include nicotine, which gives smoking its kick and makes it addictive. But their biggest advantage, one saleswoman told me, is that electronic cigarettes--or "cigars," "cigarillos," or "pipes" designed on the same principles--help smokers kick the habit.

That caught my attention. I know how hard it is for many of my patients to quit smoking. If there's something new out there to help them, I want to know about it.

Back home, an Internet search turned up thousands of hits and promises: "A great aid for those struggling to stop smoking." "No risk of cancer." "Use anywhere: indoors, airports, hospitals." But I could find no scientific research at all.

Dr. Jack Henningfield, an expert on addiction who serves as a scientific adviser on tobacco to the World Health Organization (WHO), calls e-cigarettes "renegade products" for which "we have no scientific information." The electronic cigarette, he says, is a vehicle to deliver nicotine to the body. Its effects, he says, "are not benign," especially when breathed into the lungs.

While there is a "data void," scientists worldwide question the claim that e-cigarettes help stop smoking. If anything, they worry that these aggressively marketed products could introduce more people to an addiction they never had. Indeed, the WHO has stated that e-cigarettes are not "a legitimate therapy for smokers trying to quit." Dr. Henningfield notes that some manufacturers "blatantly go after young people," advertising e-cigarettes with flavors "like chocolate and candy."

Other nicotine substitutes--the "patch," or gum, for example--are licensed as drugs and require Food and Drug Administration approval. But e-cigarettes, nearly all of them manufactured in China, have not been licensed as drugs or regulated.

Recently, however, the FDA initiated a ban on imports of e-cigarettes on the ground that they constitute unapproved drug-delivery devices (an action being challenged in court). It may take additional measures to restrict their sale.

Without more evidence, we won't know whether e-cigarettes have the potential to do any good or if they really do pose health risks. For now, if you're a smoker trying to quit, talk to your doctor about other, proven methods.

Are more women OK with watching porn?

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Longtime dealer sues Caesars over second-hand smoke

Las Vegas Sun

A proposed class-action lawsuit was filed in Las Vegas Wednesday against Harrah's Entertainment Inc. and Caesars Palace, alleging Caesars isn't doing enough to protect casino workers from second-hand tobacco smoke.

The lead plaintiff is Tomo Stephens, who says she was a blackjack dealer for about 20 years at Harrah's-owned Caesars on the Las Vegas Strip and quit her job June 16 on the advice of her doctor.

The federal lawsuit says pre-cancerous cells were found in her stomach and that over the years she was exposed to second-hand smoke causing irritation to her eyes, coughing, sore throat, shortness of breath, dizziness, wheezing or tightness in the chest, headache, nausea and ingestion of cancer-causing chemicals and toxins.

The lawsuit seeks to represent as a class all former, current and future Caesars employees exposed to unsafe levels of second-hand smoke.

The lawsuit alleges that while Las Vegas competitors such as the Bellagio and Palazzo have taken significant steps to deal with second-hand smoke, about all that Caesars has done is make some of its poker rooms smoke-free.

"Despite overwhelming scientific evidence, Caesars Palace has failed to protect the health and welfare of many of its employees who must perform their jobs while breathing in second-hand smoke," the suit charges.

Harrah's attorneys had not seen the lawsuit and the company had no comment on it, a spokeswoman said Thursday.

In the past, Harrah's officials have said they would consider a nationwide casino smoking ban as long as it covered all gaming venues.

The gaming industry generally has expressed concern about the issue, but individual casinos have not been inclined to implement smoking bans on their casino floors for competitive reasons.

In the suit against Caesars, the property specifically is accused of encouraging its customers to smoke. Employees walk the gaming floor selling cigars and cigarettes and Caesars provides free cigarettes to gamblers, the suit charges.

The property has not designated part of the casino floor smoke-free and lacks an adequate ventilation system, the suit says.

It alleges employees are forbidden from complaining about second-hand smoke and dealers cannot ask smokers to blow smoke away from their tables or move their ashtrays, the suit alleges.

And while Harrah's operates a health and wellness center for its Las Vegas-area employees, informational pamphlets detailing the dangers of second-hand smoke that used to be available at the center have been removed, the suit alleges.

The suit does not seek to recover damages for employees' alleged health problems related to tobacco smoke.

Rather, it seeks an order requiring Caesars Palace to take "reasonable measures" to protect its employees from second-hand smoke and that Harrah's make informational pamphlets detailing the dangers of second-hand smoke available at its health and wellness center.

The suit was filed by attorneys with the Chicago law firm KamberEdelson as well as by Las Vegas attorney Marc Cook of the firm Bailus Cook & Kelesis.

KamberEdelson is pursuing various class-action lawsuits around the country including one filed recently in Las Vegas claiming consumers are harmed by the long-running practice of taxi and limousine drivers steering men to strip clubs that pay commissions to the drivers.

Wednesday's lawsuit notes that Caesars Palace was included in a study released in May by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health confirming casino dealers had traces of a tobacco-specific carcinogen in their urine.

The results from 124 casino dealers at Bally’s, Caesars Palace and Paris Las Vegas -- all Harrah's properties -- were expected to back up the argument that casinos implement smoking bans.

The NIOSH report concluded: "Non-poker casino dealers at Bally’s, Paris, and Caesars Palace casinos are exposed to ETS (environmental tobacco smoke) in the workplace air, and have absorbed an ETS-specific component into their bodies, as demonstrated by detectable levels of urinary NNAL (a known lung carcinogen). The increase in NNAL in the urine of most non-poker casino dealers at the end of their work shift demonstrates that non-poker casino dealers are exposed to a known carcinogen in the tobacco smoke at the casinos. Non-poker casino dealers reported a higher prevalence of respiratory symptoms than to unexposed workers, but the results were not statistically significant. The best means of eliminating workplace exposure to ETS is to ban all smoking in the casinos."

EXCUSE ME, but providing cigarettes and cigars is a service that the casinos provide so patrons don't have to leave their slot machines or table games. ALSO, getting a job in a casino is a NO brainer that you are going to be exposed to 2nd hand smoke. If you don't like the smoke DON'T take the job!

You think the Las Vegas casinos are having a loss in their profits due to the economy...I can't imagine how much business they would lose if there was a smoking ban.

Driven to drink by marijuana laws?

The Great Debate » Debate Archive »

(Bernd Debusmann is a Reuters columnist. The opinions expressed are his own)

Tough marijuana laws are driving millions of Americans to a more dangerous mood-altering substance, alcohol. The unintended consequence: violence and thousands of unnecessary deaths. It’s time, therefore, for a serious public debate of the case for marijuana versus alcohol.

That’s the message groups advocating the legalization of marijuana are beginning to press, against a background of shifting attitudes which have already prompted 13 states to relax draconian laws dating back to the 1930s, when the government ended alcohol prohibition and began a determined but futile effort to stamp out marijuana.

How dismally that effort has failed is not in doubt. Marijuana is so easily available that around 100 million Americans have tried it at least once and some 15 million use it regularly, according to government estimates. The U.S. marijuana industry, in terms of annual retail sales, has been estimated to be almost as big as the alcohol industry — $113 billion and $130 billion respectively. On a global scale, marijuana is the world’s most widely used illicit drug.

Since the United States, and much of the rest of the world, plunged into a recession last year, the most frequently used argument in favour of legalizing marijuana has been economic: if it were taxed, the revenue would help stimulate economic recovery just as a gusher of dollars in fresh tax revenue from alcohol helped the United States pull out of the Great Depression after the 1933 repeal of prohibition.

That idea enrages some leading drug warriors, including the head of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Antonio Maria Costa. In the preface to the U.N.’s 2009 World Drug Report, he asks whether proponents of legalization and taxation also favour legalizing and taxing human trafficking and modern-day slavery “to rescue failed banks.”

Never mind that drug abusers hurt themselves and human traffickers hurt others. It’s the kind of topsy-turvy logic which has made sober discussion of national and international drug policies (largely driven by the United States) so difficult for so long.

The case for adding a compare-and-contrast dimension to the debate is laid out in a statistics-laden book to be published next month entitled “Marijuana is Safer, So why are we driving people to drink?” The authors are prominent legalization advocates - Steve Fox of the Marijuana Policy Project, Paul Armentano of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) and Mason Tvert, co-founder of SAFER (Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation).

“The plain and simple truth is that alcohol fuels violent behaviour and marijuana does not,” Norm Stamper, a former Seattle police chief, writes in the foreword of the book. “Alcohol … contributes to literally millions of acts of violence in the United States each year. It is a major contributing factor to crimes like domestic violence, sexual assault and homicide. Marijuana use … is absent in that regard from both crime reports and the scientific literature. There is simply no causal link to be found.”

LACK OF COMMON SENSE

Violence committed by belligerent drunks apart, there is the question of which drug — marijuana or alcohol — is more harmful to your health. The authors cite government statistics and a long string of academic studies that show marijuana is less harmful.

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, around 35,000 Americans die of alcohol-related diseases every year. That’s almost 100 a day. Add to this another 16,000 people killed in road accidents involving drunk drivers. There are no equivalent statistics for deaths linked to marijuana use.

Yet alcohol is legal, marijuana is not. The monumental lack of common sense in the attitudes of successive U.S. administrations towards marijuana is one of the explanations for a steady shift in public attitudes as reflected by opinion polls. In May, a Zogby poll found 52 percent support for treating marijuana as a legal, taxed and regulated substance.

Opposition to legalization, polls show, has been weakening over the past few years. Before 2005, no national poll showed support for legalization above 36 percent.

But surveys also show that there is a persistent perception that alcohol and marijuana are equally harmful and that legalization would merely add another vice.

“This perception is wrong,” says Tvert, “and it can’t be corrected overnight. What we aim for is legislation that would give adults the choice between alcohol and a less harmful alternative. Current laws steer people towards alcohol because they fear the consequences of being caught using marijuana. But I think we are nearing a tipping point.”

Perhaps. One of the biggest obstacles on the road to policy changes is a sprawling bureaucracy of drug warriors who have an obvious interest in keeping things as they are and have long practice in shrugging aside data and evidence. During the eight years of the Bush administration, they were led by a staunch, ideologically-driven proponent of prohibition at any cost, drug czar John Walters.

The man President Barack Obama chose as his top drug policy official, Gil Kerlikowske, is likely to be more open to rational argument. Kerlikowske succeeded Norm Stamper as Seattle police chief and during his tenure, possession of marijuana by an adult ranked as the city’s lowest law enforcement priority. Lower than running a red light.

Dramatic Save of 4 Year Old Boy From Burning Car - Video

(CNN) -- The off-duty firefighters who rushed into a burning SUV and cut a 4-year-old boy out of the seatbelt saved his life, the boy's doctor said during a press conference Tuesday in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
An onlooker tries to smash the windshield of the SUV that crashed and erupted into flames.


The depth of the boy's burns "indicates to me this was a very hot fire, and he was in close contact with it," pediatric surgeon David Gourlay said. "These firefighters were clearly heroic and saved D.J.'s life."

D.J. Harper is in serious but stable condition with second- and third-degree burns on his scalp, face, back and arms, Gourlay said.

But the little boy is expected to make a full recovery thanks to a group of strangers that came to his rescue. The onlookers helped a woman and girl from their fiery SUV before off-duty firefighters cut a seatbelt to free D.J. in a harrowing rescue attempt a neighbor captured on video. Video Watch dramatic video of the rescue »

Jason Lepowski was driving down the street Sunday when a car crashed and erupted in flames. So he parked his car and ran to the vehicle to help.

"It blew up, and I was already smashing on the windshield of the vehicle because I saw the people inside," he told CNN affiliate WTMJ.

His uncle, Jerry Lepowski who lives down the street, rushed to the scene and started filming.

Neighbors and those in the area frantically began screaming for help. Flames began to fan and tires blew as neighbors struggled to find a way to shatter the windshield and pull the three people to safety.

"We're busting at the window because we saw everybody screaming," Jason Lepowski told WTMJ. "We made a little hole to get the little baby out first. Then came the mother, then we were smashing out the window. We couldn't break it."

Then they began shouting for help.

That's when neighbors, grabbing anything they could find, approached the car and started hammering the windshield with blunt objects including pipes.

"We're freaking out, and then we get the windshield open," Lepowski said.

But D.J. was still inside, trapped by a seatbelt and nobody could reach him.

"We could see the kid on fire," Lepowski said.

Off-duty Milwaukee firefighters John Rechlitz and Joel Rechlitz assisted by off-duty Milwaukee police Lt. Mark Wroblewski raced to the scene.

Without gear, backup from emergency responders or any protection from the fire, the firefighters went inside the burning vehicle to try to free the boy.

"I saw him and I saw my son's face. It was very emotional," Joel Rechlitz told WTMJ.

With the help of a knife from a neighbor they were able to cut the boy free.

On the video John Rechlitz is seen grabbing the boy and running from the vehicle as Joel grabs a hose and begins to douse his entire body.

On Monday, the three off-duty workers were honored for their heroic actions. "We took an oath as firefighters," John Rechlitz told WTMJ. "A duty to act, a willingness to serve, and that's what we were doing. Regardless if we were on duty or off duty."

At a news conference Tuesday at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, D.J.'s father, James Harper, struggled to contain his emotion as he thanked those who helped save his son.
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"I'm sorry, I'm trying to hold it together, but it's my little boy," he said. "I just want to thank everybody, the citizens of Milwaukee, for helping us.

"There are angels all around us."

AP NewsBreak: Palin implicated in ethics probe

news.yahoo.com

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An independent investigator has found evidence that Gov. Sarah Palin may have violated ethics laws by trading on her position in seeking money for legal fees, in the latest legal distraction for the former vice presidential candidate as she prepares to leave office this week.

The report obtained by The Associated Press says Palin is securing unwarranted benefits and receiving improper gifts through the Alaska Fund Trust, set up by supporters.

An investigator for the state Personnel Board says in his July 14 report that there is probable cause to believe Palin used or attempted to use her official position for personal gain because she authorized the creation of the trust as the "official" legal defense fund.

The practical effect of the ruling on Palin will be more financial than anything else. The report recommends that Palin refuse to accept payment from the defense fund, and that the complaint be resolved without a formal hearing before the board.

The fund aims to help Palin pay off debts stemming from multiple ethics complaints against her, most of which have been dismissed. Palin says she owes more than $500,000 in legal fees, and she cited the mounting toll of the ethics probes as one of the reasons she is leaving office.

The investigator, Thomas Daniel, sided with Palin in her frustration with having to defend herself against a barrage of ethics complaints. He suggested that Alaska lawmakers may need to create a law that reimburses public officials for legal expenses to defend complaints that end up being unfounded.

Palin posted an entry on Twitter in which she said the "matter is still pending."

"There is no final report. The Investigator is still confidentially reviewing this matter. It appears suspect that in the final days of the Governor's term, someone would again violate the law and announce a supposed conclusion before it is reached," her spokeswoman, Meghan Stapleton, said in an e-mail to The Associated Press.

But Daniel said his report was final.

Palin's friends and supporters created the Alaska Fund Trust in April, limiting donations to $150 per person. Organizers declined to say how much it has raised, and had hoped to raise about $500,000. A Webathon last month brought in about $130,000 in pledges.

In his report, Daniel said his interpretation of the ethics act is consistent with common sense.

An ordinary citizen facing legal charges is not likely to be able to generate donations to a legal defense fund, he wrote. "In contrast, Governor Palin is able to generate donations because of the fact that she is a public official and a public figure. Were it not for the fact that she is governor and a national political figure, it is unlikely that many citizens would donate money to her legal defense fund."

The ethics complaint was filed by Eagle River resident Kim Chatman shortly after the fund was created, alleging Palin was misusing her official position and accepting improper gifts.

"It's an absolute shame that she would continue to keep the Alaska Fund Trust Web site up and running," Chatman told the AP.

At least 19 ethics complaints have been filed against Palin, most of them after she was named the running mate for GOP presidential candidate John McCain. Most of those have been dismissed, and Palin's office usually sends a news release with the announcement.

The multiple ethics complaints include an investigation by state lawmakers over Palin's firing of her public safety commissioner in the so-called Troopergate scandal.

John Coale, a Washington lawyer who helped set up the fund, called the probable cause finding "crazy," adding that if upheld, it would mean that no governor could ever defend themselves against frivolous ethics complaints.

"If this complaint is true, there's no way to defend yourself" as governor, Coale said. "Anybody can keep filing ethics complaints and drive someone out of office even if you're a nut."

Coale said that unlike other states, Alaska's governor has no legal counsel's office to defend the governor from allegations brought against the governor in her official capacity.

Coale said he recommended creation of the legal defense fund, a common practice in Washington. The Web site for the Palin fund cites similar accounts created for Hillary Clinton, John Kerry and other prominent politicians.

Michael Jackson -- Thriller to the End

By James Ziebarth

Michael Jackson came into this world on August 29, 1958. He was born in Gary, Indiana. His parents, Katherine Esther Scruse and Joseph Walter Jackson were of modest means. Katherine was a dedicated Jehovah's Witness and Joseph labored in a steel mill. Michael was born into a musical family. Joseph performed with The Falcons, an R&B band.

Joseph Jackson wasted little time living vicariously through his sons. Joseph turned his kids into performers and started a family group. Michael Jackson and his brother Marlon would join this group in 1964. Michael was only eight years old when he began singing backup vocals and dancing. Michael and Marlon quickly became the lead and the group was named The Jackson Five.

Michael Jackson was not destined to be in a group act. Even though the Jackson Five found celebrity, he was destined to be a solo performer. In the late 1970s, Michael struck out on his own. By 1982, Michael Jackson was releasing his second solo album. Thriller became the most successful album of all times. Thriller stayed on Billboards top 200 for 80 consecutive weeks. RIAA certified Thriller for 28 million shipments, earning Thriller Double Diamond status. Worldwide, Thriller sold between 47 million and 109 million copies.

Being just another singer is not what Michael had in mind. He would also become an author in 1988 adding the title of writer to his repetoir. Moon Walk, his autobiography, would take nearly four years to complete and would sell over 200,000 copies.

Michael Jackson's fame made him a very rich man. Between 1984 and 1985, he purchased the catalog to the Beatles music for $47.5 million. This year was not without its challenges. While filming a Pepsi commercial, his scalp was burned.

In 1993, Jackson's first case of accused child sexual abuse surfaced. The accusers were a 13 year old boy names Jordan Chandler and his father, Evan Chandler. On January, 1, 1994, Jackson would settle with the Chandler's out of court for $22 million. Jackson was never charged in this case due to lack of evidence by the state.

In May 1994 Jackson was married for the first time to Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of Elvis Presley. Jackson and Presley's marriage was short lived, and would end in a divorce 2 years later. They would still remain friends after the divorce.

Entering his second marriage in 1996, Jacko would marry his dermatology nurse, Debbie Rowe, on November 14. Together they would have two children. Michael Joseph Jackson, now known as Prince Michael Jackson, would be the first born. Their second born would be their daughter, Paris Katherine Michael Jackson. Just 3 years later the marriage would end, but the split couple would still continue to be friends, with Debbie Rowe granting full custody of both children to Michael.

In 2002, Jacko's third child would be born. Prince Michael Jackson II. The mother's identity was never released by Jackson, but he would say that the child was the result of an artificial insemination from a surrogate mother and his own sperm cells.

In 2003, Jacko was once more accused of child molestation by then 13 year old Gavin Arvizo. Jackson would be charged with seven counts of child molestation and two counts of administering an intoxicating agent to a minor.. Jackson would deny all allegations.

His trial, People vs. Jackson, would officially begin on January 31, 2005 and would last for a period of only 5 months. The trial ended with Jackson being acquitted on all counts.

Right before his death in 2009, Jacko was to be in the spotlight once again. He was scheduled to perform at London's O2 arena, starring in 50 sold out concerts. They were to begin July 13, 2009, with the last concert scheduled to be on March 6, 2010. The ticket sales, according to Jackson's website, broke numerous records.

On June 25,2009, Los Angeles Paramedics would receive a call at 12:22 p.m (PDT). Michael Jackson had collapsed in his rented mansion. Paramedics arrived three minutes later at Jacko's residence. CPR would be administered for an hour while en route to a local Los Angeles hospital, where Jackson would be pronounced dead at 2:26 p.m. local time.

His memorial would be held on July7, 2009, at the Staples Center in Los Angles. His casket was present at the memorial, which was broadcast live all around the world and watched by up to one billion people, but no information would be released about the final resting place of Michael Jackson's body. RIP Michael "King of Pop" Jackson.

About the Author:

The world will miss Michael Jackson King of Pop. You should not miss one minute of celebrity news. Subscribe to Jim's Celebrity News to stay on top of all the celebrity happenings. Don't reprint this exact article. Instead, reprint a free unique content version of this same article.

O.J. Free to Play Golf While He Appeals His Conviction? BOOSHEET!

Chances of OJ winning release? Depends who you ask

By KEN RITTER (AP) – 4 hours ago

LAS VEGAS — Few in Nevada legal circles believe O.J. Simpson has any real chance at freedom when the state's Supreme Court justices consider letting him trade a prison cell in rural northern Nevada for a golf course in Miami while he appeals his conviction in a gunpoint hotel room heist.

What really has them abuzz is that Nevada's only appellate court agreed to schedule oral arguments Aug. 3 to hear Simpson's plea to be allowed to post bond.

"It's unusual. This is a situation where the Nevada Supreme Court might be accused of politics or being star-struck," said Michael Green, a state history author and professor at the College of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas. "But this is also a case where they'd want to make sure all the i's are dotted and the t's are crossed."

The Nevada Supreme Court received 1,842 appeals in fiscal 2008, and can take two years to decide cases, court spokesman Bill Gang said. Excluding motions by inmates acting as their own lawyers, the court hasn't received more than five requests for bail pending appeal in any year since 2000, Gang said.

Only one inmate, Paul Thomas Picetti, gained release in 2007 on a written request pending his appeal of a felony drunken driving conviction.

Not once the last eight years has the court held oral arguments.

But no Nevada prison inmate is as high-profile as the NFL Hall-of-Famer, television star and celebrity criminal defendant acquitted in the 1994 slaying of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman, in Los Angeles.

It's been more than 30 years since the state high court granted a high-profile defendant freedom pending appeal. That man, Lawrence Arvey, skipped town.

"That hurt us all," said William Terry, a veteran Las Vegas defense lawyer who helped represent Arvey. "The Supreme Court is kind of like an elephant, they don't forget."

Arvey, a big man and larger-than-life casino figure who wore jogging suits and big wigs to court, went by several names and nicknames including "Candy Man," "Mr. Chin" and "Big Fat Daddy." Some of the most prominent attorneys in town, including current Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman and Harry Claiborne, represented him.

Arvey was sentenced in April 1978 to life in prison for sex crimes with minors. The high court granted his release two months later on a $100,000 bond. "Nobody thought he was a flight risk because in 1978 that was such a large amount of money," Terry said.

Arvey, who would be 69, is still listed as a fugitive.

Terry said that in scheduling oral arguments in Simpson's case, the court might be signaling that some issues in his appeal have merit.

"In order to get bail pending appeal, you have to show there is a potential of reversal on appeal," he said.

Simpson's lawyer, Yale Galanter, said that's what he hopes, too.

"I know my burden is high. I know them granting bond would be a really rare thing," said Galanter, whose 30-page appeal calls Simpson's trial so rife with errors by the judge and prosecutors that his conviction should be reversed.

Galanter said Simpson, who has a residence in Miami, is so famous he couldn't possibly flee if he is released from prison.

"He's got no place to go, no place to hide," his lawyer said. "News crews follow him to the restaurant, to the golf course, to school to pick up his kids. He's truly one of the most recognizable people on the planet."

"The unjust outcome of not granting him a bond," Galanter added, "is that if the case is reversed, he will have sat in prison and been punished for nothing, while the appeal winds its way through the system."

Simpson turned 62 this month at Lovelock Correctional Center, 90 miles northeast of Reno. He's been working as a gym janitor while serving nine to 33 years for kidnapping and assault with a deadly weapon in the gunpoint robbery of two sports memorabilia dealers in a Las Vegas hotel room in September 2007.

A former golfing buddy and convicted co-defendant, Clarence "C.J." Stewart, 55, is serving 7 1/2 to 27 years at Northern Nevada Correctional Center in Carson City.

They have separate appeals pending with Supreme Court, along with requests to be let out of prison pending a decision.

Neither will be in court for separate 30-minute oral arguments their lawyers and prosecutors will make before three justices of the seven-member state high court — Michael Cherry, Nancy Saitta and Mark Gibbons. Gibbons is not related to the state's Republican governor, Jim Gibbons.

JoNell Thomas, a veteran Las Vegas lawyer in the special public defender's office, called the court's decision to hold a bond hearing for Simpson and Stewart "encouraging" for other appellants. "This tells me I need to file more bond motions on appeals," Thomas said.

Howard Brooks, the Clark County deputy public defender who oversees appeals for every convicted indigent defendant in Las Vegas, called it unlikely that Simpson will win his appeal, and more unlikely that he'll be released on an appellate bond.

"The Nevada Supreme Court reverses about 2 to 5 percent of criminal appeals. That is a very low rate," Brooks said. "The bottom line is, I'd say his chances of getting bond are one in a million."

Justices have denied requests for bond by other high-profile defendants, including Sandy Murphy, who served nearly four years in the 1998 death of Las Vegas casino executive Ted Binion before her conviction was overturned. Murphy and co-defendant Rick Tabish won a new trial and were acquitted of murder in 2004.

The court also denied bond in 2004 to Peter Bergna, a former Lake Tahoe-area art appraiser whose conviction in the death of his wife in a staged car crash was later upheld.

Thomas, who read the Simpson appeal brief, said she doubted the high court would reveal during the hearing whether the justices think Simpson has a good case on appeal.

"All they're saying is there are interesting issues here," she said. "That's a long way from saying they're going to reverse the case."

Tatiata Kozhevnikova Holds Record for Strongest Va-Jay-Jay

newsbizarre.com

Tatiata Kozhevnikova has been training her private parts doing Kegel exercises for over 15 years. The confident Kozhevnikova has even lifted about 14 kilograms of weights (just under 31 pounds) to prove it. She has been doing Kegle exercises to strengthen her pelvic muscles, and now she has the world record.

Kozhevnikova has been exercising her intimate muscles on a daily basis, and she has been recognized by Guinness Book of Records where she holds the record as the woman with the world’s strongest vagina.

Here's what she says is her secret for training,

“After I had a child, my intimate muscles got unbelievably weak. I read books on Dao and learned that ancient women used to deal with this problem using wooden balls. I looked around, saw a Murano glass ball and inserted it in my vagina.”

"You insert one of the balls in your vagina, and it has a string attached to it with a little hook at the very end. You fix a second ball onto this hook."

Kozhevnikova also provides sex-enhancing tips for women

"It’s enough to exercise your vagina five minutes a day, ladies, and in just one week you’ll be able to give yourself and your man unforgettable pleasure in bed.”

Perhaps it's time to add a new Olympic sport. No doubt the male viewing audience would increase.

May we all find and share our true gifts, and may we truly enjoy the talents of others.

Teen pregnant after ‘swimming in pool’ Dumb A$$

The Sun |News

This one gets my dumb ass of the year award.

A WOMAN is suing an Egyptian hotel claiming her daughter got pregnant - from using the swimming pool.

Magdalena Kwiatkowska's 13-year-old returned to Poland from their holiday expecting a baby.

Magdalena believes the teenager conceived from stray sperm after taking a dip in the hotel's mixed pool. She is now seeking compensation from the hotel.

A travel industry source said: "The mother is adamant that her daughter didn't meet any boys while she was there.

"She is determined to go ahead with the case."

Tourist authorities in Warsaw, Poland, have confirmed they received the bizarre complaint.

Holy Sheet ..6-Year-Old Michigan Boy Hits Hole-In-One

Sports News Story - KVVU Las Vegas

ONEKAMA, Mich. -- A 6-year-old from Dearborn has made a shot most golfers just dream about -- a hole-in-one."It was just like a lucky shot that you get," Braeden Furlow told WDIV-TV.Furlow had only played golf three times before he hit the links at The Heathlands in Onekama with his parents on July 6."I was at the Heathlands and I hit the ball, the golf ball," Braeden said. "It went tumbling down the fairway and my dad said 'If this ball goes in it'll be a hole in one'. And then, before he could say 'one' -- bam, it went in."

His father, Travis Furlow, said his son teed up his yellow, SpongeBob SquarePants ball from about 86 yards out and made a solid drive with a 3-wood toward the eighth hole.The ball bounced twice on the fairway before breaking into the hole."Oh my god," said Furlow. "You want to hug your son, right? And you want to be proud of him, which I was. And at some point you go, you've got to be kidding me, he just got a hole-in-one from 86 yards.

It was awesome."Braeden said he started playing golf "sometime when I was about 5 (years old)." Both of his parents play, but neither mom nor dad have hit a shot like that."My dad's been golfing 35 years and never got a hole-in-one," Braeden said.His father tells him he should quit the game while he's ahead.

But Braeden is eager to keep playing and said he thinks he can hit a hole-in-one again."It's awesome," Braeden said.

What is Beyonces Height and Weight? | Maple Syrup Diet

By Amy Nutt

One of today's most popular entertainers is Beyonce Knowles. She is talented, smart, funny, and beautiful. She has been busy making music from a young age and went on to become part of popular group Destinys Child. In the years that followed, she broke out on her own, producing a total so far of 3 albums and still has much more to come. Not only has she shown us her musical talents, but she has also starred in a number of movies and even lent her hand to endorsing a handful of products.

Beyonce seems to have it all and yet at the center of her career is a near obsessive debate about her height and weight. There are even sites filled with blogs and first hand accounts of people seeing Beyonce and trying to calculate her height. Some even go so far as to try to debunk or confirm those persons calculations based on other evidence offered.

Some have suggested that she is very self conscience about her height and so bills herself as taller than she actually is and tries to hide her actual height by choosing to wear height heels and watch the style and cut of her clothing thus adding more to the illusion of being tall.

Early on in her career she stated that she was 5 feet and 6 inches tall and weighs 135 lbs; the weight may have fluctuated since then since this was during her Destinys Child days, but should be no more than 5 to 10 lbs difference at this point today. According to various sources, her height has ranged anywhere from 5 feet and 2 inches, all the way up to 6 feet. As for her weight, that has been reported in as being anything from 130 lbs all the way to 185 lbs. An interview held with Beyonce in Ebony magazine, stated that she is a petite lady of 5 feet and 3 inches in height. Considering the reputation of Ebony, it is doubtful that they are quoting the stars height incorrectly. She often appears taller due to camera angles and photo staging to keep proportions, or one person equal to that of others in the shot. Also, music videos are often shot at low angles which add to the appearance of a person being taller than they actually are. She shows a preference for very high heels which depending on the style of the shoe and the designer, can add anywhere from 4 to 7 inches to her height. She also often tends to wear her hair styles high or big, which adds to her height.

Beyonce has also appeared to be quite voluptuous but in person it seems she is very petite and slender. Various explanations have been offered to answer this question. Everything from the style of clothing to the camera adding weight has been blamed for the stars extra weight and curves. Some have made comments that her hips are quite wide and so she cannot weigh what she claims to, and debates have been had over her clothing size. Various sources claim she is anywhere from a size 6 to a size 10, and anything in between.

Only Beyonce knows if she actually is a petite 5 ft and 3, weighing 135 lbs. If she is cautious about revealing her true weight and height, or even if she has been telling us the truth all this time, it will most likely not end the continuing speculation from fans all over the world.

About the Author:

Looking for the most popular music videos online? Come check out the largest collection of music videos online featuring all of the most popular artists and bands including Eminem, Akon, Beyonce music and many others!

Beyonce Knowles was in news for loosing her weight quickly. So I have found out the secret of her losing weight promptly and it is the “Maple Syrup Diet.”

Get a hygienic carafe.

Take 3 cups of water, 1 mug lime extract, 1 mug Maple syrup (make sure that the syrup is not flavored) and a teaspoon Cayenne.

Blend the above stuff and drink 10-12 glasses per day.

Caution: you may experience yearning, throbbing and uneasiness. So keep a stock of herbal tea and non-iodized salt in your kitchen. Everyday before having the Maple Syrup drink a glass of water with two spoons of mixed salt. And everyday at night drink the herbal tea.

Hence, keep the precautions in mind drink the “Maple Syrup Diet” to get a curvy body like Beyonce in few months.

Scarred by acid in Bangladesh

Al Jazeera English - Focus
By Nicolas Haque in Dhaka, Bangladesh

The Acid Survivors Foundation treats thousands of women who are victims of acid attacks

Rahima Begum, a young woman in the village of Kaligonj in the northwest of Bangladesh, turned down the romantic advances of a neighbour and paid dearly for it.

In the dead of night, while she was asleep, her neighbour poured acid over her face, leaving her disfigured for life.

"I may be still alive but he took my life away, I have become the shame of my family and of my village. I have no where to go," she says.

According to official figures, there are only around 200 acid-related crimes reported every year in Bangladesh.

However, thousands of acid-attack victims find refuge at the Acid Survivor Foundation (ASF) in Dhaka, the capital, in any given year. Like Rahima, most victims are women who have spurned advances from men.

Irreparable scars

"The perpetrators have a strong mindset not to kill the person but to put the victim in a position that they suffer for life," Monira Rahman, the ASF's executive director, said.

The effect is to rob a woman of her beauty, thus ensuring that she will never be admired again, she said.

The survivors of these assaults suffer deep burns and most bear irreparable scars for the rest of their lives.

Some disfigurement can be treated through surgery, however.

Dr Ronald Hiles, a retired plastic surgeon from the UK, has spent his last two summers volunteering at the ASF, where he has been operating on victims of acid attacks and training Bangladeshi doctors in reconstructive surgery.

"The devastation that acid causes is really similar to the devastation from electricity, from alkaline, from flames or from hot water. Acid usually burns right through the skin," Hiles said.

The Bangladeshi government takes acid crime very seriously, and in the past decade has enacted many laws aimed at curbing the occurrence of this crime.

Lax enforcement

In 2002, legislation was enacted to restrict civilian access to the lethal substance.

This is an effective measure, but has not been adequately enforced. Acid is still accessible to the public, and can be purchased by the gallon for less than $3 at shops that sell industrial chemicals.

The Bangladeshi authorities have also stated that all acid related crimes will be tried within six months under a special tribunal.

John Morrisson, the founder of the Acid Survivor Trust International, an advocacy group, welcomed the move made by the government, but warns that a great many cases continue to go unreported.

"We started to collect our figures, and the more we collected, the more serious was the problem. The number of acid attacks started to increase and we could see that by 2002 there were 500 attacks a year and that the numbers were growing," said Morrisson.

Acid on infant

Eight-year-old Babli was attacked by her own father when she was only an infant.

He had purchased acid from a local shop and then poured it into his daughter's ears and over her feet.

Her mother Ayeesha explains that he was angry that she had been born a girl.

Despite the government's promises to take these cases seriously, Babli and her mother have little hope of seeing justice done.

Babli's father poured acid into her ear, leaving her permanently disfigured

An arrest warrant was issued against Babli's father in 2002, but the police have still not taken action.

Ayeesha believes that her husband has been bribing the local police for the last five years in order to ward off arrest.

Rahman of ASF believes that such police inaction shows how deep the culture of impunity is in relation to acid attacks.

"Because of the impunity, the perpetrators are not punished," she said.

"This could encourage other potential perpetrators who have the mindset to do this. It is important to have the education to change the mind set of men."

In May 2008, ASF organised a march for Men Against Acid Attack, the first of its kind in Bangladesh.

Still, acid attacks remain a common crime in Bangladesh.

Until the law is enforced and people's behaviour begins to change, women will continue to be at risk, and cases like Babli's will remain unpunished.

Police: Steve McNair Shot Dead in Sleep by Kazemi

By LUCAS L. JOHNSON II, Associated Press Writer 54 minutes ago sports.yahoo.com

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)—Former NFL star Steve McNair was shot dead in his sleep last week by a 20-year-old girlfriend distraught about mounting financial problems and her belief that he was seeing someone else, police said Wednesday.

Investigators may never know why Kazemi shot McNair four times as he dozed on a sofa early Saturday before turning the gun on herself, Police Chief Ronal Serpas said.

But interviews with friends revealed that she was making payments on two cars, her rent was doubling and she suspected the married McNair was having a second affair with another young woman. end it,” Serpas said.

Police earlier had labeled McNair’s death a homicide, but waited for further tests and the revelations about Kazemi’s personal problems before concluding that she pulled the trigger in a condominium McNair rented with a friend.

McNair, 36, a quarterback for the Tennessee Titans most of his career, met Kazemi six months ago at a restaurant where she was a waitress and his family often ate. She seemed happy and eager to build a life with him, but something went wrong.

“We do know that she was clearly sending a message during the last five to seven days of her life that things were going bad quickly,” Serpas said, though there was no indication she told anyone she planned to harm McNair.

Serpas said detectives learned that Kazemi recently found out about another young woman she thought McNair was romantically involved with and had even followed that woman home, though she did not confront her.

Serpas said police believe McNair was asleep when he was killed because there were no defensive wounds. After shooting McNair in the head, Kazemi apparently shot him twice in the chest before shooting him again in the head and then shooting herself. The gun was found underneath her.

Nashville Police Chief Ronal S…
AP - Jul 8, 4:55 pm EDT

She sat next to his body and tried to position herself to fall into his lap when she died. She did, but her body slid to the floor and ended up at McNair’s feet, Serpas said. The gun was found underneath her.

Kazemi’s family told reporters that the woman was so confident McNair was divorcing his wife of 12 years that she was preparing to sell her furniture and move in with him.

But associate Mike Mu, who has worked with McNair’s charitable association for years, said McNair’s wife, Mechelle McNair, “didn’t know who this girl is.” No records of divorce proceedings have surfaced.

Two days before the shooting, police stopped Kazemi driving the Cadillac Escalade sport utility vehicle that McNair had given her for her birthday in May.

According to an arrest affidavit, Kazemi had bloodshot eyes and alcohol on her breath. She refused a breath test and told an officer “she was not drunk, she was high.” She was charged with DUI. McNair was with her but not charged. He later made her bail.

Serpas said that even though both her name and McNair’s were on the Cadillac’s title, she was apparently responsible for making payments. She was also making payments on another car after she couldn’t sell it.

What Does Your T-Shirt Say About You?

Your t-shirt called. It wants its voice back. Yes, the tees of today aren’t satisfied with being just a simple color-coordinated fit to your ensemble. The modern tee wants to be seen and heard.

Graphic t-shirts of today are stepping out of the wardrobe and into the spotlight. With your chest as their platform, tees are yelling, insulting, and joking their way into our hearts. These tees aren’t afraid to tell it like it is, and by doing so, they give us a glimpse into the twisted minds of others.

A good t-shirt does more than merely elicit a chuckle from a coworker or a stare from a stranger, it tells others about who you are as a person, what makes you tick, what you stand for.

There’s a reason why so many of these humor tees are seen in movies nowadays. They explain everything we need to know about a character’s personality without the narrator having to actually state it explicitly.

You simply can’t watch a good slacker movie these days without seeing a main actor wearing a cool, and often profane, graphic tee. Every modern-day coming of age flick, from Knocked Up to Superbad to Juno seems to feature one.

Whether it’s a reference to a character’s thoughts on dating and commitment (e.g. “Define Girlfriend”), or a clever play on words showing he’s a stoner (”Only Users Lose Drugs”), the audience gets the message loud and clear without the use of real dialog.

Call it a trend. Call it a geek’s revenge. Whatever it is, it’s the hottest new anti-fashion movement. And like Heidi says, if you’re not in, you’re out.

Today, the only thing a person really needs to do to establish their irrefutable coolness is publicly walk around wearing the right tee with pride.

It’s advertising at its best. Only this time, your sense of humor is what you’re branding. That, and your awesomeness, of course.

If you want to let everyone know that you are kind of a big deal, wear the right shirt.

The world wants to see the real you. Show your true colors by buying a t-shirt that aptly displays your weird, wicked or wild sense of humor.


What does your T-shirt say about you?

Soldier's Pink Boxers On Display At Museum

www.comcast.net

FORT WORTH, Texas — The soldier who was photographed fighting the Taliban in his pink boxer shorts said Saturday he was glad to be back home in Texas after his yearlong deployment to Afghanistan — especially for the Fourth of July.

Specialist Zachary Boyd said he initially thought he'd get in trouble after an Associated Press photo first transmitted in May showed him with other soldiers behind sandbags wearing his "I love NY" boxers — plus flip-flops, a helmet and a bulletproof vest.

The Fort Worth soldier jumped up from a nap when his unit came under fire and didn't want to waste time putting on his uniform.

"Every second counts," he said.

Boyd said he had bought the boxers during a New York layover before deploying and chose pink because he thought his friends would laugh. As for a bright red T-shirt he also was wearing, Boyd said he wasn't overly worried about drawing fire that day.

"The enemy already knew where I was," Boyd said. "If they want to shoot at me, then that's less fire they put on the guys that are pinned down, so that's fine with me."

All members of his unit came out of the fight safely, he said.

Now that he's home in Fort Worth he said his boxers will be displayed in the 1st Infantry Division museum at Fort Riley, Kansas.

Although Boyd has been praised for his courage, the 20-year-old specialist said he was just doing his job.

"I don't want any extra attention than the guys I served with because we all experienced the same stuff together; so I don't feel like I should get any extra recognition," Boyd said.

Since the photo gained worldwide attention, Boyd has received messages on social networking sites from hundreds of people around the globe as far off as China.

After spending a few days at home with his family, Boyd must return to Fort Hood near Killeen, where he is on active duty until February 2011. Boyd said he plans to begin training to become a helicopter pilot.

Drink Beer Win a Trip into Space the Final Frontier

foxnews.com
The 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.

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.

For more information on the Guinness online contest visit: www.guinness.com.

Blind Man Sees with Tooth Implanted in Eye

thedailymail.co.uk

When Martin Jones met his wife four years ago, he never imagined that one day he would get to see what she looked like.

The 42-year-old builder was left blind after an accident at work more than a decade ago.

But a remarkable operation - which implants part of his tooth in his eye - has now pierced his world of darkness.

The procedure, performed fewer than 50 times before in Britain, uses the segment of tooth as a holder for a new lens grafted from his skin.

'The doctors took the bandages off and it was like looking through water and then I saw this figure and it was her,' he said today.

'She's wonderful and lovely. It was unbelievable to see her for the first time.'

He added: 'When I found out there was a chance I would get my sight back, the first person I wanted to see was her.'

Mr Jones, from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, married his wife Gill, 50, four years ago.

By that time he had already spent eight years without his sight after a tub of white hot aluminium exploded in his face at work in a scrapyard.

He suffered 37 per cent burns and had to wear a special body stocking for 23 hours a day. He also had his left eye removed.

But surgeons were able to save the right eye, even though he was unable to see through it.

At first specialists in Nottingham tried to save his sight using stem cells from a donor but the attempt failed.

It was only when a revolutionary new operation was pioneered at the Sussex Eye Clinic in Brighton that he was given a chance to have his sight back.

During the procedure, a minute section of a patient's tooth is removed, reshaped and chiselled through to grip the man-made lens which is then placed in its core.

It is implanted under an eyelid where it becomes covered in tissue.

The process requires a living tooth as an implant because doctors suggest there are chances the eye would reject a plastic equivalent.

So a canine - which is the best option due to its shape and size - was taken out of Mr Jones' mouth.

A patch of skin is then taken from the inside of the cheek and placed in the eye for two months, where it gradually acquires its own blood supply.

The tooth segment is finally transplanted into the eye socket. The flap of grafted skin is then partially lifted from the eye and placed over its new sturdy base.

Finally, surgeons cut a hole in the grafted cornea to let light through.

'I feel fantastic getting my sight back,' he said. 'I can't really describe it - it's beyond words. I was blind for 12 years and when my sight came back everything had changed.

'The first car I saw when my sight was restored was a Smart car and I couldn't stop laughing - I'd never seen one before and I thought it had been chopped in half.

'Getting my sight back has changed my life. It is such a precious gift and you don't really appreciate it until it is taken away .

'I have been so fortunate that my sight has been returned . I find it such a simple pleasure being able to see what is going on in the world.'

The eight-hour operation, pioneered by surgeon Christopher Liu, is designed to help patients who have corneal blindness but who are not suitable for traditional corneal transplants.

'When I first heard about the technique I couldn't believe it. I don't think many people can,' said Mr Jones.

'My friends just don't believe me . They think I'm pulling their leg or have just made it up.

'But when I take my glasses off they say 'oh my God' because my eye looks like something out of a sci-fi movie. They're just amazed at it.'

Mr Liu is a corneal specialist and Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon based at Sussex Eye Hospital, Brighton.. He is also President of the British Society for Refractive Surgery.

Palin resigns as governor, leaves plans secret

AP – Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin announces that she is stepping down from her position as Governor in Wasilla, …news.yahoo.com

By RACHEL D'ORO, Associated Press Writer Rachel D'oro, Associated Press Writer – 1 hr 8 mins ago

WASILLA, Alaska – Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin abruptly announced Friday she is resigning from office at the end of the month, a shocking move that rattled the Republican party but left open the possibility she would seek a run for the White House in 2012.

Palin, 45, and her staff kept her future plans shrouded in mystery, and it was unclear if the controversial hockey mom would quietly return to private life or begin laying the foundation for a presidential bid.

Palin's spokesman, David Murrow, said the governor didn't say anything to him about this being her "political finale." He said he interpreted Palin's comment about working outside government as reflecting her current job only.

"She's looking forward to serving the public outside the governor's chair," he said.

And Pam Pryor, a spokeswoman for Palin's political action committee SarahPAC, said the group continues to accept donations on its Web site, with an uptick in funds after Palin's announcement.

In a hastily arranged news conference at her home in suburban Wasilla, Palin said she will formally step down July 26, and Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell will be inaugurated at the governor's picnic in Fairbanks. She said she had decided against running for re-election as Alaska's governor, and believed it was best to leave office even though she had two years left to her term.

"Many just accept that lame duck status, and they hit that road. They draw a paycheck. They kind of milk it. And I'm not going to put Alaskans through that," she said.

The 2008 vice presidential nominee was seen as a likely presidential contender in 2012 and had proved formidable among the party's base. But the last week brought a highly critical piece in Vanity Fair magazine, with unnamed campaign aides questioning if Palin was ever really prepared for the presidency.

The backbiting continued through the week, with follow-up articles recounting the nasty infighting that plagued her failed bid. Her advisers sniped with other Republicans, underscoring the deeply divided GOP looking for its next standard bearer.

Meghan Stapleton, Palin's personal spokeswoman, shot down speculation that ranged wildly from Palin dropping out of politics altogether to eyeing runs against fellow Alaska Republicans U.S. Rep. Don Young and U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski. Palin's comment about serving outside government refers to the present, she said.

Stapleton, however, said it's too early to say whether Palin would seek the presidency. In the meantime, the governor will continue to work "toward affecting positive change as a citizen without a title right now," she said.

"Her vision is what's best for Alaska, which translates into what's best for America," Stapleton said.

Palin's resignation, timed on the eve of the July 4 holiday when many Americans had already begun a three-day weekend, seemed designed to avoid publicity. She alluded to how she could help change the country and help military members — code that she didn't think her time on the national stage was over.

Jerry McBeath, a veteran political science professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, called the pending resignation a "smart move," both for Palin and the state.

"Alaska is an isolated stage from which to operate if you want to figure in American national politics. I don't know what she has in mind. Some TV show or some national radio show. There are opportunities for her, I'm sure."

But political analyst Larry Sabato, in Charlottesville, Va., said Palin's announcement left many confused.

"It's absolutely bizarre, and I think it eliminates her from serious consideration for the presidency in 2012," he said.

Palin said her family weighed heavily in her decision.

"I polled the most important people in my life, my kids, where the count was unanimous," she said. "Well, in response to asking, 'Hey, you want me to make a positive difference and fight for all our children's future from outside the governor's office?' It was four yeses and one 'Hell, yeah!" And the 'Hell, yeah' sealed it."

Palin's decision not to seek re-election was a familiar one for a potential presidential candidate. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney chose not to seek another term as he geared up for an unsuccessful 2008 presidential bid. Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty has announced he won't seek another term, giving him plenty of free time ahead of a potential 2012 bid.

Palin emerged from relative obscurity nearly a year ago when she was tapped as then Republican presidential candidate John McCain's running mate.

She was a controversial figure from the start, with comedian Tina Fey famously imitating her elaborate updo and folksy "You betcha!" on "Saturday Night Live."

In the presidential race, Palin became the butt of talk-show jokes and Democratic criticism after news broke that the Republican Party had spent $150,000 or more on a designer wardrobe, accessories and hair and makeup services for her. The high-end spending spree contrasted with the down-to-earth image she sought to craft for herself and became an unwelcome issue for the McCain campaign.

She didn't leave the limelight once McCain lost the presidency. She recently led a public spat with "Late Show" host David Letterman over a joke he made about one of her daughters being "knocked up" by New York Yankees baseball player Alex Rodriguez during the governor's recent visit to New York. Palin's 18-year-old daughter, Bristol, is an unwed, teenage mother. Letterman later apologized for the joke.

Palin also complained that her 14-month-old son, Trig, who was diagnosed with Down's syndrome, had been "mocked and ridiculed by some mean-spirited adults recently." She didn't elaborate.

Fred Malek, a Republican strategist who has advised Palin over the past year, said Palin was "really unhappy with the way her life was going."

"She felt that the pressures of the job combined with her family obligations and the demands and desires to help other Republican candidates led her to decide not to run again. Once that decision was made, she realized, why not do it now and let the lieutenant governor take over and get a head start on his election," Malek said.

Palin was first elected in 2006 on a populist platform. But her popularity has waned as she became embroiled in partisan politics following her return from the presidential campaign. Her term would have ended in 2010.

Palin expressed frustration with her current role as governor.

"I cannot stand here as your governor and allow the millions of dollars and all that time go to waste just so I can hold the title of governor," Palin said, referring to the alleged impact of multiple ethics complaints against her, most of which have been dismissed.

Palin remaining as governor is not good for Alaska, given the "political bloodsport" by her critics, Stapleton said. Stepping down is a "fighter's move," Stapleton said, essentially Palin stepping around political barriers in her way and pursuing her vision.

Her decision even took Parnell by surprise. He said he was told on Wednesday evening, and was not aware that any presidential ambitions were behind the move. U.S. Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, said Palin didn't inform him during a 45-minute meeting Wednesday.

Palin's announcement comes after several recent blows to the Republican party. Ensign, a member of the Christian ministry Promise Keepers, stepped down from the Senate Republican leadership last month after admitting he had an affair for much of last year with a woman on his campaign staff who was married to one of his Senate aides. Ensign later disclosed he had helped the woman's husband get two jobs during the affair.

A government watchdog group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, wants the Senate ethics committee and the Federal Election Commission to investigate.

Just days after news of Ensign's affair broke, Sanford admitted an affair with a woman in Argentina. Some lawmakers are now calling for his resignation. Before the admission, Sanford had been missing from the state for five days visiting his lover. He had slipped his security detail, lied to his staff about where he was and failed to transfer power to the lieutenant governor in case of a state emergency.

The party's troubles seem to have left two prominent 2012 prospects, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and 2008 presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, unscathed, however.

Palin has the potential to make far more money in the private sector than the $125,000 or so she has been making as governor.

Palin already had a deal with publisher HarperCollins to produce her memoirs, with publication planned for next spring. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed.

Six-figure book deals are common for high-profile politicos — President Barack Obama has made millions on his best-sellers — as are lucrative speaking tours and even their own talk shows after they leave office. One 2008 presidential candidate, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, landed his own show on the Fox News Channel. A Fox News spokesman said Friday that there have been no discussions with Palin.