Four more Casualties in Iraq
Written by Joyce L Chow & William Hoehne February 23,2006
MBN
www.montebubbles.com for more MBN news
BREAKING NEWS: Figure skating-Japanese Arakawa wins women's gold Shizuka Arakawa of Japan won the women's figure skating gold medal at the Turin Winter Olympics on Thursday. Sasha CDohen of the U.S. won the silver and Russia's Irina Slutskaya took the bronze.
Four more Casualties
DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
Patti Austin to Set Jazz Mood at Governors Ball
ShoWest has named Jennifer Hudson ShoWest “Female Star of Tomorrow,”
Art Show News
JOHNSON & JOHNSON ANNOUNCED AS WORLDWIDE OLYMPIC PARTNER
Chief News
Servicemembers throughout the world are getting handmade "cool ties
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced the introduction of the new ZEST minicar
Lily Tomlin to Make Oscar® Show Appearance
Medal Count
Four more Casualties
WASHINGTON, Feb. 23, 2006 - Four U.S. soldiers from 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, were killed near Hawijah, Iraq, yesterday when their vehicle struck a roadside bomb, military officials reported today. The soldiers were on a combat patrol at the time of the incident. Names are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
2nd Lt. Almar L. Fitzgerald, 23, of Lexington, S.C., died Feb. 21 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany from wounds received Feb. 18 as a result of an improvised explosive device while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, his unit was attached to the 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force
Patti Austin to Set Jazz Mood at Governors Ball
Grammy®-nominated jazz performer Patti Austin will be the featured artist at the Governors Ball, the celebration immediately following the 78th Academy Awards® telecast on Sunday, March 5, Governors Ball Chair Cheryl Boone Isaacs has announced.
“Patti’s renditions of songs by jazz greats are the perfect accompaniment to a night of celebration at the Governors Ball,” said Boone Isaacs.
With sixteen solo albums to her credit including the 2002 Grammy-nominated “For Ella,” a tribute to Ella Fitzgerald, Austin will perform for the Ball’s 1,650 guests, who include Academy Award winners and nominees, show presenters and telecast participants.
The Ball will celebrate the film achievements of 2005 in the Governors Ballroom on the top level of the Hollywood & Highland Center® following the Awards Presentation.
Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements for 2005 will be presented on March 5, 2006, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland, and televised live by the ABC Television Network beginning at 5 p.m. PST. A one-hour red carpet arrivals show will precede the telecast at 4 p.m. PST.
©A.M.P.A.S.®
ShoWest has named Jennifer Hudson ShoWest “Female Star of Tomorrow,”
ShoWest has named Jennifer Hudson ShoWest “Female Star of Tomorrow,” it was announced today by Mitch Neuhauser, co-managing director of the event that will be held March 13-16, 2006, in Las Vegas. Hudson will be presented with the ShoWest Female Star of Tomorrow award at ShoWest’s closing night ceremony on Thursday, March 16 at Bally's and Paris Las Vegas.
"We are thrilled to honor the multi-talented Jennifer Hudson as ShoWest’s Female Star of Tomorrow," said Neuhauser. "In her motion picture debut, Hudson is sure to delight audiences with her portrayal of Effie in the upcoming big-screen version of the Tony Award-winning musical Dreamgirls. With her combination of acting and singing talent, Jennifer has the star qualities that promise her a bright future in Hollywood.”
Hudson will make her feature film debut in the DreamWorks Pictures’ and Paramount Pictures’ Dreamgirls. Twenty-five years after first bringing Broadway audiences to their feet, the Tony Award-winning musical sensation opens in theatres nationwide on Dec. 22, 2006. Set in the turbulent early 1960s to mid-70s Dreamgirls follows the rise of a trio of women -- Effie (Jennifer Hudson), Deena (Beyoncé Knowles) and Lorrell (Anika Noni Rose) -- who have formed a girl group called The Dreamettes. At a talent competition, they are discovered by an ambitious manager named Curtis Taylor Jr. (Jamie Foxx) who offers them the opportunity of a lifetime to become the back-up singers for headliner James “Thunder” Early (Eddie Murphy). The girls eventually get their own shot in the spotlight and although they become a crossover phenomenon, they soon realize that the cost of fame and fortune may be higher than they ever imagined.
Dreamgirls is being directed by Bill Condon from a screenplay he adapted from the stage musical’s original book by Tom Eyen. An Academy Award winner for his screenplay for Gods and Monsters, which he also directed, Condon received another Oscar nomination for his screenplay adaptation of Chicago.
is being directed by Bill Condon from a screenplay he adapted from the stage musical’s original book by Tom Eyen. An Academy Award winner for his screenplay for which he also directed, Condon received another Oscar nomination for his screenplay adaptation of .Best known for her stand-out performances as a top-12 competitor on the television hit “American Idol,” Hudson is also currently writing and recording her much-anticipated debut album, which is expected to hit the airwaves in the spring of 2006.
ShoWest is the largest annual convention for the motion picture industry. It is the only international gathering devoted exclusively to the movie business and the single largest international gathering of motion picture professionals and theatre owners in the world. The 2006 edition of ShoWest will be held March 13 –16, 2006 at Bally’s and Paris Las Vegas and is expected to draw more than 5,000 members of the motion picture industry. Each year, ShoWest attracts delegates from more than 50 countries in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. ShoWest is managed by the VNU Expositions Film Group, a division of VNU Business Media.
Art Show News
Sorry this is so very last-minute,I've been accepted in a group art showing at the Arena 1 Gallery, located in the Santa Monica Art Studios, located at the south border of the Santa Monica Airport. the show starts this Saturday Feb. 25th with an artists' reception from 6 to 8 pm. My art will be adjacent to the "Leaving Aztlan" exhibit, in the "north hangar." They're serving wine and probably cheese. the art will be there for about a month if you can't make it by the reception. Would really love to have your support if you could come by.. address is 3026 Airport Ave., Santa Monica. Web site is www.santamonicaartstudios.com. Please pass this along to anyone else you think might be interested
JOHNSON & JOHNSON ANNOUNCED AS WORLDWIDE OLYMPIC PARTNER
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced today that Johnson & Johnson will join The Olympic Partners (TOP) Programme as the first broad health care products sponsor.
The agreement, with global marketing rights beginning at the close of the Torino 2006 Olympic Winter Games, involves Johnson & Johnson’s consumer products, over-the-counter pharmaceuticals and medical devices and diagnostics. This partnership is up to and including the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
In July 2005, Johnson & Johnson became a domestic partner of the Torino 2006 and Beijing 2008 Games. Today’s announcement allows Johnson & Johnson to activate their marketing rights globally.
IOC President, Jacques Rogge, welcomed the partnership with Johnson & Johnson, stating that the agreement will be positive for both the Olympic Movement and the athletes.
“We are proud to welcome Johnson & Johnson to the Olympic family of worldwide partners. Johnson & Johnson’s contribution to the Olympic Games, National Olympic Committees and of course the athletes will be invaluable.”
Johnson & Johnson Corporate Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Brian Perkins sees a great synergy between the two organisations. “This partnership reflects a shared philosophy in caring for people, whether they are athletes or, in the case of Johnson & Johnson, people around the world,” Perkins said. “This global opportunity will enable Johnson & Johnson to provide enhanced health education, services and care to people around the world while expanding our reach in emerging markets and strengthening our businesses in developed areas.”
Chairman of the IOC Marketing Commission, Gerhard Heiberg commented that Johnson & Johnson will make a significant contribution to the Olympic Movement. “The support that Johnson & Johnson will bring to the athletes and the Olympic Movement is greatly welcomed,” Heiberg said. “This partnership brings to 12 the number of worldwide sponsors of the Olympic Games and clearly shows the success and strength of our marketing programme. I look forward to our association with this company,” Heiberg said.
The IOC worldwide partners are: Coca-Cola, Atos Origin, GE, Johnson & Johnson, Kodak, Lenovo, Manulife, McDonalds, Omega, Panasonic, Samsung, Visa
Chief News
Chief is excited to announce their newest design innovation, the In-Wall Accessories for swing arm mounts! The PAC-500 and MAC-500 can be used with Chief's large and medium flat panel swing arm mounts to convert a low-profile mounting solution to no profile and flush with the wall!
Not your ordinary wall mount, the PLP Universal Pull-N-Tilt mount from Chief Manufacturing is a breakthrough solution for 37"-65" flat panel TVs. The PLP offers innovative features like fingertip tilt and a low-profile design, plus it fits up to 90% of plasma screens on the market!
Delivered with Chief's proven quality and superior service, the new CYNERGY Series JWD Dual Arm Swing Arm Mount is the latest product designed with innovative features for easy installation and increased functionality. The JWD is part of Chief's new line of mounts for medium flat panel displays.
Servicemembers throughout the world are getting handmade "cool ties
WaSHINGTON, Feb. 23, 2006 - Karen Stark never liked to sew. But thanks to her efforts, deployed servicemembers throughout the world are getting handmade "cool ties." The Oklahoma woman has found her mission organizing groups through "The Hugs Project," a nonprofit organization manufacturing reusable neck scarves and helmet liners with polymer gel inserts that keep cold for hours at a time. For years Stark wrote to deployed troops and sent occasional care packages overseas to show her support, but she was looking for a way to help more, she said. One day she opened an e-mail illustrating how to make cooling ties for golfers, hikers and vacationers. "I knew this was something that could help our military, that they were fighting really hot conditions," she said. "I got goose bumps, and I knew this was what my mission was, that I was supposed to make cool ties."
Stark said she hadn't sewn in 40 years and asked friends with sewing experience to teach her. But instead of teaching her, they took the patterns and started making and sending cooling ties on their own. That, Stark said, is when her husband gave her some helpful advice. "My husband said, 'Maybe your job isn't sewing; maybe your job is telling other people what they can do.'" After she learned how to make the cool ties, Stark went on the Internet, telling people about her project. She met hundreds of people willing to help make cooling ties, or "hugs" as Stark began to call them. "People would say, 'I pray for the military every day, but I'm a hands-on person. I want to do something to help,'" Stark said. "This is what they can do."
The project works in a decentralized way, sharing information on the Internet and encouraging most members to manufacture, pack and send goods on their own. With 1,500 formal members and thousands working independently, The Hugs Project works with individuals in nearly every state and 10 foreign countries. Stark said her particular group meets about twice a week in and around Oklahoma City, where she lives. They also travel to outlying towns and sometimes go on longer trips to spread the word, setting up formal groups (called "group hugs") in Colorado, Texas, Missouri, California and Arizona.
The project also gets help coordinating through America Supports You, a Defense Department program facilitating grassroots and corporate support for the nation's servicemembers. The project's members continue perfecting their designs thanks to feedback from deployed troops, Stark said. "We make a helmet cooler that cushions their helmet," she said, referring to the helmet coolers as "kisses." "It's got the same polymer gel in it -- we don't put very much in there because if you put too much, their helmet gets bouncy, which is a bad thing the way I hear it."
The project doesn't just keep troops cool, Stark said. In the winter, the polymer gel inserts can retain heat just as well as they keep cold, and they can be reused many times over. Each "hug" or "kiss" comes with instructions on how to make it a cooler or a heater. When cold weather comes on, the project switches to winter mode, adding other cold weather items-- such as hats, neck warmers, fingerless mittens, blankets and colorful hats to pass out to Iraqi and Afghan children -- to their care packages. In all, the group has sent an estimated 150,000 polymer gel items to troops serving abroad. Stark said she is happy to hear from new members on the project's Web site, but she suggests that people she hasn't met personally go to their local VFW to find addresses for troops overseas.
"When we go out and meet the people personally and we know in our hearts that they're not terrorists, then we share addresses that we have with them," she said. "But we're very protective of military addresses -- in fact, to the point that I've been called paranoid by more than one military mother who wants me to put their son's address on the Internet." Helping the troops in this way feels best when she gets feedback from them, she said. "That a stranger actually wants to do something for them, they think that's wonderful."
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced the introduction of the new ZEST minicar
TOKYO, Japan, February 23, 2006 - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced the introduction of the new ZEST minicar, created to enhance the active lifestyles of today’s consumers and provide comfort and utility for the entire family. The ZEST delivers superior power and performance, while its efficient low-floor design and generous storage area with a convenient access bay help give it class leading spacious cabin1. The new ZEST will be available for sale through Honda’s automobile dealer network in Japan starting March 1. Further, a ZEST equipped with a tilt-up sliding front passenger seat and wheelchair-accessible models will be available starting March 17.
The ZEST was developed as a minicar that can satisfy both individual and family users in a variety of occasions including daily shopping and weekend leisure activities. The key to the design of the ZEST is Honda’s unique low-floor platform technology, which results in a high-capacity storage area with a maximum of 739 liters2 of space accessed via one of the lowest tailgates in its class1. In addition, ZEST achieves a spacious cabin with a height equivalent to StepWGN. The ZEST features Honda’s i-DSI engine or i-DSI turbocharged engine, combined with a 4-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission to deliver strong and smooth performance in accelerating from low and medium speeds to higher speed ranges.
The ZEST also offers a full range of advanced safety features. In addition to being the first minicar1 to be equipped with a front and rear side curtain airbag system, the ZEST also features Honda’s Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body for significantly enhanced self-protection and damage mitigation in vehicle-to-vehicle collisions. Regarding environmental performance, all FWD models have earned Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport certification as Low-Emissions Vehicles, with emission levels 75% lower than those required by 2005 standards, while some models meet or exceed Japanese government fuel economy standards for 2010 by 5%.
The ZEST also comes fully equipped with a range of advanced features for enhanced passenger comfort and peace of mind, including Honda’s HDD InterNavi system; newly-developed high-performance deodorizing air cleaning filters treated with anti-allergenic materials to control pollen and other allergens; and a security alarm and immobilizer for effective anti-theft protection.
Lily Tomlin to Make Oscar® Show Appearance
Beverly Hills, CA — Academy Award-nominated actress Lily Tomlin will be a presenter at the 78th Academy Awards ceremony, telecast producer Gil Cates announced today.
Tomlin was nominated for her supporting role in 1975's "Nashville." She will be seen next in "A Prairie Home Companion" with Meryl Streep and "The Last Guy on Earth." Her film credits include "I Heart Huckabees," "Tea with Mussolini," "Flirting with Disaster" and "Short Cuts."
Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2005 will be presented on Sunday, March 5, 2006, at the Kodak Theatre at the Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network beginning at 5 p.m. PST. A one-hour red carpet arrivals show will precede the telecast at 4 p.m. Information about the 78th Annual Academy Awards can be accessed on line at www.oscar.com.
©A.M.P.A.S.®
Medal Count
Germany Nine Gold Ten Silver Five Bronze
United States Seven Gold Eight Silver Five Bronze
Austria Eight Gold Six Silver Five Bronze
Russia Eight Gold Three Silver Eight Bronze
Canada Five Gold Eight Silver Six Bronze
Norway Two Gold Eight Silver Eight Bronze
Switzerland Five Gold Four Silver Four Bronze
Sweden Five Gold Two Silver Four Bronze
Italy Four Gold Six Bronze
France Three Gold Two Silver Four Bronze
China Two Gold Three Silver Four Bronze
South Korea Four Gold Three Silver One Silver
Netherlands Two Gold Two Silver ThreeBronze
Finland Three Silver Three Bronze
Estonia Three Gold
Croatia One Gold Two Silver
Australia One Gold
Czech Republic Two Silver
Ukraine Two Bronze
Japan One Gold
Belarus One Silver
Bulgaria One Silver
Great Britain One Silver
Slovakia One Silver
Latvia One Bronze
