You would think that after getting away with the murder of his former wife in the most important case of the 90's O. J. Simpson would have learned his lesson. Instead of avoiding jail and enjoying his get out of jail free pass, he ends up doing something stupid again and this time he's getting the jail time that he deserves. Don't let him of easy. He decided to rob a hotel and this time he is not getting away with it. He looks at 9 years in jail and possibly as much as 33.

A broken O.J. Simpson was sentenced Friday to at least nine years in prison and as many as 33 years for a hotel armed robbery after a judge rejected his apology and said, "It was much more than stupidity."

The 61-year-old football Hall of Famer stood shackled and stone-faced when Judge Jackie Glass quickly rattled off his punishment soon after he made a rambling, five-minute plea for leniency, choking back tears as he told her: "I didn't want to steal anything from anyone. ... I'm sorry, sorry."

Simpson said he was simply trying to retrieve sports memorabilia and other mementos, including his first wife's wedding ring, from two dealers when he stormed a Las Vegas hotel room on Sept. 13, 2007.

But the judge emphasized that it was a violent confrontation in which at least one gun was drawn, and she said someone could have been killed. She said the evidence was overwhelming, with the planning, the confrontation itself and the aftermath all recorded on audio or videotape.

Glass, a no-nonsense judge known for her tough sentences, imposed such a complex series of consecutive and concurrent sentences that even many attorneys watching the case were confused as to how much time Simpson got.

Simpson could serve up to 33 years but could be eligible for parole after nine years, according to Elana Roberto, the judge's clerk.

The judge said several times that her sentence in the Las Vegas case had nothing to do with Simpson's 1994 acquittal in the slaying of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman.

"I'm not here to try and cause any retribution or any payback for anything else," Glass said. Simpson was immediately led away to prison after the judge refused to permit him to go free on bail while he appeals. Simpson's co-defendant and former golfing buddy, Clarence "C.J." Stewart, also was sentenced to at least 15 years.

Outside court, Goldman's father, Fred Goldman, and sister, Kim, said they were delighted with the sentence. "We are thrilled, and it's a bittersweet moment," Fred Goldman said. "It was satisfying seeing him in shackles like he belongs." The Goldmans took a measure of credit for Simpson's fate, saying their relentless pursuit of his assets to satisfy a $33.5 million wrongful-death judgment "pushed him over the edge" and led him to commit the robbery to recover some of his sports memorabilia. Simpson and Stewart were both brought to the courtroom in dark blue jail uniforms, their hands shackled to their waists with chains.

Simpson, who looked weary and had not been expected to speak, delivered a somber statement to the judge. As he spoke in a hoarse voice, the courtroom was hushed. His two sisters, Shirley Baker and Carmelita Durio, sat in the front row of the courtroom, along with his adult daughter. Both men were convicted Oct. 3 of 12 criminal charges, including kidnapping and armed robbery. "As stupid and as ill-conceived as it was, it wasn't something that was from this evil mind they teach us about," Simpson attorney Yale Galanter said before sentencing. "Not bright, not smart, not well thought out, but certainly not from an evil mind," Galanter said.

Most of the 63 seats in the courtroom were taken by media, lawyers and family members of the defendants. Fifteen members of the public were also allowed. After sentencing was over, the Goldmans left the courtroom and Kim threw her arms around her father and wept. Simpson's sisters declined to comment, but Shirley Baker said on her way out: "It's not over." Jurors who heard 13 days of testimony said after the verdict that they were convinced of Simpson's guilt because of audio recordings that were secretly made of the Sept. 13, 2007, robbery at the Palace Station casino hotel.

The confrontation involved sports memorabilia brokers Alfred Beardsley and Bruce Fromong. It was recorded by collectibles dealer Thomas Riccio, who was acting as middleman. "Don't let nobody out of this room!" Simpson commands on the recordings, and instructs other men to scoop up items he insists had been stolen from him.

On Tuesday, Glass is scheduled to sentence four former co-defendants who took plea deals and testified against Simpson and Stewart. Michael McClinton, Charles Cashmore, Walter Alexander and Charles Ehrlich could receive probation or prison time. McClinton could get up to 11 years; the others face less.

Portion from Associated Press

Associated Press
WASHINGTON - General Motors Corp. President Fritz Henderson said Wednesday bankruptcy isn't a viable option for struggling U.S. automakers, maintaining that a new retooling plan can save the industry.

General Motors is ready to undertake a host of steps needed to resize, Henderson asserted in an interview on NBC's "Today" show as the automakers outline a revised plan for Congress on how they'll preserve their industry.

But Henderson also said that "to win, you've got to win with product and technology. ... And we do not want to give consumers a reason not to buy our cars and trucks."

The interview came as leaders of the United Auto Workers were still discussing further concessions at an emergency meeting in Detroit. Under consideration were the possibility of scrapping a much-maligned jobs bank in which laid-off workers keep receiving most of their pay and postponing the automakers' payments into a multibillion-dollar union-administered health care fund.

Chrysler LLC and Ford Motor Co. — as well as GM — have ditched their corporate jets for hybrid cars and replaced vague pleas for federal help with detailed requests for as much as $34 billion in their second crack at persuading Congress to throw them a lifeline.

Henderson acknowledged Wednesday that the initial appearances by the heads of the car makers was a public relations failure.

"Yeah, it certainly was not our finest hour," he told NBC. "We were not as clear about what we wanted to do." He also conceded that the decision by the executives to travel to Washington by private jet "was a problem" for lawmakers.

Congressional leaders now are reviewing three separate survival plans from the three automakers as they weigh whether to call lawmakers back to Washington for a special session next week to vote on an auto bailout.

In blueprints delivered to Capitol Hill on Tuesday, GM and Chrysler said they needed an immediate infusion of government cash to last until New Year's, and both said they could drag the entire industry down if they fail. Ford is requesting a $9 billion "standby line of credit" that it says it doesn't expect to use unless one of the other Big Three goes belly up.

But Chrysler said it needed $7 billion by year's end just to keep running. And GM asked for an immediate $4 billion as the first installment of a $12 billion loan, plus a $6 billion line of credit it might need if economic conditions worsen. The two painted the direst portraits to date — including the prospects of shuttered factories and massive job losses — of what could happen if Congress doesn't quickly step in.

Democrats voice concerns
Democratic leaders voiced concern and a desire to do something to avert an automaker collapse, but they made no commitments about helping an industry that's made few friends lately on Capitol Hill.

"It is my hope that we would" pass legislation to help the automakers, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said he would lay the groundwork Monday for a possible vote on an auto bailout measure.

In their first round of pleas for a government rescue last month, the Big Three executives arrived in Washington on separate private jets and enraged lawmakers who said they failed to take responsibility for their companies' troubles or justify a federal bailout.

"I think we learned a lot from that experience," Ford CEO Alan Mulally said.

He, as well as GM CEO Rick Wagoner and Chrysler chief Bob Nardelli, are all road-tripping the 520 miles from Detroit to Washington in fuel-efficient hybrid cars for hearings on Thursday and Friday.

Mulally and Wagoner both said they'd work for $1 a year — something Chrysler's plan said Nardelli already does — if their firms took any government loan money. Ford offered to cancel management bonuses and salaried employees' merit raises next year, and GM said it would slash top executives' pay. Ford and GM both said they would sell their corporate aircraft.

All three plans envision the government getting a stake in the auto companies that would allow taxpayers to share in future gains if they recover.

Nevertheless, Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., said the mood in Congress "candidly is not supportive" of the automakers, although he called the consequences of just one of them failing "cataclysmic."

Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, said the automakers still need to prove they can survive and be profitable. "If these companies are asking for taxpayer dollars, they must convince Congress that they are going to shape up and change their ways," Dodd said in a statement.

His panel is to hear testimony Thursday from the auto executives, UAW chief Ron Gettelfinger, and the head of the Government Accountability Office on the companies' plans.

The House Financial Services Committee is to hold a similar session on Friday.

By KEN THOMAS and TOM KRISHER, Associated Press Writers

WASHINGTON – Ford Motor Co. is asking Congress for a $9 billion "stand-by line of credit" to stabilize its business, but says it doesn't expect to tap it.

Unless one of Detroit's other Big Three auto companies goes bust, Ford expects to have enough money to make it through next year without government help, it said in a plan that projected the firm will break even or turn a pretax profit in 2011.

Detroit's automakers, making a second bid for $25 billion in funding, are presenting Congress with plans Tuesday to restructure their ailing companies and provide assurances that the funding will help them survive and thrive.

General Motors Corp., Ford and Chrysler LLC said they would refinance their companies' debt, cut executive pay, seek concessions from workers and find other ways of reviving their staggering companies.

The Big Three executives also are offering a series of mostly symbolic moves to burnish their images, badly tattered after they arrived in Washington D.C. last month on three separate private jets to plead for a federal lifeline for their struggling companies. All three companies offered separate plans for hearings that will be held Thursday and Friday.

That approach the auto executives took last month led Democratic congressional leaders to declare they didn't come prepared to justify their pleas and they told them to go back home and ready a new plan.

This week, the automakers are going out of their way to show deference to lawmakers and a willingness to flog themselves for past mistakes. "I think we learned a lot from that experience," Ford CEO Alan Mulally told The Associated Press in an interview.

Mulally said he'd work for $1 per year if his firm had to take any government loan money. The company's plan also says it will cancel all management employees' 2009 bonuses, scrap merit increases for its North American salaried employees next year, and sell its five corporate aircraft.

And for this week's appearances here, all three company chiefs will skip the lavish travel arrangements. Mulally is coming by car from Detroit for this week's second round of congressional hearings on government help for the Big Three. GM Chief Rick Wagoner will drive a Chevrolet Malibu hybrid sedan for the 520-mile trek from Detroit to Capitol Hill, spokesman Tony Cervone said Tuesday. And Chrysler LLC CEO Robert Nardelli won't travel by corporate jet, but a spokeswoman declined to elaborate on his travel plans, citing security reasons.

The unions were preparing to make sacrifices as well. United Auto Workers leaders summoned local union leaders from across the country to an emergency meeting Wednesday in Detroit to discuss concessions the union could make to help auto companies get government loans.

U.S. automakers are struggling to stay afloat heading into 2009 under the weight of an economic meltdown, the worst auto sales in decades and a tight credit market. General Motors, Ford and Chrysler went through nearly $18 billion in cash reserves during the last quarter, and GM and Chrysler have said they could collapse in weeks.

Meanwhile, the auto companies released new sales numbers that underlined the punishing business environment facing the Big Three. Ford said its November U.S. light vehicle sales tumbled 31 percent amid a continued slump in consumer spending and tight credit markets. Sales at Toyota, Japan's No. 1 automaker, fell 34 percent despite its extension of zero-percent financing on a dozen vehicles.

Ford's blueprint said it would invest $14 billion over the next seven years to boost its vehicles' fuel-efficiency, and improve the overall efficiency of its fleet by an average of 14 percent next year. And Ford is calling for a new partnership among automakers, parts suppliers and the government to develop new battery technologies domestically, so the U.S. doesn't have to rely on foreign batteries — as it now does on foreign oil — to power its cars.

GM will outline efforts to negotiate swapping some of the company's debt for equity stakes in the automaker, either shares or warrants for them, said two people briefed on the company's plan.

With eight separate brands, GM will also discuss efforts to shed brands but it would prefer to sell them instead of shutting down Pontiac, Saturn or Saab, said one of the people briefed on the plan. Killing off brands, like GM did with Oldsmobile in 2004, would require cash the company doesn't have, the person said. The people briefed on GM's preparations didn't want to be identified because the plan hadn't been completed.

Chrysler is expected to outline changes that would include a swap of debt in the company for equity stakes and reductions in some vehicle models, according to a person who was briefed on the plan. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the discussions were private.

GM, according to its quarterly report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, owes creditors $45 billion and it must pay more than $7.5 billion early in 2010 to a UAW-administered trust fund that will take over retiree health care payments.

Ford owes more than $26 billion, with $6.3 billion due to its UAW trust fund at the end of 2009. Chrysler, a private company, does not have to open its books, but its CEO, Nardelli, has said it would be difficult for the company to make it without federal aid. All three likely are negotiating with the UAW for delays in payments to the trusts.

The companies are resisting calls for bankruptcy, arguing that no one would buy a car from an automaker that may not survive the life of the vehicle.

By CATHERINE SHARICK
time.com

1. Cybermonday.com

Your Cyber Monday plan of action should be: wake up, turn on computer, buy cheap presents online. But with 84% of retailers participating in Cyber Monday — Black Friday's online Christmas shopping cousin — you could spend the whole day searching for deals unsure of when to pull the trigger on the right one. To weed through the madness start the day at the National Retail Federation's website, cybermonday.com, for an aggregation of over 600 holiday deals from web retailers in every category. (It was the NRF that first coined the term Cyber Monday back in 2005.) The site will feature many merchants' best sales — e.g. 40% off all DVD boxed sets at Borders.com and a free gift with purchase in skincare, fragrance or bath at beauty.com. Check back every 60 minutes for cybermonday.com's exclusive "deal of the hour."

2. Audiocubes.com

This Monday, Overstock.com boasts 10% off select flat screen TVs, Walmart.com has a $179 Canon Powershot SD1100 IS digital camera, and Costco.com is selling the Garmin Nuvi 750 GPS for $199. Fine deals, but chances are, these gifts will only wow those who still take pictures with disposable cameras and watch televisions with rabbit ears. So if you're looking to satisfy the knowledgeable technophiles on your list, check out Audiocubes.com for hard-to-find electronic gifts from Japan. You'll find unique presents like the retro looking Zumreed Colored Headphones, Segatoys' Grand Pianist Miniature Piano, and the Dream Chick — a robotic pet chicken that responds to your touch.

3. Pokkadots.com

Buying gifts for an infant or toddler used to be simple: toy trucks for boys and dolls for girls. Modernity demands presents be chic, modern and eco-friendly, thus the existence of Pokkadots.com a hip online children's boutique where you can find a selection of organic clothing, modern nursery furniture and a large retro toy selection including rocking horses and wooden stacking rings. Visitors save 10% on orders of $75 or more. If you are looking for something a little less twee, Toysrus.com is taking 70% off Star Wars figures and $50 off the Guitar Hero wired guitar controller.

4. Momastore.org

Foodies: wonderful to eat for, miserable to shop for. To find a unique present for the snob with the ludicrously well-stocked kitchen visit the Museum of Modern Art's momastore.org for gifts like flexible measuring cups, the Banana Bunker (which protects fruit from bruising while being carried in your purse or briefcase) or a pig shaped pot lid that releases steam and helps stews and stir frys cook evenly. If you want something hand made, check out etsy.com for presents like drinking glasses blown from Red Stripe or Corona beer bottles, or stopper-less salt and pepper shakers made on a potter's wheel. Visit etsy's store blog for Cyber Monday deals such as 2 for 1 reusable coffee sleeves made from Japanese cotton and free shipping from selected sellers.

5. Shopintuition.com

Do you have a Lindsay Lohan look-alike in your family? Too bad. But even the black sheep deserves a crackling gift, so hit shopintuition.com, the online Los Angeles-based boutique that caters to celebrities, celeb-u-tards and all those who love them. Browse the section called "as seen on celebs" to find Degaine Slim Boot Cut Jeans ($195) worn by Jennifer Aniston or the Bryna Nicole Loyola Bag ($550) that Gossip Girl's Blake Lively toted this past fall. The site is offering 25% off all orders and free shipping. If it all sounds too pricey, or skanky, then head over to bananarepublic.com,, which is offering an extra 10% off selected items that have already been discounted up to 40%. Plus get free shipping on any purchase.

6. HarryBarker.com

If you really love your pets, at some point this season you will look at your list and prioritize your four-legged friends over at least a few of your two-legged friends. It's a sickness. Still, trixieandpeanut.com has a luxury trundle bed for chihuahuas, crystal collars for kitties and comfort robes for pugs. Harrybarker.com offers eco-friendly presents like woven leashes and collars made from recycled plastic bottles and hypo-allergenic pet beds made from hemp. If this feels a little specialized, head to the nearest thing there is to a Gap for pets, petsmart.com , offering $10 off orders of $40 or more.

7. Mypublisher.com

Got a few thousand digital photos clogging your hard drive? Compile them into a coffee table book at mypublisher.com. All you have to do is download their book-making software, upload your pictures, arrange them into a story and write captions for each page. Mypublisher.com. prints and binds the pages into a hardcover book for you. It's not hard, but it can be time consuming so make sure you save time to create. First time users receive two books for the price of one.

8. Shopzilla.com

Before you pay for the presents you've placed in your virtual cart, visit shopzilla.com, the shopping search engine that lets you quickly compare prices from different online stores that sell the item you've chosen. Type in the product you're buying and you'll be given a list of merchants currently selling it. If the price you're about to pay isn't the cheapest, surf over to the other stores to check out their offers. Are they offering free shipping? Is their return policy as good as the first merchant's? Are they reputable? Read shopzilla.com's merchant reviews for answers to all of these questions before you submit your order.

Reporters say there are at least 100 dead in Mumbai India as Al Qaeda continues it's strike after landing into India on Wednesday. Another 200 or more have been wounded, the gunman were targeting American and British citizens to take hostage. While aimlessly shooting around the city as they went killing and wounding hundreds.

The attackers swept through two luxury hotels favored by foreigners, the Taj Mahal Palace and the Oberoi, firing automatic weapons, throwing grenades and sending panicked guests scrambling for safety. Some guests were trapped inside the hotels for hours, even as a series of explosions set fire to the Taj hotel, a landmark along of Mumbai's waterfront.

Although Mumbai has been the scene of several terrorist attacks in recent years, experts said Wednesday's assaults required a previously unseen degree of reconnaissance and planning. The scale and synchronization of the attacks pointed to the likely involvement of experienced commanders, some said, suggesting possible foreign involvement.

Launching their attacks after dark, the terrorists struck almost simultaneously at the city's domestic airport and a railway station and sprayed gunfire at the Leopold Cafe, a restaurant popular with foreigners. As many as 16 groups hit nine sites on the southern flank of this crowded metropolis of 19 million.

Mumbai is South Asia's financial hub and an entertainment capital, with many of the glitzy targets symbolizing the new cosmopolitan face of the world's largest democracy.

Several witnesses said the gunmen demanded to see passports from cornered guests, separating American and British tourists from the others. State Department spokesman Robert Wood said U.S. officials were not aware of any American casualties but were still checking.

In the chaos and confusion, it was difficult to confirm details or determine the nationalities of hostages apparently being held on several floors of the damaged hotels. India's NDTV 24x7 news channel reported that the gunmen were holding more than a dozen foreigners, including a Belgian and an Indonesian.

Firefighters could be seen helping guests to safety, and some later reports suggested that hostages at the Taj had been freed. Other reports said there were attacks at two hospitals, a police station and the Mumbai office of an ultra-Orthodox Jewish outreach group, Chabad Lubavitch.

A previously unknown group calling itself Deccan Mujahedin said it carried out the attack, though experts warned that the claim might be false. Mumbai and other Indian cities have suffered a spate of terrorist attacks in recent years, most of which the Indian government has blamed on Muslim extremists.

Previous terrorist attacks have mostly involved bombs left in public spaces such as markets and parks, causing indiscriminate casualties.

In sharp contrast, Wednesday's attacks were a brazen, frontal assault using automatic weapons.

The targets included police headquarters in south Mumbai, where some officers were pinned down by gunfire.

The victims included Mumbai's anti-terrorism chief, Hemant Karkare, and two of his senior police officers, which complicated the law enforcement response to the attacks. Television video showed Karkare donning a flak jacket and helmet minutes before heading into one of the hotels.

Witnesses said the attackers appeared to fire at random and made no effort to hide their identities, which, experts suggested, signaled a readiness to die. Police released a picture of a man with a serene smile wearing a blue T-shirt and holding an automatic weapon, whom they identified as one of the train station attackers.

Local government officials said as many as four attackers were killed and nine suspects were arrested.

Terrorism experts said the late-evening timing offered several potential advantages for the attackers. Security is generally more lax as businesses prepare to close.

Also, there's less traffic in the congested city at that time, making it easier to position a large number of attackers at various sites. And it allows the story to hit news cycles in Europe and North America, with global publicity a key objective among terrorists hoping to undermine stability and spread fear.

Near the Vile Parle station of the city's Western train line, a bomb exploded in a taxi on the highway about 10 p.m. An hour later, parts of the vehicle could be seen scattered up to 100 feet away. Four injured people nearby were taken to a hospital.

Within minutes, police officers were cordoning off all major roads, stopping even emergency vehicles as reports came in that two attackers had hijacked a police van.

Friends and guests told reporters that they received frantic calls from loved ones hiding under beds and tables in darkened hotel rooms.

An Indian travel agent gave a harrowing firsthand account of the attacks in a phone conversation Wednesday night with the director of a London-based security think tank.

The Indian was in the Harbor Bar of the Taj Mahal hotel with European visitors when the shooting started. He described the gunmen as ruthless and determined and said they demanded to know who were British or American, according to M.J. Gohel, director of the London-based Asia-Pacific Foundation.

The attackers carried automatic weapons, according to the account described by Gohel, who is of Indian descent and has expertise on South Asian extremist groups.

"My friend managed to get away; the staff shepherded them into a conference room about six hours ago," Gohel said from London. "The last I heard, they are still locked down there. It is believed the terrorists are still inside, they may have hostages, they may be on the roof of the hotel."

During intermittent calls to London from his hiding place, the travel agent said the attackers seemed focused on British and American guests and "did not seem to be interested in French and Germans," Gohel said.

The White House and President-elect Barack Obama's transition team issued statements condemning the attacks.

The operation comes at a sensitive time for India and the region. Five Indian states are holding elections now and a national vote is expected early next year. The opposition Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party has accused Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Congress Party of being soft on terrorism.

The attacks also come amid improved relations between India and the new Pakistani government led by President Asif Ali Zardari, just after an encouraging turnout of voters in the contested region of Kashmir and when Obama has signaled that the U.S. will shift its focus from the Mideast to Afghanistan and South Asia.

"The enemy of all terrorists is moderation," said Bruce Hoffman, a professor with Georgetown University's Security Studies Program in Washington. "They want to put harder-line parties in power. The oxygen they breathe is polarization and enmity."

Mumbai is no stranger to terrorist attacks. Tension stoked by communal violence between Hindus and Muslims in 1992 and 1993 has never fully abated; 187 people were killed when seven explosions ripped through Mumbai commuter trains in July 2006.

Across India, more than 3,600 people have been killed in terrorist incidents since January 2004, according to the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center, many involving sectarian disputes.

As a result, India has highly professional anti-terrorism organizations. But the loss of Karkare, Mumbai's chief anti-terrorism officer, and his top aides, including leading hostage specialist Vijay Salaskar, greatly weakens the city's anti-terrorist squad.

"It buys the militants more time, increases the panic and further embarrasses the government," Hoffman said.

"This furthers their aim of trying to undermine popular confidence in the government's ability to protect its citizens."

Magnier is a Times staff writer and Sharma is a special correspondent.

mark.magnier@latimes.com

Times Staff Writer Sebastian Rotella in Madrid and special correspondent Hannah Gardner in New Delhi contributed to this report.

By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-Feature

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Thanksgiving only comes around once a year, so why not go ahead and splurge? Because gaining weight during the holiday season is a national pastime. Year after year, most of us pack on at least a pound (some gain more) during the holidays -- and keep the extra weight permanently.

But Thanksgiving does not have to sabotage your weight, experts say. With a little know-how, you can satisfy your desire for traditional favorites and still enjoy a guilt-free Thanksgiving feast. After all, being stuffed is a good idea only if you are a turkey!

Get Active

Create a calorie deficit by exercising to burn off extra calories before you ever indulge in your favorite foods, suggests Connie Diekman, MEd, RD, former president of the American Dietetic Association (ADA).

"'Eat less and exercise more' is the winning formula to prevent weight gain during the holidays," Diekman says. "Increase your steps or lengthen your fitness routine the weeks ahead and especially the day of the feast."

Make fitness a family adventure, recommends Susan Finn, PhD, RD, chair of the American Council on Fitness and Nutrition: "Take a walk early in the day and then again after dinner. It is a wonderful way for families to get physical activity and enjoy the holiday together."

Eat Breakfast

While you might think it makes sense to save up calories for the big meal, experts say eating a small meal in the morning can give you more control over your appetite. Start your day with a small but satisfying breakfast -- such as an egg with a slice of whole-wheat toast, or a bowl of whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk -- so you won't be starving when you arrive at the gathering.

"Eating a nutritious meal with protein and fiber before you arrive takes the edge off your appetite and allows you to be more discriminating in your food and beverage choices," says Diekman.

Lighten Up

Whether you are hosting Thanksgiving dinner or bringing a few dishes to share, make your recipes healthier with less fat, sugar, and calories.

"There is more sugar and fat in most recipes than is needed, and no one will notice the difference if you skim calories by using lower calorie ingredients," says Diekman.

Her suggestions:

• Use fat-free chicken broth to baste the turkey and make gravy.
• Use sugar substitutes in place of sugar and/or fruit purees instead of oil in baked goods.
• Reduce oil and butter wherever you can.
• Try plain yogurt or fat-free sour cream in creamy dips, mashed potatoes, and casseroles.

Police Your Portions

• Thanksgiving tables are bountiful and beautiful displays of traditional family favorites. Before you fill your plate, survey the buffet table and decide what you're going to choose. Then select reasonable-sized portions of foods you cannot live without.

"Don't waste your calories on foods that you can have all year long," suggests Diekman. "Fill your plate with small portions of holiday favorites that only come around once a year so you can enjoy desirable, traditional foods."

• Skip the Seconds.

  Try to resist the temptation to go back for second helpings.

  "Leftovers are much better the next day, and if you limit yourself to one plate, you are less likely to overeat and have more room for a delectable dessert," Diekman says.

• Choose the Best Bets on the Buffet.

  While each of us has our own favorites, keep in mind that some holiday foods are better choices than others.

  "White turkey meat, plain vegetables, roasted sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, defatted gravy, and pumpkin pie tend to be the best bets because they are lower in fat and calories," says Diekman. But she adds that, "if you keep your portions small, you can enjoy whatever you like."

Slowly Savor

• Eating slowly, putting your fork down between bites, and tasting each mouthful is one of the easiest ways to enjoy your meal and feel satisfied with one plate full of food, experts say. Choosing whole grains, fruits, vegetables, broth-based soups, salads, and other foods with lots of water and fiber add to the feeling of fullness.

• Spread out the food and fun all day long. At the Finn family Thanksgiving gathering, they schedule dessert after a walk, while watching a movie together.

  "We eat midday, and instead of another meal at dinnertime, we continue the feast with dessert a few hours after the main meal," Finn explains.

  Go Easy on Alcohol

  Don't forget those alcohol calories that can add up quickly.

  "Have a glass of wine or a wine spritzer and between alcoholic drinks, (or) enjoy sparkling water," says Diekman. "this way you stay hydrated, limit alcohol calories, and stay sober."

  Be Realistic

  The holiday season is a time for celebration. With busy schedules and so many extra temptations, this is a good time to strive for weight maintenance instead of weight loss.

  "Shift from a mindset of weight loss to weight maintenance," says Finn. "You will be ahead of the game if you can avoid gaining any weight over the holidays."

  Focus on Family and Friends

  Thanksgiving is not just about the delicious bounty of food. It's a time to celebrate relationships with family and friends.

  "The main event should be family and friends socializing, spending quality time together, not just what is on the buffet," says Finn.

Black Friday is only days away, and if you got to this post late these tips will still help you to make your holiday shopping more productive and time efficient. The truth is now until the January the stores will be packed with shoppers looking to save money and get great gifts for the holidays. To make the shopping experience less stressful why not develop a plan. Or even better read this article as it provides you a great Black Friday plan of action to use before hitting the stores.

1. Find the ads: This is where it all begins. You can find scans of advertisements and other information from major retailers on a variety of sites, like bfads.net, blackfriday.info, and blackfriday.gottadeal.com, but my personal favorite Black Friday information source has been SlickDeals.net. SlickDeals.net has a constantly updated page with uploaded scans of all major Black Friday ads (located here), and the website also created a comprehensive Excel spreadsheet (located here) organizing all Black Friday items into one neat place, so getting a quick overview of items and prices won't require having to scan through tons of color ad pages. Once you've gotten a general idea of what you're interested in buying...

2. Prioritize your list: It's probably impossible to get every single thing that you want on Black Friday (I know it is for me), so prioritize your items so you know exactly what you're getting and where you're getting it. Try to have a printed list on hand with model numbers and prices for reference, because it's going to be hard to remember what's going on amidst all of the chaos.

3. Learn the rules: Many stores are having special store hours specifically for Black Friday. For instance, Best Buy, Sears, Circuit City, and Wal-Mart locations will be opening at 5:00am, while Kmart, Target, Meijer, and a few others will be opening at 6:00am. Additionally, some stores will be giving out tickets/vouchers several hours before opening, so be sure you know exactly what to expect before you you head out. Also, knowing the number of units in stock can be helpful—most ads usually print store minimums for reference, or if you're really hot for an item, scope out the store just before closing the night before, find the exact item's location, and remember it or stash it in a secret location.

4. Coordinate with others: If you can, go with at least one friend or family member. Not only will it help pass the time in the wee hours of the night, but having a friend/ally will also help you be able to pick up hot sale items, and they'll also be able to hold your place in line while if you should ever need a bathroom/food/random break. If you want "doorbuster" sale items from multiple locations, coordinate a "Strike Team" with other Black Friday adventurers to divide and conquer. Strength in numbers is always nice to have on your side. Additionally, if you can, try and make friends with others in line. This will not only help pass the time, but it will also keep order and will keep "line-jumping" to a minimum.

5. Pack accordingly: If you're thinking about waiting in line with just a coat, think again. As someone who has done many overnight camp-outs, I have to personally recommend that you bring a fold-out chair, a blanket, something to do (Nintendo DS or PSP is nice, or you can go old school with a book), snacks, and water. Trust me, if you're comfortable, the time will pass much faster, and you'll have a much better experience to remember.

Here's Some Great Black Friday Deals

HDTVs: This year, the deals on HDTVs seem slim to none, but there still are some hidden gems if you look hard enough. Plasmas: Meijer will have a 42" 1080i GFM Plasma TV for only $499, and Circuit City will have a 42" Samsung Plasma for $699 (50" for $899). A 50" Panasonic Viera (nice) will be at Best Buy for $899 as well. LCDs: 32" Emerson LCD for $388 at Wal-Mart, 32" 1080p Sceptre LCD for $399 at MicroCenter, 42" 1080p Sylvania at Sears for $699 and a 46" Sharp 1080p LCD for $899. Best Buy will also have an Insignia 47" 1080p LCD for $999.

Laptops: As of now, the hot laptop spot this year will be at Best Buy—A Toshiba 15.4" Dual-Core Turion 64 X2 with 3GB of RAM and 120GB of hard-drive space for $379. Best Buy will also have a 14.1" HP Pavilion (nice size for working on the go) with Core 2 Duo technology, 3GB of RAM, and 160GB of hard-drive space for $499. For $100 more, you can get a printer included as well as more hard-drive space and more RAM.

Video games: If you're looking for an Xbox 360, there are a few pretty good deals floating around right now. Best Buy will have a $299 Xbox 360 Pro bundle which includes four games—Lego Indiana Jones, Kung-Fu Panda, NBA 2k9, and Tony Hawk. Another great deal is Wal-Mart's $199 Xbox 360 Arcade pack which includes Guitar Hero, but you will probably have to shell out extra cash for a hard drive down the road. Circuit City will also have an excellent deal—Xbox 360 Arcade with 20GB hard drive and an extra wireless controller for $199. This is a really great deal if you don't mind having a 20GB hard drive (not a huge deal in my opinion.) On the other hand, Playstation 3 deals are pretty much nonexistent, except for one bundle that includes Ratchet and Clank and a Casino Royale Blu-ray for $399. Another hot bundle will be the Guitar Hero III 2-player pack at Wal-Mart for $50 for Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii—expect those to be flying off the shelves.

Blu-rays, DVDs, and CDs: Kmart, Sears, Wal-mart, Circuit City, and Best Buy will have a bunch of different deals on all sorts of media, but I'm personally going to go check out Circuit City's selection. They will have an assortment of Blu-ray titles for $8.99, $11.99, and $17.99 (I need to get that Flags of our Fathers), and they will also have a South Park box set for $9.99 and a 30Rock box set for $14.99 (yes!).

Home theater systems: Sears will have a nice Sony 1000 watt 5.1 home-theater system with an included DVD player with 1080p upconversion for $249 and will also have a Blu-ray 5.1 home-theater system by Samsung for $599. (Best Buy will have the Blu-ray theater system as well.) Circuit City will have a Samsung 1000 watt 5.1 home-theater system (no DVD playback) for $149, and a nice pair of Onkyo 7.1 home-theater systems for $399 and $599. There's one thing for sure—if you're watching movies without surround sound, you're missing out, big time.

The fact that Citigroup is getting bailout money while US based Automotive Companies are not getting bailout money upsets me. The reason being the Automotive Companies have less money combined than the Citigroup.

The fact that the Automotive Companies have a higher potential to improve our economy because of the fact that they create tons of jobs, more than Citigroup. They make real products that can be sold in other countries, bringing more money into the U.S.

Back to the story The current administration is "working closely" with President-elect Barack Obama's transition team, President Bush said Monday, noting that Obama was informed about the government's move to save a floundering Citigroup Inc.

"It's important for the American people to know that there is close cooperation," Bush said. "It's important for the American people to know that we will safeguard the financial system."

Anytime the Bush administration makes a 'big decision" during the transition between administrations, Obama and his team "will be informed," Bush said.
"I talked to President-elect Obama about the decision we made," Bush said.
Late Sunday, the federal government agreed to a $326 billion plan to shore up Citigroup Delayed quote data Add to portfolio Analyst Create alert Insider Discuss Financials Sponsored by: C 5.73, +1.96, +52.0%) , the latest bailout of a troubled U.S. financial-services giant.

"And if need be, we're going to make these kind of decisions to safeguard our financial system in the future," Bush told reporters outside the Treasury Department following a meeting with Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and other economic officials.

With rising job losses and multi-year highs for jobless benefits claims, Bush also recently signed an extension of unemployment insurance benefits.
Later Monday, Obama will unveil key members of his economic-policy team. Obama over the weekend announced a two-year plan to save or create 2.5 million jobs.

The Astronauts are working hard at getting a urine converting device for the space station to work so that they can convert and drink urine and sweat, yum. The truth is we do this each day on the earth. The water cycle is a never ending process on earth through nature and by man made sewage and water treatment plants.

We can only hope that Astronauts can get it working in the space station, it will allow for longer time on the station without a new supply of water and it will open up the possibility of longer missions in space, very cool.

Astronauts hope they have a solution for getting a pivotal piece of equipment working so it can convert urine and sweat into drinkable water and allow the international space station to grow to six crew members.

Flight controllers asked station commander Michael Fincke on Sunday to change how a centrifuge is mounted in the $154 million water recycling system. The centrifuge is on mounts and Mission Control asked Fincke to remove them.

"Fantastic! That is something we can do," Fincke told Mission Control.

The astronauts have been working for the past three days to get the system running so that it can generate samples for testing back on Earth, but the urine processor only operates for two hours at a time before shutting down.

The water recycling system, delivered a week ago by the space shuttle Endeavour, is essential for allowing more astronauts to live on the space station next year.

Lead flight director Ginger Kerrick said engineers hope the problem is fixed, but they were studying whether six crew members would still be able live at the space station with the urine processor only working for two hours at a time. The space station crew is scheduled to grow from three to six residents next year.

"If this is as good as it's going to get, we do need to be able to answer that question," Kerrick said.

Flight controllers had hoped that the water samples brought back for testing had a mixture in which 70 percent came from condensation and 30 percent came from urine. Given the problems with the urine processor, that ratio stands at 90 percent condensation and 10 percent urine. Crew members won't be able to use the contraption until several rounds of tests show that it is safe.

Mission managers have decided not to extend the mission by an extra day since the astronauts have obtained enough water samples, Kerrick said. Endeavour is scheduled to undock from the space station on Thanksgiving Day.

While Fincke tinkered on the urine processor, Endeavour's seven astronauts were being given part of the day off Sunday. The time off followed an intense day of work that included the third of four spacewalks planned during Endeavour's two-week visit to the space station.

Astronauts Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper and Stephen Bowen spent nearly seven hours outside the space station cleaning and lubing a jammed joint which allows the station's solar wings to follow the direction of the sun for generating power.

Stefanyshyn-Piper — who lost a $100,000 tool kit during Tuesday's spacewalk — had to share grease guns again with Bowen. To make up for the grease gun shortage, they took out a caulking gun normally reserved for repairs to the shuttle's heat shield, but they didn't need it.

The spacewalkers ran out of time before they could finish all the desired tasks, but NASA officials said they could be finished during the fourth and final spacewalk of the mission set for Monday.

"We really appreciate how hard you're all working," Mission Control radioed for them to come inside. "I know it's painful to call it quits like that, but we think it's the right thing to do."

On Saturday Barack Obama exposed his plan of economic recovery. His top priority is to create jobs as he estimated that 2.5 million jobs would be created as a result of his plan. If he can follow through and successfully create these jobs will it be enough to start an improvement of economical status in the U.S. or will it have minimal effect on the recession recovery process?

CNN- American workers will rebuild the nation's roads and bridges, modernize its schools and create more sources of alternative energy, creating 2.5 million jobs by 2011, Obama said in the weekly Democratic address, posted on his Web site.

"These aren't just steps to pull ourselves out of this immediate crisis," he said. "These are the long-term investments in our economic future that have been ignored for far too long."

Details of the plan are still being worked out by his economic team, Obama said, but he hopes to implement the plan shortly after taking office January 20.

He referred to figures out this week showing that new home purchases in October were the lowest in 50 years, and that 540,000 new unemployment claims had been filed -- the highest in 18 years.

"We must do more to put people back to work and get our economy moving again," he said. More than a million jobs have been lost this year, he said, and "if we don't act swiftly and boldly, most experts now believe that we could lose millions of jobs next year."

The plan will be aimed at jump-starting job creation, Obama said, and laying the foundation for a stronger economy.

"We'll put people back to work rebuilding our crumbling roads and bridges, modernizing schools that are failing our children, and building wind farms and solar panels, fuel-efficient cars and the alternative energy technology that can free us from our dependence on foreign oil and keep our economy competitive in the years head," he said.

He noted he will need support from both Democrats and Republicans to pass such a plan, and said he welcomes suggestions from both sides of the aisle.

"But what is not negotiable is the need for immediate action," he said. "Right now, there are millions of mothers and fathers who are lying awake at night wondering if next week's paycheck will cover next month's bills.

"There are Americans showing up to work in the morning, only to have cleared out their desks by the afternoon. Retirees are watching their life savings disappear, and students are seeing their college dreams deferred. These Americans need help, and they need it now."

Throughout history, he said, Americans have been able to rise above their divisions to work together, he said.

"That is the chance our new beginning now offers us, and that is the challenge we must rise to in the days to come," Obama said. "It is time to act. As the next president of the United States, I will."

Airport security has been a hassle since 2001, the fact that some people would have to wait several hours in lines at the airport made flying a hassle. Now finally they’re doing something about it. They have decided to implement family lines it increase the airport security process. This will speed things up hopefully in time for thanksgiving and Christmas seasons in most if not all airports. Will it really help? That’s yet to be determined, but they should still consider doing more to speed up the process while still maintaining good security.

Airport security lines have always been difficult for Leslie Heller and her family. But now that the Transportation Security Administration has expanded the use of family lines at airport security checkpoints nationwide, Heller said Thursday she hopes traveling will be easier.

'It's always so hard to get the shoes off and the belts off," said Leslie Heller, who was departing with her family at midmorning. "We won't be as stressed and they won't be getting so angry behind us."

The family lines are designed to help those unfamiliar with checkpoint procedures or families who prefer to go through security at their own pace -- without worrying about holding up lines and angering avid travelers who can quickly move through security.

"Passengers have clearly demonstrated their preference to go at their own pace," said TSA spokesman Kip Hawley. "Expanding these lanes to every airport...increases passenger convenience and security."

TSA was working quickly to make sure all airports will be outfitted with the lines by November 20 -- just in time for the busy Thanksgiving travel season, TSA said.
At San Francisco International, families with small children, travelers with special needs and passengers with medically necessary liquids were actively directed to the new lines by airport personnel.

"Fantastic!" said Carol Jensen, traveling alone with her two small daughters to Kentucky. "Anything to get us through the line quicker."

The TSA said officers staffing the family lanes will work with passengers to quickly complete the screening process.

The TSA imposed the restrictions on liquids in August 2006 after a plot was uncovered to use liquid explosives to destroy planes headed from London, England, to the United States. The TSA says liquid explosives remain a security concern, but the new procedures will allow screeners to check what kind of liquids are being carried aboard.

Passengers traveling with liquids, gels and aerosols like baby formula, insulin, cough syrup, contact lens solution and prescription medications will undergo additional screening that will usually take less than two minutes, the agency said.
"Stuffed animals will be a little more accepted," Heller said. "Maybe they'll have nicer people working in the family line."

Along with the family lanes, in the coming months, the government expects to revisit its rule for the amount of liquids that may be brought aboard planes, while boosting the number of behavior detection officers deployed at checkpoints across the country.
Those restrictions could be eased next year with the help of advanced X-ray machines that can be upgraded with software, like computers, said Christopher White, a spokesman for the Transportation Security Administration.

"Scientists at the national labs have been working to develop an algorithm to plug into the machines that would allow us to tell the difference between a bottle of Coke and a bottle of liquid explosives," he said.

The TSA is planning to have 600 of the machines installed at airports across the country by the end of this year, White added.

The TSA has been taking steps to reduce stress for all travelers at security and to make it easier for the officers to spot passengers who are acting suspiciously.
"By calming the checkpoint down, it makes people with potential hostile intent really stand out," White said. "If there's a shark fin in a rough sea, it's impossible to see. If there's a shark fin in a lake, it's very easy to see."

According to CNN the CEOs of GM, Ford and Chrysler flew their private jets to a meeting asking for us hard working taxpayers to fork over more money to save their poorly run businesses. The problem is they are moving more jobs out of the US so that they can compete with other automakers. While they continue in their expensive lifestyles we hard working taxpayers will have to work even more to make ends meet. The small businesses don't get bailout money what about when they go under because they have to pay more taxes?

"There is a delicious irony in seeing private luxury jets flying into Washington, D.C., and people coming off of them with tin cups in their hand, saying that they're going to be trimming down and streamlining their businesses," Rep. Gary Ackerman, D-New York, told the chief executive officers of Ford, Chrysler and General Motors at a hearing of the House Financial Services Committee.

"It's almost like seeing a guy show up at the soup kitchen in high hat and tuxedo. It kind of makes you a little bit suspicious."

He added, "couldn't you all have downgraded to first class or jet-pooled or something to get here? It would have at least sent a message that you do get it."

The executives -- Alan Mulally of Ford, Robert Nardelli of Chrysler and Richard Wagoner of GM -- were seeking support for a $25 billion loan package. Later Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid reversed plans to hold a test vote on the measure.

An aide told CNN that Reid decided to cancel the test vote when it became clear the measure would fall well short of the 60 votes needed. Reid did, however, make a procedural move that could allow a vote on a compromise, which several senators from auto-producing states were feverishly trying to craft.

At Wednesday's hearing, Rep. Brad Sherman, D-California, pressed the private-jet issue, asking the three CEOs to "raise their hand if they flew here commercial."

"Let the record show, no hands went up," Sherman said. "Second, I'm going to ask you to raise your hand if you are planning to sell your jet in place now and fly back commercial. Let the record show, no hands went up."

The executives did not specifically respond to those remarks. In their testimony, they said they are streamlining business operations in general. Watch Nardelli ask for help »

When contacted by CNN, the three auto companies defended the CEOs' travel as standard procedure.

Like many other major corporations, all three have policies requiring their CEOs to travel in private jets for safety reasons.

"Making a big to-do about this when issues vital to the jobs of millions of Americans are being discussed in Washington is diverting attention away from a critical debate that will determine the future health of the auto industry and the American economy," GM spokesman Tom Wilkinson said in a statement.

Chrysler spokeswoman Lori McTavish said in a statement, "while always being mindful of company costs, all business travel requires the highest standard of safety for all employees."

Ford spokeswoman Kelli Felker pointed to the company's travel policy and did not provide a statement elaborating.

But those statements did little to mollify the critics.

"If it is simply the company's money at stake, then only the shareholders can be upset or feel as it might be excessive," said Thomas Schatz, president of the watchdog group Citizens Against Government Waste.

But in this case, he said, "it's outrageous."

"They're coming to Washington to beg the taxpayers to help them. It's unseemly to be running around on a $20,000 flight versus a $500 round trip," Schatz added.

The companies did not disclose how much the flights cost.

Analysts contacted by CNN noted that the prices vary with the size of the plane and the crew, and whether the aircraft is leased or owned by the company.

This may just be the best Black Friday yet for those that love those huge deals. This year the deals promise to be bigger and better because of the economic recession in the US. Since we have less money to spend retailers are hoping we buy more by lowing the price. Will it work? well we will soon find out. Chances are there will be a massive amount of shoppers like all the other years, but will they buy as much? That's the true question.

How has the economic recession shaped Black Friday ads this year? For those who don’t know, the Friday following American Thanksgiving is marked by tremendous sales which generally function to lure people to the malls and kick off the Christmas shopping season.

This year, however, the credit crunch is at the forefront of the minds of many Americans, so how will retailers cash in?

A ton of Black Friday ads have been uploaded on the web, giving insight into the harsh cut-back methodologies marketers are using to keep people shopping this holiday season, many offering very drastic price cuts.

“Despite the current state of the economy, the outlook for Black Friday is still good, and Dan predicts that we’ll see low low prices on all kinds of consumer goods from computer equipment and HDTV’s to power tools this year,” WalletPop says of an interview with Dan de Grandpre, CEO of Dealnews.com.

“Dan expects to see more couture and high end labels reaching out to consumers on Black Friday both online and in their brick and mortar stores as they experience the affects of a slowing economy.”

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