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Few television series have the kind of effect on pop culture and the collective society that we live in like The X-Files. Many aspects of the show have gone on to become pop culture staples definitive of an entire era and, for many viewers, the existence of the paranormal became a bit more difficult to refute. Apart from the television series itself and the numerous slogans associated with it, several movies, including the upcoming X-Files: I Want to Believe, have met with success and expounded upon the events in the series. Throughout the running of the series, the reputation of the main characters Fox Mulder and Dana Scully have become larger than the scope of the television show, taking on a life of their own and truly becoming unmistakably important parts of entertainment history. [Read more →]

Tags: Entertainment, News by Kori Ellis
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Will this be the year America elects its first Black president? Or will a woman become commander in chief? It’s a Presidential election year and it’s shaping up to be an exciting contest. Already, we’ve seen Hillary Clinton go from “inevitable” nominee to second place in the Democratic race. And John McCain’s campaign was labeled dead in the water only a couple months ago. Now, Hillary’s in the fight her life as she tries to fight off Barack Obama. In the meantime, McCain’s got the nomination locked up, but will he be able to raise enough funds for a national campaign?

If you want to get in on the action, or just see what TV’s talking heads are talking about, here are 50 websites devoted to politics that you should check out.
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Tags: News by Rachel Sawyer
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Many people are excited about the prospect of being able to use their laptops to connect to the Internet during airline flights. It can certainly provide a lot of convenience, particularly for business travelers who are interested in getting some work done while they’re on the plane. A number of airlines have decided to work towards meeting the consumer desire for in-flight wireless connections and are currently testing out how it will work in their planes. But some people are expressing concerns that Wi-Fi connectivity on planes poses some serious national security risks.

One of the main subjects of attack from this camp of criticizers is the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. It has been reported that there are vulnerabilities in the system which leave the plan open to hackers. The problem is that connecting to the Internet requires that there be a connection to the navigation and control system of the plane. A sophisticated hacker could theoretically get into the control system through the wireless connection and take over control of the plane. The risk that this poses is obviously troublesome.

This is bad news for Boeing because it means that the new 787 might not get off the ground. Nobody wants the plane to fly if it’s causing a risk to passengers (and the rest of America). The company is working actively to get the problem remedied in order to avoid delays in launching the plane. Thus far, they say that the first flight (due sometime in March) will be on schedule.

Tags: News by Kathryn
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Dana Jacobson, co-host of “ESPN First Take,” was disciplined by the network after comments she made during a roast. The roast, which was held to commemorate the eight anniversary of “Mike & Mike in the Morning,” was held on Jan. 11 in Atlantic City.

According to reports, Jacobson spouted obscenities directed at Jesus Christ, Notre Dame football and others during her tirade. Jacobson, who was booed off the stage, was one of many sports anchors and entertainers who were part of the roast.

The 36-year-old Jacobson has been with ESPN since 2002. She started off as an ESPNEWS anchor before moving onto larger projects within the network. “ESPN First Take,” which was formerly called “Cold Pizza,” has featured Jacobson since 2005.

The Chicago Tribune is reporting that Jacobson has been suspended for one week by ESPN. To date, ESPN hasn’t confirmed that punishment but has confirmed that she will be disciplined.

“My actions at the roast were inappropriate and in no way represent who I really am,” Jacobson said. “I have personally apologized to many of the people involved. I won’t make excuses for my behavior but do hope that I can be forgiven for such a poor lack of judgment.”

“Mike & Mike in the Morning” is a popular ESPN morning radio show featuring Mike Golic and Mike Greenberg.

Tags: News by Kori Ellis
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Heath Ledger was found dead in a New York City apartment on Tuesday. He was reportedly found naked, facedown and with prescription sleeping pills nearby. Initial indications point toward an accidental death as opposed to a suicide.

Ledger, who was 28-years-old, was famous for his acting skills. An actor who thrived in a variety of roles, Ledger was perhaps most well-known for his role in the “Brokeback Mountain.”

Born in Perth, Australia, Ledger’s early work included movies such as “10 Thing I Hate About You” and “A Knight’s Tale.” This summer, Ledger will appear as The Joker in “The Dark Knight” – a Batman movie.

People close to Ledger are understandably stunned by his passing.

“We are all deeply saddened and shocked by this accident,” said Mara Buxbaum, Ledger’s publicist. “This is an extremely difficult time for his loved ones and we are asking the media to please respect the family’s privacy and avoid speculation until the facts are known.”

Ledger was found dead in his bed by his housekeeper and a massage therapist at 3:30PM EST. Toxicology results are pending but there does not appear to be any foul play involved.

Tags: News by Kori Ellis
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In the debate between Democratic presidential hopefuls sponsored by CNN and Congressional Black Caucus Institute, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards squared off. After many harsh verbal confrontations, there was no immediate clear cut winner.

The debate, which was shown live on CNN, at times turned into a one-on-one argument between Clinton and Obama. Each candidate slung accusations at the other during the duration of the debate.

Obama was outwardly perturbed by what he says are untruths told by former President Bill Clinton, Hillary’s husband.

“There was a set of assertions made by Senator Clinton as well as her husband that are not factually accurate,” Obama said. “I think that part of what people are looking for right now is someone who is going to solve problems and not resort to the same typical politics that we’ve seen in Washington.”

Clinton, meanwhile, accused Obama of never taking a firm stance.

“Senator Obama, it’s hard to have a straight up debate with you because you never take responsibility for any vote,” said Clinton.

Edwards spent much of the debate trying to get a word in.

Said Edwards: “Are there three people in this debate, not two?”

The biggest upcoming date for the presidential hopefuls will be Feb. 5. That will be Super Tuesday when 24 states are scheduled to hold primary elections for one or both parties.

Tags: News by Kori Ellis
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Facing a nearly must-win situation, Mitt Romney won the Republican primary in Michigan on Tuesday. Romney, who had yet to win a state, needed the win to keep his presidency hopes alive.

With nearly all the votes tallied, Romney was declared the winner with 39% of the vote. John McCain, who was the New Hampshire primary winner last week, finished second with 30% of the vote. Mike Huckabee, who won the Iowa caucuses, finished in third with 16% of the vote.

Romney, whose father was a former Michigan governor, was excited by his win.

“[The win] marks the beginning of a comeback, a comeback for America,” said Romney.

With win by Romney, the Republican race is now closer than ever. Romney, McCain and Huckabee all have wins under their belt and each is looking toward the South Carolina primary as the next major stepping stone.

Other candidates, including Rudy Giuliani and Fred Thompson, still have hope due to the wide open field. The South Carolina primary will be held on Saturday, Jan. 19. The winner of that primary is expected to become the favorite in the Republican race.

More Info:

• Clinton/McCain Win New Hampshire
• Obama Wins Iowa
• Presidential Primaries
• CNN Election Center

Tags: News by Kori Ellis
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Sir Edmund Hillary, the first person to climb Mount Everest, died of a heart attack at the age of 88 in New Zealand. Hillary, who climbed Mount Everest in 1953, was perhaps the world’s most famous adventurer over the last century.

Born in New Zealand, Hillary was a beekeeper before he famously climbed Mount Everest. After he climbed Mount Everest, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II four days later.

Mount Everest is famous for being the highest mountain on the planet. Located on the border of Nepal and Tibet, Mount Everest reaches over 29,000 feet above sea level. Mount Everest was first noted as the world’s tallest mountain in 1852 by Radhanath Sikdar, a mathematician from India.

When Hillary climbed Everest for the first time on May 29, 1953, he did so with the help of a Sherpa named Tenzing Norgay. Norgay, who was from Nepal, was a lifelong friend of Hillary’s until his death in 1986.

After reaching the top of Mount Everest, Hillary never forgot the people of Nepal. He worked to raise money for the people in the country, raising millions of dollars in his lifetime.

Hillary’s funeral will be held in his hometown of Auckland, New Zealand.

Tags: News by Kori Ellis
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After less than spectacular showings in Iowa, both Hillary Clinton and John McCain needed better showings this week in New Hampshire. The duo got that good news they were looking for as they won the nation’s first presidential primary on Tuesday.

Clinton won the Democratic vote without approximately 39% of the vote, a week after finishing in third place in Iowa. Barack Obama, who won in Iowa last week, came in second with 36% of the vote. John Edwards finished in third with 17% of the vote. Edwards had a second place finish in Iowa. Bill Richardson and Dennis Kucinich finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

On the Republican side, McCain was even more of an underdog story. After finishing fourth in Iowa, he stormed to the front in New Hampshire with 37% of the vote. Mitt Romney finished in second place with 32% of the vote. Romney also finished second in Iowa. Mike Huckabee finished in third (11%), while Rudy Giuliani (9%) and Ron Paul (8%) finished in fourth and fifth, respectively.

The next primary will be held in Michigan on Jan. 15. For now, Clinton and McCain are basking in their vital victories.

Said Clinton: “We’re going to rally on and make our case. We are in for the long run.”

“We celebrate one victory tonight,” said McCain, “and leave for Michigan tomorrow to win another.”

Other Resources:

• U.S. Government
• U.S. Presidents
• 2008 Presidential Candidates
• Project Vote Smart

Tags: News by Kori Ellis
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Not too long ago, nobody gave Barack Obama much of a chance. After Iowa caucus results, it appears as if Obama is well on his way to proving the doubters wrong.

With 100% of the votes tallied, Obama finished with 38% of the vote, while John Edwards and Hillary Clinton trailed well behind at 30% and 29%, respectively. Bill Richardson and Joe Biden each finished with less than 2% of the vote.

On the Republican side, Mike Huckabee was the runaway winner. With approximately 95% of the votes counted, Huckabee had 34% of the vote. Mitt Romney was the closest competitor for Huckabee, as Romney finished with 25% of the vote. Fred Thompson, John McCain and Ron Paul finished with between 10 and 13% of the vote.

But the story of the night was Obama’s decisive victory.

Said Obama in his victory speech: “They said our sights were set too high, they said this country was too divided, too disillusioned to ever come together around a common purpose, but on this January night, at this defining moment in history, you have done what the cynics said we couldn’t do. We are choosing hope over fear, we’re choosing unity over division and sending a powerful message that change is coming to America.”

Watch the video of Obama’s speech.

Next up in the presidential race is the New Hampshire Primary, which takes place in five days on January 8th.

Political Resources:

• U.S. Government Information
• U.S. Presidents
• Republican Party
• Democratic Party

Tags: News by Kori Ellis
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