If you want to see what a billion dollars can buy, come to Holly Springs, North Carolina. It’s home to the nation’s first Cell Based Flu Vaccine Manufacturing facility. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services footed part of the bill, paying 40 percent of the billion plus it cost to build the plant.  Swiss drug maker Novartis paid for the rest. So what is cell-based flu vaccine?

It’s a faster way of making vaccines that’s been around since 2000, and is currently used in many European countries. The method uses replicated animal cells instead of chicken eggs which is the fifty-year old traditional method of making flu vaccines. As shown with the current pandemic, sometimes it takes the virus a long time to grow in eggs, which leads to vaccine shortages.

Cell based technology has yet to receive FDA approval here in the U.S.  Why?

Federal Health Officials say when it comes to vaccines, they exercise an abundance of caution. In order for the FDA to approve a vaccine of any kind, it usually involves extensive testing and clinical trials. Those trials take time, but we are dealing with a pandemic right now. Many people are still waiting in long lines all over the country to get the 2009 H1N1 Vaccine. For them, the threat is real, and they want to know that something is being done to prevent flu vaccine shortages in the future. The facility here in Holly Springs is slated to be fully operational in 2012, but plant officials say they could get emergency approval to produce cell based vaccines as early as 2011, in the event of another pandemic threat. Once it gains FDA approval, the plant can make up to 150 Milllion doses of Flu Vaccine within six months of a declared pandemic. That’s four times the amount of vaccine federal officials had hoped to have by now, seven months after swine flu first emerged.

By Fox & Friends host Gretchen Carlson

Today I traveled to The Villages in Florida to interview Sarah Palin. A big crowd had gathered — some starting yesterday morning — to get a book signed. Gov. Palin pulled up in her bus, accompanied by her daughter Piper and her baby Trig. Her parents and aunt were with her as well.

My mom was with me too! Since I am about to start my Thanksgiving vacation. First, I’ll run at least 4 chunks of the interview tomorrow on Fox and Friends btwn 6-9am EST. I’ll be live in Florida to talk about the interview.

We discussed news of the day, specifically Afghanistan and the newly proposed war tax. We talked about sexism in the campaign. Palin spoke a lot about Hillary Clinton. She said she hopes she will speak up more.

We talked about things in the book people won’t know about Sarah Palin! That was fun!

Finally, I asked her and her daughter Piper about their Christmas traditions for our Fox and Friends Christmas Eve Special.

I am glad I decided to delay my vacation to secure an interview I’ve worked more than a year to get.

The one question Palin won’t answer is what she plans to do iin 2012! See you bright and early tomorrow.

from chud.com

It is a story about a group of people, turned out to be very smart and overqualified for the job. They worked at amusement park to achieve their individual interests.

I just saw it yesterday, when i can’t sleep and decided to watch another Kristen Stewart films, found out how she played the character of Emily, a girl who was 180 degrees from Bella, her role in Twilight.

At first i bought it cause i like how she performed in Into The Wild, so i might check this one out too. But when i saw the first scenes, i already give a quick judgment how this movie gonna end.

A fresh graduated man demanded to find his way through challenges surround him, and after experienced somethings he finally gets through.

But that’s just not it’s all about. Turned out this movie portrays how you can truly moved on after finding out the truth the real thing of your self.

In short, it successfully made one step ahead of anyone who prematurely judged what’s the story would be.

It’s a good intention to portray how the individuals face their own challenges in life, to be a grown up, and deal with the real issues in your life.

You think you know it, and dealt with it, but you just ran away from it.

Martin Starr as Joel, med school grad who loves russian literatures, gogol.

Kristen as Em and Jesse as James

It is worth to watch, but i only give it 2.5 thumbs up!

The film is a little bit too fast for me, but i enjoyed the acting skills of the casts, Kristen Stewart played Em nicely, Ryan Reynolds portrayed the best playboy, Jesse Eisenberg played James character suitably.

Jin Kyung: What else would I need? Huh? ^^

Jin Kyung: Taeyang-shi, and so we hug~ hug~

Jin Kyung: What’s so nice [about him]? What makes me like him? His bright smile? I… can give him a high-five;^^

Hong Jin Kyung the female host of Cool FM Radio in the photos above, posted these photos on her site with those captions after Taeyang had attended her radio show on November 18th.

Translations: alee @ ibigbang.wordpress.com
If taking out please credit!

Aaaaaannddd, they’re OFF!  That is the declaration that hasn’t been heard at historic Hialeah Park since 2001, when the track shut down.  But Hialeah, Florida’s lush and tropical landmark is about to reopen.   Thanksgiving weekend will see a return of horses and gamblers in the stands, which needed all kinds of work to get back into shape.  150 construction workers have been installing the plumbing, painting, and electrically wiring this place in double shifts to make the deadline.  That’s a lot of sweat — literally.  It’s still 85 degrees in South Florida, and Hialeah is a couple dozen miles from the beach, so, no ocean breeze like you get in Miami Beach to cool you down a notch.  Out in the center of the track, there’s a flash of pink that the horses will be sprinting by.  It’s a flock of pink flamingos, and as local lore has it, they’re the descendents of the pink flamingos made famous in the opening of the hit 80s tv show Miami Vice.  Crocket and Tubbs are long gone, but the developers of Hialeah Parks reopening can already sense the return of the good times.  And this place does look spiffy, freshly painted and polished.  And in front of the main entrance, little kids will learn the history here.  A big statue of Citation, the triple crown winner who raced here on its way to becoming a horse racing legend, will welcome all spectators on their way in.

It’s the biggest company you’ve probably never heard of, and today, according to Governor Bobby Jindal, CenturyLink is hiring. Up until this year, CenturyLink was CenturyTel, a company of about 6,000 employees based in a sleepy corner of Northeast Louisiana. Last year, CenturyTel announced they were buying Kansas-based Embarq., a company three times the size of CenturyTel. The new combined company has 20,000 employees/workers. CenturyLink is now the fourth largest communications company in the country. Not bad for a little telephone company that started in someone’s living room back in the ’30s.

Governor Bobby Jindal announced today that CenturyLink has agreed to stay in Monroe through 2019 and will add 350 jobs. The announcement couldn’t come at a better time for the region. Unemployment in the region hovers around 10%, well above the state average. and traditionally, this has been one of the poorest parts of the country. Almost everyone I talked with today mentioned how devastating it would have been if CenturyLink were to have relocated. It’ll be interesting to see how the company grows from here. Walk around CenturyLink headquarters and it feels more like a family business than a future Fortune 500 company. Employees greet each other like they’re at church and call out to one another by first name. They all turned out for the governor’s announcement in the atrium and then celebrated with a lunch of turkey and all the fixings. It may be just a tiny blip of good news in a sea of bad economy stories, but it’s happening in a place where they can really use it.

By FNC Reporter Orlando Salinas

A couple of weeks back i burned off a day at Cleveland elementary school in Tampa Florida…

I was there to learn about something called the “renaissance program”… The idea is to pay “the best teachers” bonuses of 5 to 10% to teach students at some of Hillsborough counties poorest and worst performing schools.

I watched these kids … Watched their teachers … Listened to the principal talk up the program and  I gotta tell you — I liked what I heard and liked what I saw.

A patient teacher and kids who reminded me — of me! The 5th grade boys were full of wiggling energy — and the girls were paying more attention — don’t they always?!

I remember having a really hard time in elementary school… Math had always been my arch enemy– and I had a math teacher who Told me that I was nothing “but a stupid little boy”.

That stuck with me — and the other week as I sat there in Mrs. Emily Fagan’s classroom at Cleveland Elementary …  I found myself thinking ‘how wonderful it would have been to have had someone teaching me like Mrs. Fagan. A teacher who it seemed — loved teaching!

The kids there at Cleveland may not come from wealthy families, but their families love them enough to push for this “renaissance program”. And the teachers who are part of it, I don’t think they do it for the money, I think they do it cause they want their kids to have a fair shot at a better future.

And that starts by growing a thriving “mental garden” — a renaissance if u will

Reminiscing of his final soon to be concert, “This Is It” was made as a film by Michael Bearden. The film is beautifully captured the essence of Michael Jackson in this world, positivity, dedication, generosity, perfectionist, and love, love, love.

By Maya A. Siregar

When i finally saw the film, i thought that the testimonials from the dancers were too much like it was pushed to be dramatic. But when i saw the legendary King of Pop himself, my eyes seemed to pop and i just sit still and awe in amazement and excitement to see him in action.

As a 50 year old man, he was seen as energetic as he could, and really put his mind and hands on to the concert.

King of Pop Michael Jackson Legacies

He is a true genius and humbly remarkable. He is a perfectionist and always gives the best thing to his audience, even though it’s still just a rehearsal.

Although i cried like crazy in that black June – when he passed away¬ – i just felt excitement and danced my feet and shoulders away, couldn’t stand not to dance, but of course, i did just a little of that while i remained sit down.

My most favourite songs were also played in that film, Billie Jean, Man in the Mirror, Beat It, Who Is It, Human Nature, Earth Song, and Thriller

His appearances, notes, and messages to his surroundings were very inspiring. He endlessly showed and told to all of them the essence of his works.

Dedication, utmost brilliance, generosity, supportive, and love from his presence were radiating the whole place, and to all the people in the world trough his music.

Michael has translated all of his world concerns in his lyrics impeccably with amazing tunes. The peak of that quality is very rare, especially in present time.

He incorporates songs with lyrics that provoke all of the people to spread the love for mankind, nature and other living things in this world. Yet it still made you dance too.

Not just the King, the rest of the band and dancers were also amazing. He also encouraging his guitarist Orianthi Panagiri in one of his song rehearsals to step up her game with her guitar made it as a “solo moment” in part of his song.

“…this is your time to shine, we’re here for you…” said the legend.

Nevertheless, the most outrageous thing that made us all bow and applause to him was his resistance to the entire exigent condition trough his childhood to adult life.

In the end of his concert he was planned to say, “…and to Joseph and Katherine, god bless you and I love you…”

Featured Projects

In the film, he also expressed his works through 3D film for making thousands of troops for They Don’t Really Care About Us, Earth Song, and green screens for shooting the Smooth Criminal reinvented featured clips, put Michael into black and white movie clips from the 1940’s.

There are also called “flashes and glimpses” that featured pictures of great events and notable figures like Princess Diana and Martin Luther King.

Like in his lyrics, when he commented his songs relentlessly he talked about his world concerns.

“I respect the magic of nature… that’s why I’m so angry when every second a size of a football field torn down in the Amazon…”

“That’s why I wrote these kinds of songs, it set the sense of awareness, awakening and hope to people…I love the planet, I love the trees, the colours…”

Like all his concerts, in each song, there would be projections, fire play in the stage, bulldozer that came out from the background in Earth Song, and zombie stunts for Thriller.

Michael also made 3D reinvention video clips of Thriller that featured in the concert.

This Is It has provided die-hard fans the legacies of Michael Jackson. It has beautifully captured the essence of all time The King of Pop.

This Is It Facts

- The film’s trailer itself has drawn almost 2.5m viewer on You Tube.

- The legendary song “Thriller” was meant to be made as a film by Michael Jackson.

Here’s a little peek into our style journal!

Boeing V. Union

When Boeing recently decided to build the second assembly line for its 787 Dreamliner plane in Charleston, South Carolina, the politicians and union members in Washington State howled in protest. ‘How could they?’ ‘Was there no loyalty to Seattle?’ Boeing explained the decision by saying it came down to labor stability and long-term competitiveness. Translation: No more costly strikes and more flexibility from its labor force. Company officials decided that those goals were not attainable as long as the jobs were held by members of the International Association of Machinists. And after getting huge tax breaks from the South Carolina Legislature, Boeing bolted.

The IAM says the company was only negotiating with the union in order to get a sweeter deal from Charleston. They point to the fact that Boeing hired a lobbyist months ago and bought land adjacent to an existing facility where the new plant will be built. The union, however does not acknowledge that it would not give Boeing everything it wanted in exchange for the 3,000 jobs. The company wanted a 10-year, no strike contract. IAM offered an 8-year contract. Boeing wanted to give 2% annual pay raises. The union wanted 3% plus $15,000 worth of bonuses over the next 6 years. Also, the IAM was asking for a guarantee from Boeing that it would build all future new planes in Washington state and demanded that Boeing remain neutral when the union tried to organize in plants that are currently non-union. In other words, the union wanted to tie the company’s hands for years to come. Boeing would have none of it.

And so a trend that we have seen in the auto industry and the aerospace industry continues … manufacturing jobs leaving strong union states for the non-union South. Did the union shoot itself in the foot? Perhaps. The new assembly line in South Carolina makes it more likely that when Boeing has to build a replacement for the 777 or the 737 it will leave Seattle for Charleston or elsewhere.

The move by Boeing does come with substantial risk, however. While it would not have to build much in the way of new infrastructure in Seattle, Boeing does have to construct a 600,000 square foot plant for the 787 assembly. That will cost an estimated $1.5 billion. In addition Boeing will have to train a whole new workforce to build it’s most important new plane in over a decade and a plane that is already 2 years behind schedule.

Last time there was some photos released for their new beer commercial, and here are some more. Like I mentioned last time, the set looks really cool and classy. I like how the spakers are like big ice cubes, it’s cool. also this CF is indoors unlike the  last two ‘Hite Beer’ commercials. I can’t wait to see it~!

By FNC Reporter Steve Brown

It isn’t often I’m required to shower … twice … to get an interview.

Last week … we traveled to Country View Family Farms in Fannettsburg, Pennsylvania. It is a large pig-breeding operation. It is also the latest target of Mercy for Animals.

The animal welfare group (which openly urges the public to switch to a vegan diet) got one of its ‘investigators’ hired at the farm earlier this year. The investigator was only identified as “he” … and Mercy for Animals says this man was employed at the farm for three months.

What the ‘investigator’ got … was video of some unsavory practices at the farm:

- piglets picked-up by their ears and tossed

- shots of piglets castrated and tails removed without anesthesia (there are none with FDA approval)

- piglets stampeded into a narrow corridor

- adult pigs being repeatedly tattooed by workers using sticks with metal prongs dipped in ink

- vaccination of piglets (including one where the animal had a mask drawn on it with a marker intended to show which piglets had been vaccinated)

- pregnant sows in gestation ‘crates’…which while providing opportunities to monitor feed and care gives the animal little room to move

- the euthanizing of an adult pig with a bolt-gun which required repeated ‘shots’ to finish the job

- piglets still alive after being placed in bins charged with CO to euthanize those which were too small or injured

When producer Marla Cichowski contacted Country View and told them about the video and asked for an interview to explain … they had one request. They wanted me to tour the farm. Because of bio-security measures (to make sure I didn’t transport any disease in or out) I had to do what every employee there does daily.  I was required to shower before going into the facility … and shower coming back out.

During the tour in company coveralls, bump-cap, socks,  underwear and boots … I saw none of the objectionable things in the video.  (Exception, the gestation crates where pregnant sows are held and monitored. I had discovered before arrival they ARE standard in pig breeding farms). The veterinarian, Dr. Jessica Clark answered all my questions about how and why things were done at the pig-breeding facility.

I learned quite a bit unfortunately, Country View would not allow us to bring in a camera so we could show how the place operated. After the one-hour tour of some 2,500 sows and many more piglets, I returned to the showers got back into my civilian clothes and got on with the interview.

By FNC Reporter David Lee Miller

If you are reading this online you know at least something about the Internet. Chances are however, you don’t know the Internet is running out of addresses.

I don’t mean domain names like Fox News.Com Internet address are the numerical designations assigned to each Web site. They operate invisibly behind-the-scenes. After all, computers don’t understand English. They speak numbers.

The address shortage could end Internet expansion. No new Web sites for schools, businesses and the government. Forget the hope of one day connecting your toaster oven to the Net.

When the current system called IPv4 (Internet Protocol version 4) was created decades ago no one could imagine the explosive growth of the Internet. In addition to computers, nowadays phones, cars, and even household appliances are connected to the web or soon will be.

The computer scientist nicknamed the father of the Internet, Vint Cerf,  said when he helped create the current address system decades ago, he never imagined it’s 4.3 billion addresses would not be sufficient.   If someone made the suggestion a larger system was needed, Cerf said he would have thought they were “out of their gourd.”

Cerf is now advocating a new address system called IPv6. According to the experts who administer the Internet the number of potential address is a number so large it is hard to fathom. To put the expansion in perspective, if the current system is a golf ball, the experts say, the new one is almost the size of the sun.

As Cerf might explain, in order to imagine a number this big, it helps to be out of your gourd.

Annons för Metro, under produktion.

Some lovely GDYB love was going on backstage, along with Shaun and Lyle. Taeyang and G-Dragon could not be looking any hotter! Black looks so good on those hotties!

“If you mess with America’s feelings, America will hurt you.” A line delivered by Richard Heene’s Defense attorney, David Lane, when asked by someone in the crowd of reporters what he’s learned from the case unofficially known as Balloon Boy.

The Heenes did not make a statement today and were clearly not interested in the flurry of media attention this time around. Instead, Mayumi, the mother of the Heene clan, quietly listened as Judge Stephen Schapanski explained the charge against her of false reporting to authorities. It’s a misdemeanor offense and a lesser charge than she may have faced had her husband not plead out to a class 4 felony.

According to the attorneys in this case and affidavits filed in the Larimer County Courthouse, Mayumi admitted in a videotaped interview with a police officer that the events of October 15th, when people around the globe watched in terror (and curiosity) as a giant saucer shaped balloon drifted in the Colorado sky supposedly carrying her son, was a hoax. The family had been planning it for two weeks, Mayumi said. This admission, attorneys say, could have cleared the way for authorities to charge the 45 year old mother of three with a felony.

This was a risk the family says it could not afford. You see, if Mayumi Heene were convicted of a felony, as a Japanense citizen, she would be deported to her native country. In a statement released by David Lane, Mayumi’s husband Richard chose to “fall on his sword,” and plead guilty to a more serious charge, so that his wife would not have to. It was a package deal, said Lane. After both Heenes voluntarily admitted to the charges against them, Judge Shapanski let both know that restitution would be sought and that jail time was a possibility. The cost of the four hour chase last month, that involved the cops, sheriff’s deputies, the national guard and the Federal Aviation Administration, is till unknown, but estimates start around 60-thousand dollars. Judge Shapanski will make the final decision during the Heenes sentencing hearing in December.

They’re so goofy even backstage, so we know that it’s not an act, they really are goofy and play around like little kids. Boss and GaHo follow Big Bang everywhere now! I’m sure Charlie will follow them soon as well xD

If you’ve been curious about whether the world comes to an end in 2012, or wondering if now is the time to seriously get closer to God …  please be assured that as far as any expert I’ve talked with …  the world will still be around pretty much as it is today in 2013. (That doesn’t mean, you shouldn’t cozy up to the big guy!)

Here’s the lowdown.

Fact: the ancient Mayans were great mathematicians and astronomers, obsessed with time. They created these long-count calendars of five cycles, totaling around 26,000 years. At the end of every cycle they predicted that some sort of major event would happen. What that event would be they didn’t know. The last cycle ends on December 21, 2012.

Director Roland Emmerich took that fact and created the worse-case scenario, for a big budget, $260 million, Hollywood disaster flick. It’s the disaster flick to end all disaster flicks.

Fact: Most Religions have End-Times prophecies. Most are preceded by some sort of series of cataclysmic events. None of the prophecies gives a time frame.

But that hasn’t stopped anyone from guessing.

People throughout history have looked on all our wars, natural disasters and general mayhem, as signs that the world is coming to an end. But yet, here we are.

There’s one prediction we can be assured of: With hundreds of books written about 2012 and the Mayan calendar, “2012″ the movie will likely bring good fortune to many a folk.

I’ve covered enough high profile search and rescues to know that if the missing would have had some kind of a GPS locator beacon they probably would still be alive. James Kim, the San Francisco techie who got stuck in the Oregon mountains during a snowstorm could have been saved by technology. He left his family in the car while he went for help only to die of hypothermia while teams looked for him. Cases like that, led many people to buy the latest locator gadget. And now authorities are starting to see some abuse of the products by people who have little experience in the back country. They call it Yuppie 9-1-1.

Mostly it’s people hitting the S.O.S. when they’re tired or cold and don’t want to work to get out of the woods. Another abuse takes the cake. A father and son were camping in Arizona. They initiated a search three days in a row. The last time was because they drank water from a stream that tasted salty. Irritated rescuers finally yanked them out of the woods. Over a 15 year period search and rescues in national parks alone cost taxpayers more than $58-million. Beacons can actually reduce the cost of legitimate emergencies by giving rescuers an exact location to pinpoint the search. But abuses are frustrating sheriff’s departments and the many volunteers who conduct these operations. There’s no substitute for preparation. And if these novice outdoorsmen continue to be the ‘hiker who cried wolf’ they could end up getting charged for their ‘rescue’. Currently New Hampshire is the only state that allows for a rescue bill, but if the Yuppie 9-1-1 trend accelerates look for other states to follow.

Let it DIE.

Okay. Probably I won’t be that evil. (Yes, I’m not. No worry, humanity.) But, gee, yea, I always hold in everything regarding this thingy in my own memory. One time I could not take it anymore. But, gosh, I’m so good – in killing the problem and burying it deep down in my backyard. (Creepy me? This whole thing is to be taken figuratively.)

And the big winner of the night at this years CMA Awards… Taylor Swift! Taking home 4 awards including Best Female Vocalist, Album of the Year, and the coveted Entertainer of the Year! Swift came by backstage to talk with us about all her wins, so did Brad Paisley who served as host and will go home with an award.

We also spoke with Lady Antebellum, winners for two categories: Best Single of the Year and Vocal Group. They say although this isn’t their first industry nod, they still have a lot to prove.

Next up, Best Duo: Sugarland, who used their acceptance speech to give a shout out on stage to fellow nominees Brooks and Dunn who’ve announced a split. Sugarland came by (CMA in hand) and talked about how good it feels to be the 43rd winner in this category.

And… we got to drop in on his CMA rehearsal, now he’s a CMA winner – Darius Rucker! We can stop calling him new to the genre now I think… A bonafide country star with the statue to prove it. One he says will go on display right between his Grammys.

And that’s a wrap from the 2009 Fox News coverage of the CMA Awards. Now its time to make your predictions for 2010…click “comment” below to do so!

Ashley and Jill Dobson on the red carpet!

Plenty of cowboy hats and a couple of boots made it onto the red carpet at the CMA’s tonight, as all the country stars dressed to the nines to celebrate the night and honor their peers. 

To name a few we caught up with… Reba McEntire, who wore her own “Reba” line dress! A shiny black floor length gown fitting for county royalty. The multi-tasking star discussed all her latest projects and from clothing to furniture and of course new music this year, she’s been busy.

Several former American Idols made there way over too like Diana Degarmo in bright pink and Danny Gokey (who we spoke to already earlier in the day, but we wanted to know how his first CMA red carpet was going!)  

The Judds (Wynonna and Naomi) came by too and made sure to recognize Veterans Day. They also spoke with us about working together and what this year means to them since 25 years ago today they won their first award as The Judds at the CMAs. 

Now the show is going on and we are backstage waiting for all the winners to tell us if it really is an “honor just to be nominated” or… if its always better to win!
Stay tuned for more from here at the Sommet Center in Nashville.

I have the privilege of spending Veterans Day in a place where it carries special meaning this year. Last week, a gunman stationed at Ft. Hood in central Texas, started shooting and killed 13 people. Twelve of the victims were members of the military. At a time when soldiers risk their lives every day in Afghanistan and Iraq, they certainly don’t expect to risk their lives once they make it safely home. As the investigation continues, and the wounds of the injured begin to heal, the family of those killed will begin to bury their dead. Their sacrifice is a world apart. Even though they were not killed on the battlefield, in the end they were killed because they had a commitment to serving their country. No one but soldiers and those serving soldiers were killed or wounded that day.

Today at a press conference, three soldiers wounded during the attack were in front of the cameras. They are part of a unit who lost three people in the shooting. I can only begin to imagine the pain they and their families are experiencing. They will deploy to Afghanistan before the year is out.