Hey, kiddies! I just got a new computer for one of my X-mas gifts. Now, I can hopefully start posting more. Since I am still a unpaid writer, I can only do so when I feel inspired. And the way things are going in this stagnant economy, we all could use some inspiration in this nation. Especially those of us who fall into the bottom percentile of that 99%. Every now & then, I need to be reminded about some of the  things that make me like America. Don’t you?

New Americans like Heidi Klum & Seal are a great, inspirational couple that represent the music & fashion industry well. They are a Hollywood couple that seemed to have it all. And now marital strife may produce yet another crumbling marriage. Contrary to Mitt Romney’s beliefs, I honestly admire successful people. As long as they don’t prey on others for their own financial benefit. I root for successful folks like them every single day. Feeling like your dreams & aspirations are tangible is all a part of the American dream. I don’t bemoan anyone’s success.

I guess that’s why I really hope that their differences don’t wind up being irreconcilable. Everyone still loves a good success story. And those two are the embodiment of success & wealth. C’mon, guys! Work it out!

Here’s more from The Daily Mail:

“Their union was believed to be one of the strongest in showbusiness – reinforced by regular public declarations of love and an annual ceremony to renew their wedding vows.

But last night it was reported Heidi Klum’s seven-year marriage to British singer Seal is over – with the model preparing to file for divorce within days.

German-born Heidi, 38, is expected to file papers at Los  Angeles’ County Superior Court this week citing irreconcilable differences between the pair who  married at Seal’s beachfront home in Mexico in 2005.

The reasons behind the sudden split remained unclear but a spokesman for the former Victoria’s Secret model yesterday said a statement was being prepared which would be released imminently.

A spokesman for Seal, 48 – real name Seal Henry Samuel – did not return calls but a cryptic message posted on the singer’s Twitter page on Friday read: ‘The End.’

The message was attached to a picture that appeared to show the star’s forearm bearing an imprint of a set of wings – a possible reference to Miss Klum’s role as a Victoria’s Secret winged ‘Angel’ model.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2089816/Heidi-Klum-Seal-file-divorce-years-marriage-according-reports.html#ixzz1k9Nlbr2i

If you live in a society that is as free as America is,you can expect that some folks will escape justice.Here in America, you can get a jury of your peers or a judge to decide your fate. Sometimes the legal system works & oftentimes it does not. There have been innocent people whose lives have wasted away in prison because the system failed them. And there are others,like Casey Anthony,Robert Blake,etc… who get away with murder.

Keith Olbermann was not forthcoming about campaign contributions he made to several Democrats. So,he has been suspended from MSNBC indefinitely without pay. He violated a NBC News rule against donating to candidates from either party.

The reasoning behind this NBC News policy is that “these activities jeopardize his or her standing as an impartial journalist because they may create the appearance of a conflict of interest.” Since when has Keith Olbermann passed himself off as an “impartial journalist?!!“

He practically screams liberal on every show. Who are they kidding? Do you think that they are suddenly worried about impartiality because the country just voted a bunch of conservatives back into office? And MSNBC is just as synonymous with liberal progressive as Fox is the synonym of conservative.

Don’t fire him.Reinstate Keith Olbermann. I like to have his viewpoint in juxtaposition to Glenn Beck’s opinions. One thing that makes me like America is the political discourse that our citizens engage in. Keith Olbermann’s voice is an important part of that discourse. Whether you like him or not.

Here’s more from The Los Angeles Times:

“As Politico, which broke the story, reported Friday, Olbermann gave $2,400, the maximum legal donation, to Arizona Rep. Raul Grijalva on Oct. 28, the same day Grijalva appeared as a guest on Olbermann’s “Countdown” show. There’s no way that should happen, for the very reasons stated in NBC’s rules against employees contributing to political campaigns–it’s a breach of journalistic independence to contribute to the candidates that you’re covering.

Not objectivity, since no one is arguing that Olbermann is objective, but independence. How can we, the viewers, possibly expect Olbermann to ask a candidate the toughest possible questions if he’s giving him money at the same time? Or even worse, it could be perceived as pay-to-play: I give you money, you appear on my show. The same goes for Fox News, which now has a host of leading 2012 GOP presidential hopefuls all serving as paid on-air contributors. When I see them being interviewed by Fox newsmen, that exchange looks a lot more like media back-scratching and self-promotion than journalism.

The Olbermann mess simply highlights the dilemma MSNBC faces as it plays second fiddle to the Fox News juggernaut. If it wants to be a liberal advocacy network, fine, then it can reinstate Olbermann and start shaping the news to benefit liberal causes, the way Fox does on the right. But if it wants to be taken seriously as a real news network, then it should make Olbermann serve a suspension, make sure its other anchors understand the rulebook and, most important, say loud and clear: Unlike our competition, when we say we practice independent journalism, we really mean it.”(End of Excerpt) Read more here.

Beautiful songbird,Mariah Carey,finally comes clean about her impending motherhood. Yep,she’s pregnant & glowing. She hasn’t confirmed how far along she is or what the baby’s gender is. But, rumor has it that she’s four months along with a baby boy.

She looks lovelier than ever. What a lucky chap Nick Cannon is!

Congratulations,guys!

I first heard of Rachel Zoe when she was styling Lindsay Lohan. There was speculation that she was introducing the young starlet to an unhealthy lifestyle of extreme dieting. A lot of folks believe that Rachel Zoe has an eating disorder. Here’s more on that from CelebWarship:

“Rachel Zoe shocked onlookers at the Cracked Xmas Fundraiser in Los Angeles on Sunday with her protruding ribcage and sunken face. The 37 year old celebrity stylist recently admitted she sometimes thinks she’s too thin, but has no plans to take care of herself.

“We’ve had Audrey Hepburn, we’ve had Twiggy, we’ve had Veruschka, we’ve had Kate Moss,” she said. “I’m trying to figure out why I am to blame for skinniness.

“Truthfully, I’ve never seen myself as being too thin,” she added. “Sometimes I’ll look at photos and be like, ‘Oh, that’s not a good look. ‘But generally speaking, I’m not too thin.” (Read more here.)

Sorry to disagree with you,Rachel. People cannot help but notice just how skeletal you look. It’s beyond being “too thin.” Hopefully, you will get cravings that will force you to eat. Because even though she seems to have an aversion to food,her pregnancy will change that.

At least,I hope it does.No one should try to emulate her body-wise. She is a great fashionista. But,Rachel Zoe is not someone I would take nutritional advice from.

I’ve only seen Greg Giraldo on a Comedy Central Roast once. But,he was pretty funny. It’s too bad that we won’t be privy to his raunchy brand of humor any longer. Giraldo has passed away from an prescription pill overdose. Another celebrity dies from taking too many prescribed pills. Will this scenario ever come to an end?

Here’s more from MTV:

“Comedian Greg Giraldo died Wednesday (September 29) at age 44 from a reportedly accidental prescription-drug overdose. Giraldo had been hospitalized in New Brunswick, New Jersey after he overdosed on prescription pills last weekend. According to TMZ, the overdose was not a suicide attempt.

Giraldo reportedly collapsed Saturday evening in his hotel room in New Jersey, where he was performing at a club. He was discovered by friends after he failed to show up for his scheduled performance. He was rushed to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick.

Jim Norton confirmed the news via Twitter, including a picture with his fellow comedian: “Greg Giraldo passed away today. This is the last photo of us together, taken June 28 at Noam’s wedding. RIP buddy.”

A source close to Giraldo told TMZ: “Greg passed away today at the hospital in New Brunswick as a result of an accidental overdose. His family was by his side.”

The Giraldo family’s plans for a memorial service will reportedly be made public when they become available.

Giraldo was best known for his celebrity roast appearances and was a frequent guest on “The Late Show With David Letterman,” “Late Night With Conan O’Brian” and “The Howard Stern Show.” He had also been a judge on NBC’s “Last Comic Standing” and appeared as a panelist on Jerry Seinfeld’s “The Marriage Ref.” (End of Excerpt) Read the rest here.

You would think that after taxpayers bailed out Chrysler, all of their employees would feel compelled to produce the best cars that money could buy. I mean,the general consensus about American-made cars is that they are the worst cars on the market. A lot of people drive foreign cars for that reason.This incident sure won’t sway people to purchase American cars. It’ll probably steer them even further away from the cars that are manufactured in America.

When the video showing Chrysler workers drinking & smoking pot while on the clock hit the airwaves,I was disgusted.In a time when most people dream of getting a decent job,these guys are putting theirs on the line.Now, these guys will end up talking about the unemployment line instead of the assembly line.We don’t need inebriated GM workers assembling our cars. So good riddance!

Tony Hawk is a skateboarding phenomenon &  hero to a lot of American kids.But,they are not the only children who admire him. Mr. Hawk is an inspiration to a group of South African kids as well. He just gifted the Indigo Youth Movement with a brand new portable Half-Pipe to practice their skateboarding skills on. Charity is one of the things that makes me like America. It’s really fantastic to see Tony Hawk carry on that great American tradition on an entirely different continent.

Here’s more from Africa News:

“Multi-skateboard world champion Hawk handed over the Half-Pipe, which Laureus has made available to Indigo that will allow more children in the region to access the sport and benefit from the advantages of taking part in the Laureus-supported project.

The new portable, easy to set up Half-Pipe will allow the Indigo project to visit various locations around the region where people currently do not have access to skateboarding.

During his 20-year skateboarding career, Hawk defied gravity with his amazing tricks and became a role model to millions of young people around the world. After seeing the Half-Pipe set up in the Zulu village for youngsters to try out, Hawk said it was a very emotional moment.

He said:

“I first came to Indigo last year and I was amazed what I saw. This is one of the most remarkable skateboard sites in the world. And now I am excited to come back with a new ramp for the kids to enjoy. They are progressing at a rapid rate and I know this new structure will help them push their limits even more. Being able to watch these young people from difficult backgrounds test their skills on this new halfpipe is something that will stay with me forever. I am honored that we are able to provide such a great facility for these kids. It could truly change their lives.” (End of Excerpt) Read the article in its entirety here.

Since the family structure has now changed,China wants to “re-engineer the demographic balance.” Their population is made up of too many old folks & not enough workers. As a result,China’s one-child policy may finally be relaxed.

They want couples who are both only children themselves to have a second child.Then, they will gradually ease into a two-child policy for all the people of China. Well,how gracious of them!

Aren’t you glad that in America you can become an Octo-mom if you want to?! There’s no blatant attempt to control the population in this country. You can have 18 kids if that is your desire! The sky is the limit,even if your finances say otherwise.

It’s called freedom of choice! And it’s just one more reason to love being American! No matter what the haters say!

Here’s more from UPI.com:

“China may relax its one-child policy as its population ages and a need for workers increases, a demographer in close contact with policymakers says.

The world’s most-populous country, with more than 1.3 billion people, plans to start pilot projects in five low-birth-rate provinces next year to allow a second birth if at least one spouse is an only child, He Yafu tells USA Today.

Beijing, Shanghai and four other provinces will follow suit in 2012, and the policy will be repealed nationally by 2013 or 2014, he says.

The National Population and Family Planning Commission, which enforces the one-child policy, refused interview requests, USA Today says.

In 2008, China’s top population official, Zhang Weiqing, minister of the family planning commission, said the policy would remain in place for roughly another decade.

In February the planning commission’s deputy director said the policy would remain unaltered through 2015.

The policy — one of the world’s strictest, which authorities say has prevented 400 million births — went into effect in 1979 after a multidecade population boom followed by mass death due to food shortages.

Most urban couples are limited to a single child, while farmers are often allowed to have two. Critics say the policy is coercive and has led to numerous abuses, including forced abortions, which are reported to continue in some areas.

But a growing need for more children to care for parents, plus a gender imbalance that will leave tens of millions of men without wives, are two arguments for relaxing the one-child policy, Siu Yat-ming, who researches Chinese family planning at Hong Kong Baptist University, tells USA Today.”(End of article) Read more here.