Family of Florida A&M Band Member Who Died from Hazing Is Suing Bus Company

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on January 11, 2012 at 1:25am

The parents of a Florida A&M band member who died after a hazing ritual last November said they will sue the company that owns the bus where the hazing took place.

Robert Champion's parents and their attorney told The Associated Press on Monday that the bus company's negligence contributed to his death. They said band members were able to get back on the bus to conduct hazing rituals after they had returned to an Orlando hotel following a football game against the school's archrival.

Ray Land, the owner of Fabulous Coach Lines, said his staff did everything to get help once they were notified there was a problem. Land told the AP in December that the bus driver was helping students unload their instruments when Champion collapsed.

"The bus company has some liability," the Champions' attorney, Christopher Chestnut, told the AP. "They knew or should have known that hazing was occurring on the bus."

An autopsy ruled Champion's death a homicide. It concluded Champion suffered blunt trauma blows to his body and died from shock caused by severe bleeding.

Witnesses have told Champion's parents that the 26-year-old drum major may have been targeted for severe hazing because of his opposition to the marching band's culture of hazing. Other witnesses have told them Champion being gay, and the fact that he was a candidate for chief drum major, also may have played roles. They believe it was the first time he was hazed.

"The main reason that we heard is because he was against hazing, and he was totally against it," Champion's father, Robert Champion Sr. said in an interview in Orlando, Fla.

But the Champions and their attorney said they are uncertain how or why Champion was on the bus since it was well known that hazing rituals were organized on the bus by a group of band members known as "Bus C" after the game against archrival Bethune-Cookman University. Band members, mainly percussionists, would return from the game, drop their gear off in their hotel rooms and return to the bus to haze others who wanted to be indoctrinated into the organization, Chestnut said.

Robert Champion Sr., and his wife, Pam, discount homophobia as a major motive in their son's hazing since other band members had known about his sexual orientation for years and had never bothered him about it.

"His sexual orientation was not something he was defined by," Chestnut said. "He was more defined by music. This was not something that he quote, unquote 'advertised.' It was a part of who he was."

FAMU's band director, Julian White, released a statement through his attorney Tuesday saying that Champion's beating may have been because he was gay rather than as a result of ritualistic hazing. White was fired by FAMU President James Ammons after Champion's death, then reinstated and put on administrative leave.

Chestnut and Champion's parents dismissed that suggestion.

"It's an attempt to exonerate the band and the band administration for their negligence, for their part in Robert's hazing by saying because of sexual orientation, this is a hate crime," Chestnut said at a news conference at the hotel where Champion died. "This is not a hate crime. This is a hazing crime."

The Champions are unable to file a lawsuit against FAMU for another several months because of state law setting up procedures for suing public entities. Suing the bus company will allow the Champions' attorneys to depose witnesses and gather documents, Chestnut said.

Orange County detectives and Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents are investigating Champion's death.

Any death involving hazing is a third-degree felony in Florida, but no charges have been filed so far in Champion's death. In a separate case, three band members were arrested in the Oct. 31 beating of a woman band member whose thigh bone was broken.

Four students dismissed by the university were also reinstated while authorities work on the investigation.

Trustees have reprimanded Ammons, but the board rejected Gov. Rick Scott's recommendation that he also be placed on administrative leave.

Source: The Associated Press

Mitt Romney Wins New Hampshire Primary, Ron Paul In Second Place

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on January 11, 2012 at 1:14am

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney won the New Hampshire primary Tuesday night, adding to a first-place finish in last week's Iowa caucuses and establishing himself as the man to beat for the Republican presidential nomination.

Texas Rep. Ron Paul led former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman for second place, with Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum trailing.

Returns from the first 13 percent of the state's precincts showed Romney with 36 percent of the vote, followed by Paul with 24 percent and Huntsman with 18 percent.

Former House Speaker Gingrich and former Pennsylvania Sen. Santorum had 10 percent and 9 percent respectively.

Romney battled not only his rivals but also high expectations as the ballots were counted, particularly since his pursuers had virtually conceded New Hampshire and were already pointing to the South Carolina primary on Jan. 21 as the place to block his rise.

Seeking to undercut Romney's victory, Gingrich and others sere suggesting that anything below 40 percent or so would indicate weakness by the nomination front-runner.

They didn't mention that Sen. John McCain's winning percentage in the 2008 primary was 37 percent.

Huntsman, in particular, staked his candidacy on a strong showing in New Hampshire. Santorum said second place "would be a dream come true."

Not for Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, who swept into the state nearly a week ago after winning the Iowa caucuses by eight votes over Santorum. That result, coupled with New Hampshire's proximity to Massachusetts, caused Perry to take a pass on the state, and the other contenders also all but conceded a Romney victory on Tuesday.

About one-third of Republican voters interviewed as they left their polling places said the most important factor in choosing a candidate was finding someone who could defeat President Barack Obama in the fall - a claim that Romney made often.

About one-quarter of those interviewed cited strong moral character or experience as the most important factor in selecting someone to support, followed by a candidate's true conservatism.

As was the case last week in the Iowa caucuses, the economy was the issue that mattered most.

In tiny Dixville Notch, the village that traditionally votes at midnight. Romney and Huntsman each received two of the six votes. One went to Gingrich and the other to Paul. Huntsman said hopefully, "Dixville Notch might be a harbinger in this race."

A Romney victory would make him the first Republican to sweep the first two contests in a competitive race since Iowa gained the lead-off spot in presidential campaigns in 1976.

Yet independents are permitted to vote in either party's primary in New Hampshire, and the state has a rich history of humbling favorites, front-runners and even an occasional incumbent.

The state's Republican voters embarrassed President George H.W. Bush in 1992, when he won but was held to 53 percent of the vote against Pat Buchanan, running as an insurgent in difficult economic times. Buchanan, who never held public office, won the primary four years later over Sen. Bob Dole of Kansas, who was the nominee in the fall.

In 2000, national front-runner George W. Bush rolled into the state after a convincing first-place finish in Iowa but wound up a distant second behind Sen. John McCain. Bush later won the GOP nomination and then the presidency.

Twelve Republican National Convention delegates were at stake on Tuesday, out of 1,144 needed to win the nomination.

Obama was unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Bill Gardner, the New Hampshire secretary of state, predicted about 250,000 ballots would be cast in the GOP race. If so, that would be slightly more than double the turnout last week in Iowa's caucuses.

The state has about 232,000 registered Republicans, 223,000 Democrats and 313,000 voters who are undeclared or independent.

In his first presidential run in 2008, Romney finished second in the state to McCain. This time, he campaigned with the Arizona senator's endorsement, as well as backing from Sen. Kelly Ayotte and numerous other members of the state's Republican establishment.

As in Iowa, the economy in New Hampshire is in better shape than in much of the country. Unemployment in November was 5.2 percent, far below the national average of 8.6 percent.

Even so, the economy became the central issue here. Romney committed a pair of unforced errors in the campaign's final 48 hours, and the other contenders sought to capitalize.

On Sunday, after a pair of weekend debates only 12 hours apart, the millionaire former businessman said he understood the fear of being laid off. "There were a couple of times when I was worried I was going to get pink-slipped," he said, although neither he nor his aides offered specifics.

And on Monday, in an appearance before the Nashua Chamber of Commerce, Romney was discussing health insurance coverage when he said, "I like being able to fire people who provide services to me. If someone doesn't give me the good service I need, I'm going to go get somebody else to provide that service to me."

Huntsman, a former Utah governor, saw an opening. "Gov. Romney enjoys firing people. I enjoy creating jobs," he said.

Perry, campaigning in South Carolina, said, "I have no doubt that Mitt Romney was worried about pink slips - whether he'd have enough of them to hand out."

And Gingrich said Bain Capital, the venture capital firm Romney once headed, "apparently looted the companies, left people totally unemployed and walked off with millions of dollars."

Romney has made his business experience a cornerstone of his presidential campaign, saying that Bain on balance created 100,000 jobs, and as a result, he understands how to help boost employment.

He sought to shrug off the attacks, saying he had expected them from Obama in the fall, but Gingrich and others had decided to go first. "Things can always be taken out of context," he said.

Already the campaign was growing more heated in South Carolina.

A committee created to help Gingrich said it would spend $3.4 million to purchase television ads attacking Romney.

A group formed to help Romney - which ran ads in Iowa that knocked Gingrich off-stride - said it would be on the air as well.

SOURCE: The Associated Press

Brian Schottenheimer Leaves NY Jets

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on January 11, 2012 at 12:29am

New York Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer celebrates with Plaxico Burress #17 and Santonio Holmes #10 of the New York Jets during their game against the Buffalo Bills at MetLife Stadium on November 27, 2011 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images North America)

Brian Schottenheimer is off the hot seat and out the door.

The embattled New York Jets offensive coordinator told the team Tuesday that he will not return next season after six years running an offense that often failed to live up to expectations.

In a statement released by the team Tuesday night, Schottenheimer said he made the decision "after much thought and consideration." Schottenheimer, the son of former NFL coach Marty Schottenheimer, was highly criticized for the Jets' inconsistencies on an offensive unit that ranked 25th overall and for quarterback Mark Sanchez not progressing in his third year.

The 38-year-old Schottenheimer said in the statement that he was "very proud of what we have accomplished" during his time with the Jets, and thanked coach Rex Ryan and the organization.

"I look forward to the exciting opportunities that lie ahead," he said.

Former Miami Dolphins coach Tony Sparano is expected to be at the top of the Jets' wish list to replace Schottenheimer. Sparano, fired in December and replaced by Todd Bowles, has also worked as an assistant with Cleveland, Washington, Jacksonville and Dallas.

It's one of a handful of coaching moves that will shake up Ryan's staff. Offensive line coach Bill Callahan and wide receivers coach Henry Ellard are both not expected back.

Ryan and general manager Mike Tannenbaum said last week after the team finished 8-8 and failed to make the playoffs that they expected Schottenheimer back unless he got a head coaching job. Schottenheimer interviewed for Jacksonville's job, which went to Mike Mularkey.

Schottenheimer had two years and about $3.2 million remaining on his contract after quietly receiving an extension in the offseason. Apparently, the sides agreed to a mutual parting after a tough season.

"Brian and I talked and I understand his decision to look for a fresh start," Ryan said in a statement. "I'd like to thank him for all of his contributions these past three seasons. He's been right there with me, shoulder to shoulder, and played a key role in our success, helping us to reach two AFC championship games."

Ryan added he feels "fortunate to have worked with him" and he knows Schottenheimer "will be a successful head coach one day -- probably sooner than later."

Schottenheimer's future had been uncertain for several weeks, despite the votes of confidence from both Ryan and Tannenbaum.

Sanchez struggled mightily down the stretch as the Jets lost three straight to end the season, and was wildly inconsistent throughout as Schottenheimer's offense failed to establish an identity. After going with a run-first approach, which is Ryan's preference, the Jets decided to start this season by passing more with wide receivers Santonio Holmes, Plaxico Burress and the since-departed Derrick Mason in the mix.

But the offensive line started poorly, unable to consistently protect Sanchez or open up holes for the running game -- creating a domino effect that led to the quarterback getting bruised and battered routinely. After a few games, Ryan then insisted the Jets go back to a "ground-and-pound" approach, which was slow to develop with Shonn Greene.

There were signs of trouble early when Mason made some critical comments, saying the team had "cracks" that needed to be fixed. Mason, along with Burress and Holmes, was also mentioned in a Daily News report in October that said the wide receivers had met with Ryan individually to complain about Schottenheimer's system. All three denied the report, as did Ryan, but Mason was soon traded to Houston.

The Jets even brought in Tom Moore, the former Indianapolis Colts offensive guru, as a consultant to assist Schottenheimer -- and some viewed that as a clear indicator that the team was not thrilled with the offensive coordinator. Schottenheimer publicly said he was happy to have someone with Moore's experience to lean on, and Ryan repeatedly said Moore's presence was in no way a result of a lack of confidence in Schottenheimer.

But things seemed to come to a head in Week 16 as the offense couldn't get much of anything done down the stretch in a 29-14 loss to the Giants that seriously jeopardized their playoff hopes. Sanchez threw 59 times in the game, something that had even the players scratching their heads.

In the season finale at Miami, Holmes sulked about his role and argued in the huddle, leading to Schottenheimer's last major decision with the Jets. He benched the playmaker while New York was trying to get back into a 19-17 loss.

Schottenheimer was often the target of irate fans, who flocked to sports radio shows, Twitter and message boards, demanding that he be fired. Predictably, many fans also celebrated the news on Twitter late Tuesday night after the move was announced.

Schottenheimer came to New York in 2006 as part of former coach Eric Mangini's staff, and was praised in that first season for a refreshingly creative approach. That seemed to diminish over the next few seasons, though, but Schottenheimer also dealt with a revolving door at quarterback with Chad Pennington, Kellen Clemens and then Brett Favre. After Ryan replaced Mangini as coach in 2009, he kept Schottenheimer as his offensive coordinator.

Ryan and Schottenheimer often talked about how they shared a common bond as sons of former NFL coaches, and were able to deal with criticism from fans and media maybe a bit better than those who hadn't grown up as they had.

"I grew up in a household around a coach that took a lot of heat and got fired at 14-2," Schottenheimer said a few weeks ago, referring to his father Marty's firing by San Diego following the 2006 season. "You have no control over it, so you just roll with the punches."

SOURCE: The Associated Press

Music Leak: DJ 1 God - Superfriends feat. K-Nine, Excelsius, Lavoisier, Mahogany Jones, Brinson, Gifted

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on January 10, 2012 at 6:30am

Music Leak: Why'el - Revival feat. Gemstones & Mouthpiece

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on January 10, 2012 at 6:00am

Tavis Smiley Says He Was Booted from MLK Event Because He Tries to Hold Obama "Accountable"

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on January 10, 2012 at 5:30am

Tavis Smiley, the PBS talk show host who has criticized President Barack Obama for not doing enough for the African-American community, says he was ousted as the speaker at a Martin Luther King luncheon because he was trying to hold the president accountable.

"I don't see my role as one of criticizing the president. I see my role as one of holding the president - this and every other president--accountable," Smiley said on Fox News on Monday.

"Something is wrong with this country ... that so often the political right, and I am no defender of the political right ... gets accused of playing the game of political correctness. What this underscores is that those on the left, the Democrats can play that game of political correctness as well," he added.

Smiley was booted from the 20th annual MLK luncheon on Jan. 16 that is hosted by the Peoria Civic Center. The group announced last week that Smiley had been replaced by Michael Eric Dyson as the guest speaker of the event, citing people who were "upset about comments that Tavis Smiley has made."

"What's important to us is putting together a luncheon that celebrates the life and work of Dr.King," luncheon organizer Alma Brown said last week, according to a local report. "And it became evident over the last few days that people were upset about comments that Tavis Smiley had made, comments that we weren't aware of unfortunately so we made the decision to cancel his contract."

Click here to read more.

SOURCE: Politico

MJ Lee

Music Leak Driven - Supernatural Swagger

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on January 10, 2012 at 3:30am

Free Mixtape: Tried and True Mixtape (FREE Download)

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on January 9, 2012 at 10:32pm

Tried-and-True

Artist Name: True
CD Name: Tried and True

Tried and True offers music that is uplifting to listeners and is Christ centered. These lyrics encourage the body of Christ to grow in their relationship and personal walk with the Lord Jesus Christ, as well as witnessing and reaching out to unbelievers. A great free download!

Be sure to check out True’s latest album “High Calling” featuring K-Drama, D-MAUB, Sly and more on iTunes and Truemuzik.com

VIDEO: Rick Ross tells DaSouth.com "I put Jesus first..."

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on January 9, 2012 at 10:24pm

DaSouth.com co-owner Tre9 caught up with Rick Ross and David Banner back in 2009 to discuss what their faith is, being accountable for his lyrics, thoughts on Christian Hip Hop and more. Ross says "I put Jesus first [in my life], ya feel me?" They speak as if to be disciples for Christ, saying Jesus was amongst the lost, and that they tell the truth about the harsh realities of life. They feel as if they are being wrongly judged, and that people should look at their actions and not their words.

In light of Rick Ross' new song "Holy Ghost," we can't help to see that he has taken deeper steps into darkness since this interview three years ago. We are not here to judgeWilliam Leonard Robers II (Rick's real name) by any means, but to show the fans who idolize these rappers that they are being used to lead them into disaster. Open your eyes people.

Visit website

Sprint Confirms Galaxy Nexus And Adds LG Viper To List Of First LTE Smartphone Offerings

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on January 9, 2012 at 9:07pm

Sprint has announced the first of many LTE smartphone offerings to compliment their new 4G LTE network. The first to make its debut, is none other than the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. We can’t say we didn’t see this one coming, especially after its accidental leak in an online ad. They didn’t release a full on spec list of the Sprint Galaxy Nexus but it does appear to be a smaller 16GB model and will include Google Wallet (something Verizon felt the need to leave out). Along with the Galaxy Nexus tease comes the announcement of another LTE smartphone for Sprint, the LG Viper.

The LG Viper is another NFC packing, Google Wallet friendly smartphone, built with recyclable materials:

Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
4.0″ WVGA touchscreen
1.2 GHz dual-core processor
Dual cameras: primary 5.0 MP and front-facing VGA

These two flagship smartphones, along with the Sierra hotspot, will be the first devices to run on Sprint’s 4G LTE network. With Sprint having the only true “unlimited” network, coupling the speeds of 4G and the power of these devices, you could end up with one happy union. For more information, visit Sprint’s new 4G LTE landing page.

Source: Sprint

Vita 3G Data Plans Detailed by AT&T

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on January 9, 2012 at 7:34pm

With the launch of PlayStation Vita just over a month away, AT&T has announced the specifics of its data plans that will be available to those who purchase the system's 3G-equipped model in the United States.

Anyone with a smartphone on AT&T's network will be mostly prepared for the two plans available. One offers 250MB per month for $14.99, and the other offers 2GB (a cap eight times higher) for $25. Both will thankfully be available on a month-by-month basis, so you won't be forced into a contract of any sort. This all comes on top of the $50 premium that Sony plans to charge for the 3G model; the Wi-Fi-only model will cost $249.99 as compared with the $299.99 price tag for the 3G system.

Verizon Wireless Officially Announces the Motorola DROID RAZR MAXX; Alleges 21 Hours of Straight Talk Time.

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on January 9, 2012 at 7:13pm

The folks at Verizon have just officially unveiled the Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX, an Android 2.3 smartphone that is pretty much a slightly thicker follow-up to the original Motorola DROID RAZR. Verizon and Motorola are touting its ability to allow users to talk on the phone for more than 21 hours straight. Yes – 21 hours of talk time.

We’re not exactly sure how they supposedly pulled this feat off but we’ll certainly be eager to learn. They also mentioned it’ll come with a significant amount more memory than the original with 32GB on-board. It’ll be available for $300 on a new two-year agreement and will be ready for your battery-draining fingers.

Verizon Wireless Officially Announces the Motorola DROID RAZR MAXX; Alleges 21 Hours of Straight Talk Time.
Quentyn Kennemer – phandroid.com

Israeli Foreign Minister says Peace Deal Should Place Arab Citizens Under Palestinian Rule

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on January 9, 2012 at 6:38pm

Israel's foreign minister says some Arab citizens should be stripped of their citizenship and placed under Palestinian sovereignty as part of any final peace deal.

Avigdor Lieberman made the comments ahead of a meeting between Israeli and Palestinian peace negotiators later Monday in Jordan.

Speaking to reporters, he reiterated his stance that resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has to involve redrawing Israel's borders to put some Arab communities under Palestinian sovereignty. In return, Israel would receive West Bank territory.

"It's time to say these things clearly," Lieberman said.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

JERUSALEM (AP) - Israel's foreign minister says some Arab citizens should be stripped of their citizenship and placed under Palestinian sovereignty as part of any final peace deal.

Lieberman made the comments ahead of a meeting between Israeli and Palestinian peace negotiators later Monday in Jordan.

Speaking to reporters, he reiterated his stance that resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has to involve redrawing Israel's borders to put some Arab communities under Palestinian sovereignty. In return, Israel would receive West Bank territory.

"It's time to say these things clearly," Lieberman said.

SOURCE: The Associated Press

LSU and Alabama Meet for BCS National Championship. Who's Going to Win?

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on January 9, 2012 at 4:43pm

They call New Orleans the "Big Easy," and you can find just about anything in the city's famed French Quarter. Just ask Alabama safety Mark Barron.

Pictured: Crimson Tide fans have rolled into the "Big Easy."

"Everybody is interesting," Barron said. "Down on Bourbon Street they have all types of things. There's people dancing, having a good time. But it seems like it's a good place to be."

There's no place that No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama would rather be as they prepare to play for the second time this season in Monday night's Allstate BCS National Championship Game (ESPN, 8:30 p.m. ET) in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

Both teams know there won't be anything easy about Monday night's game in the Big Easy.

"I'd expect it to be big-boy football," LSU coach Les Miles said. "And I'd expect it to be very, very physical."

New Orleans has never needed a reason to party, and Monday night's game is expected to bring as many as 100,000 fans to the city. The cheapest ticket available for the game on Stubhub.com on Sunday night had a price tag of about $1,200 each. Tickets have a face value of $350.

Throughout the French Quarter, musicians have added "Tiger Rag" and "Sweet Home Alabama" to their set lists. The Saints might be the city's home team, but New Orleans folks love their Tigers, too.

This is one party Alabama and LSU fans don't want to miss.

It seems only fitting that carnival officially kicked off Friday, because Alabama and LSU fans have turned the long weekend into a SEC coronation festival.

Click here to continue reading...

Source: Mark Schlabach, ESPN.com

MLK and Religious Freedom

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on January 9, 2012 at 4:27pm

Monday, January 16 is Martin Luther King Day. Most schools recognize the day -- as they should. But will they teach students about Dr. King's Christian faith, which motivated and guided his campaign for civil rights?

During his Birmingham civil rights campaign, Dr. King required every participant to sign a pledge committing to do ten things. The first was to "mediate daily on the teachings and life of Jesus." Others included the expectation that all participants would "walk and talk in the manner of love, for God is love;" and "pray daily to be used by God in order that all men might be free."

To truly understand Martin Luther King, students must learn about his Christian faith. It was at the heart of what he did.

This year, something else worth celebrating happens to fall on the same day as Martin Luther King Day, and it's a perfect fit. Every year since 1993, the president proclaims January 16 to be Religious Freedom Day and asks the nation to celebrate its religious liberty. It is the anniversary of the passage in 1786 of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, which was drafted by Thomas Jefferson.

The men who drafted the Constitution leaned heavily on Jefferson's statute in establishing the First Amendment's guarantee of religious freedom. Today, it is more important than ever that we remind ourselves of that protection.

Since Martin Luther King Day and Religious Freedom Day fall on the same day this year, it is a perfect time for schools to help students connect the dots between Martin Luther King's fight for civil rights and the freedom of religious expression in America. Dr. King's call for justice was guided by his religious convictions and the liberty to act on those convictions.

Click here to read more.

SOURCE: Crosswalk

Chuck Colson, BreakPoint

WATCH: Sunday Morning Fireworks at MSNBC/Facebook GOP Presidential Debate

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on January 9, 2012 at 3:08pm

The second debate in 12 hours for the six GOP presidential hopefuls was book-ended by moments of scrutiny for Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor and prohibitive favorite to win New Hampshire's Tuesday primary.

Mitt Romney found himself under fire from conservative detractors in the opening and closing moments of an NBC News-Facebook debate, broadcast on "Meet the Press" Sunday morning. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum led the charge against Romney, questioning just how conservative of a nominee he would be for Republicans.

The heat on Romney fizzled during the middle of the portion of the debate before re-emerging toward the end, when Romney and Gingrich did public battle over the negative ads run by various super PACs in Iowa and New Hampshire, which have affected the trajectory of the GOP campaign.

The scrutiny represented a last effort by the other five Republican presidential candidates to draw contrasts with Romney with just 48 hours to go until Tuesday's New Hampshire primary.

"If his record was so great as governor of Massachusetts, why didn't he run for re-election?" asked Santorum, who battled Romney to a virtual draw at last Tuesday's Iowa caucus. "If it was that great, why did you bail out?"

But Romney kept the focus on his own record and eschewed attacking candidates, especially Santorum and Gingrich, who are expected to pose little threat to his strong lead in advance of the primary.

"I'm very proud of my record and I think the one thing you can't fool the people of New Hampshire about is the record of a governor next door," Romney said in response to the pile-on, largely avoiding making direct attacks against his detractors.

At one point, though, when Santorum interrupted him, Romney snipped: "Rick, it's still my time."

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Click here to read more.

SOURCE: MSNBC
Michael O'Brien

WATCH: Tim 3:16: Tebow's on fiYAH!

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on January 9, 2012 at 11:22am

Tim Tebow finally flexed his left arm and found one more fantastic finish up his sleeve.

After Ben Roethlisberger rallied the Pittsburgh Steelers from a two-touchdown deficit, the Denver Broncos won the overtime coin toss, and on first down, Tebow tucked the ball in Willis McGahee's belly like he'd done all afternoon.

The linebackers and safety Troy Polamalu all bit on the play-action fake, and Tebow hit wide receiver Demaryius Thomas for an electrifying 80-yard touchdown that stunned the Steelers 29-23 in the AFC wild-card game Sunday.

Thomas reached high to haul in Tebow's pass, stiff-armed cornerback Ike Thomas and outraced backup safety Ryan Mundy to the end zone for Denver's first playoff win in six years.

In 11 seconds - the shortest overtime in NFL history - Tebow showed he could be a conventional QB. It was also the longest overtime touchdown in playoff history.

"Case closed," McGahee said. "They say he couldn't throw. They said we wouldn't be able to run the ball on them. We did that. I wonder what they're going to say next week."

The Broncos (9-8) will face the top-seeded New England Patriots (13-3) on Saturday night.

Tom Brady and the Patriots walloped the Broncos 41-23 last month, sending Tebow into a funk that included seven turnovers and a 40 percent completion clip - and prompting Broncos boss John Elway to implore him to "pull the trigger" in the playoffs.

Did he ever.

Tebow threw for a season-high 316 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 50 yards and another score while slicing up the league's top defense - which was missing its top tackler, Ryan Clark, held out because of a blood condition that's exacerbated at altitude.

As Thomas sped down Denver's sideline, several teammates and coaches were tagging along and would mob him in the end zone. Elway thrust his hands into the air like he used to when he was the one engineering all these Broncos comebacks.

Tebow, too, chased down Thomas and knelt on one knee - Tebowing as it's known - in the end zone. Then he pounded a fist in triumph and took a victory lap after his fourth overtime win this season.

"When I saw him scoring, first of all, I just thought, `Thank you, Lord,'" Tebow said. "Then, I was running pretty fast, chasing him - like I can catch up to D.T! Then I just jumped into the stands, first time I've done that. That was fun."

Unlike Elway, who lost his first postseason start - to the Steelers at home in 1984 - Tebow is 1-0 in the playoffs.

The Steelers (12-5) lost despite a gimpy Roethlisberger rallying injury-depleted Pittsburgh from a two-touchdown halftime deficit with 10 points in the final 10 minutes.

He also drove the Steelers into Broncos territory in the final minute, but three sacks and a fumble kept them from getting in field goal range, and Roethlisberger never got to touch the ball in overtime.

"We were moving it and we had a shot," Roethlisberger said. "Someone got, it felt like a finger, on the ball and knocked it out. After that, you're trying to throw a 70-yard Hail Mary and that's hard."

Thomas also had receptions of 51 and 58 yards to set up second-quarter touchdowns after Tebow lost his top target, Eric Decker, to a seriously injured left knee, in the first half, as the Broncos built a 20-6 halftime lead on the heavily favored but banged-up Steelers.

"They were the No. 1 defense and we are the No. 1 offense running the ball," Thomas said. "So, I feel like they wanted to make a statement and stop the run. I don't know if they forgot about the passing game. The last couple of games that we had, we were not passing the ball that great."

Tebow's passer rating of 125.6 was the highest in Broncos postseason history. He completed 10 of 21 passes and Thomas hauled in four of them for 204 yards - after no receiver had a 100-yard game on the Steelers all season.

"It's amazing because I haven't played explosive like I did in college in a long time," Thomas said.

These two teams had played the first ever regular-season overtime game on Sept. 22, 1974, in Denver. Now, they played the first non-sudden death playoff game in history. The new rules called for both teams to get the ball in the extra period providing there wasn't a touchdown by either the offense or defense.

Tebow took care of that in a hurry.

Making his first appearance in the playoffs after going 7-4 as Denver's starter, Tebow outplayed Roethlisberger, a two-time Super Bowl winner playing on a bad ankle, who fell to 10-4 in the playoffs.

Roethlisberger was 22 for 40 for 289 yards with one TD, one interception and five sacks. Tebow wasn't picked off or sacked by the league's top defense.

The Broncos gained just 8 yards in the first quarter as Tebow looked like he did in ugly losses to the Patriots, Bills and Chiefs to close the season.

Then, he hit Thomas with his first big gain, setting up a 30-yard TD toss to Eddie Royal that put the Broncos ahead 7-6 and energized Denver, which took a 20-6 lead into the locker room.

The Broncos snapped a three-game losing streak that had many wondering if Tebow's time was up and if Denver was even worthy of its first trip to the playoffs in six seasons.

"One of the great things about our team is we're a team that constantly believes," Tebow said.

SOURCE: The Associated Press

Rumor: Google Working On “Nexus” Tablet to Compete With Kindle Fire (Not iPad)

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on January 5, 2012 at 9:10pm

I’ve mentioned a few times in the past that Google’s biggest competitor could be Amazon who — with the Kindle Fire — has been using the power of Android against Big G having stripped down the OS of it’s Google essence, instead replacing core Google apps with equivalent services of their own. Now, there’s a rumor floating around from sources up in the supply chain that Google is preparing to introduce a tablet to compete not with Apple’s iPad but with the incredibly affordable Kindle Fire. These sources believe Google will launch its own branded tablet sometime in March/April with a 7-inch screen and running Android 4.0 priced at …

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Rumor: Google Working On “Nexus” Tablet to Compete With Kindle Fire (Not iPad)
Chris Chavez – phandroid.com

Barnes & Noble Thinking About Selling NOOK Business – “It’s The Right Time To Investigate Our Options” Says CEO

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on January 5, 2012 at 9:05pm

Barnes & Noble announced today that it is considering selling its NOOK business, citing significant shortfalls in sales and cutting its full-year forecast.

B&N also cited NOOK sales which fell below expectations, and investments in advertising and expansion as reasons for a predicted shortfall in fiscal 2012 sales of between 0 million and 0 million less than average estimates of .32 billion.

The major bookseller indicated that it plans to market the NOOK for "years to come," but that it "over-anticipated the growth in consumer demand for single…

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Barnes & Noble Thinking About Selling NOOK Business – “It’s The Right Time To Investigate Our Options” Says CEO
Liam Spradlin – rss.feedsportal

Jaelife drops Weird To The World Vol.2 & D-Lo drops The Balance

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on January 4, 2012 at 10:15pm

JAELIFE - WEIRD TO THE WORLD VOL. 2 (if it aint real it aint right)

Jaelife is back with Vol.2 of Weird To The World (if it aint weird it aint right). This is not your average project from Jaelife. He took it up a few notches since his last project. Jae switched up styles on us with a few tracks, and the word play is pistachio as usual!!

DOWNLOAD LINK: http://www.sendspace.com/file/n2korl

LISTEN LINK: http://ow.ly/8a3V7

D-LO - THE BALANCE (HOSTED BY DJ SEAN BLU)

YNJ's new member D-Lo dropped his long awaited mixtape "The Balance", and got none other than the $ix Million Dollar Man, DJ Sean Blu to host it, and do what he do best!! D-Lo spits his rawness and gives the people just what they've been waiting for. He takes this project and paints a story of his life.

The Balance Front