Model Olympian: Boyd Martin Boyd Martin saw the embers and smelled the smoke, the calm Pennsylvania night turned deadly by a fire in the hay-filled barn. There were 11 horses in that structure last Memorial Day, all of them special to Martin in one way or another. None more than the horse named Neville Bardos. Martin took a low-risk chance 10 years ago when he bought Neville Bardos for $850, figuring he'd either turn a little profit out of the failed racehorse or give him away to some kid whose family couldn't afford such a luxury. Either way, it would be a better fate than what awaited Neville Bardos otherwise. "Had I not got hold of him, he would've ended up as dog food," Martin ... Continue reading →
The New Orleans Times-Picayune, which distinguished itself amid great adversity during Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath, is about to enact large staff cuts and may cut back its print publishing schedule to several days a week, according to two employees with knowledge of the plans.Newhouse Newspapers, which owns the Times-Picayune, will apparently be working off a blueprint the company used in Ann Arbor, Mich., where it reduced the frequency of the Ann Arbor News, emphasized the Web site as a primary distributor of news and in the process instituted wholesale layoffs to cut costs.A request for comment from the newspaper’s editor, Jim Amoss, late Wednesday night was not returned.The plans have been kept under wraps, but the newspaper will likely cease to exist as a ... Continue reading →
Once billed as the Eighth Wonder of the World, the Astrodome is in the spotlight again as the leader and staff of the agency that runs the facility are set to make a recommendation on its future. (May 23) Continue reading →
The new trailer for the Sam Mendes-directed "Skyfall" reveals James Bond engaging in wordplay. The opening sequence initially appears to be an interrogation of Bond (Daniel Craig), but we're thinking it's actually a psychological evaluation. The fact that M (Judi Dench) and new character Gareth Mallory (Ralph Fiennes) -- whose ultimate allegiance seems questionable -- are looking on while Bond receives a barrage of keywords seems telling. Does Bond suffer a mental breakdown that leads to this mysterious back-and-forth? It's not totally clear, but we do notice Bond is the only one in this sequence not wearing a suit -- which is completely out of character. In fact, he appears to be some sort of government-issued onesie. [Video: Watch a behind-the-scenes 'Skyfall' video blog] Here ... Continue reading →
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) -- The University of Notre Dame is suing Obama administration officials over the mandate requiring most employers to cover birth control. The school said Monday that the mandate violates religious freedom by requiring many religiously affiliated hospitals, schools and charities to comply. President Barack Obama offered to soften the mandate to accommodate religious groups, but U.S. Roman Catholic bishops say the change doesn't go far enough. Other religious colleges are already suing the Health and Human Service agency and administration officials over the mandate. Still, observers had been closely watching for Notre Dame's next step. The university is the most prominent Roman Catholic school in the country. Notre Dame came under then unprecedented criticism from U.S. bishops and others in 2009 ... Continue reading →
