The News Of …

The comic Gallagher (known for smashing watermelons) is “slowly recovering” from a heart attack suffered just before he was to perform at a Texas club, his promotional manager said Thursday.
“We will not know the outcome until sometime tomorrow” – Christine Scherrer said.
Gallagher (65) is in stable condition at an undisclosed Dallas-area hospital, Scherrer said.
He was about to go onstage Wednesday at Hat Tricks, a Lewisville, Texas, club, when he fell ill and was taken to a hospital by paramedics, she said.
“His family is with him and Hat Tricks has been unbelievable with the help and support with everything” – Scherrer said.
His shows in Texas, Oklahoma and Oregon scheduled through next week have been postponed, she said.

Gallagher.

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Calvin Johnson said he was watching “SportsCenter” with a friend when news of the New Orleans Saints’ bounty program broke earlier this month.
“I didn’t think anything of it when I heard it” – Johnson said today at his news conference to announce a new, eight-year contract. “I was watching ‘SportsCenter’ with one of my boys – he plays ball, too – and we were like: ‘That’s part of the game. It’s nothing new.’”
Johnson said he has felt targeted in games before but said: “I don’t know,” when asked whether he thought the Saints targeted him in their two games this season.
“I remember there was some talk around there, but I don’t really pay too much attention to it. I just go play” – he said.
Days before their January playoff meeting, former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who’s accused of administering and contributing to the team’s bounty pool in 2009-11, talked of defending the 6-foot-5 Johnson and his team’s aggressive style of play.
“Guys that are 6-5 end up being 5-5 when they get flipped over on their head” – Williams told nola.com. “They didn’t say the rule says the ground couldn’t hurt their head. So we’ve got to find ways to make the ground be a part of it. You know, we won’t make helmet-to-helmet contact.”
Johnson was asked whether he ever has received money for delivering a big block in his five seasons with the Lions.
“We used to do that, but now it’s just expected out of us” – he said. “Our coach Shawn (Jefferson), all that’s expected from us. He keeps it tough on us, but they expect greatness out of us.”

Calvin Johnson.

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Jennie Garth and Peter Facinelli say they are divorcing after 11 years. In a statement Tuesday – the couple said they decided to end their marriage but share “the same deep love and devotion to our children.”
Garth and Facinelli said they remain “dedicated to raising our beautiful daughters together,” and asked for privacy and respect. The Southern California couple are parents to 14-year-old Luca, 9-year-old Lola and 5-year-old Fiona.
The 39-year-old Garth came to fame in the 1990′s TV series “Beverly Hills, 90210″ and appeared in the 2008-10 sequel. The 38-year-old Facinelli is a co-star in the “Twilight” movie franchise. The couple married in Jan. 2001. Garth competed in “Dancing With the Stars” in 2007, with Facinelli applauding her from the audience.

Peter Facinelli and Jennie Garth.

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Randy Moss’ return to the NFL is significant. Considering all the dominos that are about to fall around the league when free agency begins Tuesday at 4 p.m. E.T., Moss’ one-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers reveals a lot about the open NFL job market, and not just about the 49ers’ woeful passing game last season.
The acquisition of Moss is a clear indication of how critical wide receivers in the NFL have become, particularly ones who are tall. As Moss was wrapping up his incentive-laden deal with the 49ers, the New Orleans Saints were working feverishly to get Marques Colston signed to a new contract before he hits free agency.
Once free agency officially begins, look for Vincent Jackson to quickly sign a deal that could be worth in the area of 12 million dollars a year. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears and Buffalo Bills are all expected to make a serious push for Jackson, who would still like to stay in San Diego if the Chargers make a remotely reasonable offer. The Washington Redskins were expected to also be in the mix but it is unclear how much Monday’s salary cap penalty affects their free agency plans.
Last week, the Bills went out on a limb by re-signing wide receiver Stevie Johnson to a five-year deal that averaged more than 7 million dollars a year.
What do Moss, Colston, Jackson and Johnson have in common? Each is at least 6-foot-2.
Height and good hands can be found on the top four scoring teams in the NFL last season – New Orleans, the New England Patriots, Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions. The Saints had Colston and 6-foot-6 tight end Jimmy Graham. New England has 6-6 tight end Rob Gronkowski. Green Bay has 6-3 wide receiver Jordy Nelson and 6-5 tight end Jermichael Finley. The Lions have this guy nicknamed Megatron. Maybe you’ve heard of 6-5 Calvin Johnson.

Randy Moss.

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In her first interview since Whitney Houston’s death, daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown said she’s “doing as good as I possibly can” and recalled the tender last moments she shared with her superstar mother before her sudden death last month.
“She’s always with me” – said the 19-year-old, Houston’s only child and sole heir. “Her spirit is strong, it’s a strong spirit. I feel her pass through me all the time.”
Brown made the comments in an interview with Oprah Winfrey on Winfrey’s network, OWN, that also featured Pat Houston – the singer’s manager and sister-in-law, and Gary Houston – the brother of Whitney Houston.
Brown credited her family and God for helping her cope since her mother’s death on Feb. 11 at the age of 48.
“It comes in waves. One moment I can be happy and laughing, but then it comes over me. It’s my mom” – she said.
Houston, who had struggled with drugs and alcohol in the past but according to family had been apparently clean, was found in a bathtub at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., on the eve of the Grammys. She was to attend a pre-Grammy party the night she died.
Brown said the night before her mother’s death, she asked Houston to spend the night with her.
“I slept in her arms all day, all night long” – said Brown, whose father is singer Bobby Brown.
Pat Houston said in the days before Houston died, the singer had not been abusing drugs, despite reports that she had been acting erratically. She said an event she attended two days before her death where Houston looked disheveled was particularly difficult because the legendary performer got into a verbal spat with a former contestant on the “X Factor.” Pat Houston would not name the woman, but Stacy Francis has said that she and Whitney Houston had words that night.
According to Pat Houston, Francis “made herself present everywhere we were,” unnerving Houston and leading to an argument.

Bobbi Kristina Brown.

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Before the results are announced for the Republican caucuses in Kansas, it was confirmed that former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney would pick nine delegates in Guam and another nine in the Northern Mariana Islands.
Although the United States Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam will not garner much attention akin to Saturday night’s Kansas caucuses or this week’s Super Tuesday event, they will contribute 27 delegates – a significant portion in this primary season.
It was announced Saturday that former Governor Mitt Romney would be awarded nine delegates in Guam. The vote was unanimous as 207 of the 215 registered Republications at their annual convention supported Romney.
Guam’s delegates represent a fraction of the 1.144 delegates needed to win and they are unpledged as well. Nevertheless, as the Romney campaign pointed out, it is another milestone for the former governor and his quest for the GOP nomination.
“I am grateful to have won all nine delegates in Guam, and I am pleased that my son Matt was able to visit the island on my behalf and be there for the caucuses” – said Romney in a press release. “The people of Guam have always stood bravely for America and the values we hold dear. Today we stand together in our efforts to secure the future that this nation deserves.”

Mitt Romney.

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Dennis Quaid and his wife, Kimberly Buffington-Quaid, are headed for a divorce after nearly eight years of marriage.
TMZ obtained a divorce petition filed by the actor’s wife that states – “The marriage has become insupportable because of discord or conflict of personalities … that destroys the legitimate ends of the marriage relationship and prevents any reasonable expectation of reconciliation.”
A rep later released a statement announcing the news – “We can confirm that Kimberley Quaid has filed for divorce. Contrary to what has been reported, a satisfactory settlement is being worked out for both parties. We will not be providing any further information on this private matter.”
TMZ earlier reported that Kimberly was seeking spousal support and attorney’s fees. There’s a temporary custody agreement for the couple’s 4-year-old twins, and Kimberly is currently living in their main residence, according to the site.
The pair tied the knot in 2004. Quaid (57) has been married twice before – first to actress P.J. Soles and then to Meg Ryan.
Quaid has a role in the upcoming film – “What to Expect When You’re Expecting,” co-starring Jennifer Lopez and Cameron Diaz.

Dennis Quaid.

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Dionne Warwick says Whitney Houston was the “little girl” she “never had”.
The 71-year-old singer – who was the late star’s cousin: explained she saw the “I Will Always Love You” hitmaker as her own daughter, and her tragic death last month still hasn’t “sunk in”.
Dionne said: “Whitney basically was the little girl I never had. She is and always will be very, very much alive here.
“It hasn’t really sunk in yet. I have not really had an opportunity to mourn or completely break down, which I will do. I know that. I think the comfort comes in knowing she’s in good hands now.”
The “That’s What Friends Are For” singer explained she spoke to Whitney on the morning of her death and the troubled star seemed “happy” and had “everything in the world to live for” as she prepared to attend a pre-Grammy function held by producer Clive Davis.
Dionne added in an interview with “Good Morning America”: “She was up and ready and happy. I spoke to her that morning.
“She said: ‘You’re here, aren’t you? You’re coming to the party, aren’t you?’ I said: ‘Yeah, I’m going to be there’ and she said: ‘Thank you, I want you to be here. You’ve got to be here for me.”
“She had everything in the world to live for. She had everything in the world to live for. She had a new film, that was an absolute dream to make and do, and completed that, thank God. She was getting ready to go back into the studio to record, she was getting her vocals together.”

Dionne Warwick.

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U.S. politics had its “Super Tuesday” yesterday, and so did the sun – says Joseph Kunches from NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center in Boulder, Colorado.
That’s because the sun had two solar flares associated with two coronal mass ejections. Coronal mass ejections involve massive amounts of energy and charged particles shooting out of the sun, and can cause problems if directed at Earth, as was the case over the last couple of days.
This event may stir up a geomagnetic storm, and lead to disruptions to high-frequency radio communications, global positioning systems and power grids, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center said Wednesday. The peak of the storm is expected to hit Thursday morning; it may gradually diminish by Friday morning.
One of these coronal mass ejections is the strongest since December 2006 – NOAA said. The equivalent of 10 billion tons of highly charged particles are hurtling at a rate of 3 million to 4 million miles an hour toward Earth. NASA says the leading edge of this coronal mass ejection will hit Earth at 1:25 a.m. E.T. (give or take seven hours).
The sun is currently in a cycle of increased sun spots. This is part of an 11-year cycle that is expected to peak over the next year. The magnetic field in a sunspot stores energy that is released in solar flares. These flares are intense bursts of radiation that get ejected into space.
NOAA measures various aspects of the ejections that occur. Four main components define solar activity – solar flares, coronal mass ejections, high-speed solar wind and solar energetic particles.
As an event occurs, some of the particles reach Earth almost immediately. These highly charged particles are more of a threat to spacecraft and astronauts than to us on the planet’s surface. The bulk plasma from the coronal mass ejection can take between 30 and 72 hours to reach the earth. This can cause interruptions to power grids, GPS systems, and some flights that are near the poles.

Solar flare.

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U.S. Rep. Donald Payne (New Jersey’s first black congressman) died yesterday after a months-long battle with colon cancer. He was 77.
Payne represented the 10th Congressional District, which encompasses parts of Bayonne and Jersey City, in addition to portions of Union and Essex counties. First elected in 1988, he vowed to seek re-election this November, even after announcing he was undergoing cancer treatment.
Hudson County politicos mourned the passing of the elder statesmen of the state’s congressional delegation, calling him a tireless public servant, a champion for all people and, above all, a gentleman.
Payne’s efforts in the areas of health care, education and human rights will “succeed him for many years to come” – said U.S. Rep. Albio Sires, who represents the 13th Congressional District.
“He was a champion for all people and believed that everyone should have the chance to realize their potential to the fullest” – he said.
Payne was hospitalized at Georgetown University Hospital, but was flown back to New Jersey on Friday. After being transported to St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, he died at about 2:30 a.m.
U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman, representing the Ninth District, called Payne “a giant.”
“He was a true pioneer and champion for civil and human rights here at home and around the world” – Rothman said.
Payne (who lived in Newark) is survived by three children, four grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Prior to his 1988 election to Congress, Payne was a school teacher, Prudential executive, Newark city councilman and Essex County freeholder.

Donald Payne.

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