The News Tracker

Long considered America’s premier living actress, Meryl Streep today was nominated for best actress in a motion picture, comedy, twice by the Golden Globe awards. Meryl Streep, who has been nominated for an Oscar as best actress 15 times, with two wins, may pick up a third statue in either of the two movies she has been nominated for this year: “It’s Complicated” and “Julie/Julia, ” a tour-de-farce laugh riot that once again showcases Meryl Streep’s enormous talent. While “Julie/Julia” falls in the comedy category, Meryl Streep elevates the movie to a first-rate character study of the larger-than-life cooking genius Julia Child. The movie is indeed full of laughs as one of America’s greatest theatrical talents (Meryl Streep) gives depth and breath to a person regarded as one of America’s preeminent masters in the kitchen — a double-sided bonus for audiences starved for such performances. The Golden Globes will be broadcast Jan. 17.
Continue reading “Meryl Streep adds to her theatrical legacy” »

Reading like the whose who of Heisman Trophy candidates, the Associated Press All America football team released today is dominated by the newest Southeastern Conference candidate for the unofficial college football championship title, the Alabama Crimson Tide. Alabama has five players on the team and four of the five Heisman Trophy finalists, including winner Mark Ingram of Alabama, made the team with three of them in the backfield — Ingram, Colt McCoy of Texas and Toby Gerhart of Stanford. Texas, which faces Alabama in the national title game in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 7, placed three players on the team and the 2008 champion Florid Gators placed two members on the team. Here are the offensive and defensive players on the first team, as announced by the AP today:
Continue reading “Alabama dominates annual Associated Press All-America football team” »

As if Home Depot wasn’t already the nation’s source for home repair, President Barack Obama boosted the company’s image Dec. 15, by trudging down one of the store’s aisles and proclaiming that “insulation is sexy.” Stressing that saving energy (and thus money) through conservation efforts is a worthwhile goal, President Obama issued a call for Congress to provide some new, yet temporary, incentives that give American homeowners and business owners the ability to make investments in their homes, factories and businesses to get the economy moving again through green jobs initiatives. The movement comes as major nations around the world gather in Copenhagen to reaffirm some of the Kyoto conference strides more than a decade ago and embark on new programs that would help reduce the threat of global warming. Continue reading “President Obama says “insulation is sexy” during visit to Home Depot” »

Planning to fly to the continent during the holidays, eh? Better check with British Airways to see how the company’s employee strike could affect your travel schedule first. British Airways reported on its company web site that it is trying to rework its scheduled flights after more than 12,500 employees voted overwhelmingly to quit work on Dec. 22 for 12 days. A two-year pay freeze and a reduction in cabin-crew numbers on long flights was enough incentive for 92.5 percent of British Airways employees to approve a labor stoppage. A plan to eliminate 3,000 job in the spring also contributed to the vote to strike, company officials said. Continue reading “British Airways strike could disrupt holiday travel” »

One thing that most observers agree on when it comes to Tiger Woods is that the world’s No. 1 golfer will survive the devastating implications of the publicity brought upon him concerning alleged affairs with more than a dozen woman and Tiger will come back stronger than ever. While some sponsors have packed their bags and said good riddance to handing out millions to Tiger Woods, the smart ones like Nike, Gillette and the Swiss watchmaker Tag Heuer are taking a more cautious attitude and apparently will try to ride out the storm, according to media reports. It is probably a wise move because those who stick around now will be have greater leverage with Tiger Woods than those who have abandoned him during his turmoils and self-imposed “indefinite” exile from the game. When he returns (and he will return, you can bet on that) odds are he will be even more popular than he has been, if that is indeed possible. The smart money is for sponsors to stick with Tiger Woods and wait until he returns. Continue reading “Sponsors are wise to keep low profile and stay with Tiger Woods” »

Sen. Joe Lieberman, an Independent U.S. senator from Connecticut, is the new lightning rod in for Democrats and proponents of health care reform being pushed by President Obama. Lieberman reaffirmed his independent status on Sunday by vigorously opposing the Medicarse buy-in provision for those as young as 55 and government-run health insurance. Without Liberman, the Democrats are in danger of losing the 60 votes they need in the Senate to assure passage of a health care bill, especially before the end of the year the president wants. A former Democrat, Lieberman turn independent and was return to the Senate. If he remains opposed to health care reform, Democrats are also fearful that former supporters Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Neb., and Republicans Olympia Snow and Susan Collins of Maine will also jump ship. It may become impossible for health care reform to be passed before the end of the year. Continue reading “Sen. Lieberman’s opposition jeopardizes health care reform passage” »

With tears running down his cheeks, a visibly moved and surprised running back from Alabama Crimson Tide claimed the 2009 Heisman Trophy as the best college football player in America. Sophomore Mark Ingram became the first Alabama football player to win the coveted Heisman Trophy in the history of the voting. Standford running back Toby Gerhart finished second and Texas quarterback Colt McCoy was third in voting for the Heisman Trophy. Rounding out the top-five vote getters were Nebraska defensive lineman Ndamakong Suh and Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, who won the Heisman Trophy as a sophomore two years ago and has been invited to New York for the ceremony for three straight years. In accepting the award, Ingram broke down before managing to thank God for giving him the talent to become a football player and then proceeded to thank everyone who accompanied him to New York for the Heisman Trophy award ceremony. Continue reading “Alabama running back Mark Ingram claims 2009 Heisman Trophy award.” »

Who is going to win the Heisman Trophy today as the nation’s best college football player? Only one thing seems for certain right now, and that is that the Heisman Trophy will not belong to Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, once considered a shoo-in until that blow on the head during the Kentucky game this year. The best bet to win the Heisman Trophy this year revolves around three players — Texas’ quarterback Colt McCoy, Nebraska defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh and Alabama running back Mark Ingram. Let’s rule out Standford running back Toby Gerhart from winning the Heisman Trophy, not because he didn’t have a great season but because he didn’t much national exposure. You could say the same thing about Suh except for his exhibition of football dominance against Texas that has him in the conversation as a Heisman Trophy winner. Ingram played well in the SEC championship game and would appear to have a legitimate shot at the Heisman Trophy, except that a lot of people are saying he isn’t even the best player on his team, and possibly not the best running back either. Despite the bad showing against Nebraska, McCoy seems to have built up enough good will among the voters to prevail. We will see about 9:15 o’clock tonight when the Heisman Trophy is announced. Continue reading “Heisman Trophy winner is down to a three-way battle between McCoy, Suh and Ingram” »

Stardom may be only a photo shoot away for Tiger Woods’ reputed first mistress, Rachel Uchitel. The New York nightclub hostess is reportedly ready to complete negotiations with Playboy magazine, apparently for a lot of money! No kidding! Who says playing around with golfers, specifically Tiger Woods, doesn’t payoff. In addition, a connection to Uchitel’s attorney has said that Tiger Woods paid her more than $1 million to keep quiet about the affair. The story of Tiger Woods’ affair with Uchitel fist appeared in the National Enquirer. Since then, as many as 13 other women have come forward to claim they have been with Tiger Woods as well. Now, it is being reported that Tiger Woods will agree to stay away from golf for a while and work toward improving marital relations with his wife. Good luck with that, Tiger! Continue reading “Uchitel to pose for Playboy while Tiger takes break from golf” »

If you can believe what one of Tiger Woods’ alleged mistresses is saying, Tiger was very open about his relationship with Las Vegas cocktail waitress Jamie Jungers, she told “NBC’s The Today Show” today. “We went places together; people were taking our photographs in the nightclubs,” the nydailynews.com reported in the latest Tiger Woods revelation. Another reputed Tiger Woods mistress, Michelle Braun, told the cable news company that Tiger Wood often would spend $30,000 to $40,000 on women in a weekend when he was in a golf tournament. Continue reading “Tiger Woods didn’t try to keep relationship secret” »