No air conditioning? How can you sleep??a friend asks, horrified. I’ve just revealed that my family has decided to turn the air conditioner off and trim our electric bill.
“Nobody opens a window, day or night,” warns another friend, whose windows have been painted shut for a decade. “It’s just not safe.?On this first night of our cost cutting adventure, it’s 30 degrees. We’re not going to suffer, but the three kids grumble anyway. They’ve grown up in 22-degree comfort, insulated from the world outside.
“How do you open these windows??my husband asks. Jiggling the metal tabs, he finally releases one. A potpourri* of bug bodies decorates the sill. As we spring the windows one by one, the night noises howl outside – and in.
“It’s just too hot to sleep,” my 13-year-old daughter complains.
“I’m about to die from this heat,” her brother yells down the passage.
“Just try it tonight,” I tell them.
In truth I’m too tired to argue for long. I’m exhausted after attending Grandma’s estate auction. I toted home her oval tin bathtub and the chair I once stood on like a big shot behind the counter of her shop, packing chocolate and rolling coins.
My face is sweaty, but I lie quietly listening to the cricket choirs outside that remind me of childhood. The neighbour’s dog howls. Probably a trespassing squirrel. It’s been years since I’ve taken the time to really listen to the night.
I think about Grandma, who lived to 92 and still supervised Mum’s gardening until just a few weeks before she died.
And then, I’m back there at her house in the summer heat of my childhood.
I move my pillow to the foot of Grandma’s bed and angle my face towards the open window. I flip the pillow, hunting for the cooler side.
Grandma sees me thrashing. “If you’ll just watch for the breeze,” she says, “you’ll cool off and fall asleep.?She cranks up the Venetian blinds. I stare at the filmy white curtain, willing it to flutter.
Lying still, waiting, I suddenly notice the life outside the window. The bug chorus shouts, “Ajooga! Ajooga!?Neighbours, sitting on their verandas until late, speak in hazy words with sanded edges that soothe me.
“Keep watching for the breeze,” Grandma says softly, and I’m h-huh?in reply. Bugs ping the screen. Three blocks away a train rumbles by. I catch the scent of fresh grass clippings. Then I hear something I can’t decode – perhaps a tree branch raking the shingles on the shop roof next door.
Sleepy-eyed now, I focus on the curtain. It flutters…
“Mum, did you hear that?”my seven-year-old blurts. “I think it was an owl family.?”
Probably,” I tell him.Just keep listening…?
Without the droning air conditioner, the house is oddly peaceful, and the unfiltered night noises seem close enough to touch.
I hope I’m awake tonight when the first breeze sneaks in.

WASHINGTON – Former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said Monday people “are hyperventilating” about his assertion that politics played a role in talk of raising the terror alert before the 2004 elections.
“A consensus was reached. We didn’t go up. The process worked,” Ridge said in an interview on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”
The former Pennsylvania governor, however, did not take back the statement in his new book, “The Test of Our Times: America Under Siege,” that he worried at the time that politics was a consideration in discussions among high-level officials about whether to raise the color-coded terror alert to a higher level. He acknowledged there was a lively debate about it, but repeated that it was not done, and thus not an issue.
Ridge said his concern at the time of the internal Bush administration discussions was to be “absolutely certain” that divergent points of view were heard and that people had their say.
On another matter, he said he agreed with former Vice President Dick Cheney’s criticism of the Obama administration’s decision to conduct a review of terrorism-era detainee interrogation practices during the Bush years.
Ridge said he thought it “would be criminal” for the new administration to seek to prosecute people who likely believed they were acting within the law and with proper authority at the time the interrogations were carried out.

Newlyweds Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan — Celebrity Couple, Young Money in California (2009, People Mag)

Here’s the 2009 celebrity news scoop about GI Joe’s Channing Tatum and where he and new bride Jenna Dewan have been known to stomp around. The co-stars of the major motion picture “Step Up” chose to tie the knot on a gorgeous parcel of land in in star struck Malibu, California at a wedding that featured a fairy theme. Not fairy tale — fairies. Literally. (more…)

SAN FRANCISCO — At least one of Miguel Tejada’s former teammates doesn’t believe that he tipped opponents off to pitches while playing for the A’s in 2001, as reported this weekend by the New York Times.

“He’s not that kind of player, I don’t think,” Barry Zito told FanHouse on Sunday morning. “I don’t think he’s the kind of player who would take his Latin pride over his teammates.”

Zito, who played with Tejada in Oakland from 2000 to 2003, said he did not even remember the reported meeting in which the A’s discussed their suspicions of Tejada. Zito suggested that he might not have been involved in the meeting if the was the starting pitcher that day.

Tejada, now with the Astros, denied the allegations in 2001, and again on Sunday to mlb.com.
“I’ve never tipped pitches,” said Tejada. “I love this game and that’s not the way I play it. I’m a proud player. I would never do such a thing. It’s tough to get a hit. And for me to tip pitches to anybody, that’s crazy. I play for my team.”
The Times cited several players from the ‘01 A’s who recalled the meeting. They said there was no proof, but players became suspicious that, in lopsided games, Tejada was helping his friends by tipping pitches and failing to go after balls they hit. The story specifically mentioned a series against the Blue Jays in which Tejada and fellow Dominican Tony Batista each had big games.
More significant in the eyes of some of the players was an incident in the second game of the series. Tejada did not get to an easy ground ball Batista hit off reliever Mark Guthrie with the Athletics leading, 8-2. When the inning was over, A’s players fumed on the bench.
Former A’s infielder Frank Menechino told the Times that veteran Ron Gant helped calm the situation by bringing the issue to the forefront.
“I think Ron Gant calmed it down before it snowballed into anything big,” said Menechino, now the hitting instructor for the Class AA Trenton Thunder. “Like: ‘Hey, man, we can’t worry about what the other teams are doing in this league. But we can’t pull the Dominican guys out of our team and suspect them of anything until we catch them.’ He basically calmed everything down. Everything was fine after that. I seriously can’t prove, say, yes or no, that guys were doing it. But who knows?”
Similar allegations were levied against Alex Rodriguez in Selena Roberts’ book, “A-Rod.”

The sex-based selling of “Hanna Montana” star Miley Cyrus continues after her controversial song and dance number at the Teen Choice Awards, which featured her use of a “stripper pole”as a key part of the production. Now, it’s rumored by some and confirmed as true by other media outlets that the 16-year old pop star is to have a roll in the “Sex and The City” sequel.

I am frankly amazed over how this obvious marketing campaign is unfolding with amazing success. First, in June she signs with WalMart to have her own special line of clothing for sale designed by Max Arela, then there’s the dance pole matter, and now this. That’s buzz and to intensify the issue, WalMart’s running commercials announcing her clothing line. It’s clear just from a glance at Google Trends, Cyrus is on a buzz tear and she’s taking WalMart,

The Vanity Fair photo issue still ranks as the highest buzz generator in her history, but 2009 has seen more sustained internet chatter and content related to her than ever before. And the formula is clear: music, fashion, and sex in different variations fed as a steady diet to a hungry public and to drive teenage girls into WalMart just in time for “back-to-school”. With all the attention paid to the discussion of her Teen Choice Awards dance routine and her use of the pole, one would thing Cyrus drew the attention of older men – actually she, in political terms, solidified her base: the YouTube videos on the subject all have captured the 13-17 year old female demographic group and the male group.

What this proves is not so much that sex sells, but we’ve gotten to a point where we’re using teenagers to do it, openly. Equally amazing is the development bothers few, certainly not to the point of even putting a dent in the buzz machine she’s got going. It’s wild.

Given some of the stories my friends who are teacher have told me about what goes on with students and sex in middle schools, we may be totally out of touch with what’s normal to that group. To them the poll dance was nothing and Miley can do no wrong at all. But where all of this is going is that that same group of teenagers will flock to see her in Sex and The City 2 (if the rumors are confirmed), drawing them into a movie that would seem to have nothing to do with them. I’ve got to get a hold of that movie’s script because it’s can’t play to the form of the past and have Cyrus in it, right?

What are they going to do, work in the whole Vanity Fair photo controversy all over again with Sam as the PR client for Miley? Hmmm…

Perhaps they should add Perez Hilton to the cast if only to keep her tweets honest. Witness this Twitter exchange:

@mileycyrus Maybe. But it seems more like selfishness/personal issues than sharing wisdom. Just saying what it can be perceived like. about 5 hours ago from web in reply to mileycyrus

@PerezHilton I don’t see the harm in sharing someone else’s wisdom. about 5 hours ago from UberTwitter in reply to PerezHilton

A junior college player who recently signed with Grambling State has died after he became ill at a preseason practice more than a week ago.

Grambling spokesman Ralph Wilson said 21-year-old Henry White died at a Shreveport hospital Wednesday.

Grambling said in a statement he became ill Aug. 14 after conditioning. The statement says Grambling is investigating what may have contributed to White’s death.

The 6-6 guard played last season at Hill Junior College in Texas.

White was a prep standout at Washington High in Milwaukee. He played his freshman year at Marshalltown Community College in Iowa before transferring to Hill College.

The 36th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards — honoring the best in daytime television — hit Hollywood’s historic Orpheum Theatre. Host Vanessa Williams kicked things off with a dance with actor Gilles Marini — a frontrunner on ABC’s Dancing With The Stars last season. Rachael Ray and The Tyra Banks Show won the talk show categories at the Daytime Emmy Awards for the second consecutive year. Maury was robbed!!

Check out which of your other daytime favorites picked up Emmys at this year’s ceremony….

Entertainment Talk Show- “Rachael Ray”

Supporting Actor in a Drama Series- Vincent Irizarry, “All My Children” and Jeff Branson, “Guiding Light”

Supporting Actress in a Drama Series- Tamara Braun, “Days of Our Lives”

Informative Talk Show- “The Tyra Banks Show”

Younger Actor in a Drama Series- Darin Brooks, “Days of Our Lives”

Morning Show- “Good Morning America”

Lifetime Achievement Award – “Sesame Street”

Younger Actress in a Drama Series- Julie Berman, “General Hospital”

Game-Audience Participation Show- “Cash Cab”

Talk Show Host- Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Sherri Shepherd and Barbara Walters, “The View”

Writing Team in a Drama Series- “General Hospital”

Directing in a Drama Series- “One Life to Live”

Performer in a Children’s Series- Kevin Clash as Elmo, “Sesame Street”

Game Show Host- Meredith Vieira, “Who Wants to be a Millionaire”

Lead Actress in a Drama Series- Susan Haskell, “The Bold and the Beautiful”

Lead Actor in a Drama Series- Christian LeBlanc, “The Young and the Restless”

Daytime Drama- “The Bold and the Beautiful”

As the sport of mixed martial arts continues to grow at an incredible rate, so too does the talent pool from which the UFC has to choose from when fine tuning its roster. As a result, most fighters get a little nervous about their future after losing back-to-back fights inside the Octagon.

Then again, Randy Couture isn’t like most fighters.

On the heels of his unanimous decision loss to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 102 on August 29, the hall-of-famer and five-time champion has confirmed a new UFC contract that will secure his services for up to six fights in the span of 28 months.

The new deal supersedes his contract from September 2008, when “The Natural” returned from a bitter contract dispute to defend his title against Brock Lesnar at UFC 91.

The 11-month legal drama began when Couture faxed in his resignation from a South African movie set in late 2007, citing poor pay, lack of respect and a desire to fight Fedor Emelianenko — a high-profile free agent who the UFC was unable to sign.

He sat on the sidelines for almost a year, hoping that his legal team could find him a way out of his ironclad contract. The Zuffa legal machine proved insurmountable, and Captain America probably got tired of waiting while his biological clock ticked away.

The champ returned and it’s been water under the bridge ever since.

The former division kingpin had one fight remaining after UFC 102 under the old deal, but with these new terms, Couture will finish his career under the Zuffa umbrella, effectively ending any chance of a future fight with Strikeforce attraction Fedor Emelianenko.

From Couture:

“We just signed a new contract, today (August 29). 28 months, six more fights. The opportunity to stay with the organization was my motivation. The way things are going this is the place to be. I intend to finish my career here in the UFC. I’m going to take it one fight at a time as I did 12 years ago when I started this thing. I’ll see where that goes. I’m interested in interesting fights. There’s a lot of guys in both divisions that are interesting to fight.”

The loss to Nogueira pretty much eliminates a rematch with Brock Lesnar — but that doesn’t mean opportunities don’t exist outside of a title fight.

A fight against Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic is likely to generate some fan interest and Couture has flirted with the idea of dropping back down to 205-pounds to mix it up with some of the division’s elite.

The clock may be ticking, but he has an uncanny ability to rise to the occasion on fight night, leveraging his experience, knowledge and skill to put together (and execute) winning gameplans. Put simply, Randy Couture has proven over time that he can never be counted out.

The terms of his new agreement were not disclosed, but it’s probable that his deal mirrors the recent ink on Lesnar’s long term contract, designed to lock up the pay-per-view draw and prevent a future fight with anyone lurking in San Jose.

Randy is now a permanent fixture inside the Octagon and I think Dana White said it best: “Whatever he wants to do, I’m in.”

 Sunday’s Oklahoman, which includes TV Week, hits the newsstands in the Oklahoma City area on Saturday afternoon. And it arrives at the doorstep (or hopefully nearby) early Sunday morning.
   But for those who can’t wait to begin planning the upcoming week around the best TV has to offer, here is a sneak peek at programs worth watching the week of Sept. 5:
NOTE: Times are CST (for EST, add one hour)

SUNDAY AUG. 30, 2009
◊“The 36th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards” (7 p.m. on CW): From the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles, actress Vanessa Williams hosts the annual festivities honoring the best performances and behind-the-scenes craftsmanship in daytime television. “Sesame Street” is honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
◊“Ann Rule’s Everything She Ever Wanted” (6 p.m. on Lifetime Movie Network): Gina Gershon stars as Pat Allanson, who is determined to become part of Atlanta’s elite high society. But nothing is ever enough to satisfy her overwhelming greed and insatiable thirst for power and status. Part 2 airs Monday.
◊“Army Wives” (9 p.m. on Lifetime): Michael and Emmalin are puzzled when Claudia Joy informs them that she does not want her friends or anyone on base to find out about her medical condition.
◊“Cold Case” (8:59 p.m. on CBS): During the team’s investigation of the 2005 murder of the first female cadet of a local military school, suspects abound as they discover how brutally she was treated from Day One by an array of resentful male cadets and school officials. Hits by Pearl Jam will be featured throughout the episode. Daniel Baldwin (”Grey Gardens”) and Jesse Plemons (”Friday Night Lights”) guest star.
◊“Defying Gravity” (9 p.m. on ABC): Drawing closer to the orbit of Venus, some members of the Antares crew struggle with guilt and experience vivid repercussions of past actions, while a serious accident puts the life of a teammate in danger, uniting everyone in the desperate endeavor to save her.
◊“Drop Dead Diva” (8 p.m. on Lifetime): Deb is faced with attending Jane’s high school reunion and finds her work cut out for her when she has to prove a man’s sanity when she is hired by an eccentric business man. Marla Sokoloff (“The Practice”) and Gregory Harrison (“Trapper John, M.D.”) guest star.
◊“Futurama” (8 p.m. on Comedy Central): New episodes of the Emmy-winning animated series (1999-2003 on Fox) will premiere in 2010 on Comedy Central. Kicking things off is this four-hour movie titled “Into the Green Yonder,” in which Turanga Leela teams up with an environmentally aware feminist group to save an asteroid filled with primitive life forms.
◊“Masterpiece Mystery!” (8 p.m. on OETA-13): In the new episode “Inspector Lewis, Series II: And the Moonbeams Kiss the Sea,” Lewis and Hathaway are led to a gambling addiction group when they investigate the murders of a gifted Oxford fine arts student and a library maintenance engineer.
◊“Multitude of Multiples” (7 p.m. on TLC): Three families — the Carpios in New York City, the Tabbs in San Antonio and the Wilkinsons in Austin, Texas — experience the dangerous business of giving birth to and raising multiples.
◊“Shark Tank” (8 p.m. on ABC): Entrepreneurs seek investments for a graffiti removal service, a lucrative childcare product and an internet idea.
◊TCM Summer Under the Stars: Jean Arthur is today’s star in this month-long celebration of Hollywood’s most enduring personalities, and among her films airing are 1934’s “Whirlpool” (9:30 a.m.), 1953’s “Shane” (1 p.m.) and 1938’s “You Can’t Take It With You” (7 p.m.).
◊“True Blood” (8 p.m. on HBO): With events in Bon Temps spiraling out of control, Bill seeks the advice of Sophie-Anne (Evan Rachel Wood, “Once and Again”), the vampire queen of Louisiana.
◊“TV One Night Only: Live From the Essence Music Festival” (7 p.m. on TV One): This two-hour special features performances from the 15th annual Essence Music Festival held last July in New Orleans. Artists scheduled to appear include Beyonce, Anita Baker, Robin Thicke, John Legend, Al Greene, Ne-Yo, Teena Marie, En Vogue, Charlie Wilson, Salt N Pepa and Jazmine Sullivan.
◊“The Tyra Banks Show Special” (5 p.m. on CW): In celebration of the daytime talk show’s move to The CW on Sept. 7, this special counts down the show’s top 10 most memorable moments of the past four seasons. 
◊“Viva El Sueno (Live the Dream)” (7 p.m. on Univision): Cristian de la Fuente (”In Plain Sight”) hosts this new music competition series that gives viewers the chance to select Latin music’s next big superstar from among the 14 contestants – professional artists from the U.S., Spain and Latin America who have not yet had their big break.

Aston Villa made light work of an unusually disappointing Fulham side as Martin O’Neill’s men recorded a comfortable 2-0 Premier League victory at Villa Park on Sunday.

The Cottagers, who were missing attacking personnel due to injuries, struggled to find their usual groove as their midweek trip to Russia appeared to take its toll on Roy Hodgson’s charges.

Villa, who were also in Europa League action on Thursday, took just three minutes to break the deadlock when John Paintsil diverted Ashley Young’s near-post corner into his own net.

Fulham failed to mount any threat of a comeback and the result was sealed 14 minutes into the second half as Gabriel Agbonlahor rifled home left-footed from 20 yards out.

Bounced back
It was the perfect pick-up for Villa after failing to qualify for the group stage of the Europa League after being beaten on away goals by Rapid Vienna.

The Cottagers struggled to cope with the pace of Agbonlahor and Ashley Young plus the accurate passing of James Milner while Nigel Reo-Coker and Steve Sidwell offered good support from midfield.

Villa’s territorial dominance was such that goalkeeper Brad Friedel was a virtual spectator for the entire 90 minutes and 19-year-old central defender Ciaran Clark was able to make an assured debut.

Fulham looked pedestrian and lethargic after their own European exertions against Amkar Perm in Russia in mid-week and they missed the industry of injured midfielder Danny Murphy and front duo Andy Johnson and Bobby Zamora.

Villa needed only three minutes to break the deadlock but they were given a helping hand by their former defender Aaron Hughes and Fulham keeper Mark Schwarzer in setting up the goal.

Hughes sent a careless back pass towards Schwarzer who could only slice the ball out of play for a corner.

Young’s corner was flicked on by Carlos Cuellar and Cottagers defender Paintsil could only head the ball into his own net at the near post when under immense pressure from Agbonlahor.

Fulham were knocked out of their stride by this early setback and Sidwell was only just too high with a curling effort after Agbonlahor had turned a dangerous ball from Nicky Shorey into his path.

Villa were finding plenty of space down their left flank with Agbonlahor and Young looking to put Hughes and Paintsil under pressure.

Shorey’s through ball picked out the run of Agbonlahor and his low dangerous cross was turned away by Paul Konchesky at full stretch.

Senior bow
Sidwell then got on the end of a Young free-kick but directed his header wide and then Clark missed a good chance to mark his debut with a goal after 24 minutes.

The England Under 19 international was unmarked when he got on the end of a Young corner but sent his header over the bar.

Fulham midfielder Dickson Etuhu was relieved in trying to clear a Young corner when his header bounced over his own crossbar.

Etuhu was guilty of a series of fouls and in the 39th minute became the first player to be yellow carded by referee Steve Bennett for bringing down Villa skipper Stiliyan Petrov.

Then Fulham newcomer Jonathan Greening was also cautioned for chopping down Milner.

Schwarzer had a brief fitness test before play resumed and seemed to have a problem with his left thigh. There was a cagey opening to the second period although a fierce shot from Erik Nevland was blocked by Clark full in the face.

Dempsey was only just too high with a fierce 25 yard free-kick after Petrov had brought down Diomansy Kamara.

Milner showed positive intent but drilled his shot well wide from a narrow angle.

Then after 59 minutes Villa gave themselves a two goal cushion with Agbonlahor’s splendid goal.

Milner played the ball inside to the England striker who bore down on the Fulham box before beating Schwarzer with a fierce 20 yard drive.

O’Neill brought on striker John Carew in place of the impressive Reo-Coker with 20 minutes remaining.

Sidwell picked up a late booking for a challenge on Dempsey.