5 Spectacular Pools Around The World

In the South American resort of San Alfonso del Mar in Chile, this artificial lagoon and swimming pool has been acknowledged by the Guinness Book of World Records as the the biggest and longest swimming pool in the world. The pool is 1013 metres (3,324 feet) long and covers an area of 8 hectares (19.77 acres), has a 115ft deep end and holds 66 million gallons (250,000 cubic meters ) of water. It is even navigable in small boats! The water is pumped in from the Pacific Ocean and treated before entering the pool. The water temperature is kept at 26°C. It is 9°C warmer than the adjoining sea, allowing it to be used on cold days.


This pool at the Joule hotel extends beyond the building, out over the sidewalk above the 1500 block of Main Street! The infinity-edge pool will not only provide guests with a refreshing place to cool off and relax, but it is also another eye treat adding to the cutting edge excitement downtown. Passers-by below can see swimmers, plus a nighttime light show from the 132 fiber optic lights in the pool. Rooms at the Joule, which is part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide LLC’s Luxury Collection, start at $380 a night, with the 20th-floor penthouse rising to $5,000.


Nemo 33, a diving school in Brussels, operates the world’s deepest pool which goes to a depth of over 33 meters.

Utah is in the middle of the United States, nowhere near an ocean but you can enjoy all sorts of ocean-type activities
(scuba diving, for example) in the underground pool at Homestead Resort. It’s a natural attraction formed from a limestone wall that’s filled with geothermal water. It’s healing, relaxing and totally amazing to experience.


Budapests Gellert geo thermal baths are the closest thing to how I imagine an Imperial Roman bath to have looked.

original post by amazingfacts

Caterpillar Net Tumbles; Massive Job Cuts Unveiled

Caterpillar Inc announced massive layoffs and warned of a tough year ahead as a downturn that began in the United States metastasized into a full-blown global recession, gutting orders for its earth-moving equipment. The world's largest maker of construction and mining machines, which also reported lower-than expected fourth-quarter earnings, said on Monday it was laying off 17,000 workers, and buying out 2,500 others, to reduce costs in the face of what it predicted would be the weakest year for business since the end of World War Two.

The company slashed its outlook for 2009 and seemed to raise the possibility that it would report a loss in the current quarter. The news sent Caterpillar shares skidding 8 percent in premarket trading, pulling the broader market lower.

In a statement, Jim Owens, the company's chief executive, said Caterpillar had been "whipsawed" by a rapidly deteriorating global economy and plunging commodity prices. He said the company had responded by encouraging dealers to align their inventory levels with falling volume and "they responded with significant order cancellations, particularly in December."

The layoffs and buyouts, which will hit one in every 10 of the company's regular workers and idle 8,000 contract workers, represent the biggest wave of job cuts at Caterpillar since the early 1980s, when the company was losing about $1 million a day. In addition, the company said it was freezing salaries of most employees and significantly reducing the total compensation of executives and senior managers.

"It's just a very pessimistic outlook in terms of the world economy," said Tim Ghriskey, chief investment officer of Solaris Asset Management in Bedford Hills, New York. "Clearly the building of global infrastructure has come to a grinding halt."

The company reported a fourth-quarter profit of $661 million, or $1.08 a share, compared with $975 million, or $1.50 a share, last year. Sales rose 6 percent to $12.92 billion. The company attributed the drop in profitability to significantly higher operating costs in its manufacturing operations as capacity utilization plunged. It also said a sharp decline in profit in its captive finance unit contributed to the poor showing. Analysts, on average, expected the Peoria, Illinois-based company to report a profit of $1.28 a share on sales of $11.97 billion.

After shrugging off the downturn in U.S. housing that sparked the worldwide crisis, Caterpillar and other makers of bulldozers, dump trucks and excavators have suddenly faced a world of challenges, including a drop in spending by their well-heeled energy and mining customers. Results last week from rival CNH Global NV and a profit forecast cut from Komatsu Ltd starkly confirmed that global demand for construction and mining equipment took a sharp turn down in the fourth quarter. "We knew Caterpillar was going to be a disaster." said Eli Lustgarten, an analyst at Longbow Research. "We just didn't know the magnitude of it. And it's ugly."

by James B. Kelleher for Reuters

Sprint Announces Whopping Layoffs

Sprint is cutting 14 percent of its workforce, about 8,000 jobs, in a plan to slash labor costs by $1.2 billion a year, reports Reuters. The savings will go toward paying down its $600 million debt due in May and another $2.4 billion due in 2010.

It appears no one is safe as cuts will affect all levels of the company and various geographies. The company says most of the cuts will occur by March 31.

According to the Associated Press, Sprint also will stop paying 401(k) retirement matching funds, extend a freeze on salary increases and put its tuition reimbursement program on hold.

In November, the company said its wireless subscriber base fell by 1.3 million. Shortly after that announcement, Sprint said it would close a number of call centers as part of its cost cutting efforts.

original post by KaraReeder of ITBusinessEdge

Home Depot To Cut 7,000 Jobs, Close Stores

The Home Depot Inc. will slash 7,000 jobs, freeze officer salaries and exit its Expo business, closing 34 such stores and other locations due to the recession and housing slump, the company reported Monday.

Home Depot has a significant presence in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, including one Expo store at the Galleria, located at 13900 Dallas Parkway.

Home Depot officials could not be reached for immediate comment.

But in a statement, the company says that during the next two months it plans to shutter 34 Expo Design Center stores, five YardBirds stores, two Design Center stores and seven HD locations. This will eliminate 5,000 jobs in the stores, support functions and distribution centers.

The Atlanta-based home improvement retailer said the job cuts are “to better align the company's cost structure with the current economic environment.” The company cut 500 jobs , or 10 percent of its work force, in January 2008 and closed 15 stores, cutting 1,300 jobs in May. It eliminated 300 jobs at its headquarters in 2006.

The company said Monday it will continue its move toward a region- and district-based support model in field functions and will cut jobs in administrative functions in store support centers. The support reductions will eliminate 2,000 jobs and equal a 10 percent reduction in the company's officer ranks. It will not impact any customer-facing positions in Home Depot stores.

Home Depot (NYSE: HD) also has adopted a salary freeze for all its officers. But, it will continue to offer merit increases to nonofficer associates, plus earned bonuses and will continue to make the company's existing 401(k) matching contribution for all associates, including officers.

In total, the restructuring moves will cost Home Depot $532 million in charges, $392 million of which will be taken in the fourth quarter. The charges include fixed-asset write-offs, lease reserves on closed stores, severance and store closing costs.

But the company believes the cuts will ultimately boost its fiscal 2009 earnings before interest and tax by $305 million. The benefit is primarily a result of payroll savings and operational improvements from the business exit, it said.

In addition, it will take two charges in the fourth quarter related to its sale of HD Supply in 2007 and its ongoing equity interest in that business. First, it will record a charge of $55 million, net of tax, to be reflected in discontinued operations primarily related to the working capital dispute related to the sale of the business. Second, it will record a pre-tax charge of $163 million that will be reflected in other expense for a write-down of the company's investment in HD Supply.

Home Depot expects its sales to be down 8 percent and its earnings to drop 24 percent in fiscal 2008. In the third quarter, its profit fell 31 percent to $56 million as sales fell 6.2 percent to $17.8 billion.

"We're very fortunate that the soundness of our company lets us live our value of taking care of our people, even in this time of unprecedented economic hardship," said Frank Blake, chairman and CEO, in a news release. "These changes will make us a stronger company and will allow us to continue to grow associate employment over the long term to benefit our customers."

original post by Dallas Business Journal

George Eisenhart Crushed By Monster Truck at Wisconsin Event

A monster truck show promoter, who prided himself in his show’s safety record, was killed Saturday night by one of the vehicles during a show in Wisconsin.

George Eisenhart, 41, died after he stepped in front of one of the trucks and was crushed. Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney called the accident an “uncommon occurrence.”

“Saturday’s incident, which is an uncommon occurrence,…was a freak accident,” Mahoney said Sunday.

A statement from the Monster Truck Association said the accident was investigated and it appears Eisenhart stepped in the truck’s path and the driver did not have “adequate time to react.”

“Review of the incident shows that George accidentally stepped in front of a moving vehicle in a fashion that did not provide the vehicle’s driver adequate time to react. All of us at MTRA send our deepest condolences to the Eisenhart family and all the parties involved. We are deeply saddened by the loss of our friend,” the statement said.



Just before the event, Eisenhart spoke with a local news station about the safety of Monster Truck National events. “This is out 16th year. I wish I had a big piece of wood to knock on right now, but we have not had an incident besides a gal slipping in the aisle way at another location,” he said.

Eisenhart’s death comes 8 days after a 6-year-old was killed by flying debris at another monster truck show.

original post by TransWorldNews

Resveratrol Health Benefits

Want to regain your youth without artificial means like plastic surgery, Botox injections etc? The solution may be at hand. Maybe not right away but recent studies are producing exciting results.

A chemical substance that appears in nature has been known to slow down the aging process and even make your heart better. Its called Resveratrol and it's a phytoalex in that it's manufactured by plants when they're threatened by toxins like bacteria or fungi. Its a product of the naturally occurring defense mechanism of plants.

However scientists have also been able to manufacture it by chemical synthesis from Japanese knotweed. The resulting product is sold as a nutritional supplement in stores like GNC etc.

Resveratrol Health Benefits . . .

Studies indicate that Resveratrol can extend the life span of lab rats. In experiments conducted under controlled laboratory conditions, the following results have been observed; anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, lower-blood-sugar, and other beneficial cardiovascular effects. However, these results have yet to be replicated in humans.

Resveratrol Is Found In . . .

Resveratrol is primarily present in the skin of red grapes and is a significant component of red wine (woohoo). Although residents of southern France eat a lot of saturated fats, they rarely have heart problems because they drink red wine with their meals.

Life Extension . . .

Many in the scientific community believe that Resveratrol is a true elixir of youth that can slow down the aging process. This claim looks promising but more testing is needed.

Nevertheless, I do have some evidence to back up this claim. In 1997, it was reported that topical resveratrol applications could prevent skin cancer in mice. After this study was published, many research projects were launched around the world to gather better data.

Athletic Performance . . .

If the medical community is pursuing this research, can athletics be far behind? French experts recently published on online article demonstrating that rats on resveratrol diets performed better on the treadmill. They showed more endurance than control rats who had no resveratrol in their diet. This might become a legal steroid substitute!



If you want to improve your health with this naturally occurring substance, eat more grapes. Especially grape skins or grapes with seeds.

original post by Troy for techbanyan.com
(content edited for readability by Dan Eash)

Affliction 'Day of Reckoning' Results: Fedor, Barnett, Babalu Victorious

Just in from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California are the results from Affliction: "Day of Reckoning."



In the main event, Fedor "The Last Emperor" Emelianenko defeated Andrei Arlovski by knockout in the first round. Fedor has made a habit of running through opponents in recent years, but many experts felt that with a solid ground game and striking skills recently sharpened by Freddie Roache, Arlovski would present a legitimate challenge. Apparently, nobody told Fedor. He rolled right through the former UFC champion and the biggest question now is, can anybody outside the UFC stop this guy?

Another highly publicized bout was the one between Heavyweights Josh Barnett and Gilbert Yvel. Yvel came into his first American fight with a slightly checkered past, but did a lot of PR work (including a guest analyst spot on HDNet's Inside MMA) and made big strides toward clearing up any doubts about his character. The fight itself lasted into the third round. Barnett dominated with ground-and-pound, plus a few submission attempts. The former wore Yvel down and he eventually tapped due to strikes.

In other action on the main card, Vitor Belfort scored a dramatic first round knockout over Matt Lindland. After appearing to win the first round, Sokoudjou was caught in an Anaconda choke by Renato "Babalu" Sobral.

by Eddie Graveline, Mixed Martial Arts Examiner

Mosley Stuns Margarito To Win Welterweight Crown

Shane Mosley dominated from start to finish, knocking out Antonio Margarito for the first time in his career in the ninth round Saturday night to win the WBA welterweight title in a stunning upset.

Margarito was coming off an impressive victory over previously unbeaten Miguel Cotto six months ago, and boxing experts had tabbed the 30-year-old slugger one of the top pound-for-pound fighters.

But Mosley must not have been paying attention.

Despite his advancing age, the 37-year-old Mosley used his superior quickness from the beginning, and Margarito never was able to display the power and fortitude he showed against Cotto.

"It was my strategy, my focus, my game plan," Mosley said when asked what won the fight.

"It was a tough fight, but it was a great plan. It was my left hook. I caught (Fernando) Vargas with it, I caught (Ricardo) Mayorga with it."

"He's a tough fighter, he had a lot of endurance. I prepared very hard, I trained hard. He was very powerful, but he couldn't resist my rhythm."

Mosley brought in Nazim Richardson to train him for this fight, replacing his father, Jack. That move worked to perfection.

"When you have a great game plan and an excellent athlete, then everything works out very well," Richardson said.

The bout was held before an announced crowd of 20,820 — largest to attend a sporting event at Staples Center since it opened in October 1999. The fans were clearly pro-Margarito despite the fact that Mosley grew up in suburban Pomona, but it meant little once the bout began.

"I feel OK. I was just getting caught over and over," said Margarito, who was taken to a hospital to be checked out.

Margarito, of Tijuana, Mexico, didn't win a single round on one judge's scorecard, one on another and two on the third before the ninth. The Associated Press had Mosley every round but one.

Mosley, who weighed the maximum 147 pounds, raised his record to 46-5 with 39 knockouts. Margarito, known as the "Tijuana Tornado," weighed 145.8 pounds. He dropped to 37-6 with 27 knockouts.

Both fighters earned around $2.4 million.

While the 30-year-old Margarito was at his best in beating Cotto, Mosley certainly wasn't in his last outing, a 12th-round knockout of Mayorga four months ago at Home Depot Center in nearby Carson. Mosley was ahead on two of the three judges' scorecards when the end came in that fight.

Mosley was far better against Margarito. Mosley lost a close but unanimous 12-round decision to Cotto before that, on Nov. 10, 2007, and said afterward he'd love another shot at Cotto.

Before the fight, HBO's Larry Merchant reported Margarito had to have his hands rewrapped after a complaint by Richardson during his pre-fight inspection.

Stephen Espinoza, attorney for Golden Boy Promotions, said he was told by Dean Lohuis, co-executive director of the California State Athletic Commission, that a plaster-like substance was found under both of Margarito's hand wraps and had been bagged as evidence.

None of that mattered once the action began. Mosley landed 178 punches to 108 for Margarito and 118 power punches to Margarito's 78.

Margarito fans at ringside, perhaps understanding their fighter was in trouble, began a pleading "Margarito, Margarito" chant as the eighth round began, and the Mexican boxer's corner came to life when he landed his most solid blows of the fight to that point.

But Mosley staggered the champion late in the round, and floored him with a barrage of punches as the round ended. Margarito wobbled to his feet to beat the count to 10, but looked like a beaten man as he sat in his corner.

Mosley continued to force the action in the ninth, and finally Margarito's corner threw in the towel when the fighter was unable to defend himself. Mosley landed 18 power punches and 21 overall to none for Margarito in the final round.

"Something happened in the first round," said Javier Capetillo, Margarito's trainer. "We were too slow. I didn't think he was reacting properly. It was frustrating to watch because he kept getting hit by overhand rights."

The fans began a "Margarito, Margarito" chant in the opening seconds of the first round, and the fighters were slugging it out toe-to-toe by the middle of the round. Mosley got what appeared to be some good shots in, but Margarito responded with a smile.

The crowd roared when the fighters traded solid punches early in the third round, and Margarito again flashed a grin after Mosley nailed him with several blows, none of which seemed to do much damage. But Mosley, using his superior quickness, was connecting more often.

Margarito appeared to be picking up steam in the fourth round, but again, Mosley caught him with several punches, and Margarito didn't respond with a smile until Mosley nailed him with a right hand as the round ended. That grin appeared to be one of acknowledgment.

Mosley was fighting at Staples Center for the second time. He won a 12-round split decision over Oscar De La Hoya on June 17, 2000 in the first boxing match held at the downtown Los Angeles arena.

On the undercard, Robert Guerrero of Gilroy, Calif., stopped Edel Ruiz of Los Mochis, Mexico just 27 seconds into their 10-round featherweight bout.

Guerrero used a single left hand punch to the body to floor Ruiz, who spent a couple minutes on his hands and knees before being helped to his feet.

Guerrero (23-1-1, 16 knockouts), a two-time former featherweight champion, hadn't fought in nearly 11 months while working to leave promoter Dan Goossen. Golden Boy Promotions signed Guerrero shortly after an arbitrator resolved the dispute last month.

The 25-year-old Guerrero, who vacated his IBF featherweight title during his layoff in a plan to move up to 130-pound fights, weighed 129.5 pounds. Golden Boy executives have said they hope to get a him super featherweight title shot this year.

Ruiz lost for the eighth time in his last 11 fights to fall to 29-22-5. He weighed 129.7 pounds.

The program was promoted by Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions.

by John Nadel for the Associated Press

Alissa Czisny Wins Ladies Short Program At 2009 U.S. Figure Skating Championships

Who's watched Slumdog Millionaire -- my favorite movie of the year? The premise of the movie is that some things are meant to be. Why am I mentioning this Oscar-nominated movie? Because Alissa Czisny is in first place after the senior ladies short program at the 2009 U.S. Figure Skating Championships! I just feel in it in my bones -- this was meant to be. Can this be true? Will Alissa Czisny (see right) finally win THE title?

Alissa received a whopping 65.75 points for her skate to The Swan and received a resounding standing ovation. I think I heard icenetwork commentator Nancy Kerrigan (two-time Olympic medalist) note that only Yu-Na Kim had received a higher short program score this season. What a program -- perfection. Triple Lutz-double toe, triple flip, double axel, spiral, among others, a perfect body line -- powerful and elegant and beauty in motion. I think every single person in the arena was truly happy for her.

And not to forget the rest of the ladies who skated this evening -- Always consistent Rachael Flatt is in second place with 60.19 points and Caroline Zhang sits in third with 58.91 points. Defending champion Mirai Nagasu is in sixth place with 54.79 points. The ladies free skate is Saturday evening and who knows? There may be more surprises ahead.

by lifeskate.com

Jose Canseco vs. Danny Bonaduce May Be The Real Fight Of The Year

Who cares about Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton?

The biggest fight of the year will be taking place in Aston, Pa., on Saturday when former major leaguer Jose Canseco squares off against ex-"Partridge Family" star and morning radio loudmouth Danny Bonaduce.

It's hard to say who's the favorite in this one. Canseco reportedly has kept up his training, and his steroid-enhanced arms and ability to turn on 'roid rage also could give him the upper hand.

I'd just hate to be the guy in charge of administering drug tests to these guys before the fight.

We know about Canseco. And Bonaduce is also no stranger to human-growth hormone (and just about every other kind of drug on the planet). The former child star also has more experience in the ring than Canseco -- see how he destroyed "Brady Bunch" star Barry Williams (a.k.a. Greg Brady) in this video:



original post by Austin Knoblauch for the Los Angeles Times

22-Year-Old Miss Indiana Crowned Miss America

Miss Indiana Katie Stam has been crowned Miss America 2009 in Las Vegas.

The 22-year-old University of Indianapolis student battled a throat infection and laryngitis throughout the week but still drew loud applause for her rendition of "Via Dolorosa" during the talent competition.



She also strutted onstage in a black bikini and an off-the-shoulder, white lace gown.

Stam, a communications major, plans to work in television news. She began competing in pageants at age 15.

The first runner-up was Miss Georgia Chasity Hardman.

by Oskar Garcia for the Associated Press

Obama Service Initiative Already Bearing Local Fruit

When President Barack Obama took the oath of office Tuesday, “Organizing for America” became official.



Mesa County, however, benefitted several days earlier when the Veterans Administration Medical Center, 2121 North Ave., became the first local recipient of the program.

“They came to us and said, ‘What can we do for you on our day of service?’ ” said Paul Sweeney, spokesman for the hospital.

It was perfect timing, Sweeney said. The federal government recently changed many of the qualifications for veteran medical benefits. So on Saturday, 40 volunteers, mostly former Obama campaign workers, spread out across the Western Slope and staffed 17 booths, 10 of which were in Mesa County, and distributed information about who is eligible for veterans’ health benefits.

Locally the effort was organized by Warren Jones, a local musician, music teacher and Obama campaign worker, said Sheri Cogley, 36, a volunteer organizer and a former paid Obama staffer.

“We were just astounded with potentially how many veterans could be eligible for service, and they never applied,” Cogley said. “Our hope is to expand this into 19 Colorado counties and also in Utah and Wyoming.”

Organizing for America is a national effort. It is an extension of the Obama campaign organization. Instead of disbanding the grass-roots organization that swept him into the Oval Office, the Obama camp is revamping its volunteers to become a service organization.

In a YouTube video, Obama gives a rough vision of “Organizing for America.” He calls upon the many who have fought for change to continue their efforts through volunteering in their communities.

“We cannot do this without you,” Obama said.

Over the Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend several thousand volunteers across the nation took part in community service efforts.

Mackenzie Gibson, a 23-year-old Obama campaigner and now an Organizing for America volunteer, joined five others and donated time on MLK Day to serve breakfast to the residents of the Homeward Bound of the Grand Valley shelter, 2853 North Ave.

“We were very definitely inspired by Obama asking ordinary citizens to get involved in the community,” Gibson said. “That is something we haven’t had in a long time.”

Gibson said he served shelter residents breakfast.

“It was special in that it was a hot breakfast that they don’t normally have every morning,” he said.

Like Cogley and Jones, Gibson said he plans to do more in the community through Organizing for America. Anyone interested in volunteering should keep checking the Organizing for America Web site for future local events, Gibson said.

By LeRoy Standish for The Daily Sentinel

Girls Team Shows Remorse After 100-0 Win

A Texas high school girls basketball team on the winning end of a 100-0 game has a case of blowout remorse.

Now officials from the winning school say they are trying to do the right thing by seeking a forfeit and apologizing for the margin of victory.

In a statement Thursday on the Covenant School's Web site, the head of school said, "It is shameful and an embarrassment that this happened."

Last week Covenant, a private Christian school in Dallas, defeated Dallas Academy 100-0. Covenant was up 59-0 at halftime.

A parent who attended the game said Covenant continued to make three-pointers - even in the fourth quarter. She praised the Covenant players but said spectators and an assistant coach were cheering wildly as their team edged closer to 100 points.

"I think the bad judgment was in the full-court press and the three-point shots," said Renee Peloza, whose daughter plays for Dallas Academy. "At some point, they should have backed off."

Dallas Academy coach Jeremy Civello told the Dallas Morning News that the game turned into a "layup drill," with the opposing team's guards waiting to steal the ball and drive to the basket. Covenant scored 12 points in the fourth quarter and "finally eased up when they got to 100 with about four minutes left," he said.

Dallas Academy has eight girls on its varsity team and about 20 girls in its high school. It is winless over the last four seasons. The academy boasts of its small class sizes and specializes in teaching students struggling with "learning differences," such as short attention spans or dyslexia.

"They showed much more character than the coach that allowed that score to get out of hand," said Edd Burleson, the director of the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools. "It's up to the coach to control the outcome."

At a shootaround Thursday, several Dallas Academy players said they were frustrated during the game but felt it was a learning opportunity. They also said they are excited about some of the attention they are receiving from the loss, including an invitation from Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban to see an NBA game from his suite.

"Even if you are losing, you might as well keep playing," said Shelby Hyatt, a freshman on the team. "Keep trying, and it's going to be OK."

Associated Press news release

First Embryonic Stem Cell Trial Gets FDA Approval

(Short Hills, NJ) – January 23, 2009 -- Peter T. Wilderotter, president and CEO of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, issued the following statement today in response to FDA clearance of Geron’s human clinical trial of embryonic stem cell-based therapy:

“This is an exciting first step for Geron and for spinal cord injured patients whose lives may improve due to advances in medical research. There has been so much speculative and unsubstantiated information about the use of stem cells in spinal cord injury; it is important to study these cells in a rigorously designed clinical trial that is monitored by the FDA.”

Wilderotter continued,

“Christopher and Dana Reeve brought national attention to this issue and they gave voice to all those who are suffering the devastating physical, emotional and financial impact of challenging neurological conditions. Their belief in the promise of stem cell research became a part of their lasting legacy.”

Shortly before his death, Christopher Reeve wrote,

“It is our responsibility to do everything possible to protect the quality of life of the present and future generations. No obstacle should stand in the way of responsible investigation of their [stem cells] possibilities.”

Wilderotter concluded,

“This is the dawn of basic research being translated into human clinical trials for people living with spinal cord injury. We are hopeful that what is learned from the results will enable us to move forward with therapies for people living with spinal cord injuries.”

PR release by Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation

Pfizer (PFE) And Wyeth (WYE): A Merger As A Way To Fire People

Companies, even really big ones with hundreds of thousands of employees, can only fire so many people. At some point the core functions like accounting and marketing need enough personnel to keep operations running. The layoff machine runs out of fuel.

Pfizer (PFE) has already fired thousands of people. Most recently it cut 800 researchers and 2,400 sales personnel. The drug firm probably would have been more brutal if it could have been.

Pfizer is now in merger negotiations with its one of its big pharm peers, Wyeth (WYE). The transaction would be done as a $60 billion buyout of Wyeth. According to The Wall Street Journal, "If completed, a deal could create billions in cost savings through the combination of back-office operations, research and development, sales and manufacturing."

In the Pfizer deal not much is being said about the best strategic reasons for mergers which are that they should increase overall sales. Pfizer and Wyeth already have development teams working on drugs which may not even be tested for two or three years. Putting the two corporations together is not likely to make the combined operation grow faster. It is not like putting two search engine companies together because having more market share allows the new firm to raise prices as it delivers more customers than any of its competition.

M&A has become a tool for fighting the recession. Putting Fiat with Chrysler together is an excuse for letting tens of thousand of people go. The same would be true with a Pfizer deal to pick up Wyeth.These mergers do more to destroy the overall economy than they do to create new products and services which might help restart demand from customers and haul the economy out of its hole.

Mergers have become the tool of tearing the heart out of a recovery.

by Douglas A. McIntyre of 24/7 Wall St

Obama Memorialized In Chia Form

If you thought you had seen just about everything with the new president’s likeness, think again.

Joseph Enterprises has added the Chia Obama to its line of Chia Pet products.

If you’ve ever had a Chia Pet, then you know that seeds are put on the head, and water is added, producing instant green “hair.”

Chia Obama will only be available online at www.chiaobama.com. It comes with a Chia seed packet, enough for three plantings.

Other Chia products include Scooby Doo, Garfield, Shrek and the Simpsons.

original post by South Florida Business Journal

The Microsoft Layoffs Cometh

We've all been reading the rumors. Dominic and Golob have been digging into them here on Slog. Now comes the announcement:

Microsoft stunned its investors on Thursday, announcing the first broad layoffs in its history and offering a pessimistic forecast for the second half of its fiscal year.

Rather than issuing its second-quarter results in the customary fashion after the market closed, Microsoft rushed out the news Thursday morning that it will lay off up to 5,000 of its 94,000 employees over the next 18 months, including 1,400 people Thursday. The layoffs span across research, sales, finance and technology roles, the company said.

No immediate word, as far as I can see, on how many of those layoffs will occur at the Redmond headquarters. But I think it's safe to assume it will be a large percentage.

original post by Eli Sanders of the Stranger

John Thain And The $35,000 Toilet

John Thain hired Michael L. Smith, the designer who is redoing the White House for the Obama's, to redo his office at Merrill Lynch. Thain's cost for redoing his office was $800,000. The cost of redoing the White House? $100,000.

Not only did John Thain flush Merrill Lynch shareholders down the drain, and not only did he oversee $100 billion of losses, we now find out that the most overpaid and over-compensated CEO in America now spent $35,000 a toilet. John Thain's "commode."

John Thain spent $87,000 for the rug in his office, $68,000 for the credenza, and $87,000 for a pair of guest chairs and $11,000 for the coffee table.

He spent $37,000 for the six chairs in his private dining room, and $5,000 for the mirror that he could primp himself in.

And he spent $35,000 for the "commode with legs" that he could sit on, after he ate his dinner.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-01-22/john-thains-87000-rug/

John Thain, typified everything that is wrong with the financials with his egalitarian, and smug sense of entitlement. In fact John Thain was the highest paid CEO in the S&P in 2007, raking in $83 million dollars, and after he was paid these numbers he destroyed Merrill Lynch.

Let's just take a look at some of his statements, and let them stand for themselves.

Last December Thain raised $6.6 billion, and then said he's comfortable with his capital position.
http://www.ml.com/index.asp?id=7695_7696_8149_74412_86378_87784

He then did the same thing in January raising another $6.6 billion, and then saying he's comfortable with his capital position.
http://www.ml.com/index.asp?id=7695_7696_8149_88278_88282_88849

On April 8, John Thain said Merrill didn't need to raise any more capital, as the $24 billion write down was enough.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/24006943/site/14081545/

Less than 9 days later, Thain was saying Merrill wouldn't raise capital by selling stock but by selling preferred shares, even though they had $82 billion of excess liquidity. (Sort of like Geithner's response to his tax problems.) Merrill's CFO begged to differ from his boss:

"I wish he didn’t say that," Merrill Chief Financial Officer Nelson Chai said, believing the firm still has balance sheet issues and may need to write down further losses.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/24182971

So Merrill raised another $7.3 billion.
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/banking_and_finance/article3799330.eceSo
Then Merrill sold $9 billion of stock,but Thain said that they wouldn't of had to raise the capital, but this time they had to, since they sold their CDO's to Lone Star!

Merrill executives knew by late June that it would be forced to take huge write-downs — again — in second-quarter earnings, bringing the total write-downs over a year to more than $40 billion.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/05/business/05merrill.html?_r=1&dbk&oref=slogin#

Today, finally John Thain finally gets canned from Merrill Lynch. We know that John Thain always lied to investors about the state of Merrill Lynch. Now it looks like he did the same thing to Ken Lewis of BAC.

After every capital raise at Merrill Lynch, John Thain always said that was enough.

Today we can finally say that Wall Street has had enough of John Thain.

The only question left is, "When is his $35,000 toilet going to appear on eBay?"

by Palmoni of Wall Street Manna

Michael Zielinski: U.S. Mint Discouraging Gold Ownership

8:36p ET Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Dear Friend of GATA and Gold:

Coin market analyst Michael Zielinski, editor of the Mint News Blog, has analyzed the actions of the U.S. Mint over the last six months and gotten awfully suspicious. Zielinski concludes:

"Whether or not it was the U.S. Mint's intention, every significant action they have taken since August has either limited gold availability, eliminated gold product options, or increased the cost of acquiring gold. Has it all just been a consequence of surging global demand for gold, supply chain mismanagement, and bad timing for policy decisions? Or is there something else going on here?"

The Mint's explanation -- a gold shortage -- isn't terribly persuasive if one believes the claim of its parent agency, the U.S. Treasury Department, that it still owns more than 8,000 tonnes of gold. Further, federal law requires the Mint to produce as many gold and silver coins as are necessary to meet the public's demand, and rather than diminish production or draw down the Treasury's gold stock the Mint could simply buy more gold, as on the New York Commodity Exchange.

Of course that would drive up the gold price, the surreptitious suppression of which lately has seemed to be the Treasury Department's first priority.

In any case the law requiring the Mint to meet coin demand plainly is being violated, and if GATA had sufficient funds, we well might sue the Mint to force compliance with the law.

Of course the World Gold Council, with its annual budget of more than $60 million, easily could afford to undertake such a lawsuit if its executives weren't too busy draping jewelry over lovely fashion models -- and if the primary purpose of the World Gold Council wasn't to ensure that there never IS a world gold council.

Zielinski's analysis is headlined "Actions of the U.S. Mint Discourage Gold Ownership" and you can find it at the Gold and Silver Blog here:

http://goldandsilverblog.com/actions-of-the-us-mint-discourage-gold-owne...

original post by CHRIS POWELL, Secretary/Treasurer Gold Anti-Trust Action Committee Inc.

* * *

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Vancouver Resource Investment Conference
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Sunday-Monday, January 25-26, 2008
http://www.cambridgeconferences.com/ch_jan2009.html

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GATA is a civil rights and educational organization based in the United States and tax-exempt under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. Its e-mail dispatches are free, and you can subscribe at http://www.gata.org/.

Fortune Lists 100 Best Companies To Work For

NEW YORK (Reuters) - NetApp tops the list of the 100 best companies to work for, most of which have open positions and are hiring, Fortune magazine said on Thursday.

Coming in second on Fortune's 12th annual list was Edward Jones, followed by Boston Consulting Group. The list was published online on fortune.com/bestcompanies and contained in an issue set to hit newsstands on January 26.

NetApp, based in Sunnyvale, California, provides storage and data management services to business.

It employs 5,000 people and topped the list due to its "employee enthusiasm for the legendary egalitarian culture," Fortune said.

Of the 100 companies, 73 are hiring, and the open positions are identified in Fortune's list, the magazine said.

California had the most number of companies on the list, at 15, followed by 14 in Texas and nine in New York.

Fifteen companies made the list for the first time, including Zappos.com, DreamWorks Animation SKG, salesforce.com, T-Mobile and Accenture.

Google, which topped the list for the past two years, dropped to No. 4.

Rounding out the top 10 were Wegmans Food Markets, Cisco Systems, Genentech, Methodist Hospital System, Goldman Sachs and Nugget Market.

Fortune polled more than 81,000 randomly selected employees at 353 companies, using a 57-question survey. Two-thirds of a company's score was based on survey results and the balance was based on studies about demographics, pay, benefits, communication and other factors, it said.

By Ellen Wulfhorstm (Editing by Doina Chiacu)

Oscars 2009: The Complete List Of Nominees

''Benjamin Button'' and ''Slumdog Millionaire'' lead with 13 and 10 nominations, respectively; Heath Ledger gets a Best Supporting Actor nod, but ''The Dark Knight'' snubbed in Best Picture and Best Director categories

With 13 nominations — including Best Picture, Best Actor (Brad Pitt), Best Supporting Actress (Taraji P. Henson), and Best Director (David Fincher) — The Curious Case of Benjamin Button leads the field of Academy Award contenders announced this morning in Los Angeles. As expected, Slumdog Millionaire scored big too, nabbing 10 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director (Danny Boyle), and Best Adapted Screenplay.





Not surprisingly, Heath Ledger was recognized for his supporting role in The Dark Knight, but a widely anticipated Best Picture nomination didn't happen, and director Christopher Nolan came up empty as well. Other notable snubs: Clint Eastwood and Leonardo DiCaprio's turns in Gran Torino and Revolutionary Road, respectively. (Click over to PopWatch after reading the full list of nominees below to post your nominees for most frustrating Oscar omissions.)

The Academy Awards will be handed out on Feb. 22. Below, the complete list of nominees.

BEST PICTURE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

BEST DIRECTOR
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Stephen Daldry, The Reader
Gus Van Sant, Milk

BEST ACTOR
Richard Jenkins, The Visitor
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn, Milk
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

BEST ACTRESS
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Melissa Leo, Frozen River
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kate Winslet, The Reader

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Josh Brolin, Milk
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams, Doubt
Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis, Doubt
Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Frozen River, Courtney Hunt
Happy-Go-Lucky, Mike Leigh
In Bruges, Martin McDonagh
Milk, Dustin Lance Black
WALL-E, Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon, Pete Docter

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Eric Roth
Doubt, John Patrick Shanley
Frost/Nixon, Peter Morgan
The Reader, David Hare
Slumdog Millionaire, Simon Beaufoy

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
WALL-E

BEST ANIMATED SHORT
La Maison en Petits Cubes
Lavatory — Lovestory
Oktapodi
Presto
This Way Up

BEST ART DIRECTION
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Duchess
Revolutionary Road

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Australia
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Duchess
Milk
Revolutionary Road

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)
Encounters at the End of the World
The Garden
Man on Wire
Trouble the Water

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT
The Conscience of Nhem En
The Final Inch
Smile Pinki
The Witness — From the Balcony of Room 306

BEST EDITING
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Frost/Nixon
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
The Baader Meinhof Complex (Germany)
The Class (France)
Departures (Japan)
Revanche (Austria)
Waltz with Bashir (Israel)

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT
Auf der Strecke (On the Line)
Manon on the Asphalt
New Boy
The Pig
Spielzeugland (Toyland)

BEST MAKEUP
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Hellboy II: The Golden Army

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Alexandre Desplat
Defiance, James Newton Howard
Milk, Danny Elfman
Slumdog Millionaire, A.R. Rahman
WALL-E, Thomas Newman

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
''Down to Earth,'' WALL-E
''Jai Ho,'' Slumdog Millionaire
''O Saya,'' Slumdog Millionaire

BEST SOUND EDITING
The Dark Knight
Iron Man
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E
Wanted

BEST SOUND MIXING
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E
Wanted

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Iron Man

By Chad Schlegel for Entertainment Weekly

FBI Didn't Keep Tabs On Comedian Carlin's 7 Words

LOS ANGELES -- Talk about irony. George Carlin spent decades pushing the bounds of free speech by saying the seven words you can never say on television, but not one of them made it into an FBI file on him.

Among the 12 pages in a file recently released by Carlin's family are a couple of letters from outraged citizens who complained that the comedian had made fun of the FBI and its director, J. Edgar Hoover, during TV appearances in 1969 and 1970.

There's also a letter from Hoover himself thanking one of Carlin's critics for defending his honor, and an internal FBI memo that quotes the director as asking: "What do we know of Carlin?" Not much, as it turned out. The memo notes the FBI has "no data concerning Carlin" other than the two letters from his critics.

"Which kind of disappoints me," laughed Carlin's daughter, Kelly Carlin McCall, who provided the file to The Associated Press. "It doesn't really cover any of his more radical 1970s stuff."

Carlin was arrested following a performance in Milwaukee in 1972 for saying the seven words (none of which can be reprinted here).

The following year the Federal Communications Commission reprimanded New York radio station WBAI for airing his "filthy words" routine, triggering a legal battle that resulted in a landmark 1978 Supreme Court ruling upholding the government's right to determine indecency.

Carlin, who died of a heart attack last June at 71, obtained the file years ago through a Freedom of Information Act request, McCall said.

Richard Belzer read from some of it when Carlin was posthumously awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in a ceremony that will be broadcast on PBS stations Feb. 4.

After Carlin's death, the FBI answered FOIA requests from the AP with a form letter saying the bureau had no file on him. FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said this week she was checking on the contradiction.



The two FBI memos Carlin's daughter provided both stated the bureau's files "contain no information identifiable with Carlin." They also indicate that investigators didn't find the comedian particularly amusing.

One, dated Feb. 12, 1969, refers to Carlin as an "alleged comedian" after he made fun of the bureau during an appearance on "The Jackie Gleason Show."

"His treatment was in very poor taste and it was obvious that he was using the prestige of the bureau and Mr. Hoover to enhance his performance," the memo says.

It also quotes one segment during which Carlin says he is Hoover and is on a stakeout at the attorney general's house. The memo recommends the people who pointed out the performance be sent thank-you letters.

The second memo, dated May 5, 1970, was triggered by a similar complaint, this time for a Carlin appearance on "The Carol Burnett Show."

That time Hoover himself apparently sent the thank-you note, saying: "It's always good to know we have the support of such staunch friends as you."

By JOHN ROGERS - Associated Press Writer

President Obama Revokes Bush Presidential Records Executive Order

President Obama Revokes Bush Presidential Records Executive Order On January 21, in one of his first official acts, President Barack Obama revoked the Bush administration’s Executive Order 13233 that severely limited access by the public to presidential records. Click here to see a copy of President Obama’s new executive order.

The press release from the White House says the following:

“The Executive Order on Presidential Records brings those principles to presidential records by giving the American people greater access to these historic documents. This order ends the practice of having others besides the President assert executive privilege for records after an administration ends. Now, only the President will have that power, limiting its potential for abuse. And the order also requires the Attorney General and the White House Counsel to review claims of executive privilege about covered records to make sure those claims are fully warranted by the Constitution.”

by National Coalition for History

First Day of Operation Redemption - Rush Limbaugh

As President Obama makes his way through his first full day on the job, a familiar voice reemerged from the depths of the river Styx, conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh. For the last eight years, aside from a public pain medication addiction, Mr. Limbaugh and most of the conservative talking heads have been relegated to proving air cover for President Bush. Now, with a new Democrat in the Oval Office, their role is in the process of changing once again: the job of apologist is over and new venom can flow out of their mouths once more.

During the primary, Operation Chaos was Limbaugh’s attempt to derail Obama from winning the Democratic nomination. As always, Limbaugh’s antics were not really designed to hurt the Democrats, rather it was a attempt to put himself back in the spotlight. Here is what I wrote about Limbaugh’s self-promotion strategy back in June:

“If McCain is the weaker candidate because of the reasons listed above let’s take a look at where Limbaugh could benefit from Operation Chaos in the long term. If Obama is elected Limbaugh has a new target in the White House. Limbaugh will be relevant once again as he regains his status as the leader of the “vast right-wing conspiracy.” On a side note, maybe he will even resurrect his failed TV career; probably not.

The bottom line is that Limbaugh does not care if McCain wins in November, in fact, it would be counter-productive to the possibility of revitalizing his career. If Obama wins Limbaugh will have better ratings and earn more money. So, congratulations “ditto heads”, you have achieved Rush’s goal…the only cost to you is victory in November.”

Limbaugh’s statement of “I Hope Obama Fails” clocked in at exactly three days before Obama took the oath of office. My prediction: Obama is well aware of Limbaugh’s ability to manipulate information that will come from his administration. Obama will be able to positively utilize Limbaugh’s flair for theatrics to point the American people away from divisiveness and to get rid of “childish things” such as partisanship for its’ own sake.

by Tony Campbell, Obama Administration Examiner

'Coulter': Torture is 'good' and 'Christian-y'

'Ann Coulter' stopped by Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update Saturday, delivering a strongly-worded and hallucinatory defense of barely-in-office President George W. Bush.

Video Recaps | Full Episodes | Webisodes

Coulter, played by cast member Michaela Watkins, admitted there had been "missteps" by Bush, but told Weekend Update host Seth Meyers that in 100 years "I will see democracy in Iraq and I will laugh at your ignorance."

She went on to defend the Bush administration's position on torture.

"I love torture. I think torture is good and Christian-y, and history will bear this out. It may take 500 years," 'Coulter' said. "But I will still be here, leading a band of survivors in a post-apocalyptic America where we battle against gangs of Osama bin-single mothers. And I shall cackle and cackle that you ever doubted George Bush."

When Meyers questioned Bush's response to Hurricane Katrina, 'Coulter' offered a swift rejoinder.

"Sure, it was bad," she said. "But think about it - we don't know how many hurricanes President Bush prevented."

by The Raw Story

Obama Retakes Oath, Really Is President Now

Barack Obama wisely and quickly retook the presidential oath of office Wednesday night from Chief Justice John Roberts.

Why wisely?

Remember, Obama still can't convince some people he's not a Muslim. Or that he's a natural-born citizen.

He certainly didn't want to start his first term in office with any cloud hanging over the legitimacy of whether he really was, technically, the president of the United States.

Roberts had slightly scrambled some words while administering the oath at Tuesday's inauguration. As a result, Obama did not say the oath, word for word, as it's laid out in the U.S. Constitution.



By Wednesday afternoon, legitimate constitutional scholars were saying Obama ought to retake the oath, just to make sure he was really president.

It was the proper move by Obama.

Spending a few minutes to retake the oath of office Wednesday will avoid four years of diverting questions about this issue.

By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist

View The Inauguration On Your Computer!

For Live Inauguration Day Web Streams & Videos, Click Here

Guide to Inaugural Events in Washington, DC

The Presidential Inauguration will be held on January 20, 2009. A week of festivities will include the Presidential Swearing-in Ceremony, Inaugural Address, Inaugural Parade and numerous inaugural balls and galas honoring the new President of the United States. The official theme for the 2009 inauguration is “Renewing America’s Promise,“ a vision that underscores the President-elect and Vice President-elect’s commitment to restoring opportunity and possibility for all and re-establishing America’s standing as a beacon of hope around the world.



Overview of the Inauguration Schedule

Saturday, January 17 - Obama, Biden and their families will travel by train to Washington, DC and will host events along the way in Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore. See the schedule.

Sunday, January 18 – An official welcome concert will be held on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to kick off the inaugural celebration. The event will be open to the public and broadcast live exclusively on HBO. See details including the lineup of performers.

Monday, January 19 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - To honor Dr. King’s legacy, Obama, Biden and their families will participate in activities dedicated to serving others in communities across the Washington, DC area. Additional events will be held throughout the week. See the schedule of events.

Inaugural Eve Concert for America's Children - A free youth concert will be held at the Verizon Center. The concert will be broadcast on Disney Channel 8:00 - 9:30 p.m. EST. Read more.

Tuesday, January 20 - Inauguration Day- Swearing-in ceremony, Inaugural Parade, and official Inaugural Balls. (See details below)

The 2009 inaugural events are expected to draw record breaking crowds to Washington, DC. Getting around the region throughout the four-day inaugural weekend will be challenging. Washington Metro is gearing up for the events with increased hours and security. See Inauguration 2009 Transportation Guide for details. Inauguration Swearing-in Ceremony - BROADCAST LIVE AT 11:30 a.m. EST January 20, 2009 - The oath of office will be administered on the steps of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC. Following the oath of office, the President will give his inaugural address, setting out his vision for America and goals for the nation.

TIME: Security checkpoints will open for the Inaugural Swearing-in Ceremony at 8 a.m. Ticketed guests are advised to arrive by 9 a.m. Ceremony begins at 11:30 a.m. EST. See details about the program.

TICKETS: Each Senator and Representative receives a limited quantity of free tickets that they may distribute to the public at their discretion. The public should be aware that no website or other ticket outlet actually has inaugural swearing-in tickets to sell, regardless of what they may claim.

Those who come to witness the swearing-in ceremony will be able to watch and listen to the ceremony on large screens that will be set up along the National Mall.

Presidential Inauguration Parade

January 20, 2009, 2:30 p.m. Tickets are not required. The public will not be allowed to lineup along the parade route before 7 a.m.

Location: Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC (Viewing stands and bleachers will extend from 3rd to 17th Sts).

The presidential inaugural parade is coordinated by the Armed Forces Inaugural Committee (AFIC) which includes members from all branches of the armed forces of the United States. Since 1789, the U.S. armed forces have participated in this important American tradition honoring our commander in chief with musical units, marching bands, color guards, salute batteries and honor cordons.

Inauguration Balls

Many inaugural balls and galas will take place at venues throughout Washington, DC from January 15 - 24, 2009. The official balls are planned by the Presidential Inaugural Committee and unofficial balls and parties are planned by the State Societies of Washington, DC and a variety of other organizations. Dozens of events will be announced in the coming weeks.

Inauguration Travel Information and Tips

The best way to get to the inaugural events from around the region will be by Metro. However, it will be very crowded and there are likely to be long lines and delays. Arrive early and be patient. You should purchase your Metro fare in advance to save time. Read A Guide to Using Washington Metrorail for more details.

All parade and event attendees will be subject to a thorough security screening. Allow for additional time and be aware of prohibited items. Read more about Inauguration Security.

Dress for the weather! January in Washington, DC can be very cold. Temperatures are expected to be in the low 30s. Be sure to wear layers, a hat, scarf and gloves. DC weather is variable so be prepared for a cold and damp day. Umbrellas will not be allowed due to security concerns.

Following the inaugural parade, plan to stay in the city and visit a museum or go to a movie. Let the crowd thin out before taking public transportation out of town.

For more information about getting to the events, See Inauguration 200 Transportation Guide.

Sightseeing Suggestions

Inauguration Themed Exhibits at the Smithsonian - See special exhibits and explore the life and times of the nation’s presidents.

Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibits - Vist DC museums and see special exhibits honoring the life of Abraham Lincoln.

American Indian Multicultural Festival - The National Museum of the American Indian will host a 3-day festival with live music, dancing and storytelling.

Visit the National Monuments and Memorials - Washington, DC's memorials are special tributes and wonderful attractions. Please note that the Washington Monument will be closed on Jan. 20.

Explore Washington, DC Neighborhoods - Get off the National Mall, get away from the crowds and experience Washington, DC's eclectic neighborhoods.

Alexandria Restaurant Week - Take advantage of some great dining specials.