Breaking: Romer says GDP Report is "Most Positive News to Date" on Economy

Today’s GDP report is the most positive news to date on economy. The data show that the total output of the U.S. economy increased strongly in the fourth quarter of 2009. Real GDP (that is, GDP adjusted for inflation) increased at an annual rate of 5.7 percent. The change from the first quarter of 2009, when GDP fell at an annual rate of 6.4 percent, is truly extraordinary; indeed, the three-quarter swing in growth rates was the largest since 1981.



While positive GDP growth is a necessary first step for job growth, our focus must remain on getting Americans back to work. That GDP rose strongly in the fourth quarter of last year while employment fell and the workweek increased only slightly emphasizes the need for policy actions designed to help spur private sector job creation. The President is announcing today the specifics of his plan for a small business jobs and wages tax cut. This policy is designed to encourage businesses to respond to rising demand and output by taking the plunge and hiring new workers again.

Part of the rapid growth in real GDP was due to a substantial rise in inventory investment. This inventory bounce, though likely to be transitory, is a normal part of healthy recoveries. As firms’ confidence in the future increases, their desire to run down inventories wanes. This change in behavior is often a powerful force for growth early in a recovery. Other components of GDP also rose strongly: business investment in equipment and software rose at an annual rate of 13 percent and residential investment rose at a 6 percent rate. And consumer spending rose at a rate of 2 percent. This broad-based rise in GDP was surely fueled in part by the tax cuts and investment spending in the Recovery Act and other rescue actions, but some appears to be the result of private sector demand returning.

As always, it is important not to read too much into a single report, positive or negative. There will surely be bumps in the road ahead, and we will need to continue to take responsible actions to ensure that the recovery is as smooth and robust as possible. Nonetheless, today’s report is a welcome piece of encouraging news.

Corinne Bailey Rae Album Release--Reviewed and Loved

Corinne Bailey Rae's smooth, mellow voice comes out again on her new album, The Sea, released today in the U.S. I love how she is a maverick of music, with her voice she lets go and does not follow the "rules" of music. Her jazz-tinged take on R&B is truly original. The British singer is one of the most unique and impressive sounds yet. My favorite song was her singing tribute to Joni Mitchell with River, one of my favorite Joni Mitchell's that Corinne Bailey Rae moaned so beautifully.

Rae's album "The Sea" only shows off more of her ambition boasting an unually crisp sound, Are You Here, the albums first song is just Corinne's voice with the riff of a guitar. The song symbolizes and acknowledges a major tradgedy for Bailey Rae, whose husband, Jason Rae, of seven years died of drug overdose. Corinne Bailey Rae's husband was her inspiration, it was a major tragedy when he past during the time of her recording "The Sea." However the song is less mournful and more of a sexy way to think of going into the afterlife; a nice twist on it.

The Blackest Lily and Paris Nights go retro with 60s go-go beats, yet taking this literally is far from knowing Corinne Bailey Rae. "The Sea" dazzles me on a level where only great music can touch you. Rae's voice truly is magical.

Quad/Graphics Acquires Worldcolor, will Rival RR Donnelley in Size

Quad/Graphics announced today the intent to acquire Worldcolor formerly known as Quebecor World, before that company filed for bankruptcy in the January 2008.

Joel Quadracci, 41, will serve as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of the expanded company. The future Board will be comprised of the six current Quad/Graphics directors and two Worldcolor directors: Mark Angelson, who will Chair the Board Committee on Integration and Consolidation, and a director to be named prior to closing.

The combined companies will rival RR Donnelley in revenues. Quad/Graphics is the largest privately held printer in the U.S., and Worldcolor is the second largest provider of print, digital and related services in the Americas.

We will be following the investor conference call today and will post a follow up here on Print CEO.

Johnny Depp Is Not Dead

Internet is not the most reliable sources of information, specially if the particular source we are talking about is a screenshot of CNN article hosted on Angelfire. Come on people, seriously? There’s absolutely nothing on CNN about it, but people are believing a CNN story screenshot which is hosted on a third party website.

Everyone has been talking about it, and since Twitter is pretty hip these days, the whole deal with trending topics hardly gave the rumor time to spread. It’s out like wildfire, with almost 400 tweets every second containing the phrase “RIP Johnny Depp”. What the screenshot contains is text from a hoax from back in 2004. Yes, it’s the same damn thing. For a moment even I was stunned to hear the same. But a little researching on the internet is all that is takes. The screenshot in question is this.

The rumor mill is nothing new for celebrities, but we have got to think how much jokes like these hurt the fans, friends and families of the celebrities, and the celebrities themselves. It’s a way of creating traffic, generating mindless chaos, and wasting other people’s time. And I pity those who’re responsible for all this, even though it is just for the heck of some fun.

UPDATE 1-US jet lands when religious item mistaken as bomb

A US airways (LCC.N) passenger plane was diverted to Philadelphia on 21 Thursday after a religious item worn by a Jewish passenger was mistaken as a bomb, Philadelphia police said.

A passenger was alarmed by the phylacteries, religious items which observant Jews strap around their arms and heads as part of morning prayers, on the flight from New York's La Guardia airport heading to Louisville.

"Someone on the plane construed it as some kind of device," said officer Christine O'Brien, a spokeswoman for the Philadelphia police department.

No one was arrested or charged, O'Brien said.

The plane landed without incident and the passengers and crew were taken off the plane, a spokesman for US Airways said.

Phylacteries, called tefillin in Hebrew, are two small black boxes with black straps attached to them. Observant Jewish men are required to place one box on their head and tie the other one on their arm each weekday morning.

Thursday's incident was the latest of several false alarms on U.S. flights since the Dec. 25 incident in which a Nigerian man attempted to detonate a bomb in his underpants from materials he smuggled onto the plane just as his flight was about to land in Detroit, authorities said.

The device did not explode and only burned the man, who was pounced on by fellow passengers.

Since then several flights have been diverted by security scares that have turned out to be harmless. (Reporting by Jon Hurdle in Philadelphia, Kyle Peterson in Chicago and Daniel Trotta in New York; Writing by Daniel Trotta; Editing by Philip Barbara)

Graco Strollers - Recall Graco Baby Strollers

This is the latest recalled products, this time for Graco baby strollers. Graco recalls strollers due the hinges on the stroller's canopy. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Details of the latest Graco Recall:

Name of Product: Graco's Passage, Alano and Spree Strollers and Travel Systems
Units: About 1.5 million
Manufacturer: Graco Children’s Products Inc., of Atlanta, Ga.

Hazard: The hinges on the stroller’s canopy pose a fingertip amputation and laceration hazard to the child when the consumer is opening or closing the canopy.

Incidents/Injuries: Graco has received seven reports of children placing their fingers in the stroller’s canopy hinge mechanism while the canopy was being opened or closed, resulting in five fingertip amputations and two fingertip lacerations.

Graco manufactured two different styles of hinge mechanisms for these stroller models. Only strollers or travel systems with a plastic, jointed hinge mechanism that has indented canopy positioning notches (see photo below) are included in this recall. Therecalled strollers were manufactured between October 2004 and February 2008. The model number and manufacture date are located on the lower inside portion of the rear frame, just above the rear wheels.

Sold at: AAFES, Burlington Coat Factory, Babies “R” Us, Toys “R” Us, Kmart, Fred Meyer, Meijers, Navy Exchange, Sears, Target, Walmart and other retailers nationwide from October 2004 and December 2009 for between $80 and $90 for thestrollers and between $150 and $200 for the travel systems.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled strollers and contact Graco to receive a free protective cover repair kit.

Coachella Lineup Announced

So it begins. California's Coachella Festival, the first of the summer's massive multi-day American festivals, has now announced its lineup, and it is once again a doozy.

Jay-Z! Pavement! Faith No More! Public Image Limited! Gorillaz! LCD Soundsystem! Vampire Weekend! MGMT! Phoenix! Sly and the Family Stone?!!!! And yes, that is how Thom Yorke is billing himself these days.

That poster above has everything we know so far. The festival will come to the Empire Polo Field in Indio, California this April 16-18. Start planning your trip now.

Jeff Bridges Golden Globes news - Jeff Bridges movies

Last night, the glitz and glamor of Hollywood was out in full force to celebrate some of the best work in film for 2009.

The 2010 Golden Globes awards saw The Hangover win the best comedy picture, Avatar win the Best Picture award, Sandra Bullock win Best Actress for "The Blind Side" and Jeff Bridges win the award for Best dramatic Actor. Jeff Bridges' Golden Globes award win now has many wondering if this means the actor will pick up his first Oscar award ever in 2010.

Jeff Bridges' movies roles have been wide-ranging and received critical praise before. Upon his victory of the award, Bridges received a standing ovation from his acting peers. He's been nominated three times prior for Golden Globes but never won, making this his first win. Additionally he's been nominated for the Oscar award for four films he's done; The Last Picture Show in 1972, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot in 1975, Starman in 1985 and The Contender in 2001.

Bridges' 2010 award win was for his role as Bad Blake, a country singer in the picture Crazy Heart. The character is a washed up country singer who is reduced to playing gigs in bowling alleys, while his former protege has become a major star. Eventually, Blake finds romance with a local news reporter played by Maggie Gylenhaal.

Jeff Bridges' Golden Globes win now has him in prime position for the bigger prize: the Oscar. Everyone will eagerly anticipate to see if Bridges picks up an Oscar nomination when the nominees are announced February 2nd. Other films Bridges has appeared in include The Big Lebowski, Seabiscuit, The Contender and 2008's hit superhero flick Iron Man.

Great book deal on Amazon: One Month to Live Guidebook: To a No-Regrets Life by Kerry Shook.

What if you only had one month to live?

Kerry and Chris Shook’s thirty-day challenge now includes a revolutionary study for making every day count. This is the guidebook for taking the next steps toward integrating the One-Month-to-Live lifestyle into your personal way of life. Alone, one-on-one, or in a group, this in-depth, scriptural study brings a whole new level of power to living passionately, loving completely, learning humbly, and leaving a legacy to impact generations.

Insights in employing the four primary principles, inspirational questions for goal-setting and discussion, and a creative implementation plan for completing the biggest challenges you currently face, this fully-adaptable companion guide is the ultimate practical resource to a no-regrets life.

Gloria Navarro won title of Miss Cougar America at a competition hosted in Palo Alto, California during the first annual CougarCon.

"It's a new beginning for me," said the suburban management consultant. "I went from soccer mom with short hair, flat-heeled shoes and fanny packs to cougar. I believe every woman has a cougar in them - someone who doesn't need a man for anything other than companionship."

The 42-year-old and recently divorced Navarro (Video here, larger photo here and here) had to win over the men in attendance at the Cougar Convention in their 20s, 30s and 40s to grab her title of Miss Cougar America. A slideshow is here.

Navarro's prize for winning is a trip to Mexico on the world's first International Cougar Cruise!

Deal of the Day: Pinnacle Studio Ultimate Version 12 Video Editing Software for PC

Woot keeps getting better and better, though I don’t understand why I am so surprised because those guys were always best. Today’s deal consists of the Pinnacle Studio Ultimate Version 12 Video Editing Software for PC which uses cutting-edge HD video editing techniques like Blu-ray and AVCHD. The software supports native HD and preserves the same quality as the original source even after you have edited the videos, and the good thing is that it’s without transcoding.

The Pinnacle Studio Ultimate Version 12 Video Editing Software with 5.95′ x 5.58′ Green Screen features Pinnacle Montage theme editing, animated graphics, HiFi audio, and multi-layered effects just at Hollywood. The Green Sheet is very useful when it comes to creating Chroma key effects, while the Scorefitter music generator will allow you to put on great soundtracks that will match the length of your movies.

The software is available only today at Woot.com for $49.99 plus $5 shipping fee, however, if you’re from China you can’t get any because Woot supports the freedom of speech.

Heidi Montag Plastic Surgery Addiction – 10 Surgeries in One Day

The 23-year-old Hills star Heidi Montag apparently has quite a plastic surgery addiction. Heidi Montag admits she recently went under the knife for an insane 10 plastic surgery procedures in just one day.

“For the past three years, I’ve thought about what to have done,” Heidi Montag tells People in the mag’s latest issue. “I’m beyond obsessed.”

On Nov. 20, Heidi Montag checked in for a total body makeover plastic surgery session, which she details in the pages of People. She didn’t even tell her family what she was doing. This is the second time Montag has undergone plastic surgery.

We just think it’s very sad that a woman who was obviously beautiful to begin with feels she has to slice open her body to fit some kind of super-image of what female beauty is supposed to look like.

Hell of a way to inspire the young women of the world out there Heidi.

Ford Fusion and Transit Connect win 2010 North American Car and Truck of the Year

It seems Ford can already pop open the champagne at its Detroit Auto Show (NAIAS) stand, as the jury of the 2010 North American Car and Truck of the Year awards has chosen the Ford Fusion and the Ford Transit Connect as its respective winners for the 2 competitions.

This is definitely a major win, and one of the few times both awards go to a single carmaker. The Fusion hybrid has definitely made an impact in the US, and it’s quite surprising that the European-made (Transit Connect trucks are even made in Romania!) are that successful in North America.

Fusion’s contestants were the Buick LaCrosse and the Volkswagen Golf, while the Transit’s rivals were the Chevrolet Equinox and the Subaru Outback. Ford also won last year’s Truck of the Year award with its F-150.

Gumby animator Art Clokey dies at 88 in California

Gumby grew out of a student project Art Clokey produced at University of Southern California in the early 1950s called “Gumbasia.”

Animator Art Clokey, whose bendable creation Gumby became a pop culture phenomenon through decades of toys, revivals and satires, died Friday. He was 88 years.

Clokey, who suffered from repeated bladder infections, died in his sleep at his home in Los Osos on California's Central Coast, son Joseph told the Los Angeles Times.

Gumby grew out of a student project Clokey produced at the University of Southern California in the early 1950s called "Gumbasia."

That led to his making shorts featuring Gumby and his horse friend Pokey for the "Howdy Doody Show" and several series through the years.

He said he based Gumby's swooping head on the cowlick hairdo of his father, who died in a car accident when Clokey was nine. And Clokey's wife suggested he give Gumby the body of a gingerbread man.

Clokey said that though Gumby eventually became one of the most familiar toys of all time, he was at first resistant to roll out the bendable doll.

"I didn't allow merchandising for seven years after it was on the air," Clokey told San Luis Obispo Tribune in 2002, "because I was very idealistic, and I didn't want parents to think we were trying to exploit their children."

Clokey also created the moralizing and often satirized claymation duo "Davey and Goliath."

The Lutheran Church hired Clokey to make the "Davey and Goliath" shorts, and Clokey used the money to help bring a Gumby series back to television in the 1960s.

Eddie Murphy brought a surge in Gumby's popularity in the 1980s with his send-up of the character on "Saturday Night Live" as a cigar-smoking show business primadonna.

Clokey said he enjoyed Murphy's profane Gumby.

"Gumby can laugh at himself," Clokey told the Tribune.

Murphy's Gumby brought new toy sales and eventually led to a new syndicated series starting in 1988.
It was only then that Clokey started seeing serious financial returns on his creation.

"It took 40 years," he said.

South Florida coach Jim Leavitt fired for allegedly striking player, according to reports

South Florida coach Jim Leavitt has been fired for allegedly striking a player during a game this season, according to 2 reports.

Both AOL Fanhouse and ESPN.com are reporting Friday morning that Leavitt has been fired by the university after an investigation into his conduct against special teams player Joel Miller during the Bulls' November game against Louisville.

Leavitt — the only coach that South Florida has had in its 13-year history — was told he was fired in a meeting Friday morning with the university's president Judy Genshaft.

According to Fanhouse, the results of the investigation will be released Friday.

Leavitt's $1.6 million salary made him the second-highest paid coach in the Big East conference, behind only Greg Schiano of Rutgers' $2 million.

The firing of Leavitt for the alleged striking of a player makes him the third coach since the end of the college football regular season to be fired for abusing a player. Kansas' Mark Mangino was bought out of his contract in December after allegations from current and former players for his conduct towards them. Most recently, Mike Leach was fired by Texas Tech after it was discovered that he locked a concussed player in an electrical closet.

South Florida finished the season 8-5 and won the International Bowl over Northern Illinois on Jan. 2.

Artie Lange Stabbed Himself Nine Times in Suicide Attempt

Howard Stern Show sidekick Artie Lange was rushed to the hospital on Sat in a failed suicide attempt, the New York Post has just reported. Lange was found by his mother in his apartment Saturday morning and immediately called 911. Lange was rushed to a Hoboken hospital where three deep stab wounds and six secondary wounds were treated in time to save the troubled comic.

Howard Stern hasn’t comment on these recent revelations yet, and only issued the following statement on Monday after being pressured by a fan who called in:

“We know Artie has problems. He’s documented them well in books and on this radio show, but look… the family is saying that this is their business. This is what they want to talk about when they want to talk about it and I honor that. That’s all you’re going to get out of me.”

This situation is much more serious than just a poor health condition as originally speculated. According to Stern, Lange is still a member of the Sirius XM radio show team and will welcome him back with open arms when the time comes. Reports over the weekend has SNL alum Jim Breuer replacing Artie on the show, but Howard quickly dismissed those rumors.

Lang had not been on the show since November, partly due to his absence but mostly because the Howard Stern show was on vacation for the latter two weeks of December for the holidays. Even then, Stern and the rest of the staff were mum on any specific reason why Artie was absent.

We’ll keep you updated on this breaking news as details emerge.

As huge Stern and Artie fans, the TMR Zoo staff wishes Artie and his family the best of luck and a speedy recovery… from all of his ailments. Good Luck, you baby gorilla.

Monster Diesel Gets New Bike

Orange County Choppers is constructing a new bike for Monster Diesel.

Monster Diesel is an alternative green diesel fuel additive developed from synthetic technology which is more powerful and more environmentally friendly than traditional fuels. They are based here in Baltimore and are growing quickly.

Orange County Choppers will be in Baltimore, at Canton Square January 6 deliver it and film segments for the show starting around 4 p.m.

Connecticut AG Blumenthal to seek Dodd's Senate seat

Connecticut's popular Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said on Wednesday that he intends to run for Christopher Dodd's seat in the U.S. Senate, boosting the chances of Democrats retaining the seat in Nov.

Blumenthal, 63, told financial news channel CNBC that he will officially announce later on Wed his pursuit of fellow Democrat Dodd's seat.

A press conference is slated for 2:30 p.m. EST at state Democratic party headquarters in Hartford, Connecticut.

Blumenthal has been Connecticut's top law enforcement official since 1990, serving five terms in that office, and previously served in the state's legislature.

Dodd, chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, is expected to announce later on Wednesday his decision to not seek re-election.

Aides gave no explanation for Dodd's decision, but it had been clear for months the Connecticut lawmaker, dogged by questions over his financial industry connections, might be voted out of office.

With Dodd's approval skidding, the non-partisan Cook Political Report this week said the seat was leaning Republican.

The entry of Blumenthal is likely to change that equation. In November, a Quinnipiac poll showed Blumenthal with a lopsided 78 percent job approval rate.

Republicans running for the seat include former U.S. Representative Robert Simmons, and Linda McMahon, former chief executive of World Wrestling Entertainment.

Jayson Williams Slightly Hurt in Car Accident

Jayson Williams, the former star with the New Jersey Nets, was slightly injured on Tuesday morning when the sport utility vehicle he was driving struck a tree in the Manhattan, the police said.

Mr. Williams refused to submit to a sobriety test that officers tried to administer at the crash site, at East 18th Street near Avenue C, the police said. As a result, he faces a possible criminal charge, a police official said.

The crash occurred about 3:15 a.m., the police said, near an exit of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Drive in Lower Manhattan. Mr. Williams suffered a laceration to his head and was taken to Bellevue Hospital Center, the police said. He was being treated at the hospital Tuesday morning.

The precise circumstances of the crash were not immediately clear, though investigators believe Mr. Williams was driving the black Mercedes-Benz sport utility vehicle, the police said.

Mr. Williams has withstood a flurry of legal troubles stemming from the shooting death of a limousine driver in his home in New Jersey, for which he was arrested and tried. He faces a retrial on a charge of reckless manslaughter in that case, officials have said.

ESPN launching first 3D television network

ESPN is launching industry's first 3D television network. The sports programmer is making a big bet on the format, announcing plans introduce a 3D TV network this summer.

The Walt Disney Co. unit said Tuesday that the new channel -- ESPN 3D -- will feature at least 85 live sporting events during its first year, beginning June 11 with the first 2010 FIFA World Cup match South Africa vs. Mexico.

Other 3D events will include up to 25 World Cup matches, the 2011 BCS National Championship Game, college basketball and football, and the Summer X Games.

"ESPN's commitment to 3D is a win for fans and our business partners," said ESPN and ABC Sports president George Bodenheimer. "ESPN 3D marries great content with new technology to enhance the fan's viewing experience and puts ESPN at the forefront of the next big advance for TV viewing."

ESPN has been testing ESPN 3D for more than two years. For example, it showed a USC-Ohio State college football game in select theaters and on USC's campus.

To watch the content, viewers must have a 3D-ready TV set, and might need a new set-top box. And yes, viewers also must wear 3D glasses.

Plus, the added cost of producing content in 3D will likely get passed onto the consumer, resulting in another cable pay tier similar to current high-definition packages.

That ESPN would be the first network to announce a 3D channel is no surprise. Sports was a key driver in viewers embracing HD, while ESPN constantly explores new technological advances to enhance its content. ESPN is also the most widely distributed cable network.

"This is a turning point for 3D," Consumer Electronics Association CEO Gary Shapiro told USA Today.

The recent box office success of "Avatar," which recently passed $1 billion worldwide and is set to become the #2 movie of all time behind director James Cameron's own "Titanic," has helped prove the 3D format can draw a stunning number of viewers.

The Live Feed's semi-annual live blogging coverage of the Television Critics Association press tour in Pasadena begins Saturday with CBS and The CW and continues Sunday with NBC.

Steve Czaban says Dan Snyder really can step out of the way and let people who know how to better run things he owns run them.

Czaban's proof? WTEM-AM.

"If people ask why can't Snyder just hire really good people and let them do what they do, well, that's exactly what he's doing on the radio front," says Czaban, co-host of "The Sports Reporters," the drive-time show and jewel in the schedule of Snyder's WTEM, also called ESPN980.

Czaban's got an ego, and he really is really good at what he does, but the "really good people" he's referring to here is Bruce Gilbert, CEO of Red Zebra Broadcasting and the guy who Snyder put in charge of WTEM last year when he bought what was then the only sports station in the market. Gilbert canned on-air personalities Brian Mitchell and Al Koken, but kept Czaban and his longtime partner, Andy Pollin, in the WTEM stable.

Can we trust Czaban's kind words for Snyder? On paper, Czaban's conflicted out the wazoo. He works for Snyder, and needs the WTEM job more than ever now: the bosses at FoxSports Radio, where Czaban had his own syndicated morning show for the last five years, just gave him his walking papers as a Christmas present. Stephen A. Smith takes over Czaban's old time slot there.

Czaban had been tougher on the Redskins than anybody in the market before Snyder became his boss. One example: Czaban lost a moonlighting gig with the Redskins post-game show on Comcast sports three years ago after a testy interview with Mark Brunell, during which he asked the QB how comfortable he was about his job status. Brunell was visibly peeved, and Redskins management quickly complained to Comcast about Czaban. He was immediately suspended by Comcast, and did not return to the postgame show the following season.

Yet, despite the conflicts, any reduction in the harshness of Czaban's Skins critiques under Snyder's ownership has been too subtle to notice.

(AFTER THE JUMP: Who coined "Clinton Tortoise"? Will NFL go for the Clooney Rule? Hire the OTHER Mike: Forget Shanahan, go for Leach! Will next year's EagleBank Bowl be held in a telephone booth?)

For but one of the hundreds of examples of the fun they've had at the Redskins' expense amid the team's debacle of a season: In October, Czaban and Pollin coined the nickname "Clinton Tortoise" for quickly aging running back Clinton Portis.

Just doing his job, Czaban says. "I don't think I've said anything about the Redskins this year that hasn't been said by other people more directly and more harshly," he says.

And Snyder has let him say it all. Czaban says he hasn't even met Snyder since the ownership change. And the ratings of the Sports Reporters in their target demographic -- males 25-54 -- have never been higher.

The biggest test of Snyder's laissez faire-ness will come a year from now, when Czaban's and Pollin's contracts with Red Zebra come up for renewal. Will Snyder continue to pay Czaban and let him be Czaban?

Brennan: Intel lapses about Flight 253 attack not the same as those before the 9/11

The intelligence failures surrounding the Flight 253 terror plot were nothing like those that preceded 9/11 attacks, the White House's top counterterrorism official said Sunday.

Many of those lapses were "human errors," Deputy National Security Adviser John Brennan told Fox News. Others were the result of an intelligence system that cannot process "millions upon millions of bits of data" as effectively as it should, he said on ABC.

But none of those errors, Brennan cautioned throughout the morning, were the result of communication failures or turf wars -- the two biggest criticisms levied at the intelligence community prior to 9/11.

"Well, in fact, prior to 9/11, I think there was a reluctance on the part of a lot of agencies and departments of sharing information," Brennan told "This Week. "There's no evidence whatsoever that any agency or department was reluctant to share.."

Despite Brennan's assurances, it has been a tough week for the nation's intelligence community. The president himself described the Christmas Day attempt to bomb Flight 253 in Detroit as a "systemic failure" on the part of counterterrorism officials to stop threats before they materialize.

The White House is still probing why; its initial findings are not yet public. But that has not stopped lawmakers, national security experts and pundits from questioning whether the Flight 253 terror plot signals the intelligence community is just as ill-equipped in 2010 as it was in 2001.

The Obama administration has stressed the threats are real, but the country is still safer than it was after 9/11. When asked by host Terry Moran why Facebook, a network of millions of users, can parse billions of bits of data but the U.S. intelligence community could not, Brennan stressed the intelligence community has handled countless threats before with more success.

"Well, in fact, we do have the sophistication and power of Facebook, and well beyond that," he said. "That's why we were able to stop Mr. Najibullah Zazi, David Headley, other individuals from carrying out attacks, because we were able to do that on a regular basis."

"In this one instance, the system didn't work," he added. "There were some human errors; there were some lapses. We need to strengthen it."

Mummers Strutting Up Broad Street for 110th Annual Parade

It is on! The Mummers will march down Broad Street on New Year's Day. A meeting was held at 4am on Friday morning, and city parade director Leo Dignam says it's on as scheduled:

"We were holding our breath, but we caught it right in the middle, it's going to be windy on Saturday and Sunday and cold. And obviously it rained all day on Thursday so, we caught a break."

So the 110th annual Mummers parade was to get underway at 10am with the comics division stepping off at Broad Street and Washington Avenue.

The Fancy Division starts at 10:30am at Broad and Moore Streets.

Then the string bands go at 11am from Broad and Oregon.

Comics, fancies and sting bands are all judged at City Hall, and the Fancy Brigades will be judged at their two shows at the Convention Center, those shows at noon and 5pm.

Rose Bowl Parade 2010 live stream online: 121st Tournament of Roses Parade 2010

The 121 Tournament of Roses Parade 2010 comes to all of us again from Pasadena, California. This Tournament of Roses Parade has been a tradition which is scheduled at 11:00 AM ET every January 1 of the year.

Rosebowl Parade 2010 is uniquely done because floats are made of flowers or organic materials. After the parade it brings us to Rose Bowl at 5:00 PM which will feature Oregon vs Ohio State.

The Rose Bowl Parade can be seen on ABC, NBC, HGTV, Univision, RFD TV. You can check also Justin TV for online stream. Enjoy the Rosebowl parade 2010.