The Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons says he is not taking any bribes or kickbacks, nor did he fooled around ever on his wife.
Gibbons was to respond to the questions of a personal nature in the very deposition taken earlier this month.
He was questioned by the lawyer for the Las Vegas woman claimed that Gibbons groped and assaulted her in the parking garage after a night of drinking.
Mr. Gibbons finds himself stuck between a rock and a hard place legal, with a federal civil suit on one side, and the battle long divorce from the other. Governor has a lot of important issues in store in Carson City, but can not overcome their legal problems.
Read the full deposition of the Governor
(Graphic language warning)
Lawyers in each of those actions have been asked whether Gibbons is immoral and reprobate. Questions raised in both cases have focused heavily on personal matters, which extended to the Governor by public life.
In October 2006, then-gubernatorial candidate Jim Gibbons appeared in a news conference, accompanied by his wife, Dawn, told reporters that he was a happily married man. The event was held so that Gibbons can respond to the allegations that he had groped and assaulted a cocktail waitress Chrissie Mazzeo hours after drinking at a restaurant in Las Vegas.
Criminal charges were never pursued Gibbons was elected governor of days after the press conference. But Mazzeo in the civil suit in federal court is still alive.
Mazzeo and her attorney Bob Kossack think the governor is lying, and not only about events in the night, but in the question about his personal life.
In the February 5, 2010, Gibbons was questioned, under oath, for four hours, and provided, in the opinion Kossack, contradictory versions of events, including the status of his marriage.
In his statement under oath, asked if Gibbons was, in fact, a happily married man in 2006, and I answered yes. But in other parts of the certificate, said Gibbons Kossack his marriage to Dawn was “tense”.
When asked about his sex life, Gibbons said there was no close relationship with his wife or any other woman since 1995, adding the comment “I’m living proof you can survive without sex for a long time.”
Gibbons testified that he had never been unfaithful to his wife, and specifically denied the existence of sexual relations with two women linked to him in the media accounts – Leslie Sferraza Durant, a former Playboy model, who accompanied Gibbons to the Reno Rodeo, and was seen with him in restaurants different and Kathy Karrasch, and married women as the exchange of hundreds of messages in the late night text with Gibbons.
Both Karrasch says Durant friendships with Gibbons has Platonism.
Las Vegan Wendy Mazaros says it has direct knowledge of Gibbons romance with Leslie Durant. Mazaros given under oath in a private Gibbons case of divorce, and says she was in the room with Leslie on 90 and that Leslie is expected to marry one Gibbons.
“It was a big role in love,” she said.
Under oath, Mazaros also said Leslie accompanied on several trips out of state, see Leslie picked up packets of cash from the business to be delivered to Gibbons, who was not in the office during that time period.
In a statement, Gibbons emphatically denied ever accept any kind of bribery or extortion, and denied ever lived in an apartment in Reno, Mazaros referred to as the “love the apartment,” or visit the apartment in San Diego, and denied ever accept any amount of money in a restaurant in Reno.
Mazzeo’s lawyer, Bob Kossack declined to be interviewed on camera, but says that the deposition of the governor did not agree with the statements made originally to the police and the media.
During the deposition, Kossack Gibbons Mazzeo showed pictures taken in the night of the alleged incident. Gibbons said he did not recognize her.
When asked whether he had told flirty or naughty jokes on / off while having cocktails with Mazzeo and others, Gibbons said he was not a good joke teller and said he did not know the meaning of the term “pun.”
Denied playing footsie under the table because Mazzeo said he was wearing cowboy boots
Kossack says that other witnesses under oath that there is flirtatious behavior and that Gibbons had his arms all over the Mazzeo once and two others from abroad.
Gibbons says the only time he touched Mazzeo was when I stumbled as he helped her find a vehicle.
He told police Mazzeo suddenly turned away from it without explanation, and it went directly to his room. In the deposition, however, said in a long story about the loss of the key to his chamber, which may be responsible for the existence of a difference based on the time exactly happened to his room.
Gibbons lawyer Pat Lundvall says her client has done a “wonderful” during the deposition. Says he was open and honest and answered all questions, even in the afternoon session when he joined them lawyers Chrissie Mazzeo.
Kossack lawyer, Bob says he has not yet decided whether to seek depositions from Leslie Durant and Kathy Karrasch.
Governor and sedimentation, which filled nearly 200 pages when you copy them, and provides an explicit profile to other aspects of his life, including employment history and education.
The fellow flier with whom Mitt Romney had a physical alteration on an airplane turns out to be a hip hop star – and he claims in the 2008 GOP presidential hopeful got physical first.
“He grabbed my shoulder, and I was like boom get off of me,” the artist says. “The man assaulted me. I was protecting myself."
Romney and his wife, Ann, were heading to Los Angeles on Monday - and flying economy class - after attending the Olympic Games in Vancouver when they encountered the musician.
According to Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom, the artist "became physically violent" when Romney asked him to move his seat upright before takeoff.
"Gov. Romney did not retaliate but instead let the airline crew respond to the incident," Fehrnstrom said.
Neither Romney nor his wife was hurt.
A spokesman for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said Air Canada Flight AC552 was returned to the gate and Sky Blu was taken into custody. He claims he wasn’t arrested.
"The alleged victim did not wish to press charges," said Cpl. Jennifer Pound of the mounted police. "The male that was arrested and released caught a later flight."
“I have no hard feelings toward him, Sky Blu said in the video. “I’m sure he’s a good dude. It was just an unfortunate situation”
Sign of spring? Single-game Phils tix go on sale
The field is covered with snow at the Citizens Bank Park, and so are many of the seats fans covet, especially along the first base line.
But at 5 a.m. cousins Rob and Chuck Milrath of Ridley - emerging from their dens like groundhogs as harbingers of spring - arrived at the ballpark to be the first fans in line to buy single-game tickets for the coming season.
(Sales started at 8 a.m. online and 8:30 at the ticket windows or by phone at 215-463-1000.)
Rob, 18, said he and his cousin were gunning for Opening Night, Fan Appreciation Day, a fireworks game and a dollar-dog day.
At 8:30, the two cousins walked through a tape of blank tickets to make the first purchases.
"Probably will get in troble with the teachers," said Ridley High senior Rob, whose first-in-line status had landed him and his cousin in the media spotlight.
Braving the breezy chill were three ballgirls - with no gloves, hats or heavy jackets.
"There is shivering in baseball, but there's no crying," said ballgirl Victoria Musselman, 22, who's training to become a physician's assistant at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Next in line was Joe Burns, 49, of Tacony, whose list of games focused on teams he wanted to see. The May 7 game against Atlanta, however, he chose not for the competition but to celebrate the anniversary of his "last beer." He wasn't a heavy drinker, he said. He just decided to quit.
Wearing wristband No. 16 was Bill Ward, 56, of Westville, N.J., who has been part of this annual ritual for a decade.
"No reason they can't win it again - the World Series," he said. "100 wins. No problem."
"Maybe 105 if [reliever Brad] Lidge doesn't blow 11 saves," chimed in Kevin Rimkunas, 51, of Bridesburg.
This was his sixth year at the yearly event. He braved the cold for several reasons. "The Internet's a pain. It's tough getting through. Plus I don't like paying a service fee."
Just before 7 a.m., Rob and Chuck were presented with new red caps whose tags touted, among other attributes, "vapor management." Today, in Florida, players will start wearing these "flex fit" caps with "high-tech mesh" all during spring training - and for batting practice during the season, explained Francis Winkey, manager of the Majestic Clubhouse Store.
Then the dozen fans in line were let into the store to be greeted by two ballgirls, sign up for a chance to win Opening Day tickets, take advantage of 15 percent off today, grab a bagel or a doughnut and some coffee, or pose with the 2009 National League championship trophy and the 2008 World Series trophy - provided they brought a camera.
Sales of ticket were for 77 dates for the 2010 season.
Off-limits were four games - Opening Day and three against the Boston Red Sox - because they've available only through season ticket packages, six-game "Six Packs," or an online "ticket purchase opportunity" lottery.
After today, tickets will be sold at the First Base Gate ticket windows from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, 10 to 4 on weekends starting March 6.
Six Packs were already on sale before this morning, allowing fans to pick six games, including only one of the following - Opening Day, a Mets game, a Red Sox game, Father's Day, Mother's Day or a fireworks night.
For more about tickets, giveaways, and the online ticket opportunity, Online drawings end Feb. 24 for Opening Day, March 3 for Sox tickets.
Fat Tuesday, Paczki Day and National Pancake Day: Happy Mardi Gras!
Fat Tuesday, Paczki Day, National Pancake Day, Fastnacht Day and Shrove Tuesday are all names for the last day of the happy Mardi Gras celebrations. Earlier I shared my Fat Tuesday organic pancake recipe before Lent and Ash Wednesday. A recent Happy Mardi Gras tour around Gather taught me about Paczki Day and Happy Mardi Gras traditions around the world including Fastnacht Day!
We are celebrating National Pancake Day with lowfat organic pancakes and yummy ham steaks. Other will be eating delicious Polish Paczki for Paczki Day. On my diet, I wondered about Paczki calories. I discovered they have about 500 calories each!
In Germany, Mardi Gras is called Karneval with Fastnacht Day celebrated the day before Ash Wednesday. Parades are held on Lundi Gras, also called Fat Monday.
Whatever you decide to call the day and however you celebrate it, Happy Mardi Gras!
Here is YouTube video of New Orlean Mardi Gras 2009 and Fat Tuesday in the French Quarter:
Deadliest Catch Captain Dies: Cornelia Marie Philip Harries Dead
Deadliest Catch Captain Dies: Cornelia Marie Philip Harries Dead (Latest Updates) – Captain Phil Harris of the Cornelia Marie has passed away yesterday. The news comes as a great shock to both his families. The reason that I say both his families is because he was loved by so many around the world and he considered his television crew on the Discovery channel to be a part of his family. With his show “The Deadliest Catch” being aired in over a hundred and fifty countries worldwide the news is sure to spread like wild fire.
After undergoing a lengthy duration of twelve hours of surgery Phil Harris of the Cornelia Marie was put into a medically stimulated coma. Though there were some signs of his health improving just a few days ago,Phil Harris could not make it through.
Harris was the captain of the Cornelia Marie, one of several crab-fishing boats upon which “The Dealiest Catch” was focused, and one of the few to be featured in every season of the show. Through five seasons, the show depicted the extreme conditions that fishermen face while hunting for crab off the coast of Alaska. Harris’ gruff personality, no-nonsense work ethic and acerbic sense of humor made him a fan favorite on the program.
Jake and Josh Harris, the captain’s two sons, also issued a statement regarding their father’s passing. “It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to our dad — Capt.Phil Harris . Dad has always been a fighter and continued to be until the end. For us and the crew, he was someone who never backed down. We will remember and celebrate that strength. Thanks to everyone for their thoughts and prayers.”
“It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to our dad — Captain Phil Harris. Dad has always been a fighter and continued to be until the end,” sons Josh and Jake Harris said in a statement released by the network. “For us and the crew, he was someone who never backed down.”
In a statement, Discovery Channel senior vice president Elizabeth Hillman says, “Phil was a devoted father and loyal friend to all who knew him.”
“We will miss his straightforward honesty, wicked sense of humor and enormous heart,” she said.
Who Drummer Zak Starkey: Who Is He?
The Every classic-rock fan knows the titanic twosome that fronts the Who: singer Roger Daltrey and windmilling guitarist Pete Townshend. But as the only two original members left of the iconic British rock band, the duo front a group of backup players who are decidedly more anonymous than late madman drummer Keith Moon and steady-on bassist John Entwistle, who died in 2002 on the eve of one of the band's seemingly endless final tours.
One of the sidemen that stood out for many football fans watching the Super Bowl halftime extravaganza on Sunday was splashy drummer Zak Starkey, who kept the beat on a medley of the band's most beloved hits: "Pinball Wizard," "Baba O'Riley," "Who Are You?," "See Me, Feel Me" and "Won't Get Fooled Again."
Though at 44 a relative youngster compared to Townshend (64) and Daltrey (65), Starkey is actually a nearly 15-year veteran of the touring version of the Who and a well-regarded rock sideman. He's played with Oasis, the Waterboys, the Icicle Works, Paul Weller and former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr. The son of Beatles drummer Ringo Starr and his first wife, Maureen Cox, Starkey has been a touring member of the Who since 1996.
The gig is a fitting one, considering that Moon was Starkey's godfather and one of dad Ringo's best pals before the Who drummer's death in 1978. In fact, Starkey received his first drum kit and lessons as a child from Moon, despite Ringo's desire that his son not follow in his rock-and-roll footsteps.
Starkey began performing professional gigs in British pubs at age 12 with his band the Next and hooked up in 1985 with the reunited Spencer Davis Group, lead by Steve Winwood, when he was still a teenager. In addition to touring with his dad's All Starr Band, Starkey performed with Daltrey in 1994 on the singer's Daltrey Sings Townshend tour, as well as performing on Entwistle's solo albums.
Starkey was formally asked to play with the Who in 1996, during the band's string of special dates performing their iconic album Quadrophenia. He has performed with the group ever since, alongside other longtime sidemen bassist Pino Palladino, rhythm guitarist Simon Townshend and keyboardist John "Rabbit" Bundrick.
Interview: Julia Roberts, Bradley Cooper and Garry Marshall Celebrate
Director Garry Marshall has assembled a who's who of Hollywood cast for the romantic comedy Valentine's Day, about a diverse group of people in the Los Angeles whose lives intertwine, as they navigate their way through romance and heartbreak on what is supposed to be the most romantic day of the year.
Making Valentine's Day was a comfortable and enjoyable experience for co-stars Julia Roberts and Bradley Cooper, who got to reunite with each other after having done 98 performances of the Broadway play "Three Days of Rain" together, and for Julia who got to re-team with her Pretty Woman director Garry Marshall. During a press conference for the film, the actors talked about the challenges of living, working and falling in love in Los Angeles.
Q: Garry, what challenges were there for you, in working with this big cast?
Marshall: The key is that you hire everybody who's name starts with a "J," like Jessica, Jamie, Jennifer, Julia. It all works out of that. It was good for me that I knew many of these people and to work with them recalls a shorthand because this was a tough schedule. The logistics alone were tough, so to work with them all was a pleasure because there was not much fighting. It's a nice group.
Q: A big theme of this film is that the right person for you could be your best friend that's been there all along. Julia, was there a moment you realized you had a friendship that became more?
Roberts: Gary just said he and I didn't get married, even though we are best friends.
Marshall: We're very close and we had a nice time.
Q: Julia, how do you find time for romance with kids at home?
Roberts: My kids go to bed at 7:30.
Q: How will you celebrate Valentine's Day this year?
Roberts: For Valentine's Day, we're just gonna be makin' out for the full 24 hours.
Q: What's the key to a successful relationship, especially in L.A.?
Roberts: I think it's the same in any city. L.A. isn't distinctive in its uniqueness to what makes a relationship work. Two people who work at it, in any town you go to, is what works.
Q: It seems like love and the pursuit of it is what everyone wants. It's like a drug. People want to be happy and that's really the only thing that makes us happy. Do you think that's the case?
Roberts: It is a drug though, isn't it? Love and that feeling, and what it does to make us all tingly inside, is a drug.
Q: Julia and Bradley, can you talk about shooting the sequences in the plane and what it was like to work in such a confined space?
Cooper: I liked to sit down and talk all day.
Roberts: We caught up. We hadn't seen each other for awhile and I grilled him pretty good.
Marshall: They had done many performances of a Broadway play together.
Roberts: 98 performances.
Marshall: They got to know each other through those performances on the stage together. They were the first shot in the movie. They started it. They were a little nervous, but Julia calmed everyone down.
Q: Garry, since this was such a large cast, many of the actors didn't get to work together. To what extent were they together as a cast?
Marshall: The food is free, so there are always people on a movie set, even when they're not working.
Q: Bradley, when you found out your love interest was going to be Eric Dane, what did you think?
Cooper: He has a beautiful body and succulent lips.
Q: Was there an extended version of your scene together?
Cooper: Absolutely. I have the rights to it, though.
Q: Garry, you're known for creating a family environment on set. Were you still able to do that with such a large cast?
Marshall: I also had a lot of relatives who were involved. Part of my thing is that, when you work with these stars, you have to make them comfortable. You surround them with people you like. Seated next to Bradley and Julia on that place was my grandchild, who won't say a word. She won't run up to them and say, "Give me an autograph." My assistant and her husband sat behind them and didn't say a word. And with Ashton, my daughter was the other clerk with him, so that he'd be comfortable.
Q: For Julia and Garry, how did it feel to be reunited, all these years after Pretty Woman?
Roberts: We had a lot of Pretty Woman people on the set. Our D.P., Chuck Minsky, shot Pretty Woman, and our prop department was the same. We laughed about a lot of things, particularly how old we've all gotten in 20 years. In fact, we're 20 years older, in 20 years. We seem to do this every 10 years. We did Pretty Woman, and then, 10 years later, we did Runaway Bride, and then, 10 years later we did Valentine's Day. So, I will see all of you again when I'm 51.
Marshall: I can't wait to see how beautiful you'll be.
Girl, 11, Gives Birth to Baby Boy in Northeast Hospital
The north-east China, an unnamed Chinese girl gave birth by Caesarean section to a healthy baby boy.
"My daughter and baby are fine, and the baby is absolutely beautiful," stated the girl’s mother.
The girl and her family are not being named in order to protect the girl’s privacy.
According to Dr. Manny Alvarez, managing health editor of FoxNews.com, the girl’s age places her in significant dangers
"A very comprehensive approach to her care needs to be instituted early in her pregnancy," Alvarez said.
A recent report by the Guttmacher Institute said U.S. teen pregnancies were up 3 percent in 2006.
But of course, this case is not about a teenager, Dr. Abdulla Al-Khan, a leading high-risk obstetrician noted; it’s about a pre-teen, or child, who’s body is not built to carry a child yet.
"Her body is clearly not defined for pregnancy with its short stature," Al-Khan said. "Her chest is not extensively developed for breast tissue, her bones aren’t quite fused, and once you expose a child this young to high amounts of progesterone and especially estrogen, there is controversy that it could halt her growth."
Al-Khan said other medical challenges facing a girl as young as 10 or 11-years-old include:
— The pelvis is not defined for natural childbirth;
— The vagina could sustain injury during a natural birth;
— The patient is at high-risk for pre-eclampsia, which is high blood pressure and protein in the urine and could lead to convulsions and/or multi-system organ failure;
— A higher risk of pre-term labor and delivery, which would mean the baby’s size would be compromised, and the baby is at risk for developmental issues, fetal growth restriction and chromosomal abnormalities;
— Higher incidence of stillbirth;
— Higher incidence of cholestasis of pregnancy, a condition where the patient starts itching like crazy, which can lead to stillbirth and placenta issues;
— Chance of fatty liver developing, which could be fatal.
"The textbooks don’t even tell you how to deal with a 10-year-old; it’s completely different even though we understand the basics," Al-Khan said.
Al-Khan said a patient like this would benefit from early intervention and would have to be seen on a weekly basis during the pregnancy to prevent complications.
"Think about how difficult a pregnancy is for someone in their 20s or 30s . . .the aches, pains, the sleep deprivation," Al-Khan said. "Now imagine it in a child."
There are also psychological issues associated with a pregnancy like this, because a 10-year-old cannot be mentally ready to give birth, Al-Khan said.
"This is heart-wrenching because you have a kid whose mental capacities can’t possibly wrap themselves around what it means to be a mother here," agreed Dr. Keith Ablow, a psychiatrist and Fox News contributor. "There are so many psychological minefields in store for her. Feelings of guilt, feelings of wanting to nurture another human being, and yet this is all very, very complex and intense when she looks to her own family to essentially support, and if you will, father her child."
Ablow pointed out that the girl is dependent on her own family to take care of her, yet now she has a child who is dependent on her.
"She has her own life plan, and yet there’s another life that should take precedence," Ablow said.
According to the Guttmacher Institute, nearly half of all 15-19 year-olds in the U.S. have had sex at least once.
In 2002, some 13 percent of never-married females aged 15-19 have had sex before the age of 15, according to the think tank.
Al-Khan said in his opinion, the topic of terminating the baby would have to come up in this kind of case, because as sensitive a subject as it is, going through with the pregnancy would be a greater risk than having an abortion.
The youngest documented case of a child pregnancy was in 1939 in Lima, Peru, Al-Khan said. Lina Medina was 6-years-old when she became pregnant and gave birth to a baby.
Phil sees his shadow
Six more weeks of winter.
That is the prediction today after Punxatawny Phil saw his shadow in his annual appearance before thousands of Groundhog's Day revelers at Gobblers Knob in the Western Pennsylvania.
The annual ritual is based on a tradition that holds if it is sunny and bright on Feb. 2. - the Christian holiday of Candlemas - winter will last another six weeks.
Legend says spring will come early if it is overcast.
The use of a groundhog is based on a German tradition of predicting the course of winter by whether or not a hibernating aninal - usually a bear or a badger - sees its shadow.
This morning, the Inner Circle of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club roused Phil from his slumber and announced he had seen his shadow.
In some Christian traditions, Candlemas celebrates the day when the infant Jesus was presented at the Temple and is marked in the Roman Catholic Church by the blessing of candles.
As old English song also holds:
If Candlemas be fair and bright,
Come winter, have another flight;
If Candlemas bring clouds and rain,
Go winter, and come not again.
February 2 is Groundhog Day. And I suspect I have been living in Groundhog Day for the last twenty years or so.
My suspicions were confirmed on the London Underground by a pushy commuter: she got to the last seat before me. She pulled out a presentation and started to read it.
I followed standard commuter practice and read her presentation as she flipped through it.
It was then that I realised that I was living in presentation Groundhog Day. I have been listening to the same corporate presentation every day for decades.
The speaker, firm and setting may be different, but the message never seems to vary. So here are the seven key messages which are at the heart of every presentation and, presumably, at the heart of all management:
* Focus on customer value
* Improve cost control and accountability
* Raise revenues
* Segment the market to serve each segment better
* Reorganise (around each market segment, in this case)
* Communicate clearly
* Work even better as a team
They even had a nifty acronym: TEAM means Together Everyone Achieves More. There may be other things managers can do, like suck up to the boss, cover your backside and more. But you can not go too far wrong if you follow the seven rules above.
By mixing these seven messages up, you have a presentation for every occasion. My eternal thanks go to the Emap conferences sales team for sharing their insight and wisdom with commuters on the Piccadilly line from Kings Cross to Earls Court.
I hope I can now finally escape Groundhog day. Failing that, I will settle for getting a seat on the Underground for once.
