Tag: Open Thread

On this day in 1973, Televised Watergate hearings began.

In Washington, D.C., the Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, headed by Senator Sam Ervin of North Carolina, begins televised hearings on the escalating Watergate affair. One week later, Harvard law professor Archibald Cox was sworn in as special Watergate prosecutor.

In May 1973, the special Senate committee began televised proceedings on the Watergate affair. During the Senate hearings, former White House legal counsel John Dean testified that the Watergate break-in had been approved by former Attorney General John Mitchell with the knowledge of chief White House advisers John Ehrlichman and H.R. Haldeman, and that President Nixon had been aware of the cover-up. Meanwhile, Watergate prosecutor Cox and his staff began to uncover widespread evidence of political espionage by the Nixon reelection committee, illegal wiretapping of thousands of citizens by the administration, and contributions to the Republican Party in return for political favors.

Weekend News Digest is an Open Thread

1 Tube has limited success in containing US oil leak

by Clement Sabourin, AFP

1 hr 9 mins ago

In this day in 1929, the first Academy Awards by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) were presented at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel to an audience of 270 people. The tickets were $5 and the ceremony lasted 15 minutes and the only ceremony that was not broadcast on the radio or, later, television.

The “Oscars”, as they were known later, were presented by the first AMPAS President, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and director William C. deMille for outstanding achievement in the film industry for 1927 and 1928. It was no surprise to the winners or the public since the winners had been announced 3 months prior. The talking films were eliminated for consideration because it was felt that they would have an unfair advantage .

And the Winners were:

Outstanding Picture, Production: Wings

Outstanding Picture, Unique and Artistic Production: Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans

Best Director, Dramatic Picture: Seventh Heaven – Frank Borzage

Best Director, Comedy Picture: Two Arabian Knights – Lewis Milestone

Best Actor in a Leading Role: Emil Jannings – The Last Command as August Schiller and The Way of All Flesh as General Dolgorucki

Best Actress in a Leading Role: Janet Gaynor – Seventh Heaven as Diane, Street Angel as Angela  and Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans  as The Wife

Best Writing, Original Story: Underworld – Ben Hecht

Best Writing, Adapted Story: Seventh Heaven – Benjamin Glazer

Best Cinematography: Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans  – Charles Rosher and Karl Struss

Best Art Direction: The Dove and Tempest – William Cameron Menzies

Best Engineering Effects: Wings – Roy Pomeroy

Best Writing, Title Writing: (No specific film) – Joseph Farnham

Honorary Awards:

   Charles Chaplin, “For versatility and genius in acting, writing, directing and producing The Circus”.

   Warner Brothers Production, “For producing The Jazz Singer, the pioneer outstanding talking picture, which has revolutionized the industry”.

Weekend News Digest is an Open Thread

1 US asks BP to clarify cleanup intentions as Gulf spill gushes on

by Clement Sabourin, AFP

54 mins ago

Welcome to this week’s Health and Fitness. This is an Open Thread.

Hesitation in Calling for an Ambulance Could Delay Lifesaving Treatment

May 13, 2010 — Stroke victims need immediate emergency attention, but a new study shows that most people who realize stroke warning signs are occurring in a friend or family member may not call 911, thereby delaying potentially lifesaving treatment.

This is alarming, Michigan researchers suggest, because people who suffer strokes need immediate assessment and treatment.

But people who would call 911 if they thought a friend or loved one was having a heart attack don’t seem to realize that strokes are deadly, too, the researchers write; strokes are the No. 3 killer in the U.S.

Stroke victims who are candidates for the clot-busting drug called tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) may receive this treatment if they get to a hospital within three hours (and in some select cases up to 4.5 hours) of the time the first warning signs show up.

*   Symptoms of an ischemic stroke (caused by a clot blocking a blood vessel) usually occur in the side of the body opposite from the side of the brain where the clot occurred. For example, a stroke in the right side of the brain affects the left side of the body.

   * Symptoms of a hemorrhagic stroke (caused by bleeding in the brain) can be similar to those of an ischemic stroke but may be distinguished by symptoms relating to higher pressure in the brain, including severe headache, nausea and vomiting, neck stiffness, dizziness, seizures, irritability, confusion, and possibly unconsciousness.

 

 Sudden numbness, paralysis, or weakness in your face, arm, or leg, especially on only one side of your body.

New problems with walking or balance.

Sudden vision changes.

Drooling or slurred speech.

New problems speaking or understanding simple statements, or feeling confused.

A sudden, severe headache that is different from past headaches.

Do not disregard any of these symptoms even if they pass quickly. Symptoms of stroke can develop over minutes, hours or days. The symptoms can be progressive starting with a little tingling that evolves into paralysis.

Call 911 immediately. The faster you get to an Emergency Room at a hospital with a Stroke Center, the better the chances that there will be a good recovery. The Paramedics know where these centers are and it may not be the closest hospital It is important that the patient get to a Stroke Center within 3 hours of onset of symptoms.

As is now custom, I’ll try to include the more interesting and pertinent articles that will help the community awareness of their health and bodies. This essay will not be posted anywhere else due to constraints on my time. Please feel free to make suggestions for improvement and ask questions, I’ll answer as best I can.  

On this day in 1937 – Trini Lopez (Trinidad Lopez III) in Dallas, Texas) is an American musician, singer and guitarist. Raised in the barrio of Dallas, dropped out of high school in his senior year because hi father needed financial support. He learned to play guitar from his father and it was this talent that he used to help support his family. He rode to local fame playing in night clubs eventually moving his family out of the barrio.

His first record album included the song “If I Had a Hammer” which rode to the top of the charts around the world. The hits, “I’m Coming Home Cindy,” “Michael,” “Lemon Tree,” Kansas City,” “America,” and, of course, “La Bamba”, followed in quick succession.

During the 60’s and 70’s, he appeared in movies (“Marriage on the Rocks”, “The Dirty Dozen”)  and on TV (“Adam-12). He does charitable work and took part in the world wide concert to raise funds for the victims of the 2004 Indonesia Tsunami/Earthquake.

Happy Birthday, Trini

Afternoon Edition is an Open Thread

1 Obama blasts oil companies over growing spill

by Sara Hussein, AFP

1 hr 22 mins ago