Who Won American Idol 2010? American Idol Winner Lee DeWyze

Who Won American Idol 2010? American Idol Winner Lee DeWyze – I guess my American Idol prediction 2010 was correct and Lee DeWyze went on to win. As a lot of you guys have been discussing on my previous American Idol post on who you thought was going to win between Lee and Crystal and gave good reasons for both. Of course, I just went with the percentages. Dialidol.com have predicted the winners of every American Idol so far and they chose Lee DeWyze so that’s just who I went with.

Personally, I wasn’t a big fan of either remaining finalists but either way both of them will end up with a better career than they started with. Yes, the show has become somewhat of a popularity contest and you can agree or disagree on that but based on history, it doesn’t really matter who wins American Idol for us to see if they become big music stars in the future.

I mean, we see more American Idol runner-ups with more success than the actual winners. Some of the winners need “it” more than others.

In any event, I would like to congratulate Lee DeWyze on winning American Idol and wish Simon a farewell. I wonder what will happen to American Idol without him now.

Christopher 'Dudus' Coke: A profile

A stand-off is continuing in the Jamaican capital Kingston, between the security forces who are searching for an alleged drug lord wanted in the United States, and armed members of his gang.

Forty-four people have been killed in clashes between the two sides since soldiers and police moved in on Monday to the deprived neighbourhood where Christopher "Dudus" Coke was said to be hiding.

Mr Coke is wanted for extradition by the US on drug and gun-running charges. His supporters have said they will protect him at any cost.

The BBC's Nina Robinson has just returned from Kingston and looks at the man central to the current unrest in the country.

Gangsters battle with security forces in Jamaican capital

Jamaican security forces have been fighting with gunmen as the government attempts to take control of an alleged drug dealer's stronghold in the capital, Kingston.

Gunfire erupted as troops and police moved into the Tivoli Gardens district to search for Christopher "Dudus" Coke, who is wanted by the US to stand trial on drug trafficking charges.

Mr Coke has thousands of loyal followers who admire his work for the poor in Jamaica and have vowed to protect him at any cost.

The BBC's Matthew Price is in Kingston and has been speaking to a local resident.

'Lost' souls: 13.5 million tune in for ABC series finale

The end of 'Lost'

ABC's "Lost" ended its sixth and final season on Sunday, May 23. Here's a look at where some of our key characters ended up after a six-season run. WARNING: There be spoilers here, so don't continue if you haven't already watched the finale!

» LAUNCH PHOTO GALLERY

By Lisa de Moraes

Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
An average of 13.5 million "Lost" obsessives watched the series finale Sunday from 9 to 11:30 p.m., in hopes of finding out what their nearly six-year investment was all about.
Apparently either everyone on the island was actually dead all along (ooh, didn't see that one coming, having never seen "The Sixth Sense" ) or they were in a sort of limbo/purgatory and have now died happily ever after. The debate got pretty heated Monday at our office -- especially among those who remembered reading back in '07 how show creator Damon Lindelof swore the castaways were neither in purgatory nor dead, though it was pretty obvious even back then.
Sunday night's "Lost" audience is that show's biggest since February 2008. But it's far from the kind of record numbers you'd expect from the Show That Changed Television Forever. Heck, nearly 19 million people caught the drama's unveiling back in the fall of 2004, and the first two episodes of the second season both attracted 23 million people.
Meanwhile, 9.3 million people opted out of watching a bunch of actors play pretend-dead on the "Lost" finale to instead watch actual Bret Michaels truly rise from death's doorstep and be named winner of "Celebrity Apprentice" by Donald Trump the same night. The Poison frontman's appearance on the NBC reality series' season finale had been in question after he suffered a brain hemorrhage in April and was hospitalized again last week when he had what doctors called a "warning stroke." (NBC reportedly had a medical team backstage Sunday in case Michaels took a turn for the worse during the live broadcast.)
It was the biggest crowd "Celebrity Apprentice" has enjoyed since March 2008, which is impressive considering the finale aired in the teeth of the very last episode of the ABC series that "Lost" star Matthew Fox modestly told ad executives last week had "changed television forever."
You may have seen press reports saying 20.5 million people watched the finale of "Lost." That is the number of people who watched as little as six minutes of the 2.5-hour swan song. That number is hooey -- unless you're an advertiser, because it is presumed that anyone who watched six minutes probably saw an ad break. (And in case you, too, noticed -- that 2.5-hour "Lost"-apalooza contained a mind-numbing 45 minutes of commercials.)

Return of the Salahis

Washington's favorite state dinner crashers, Michaele and Tareq Salahi, are making a special return appearance on NBC's "Today" show Tuesday.
Back in December, you'll recall, the Salahis sat down with America's Sweetheart, Matt Lauer, to explain how their lives had been "destroyed" by the coverage of their alleged exploits. At that time, Lauer asked them some questions they said they could not answer because their alleged hands allegedly had been tied by the alleged Secret Service. But they invited themselves back on the show just as soon as the Secret Service gave them the all-clear to provide Matt with the documents that would prove they had, in fact, been invited to that dinner. That time, it appears, is now.

The Salahis are shaping up to be the Brangelina of "The Real Housewives of D.C.," although Bravo, which telecasts the "Real Housewives of [Fill in the City]" franchise, is still being very coy about who is in and who is out among the various divas who were taped for the latest iteration of the buzzalicious show.

Bravo says it will reveal the cast for the Washington version in the new few weeks.

Paula Abdul's new 'Dance'

Paula Abdul is back!

The former "Idol" judge has been named executive producer, "creative partner" (whatever that means), mentor, coach and lead judge of CBS's upcoming reality series "Got to Dance."

"Got to Dance" is based on a hit British reality series (naturally) that debuted earlier this year, in which amateur dancers, of any age, perform solo or in a group, with any form of dance welcome. The most talented/entertaining will get to audition for Abdul and a panel of experts who, CBS promises, will all be "world-class dancers themselves" -- no comics-with-daytime-talk-shows in the bunch.

"I've spent the better part of my life teaching, mentoring, nurturing -- working with so many talented people -- and I consider myself truly blessed to be able to continue to do something that I hold so dear to my heart," Abdul said Monday in a canned comment from her outpost on Mars.

To think it was just last summer that Fox and "American Idol" producers had to disentangle themselves from the wreckage the morning after Abdul lobbed a grenade into their midst when she tweeted that, "with sadness in my heart, I've decided not to return to 'Idol,' " after failing to persuade Fox and "Idol" producers to hike her salary from about $4 million a year to something substantially higher -- the exact amount of which reporters could never settle on.

Monday, CBS noted (cruelly we think), that Abdul's career has spanned more than three decades, over the course of which she has sold more than 60 million records worldwide and earned Emmy, Grammy, American Music and MTV awards.

Henin wins in 1st French Open match since '07

 PARIS — As always, Justine Henin punctuated her best shots with shouts of "Allez!" — French for "Come on!"

In this case, it also meant, "I'm back!"

Henin took a big step Tuesday in her return from retirement, beating Tsvetana Pironkova in the first round of the French Open 6-4, 6-3.

The match was Henin's first at Roland Garros since 2007, when she won the tournament for the fourth time. She rejoined the tour in January following a 20-month retirement, and while she's seeded only 22nd, she's considered one of the favorites for the title.

"She has all of the chances to win this tournament," said Pironkova, who had played — and lost to — Henin three times before. "She still plays great. I don't think she lost (anything) with that rest that she had. I think she is playing even better. She's faster, and her strokes are more secure."

Henin endured some ragged moments in the second set, when Pironkova won three consecutive games for a 3-2 lead. Henin swept 10 points in a row to regain control, and following another wobble serving at 4-3, she took the final six points.

"She suddenly started to go for her strokes," Pironkova said. "She started to play more aggressive."

Henin hit picturesque backhands, nifty drop shots and booming overhead slams — all staples in a repertoire that has helped her win seven Grand Slam titles. She also missed more than half of her first serves, however, and blew a handful of easy putaways.

Despite the inconsistent play, Henin extended her winning streak at Roland Garros to 22 consecutive matches and 37 consecutive sets. She hasn't lost at the French Open since 2004.

Warm, hazy weather had players seeking refuge under umbrellas in their changeover chairs, and the conditions seemed to suit seeded players. Among those advancing were No. 18 Sharar Peer, No. 21 Vera Zvonareva, No. 23 Daniela Hantuchova and No. 29 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. None lost more than six games.

On the men's side, No. 7 Fernando Verdasco beat Igor Kunitsyn 6-4, 6-2, 6-2.

American Taylor Dent won a match at Roland Garros for the first time, and his reward will be a chance to play 2009 runner-up Robin Soderling on Wednesday.

Dent's attacking game is typically not well-suited to clay, but warm, dry weather at the start of the tournament has made the courts harder and quicker. He took advantage Monday by beating Nicolas Lapentti 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (3), and he figures his aggressive approach might work against Soderling.

They haven't played each other since 2004.

"My style is very unique to everybody he's faced," Dent said. "I'm not going to keep the ball as high as he's normally used to. I'm going to keep the ball a fair bit lower.

"If the conditions are hot and I'm serving well, I'm going to be tough to break, even on a clay court. If I don't play a solid match, he might beat me up. If I do play a solid match, I feel like I'm going to have a chance to get a win."

The warm weather has given U.S. men a shot at their best Roland Garros in several years. No. 17-seeded John Isner also reached the second round for the first time by beating Andrey Golubev 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 on Monday.

U.S. men have a 3-4 record so far in the first round, and they're sure to advance at least one more player. On Tuesday, No. 18 Sam Querrey was to face Robby Ginepri in an all-American matchup, while No. 6 Andy Roddick was to play Jarkko Nieminen, and Michael Russell was to take on Florent Serra.

The Americans are already assured of an improvement on last year, when they went 2-7 in the first round. Only four have reached the men's third round since 2006.

While the French Open has been their worst major tournament, Dent said it's wrong to think they don't care about Roland Garros.

"It is a Grand Slam," Dent said. "We love coming over here and playing. There's no doubt about it, and there's nothing more that Americans love than to come over here and win matches. We always have that label, like, 'Oh, you're American. First round, see you later.' So I think we get a lot of pride from winning matches here."

Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. 

LIBOR, other interest rate indexesBy Bankrate.com

The LIBOR is among the most common of benchmark interest rate indexes used to make adjustments to adjustable rate mortgages. This page also lists some other less-common indexes.

Ratings methodology
Who are they for? These indexes are of interest to investors and borrowers alike, especially those who have mortgages or business loans tied to these indexes.

What's included? The Bond Buyer 20 bond index is a barometer for yields on tax-free bonds issued by state governments and local municipalities. The Fannie Mae 30-year mortgage commitment for delivery within 60 days helps mortgage lenders determine what rates to charge on 30-year fixed rate mortgages that are to be sold to Fannie Mae within the next 60 days. The LIBOR rates, which stand for London Interbank Offered Rate, are benchmark interest rates for many adjustable rate mortgages, business loans, and financial instruments traded on global financial markets.

Click on the links below to find a fuller explanation of the term.

LIBOR, other interest rate indexes                                    Updated 5/19/2010

	This week	Month ago	Year ago
Bond Buyer's 20 bond index	4.32	4.43	4.54
FNMA 30 yr Mtg Com del 60 days	4.64	4.89	4.55
1 Month LIBOR Rate	0.34	0.26	0.31
3 Month LIBOR Rate	0.47	0.31	0.75
6 Month LIBOR Rate	0.66	0.47	1.28
Call Money	2.00	2.00	2.00
1 Year LIBOR Rate	1.15	0.94	1.66

Brittany Murphy's Husband, Simon Monjack, found Dead In Hollywood Hill home

Five months after the sudden death of actress Brittany Murphy, her widower, Simon Monjack, has been found dead in the very same Los Angeles home in which she died.

The Los Angeles County coroner's office confirmed early Monday morning that the 39-year-old screenwriter died shortly after emergency services received a 911 call at 9:24 p.m. PT Sunday night.

"We have detectives at scene," Sgt. Louie Lozano told the Los Angeles 
 Times. "They are conducting their investigation. Once we have further information, we will provide it."

Monjack was pronounced dead by emergency personnel. Although the exact cause of death is still unknown, police said it appears to be natural causes.

Back in December, Monjack's wife died of pneumonia complicated by an iron deficiency, anemia and multiple drug intoxication. The two had been married since 2007.

Lost Redux : See You In Another Life, Brotha

Never before has a TV breakup hurt so much. And left us blubbering like such idiots.

Tonight we Lost fans lost our "Constant" for the past six long years. The show we connected with on such a soul-grippingly deep level, it feels as if we haven't lost a TV series, but a true friend.

So did the series finale live up to expectations? And what did it all mean? Let's dig in...

One glance at Twitter, Facebook etc. tonight shows that the fans are pretty divided on Lost's final episode. Some loved it, some hated it and some are still trying to figure out what the bejeezus happened. I'm most definitely in the first camp: LOVED IT, as tonight's finale was perhaps the most emotionally gratifying series ender of all time, and gave us exactly what Damon and Carlton promised--resolution on the things that mattered most to the characters.

Jack, Kate, Locke, Desmond, Sawyer, Juliet, Claire, etc. all ended up in a happy place...but what exactly was that place?

WHAT WE LEARNED

The Sideways World Was a Road to "The Light": Charlie's (Dominic Monaghan) iconic question from the very first episode--"Guys, where are we?"--came full circle tonight, as Jack Shepard (Matthew Fox) asked that very Q of his father Christian Shepard in Lost's epic final scene.

Jack: Where are we?
Christian: This is a place you all made together so you could find one another...Nobody does it all alone. You needed them and they needed you.
Jack: For what?
Christian: To remember and to let go.

Obviously, precisely "where" these characters were and where they were going will be long debated, but for what it's worth, here's my take: Damon and Carlton told the truth when they said the island was not purgatory. It wasn't, and what happened there happened, and everyone was alive. However, the Sideways world was a place of limbo (a blissed-out one, that lead to "the light"). Jack was waiting until he was ready to "let go" and cross over to some form of heaven. The Losties who appeared in the church all died at different times in different places (some much later on), and came together in that space to help Jack make the journey. Throughout the season, the blood that appeared on Jack's neck was an indication that Jack was already dead/dying and on his way to "another life, brotha." (A little Sixth Sense-ish, perhaps.)

Time didn't matter. Space didn't matter. What mattered was that Jack moved on to where he was meant to go. And the people who mattered most to him where there to help him do it

So What Is Lost's "Heaven?" It's That Other "L Word": Lesbians! (I keed.) Boss Damon Lindelof told me several weeks back that Lost is, at its very core, a LOVE story. "Always has been. Always will be." And tonight, as each set of "constants" reconnected in the Sideways world--Sun and Jin, Charlie and Claire, Jack and Kate, Juliet and Sawyer--it's safe to assume that they were able to accept their destiny, let go and "move on" to the other side...a place that's like heaven, where they can be with the ones they love. These connections--Sun and Jin at the ultrasound; Charlie and Claire holding Aaron; Juliet and Sawyer at the vending machine; Kate touching Jack at the concert--were some of the most spine-tingingly romantic moments ever seen on television. Beautiful, Darlton. Just beautiful.

Jack Was Supposed to Die--From the Very Beginning:  "There was an early version of the script in which my chracter was killed off in the first or second act," Matthew Fox told me way back at Lost's first premiere party. Jack was to be a guest star such as--can you picture this?--Michael Keaton. "The network hated that idea," a Lost insider told me. "They said you can't have an audience invest in a leading man and then off him so quickly." So instead they let us invest for six seasons only to find out that it was all about Jack's death after all?! Gaaaah! Of course, we should have seen it coming the second Rose told Jack in the season opener: "It's OK. You can let go."

On Kimmel tonight, Matthew Fox backed up Jimmy's theory that Jack's island experience was real, and really happened (Christian Shepard told him so), but the final season (and the Sideways world) was Jack's "test" to determine whether he would go toward the light or...not.

"There's room for interpretation based on your spiritual beliefs," Matthew said. That would explain the stained-glass window in the church with all of the major religions of the world represented--and the donkey wheel. We gotcha, Darlton! Very on the nose.

"I knew that the final image would be [Jack's] eye," Matthew told Kimmel. "And I knew that he would die."

But did you know that Vincent would lie down next to Jack to keep him company while he passed over? Cause JESUS that was a tearjerker. So well done.
                                                                            

Hurley Got to Be the New Jacob! Yes, Jack fulfilled his destiny by drinking the wine, replugging the cork down in the light cave and saving the island (and everyone we love), but it was Hurley who ended up as the next protector of the island. Anyone else choke up as Hurley asked Ben to stick around and help him, finally giving Ben what he wanted all along: a real purpose?

Of course, we should have seen that it would be Hurley, as he is the one true, pure spirit who never once lied to anyone, and carried a simple, but sizeable heart...just like Jacob. To quote that awesome West Wing woman CJ Craig: "It was always you. I see that now."

And by the way, that scene with Jack down at the replugged cork, sobbing as the water and the light started rushing back in, is arguably Matthew Fox's finest work to date.

Even Claire Got a Happy Ending.
Kate convincing Claire to get on the plane, and that
"no one knows how
to be a mother at first, but I'll show you" was certainl one of the most satisfying moments of the finale--at least for this mom. After so much heartbreak--and the recent abandonment of Ji Yoeon--Claire got to go home and be a mother to Aaron, whom we were told long ago should not be raised by another. And Kate got to stay close to the boy she raised for three years. Nice.

WHAT LIES AHEAD

Damon Lindelof just tweeted what he has said will be his last words about Lost: "Remember. Let go. Move on. I will miss it more than I can ever say."

Clearly, it's the message the producers would like us to carry from tonight. And though the debates will rage on over what Lost was about, why Kate ended up with Jack and not Sawyer, and why Josh Holloway runs like a girl (kidding...sorta), I think we all can agree that Lost was ground-breaking television unlike anything we've seen before--or will probably ever see again.

Lost, you will be sorely missed. Thanks for one hell of a ride. Or you know, whatever you want to call that dark place.

Please check back later to see my answers to lingering questions such as the Man in Black's name (yes, he had one), what happened to Walt and more, plus reactions from me and the fans--straight from my Lost finale party tonight.

The Lost stars have lingering questions--and we got Damon and Carlton to answer 'em right here!

Jamaica declares emergency as police clash with Kingston gangs

A state of emergency has been declared in Kingston, Jamaica as police clashed with armed gangs protecting a drugs lord wanted in the United States.
 A police station in West Kingston, Jamaica, is pictured burning  Photo: REUTERS

The authorities ordered women and children to leave the Tivoli Gardens neighbourhood in the capital where a policeman and one civilian were wounded by gunfire in street clashes. Three police stations came under attack.

Police said that gunmen from various communities across the Caribbean country had joined forces with criminal elements in Tivoli Gardens in a bid to protect reputed gang leader, Christopher "Dudus" Coke.
"It is now clear that criminal elements are determined to launch coordinated attacks on the security forces," police warned in a statement.

With tensions soaring, they added, "all decent and law-abiding residents of Tivoli Gardens and Denham Town are been asked to leave those respective communities immediately".

Residents asked to leave were directed to buses which would take them to a safe location.

Bruce Golding, the prime minister, later promised a tough response to armed gangs fuelling unrest in the capital.

"The criminal element who have placed the society under siege will not be allowed to triumph," he said in an address to the nation.

Washington accuses Shower Posse members, under Coke's direction, of having sold marijuana and crack cocaine in New York and other parts of the United States, funnelling profits back to him.

But for some Kingston residents, Coke is more like a godfather.

Thousands marched through the city Thursday chanting, "Leave Dudus alone, leave Dudus alone."

José Mourinho José Mourinho sets his sights on European grand slam with Real Madrid

José Mourinho wants to become the first to win the Premier League, Serie A and La Liga titles. Photograph: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

José Mourinho has his sights set on winning the "grand slam" of Spanish, Italian and English leagues as he moves ever closer to taking over as the coach of Real Madrid. Although nothing is yet confirmed, with Mourinho still officially the coach of Internazionale and Manuel Pellegrini remaining likewise at Madrid, it now seems only a matter of time before the Portuguese is appointed by the Spanish club.

• Richard Williams: Mouinho shows dignity in victory

• Paul Hayward: Now for the Real story

• In pictures: The Champions League final

• Bayern 0-2 Inter: Kevin McCarra's report

The 47-year-old admitted after Saturday's Champions League final win over Bayern Munich at the Bernabéu that he was likely to leave the Nerazzurri, and he seems certain to switch his attention to adding the Spanish league title to those of Italy and England.

Speaking in an interview in today's Marca, which was billed as Mourinho's first as the new coach of Real Madrid, the Portuguese said: "No player or coach has won the three important leagues and I want to be the first to do it. Ancelotti, Capello, Van Nistelrooy, Beckham and others have won two, but not three. I would like to be the first to win the grand slam of the Spanish, Italian and English leagues."

Mourinho is confident he can help Madrid fulfil their ambition of winning a record 10th European Cup. Madrid had hoped to reach this season's Champions League final on home soil but, for the sixth campaign running, they were knocked out at the last-16 stage.

When asked if he felt he was able to make Madrid champions of Europe, Mourinho – who on Saturday became only the third coach to win the European Cup with two different clubs – said: "Yes, of course. At Chelsea I felt I was capable of winning the European Cup. I won a couple of leagues and several cups, but not the European Cup. At Inter I felt capable of winning the Scudetto and cups, and we also won the Champions League. You can never say what you are going to do.
Mourinho preferred not to talk about what he felt was missing from the Madrid's squad or prospective signings, saying only when asked about the reported summer targets Daniele De Rossi of Roma and Maicon of Inter: "I like all the good players, but now is not the moment to bring up the business of future signings."

However, Mourinho did comment on two of Madrid's big summer signings from last year, Kaká and Karim Benzema. Kaká, 28, was brought from Milan for £56m while the 22-year-old Benzema cost around £30m when he moved from Lyon. Neither player has particularly impressed in their first campaign in La Liga.

Mourinho is confident both will come good, though. "They are two top players," he said. "But to analyse this situation properly you need to be inside and I'm not. It's difficult to analyse from outside, I've not seen enough games of Real Madrid to make an opinion. In the case of these two players, I don't think one not-so-great season is a drama. It's not an impossible situation to change. I don't think for them it will be a problem returning to the top."

Regarding the plans of Florentino Pérez, who returned to the Madrid presidency last summer promising a "spectacular project" to restore the Spanish side to their former glories, Mourinho seems impressed. However, he pointed out that it is the coach and the players who are the only ones who can win silverware.

"It's an ambitious project. As president he has put in place the necessary means in the sporting structure; he has a fantastic training ground, has invested money to build a team and has given confidence to the professionals until the end.

"[But] the president isn't the one who wins, he isn't the one who plays, nor who decides what happens on the bench. From there the responsibility is with the professionals: the coach, the technical staff, and the players.

"Nowadays the coach doesn't arrive at nine and leave at 11. I think that the coach is a very important person in the whole structure as he must lead all the other departments that surround the first team. I arrived at Appiano Gentile [Inter's training ground] at 7.30am and I left at 5pm or later. Some days I've even slept there when we've had little time to analyse our opponents in preparation for a game."

UNTHINKABLE

Unthinkable:CLEVELAND – The questions have gone beyond the suspect elbow to the head of LeBron James, shoulders slumped, his pulse, his spirit and legacy. A defeat of the playoffs this devastating and inexplicable actions of this almost requires a full body



The Cleveland Cavaliers and a legion of fans panic are trying to come to grips with this disturbing and upsetting an uncertain future in the work of James, the city’s biggest sports icon.

On the night of Tuesday, the Cavaliers were humiliated by the Boston Celtics, 120-88, and pushed to the brink of elimination from the playoffs. James was strangely passive and ultimately ineffective. Took 14 shots, missed 11, and into and out of the infringement. Sometimes it seemed oddly separate from the game and his teammates.

It was not what was expected of a most valuable player twice and star par excellence of the league – not with the Cavs’ title hopes at stake and James’s future hanging in the balance.

Terry Pluto, a columnist for The Plain Dealer of Cleveland, called James “passive” and “emotionally distant.” In a poll on the newspaper’s Web site, 53 percent of the fans of James blamed for the loss. (The coach Mike Brown was a distant second, with 23 percent of the vote.) The gap between James and his adoring public has never been greater.

The Celtics have a 3-2 lead in this series of second round and could close on Thursday night in Boston. The fans are already thinking about the potential apocalypse: Cavs lose, James leaves, franchise dies.

“It’s a panic,” James said Wednesday after a film session and team practice.

It casts a fresh confidence – indeed, an emotional distance – on all topics, from the state of his injured right elbow to the consequences of defeat in a series. He said it was “who I am”, which was not necessary to show too much.

“I mean, I do not know if I’m angry or not,” said James. “I’m not going to show that I’m angry. For me, if I show a sense of panic, as you say, you guys follow my lead.”

For now, critics say that James is not doing much at all major. In the last two games, two defeats, has averaged 18.5 points and 5 turnovers while shooting 31 percent from the field. His last performance was dominant in Game 3, when he led the Cavaliers to their last victory with 38 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.

James has repeatedly dismissed concerns about his elbow, although it is his only physical ailment known. On Wednesday, said it was “a matter that will deal in the offseason – the first time he has been framed in such terms.

However, James did not show any discomfort for a shooting contest with their peers, launching three-pointers with ease. When lost, James profanely be punished himself. With reporters standing within earshot, he also made light of his injury.

‘I have a disabled sticker, “he said to his teammates,” so all you have to give me special privileges. ”

More than any other team competing in the league title, the Cavaliers are deeply dependent on their star of the franchise. James is the best scorer and rebounder player. Nobody can consistently create his own shot or the potential for others. So when it falls James, the Cavaliers are impotent.

In Game 5, the Celtics are filled with paint and active in the defense by cutting James customary units. But hardly challenged. Although known for his basketball I.Q. vision and tennis, James made several puzzling decisions – overdribbling, a series of final steps of stagnation and overall crime.

Brown called the performance “abnormal” and “characteristic of what he has done his entire career,” but James is not the fault of any lack of aggression.

James ignored her struggles.

“I am never disappointed with my game,” he said. “I feel like I can do more, but I’m not disappointed at all.”

If James does not do more, and soon, the Cavaliers‘ season is over. It is no exaggeration to say that Game 6 is the biggest game of the playoffs in its history. A victory brings the series back to Quicken Loans Arena for Game 7. A loss could mean oblivion. James is expected to be a free agent July 1 and has been vague about his intentions. Any further disappointment could push toward the door.

The Cavaliers were swept in their only final appearance in 2007, and has been a postseason bust in the last two years, losing in the conference semifinals in 2008 and in the conference finals in 2009.

The signs for Game 6 are not encouraging. Cleveland is 2-4 in elimination games in the era of James – 0-3 on the road – and has never won a series after facing elimination.

The office has tried desperately to get better teammates James, the acquisition of Shaquille O’Neal last summer and Antawn Jamison in February. Cleveland’s payroll is one of the highest in the league.

Team owner Dan Gilbert, who normally carefully chooses his words, made public their frustration Tuesday night.

“The last two playoff losses at home, and how we have lost these games, not about to be anywhere near the high expectations we all have of our organization,” Gilbert told The Plain Dealer. “Our fans deserve better and supporters.

Already there is intense scrutiny of Brown, whose settings in the game and the rotation has been frequently questioned. If the Cavaliers lose, will have to add heat to Danny Ferry, the general manager, not to surround James with better players.

For now, all eyes are on a transcendent player, his sore elbow and his dubious legacy.

“It’s no time to think in the past,” said James, “it is time to look ahead.”

That is exactly what the fans are concerned about the Cavaliers.

Justine's Roland Garros Return

PARIS, France - Tennis is slowly beginning to forget the retirement at No.1. It is starting to forget the word "comeback". The controversy behind the 2003 semifinal against Serena Williams is now just a fleeting memory. With recent unpredictable results and Roland Garros upon us, tennis is beginning to remember the permanent mold Justine Henin has formed on clay.

As the leader among active players on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour with 13 clay court titles, Henin and clay have proved to be an everlasting pair. When Roger Federer won Roland Garros in 2009, the competitive energy Henin had tried so hard to bottle up in retirement finally got the best of her. She revealed she thought about nothing but Wimbledon - the only Slam she hasn't won.

But her true test of ever winning the Wimbledon title may come from her performance this year at Roland Garros. By far her best Grand Slam, Henin has won it four times - 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007. She has the Open Era record for most consecutive sets at the French Open: 35 from 2005 to present.

Check out 20 of Justine's best career moments in this special gallery!

Henin is a favorite to win Roland Garros this year, and with her win at Stuttgart, she has been the only consistency on clay. No other player in the past decade has won Roland Garros more than once, and Ana Ivanovic and Svetlana Kuznetsova are the only players with two finals (each claiming the trophy once) in the past decade. However, both Ivanovic and Kuznetsova have struggled since those finals and have yet to show flashes of their clay prowess.

The other of the Tour's fiercest competitors have failed to find their footing on clay, or have had injuries. Kim Clijsters has been sidelined with a foot injury, and the Williams sisters, Jelena Jankovic and Caroline Wozniacki have given even more reason to claim that Roland Garros is Henin's to lose.

Henin's clever abilities are crafted on clay. It is the surface that maximizes her game. Since returning, Henin has come with a new focus and style to try and finish more at the net, shortening points. She has improved physically, and the clay surface has allowed her to capitalize on her forward-thinking game and throw off her opponents. As for now, Henin is nurturing a broken finger, but the wrap she wears during matches hasn't had much of an effect on her game, especially her backhand. After Stuttgart, Henin dropped her opener in Madrid to Aravane Rezai. But now all eyes are on Roland Garros. Injuries and setbacks are only temporary, and at Roland Garros Henin plans to show why she is one of the top players in the world and plans on staying there.
PARIS, France - Tennis is slowly beginning to forget the retirement at No.1. It is starting to forget the word "comeback". The controversy behind the 2003 semifinal against Serena Williams is now just a fleeting memory. With recent unpredictable results and Roland Garros upon us, tennis is beginning to remember the permanent mold Justine Henin has formed on clay.

As the leader among active players on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour with 13 clay court titles, Henin and clay have proved to be an everlasting pair. When Roger Federer won Roland Garros in 2009, the competitive energy Henin had tried so hard to bottle up in retirement finally got the best of her. She revealed she thought about nothing but Wimbledon - the only Slam she hasn't won.

But her true test of ever winning the Wimbledon title may come from her performance this year at Roland Garros. By far her best Grand Slam, Henin has won it four times - 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007. She has the Open Era record for most consecutive sets at the French Open: 35 from 2005 to present.

Check out 20 of Justine's best career moments in this special gallery!

Henin is a favorite to win Roland Garros this year, and with her win at Stuttgart, she has been the only consistency on clay. No other player in the past decade has won Roland Garros more than once, and Ana Ivanovic and Svetlana Kuznetsova are the only players with two finals (each claiming the trophy once) in the past decade. However, both Ivanovic and Kuznetsova have struggled since those finals and have yet to show flashes of their clay prowess.

The other of the Tour's fiercest competitors have failed to find their footing on clay, or have had injuries. Kim Clijsters has been sidelined with a foot injury, and the Williams sisters, Jelena Jankovic and Caroline Wozniacki have given even more reason to claim that Roland Garros is Henin's to lose.

Henin's clever abilities are crafted on clay. It is the surface that maximizes her game. Since returning, Henin has come with a new focus and style to try and finish more at the net, shortening points. She has improved physically, and the clay surface has allowed her to capitalize on her forward-thinking game and throw off her opponents. As for now, Henin is nurturing a broken finger, but the wrap she wears during matches hasn't had much of an effect on her game, especially her backhand. After Stuttgart, Henin dropped her opener in Madrid to Aravane Rezai. But now all eyes are on Roland Garros. Injuries and setbacks are only temporary, and at Roland Garros Henin plans to show why she is one of the top players in the world and plans on staying there.

Inter Milan vs Bayern Munich 2-0

Inter Milan vs Bayern Munich 2-0 – Bayern Munich was able to previously secure the championship in Germany, but playing Inter Milan, the Italian Serie A winner, would likely present a difficult match up for the talented team. They were facing off to find out who the best in Europe is, and they were able to put on a great show that the fans loved. The Inter Milan captain, Javier Zanetti, held the large Champion League trophy up in the area. The soccer world is on fire with speculation and discussion, with the South Africa World Cup just on the brink of starting. The Bayern players were not looking all that sharp in the early minutes of the game, and by the 90th minute they were already starting to show that they may have been a bit over matched.

Going into the 35th minute, the game was still tied at 0-0. However, Milito was able to sink a goal into the back of the net to give Inter the lead. He wasn’t done for the day, and has been a solid contributor for the team all season. Bayern appeared to have been kicked down a notch after the first Milito goal.
In the 82nd minute, Inter was able to score a goal that seemed to take the wind out of the sales of Bayern. They appeared to be drained, and had very little fight in them after the initial goal. In the 70th minute, Milito scored his second goal on a pass from Etoo. Milito was able to turn Van Buyten around on the play, and sink the ball into the back of the net.

After the 70th minute goal by Inter, Bayern appeared to kick things up a notch, and the two teams battled up and down the field for quite some time with Inter Milan winning the important competition.

Local Red Cross sends aid to flood victims in Kentucky, Tennessee

In response to the still rising and devastating floodwaters across the Southeastern U.S., a team of volunteers from the Frederick E. Turnage Chapter of the American Red Cross deployed with the chapter’s emergency response vehicle to provide assistance. Red Cross volunteers Roy and Esther Cash have begun a potential three-week deployment to provide aid and comfort to the flood victims in Kentucky and Tennessee.

The affected area is expected to receive another 2 or 3 inches of rain Sunday after severe rains raised the Harpeth River to higher than 26 feet. According to news reports, the flooding has claimed at least five lives. Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen will be requesting a federal disaster declaration.

“The flooding the people in Tennessee in the Nashville area (are seeing) is some of the worst ever experienced,” said Frederick E. Turnage Chapter Regional Executive Lynwood Roberson. “The citizens of our area are always sympathetic to flooding due to what we experienced just over 10 years ago with Hurricane Floyd. Our chapter volunteers will be on the ground in the affected areas delivering food and other items and perhaps equally as important will be the care and compassion they will provide to the flood victims. It’s an honor for our Red Cross volunteers to now help the citizens of Tennessee begin their recovery.”

Red Cross is providing a safe place to stay, food to eat and a shoulder to lean on for those affected by the flooding, which has prompted evacuations, washed out bridges, caused landslides and closed highways across the area.

This response comes at a time when Red Cross chapters across the country are experiencing a lag or significant drop in their donations. Red Cross chapters are congressionally mandated to provide disaster relief. Chapters find this increasingly difficult as the economy continues to struggle and donations are down following the tremendous outpouring of support for Haiti following the earthquake in mid January.

“The local Turnage chapter is similar to many other small to mid-size Red Cross chapters across the country,” Roberson said. “We rely tremendously on donations to operate our chapter annually. Over $175,000 was donated from our area to the Haiti response. As a result our donations from individuals and businesses are down significantly from past years. We rely on these donations to respond to local disasters, to support blood collection, provide life saving training and to support our Armed Forces personnel and their families. We urge donors to support their local Red Cross chapters with another donation to help us continue to fulfill the mission of the Red Cross. The gift given today may help save or sustain a life tomorrow.”

Red Cross offers the following steps people should take to be ready and stay safe:

Be prepared to evacuate at a moment’s notice.

Stay away from floodwaters. If you come upon a flowing stream where water is above your ankles, stop, turn around and go another way. Six inches of swiftly moving water can sweep you off of your feet.

If you come upon a flooded road while driving, turn around and go another way. If you are caught on a flooded road and waters are rising rapidly around you, get out of the car quickly and move to higher ground. Most cars can be swept away by less than two feet of moving water.

Listen to area radio and television stations and a NOAA Weather Radio for possible flood warnings and reports of flooding in progress or other critical information from the National Weather Service.

When a flood or flash flood warning is issued for your area, head for higher ground and stay there.

American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. You can help the victims of this and thousands of other disasters across the country each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to those in need. Call 252-977-1720. Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to the Frederick E. Turnage Chapter at 326 S. Franklin St., Rocky Mount, NC 27804 or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting http://www.turnageredcross.org/