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State transportation officials have slashed the price tag for California's controversial high-speed rail project by $30 billion and expanded the first stretch of track to run from Merced in the Central Valley south to the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles. The California High Speed Rail Authority's revised business plan, which will be released Monday in Fresno, calls for those dramatic changes as the agency prepares to ask the Legislature to use $2.7 billion in state high-speed rail bonds to start construction by early next year. The drastic revision, which puts the proposed cost of the system at $68.4 billion...

Obama: It’s ‘nonsense’ I’m calm about state of economyIn an exclusive TODAY interview, the president talks about the challenges of job creation TODAY staff updated 36 minutes ago In an exclusive interview with TODAY’s Ann Curry that aired Tuesday, President Barack Obama addressed the notion that he is unemotional about the human toll that the economic crisis has taken. “I think ordinary folks understand I spend all my time thinking about this stuff, because I'm talking to these folks every single day,’’ he said. “When I see them at meetings, and they start crying, the notion, somehow, that I'm calm...

Maxell's Chair Man - 1970's "Is it live, or is it Memorex" commercial for Maxell audio tape productsDesperate to pass something, anything, Obama signed legislation governing the volume of TV commercials yesterday. You have to wonder if it's Aprils Fools Day instead of Christmas with the title... "The CALM Act". Whew... thank heavens! Why they've ignored such a pressing issue for so long, who can say? OK, sarcasm stops dripping now. Yes, folks. If they can't shove thru Stimulus III via the continuining resolution, and pork up Stimulus II (the Bush tax extension) enough to their satisfaction, Congress wanted...

A much anticipated meeting between Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and executives from the oil and gas industries failed to lead to much progress, as both sides expressed frustration with the outcome of Monday's meeting aimed at diffusing simmering tensions in the wake of the BP oil spill. Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La) set up the meeting with Salazar, industry executives, and regional lawmakers in order to address frustrations the industry has with the Obama administration's new rules and regulations for offshore oil and natural gas drilling - rules that were put in place after the BP oil spill earlier this year....

A defense lawyer is calling for calm after death threats have been made against teenagers charged in the death of 15-year-old Phoebe Prince, who committed suicide after she was allegedly bullied by schoolmates. "Not to minimize what happened to Phoebe Prince in any way, but translating this into death threats and public harassment has got to stop," says Colin Keefe, who represents Sharon Chanon Velazquez, accused of tormenting Prince, who hanged herself on Jan. 14. "It's gotten way out of control," adds Keefe, who says Velazquez has been driven temporarily from her home.

also believe that this is why my secret place, which isn't a secret anymore, is standing at the edge of the sea. My favorite time to be there is when a storm is approaching. You see, God has carried me through so many storms in my life. He did not prevent the storms or make them stop. He did not remove me from those storms. In fact, He rode them out with me. Don't get me wrong, there are times when He will stop them or remove you, He does have that power! I felt His presence which is what...

FORWARD OPERATING BASE GARDEZ, Afghanistan, May 6, 2009 – Strains of classical music stream from the doorway of a weather-beaten building at this forward operating base in the middle of the Afghan countryside. Air Force Staff Sgt. Eric Began, a member of the provincial reconstruction team in Afghanistan’s Paktia province, relaxes at Forward Operating Base Gardez by playing an electric piano, April 21, 2009. Began taught himself how to play as a way to pass time during his deployment. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Shawn Weismiller   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Housed within those whitewashed...

With Age Comes A Sense Of Peace And Calm, Study Shows ScienceDaily (May 19, 2008) — Aging brings a sense of peace and calm, according to a new study from the Population Research Center at The University of Texas at Austin. Starting at about age 60, participants reported more feelings of ease and contentment than their younger counterparts. Catherine Ross and John Mirowsky, professors of sociology, have published the findings in "Age and the Balance of Emotions" in the May 19 issue of Social Science and Medicine. The findings reveal aging is associated with more positive than negative emotions, and...

WASHINGTON, June 13, 2007 – A senior U.S. military official in Iraq joined Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki today in urging calm in the wake of an attack today on the Golden Mosque compound in Samarra, Iraq. Brig. Gen. Kevin Bergner, spokesman for Multinational Force Iraq, said the coalition joins al-Maliki in urging the Iraqis to remain calm and allow legitimate Iraqi security forces to make “appropriate response.” U.S. Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker and Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, MNFI commander, met this afternoon with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to discuss possible responses, Bergner reported via a Digital Video...

Saturday, 05 August 2006 Marine Sgt. Bryan E. Carter, a 23-year-old native of Pleasant Hill, Iowa, gives a class on improvised explosive devices for Marines traveling on the dangerous roads of Iraq, July 29. Story and photo by Cpl. Daniel J. Redding1st Marine Logistics Group CAMP HABBANIYAH -- Jenny is dead, another casualty in the struggle to stabilize Iraq. A robot used in counter-insurgency missions throughout the restive Al Anbar province, “Jenny,” met her fate aiding a team of Marine explosive ordnance disposal technicians trying to disarm a deadly improvised explosive device. These four men calmly and willingly put...

WASHINGTON, April 21, 2006 – The relative calm that has been seen in Iraq's northern provinces can be attributed to aggressive coalition and Iraqi leaders who understand the area and know how to diffuse problems before they happen, a U.S. commander in the area said today. "The presence of coalition forces, along with an increasingly competent and confident Iraqi army brigade and Iraqi police force inside Kirkuk, are keeping a lid on potential violence," Army Col. David R. Gray, commander of 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, said in a satellite news conference from Iraq. Kirkuk province is an ethnically diverse...

Calm is urged over bird flu caseAREA ON ALERT* Poultry owners within wild bird risk area must keep birds indoors or, if not possible, ensure they are kept away from wild birds * Bird transport within 6 mile (10km) surveillance zone will be curbed * Poultry within 1.8 mile (3km) protection zone must be kept indoors and will be tested A minister has warned against the temptation to "turn a drama into a crisis" over the discovery of H5N1 bird flu in a dead swan in Scotland. Scottish Rural Affairs Minister Ross Finnie said the case was being dealt with...

The Danish government stepped up efforts Tuesday to curb the damage caused by the publication of cartoons in a Danish newspaper linking the Prophet Muhammad to terrorism. But the moves failed to allay Muslim anger as retailers boycotted Danish goods in the Middle East and protesters in Gaza set fire to photos of Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen. The economic fallout continued, with the French supermarket chain Carrefour announcing it was pulling Danish goods from its shelves in Arab countries. A day after the Danish newspaper, Jyllands-Posten, apologized for offending Muslims, the Danish foreign minister, Per Stig Moller, handed out...

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - The cursing had stopped. The tears were gone. Mayor Ray Nagin returned from his meeting with President Bush a picture of calm. He leaned back against a railing in a hotel lobby that for the first time in nearly five days was devoid of stranded, sweating, and generally miserable tourists. "I feel much better. I feel like we've gotten everyone's attention and hopefully they'll continue to do what they're doing," Nagin said Friday night in the damaged downtown Hyatt hotel, where his temporary lodgings and command post have been set up since Hurricane Katrina made life...

Anti-pullout Evangelicals may try to block US aid Herb Keinon, THE JERUSALEM POST Aug. 12, 2005 A coalition of pro-Israel Evangelical groups is to meet in Washington in the near future to discuss whether to actively oppose US financial aid for Israel tied to disengagement, according to Richard Hellman, head of the Christians' Israeli Public Action Committee. Israel and the US are currently talking about a $2.2 billion package, spread over four years, to offset disengagement costs and facilitate development of the Galilee and Negev. Hellman, head of a small Christian-based pro-Israel lobbying group who brought a group of CIPAC...

WASHINGTON - Facing growing pressure to bring troops home from Iraq, President Bush is launching a public relations campaign to try to calm anxieties about the war. Bush scheduled a major address for June 28, the one-year anniversary of the transfer of sovereignty from the U.S.-led coalition to Iraqis. Four days before that, he will meet at the White House with Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari, who heads the transitional government chosen after January elections. The president also plans a series of radio addresses and appearances outside Washington. He will emphasize the importance of democracy in Iraq and elsewhere when...

Annan calls for calm as threats overshadow nuclear talks By Francis Harris in Washington (Filed: 03/05/2005) Kofi Annan, the United Nations secretary-general, urged nuclear rogue states to step back from the brink of atomic weapons yesterday. His comments came at the UN in New York after a defiant Iran and North Korea had both provided new evidence of their determination to pursue technology that can be used to manufacture and deliver nuclear arms. Kofi Annan wants ‘a world free of nuclear weapons’ Speaking at the opening of a month-long meeting to review the 1970 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Mr Annan said...

Egypt tries to calm fears after bombing By Tim Butcher, Middle East Correspondent (Filed: 02/05/2005) About 200 suspected Islamist sympathisers were arrested in Egypt yesterday following Saturday's terrorist attacks in Cairo, as the authorities moved to reassure thousands of foreign tourists that Egypt is safe to visit.The Foreign Office updated its Egypt travel advice by recording the latest incidents in which a male bomber blew himself up, and two women, his sister and fiancée, committed suicide after shooting at a tourist bus. "You should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks, which could be against civilian targets,...

"George Felos, the attorney for husband and guardian Michael Schiavo, told reporters later that he had visited Schiavo for more than an hour Monday and said she looked "very peaceful. She looked calm." "I saw no evidence of any bodily discomfort whatsoever,"

Saudis agree they need help to combat terrorists and calm expatriates By Robin Gedye in Jeddah (Filed: 28/06/2004) Saudi Arabia has agreed to improve security and to accept help from foreign troops in checkpoint controls after an unprecedented meeting between alarmed expatriates, western ambassadors and the Saudi foreign minister. The four-hour meeting, originally suggested by British Ambassador Sherard Cowper-Cole, assembled 40 expatriate employees and the ambassadors of the G8 countries plus 11 other nations in an ornate conference hall overlooking the Red Sea in the hope of stemming the flow of foreign workers fleeing attacks by extreme Islamists. James Oberwetter,...

An eerie calm prevails at the FleetCenter By David R. Guarino Thursday, June 24, 2004 With convention construction already $5 million over budget and three days delayed due to a picket line, all was amazingly quiet inside the FleetCenter yesterday - 33 days from DNC D-Day. Convention organizers and Mayor Thomas M. Menino say construction's on schedule. But, to the naked eye, the FleetCenter is far from ready for Sen. John F. Kerry's big event. Workers have taken out seats to make room for the convention stage and steel has been added to the ceiling to help light the ceremonies....

In a sworn statement to be made public Tuesday, University of Colorado President Elizabeth Hoffman said a four-letter word used toward women can sometimes be used as a "term of endearment." The comment comes from Hoffman's latest sworn testimony in connection with a federal lawsuit against the university. The suit was filed by women who say they were sexually assaulted by CU football players and recruits. A lawyer for one of the women asked Hoffman about former CU kicker Katie Hnida being called the "c- word" by a teammate. That player was later disciplined by coach Gary Barnett for making...

Bush tries to calm fears over future of free Iraq By Alec Russell in Washington, Anton La Guardia and George Jones (Filed: 25/05/2004) President George W Bush sought last night to reassure the world that he had a clear strategy for Iraq as the United States and Britain revealed plans to hand over power. With his approval ratings at a new low and senior Republicans stepping up their criticism of his policy, Mr Bush launched his fightback with a prime-time television address. President Bush: 'There are difficult days ahead' Speaking at the Army War College in Pennsylvania, he vowed America...

What visual do you think of as "calming?" What color is the most calming to you? Thanks so much for taking the time to answer these two questions!

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The White House projected a business-as-usual air Saturday, though a Tuesday deadline to turn over documents in a leak investigation hung over nearly 2,000 staff members. Interviews with nearly a dozen White House officials found no sense of urgency among the few workers in the office on a weekend. All White House staffers face an order from President Bush's counsel to come forward by 5 p.m. Tuesday with any documents that might help the investigation into the leak of an undercover CIA officer's identity. Employees were required to sign a memo certifying either that they have produced...

TOKYO (AFP) - British Prime Minister Tony Blair (news - web sites) said the death of an expert at the center of a dispute over Iraq (news - web sites)'s weapons programs was a "terrible tragedy", but added an independent inquiry must be allowed to determine the facts. The discovery of the body of David Kelly on Friday triggered perhaps the worst crisis in Blair's six years in power, drawing heavy criticism from the British press and overshadowing the start of his six-day tour of East Asia. Kelly, 59, a Ministry of Defence adviser on Iraqi biological weapons and former...