HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN LONDON CHEERED PRINCE WILLIAM AND KATE MIDDLETON AS THEY RODE IN AN OPEN CARRIAGE TO BUCKINGHAM PALACE AFTER THEIR WEDDING AT WESTMINSTER ABBEY. AN ESTIMATED 2 BILLION PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD TUNED IN FOR THE CEREMONY. LATER THE PALACE IS HOLDING 2 PARTIES, 1 HOSTED BY THE QUEEN FOR 650 GUESTS AND AN EVENING DINNER DANCE FOR 300 CLOSE FRIENDS.

IN THE SOUTH PEOPLE ARE SIFTING THROUGH THE RUBBLE FROM THE WORST TORNADOES IN DECADES. AT LEAST 313 PEOPLE HAVE DIED. TUSCALOOSA ALABAMA WAS VIRTUALLY WIPED OFF THE MAP. STATES OF EMERGENCY HAVE BEEN DECLARED FROM CENTRAL OKLAHOMA ALL THE WAY TO GEORGIA. PRESIDENT OBAMA AND FIRST LADY MICHELLE WILL TRAVEL TO ALABAMA TODAY.

NASA IS PREPARING SPACE SHUTTLE ENDEAVOUR FOR ITS FINAL RIDE INTO ORBIT THIS AFTERNOON. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE STAKED OUT PRIME VIEWING SPOTS NEAR CAPE CANAVERAL. COMMANDER MARK KELLY’S WIFE, REPRESENTATIVE GABRILLE GIFFORDS, WILL WATCH THE LAUNCH FROM THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER. IT WILL ALSO BE THE FIRST TIME A SITTING PRESIDENT AND HIS FAMILY WILL WITNESS A LAUNCH.

THE NFL HAS CLEARED THE WAY FOR SOME OF ITS BASIC FOOTBALL OPERATIONS TO BEGIN TODAY. EARLIER THIS WEEK A FEDERAL JUDGE DECLARED THE 7 WEEK OLD LOCKOUT ILLEGAL. SOME PLAYERS SHOWED UP AT FACILITIES EARLY THIS MORNING. NOW PLAYERS CAN TALK WITH COACHES, WORK OUT AT TEAM HEADQUARTERS AND GET PLAYBOOKS.

DEVASTATING STORMS IN THE SOUTH HAVE KILLED AT LEAST 202 PEOPLE IN 6 STATES. MOST OF THE FATALITIES OCCURRED IN ALABAMA WHERE AT LEAST 149 PEOPLE DIED. AT LEAST 1 TORNADO SWEPT THOUGH THE COLLEGE TOWN OF TUSCALOOSA, DESTROYING HUNDREDS OF HOMES AND BUSINESSES. 600 PEOPLE WERE TREATED AT HOSPITALS AND 44,000 WERE WITHOUT POWER.

AN EXPLOSION HAS KILLED 14 PEOPLE IN A BUSY CAFÉ IN THE MOROCCAN TOURIST DESTINATION OF MARRAKESH. THE BLAST RIPPED THROUGH A 2^ND STORY CAFÉ OVERLOOKING A SPOT THAT’S USUALLY BUSTLING WITH FOREIGN TOURISTS. OFFICIALS WON’T SAY IF THEY SUSPECT ISLAMIST MILITANTS IN THE BLAST.

REPRESENTATIVE GABRILLE GIFFORDS HAS LEFT A HOUSTON HOSPITAL AND IS IN FLORIDA TO WATCH HER HUSBAND’S SPACE SHUTTLE LAUNCH TOMORROW. GIFFORDS WAS SHOT NEARLY 4 MONTHS AGO IN ARIZONA. PRESIDENT OBAMA ARRIVES TOMORROW WITH HIS WIFE AND 2 DAUGHTERS TO WATCH THE NEXT TO LAST SPACE SHUTTLE LAUNCH.

THE ECONOMY SLOWED DOWN SHARPLY THE FIRST 3 MONTHS OF THE YEAR. HIGHER GAS PRICES CUT INTO CONSUMER SPENDING AND BAD WEATHER DELAYED CONSTRUCTION. THE GOVERNMENT SAYS THE ECONOMY GREW AT A 1.8 PERCENT ANNUAL RATE IN THE QUARTER. BUT ECONOMISTS SAY THE SLOWDOWN IS A TEMPORARY SETBACK.

ACTUALLY, WE PROBABLY ALL DO. BUT WHAT KIND EXACTLY? FRESHPAIR DOT COM TOOK A SURVEY, & I’VE GOT THE RESULTS COMING UP.
THE LOINCLOTH was probably the first type of underwear-& is still worn by people in several cultures. Today, we have lots of choices. And in a survey of 125,000 people, here is how people chose their undies:

PERCENTAGE OF MEN PREFER:
Briefs: 41 %
Boxer briefs:27%
Trunks: 14%
Boxers: 12%
Thongs: 4 % includes the Giants Aubry Huff?

PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN WHO PREFER:
Bikini Briefs: 37%
Briefs:23%
THONGS: 19%
BOYS SHORTS: 17%

OTHER INTERESTING UNDIE DATA:

In 1935, the first men’s briefs appeared.
Pantyhose made their first appearance in 1959, invented by Glen Mills of North Carolina.
The Thong first gained popularity in Brazil in the 1980’s as a swimsuit. By the 1990’s, thong underwear became popular & today is one of the fastest selling styles.
Married men change their skivvies twice as often as single men. lol

Source: freshpair.com & blatherrinserepeat.wordpress.com

THE WHITE HOUSE HAS JUST RELEASEDTHE LONG FORM OF PRESIDENT OBAMA’S BIRTH CERTIFICATE. WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN JAY CARNEY SAYS THE DEBATE OVER THE PRESIDENT’S BIRTHPLACE HAD BECOME A SIDESHOW THAT WAS BAD FOR THE COUNTRY. OBAMA HAD EARLIER RELEASED A STANDARD SHORT FORM. BUT SO-CALLED BIRTHERS AND POTENTIAL PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE DONALD TRUMP HAVE QUESTIONED WHY OBAMA HADN’T RELEASED THE LONG FORM CERTIFICATE.

CIA DIRECTOR LEON PANETTA IS EXPECTED TO BE NAMED AS NEW DEFENSE SECRETARY THIS WEEK. PANETTA WILL BE REPLACED AT THE CIA BY GENERAL DAVID PATRAEUS, WHO’S NOW RUNNING THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN. THE CHANGES WILL PROBABLY TAKE EFFECT THIS SUMMER.

IT’S ANOTHER DAY OF POWERFUL THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES ACROSS THE SOUTH. WINDS OF 100 MILES PER HOUR ARE POUNDING CENTRAL ALABAMA, SNAPPING TREES ACROSS POWER LINES. IN ARKANSAS, ANOTHER FATALITY FROM YESTERDAY’S STORMS HAS BROUGHT THE NUMBER OF DEATHS TO 11. IN MISSOURI MORE THAN 1,000 PEOPLE WERE EVACUATED AFTER THE LEVEE WAS BREACHED ON THE SWOLLEN BLACK RIVER NEAR POPLAR BLUFF.

A PROMINENT WEATHER FORECASTER IS PREDICTING A BUSY HURRICANE SEASON. WEATHER SERVICES INTERNATIONAL PREDICTS 15 STORMS STRONG ENOUGH TO BE NAMED. THE U.S. GULF COAST IS ESPECIALLY THREATENED BECAUSE SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES ARE WARM THIS YEAR. NO HURRICANE HAS STRUCK THE U.S. MAINLAND SINCE 2008.

A FEDERAL COURT JUDGE HAS ORDERED THE NFL TO END THE 6 WEEK PLAYER LOCKOUT, SAYING THE LEAGUE’S ACTIONS WERE HURTING BOTH PLAYERS AND FANS. THE LEAGUE IMMEDIATELY SAID IT WILL APPEAL THE RULING. PLAYERS HAVE BEEN TOLD IF THEY’RE DENIED ACCESS TO FACILITIES, TEAMS WOULD BE IN VIOLATION OF THE JUDGE’S RULING. SOME PLAYERS HAVE STARTED SHOWING UP BUT ARE BEING TOLD THEY CAN’T WORK OUT.

POWER OUTAGES IN TEXAS CITY TEXAS HAVE DISRUPTED REFINERIES OPERATED BY BP, MARATHON OIL AND VALERO. BP’S 475,000 BARREL PER DAY REFINERY LOST POWER LAST NIGHT, SENDING RESIDENTS INSIDE TO AVOID BREATHING SMOKE FROM THE REFINERY’S FLARES. NO INJURIES HAVE BEEN REPORTED.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAYS IT’S EXTREMELY LIKELY THAT A TORNADO HIT THE TOWN OF VILONIA ARKANSAS LAST NIGHT, DESTROYING THE SMALL TOWN 25 MILES NORTH OF LITTLE ROCK. AT LEAST 4 PEOPLE DIED. MEANWHILE A LEVEE PROTECTING THE MISSOURI TOWN OF POPLAR BLUFF HELD OVERNIGHT AFTER 1,000 HOMES WERE EVACUATED.

HOME PRICES ARE FALLING IN MOST MAJOR U.S. CITIES. AT LEAST 10 MAJOR MARKETS ARE AT THEIR LOWEST LEVEL SINCE THE HOUSING BUBBLE BURST. A RECORD NUMBER OF FORECLOSURES ARE FORCING DOWN HOME PRICES AND PRICES ARE EXPECTED TO KEEP FALLING THIS YEAR.

DOCTORS HAVE GIVEN REPRESENTATIVE GABRILLE GIFFORDS APPROVAL TO TRAVEL TO FLORIDA THIS WEEK TO WATCH HER HUSBAND’S SPACE SHUTTLE LAUNCH. THE ARIZONA CONGRESSWOMAN WAS SHOT IN THE HEAD DURING A SHOOTING RAMPAGE IN TUCSON. THERE ARE NO PLANS FOR GIFFORDS TO MAKE A PUBLIC APPEARANCE. PRESIDENT OBAMA AND THE FIRST FAMILY WILL ALSO ATTEND THE FRIDAY LAUNCH.

25,000 TROOPS HAVE BEGUN JAPAN’S LARGEST SEARCH YET FOR THE BODIES OF 12,000 PEOPLE MISSING FROM LAST MONTH’S EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI. WITH WATERS RECEDING, THE TEAM WHICH INCLUDES U.S. TROOPS SHOULD MAKE PROGRESS DURING THE 2 DAY OPERATION. BY MONDAY EVENING 38 BODIES HAD BEEN FOUND. THE SEARCH FOR EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS WILL BE MORE DIFFICULT SINCE MOST WILL BE BURIED IN RUBBLE.

TOYOTA’S CAR PRODUCTION IN JAPAN HAS DROPPED MORE THAN 62 PERCENT IN MARCH BECAUSE OF A PARTS SHORTAGE FOLLOWING THE EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI. TOYOTA’S DOMESTIC PRODUCTION WAS THE LOWEST SINCE 1976. TOYOTA SOLD 8.42 MILLION VEHICLES LAST YEAR BUT GENERAL MOTORS IS LIKELY TO RECLAIM THE TITLE OF WORLD LARGEST AUTOMAKER THAT IT LOST IN 2008.

IN WHAT SOUNDS LIKE A MOVIE PLOT, TALIBAN MILITANTS TUNNELED 480 INMATES OUT OF AN AFGHAN PRISON OVERNIGHT. THEY TOOK THEM OUT THROUGH A 1,000 FOOT LONG UNDERGROUND PASSAGE THAT TOOK THEM 5 MONTHS TO DIG. THE TALIBAN SAYS IT TOOK 4.5 HOURS FOR ALL THE PRISONERS TO CLEAR THE TUNNEL.

WHEN I WAS ASKED IF I WANTED TO BE THE SPOKEPERSON FOR “PROVEN WINNERS,” A COMPANY THAT SPECIALIZES IN FLOWERS AND PLANTS, I HAD TO BE HONEST. “I’VE NEVER HAD A PLANT OR FLOWERS THAT LASTED MORE THAN A WEEK,” I SAID.
“No problem,” I was told. “With Proven Winners, all you need is a hose. Just water them every other day.”
Hmmmmm. Why not? What do I have to lose? I found it hard to believe that even I, the same person that failed miserably trying to grow flowers & plants, could succeed this time.
THINGS ARE LOOKIN’ GOOD.

It’s been two and a half weeks now, & the flowers are beautiful, healthy, & they are thriving. And all I’ve done is water them every other day. I’m feeling like a “proud papa.” My friends don’t believe it. They think somehow I’m cheating. LOL

So far, “Proven Winners” have been a winner for me.

JAPAN’S CABINET HAS APPROVED ALMOST 50 BILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF SPENDING FOR POST-EARTHQUAKE REBUILDING. BUT THE EMERGENCY BUDGET DOESN’T COME CLOSE TO THE OVERALL COST OF DAMAGES FROM LAST MONTH’S EARTHQUAKE WHICH IS ESTIMATED AT 300 BILLION DOLLARS. THE GOVERNMENT PLANS TO BUILD 100,000 TEMPORARY HOMES.

PRESIDENT OBAMA SAYS THE U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL IS PUTTING TOGETHER A TEAM TO LOOK FOR ANY FRAUD AND MANIPULATION IN THE OIL MARKETS THAT MIGHT BE CAUSING HIGHER GAS PRICES. SPEAKING IN RENO YESTERDAY, OBAMA SAID THERE’S NO SILVER BULLET THAT CAN BRING DOWN GAS PRICES RIGHT AWAY.

AMAZON DOT COM IS STILL STRUGGLING TO RESTORE COMPUTERS USED BY OTHER MAJOR WEBSITES AFTER YESTERDAY’S OUTAGE AT A DATA CENTER OUTSIDE WASHINGTON. AMAZON RENTS OUT SPACE ON HUGE COMPUTER SERVERS THAT RUN MANY WEBSITES AND ONLINE SERVICES. SOME SOCIAL NETWORKS LIKE FOUR SQUARE APPEAR TO HAVE RECOVERED.

A JURY SIDED AGAINST MATTEL YESTERDAY IN A LEGAL BATTLE OVER ITS CLAIMS THAT A RIVAL TOYMAKER BEHIND THE BRATZ DOLL HAD STOLEN BARBIE’S TRADE SECRETS. THE JURY AWARD MGA ENTERTAINMENT 85 MILLION DOLLARS IN DAMAGES. MGA LAUNCHED BRATZ DOLLS IN 2001 AND THEY QUICKLY BECAME BARBIE’S TOP COMPETITOR.

THERE’S NO REAL CURE FOR A BROKEN HEART, BUT BELIEVE IT OR NOT,

CLEANING YOUR HOUSE MIGHT HELP A LITTLE.

I know it doesn’t sound like a lot of fun, but psychotherapist Mary Montero explains the benefits:

Getting all reminders of the heartbreaker out of sight is an important first step.
Some people just naturally let things fester & build up if they’re feeling lonely or sad-& the clutter will only enhance those feelings.

After cleaning, rearranging or redecorating your space, you’re more likely to feel social & invite others in.

GET READY TO PAY MORE FOR:

*AIRFARES: And they’re already up 22 percent.

*CHOCOLATE: Expect a price increase in about 8 weeks.

*COFFEE: It’s already jumped 27 percent since January. Hmmm I wonder what Starbucks is thinking.

*FAST FOOD: Higher beef costs will boost the price of burgers.

*TIRES: If you need new tires-get them soon. Prices are rising because the natural rubber prices have jumped more than 75 percent in the past few months.
Source: Moody’s Analytics