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Satirical Newscast, Kosher Style
Over footage of burning buildings, Israel Defense Forces troops and the Israeli prime minister, the straight-faced anchorman intones: “Great news out of Israel: Ehud Olmert has announced that the second Lebanon war was a success…. Another of Olmert's notable successes is his attempt to comb over his bald spot." Yes, it's a satirical newscast, but not “The Daily Show"; nor is it “Weekend Update" from “Saturday Night Live." On “The Mendy Report," news is delivered by a long-bearded Hasid wearing a velvet yarmulke at a rakish tilt. Mendy Pellin, a 25-year-old Lubavitch comedian and ordained rabbi, launched his online newscast and Web channel, ChabadTube.com, in November 2006. Since then, he's built an international audience. Segments posted by fans on blogs and on video sites like YouTube and Google have drawn more than 500,000 views.
Driving ambition fuelled by a well of petro-dollars
TINY country, massive ambitions. If the World Cup is about knowing your enemy, then the Socceroos need to be careful when they open their campaign in Melbourne tomorrow night. Qatar are out to prove that size doesn't matter. Money, though, counts a lot. Five years ago, Qatar got serious about football. Very serious. The local Olympic committee gave 10 clubs $US10 million ($11.1m) each to set up the first fully professional league. Ageing superstars were recruited. One, Argentine striker Gabriel Batistuta, was paid $US8m for two seasons. A string of fading foreigners followed. The Q-League doesn't draw big crowds, but it continues to draw big names. And that provides the foundation for the second, more significant part of the master plan. To build a competitive national team. Qatar's greatest moment on the football field, coincidentally, came on Australian soil.
A miracle child, a miracle dog
Her mother, Shelly, has doctors' personal cell phone numbers just in case. They call from time to time to check on their miracle baby — the one they write journals about. The Murrays' favorite is Dr. Rod Batie of Community Hospital, now called Springfield Regional Medical Center. "If it wasn't for him, Aubrey would not be alive today," Shelly said. Eight months into her third pregnancy, Shelly noticed her legs were starting to swell and her stomach was getting big. Too big. Until late that summer in 1998, everything with Shelly's pregnancy was going according to plan. In a house full of males — her husband Clinton and sons Dalton and Landon — Shelly couldn't wait for another girl to be around. "But I knew something wasn't right," she said.
In the Pink for Valentine's Day
According to the information on the back of my shampoo bottle, 15 percent of women send themselves flowers on Valentine's Day. I find that hard to believe. As far as I know, none of my friends have ever done that, and I think I would have run across at least one person sending themselves flowers by now, if almost one out of every seven women did. This is not to say that I can't understand why some women would want to send themselves flowers. Valentine's Day can magnify insecurities about being loved and feeling attractive. Fortunately, there are a few quick fixes that can still make a difference in the appearance of your skin in time for the big day. A few simple steps can improve the appearance of your skin even at the last minute. Avoid overdrying with soap or toners. Instead, use a gentle, hydrating cleanser, such as Cerave.
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