Alan Colmes to Depart Top Rated Hannity & Colmes

FOX News Channel’s (FNC) Alan Colmes will relinquish his role as co-host of Hannity & Colmes at the end of the year.

In announcing his decision, Colmes said, “I approached Bill Shine (FNC’s Senior Vice President of Programming) earlier this year about wanting to move on after 12 years to develop new and challenging ways to contribute to the growth of the network. Although it’s bittersweet to leave one of the longest marriages on cable news, I’m proud that both Sean (Hannity) and I remained unharmed after sitting side by side, night after night for so many years.”

Colmes will continue to have a presence on FNC as he will serve as a liberal commentator on a variety of FOX News programming, including Foxnews.com’s The Strategy Room and continue hosting his radio program, The Alan Colmes Show on FOX Talk, a division of FOX News Radio. He will also begin developing a weekend program.

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Dr Pepper to deliver on its free-soda promise

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Dr Pepper is making good on its promise of free soda now that the release of Guns N' Roses' "Chinese Democracy" is a reality.

The soft-drink maker said in March that it would give a free soda to everyone in America if the album dropped in 2008. "Chinese Democracy," infamously delayed since recording began in 1994, goes on sale Sunday.

"We never thought this day would come," Tony Jacobs, Dr Pepper's vice president of marketing, said in a statement. "But now that it's here, all we can say is: The Dr Pepper's on us."

Beginning Sunday at 12:01 a.m., coupons for a free 20-ounce soda will be available for 24 hours on Dr Pepper's Web site. They'll be honored until Feb. 28.
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On the Net:

www.drpepper.com

Tip to Automakers: When Begging Leave Private Jets at Home

Can you imagine coming to Congress to beg for public money in your private jet? Well that is exactly what all three top automakers did this week. GM's private flight cost GM an estimated 20,000 dollars for a round trip flight.

You have to check out this video.

Automaker Bail-out Justifications

Here is my attempt to capture all of the justifications that have been proffered regarding why U.S. taxpayers should bail out the auto industry.

+ It is not a bailout, it is a loan

+ We produce vehicles for defense, therefore national security depends on it

+ Taxpayers would have to pay at least $3 billion annually in the event that the Big
Three automakers -- General Motors, Chrysler and Ford -- have to file for bankruptcy and no longer pay for retiree health care, United Auto Workers President Ron Gettelfinger said on Tuesday during a Senate Banking Committee hearing

+ One in 10 American jobs depends on U.S. automakers

+ Nearly 3 million jobs are at immediate risk

+ U.S. personal income could be reduced by $150 billion

+ The tax revenue lost over 3 years would be more than $156 billion

Study: BlackBerry has twice the failure rate of iPhone

Apple's iPhone has half the failure rate of RIM's BlackBerry in the first year of use, a study carried out by a mobile-phone warranty firm has found.

Figures from the analyst firm Canalysys, released last week, showed Apple has now overtaken RIM in the global smartphone sales stakes.

SquareTrade had to project their figures for the iPhone's failure rate over a two-year period, as the handset has not been available for that long — nonetheless, that rate came in at between nine to 11 percent. The equivalent failure rate for BlackBerry handsets was 14.3 percent, with the Treo coming in at 21 percent.

Breaking the figures down, the most prominent malfunctions for iPhone users appear to be touchscreen-related, accounting for a third of all reported issues with that handset. However, 12 percent of iPhone users reported accidental damage to their handsets within the first year of use — the average for other handsets is nine percent.

The report's authors also noted that fewer than half-a-percent of iPhone owners reported battery problems after a year of use, compared with around one percent for BlackBerry and Treo users.

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American Airlines embraces the iPhone

American Airlines is now the first airline to offer boarding passes on your iPhone - talk about a paperless system!
It is expected that more airlines will follow suit in the upcoming months.

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Obama is coming and so is his favorite Chicago Pizza

Barack Obama's favorite pizza is from Italian Fiesta Pizzeria, a chain on the south side and south suburbs.
Now, The Ritz in Washington D.C. is paying to fly the pizzeria's owners to the nation's capitol for the inauguration expo to be held there next week to serve their pizza there.

A month before the election, owner Patti Harris-Tubbs got a phone call from the Ritz-Carlton in Washington, D.C., asking if she would be willing to come to the nation's capital to make her pizza if Obama won. She thought it was a joke, Harris-Tubbs when Obama won, the hotel e-mailed back, offering to fly her and her husband out to serve their pizza next week at the Presidential Inauguration Expo, which is an event designed to preview the food that will be served at inauguration time in January.
The owners said that Obama was introduced to their pizza by Michelle Obama, whose parents ordered it for her as a young girl when she got good grades.

Italian Fiesta has been family owned/operated since the 1940s.
It was featured in a recent article listing Obama's favorite Chicago restaurants, in which it was said, "Buttery thin-crust pizza comes straight from the oven tasting chewy, spicy and slightly sweet."

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An Afternoon at the White House

I had a great day today at the White House. I had the chance to see a lot of stuff: the Press Briefing Room, the West Wing, the Oval Office, the Roosevelt Room, the Bowling Alley, the White House Restaurant, the Rose Garden, the Indian Treaty Room, Media Row, and a lot of other miscellaneous stuff.. To view some of the photos click here.

First Test: Russia

As reported on here at www.roszaks.com back on September 29, 2008, the new President will face some serious security issues, one of which is the missile defense shield in Poland. It seems that Russia is wasting no time in engaging President-Elect Obama. Russia announced earlier this morning that it plans to station new missiles near Poland's border and employ missile jamming devices that will make any US missile shield inoperable.

Russia to station missiles near Poland
By Michael Stott

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev pledged on Wednesday to station new missiles near Poland's border in response to U.S. plans for an anti-missile system and proposed extending the presidential term to six years from four.

In an assertive first annual address to the nation, he defended Russia's war with Georgia, appealed to nationalism and attacked Washington's "selfish" foreign policy and "economic blunders" which he said caused the global financial crisis.

The harsh tone and repeated attacks on the United States the day after Democrat Barack Obama's electoral victory surprised some observers who had expected a more liberal style and more detail on how Russia would tackle a financial crisis.

"To neutralize -- if necessary -- the (U.S.) anti-missile system, an Iskander missile system will be deployed in the Kaliningrad region," Medvedev said, referring to a Russian enclave bordering European Union members Poland and Lithuania.

Russia would electronically jam the U.S. system, parts of which are due to be deployed in Poland and the Czech Republic, and Moscow would scrap plans to stand down three Cold War-era nuclear missile regiments, the president said.

Free Ice Cream, Donuts, and Coffee!

Companies give free coffee, ice cream for election

By EMILY FREDRIX
Published: Today
MILWAUKEE (AP) - Americans will pick a new leader for the country on Tuesday, and will be able to pick up some free coffee, ice cream and other goodies too.

Starbucks Corp. is offering a free cup of brewed coffee to anyone who asks on Tuesday, while Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. is giving away star-shaped doughnuts. Ice cream maker Ben and Jerry's is offering a free scoop as part of a celebration of the election.

Seattle-based Starbucks had originally planned to give away the "tall" brewed coffees to anyone who reported that they voted, saying in an ad: "If you care enough to vote, we care enough to give you a free cup of coffee."

The company broadened its offer to all customers to ensure it was in compliance with election law, spokeswoman Tara Darrow said Monday evening.

"We hope there is a record turnout on Tuesday and look forward to celebrating with our customers over a great cup of coffee," she said in a statement.

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Obama Will Pay for My Gas and My Taxes