Official who OK'd Air Force One Jet Flyover Resigns

President Obama has accepted the resignation of Louis Caldera, the director of the White House Military Office responsible for the controversial low-altitude flyover of New York by a 747 plane used as Air Force One, the White House said Friday.

The photo shoot, which President Obama said he was "furious" with, happened on April 27. The image of a low-flying plane accompanied by an F-16 fighter jet sent some New Yorkers into the streets and into a panic -- reminding them of the tragic 9/11 attacks on the city.

Building evacuations also took place across the Hudson River in Jersey City, New Jersey. Read more of Obama's reaction

Caldera later apologized for the flyover.

"I have concluded that the controversy surrounding the Presidential Airlift Group's aerial photo shoot over New York City has made it impossible for me to effectively lead the White House Military Office," Caldera said in a letter to Obama.

"Moreover, it has become a distraction to the important work you are doing as president. After much reflection, I believe it is incumbent on me to tender my resignation and step down as director of the White House Military Office."

The White House also released a photo of the flyover and a report on the incident on Friday.

In the report, the White House said Caldera, who had been traveling with President Obama when the flyover plans were initially discussed, did not remember a conversation in which his deputy, George Mulligan, informed him of the flyover.

Caldera did not open an e-mail about final plans for the flyover until after it had happened, the report said, noting Caldera had been suffering from severe muscle spasms and had left the office early on several days.

Although recommendations by several parties involved in the flyover had been made that White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs and Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina be informed of the plans, the report said, that job was left to Caldera, who did not pass the information along.

The flyover, officials said, was a training mission -- it was also a government-sanctioned photo shoot.

Military officials estimate the mission and the photo shoot, aimed at updating file photos of Air Force One -- cost $328,835 in taxpayer money.

But they said "the hours would have been flown regardless, and the expenses would have been accrued on a different mission."

Witnesses reported seeing the plane circle over the Upper New York Bay near the Statue of Liberty before flying up the Hudson River.

A YouTube video showed people standing in a parking lot, watching the plane approach. As it nears, they begin to run. "Run, run!" said one person. "Oh my God," cried another.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg was visibly angry last week. "I'm annoyed -- furious is a better word -- that I wasn't told," he said, adding that the decision by the White House Military Office and Federal Aviation Administration to withhold details about the flight were "ridiculous" and "poor judgment."

But according to Air Force Capt. Anna Carpenter, local law enforcement agencies and the FAA had been notified of the exercise.

New York Police Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne confirmed that department had been alerted about the flight "with directives to local authorities not to disclose information about it."

source: CNN

READ MORE - Official who OK'd Air Force One Jet Flyover Resigns

Authorities: Body of UGA Professor Identified

The body of a University of Georgia professor accused of killing three people was found Saturday buried in woods near Athens, Georgia, authorities said.

George Zinkhan, 57, is suspected of fatally shooting his wife and two other people last month outside a community theater in Athens, which is home to the University of Georgia.

Cadaver dogs discovered the body with two guns in a wooded area of northwest Clarke County, about a mile from where Zinkhan's red Jeep Liberty was found last week, Athens-Clarke Police Chief Joseph Lumpkin said.

Athens-Clarke County police confirmed the identity of the body, citing results from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

The guns are like those authorities believe were used in the shootings, Lumpkin said.

The body was found "beneath the earth," Lumpkin said, without any clothes.

"A person who's not accustomed to the woods would never have found the body," he said.

Significant "efforts" were undertaken to conceal the body's location, Jim Fullington of the GBI said.

Authorities say Zinkhan fatally shot Marie Bruce, 47, Zinkhan's wife and a prominent Athens attorney, Tom Tanner, 40, and Ben Teague, 63, on April 25.

The victims all were associated with the Town and Gown Players, a theater group that was holding a reunion picnic at the time of the shootings.

Zinkhan arrived while the Town and Gown event was under way and got into a disagreement with his wife, police said.

Police believe he went to his car -- where the couple's children apparently were waiting -- and returned with two handguns.

In addition to the three deaths, two other people were wounded, police said.

After the shooting, Zinkhan left with his children -- ages 8 and 10 -- in the car, police said. He drove to a neighbor's home in nearby Bogart, Georgia, where he lived, and left the children with the neighbor.

Authorities put out bulletins across the nation for Zinkhan after the shootings and revealed that he had purchased a May 2 ticket in March to the Netherlands, where he owns a house.

The day of the flight passed without any sign of Zinkhan.

He had been an endowed marketing professor at the University of Georgia's Terry College of Business. The university fired Zinkhan the day after the shootings - CNN

READ MORE - Authorities: Body of UGA Professor Identified

Obama pokes fun at Republicans, Clinton, self at annual dinner

President Obama drew big laughs at the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner Saturday, taking jabs at his administration, his Republican rivals and even himself.

"I would like to talk about what my administration plans to achieve in the next 100 days," Obama said. "During the second 100 days, we will design, build and open a library dedicated to my first 100 days."

He added later, "I believe that my next 100 days will be so successful, I will be able to complete them in 72 days -- and on the 73rd day I will rest."

The Democratic president poked fun at the Republican Party, saying it "does not qualify for a bailout" and conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh "doesn't count as a troubled asset."

Obama touched on a few gaffes during his short time in office, from Vice President Joe Biden's verbose tendencies to an unfortunate Air Force One photo op that frightened New Yorkers -- playfully pointing his finger at his young daughters. "Sasha and Malia aren't here tonight because they're grounded," he said. "You can't just take Air Force One on a joyride to Manhattan -- I don't care whose kids you are."

As the world shakes off swine flu fears that started in Mexico, Obama noted his old rivalry with former Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton, who now serves as secretary of state.

"We had been rivals during the campaign, but these days we could not be closer," the president said. "In fact, the second she got back from Mexico, she pulled me into a hug and gave me a big kiss -- told me to get down there myself."

Obama even took on former Vice President Dick Cheney, who wasn't in attendance: "He is very busy working on his memoirs, tentatively titled, "How to Shoot Friends and Interrogate People." Obama took a somber tone, though, when specifically addressing the reporters in the room -- noting the financial struggles that have afflicted the newspaper industry.

"Across the country, there are extraordinary, hardworking journalists who have lost their jobs in recent days, recent weeks, recent months," he said. "I know each newspaper and media outlet is wrestling with how to respond with these changes. ... Not every ending will be a happy one.

"It is also true that your ultimate success as an industry is essential to the success of our democracy -- it's what makes this thing work," Obama said

READ MORE - Obama pokes fun at Republicans, Clinton, self at annual dinner

5 Killed in Nevada Plane Crash

(CNN) -- A twin-engine plane crashed in western Nevada Saturday afternoon, killing all five people on board, authorities said.

Witnesses saw the plane nosedive in the town of Gardnerville at about 4:10 p.m. (7:10 p.m. ET), but there was no fire, said Sgt. Jim Halsey of the Douglas County sheriff's office.

Three of the passengers killed were identified as Paul Dallas, 43; Leia Denner, 40; and Brent Fahey, 30; all of Nevada. The fourth passenger and the pilot would not be named until their families were told, the sheriff's office said.

Authorities believe all five occupants died of blunt force trauma.

The six-seat plane had taken off from Minden-Tahoe Airport -- about 5 miles south of Gardnerville, Halsey said.

Witnesses said they did not hear any mechanical distress noises from the plane, nor did they see any parts separate from the plane before the crash, according to the sheriff's office.

Officials said the plane appeared to fly normally until it crashed about 10 minutes after takeoff.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident. Teams will inspect the crash site Sunday morning

READ MORE - 5 Killed in Nevada Plane Crash

Washington state death blamed on swine flu

(CNN) -- A man who already had heart problems died last week from what appeared to be complications from swine flu, health officials in Washington state said Saturday.

The death, which has not yet been confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, would be the third in the United States linked to the virus, which health officials refer to by its clinical name, H1N1.

"This death is tragic. Our thoughts are with all those affected by this man's passing," Gov. Chris Gregoire said in a written statement. "It's a sobering reminder that influenza is serious, and can be fatal. I know our public health agencies are doing everything they can to track and monitor this outbreak and to protect the people of our state."

The U.S. number of confirmed H1N1 flu cases increased to 2,254 by midday Saturday, an increase of 615 patients since Friday, according to the CDC.

The cases are in 43 states and Washington, D.C. The states with the five highest tallies are Illinois, 421; Wisconsin, 317; New York, 190; Arizona, 182; and California, 171.

The flu strain, which originated in Mexico, killed dozens of people there, causing U.S. officials to worry that it could take a similar toll after spreading across the border. But it has thus far acted similar to typical seasonal influenza -- which usually can be treated successfully but can be deadly among the very old, very young and people with pre-existing health problems.

Washington officials said the man who died in Snohomish County in northwest Washington, was in his 30s and had "underlying heart conditions."

The two other U.S. deaths were in Texas -- a Mexican toddler who was visiting with her family and a pregnant woman who had been on life support since April. Both had several pre-existing medical problems.

READ MORE - Washington state death blamed on swine flu

Order Mothers Day Delivery Gift Baskets

Mother's Day is here again! It's when we specially honor and appreciate our mothers. But it's also the time we have to choose what to buy for our mothers. Admittedly, this is not easy at times. Basically, you have two choices. You either give your mother a single gift like a bouquet of flowers or a piece of jewelry or a book etc, or you give your mother a composite gifts such as a hamper containing different types of things. A single gift would only meet a single need of your mother's, as meaningful as that may be. A composite gift would probably satisfy a variety of her tastes but it's not likely to be very meaningful.

How about combining the meaningfulness of a specialized gift and the practicality of a varied gift? That would be ideal.

The best thing to do is to give a specialized gift basket. Specialized gift baskets come in various types to suit the special interest of just about any mother. For example, if your mother is an avid gardener, you can choose a gift basket of gardening products. Alternatively, a gift basket of spa items would be great for your mother to relax and rejuvenate with whereas a gift basket of the finest wines would be perfect for your mother's penchant for the finer things of life. You could even find a gift basket of health food for your health conscious mother. Giving your mother a specialized gift basket has the dual advantage of fulfilling her special interest and meeting the practical need of variety within that special interest.

So all you need is to know or find out what your mother is interested in. Think about what you know about her. Does she have a hobby or something she's passionate about? Does she have a favorite type of dress, food, entertainment or possession she's always talking about? It is also important to go beyond the general idea in examining what your mother likes. Suppose your mother likes reading. Then, what genre of books does she favor? Only when you know what she likes reasonably accurately can you get her the appropriate gift basket that she would really like.

But if your mother does not have any special interest or if her particular interest is not suitable for a gift basket, then get her a gift basket filled with general treats like cookies, nuts, chocolates, crackers etc.

Whatever type of gift basket you choose, add something personal to it. You can include a personal photo, card, memento or memorabilia that is especially meaningful to your mother. You may want to add an element of surprise by having your gift basket delivered right to her doorstep. That would be a good move.

Take a look at what I've been describing by visiting this great Mothers Day delivery gift baskets site

Bear in mind though, giving her a meaningful gift basket should not replace being together with your mother on Mother's Day. No gift to a mother can beat the actual presence of her son or daughter with her. So the best thing to do is buy her a gift basket and spend time with her. Go ahead and have a wonderful Mother's Day.

READ MORE - Order Mothers Day Delivery Gift Baskets

How To Write Your Own Poems For Mothers On Mothers Day

Poems are beautiful expressions of your heart put into words that rhyme. Wouldn't it be wonderful to write a personal poem for your mother? If you don't think you can do it, you are wrong. Anyone can write a poem. It does not have to be a best seller; all it needs is to be from the heart. Here's a simple formula to write your own poem for your mother.

The first step is to consider what to write about your mother. You can think of something you love or admire about her. This may be an aspect of her character such as her love, patience, forgiving nature or a combination of those. Another good theme to write about is the past, present and future relationship with your mother. In other words describe what your relationship with your mother is like in the past, present and what you hope it will be like in future. Obviously, you ought to describe that which is good in the relationship.

Once you have decided on the theme, you can give your poem a title in line with the theme. Now comes the actual writing. Your poem can come in different structures or formats. The most common one is the four lines a verse type of poem. Another type of poem is where the verses do not have any specified number of lines. It may be a single line or any number of lines. In fact, such free-style poems are so unstructured, they may even consist of only single lines.

The major part of writing your poem is obviously to choose the words. Since this is meant to be a poem, it is expected to have words that rhyme. So it is worthwhile to write your poem around some well-chosen words that rhyme. But how do you find rhyming words? Actually, finding words that rhyme is not very difficult if you know the characteristics of such words. Rhyming words can be classified into four basic categories.

1. Words with the same suffixes or endings such as 'tion', 'sion', 'al', 'er', 'est', 'ly' etc. Mother rhymes with brother, sister, father, greater, lovelier etc. Devotion rhymes with sensation, attraction, mention, attention, completion etc. Likewise, prettiest rhymes with wittiest, gentlest, warmest, cleverest, smartest and so on.

2. Words with partly the same spelling. For example, girl rhymes with pearl, friend rhymes with send, turn rhymes with burn, hat rhymes with sat, bat, mat, fat etc.

3. Words with different spelling but the similar sounds. For example, sky rhymes with goodbye and pie, guy rhymes with why and my, slow rhymes with go and Joe.

4. Words that sound similar enough to be considered as rhyming. For example, ocean and mountain or you and too.

The last aspect of writing a poem is to have the same (or almost the same) number of syllables for each line or each other line. This makes your poem easy to read. This is not a hard and fast rule but this pattern helps in enhancing the quality of your poem.

Lest I be accused of not practicing what I preach, here's an original poem I wrote using the above method:

MOTHER YOU ARE TO ME

Mother you are to me

My joy and inspiration

In you I always see

A life of full devotion

Mother you are to me

My hope when I am down

Though others may desert me

You will always be around

Mother you are to me

A warm hug and smiling face

I'm a living legacy

Of your wisdom, love and grace

For more beautiful poems for mothers, go to Poems for Mothers

READ MORE - How To Write Your Own Poems For Mothers On Mothers Day

10 Ways to Go Green and Save Cash—No Excuses

Everyone is feeling the squeeze right now, with our investments being decimated and our 401(k)'s withering away. Consumers across the country are looking for ways to cut back. Luckily, some of the best ways to save money are also simple steps toward living a little greener. And, as we recently learned, simple steps can have a big impact. So, try these green tips to save some needed cash—no excuses.

• Bike to work. Or bike to public transit.
Excuses: "But bikes are expensive! And I have to look nice for work."

Why Your Excuses Are Lame: Often, you can buy a bike for the price of a tank of gas on Craigslist. It won't be titanium frame, but it will get you around. It's easy to bring a change of clothes and change at work, especially if your office has a locker room. If not, you can bike to public transit if it's available in your area, and walk the remainder. Another way you'll save money: By walking and biking more, you can cancel your gym membership.

• If you have to drive, drive more efficiently.
Excuses: "Hypermiling sounds scary. And I don't want to add anything on to my car."

Why Your Excuses Are Lame: Hypermiling—the strange driving practices that save gas, like driving on the lines in the rain or going into neutral on ramps—can be really unsafe. You don't have to try them to save gas, though; instead, take simple precautions like making sure your tires are blown up, taking off your roof rack to cut down on drag, and boosting your mileage by getting regular tune-ups.

• Cook at home. Buy nutritious ingredients to save money. Eating in will also discourage packaging and food waste.
Excuses: "I don't know how to cook, I don't have the time, and ingredients are as expensive as eating out."

Why Your Excuses Are Lame: Try pricing out the ingredients for a home-cooked meal—you'll find them to be significantly less expensive than takeout or a meal. As for not knowing how to cook—well, you don't have to be Emeril or Bobby Flay to make a decent meal for your family. Try cookbooks for beginners, not only because they're less intimidating but also because the recipes in them don't require fancy, expensive ingredients.

• Put your home on an energy diet. Monitor your thermostat, secure proper insulation, and eliminate all sources of vampire power—the electricity wasted by devices that are always plugged in.
Excuses: "But how will I know what's using up the most power? It's too complicated."

Why Your Excuses Are Lame: For big savings, you can buy devices to time and monitor your thermostat. You can also buy cords that prevent vampire power from being wasted. If you don't want to spend money, just monitor your own use—the oldest advice in the book. Put on a sweater instead of turning on the heat for the first few chilly days. Turn off the lights whenever you leave a room. Unplug appliances when they're not in use. And shut down your computer each night—computers are one of the biggest energy hogs.

• Work from home. Telecommuting saves you money in gas and food and can make your day less stressful.
Excuses: "They need me in the office. How will I stay connected?"

Why Your Excuses Are Lame: There are so many ways to stay connected from home—ask your office about wiring your home for video conferencing. You don't have to work from home every day to see significant savings; even one or two days a week will save you hundreds of dollars over the year in gas and lunches.

• Don't shop—freecycle. Use the net to find free furniture and goods, and swap the stuff you no longer need.
Excuses: "Why would I want someone else's old junk? I don't like hand-me-downs."

Why Your Excuses Are Lame: Just because items are used, it doesn't mean they're junk. Many of the site's offerings are only gently used, and if you end up with an item you don't like, so what? It's free, so just put it back on the site, and keep looking for something else.

• Eat less meat. Even if you only buy a little less each week, you'll save money and make an environmental impact.
Excuses: "But I love burgers."

Why Your Excuses Are Lame: Burgers are great, and if you want them, eat them. But in exchange, try a meatless meal every day, or week, or whatever you can handle. According to the U.N., even slight cutbacks in meat eating have an impact on climate change. So, if you like meat, try a turkey burger, because poultry has less of a carbon footprint than beef. Eat salads or pasta for lunch, and meat for dinner. You'll see the difference reflected in your grocery bill, and also your health.

• Reuse what you can. Get reusable water bottles instead of buying bottled water. If you pack your or your kid's lunch, buy a lunch bag and use Tupperware instead of buying Ziploc and brown paper bags.
Excuses: "But it's convenient."

Why Your Excuses Are Lame: Why spend money continually on stuff you'll just throw away? Cut out plastic utensils, disposable water bottles, paper napkins, and brown bags. They may be just little expenses, but they're still wasteful ones when you can reuse so easily and cheaply.

• If you need to buy new gadgets, trade in your old ones for cash.
Excuses: "But my phone/iPod/computer is really old."

Why Your Excuses Are Lame: Tech trade-in sites that give you cash for gadgets will often take any of them. You might not get as much as if you were trading in a new iPhone, but you can put the cash towards the price of your new tech toys. The sites, such as Gazelle, Cell for Cash, and even Office Depot also keep toxic technology out of landfills, and recycle the parts safely.

• Do it yourself. This applies to anything around the home. Grow your own vegetables. Make your own cleaning solution out of baking soda. Hang your clothes out to dry.
Excuses: "What is this, the olden days? Also, I have no idea how to do that."

Why Your Excuses Are Lame: Old housekeeping customs can be big green money savers. Your dryer, for example, is one of the home's biggest energy hogs, so putting clothes on a backyard line every once in a while would be reflected in your bill, and would give your clothes a fresh-air smell. Harsh chemicals comprise many of our household cleaners, and if you think organic cleaners are expensive, make your own here. You can also use things in your fridge for cleaning—vodka removes mildew, lemons freshen a garbage disposal, and onions clean the top of a grill. As for vegetable gardening, if you have the space and a little time, you might find that your produce is cheap and even more delicious than vegetables that have traveled halfway across the country.

READ MORE - 10 Ways to Go Green and Save Cash—No Excuses

Obama to Give 'Muslim Speech' in Egypt: The Significance of Choosing the Arab Street

Barack Obama

will give what one aide has described to me as his "Muslim speech"—a major address to the Muslim world from a predominantly Muslim country that Obama pledged to give within his first 100 days in office—in Egypt on June 4.

The location is significant because Obama didn't have to pick a nation in the Arab street. He could have taken an easier way out.

The biggest Muslim-majority country in the world, after all, is Indonesia, where the president spent part of his childhood. Public opinion polls show that Indonesian attitudes aren't as hardened against the United States as are feelings in Middle Eastern nations, and the president certainly would have gotten a warmer reception in Southeast Asia than he will in the Middle East.

Obama could have picked a North African country like Morocco, another place the United States enjoys more support than in the Middle East. A Gallup analysis last year revealed that most Moroccans approved of the job performance of American leaders.

That same analysis found that only 13 percent of Egyptians approved of the job performance of U.S. leadership. Between 2005 to 2008, the number of Egyptians who said the United States is serious about promoting democracy in the Middle East and North Africa slid from 24 percent to 4 percent. Only one other country saw that steep a decline. This even though Egypt is one the world's leading beneficiaries of U.S. aid, receiving $1.3 billion in military assistance alone.

Obama is going near the epicenter of Muslim antipathy toward the United States. That bold move may speak just as loudly to Muslims abroad as whatever he says during his speech.

READ MORE - Obama to Give 'Muslim Speech' in Egypt: The Significance of Choosing the Arab Street

Obama's Budget: Shortchanging Women's Health?

While women's health activists were pleased to see that President Obama ended funding for abstinence-only education, they're sharply critical of other aspects of his planned budget, leading me to believe that the 100-day honeymoon is over. The Center for Reproductive Rights issued a statement saying the group is "deeply disappointed with President Obama's failure to strike government funding restrictions on abortion." Planned Parenthood says the budget "misses an opportunity to build on one of the nation's most effective programs in reducing unintended pregnancies"—namely the Title X program that funds family-planning clinics for poor women who don't have health insurance. Besides ending funding for abstinence-only education programs and providing $178 million for evidence-based comprehensive sex-ed programs, the new 2010 budget:

• Includes an increase of $10 million in Title X family planning programs. That doesn't keep pace with inflation, according to women's health experts, who were hoping for a $400 million increase.

• Includes an option for states to expand programs for family planning to families who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to afford health insurance—up to $37,000 in yearly income. A Guttmacher Institute study finds this option would enable 500,000 women a year to avoid unplanned pregnancies.

• Doesn't allow for federal funds to be used to provide abortions for those in the military or Peace Corps or those covered by Medicaid. "We would have liked for federal health insurance to include all reproductive healthcare, including abortion," Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, tells me. "After all, Obama did support it on the campaign trail."

I asked Northup to give me a report card on some of the changes in policy on key women's health issues I predicted would occur after Obama was elected. Here's how he's doing so far, in her opinion:

1. No more federal funds for abstinence-only education.
Grade: A

2. No more global gag rule. On George W. Bush's first day as president in 2001, he reinstituted the "global gag rule" that restricted federally funded clinics in foreign countries from performing abortions or even providing referrals for abortion. Obama rescinded the rule soon after taking office. Grade: A

3. Better coverage for family planning. Federal coverage for abortion services has been a disappointment to Northup and others. But discounted birth control pills may soon be available again on college campuses, and health insurers have indicated they may stop charging women higher insurance premiums, thanks, in part, to Obama's efforts. Grade: C

4. Reversal of the " conscience " regulation that threatens women ' s access to birth control. Obama has taken steps to reverse a rule put in place during Bush's last days that allows doctors and other healthcare workers to opt out of certain practices that some of them find morally objectionable—like prescribing birth control pills, inserting IUDs, or dispensing emergency contraception to rape victims—without fear of losing their jobs. The rule was opposed by most medical organizations. Obama has issued a rule deleting the Bush one; the new regulation could go into effect later this year. Grade: A (for effort)

5. Increases in funding for reproductive health clinics that serv e the uninsured. Obama's measly increase in Title X funding is disappointing. Grade: D

6. Improved access to pills and abortions for U.S. military women serving overseas. Grade: F

Grade average: C-plus

It goes without saying that Northup's grades don't necessarily represent the majority view, since Americans have varying opinions on all of these issues. How do you think Obama is stacking up so far when it comes to women's health issues? Is he passing or failing? Would he make honor roll?

READ MORE - Obama's Budget: Shortchanging Women's Health?