As we ring in the 1st day of 2008 some are already making and breaking resolutions,
I have never been a fan of resolutions. I don't trust myself to keep one for an entire year so instead of setting myself up for failures, I like to set up "guidelines" at the beginning of every year. They are simply little mini-goals I would like to catch in the days ahead; things like getting more involved in the community, finishing a half marathon in an hour 50 minutes, maybe dropping a few pounds. I admit even my mini-goals sometimes fall a bit short. So I am tasking you readers to come up with real solutions to help people reach the difficult resolutions many often fail to meet. Resolutions including things like weight loss, smoking.. you know the toughies, and often most crucial.
The good news for all of you who have already broken, or have yet to make your New Year's Resolution, the New Year doesn't begin on January 1st everywhere only in cultures which use the 365-day solar calendar. So if you've already fallen off the horse.. another will gallop into another culture soon!

This fall into the category of "I don't get it!" A pet rental business called FlexPetz is springing up around the country (not in Chicago yet) for people who want a dog, but only part-time. According to its website, the concept of FlexPetz originated with a group of dogs lovers who couldn't take care of a dog full-time. Reasons include, restrictive pet ownership rules where they lived, regular business travel involving days away from home and/or a busy family schedule. Keep in mind, renting a dog from FlexPetz isn't cheap. For a one time fee of $150.00, plus a monthly membership fee of $49.95, and an annual account maintenance charge of $99.95 and a weekend rate of $39.95 (per day), or a week day rate of $24.95 (per day), plus tax, FlexPetz will provide its "members with local access to a variety of dogs, all of whom are rescued or rehomed, very lovable and fully trained." Dog drop-off and pickup at a home or office is an additional $35. An "inconvenience fee" of $75 a day is added for dogs brought back late.

Animal rights groups are really upset about FlexPetz. Some believe it "promotes dogs as disposable items". Others say, "dogs need stability in their lives, they need a long-term commitment, and they need a secure environment."

I'm not an over-the-top animal lover, I don't have any pets, in fact I only had a dog for about a week growing up. So again, I say, I don't get it. If you want a pet, make the long-term commitment the dog needs and deserves. Otherwise, let someone else who has the time and desire provide the dog with a long-term home. Am I alone on this one?

Today, for the first time in history, oil futures tipped the $100 per barrel mark for a brief time. At the end of the day, the price of a barrel of crude oil settled in at $99.62 per barrel.

Why do we care?

Because that price is what oil companies will say is the reason for jacking up the price we pay for gasoline at the pump.

Here are the reasons today for the jump:

*Increased violence in Nigeria
*Rough weather at Mexican oil export ports
*OPEC report saying it might not meet its share of oil demand by 2024

I've been reporting the news for more than a decade and remember doing stories on historic LOW prices for a barrel of oil. We're talking less than $20/barrel. At the time, a gallon of regular was about $1.01. Dirt cheap.

Just months before 9/11, oil prices were just under $40/barrel.

Many complained that was highway robbery. Then, the war began.

But it's not just the war that's driven the price of oil up in the last 6 years. It is the increased demand around the world for oil. More so, it's the increased tolerance of us to pay higher and higher prices without cutting how much oil-based products we use.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a huge conservation guy. I own an SUV. Given this, I still see the writing on the wall. The price of oil is never going down until our cars are powered by something else.

When will that happen? No clue.

It's more a question of marketing than technology at this point.

Here’s a scary thought. By 2050, we will be having sex with robots, even marrying them. That’s the prediction of chess master turned artificial-intelligence expert David Levy.

In his new book, Love and Sex With Robots: The Evolution of Human-Robot Relationships, Levy writes technology is advancing so fast that one day there will be robots so lifelike we won’t be able to tell them from real people.

Click on the cover for a summary of the book.

In an interview with the Houston Chronicle, Levy points out there are some upsides to these “sexbots.” Especially for people who are physically unattractive, anti-social and/or have problems finding love. “They’re lonely; they’re miserable,” according to Levy. “I think society will be a much better place when they have an alternative that satisfies them without doing any harm to other people.”

Not a bad argument. Maybe the world would be a better place because everyone would be making love not war. So instead of sending in the Marines, we could unleash the “love machines.”

The Iowa Caucuses are over. Barack Obama and Mike Huckabee are the winners. This we know.

The next step? Wyoming. Yes, Wyoming.

It seems that Republicans in the Equality State are going ahead with their Presidential Caucuses January 5th despite objections and sanctions from the Republican National Committee.

The decision for the move came in August. The hope was that it would propel Wyoming into the spotlight.

Did it work? I think you already know the answer to the question.

Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul have barely stepped into the state to say "Howdy."

Rudy Giuliani and John McCain didn't even show up to so much as two step with folks.

In the the end, the RNC punished the state by taking away some of its delegates at the Republican Convention.

I'm sure that some attention will be paid to the results. Perhaps a mention of it on the evening newscasts and a feature story on Saturday's network morning shows.

That's all. No more. Sorry, cowboy.

For all the "change" that is being talked about in Decision 2008, the political process is still an institution steeped in tradition.

Iowa Caucuses, the New Hampshire Primary and Super Tuesday. That was the story decades ago and it continues to be now.

So, my ten-gallon hat goes off to the Republican voters in Wyoming as they caucus.

But, was losing delegates at the national convention worth being second behind Iowa?

I guess we'll find out.

Talk about mixed messages. It seems every day I’m reporting on a new health study that contradicts an earlier health study.

For example, doctors used to advise women to stay away from certain foods while breast-feeding to prevent their babies from getting eczema, asthma and food allergies. Now doctors say there’s no scientific proof that works, so breast-feeding women can eat whatever they want. Oh yeah, so long as it doesn’t have cow milk protein. Click here for the story.

Then there are the parents who struggled over allowing their children to get routine childhood vaccines for fear they would get autism. Now there’s a report out of California that says there’s no link between autism and childhood vaccines, despite earlier concerns that a mercury-laden preservative called Thimerosal was the culprit. Click here for the story.

But the biggest mind boggler of the day comes from the scientist who sounded the alert on skin cancer. He now says enjoying a little sunshine has health benefits that outweigh the risks. He even go so far as to say it may help people live longer. Richard Setlow says the sun boosts our body’s production of Vitamin D and that can protect us from some cancers and diseases such as rickets, osteoporosis and diabetes. Setlow says the hazards of moderate sunbathing have probably been exaggerated. Click here for the story.

I don’t know about you, but my head spins every time a new health study comes out. I think the bottom line is everything in moderation. And if it’s going to heal you or kill you, at least it will happen slowly.

There has been a lot in the media in the past 24 hours over Hillary Clinton's emotional display during a campaign event in Portsmouth New Hampshire on Monday. Mrs. Clinton's eyes welled up and her voice broke as she answered a question about how she copes with the daily demands of campaigning. People have since questioned whether the tears were genuine or if she conjured them up as a way to look more human or likeable.

First of all, I can only imagine the rigors these candidates are put through on a daily basis. They’re up campaigning until the very early morning hours only to awake just a few hours later to do it all again. You really couldn't pay me enough to do it. I do not want to judge Clinton's intention, reaction, or her politics in this blog, but what I do wonder is would it have been received much different if she were a man? Would it be socially acceptable to see John McCain welling up talking about how tired his 70+-year-old bones are? For that matter, is Hillary's reaction being accepted?

In some fashion I image her reaction will change some peoples views of her and highlight the fact she is a woman. Being a woman myself it does not change my opinion on Hillary Clinton the candidate. Do you men out there feel differently? Is she human or weak?

I guess the voters will answer that question.

I have a question! Why isn’t the Golf Channel firing, or at the very least disciplining anchor Kelly Tilghman?

While on the air Friday, she said to her co-anchor that young players should “lynch Tiger Woods in a back alley.” She now admits to using a poor choice of words to describe Tiger Woods’ dominance in the golf world, but because she has apologized to Mr. Woods in person and on the air the Golf Channel is not planning any disciplinary action.

Check out the video!

I’m wondering why she would use the word “lynch” in a professional conversation? When most reasonable people hear the word lynch, it brings up images from the 40s, 50s, 60s, etc. of African-Americans in the south hanging from nooses.

Why would a golf commentator of all people use such a word? Golf is one of the few remaining sports that is primarily a white elitist sport. Who could forget back at the 1997 Masters when fellow golfer Fuzzy Zoeller referred to Tiger Woods as “that little boy” and asked him not to serve fried chicken and collard greens at the next Masters dinner.

What’s the difference between what Tilghman said and what Don Imus said about the Rutgers Women’s Basketball Team or the “colorful rant” from comedian Michael Richards’ to some African-American hecklers? Imus lost his radio job (he has since gotten a new one) and Richards is pretty much a pariah in Hollywood these days while he’s on his self imposed exile.

I think it’s safe to say those two have learned the lesson, you can’t just saying anything, about any one and not expect repercussions. What has Ms. Tilghman learned?

I found this story out of Des Moines, Iowa.

A mom sold a car she bought for her 19-year-old son. Why? Because he broke the rules. She found a bottle of alcohol in the car and promptly took out an ad in the local paper to teach her son a lesson.

The ad reads: "OLDS 1999 Intrigue. Totally uncool parents who obviously don't love teenage son, selling his car. Only driven for three weeks before snoopy mom who needs to get a life found booze under front seat. $3,700/offer. Call meanest mom on the planet."

The mom's name is Jean Hambleton. Since Jean took out the ad, she's gotten a flood of calls congratulating her on her tough stance.

According to Jean, her son's not happy. He says the alcohol belonged to a passenger--not him. Still, she says there were two rules when the car was given to him: No alcohol and always keep it locked.

The rules were broken. He paid the price.

I'm not going to call Jean and congratulate her but I would like to say "good for her!"

Jerry Springer, Maury Povich and the like make a living with shows revolving around horrible children.. just TERRIBLE children who have no manners, no respect and the inability to take responsibility for their actions.

What Jean did, in my opinion, was show the parents of those kids what they should be doing--what they should have done to produce successful, self-reliant and responsible citizens.

Just as the firestorm over Kelly Tilghman's comments was heating up, the Golf Channel sought to cool things down by suspending her for two weeks.

If you haven't seen the clip, check it out!

Tilghman was talking with analyst Nick Faldo this past Friday about young players who could challenge Tiger Woods. Faldo suggested "to take Tiger on, maybe they should just gang up for a while." Tilghman interjected that maybe they should "lynch him in a back alley."

In a statement, the Golf Channel said: "While we believe that Kelly's choice of words was inadvertent and that she did not intend them in an offensive manner, the words were hurtful and grossly inappropriate."

Tilghman says she called Tiger Woods to apologize and she made another apology on the air a couple of days later. As of the writing of this blog, Woods hasn’t commented about Ms. Tilghman’s comments, but his agent Mark Steinberg says he considers the matter closed. He said in a statement "Tiger and Kelly are friends, and Tiger has a great deal of respect for Kelly. Regardless of the choice of words used, we know unequivocally that there was no ill-intent in her comments."

That may very well be the case, but now that she has lost some air time, I’m sure she’ll choose her words more wisely next time.

Welcome to the world, Nano.

The biggest automaker in India, Tata, unveiled the world's cheapest car this week.

The Nano car (iPod fans may gasp) is roughly the cost of a new Apple Computer-- $2,500.

At a miniscule 10 feet long, 5 feet wide, the Nano lives up to its name. The 2-cylinder gas engine delivers 33 horsepower and a top speed of just over 60 mph.

The basic version is very basic. No radio, no passenger side mirror and only one windshield wiper. Air conditioning is only available in the deluxe version. That one costs more.

Why do we need such a vehicle?

The Nano was developed to meet the demands of a growing middle class in India. According to Tata, this car will target families that currently cram several people onto one two-seated scooter that sells for about $900.

The impact of this car could be enormous.

Environmental experts are shuddering at the thought of millions of new gas-powered vehicles pumping more carbon dioxide (a major greenhouse gas) into the air.

Another implication is the tug on the world's oil supplies.

Tata insists that the Nano will get about 50 mpg and will meet Indian and European emission standards. Still, all those cars will inevitably increase demand for oil. Last week's record high of $100 per barrel for oil may sound cheap in a few years.

Company Chairman, Ratan Tata, believes he is doing what is right for his country.

It is much the same thought as Henry Ford when he started to produced the first affordable car, the Model T, 100 years ago.

Thing is, 100 years ago, Henry Ford was an innovator to produce the latest technology at an more affordable price through first-of-its-kind mass production.

Today, gasoline powered engines aren't the wave of the future. They're a tie to the past.

I believe Mr. Tata should take a cue from Henry Ford not only by bringing transportation to his country but by doing it through the latest technology.

How much more would it be to power the Nano by solar means or an electric motor?

My fear is that the very people in India who will flock to buy a new, cheap Nano will end up paying the price so many of us in the United States do now.

Clogged roadways and, even worse, clogged air.

Well he may not be too happy with it, but it appears Governor Blagojevich is poised to sign the bail out plan for Chicago's mass transit. It's going to raise sales and real estate taxes in the area, but it will keep Chicagoland’s transit moving.
Now there is finally some positive movement to get this long drawn out transit saga under control. What is wrong with this state? I say that more as a rhetorical question. I'm from Chicago but being in news I have moved around to a half dozen states in the last 12 years reporting on state government and I am dumbfounded at how money in the state of Illinois is handled. We live in one of the largest city's in the U.S. our sales tax is already enormous and still our local and state leaders cannot find money to keep public transportation, which I'd argue isn't that great to begin with, a float. It seems crazy to me; transit problems, the state budget, the county budget, the city budget, and just about anything else where money is involved take so long for our politicians to agree on. Given the number of people who live here and the amount of money in taxes we all pay, shouldn't there be enough? There seems to be enough money in other cities, with less people and arguably better public transportation.
Why can't Chicago model its Public transportation after Washington D.C., New York, or London? In London you pay for public transportation by zones. Why would that be so hard for Chicago? It only makes sense for someone traveling from Rosemont getting off at Clark on the Blue line, to pay a little more than someone getting on at Grand. And what about O'hare? Why not leave everything the same and jack up prices to O'hare? Make it a $5.00 ride every time, with a special pass for O’hare employees to pay normal fare routes. Five bucks is still cheaper than a 30-dollar cab ride or paying to park.
I agree special concessions should likely be made in those cases of the elderly, disabled, and for students. But I venture to guess many CTA riders wouldn't mind paying a little more if it meant things showed up on time, and were occasionally clean.
At least with the new legislation things will still keep showing up. And we’d like to think it couldn’t run the way it is forever, right?

Black women who plan to vote Democratic in the upcoming presidential primary COULD find themselves faced with a dilemma. Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton? Man or Woman? Black or White? Either choice has history making potential. Of course this is only a dilemma if you generally agree with both of them on most issues.

But if race and/or gender factors into your decision-making, consider this.

Barack Obama is the first Black candidate to have a real shot at winning the nomination. He’s smart, passionate, politically experienced on the state and federal level, a “people person” who comes from humble beginnings. And let’s be honest, he’s good-looking! His colleagues, both friend and foe consider him someone who can bring “both sides” together.

Hillary Clinton is the first woman to have a real shot at the nomination. She’s tough as nails (even though her softer side has come through recently), she has experience on Capital Hill and in the White House, she’s spent her adult-life in politics and she can count a former, 2-term president as her “better half.” Not to mention, maybe it’s time this country had a woman at the helm to tone down the testosterone dominating the world political scene right now.

It's a tough choice! Black women are asking themselves, "Should I be loyal to my race or my gender?" I’m willing to bet many of them won't know which way they’re going to vote until they walk into the booth. Either way it looks like history is about to be made. The first (fill in the blank) Democratic candidate for president will happen in 2008!

See, I knew your curiosity would be piqued by the headline!

Thanks for stopping by. OK, here's the deal on this story:

I've heard of this before. Dad is in the workshop, slices off his fingers and through the miracle of modern medicine *POOF* Dad's toe is now sitting squarely on his hand as a thumb.

Don't get me wrong, I think it's wonderful that dad has his opposable thumb-toe. But now he's a 4-toed dad with some balance problems that requires months of physical therapy to overcome.

As I read this today and then read about Illinois' organ donation program having 3 million people registered it dawned on me:

Why can't we have donor limbs?

Well, as I found out, we do. It's just very rare and very complicated.

In order to do a limb transplant of any kind the bone marrow of the donor limb must be very close to that of the person who needs the limb.

The chances of that, as you can imagine, is one in a million.

My advice? If you aren't a donor already and it's not against your religious beliefs, become a tissue donor.

Illinois reached a milestone by hitting 3 million people on the donor registry.

By joining it, not only could it help others who need an organ transplant... but perhaps your neighbor--who just happened to let his or her finger get in the way of the band saw in the workshop.

Why do people refuse to grow old gracefully?

The names of R&B singer Mary J. Blige, rappers 50 Cent, Timbaland and Wyclef Jean and author, actor and producer Tyler Perry have come up in a steroids trafficking investigation. The Times Union newspaper in Albany, New York reports the celebs are among tens of thousands of people who have received or used steroids and human growth hormones. Law enforcement officials say they haven’t broken any laws. But their names have come up as investigators go after anti-aging clinics and doctors who prescribed the drugs without seeing patients and pharmacists who supply the drugs. By the way, these are the same investigators that exposed steroid use by pro athletes, police officers, body builders, etc.

The kicker is it hasn’t been proven that the human growth hormones work; in fact they can even be dangerous. HGH is used to treat children who suffer with rare growth defects. One doctor says the drug may actually make people age faster. He says it can also trigger cancer, diabetes, arthritis and other health problems. He says if someone with cancerous cells takes the drug, it’s akin to throwing gas on a fire.

If a doctor told me that, I wouldn’t be so quick to let someone stick me with a needle. Not to mention, it’s rather obvious when people are using these supplements. All of a sudden they’re buff or thin or they appear years younger than they really are. But that’s only temporary. Eventually they start to look weird (think Sylvester Stallone). There’s something about their face or body that isn’t quite right.

Let’s face it folks, we’re all going to wrinkle eventually. So wouldn’t it be better to let your laugh lines and crow’s feet show up naturally, rather than looking like a leather seat covering on the verge of death?

The FDA has gone too far!

The Food and Drug Administration had declared it’s safe to consume meat and milk from the offspring of cloned cattle, pigs and goats. That clears the way for these products to start showing up in our food supply immediately. What’s worse, the companies that sell these foods don’t have to tell us it’s from a cloned animal.

The FDA says it’s been studying the safety of cloned food since 2001 and can’t find any biologically distinguishable differences. So in other words, they claim the cloned food is just as safe as food that comes from animals that were bred.

I’m not buying it! I have NO scientific research to back up my fears only my gut and common sense. Who wants to eat meat that was essentially created in a Petri dish? Not me! Especially after seeing Will Smith’s new movie “I Am Legend.” For those of you who haven’t, it’s about a cancer cure that goes awry and turns millions of people into vampire-like creatures. I know it’s science fiction, but the speed at which science is advancing these days anything’s possible.

But what really has me riled up is these cloned products are going to end up on store shelves and we won’t be able to tell what’s natural and what’s cloned. I have a right to know what I’m putting in my body: good, bad or indifferent. It’s my choice, not the government’s.

Conspiracy theorists will probably have a field day with this post because we probably consume hundreds, if not millions of food additives that we have no clue about. Well, this is one that we do and it's not right that it's being forced on us.

I’m a die-hard meat and potatoes girl, but this may force me to become a vegan.

In the Commonwealth of Virginia, rubber testicles may be on their way out.

This is how HB 1452 reads:

"No person shall display upon or equip any motor vehicle with any object or device that depicts, represents, or resembles human genitalia, regardless of size or scale."

The novelty item isn't new but it is striking a chord for Delegate Lionell Spruill, Sr. One of his constituents recently complained about them. His young daughter, it seems, saw a pair on a truck and asked what they were for.

I mean, what do you say? Driving down the road isn't the best place to have that conversation with your little girl.

So, the bill was written. It's only a couple of lines but it strips the ability for anyone to display those replicas on their vehicle.

A few years ago, when I was working in Virginia the state lawmakers had another bill they were considering.

It was dubbed the "droopy drawers" law. It was supposed to outlaw people from wearing jeans and the like if they weren't covering a person's butt. You know how the kids wear 'em these days--a la Hip Hop Style.

The bill didn't pass. What it did do was embarrass much of the state because the bill was made fun of across the country.

I think HB 1452 is poised to do the same thing.

Sure, these "things" are in bad taste. But should it be illegal?

I'm sure the cops in Virginia have better things to do than to pull someone over and write them a ticket because a pair of tasteless testicles are hanging from the back end of his or her pickup.

I hate to say I told you so, but… back in November I posted a blog called “Fall from Grace.” It was about how the ridiculous antics of Britney Spears had reached the point where I worried the next legitimate news story about her would probably involve an unfortunate tragedy. Well, earlier this month the poor child had to be hospitalized after she had a meltdown when she was suppose to return her kids to her ex-husband. I’m not bragging, but I bring it up because others believe something much worse is about to happen to her. They are preparing for her to die.

The news service Associated Press has started putting together an obituary for Britney – just in case. AP’s entertainment editor told Us magazine, “I think one would agree that Britney seems at risk right now. Of course, we would never wish any type of misfortune on anybody and hope that we would never have to use it until 50 years from now … but if something were to happen, we would have to be prepared.”

In AP’s defense, it’s customary for the media to prepare obits for celebrities, politicians, history-makers, etc. In fact, CLTV had prepared one for former Cook County Commissioner John Stroger not to long after his stroke in 2006. It was ready to go when his death was unexpectedly announced Friday morning.

But the “Britney Death Watch” has expanded beyond the media. Everyday people have started guessing when Britney is going to meet her maker.

A Web site has popped up called whenisbritneygoingtodie.com. Visitors predict the exact date and time of her death and the winner gets a PS3. People can also weigh in on when they think singer Amy Winehouse will kick the bucket. Sounds sick but thousands of people are getting in on it, some predicting Britney’s death as early as next month, others holding off until 2037. As of the writing of this post, there are already more than 28 pages of predictions and pre-condolence messages. Those who are vying to be crowned Mr. or Mrs. Death don’t seem to be taking these predictions seriously, but I sincerely hope Britney Spears is.

It was brought to my attention that some folks may be using a broad brush when it comes to labels for Hillary Clinton.

Some have called the junior senator from New York the first viable female candidate for president.

Viability, it seems, can take on many perspectives.

One perspective came in the form of an email from my aunt in Minnesota.

She was quick to point out that some in the media were less than accurate in calling Senator Clinton the first viable female to run for the White House.

For proof, she pointed to the candidacy of Senator Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) in 2000:

"Mrs. Dole has far longer public service in a variety of positions. I get annoyed what inconvenient facts are overlooked. "

As you may know, Elizabeth Dole served as U.S. Secretary of Transportation under President Reagan, U.S. Secretary of Labor under President George H.W. Bush as well as President of the American Red Cross for a number of years.

Republican, Democrat or Independent-- you have to admit those are some pretty impressive credentials that many presidential candidates would boast about.

So, why isn't Dole getting the credit as the first viable female candidate for president?

Because in the 2000 race, she wasn't.

By definition, viable means capable of working, functioning or developing adequately.

But even before the first test of political strength was cast in Iowa, Dole dropped out of the race. The reason wasn't qualifications. The reason was fundraising.

She wasn't able to grab onto enough money early enough. That, beyond race and beyond gender, is the key to success early in a campaign.

You need a lot of money to run for president and be successful. The money wasn't there for Dole eight years ago. Without it, her campaign couldn't work, couldn't function and wasn't capable of developing.

When I replied to my aunt's email I did note this:

"Interesting, though, that both of them have very successful and powerful political husbands. Still makes it seem like there's a ceiling for women in politics. The message being, 'We'll trust you with the important job, just as long as you have the support next to you'"

That may be the next political hurdle.

History may look back on Elizabeth Dole with a great deal of recognition.. not as the first viable female presidential candidate... but as the first well-qualified female candidate.

This is one of those stories you hear and hope as the days go forward conclusions being reached by some of the entertainment programs don't prove to be true. I was admittedly shocked to hear actor Heath Ledger died on Tuesday. In recent years he made the spotlight with the controversial film Brokeback Mountain and through all the press he seemed to remain a low profile celebrity. Not extremely involved in the 'happening' scene, Ledger and then girlfriend/fiancé Michelle Williams seem to care more about career and family than landing on the front pages of magazines.
In his death, that is squarely where Heath Ledger is landing.
On Tuesday authorities revealed 6 different types of prescription drugs were found in his apartment, including anti-anxiety medications, sleeping pills and an antihistamine. The autopsy results are so far inconclusive, and the medical examiner is waiting further testing before releasing a cause of death, likely in several days. Police also said Wednesday a rolled up $20 bill was found near Ledger's body. Lab tests show no traces of drugs on the bill and police say no illegal drugs were found in the apartment.
Was it an accident or a suicide?
Relatives are adamantly calling the death "tragic, untimely and accidental." Close friends have come forward saying Ledger was recently going out more, and very upset about his break up with Williams and spending less time with their daughter 2 year old Matilda.
In a recent interview Ledger told the New York Times he had been exhausted and was taking Ambien to get to sleep. Today fellow actors are describing him as a perfect gentleman, who touched many lives. While I realized he may not have changed the world, solved our hunger problems, or made any major life altering discoveries, he was a man with many young fans... fans who will hopefully be able to continue to look up to him and his work and not simply look at another actor who lost their life too early, to drugs.

When are people going to learn? The truth is going to catch up with you sooner or later, especially in this age of rapidly evolving technology.

For example, some recent high profile criminal cases have revealed technology exists for law enforcement to pinpoint a person’s location, on any given day as long as that person has his/her cell phone on. Just ask Reginald Potts who was charged with the murder of Nailah Franklin, partly based on the FBI’s ability to put him and her together shortly before her murder using GPS tracking devices in both of their cell phones. Or ask Drew Peterson. The police used his cell signal to determine he was near the Chicago Sanitary & Ship Canal in Lockport the evening his wife Stacy disappeared, when he claimed to have been at home. Or ask the couple in Michigan who were convicted of murder based on e-mails the two exchanged while plotting how to kill her husband. The wife thought she erased them but the prosecutor was able to get a transcript of the messages from the internet service provider.

Now comes word the mayor of Detroit Kwame Kilpatrick could end up losing his job over thousands of steamy text messages he sent to his chief of staff. It’s not the messages that are going to get him fired; it’s the fact that he denied having the affair while under oath. The Detroit Free Press got a hold of 14,000 flirty and sometimes sexually explicit text messages the two exchanged about where to meet and how to hide it.

Here are some of the excerpts:

9/28/2002, 11:53 p.m.
Beatty: Where are you now?
Kilpatrick: At home waiting for all [executive protection unit officers] to leave. Where are you?
Beatty: At the residence inn in Madison hgts.
Kilpatrick: What rm?
Beatty: I'm in room 311 in bldg 3 in the back.

10/7/2002, 11:20 p.m.
Beatty: OK, I'm feeling like I want another night like the most recent Saturday at the Residence Inn! You made me feel so damn good that night. As you can see I can't let it go!

10/16/2002, 11:48 p.m.
Kilpatrick: I've been dreaming all day about having you all to myself for 3 days ... relaxing, laughing, talking, sleeping and making love.

So because he lied to a jury, he could not only lose his job and his law license, he could also face perjury charges.

Why do people do wrong and think they can get away with it, especially when they’ve left a digital trail to their front door? The lesson to be learned here, don’t use technology when you’re trying to be sneaky or better yet, don’t do anything wrong in the first place.