Wow. So & # 8220; Hurt Locker& # 8221; received nine Oscar nominations on Tuesday. An Iraq- war film that took in just $ 12 million at the box office now goes against mighty & # 8220; Avatar, & # 8221; which grossed nearly $ 2 billion, and also earned nine nominations.

Talk about your underdog story- - think & # 8220; Rocky, & # 8221; back in the 70s. And there& # 8217; s a great subplot, too: & # 8220; Locker& # 8221; was directed by , who happens to be the ex- wife of & # 8220; Avatar& # 8221; director . Next month at the Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, those dueling directors will see their names and their work cited in the & # 8220; best director& # 8221; category, as well as & # 8220; best picture. & # 8221; There& # 8217; s a whole movie here, just about these two moviemakers. But in terms of the big prize itself, & # 8220; Locker& # 8221; has the edge. It has been winning a string of critics& # 8217; awards for the past six months; just two days ago, Bigelow won the & # 8220; best director& # 8221; award from the Directors Guild of America ( DGA) .

Insiders consider that tantamount to victory; in 55 of the 61 years since the DGA has been giving out its own award, the DGA winner has also carried home the Oscar. But why the enthusiasm for & # 8220; Locker, & # 8221; which enjoyed only limited release last year? Let& # 8217; s start with the fact that it& # 8217; s a terrific movie; according to the critical compendium Web site , the film earned a 97 percent & # 8220; fresh& # 8221; rating. But there& # 8217; s a deeper reason. It has to do with the nature of the movie- - about Iraq, and about how the is changing in perceptions, as passions about the war cool down.

It was no secret that the bulk of , as well as the bicoastal chattering classes, were opposed to the war. Putting its politics on its sleeve, Hollywood made a string of anti- war movies- - & # 8220; Stop Loss, & # 8221; & # 8220; In the Valley of Elah, & # 8221; & # 8220; Rendition, & # 8221; and & # 8220; Lions for Lambs, & # 8221; including some big stars, such as , , , and Tommy Lee Jones- - and they were all failures. Why? Because Hollywood was on the wrong side of the public.

The public was by no means unanimous in its support of the war, but ticket- buyers did not want to see the military trashed. To be sure, Hollywoodites would say that these movies weren& # 8217; t anti- military, only anti- war, but that& # 8217; s too fine a distinction to make. To most people, to be loudly anti- war was to be at least quietly anti- military. And so, the Dixie Chicks, for example, were toast after their lead singer, Natalie Maines, attacked then- President George W.

Bush in March 2003, on the eve of . And Reese Witherspoon, America& # 8217; s sweetheart, badly hurt her career by playing the wife of an Arab accused- - falsely, of course- - of being a terrorist in & # 8220; Rendition. & # 8221; But now, for all practical purposes, the fighting is over in Iraq. And so what do we want the memory to be? Do we want to dump on the war, which is to say, dump on the troops?

Of course not. Instead, what& # 8217; s happening is an outpouring of just the opposite. & # 8220; Locker& # 8221; takes absolutely no position on the war. There& # 8217; s no politics, no discussion of Bush, or Cheney, or Rumsfeld, or even of 9/ 11. It& # 8217; s just taken as a given that this is what these men do: they fight. More precisely, they work in Explosive Ordnance Disposal ( EOD) , and so they are, literally, lifesavers.

The men are presented as technicians, coolly doing a cool job- - if you think of life on the edge as cool. ( Which, of course, many people do, especially if they are young and male. ) But the & # 8220; Locker& # 8221; - men are more than technicians. They are heroes. Competent, yes, but courageous beyond any regular comprehension. So by that reckoning, & # 8220; Locker& # 8221; would rate as pro- war, because the warriors are presented as better versions of ourselves.

Any one of us would want the men of & # 8220; Locker& # 8221; by our side in a fight. And it is all men; women play only the tiniest of roles in the film. & # 8220; Locker& # 8221; has the same dynamic as a male sports team - - and male sports are popular, too, even with women.

We have seen this retrospective love- bombing before, in the wake of Vietnam.

Back in the 60s, when the war was raging, Hollywood opposed the war ( yes, had enough muscle to make & # 8220; The Green Berets& # 8221; in 1968, and the film was reasonably successful, but Hollywood hated the war so much that there was no sequel) . Instead, Hollywood made mostly anti- Vietnam allegories, in which bad Americans in other wars stood in for the bad Americans in Vietnam- - for example, & # 8220; Little Big Man, & # 8221; presenting General Custer as a Lieutenant Calley- like baby- killer.

After the war ended in 1975, Hollywood ventured forth with the anti- Vietnam & # 8220; Coming Home, & # 8221; starring- - who else? - - . But the film, which showed by- the- book military types as psychoes, gained little traction. The big Vietnam movie, post- Vietnam, was & # 8220; The Deer Hunter, & # 8221; appearing in 1978. It portrayed the Americans as naive good guys, while the Vietnamese were shown as cartoonishly villainous.

If the Vietnamese weren& # 8217; t worth helping, the movie seemed to say, why should be sorry that we are no longer fighting for them? There was a comforting message to American audiences. & # 8220; Deer Hunter& # 8221; was nominated for nine Oscars, winning five, including best picture and best director. The Hollywoodites saw their chance to reconnect with the American people- - and they jumped on it. So now, why is & # 8220; Hurt Locker& # 8221; doing so well among the critics and chatterers? Answer: Because it& # 8217; s quietly pro- war.

After another divisive war, Hollywood has a chance to get back in the good graces of the American people, who always want to see our fighting men portrayed positively. James P.

Pinkerton is a writer and founder/ editor of . He is a Fox News contributor.

Nestled on 2, 000 acres, Ballantyne is a stately structure, with towering two- story windows in the lobby that make a strong impression. Even if you check in expecting a vacation filled with golf and tennis, you might find you can barely budge from the spa. . . .

With its yellow exterior, this B& B is literally and figuratively a bright spot in the Holloway Historic District. Inside, the inn explodes with color and warmth, thanks to exuberant hosts Dolly and Frank Pokrass. Your gourmet breakfast might be walnut . . . In business since 1901, this stately hotel has never lost its turn- of- the- 20th- century charm. Civilized pleasures await in the spacious public rooms and elegantly traditional accommodations, on the rocker- lined wide verandas, and amid the gardens.

You can . . . Given this nine- story hotel' s excellent downtown location, the rates here are reasonable. Several fountains run through the lobby entrance, and the rooms are spacious and well appointed.

Guests have access to the YMCA across the street. located near . . . In the financial district, this hotel sits across the street from the Charlotte Convention Center. The wood- panel lobby, with marble floors and a sweeping staircase, is impressive.

Guest rooms are large and comfortable, if unimaginatively decorated. Each . . . The first in the village, the Holly has crown molding, elegant lighting, and other architectural features that recall the 1890s.

Luxuries include silk- covered hangers, embroidered robes, and afternoon sandwiches, cookies, and iced tea. The menu at the 1895 . . .

This hotel is part of Twin City Quarter, a shopping and dining area in downtown Winston- Salem. There are plenty of restaurants nearby, as well as WS Prime, a steak house with a 150- bottle wine list that' s right in the hotel. The location, adjacent to the . . .

This freshly renovated hotel is a favorite spot for corporate meetings. Large rooms invite you to kick back on the sofa for some TV or soak in the extra- deep tub, but if you need to work, the ergonomic desk chair is quite accommodating. Lofton' s Cafe is . . .

This boutique hotel, named for the renowned author who grew up in Greensboro, evokes turn- of- the- 20th- century luxury with lots of wood paneling, leather sofas, and mohair club chairs. Particularly nice are the oversize rooms, which have soaring ceilings . . . This 16- story hotel is in the heart of downtown, within walking distance of the convention center as well as many arts and sports venues. An escalator whisks you to the Over.

Street Mall, where you' ll find shops, restaurants, and a lounge.

Many guest rooms . . . One of the bonuses of staying at this resort is the chance to meet Peggy Kirk Bell, a champion golfer who built the place with her late husband.

The club, known for its excellent golf course, has hosted the U. Women' s Open. The rooms are done in a rustic . . . The central location makes this chain hotel a favorite with people arriving for weekend shopping trips.

Guest rooms are standard, but each suite is outfitted with furniture from the different manufacturers in the area. Room rates can more than double . . . The 17- story hotel, built to complement the city' s new convention center, opened in summer 2008.

Rooms are decorated in earth tones and feature halogen lights and prints of local architecture. In- room desks swivel away from the wall, allowing guests to . . .

It' s no surprise that business travelers dominate this place, because it' s adjacent to the convention center. Accommodations are a notch above standard. It' s convenient to major thoroughfares and to the Four Seasons Town Centre, an enormous three- story . . . On the campus of Duke University, this luxurious hotel evokes the feeling of an English country inn.

Guest rooms with plaid bedspreads and creamy wall coverings overlook either a park or a Robert Trent Jones and Rees Jones- designed golf course.

On display . . .

The Westin Charlotte is a study in modern comfort. The vast medallion chandelier in the lobby is as striking as the hotel' s gleaming green- glass facade.

Rooms feature ultra- comfy beds and roomy showers in marble bathrooms as well as stunning views of the . . .

San Jose goalkeeper Jon Busch and his counterpart William Hesmer made several crucial saves as the Earthquakes and Columbus Crew played to a scoreless tie Saturday. San Jose goalkeeper Jon Busch and his counterpart William Hesmer made several crucial saves as the Earthquakes and Columbus Crew played to a scoreless tie Saturday. Despite six saves by Busch, the Earthquakes ( 5- 6- 8) extended their winless streak to six games ( 0- 2- 4) . Hesmer had five saves for the Crew ( 7- 5- 7) , who have four wins, two losses and a tie over the past seven games. Hesmer parried a header by Chris Wondolowski over the crossbar in the 75th minute, just after Busch denied a break by Andres Mendoza.

Busch also slid to the right of the goal to stop Justin Meram in the 90th minute. San Jose was blanked for the fifth time in six games, while Hesmer recorded his second straight shutout and seventh of the season.

Locals shed a tear when the longtime Anna' s Danish Cookies closed in this spot, and cookie lovers are still mourning.

But anyone who craves the Ligurian fare of northern Italy— the home of pesto, focaccia, and delicate pastas— is still cheering the arrival of Farina. Here they fill up on such iconic dishes as focaccia di Recco ( paper- thin pizzalike focaccia sandwiching melted stracchino cheese) , " handkerchief" pasta dressed with pesto, corzetti ( " stamped" pasta rounds) with tomato meat sauce, and raviolini stuffed with borage and ricotta. Those with slim pocketbooks should stay away from the very pricey secondi and instead choose from the regularly changing array of Ligurian carbs and small dishes of sauted greens, roasted peppers, or other vegetables.

Weekend brunch offerings sometimes include eggs sunny- side up topped with shards of fresh black truffle or scrambled eggs with fresh porcini. No lunch.

From romantic vintage combs to chic feathers and soft flowers, the right accessories add elegance and glamour to a bride' s wedding day look. To find your picture perfect finishing touch, look no further than Bride' s Head Revisited, a veil and headpiece haven where co- owners and designers Emily Martin and Alexandra Kowalski create couture quality pieces for the oh- so- fashionable bride. According to Kowalski, " Whether she is getting married in a renovated Brooklyn warehouse with a feathered flower in her hair or at St.

Patrick' s Cathedral with a long veil trailing behind her, Bride' s Head Revisited has the perfect look for the modern bride, whatever her style. " Click through our slideshow to get the scoop from Alexandra on the latest trends. The following styles are all available at . & nbsp; Photo courtesy of:

Why isn& rsquo; t Jon Stewart considered a bigot, when Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity and Bill O& rsquo; Reilly would be tagged as racists if they had done what the comedian did to Herman Cain on his show recently? That& rsquo; s easy. Because Jon Stewart is a liberal and liberals aren& rsquo; t racists. Only conservatives are.

And if you don& rsquo; t believe me, just ask any liberal.

Let& rsquo; s say a white guy goes on television, puts on an exaggerated " Amos & lsquo; n Andy" & ldquo; black voice& rdquo; and proceeds to make fun of a black man whose politics the white guy doesn& rsquo; t like.

Actually, let& rsquo; s say he goes beyond merely making fun of the black man. Let& rsquo; s say he tries to make the black man sound downright stupid. Does that make the white guy a racist? The correct answer is & hellip; it depends.

If the white guy is Rush Limbaugh and the black man is Barack Obama , then of course the white guy is a racist & ndash; according to liberals. But if the white guy is Jon Stewart and the black man is Herman Cain , the conservative businessman seeking the Republican nomination for president, well, then, that& rsquo; s another story. The other night Jon Stewart went on his show, and while he didn& rsquo; t put on blackface makeup and start tap dancing he did put on a & ldquo; black voice& rdquo; and proceeded to mock Mr. Cain in a way that would never be tolerated if a conservative had done it. Yet liberals didn& rsquo; t scream & ldquo; racist& rdquo; the way they do whe. . .

An Australian couple endured a health nightmare after tiny worms with teeth began eating through their bodies, the Herald Sun reported Tuesday citing details revealed in The Medical Journal of . The couple were believed to have become ill after eating a fish - - infected with the gnathostomiasis larvae - - which they caught on a camping holiday in Western Australia.

It was the first time humans have been infected by the parasite in Australia. The report said after the fish was caught in the Calder River near Derby, 1, 485 miles north of Perth; the husband, 52, and wife, 50, pan- fried it over a campfire, but the " duration and thoroughness of cooking" was unclear. Infectious disease physician Andrew Fuller, from Melbourne' s Alfred Hospital, said the worms are 1- 3 mm long and have " sharp little teeth and they can go anywhere they like in the body. " The worms can stay in a human for 15 years, leaving people chronically ill, working their way around the human body until they die or are killed by the immune system. They can make their way into the brain, other organs and the spinal cord. The disease is endemic where foods such as freshwater fish, snakes, frogs, snails and fowl are consumed raw or undercooked, including Southeast Asia and , the Journal article said.

While it did not specify when the case came to light, the article noted the male patient had not had a recurrence of symptoms for six years, nor the woman for five.

BETHESDA, Md. & # 8211; & nbsp; Had everything gone according to plan, Christo Greyling would be a seasoned veteran at the U. Open and every other major by now.

Instead, the one- time prodigy is making his debut on golf' s most imposing stage at age 28. A career that once looked to have an unlimited future was sidetracked first by a strange illness, then more recently by his father' s suicide. When he steps to the tee box at Congressional Country Club on Thursday, he' ll be looking to redirect a journey that could have been something more by now & mdash; hoping there are a weekend' s worth of great swings in his bag, the kind he used to make when he was the nation' s top- ranked junior. " As long as I have opportunities, I' m going to keep going, " Greyling said while playing a practice round this week. " Obviously, it' s super expensive staying out here.

But you never know with this game. You need a couple of hot days. You can change some things. " Ten years ago, the future looked bright for Greyling, a native, whose parents moved to the , in part because they hoped life in America might foster a fantastic golf career for Christo.

Unlike his high school teammate, Ty Tryon, the much- hyped junior who went pro his junior year in high school, Greyling took the more traditional route. He got a scholarship to Georgia, one of the best golf schools in the country. Around that time, he started taking a powerful acne medicine that is known to work, but also has its share of side effects.

Among them: an increased risk of depression. " I was still hitting it well on the range but I' d walk onto the course and my confidence went out the door in the span of a couple weeks, " Greyling said. " I' m not about making excuses but it was definitely this medicine. I kept thinking, ' How else could I be so consistent for years and years, then overnight, shoot in the 80s and 90s? ' " Everyone from his buddy Tryon to his golf coach at Georgia, , to his countryman was convinced it was the acne medicine that changed things. It got so bad so quickly that his teacher, the renowned , told Greyling to put the clubs away.

Some of the changes happening to his swing were messing things up beyond repair. " I hit it way shorter. I got way worse. But I wanted to fight through it, " Greyling said. " It did some damage at the time, but I tried to have a positive outlook.

I couldn' t hit the ball straight anymore, but I learned to get out of the trees a little better.

My short game got a little better. I figured if someday I started hitting it straight again, I' d have more shots in my bag. " Greyling needs someday to show up soon. He spent a year on the Nationwide Tour in 2008 but didn' t make a cut and was relegated back to the mini tours, where long car rides and low purses are the norm.

He revitalized his game this year, at least long enough to make it through two rounds of U. Open qualifying and earn one of the 156 spots at Congressional. He qualified on the same course as Tryon. The high school buddies have been spending a lot of time together the last few weeks.

Tryon, who found himself on the leaderboards at 16, suffered a similar & mdash; and more widely documented & mdash; spiral downward and has spent the last several years trying to discover the grittiness that he now concedes " I probably never really had, to be honest. " Too much, too soon? Of course it was. For both of them. " He wants to be out here. He' s never talked about anything else, " Tryon said of his buddy. " I think those mini tours can take their toll on you, but they can also build your resolve. When we were 16, I don' t think either of us thought it would be 10 years before we' d play our first Open together. " Greyling, whose symptoms slowly abated after he quit using the acne medicine, has played practice rounds this week with Els, Masters champion Charl Schwartzel and winner Louis Oosthuizen, while his mother, brother, sister and fiancee follow every shot.

Not a bad way to spend the week, he says, especially considering that " two weeks ago, all I had were a couple squirrels watching me. " But unlike so many who battle their way through the grueling qualifying rounds, Greyling is not simply happy to be here.

He can' t afford that attitude. The stakes have grown too high. " He knows that at some point, if he wants to stay out here, there has to be some success, " said his mother, Katinka. Finances were no small part of his father Iaan' s spiral downward, a decline that first led to his breakup with Katinka, then to suicide in 2009.

Greyling buried his father on his 27th birthday. And though he knows he needs to succeed at golf to make a living, the tragedy also put the game in perspective. " My father' s death, it seems like he' s got this new peace over him, " said Greyling' s brother, Derick. " The stress, the pressure that comes over him can' t compare to the grief he felt. He' s got this calmness over him that we haven' t seen before. At the qualifier, he said in the morning that he knew he was going to make it.

His mind just seemed like it was right. It doesn' t seem like he made it through that qualifier by chance. " Like most golf fans, the Greylings are keenly aware that the U.

Open ends on Father' s Day. They feel they have a message to send & mdash; that, yes, especially in a time of financial hardship around the country, depression can overtake you, but also that it can be overcome.

What a tribute to dad it would be for Greyling to spread that message with a trophy in his hands.

A long shot? For sure. But Greyling and his family know all about rewriting scripts. " In hindsight, connecting the dots backward from where we are today, it all makes sense, " Katinka said. " Even his father' s death, we couldn' t understand at the time and we still can' t understand it. But everything took the paces they were supposed to take and now we' re here.

And maybe this will be the beginning of something really good in his life. "

Krauthammer writes a syndicated column for The Washington Post. He is also a contributing editor to The Weekly Standard and The New Republic, and a weekly panelist on Inside Washington.

Stephen Hayes is a senior writer at The Weekly Standard in Washington, DC, and author of two New York Times bestsellers. Charles M. Lane is an editorial writer for The Post, specializing in economic policy, trade, energy and globalization.

The 1704- 1830 Cresse- Holmes House holds 300 years of Cape May County history. Furnishings, costumes, textiles, tools, and decorative and practical objects are on display, as well as a collection of old Cape May family bibles and other genealogical . . . The 1704- 1830 Cresse- Holmes House holds 300 years of Cape May County history. Furnishings, costumes, textiles, tools, and decorative and practical objects are on display, as well as a collection of old Cape May family bibles and other genealogical . . . The center is on call to rescue stranded dolphins, seals, sea turtles, and whales that travel up this way and into New York Harbor.

Museum exhibits relate to marine life.

To get here from Atlantic City, cross the Brigantine Bridge to Atlantic- Brigantine . . . The center is on call to rescue stranded dolphins, seals, sea turtles, and whales that travel up this way and into New York Harbor. Museum exhibits relate to marine life. To get here from Atlantic City, cross the Brigantine Bridge to Atlantic- Brigantine . . . A small showcase for the arts of southern New Jersey, the museum exhibits contemporary American and folk art, crafts, and a superb bird- decoy collection.

To get here from Atlantic City take U. 30 west to northbound U. 9 and proceed through Absecon for . . . A small showcase for the arts of southern New Jersey, the museum exhibits contemporary American and folk art, crafts, and a superb bird- decoy collection.

To get here from Atlantic City take U.

30 west to northbound U. 9 and proceed through Absecon for . . . Occupying a building that seems ready for the wrecking ball, this showcase of absurdities and its Odditorium fit right into the Boardwalk scene. However, as one chair pusher put it, " Believe it or not, it costs 10 bucks to get in there. " www. ripleys. com. . . . Occupying a building that seems ready for the wrecking ball, this showcase of absurdities and its Odditorium fit right into the Boardwalk scene.

However, as one chair pusher put it, " Believe it or not, it costs 10 bucks to get in there. " www. ripleys. com. . . .

Dr.

Phil on Cheating Suspicions He' s been working late nights, physically distant and you think he might be cheating. Television host and author, tells one i. Mag viewer what to do. & # 160; Dear Dr. Phil, My husband has been coming home from work very late and I' m concerned he may be seeing someone else.

Do I confront him? Dr. Phil: You are entitled to know what is going on with your husband, there' s no question about it.

One thing about successful relationships is they are open; they’ re transparent. And trust me, people who have nothing to hide, hide nothing. So if you’ ve got a partner that won’ t be forthcoming with you that should be a warning sign.

But at the same time you don’ t want to be just creating jealousy out of nowhere. If there' s a warning sign - if he' s not where he usually is or things don’ t feel right to you, trust your gut instinct and check it out. But deal with the facts; this isn’ t about some kind of mind reading. Find out what' s going on. & # 160; For more relationship advice check out .

With its ever- changing and reasonably priced menu, Shikago lets foodies sample Asian specialties without skipping a car payment for the privilege. Its simple design, chunky wooden tables, and ambient- modern music help draw a mixed crowd: power suits by day, and hip up- and- comers by night. The lunch- only bento boxes, grilled miso- glazed scallops, and sizzling platters of meat or tofu are excellent.

Look for the entrance on the corner of Adams and La.

Salle or you might miss it. www. shikagorestaurant. com.

Closed weekends.

During San Francisco' s Barbary Coast days, operagoers smoked cigars, didn' t check their revolvers, and expressed their appreciation with " shrill whistles and savage yells, " as one observer put it. All the old opera houses were destroyed in the 1906 quake, but lusty support for opera continued. The San Francisco Opera didn' t have a permanent home until the War Memorial Opera House was inaugurated in 1932 with a performance of Modeled after its European counterparts, the building has a vaulted and coffered ceiling, marble foyer, two balconies, and a huge silver art- deco chandelier that resembles a sunburst.

The San Francisco Opera performs here from September through December and in summer; the opera house hosts the San Francisco Ballet from February through May, with December performances. www. sfwmpac. org.

There' s a string of seafood shacks on the island' s northeastern coast, all serving delicious fried fish. This open- air eatery, one of the best in the village of Las Croabas, takes things up a notch or two. Look for dishes like conch salad in a spicy vinaigrette, mahimahi in a honey- and- white- wine sauce, or chunks of lobster sauted in garlic. Wash it all down with an icy cold beer on tap. It' s almost across from the Balneario Seven Seas, making it a great place to find sustenance after a day at the beach.

In a magnificently restored century- old performance space, The New Victory Theater presents an international roster of supremely kid- pleasing plays, music, and dance performances. Be dazzled by the likes of Canada' s Circus INcognitus; Mabou Mines' s Peter & Wendy— featuring Bunraku puppets and Celtic music; Mischief, a brilliant U. K. - based introduction to dance— with the inspired help of giant foam noodles; and Australian puppet madness, in The Tragical Life of Cheeseboy.

Count on reasonable ticket prices ( $ 17 is the average) , high- energy and high- class productions, and the opportunity for kids to chat with the artists after many performances. www. newvictory. org.

No trace of the former Embassy Suites remains in this ideally located, beautifully renovated property whose warm woods, elaborate glass fixtures and luxurious details appeal to those seeking rich appointments and the well- heeled business set. Two blocks from the 16th Street Mall and within easy walking distance or a taxi ride to other major attractions, the Ritz also makes it tough to leave the sumptuous rooms, with their buttery leather furniture, featherbeds, oversize baths, and espresso machines. The independent, state- of- the- art fitness center is complimentary for guests; the spa is scheduled to open by June.

Comfortable, sophisticated Elway' s restaurant offers superb steaks and seafood. Pros: gracious service; room- service fare delicious and prompt; inviting public spaces. Cons: pricey; fitness- center staff not as service- oriented as hotel' s; tiny minibar refrigerator means no saving Elway' s leftovers. www. ritzcarlton. com. 202 rooms.

In- room: safe, Wi- Fi. In- hotel: restaurant, pool, gym, spa.

Money is the key ingredient that will decide whether California can meet the dictates of a U. Supreme Court ruling requiring the state to slash its prison population by 33, 000 inmates within t. . . Money is the key ingredient that will decide whether California can meet the dictates of a U. Supreme Court ruling requiring the state to slash its prison population by 33, 000 inmates within two years, sheriffs, police chiefs, counties and corrections officials said Tuesday. But questions abound on whether the Legislature will sign off on tax extensions to pay for shifting thousands of convicts from state prisons to local jails, whether voters will approve the taxes, whether the state can meet the deadlines set by the high court and how the shift will play out at local jails around the state.

Gov. Jerry Brown' s administration said Tuesday the governor' s stalled " realignment" plan to shift thousands of inmates to local jails will eventually relieve inmate overcrowding, as the court ordered. But officials acknowledged they need state lawmakers' support and might not meet the court' s initial goal of cutting the prison population by more than 10, 000 inmates by Nov. 24. The state, however, d. . .

A few days after my mother died, several years ago, a strange thing happened.

I opened an old jewelry box and found a bracelet with her name – Judy – engraved on it. It was one of those tinny keepsakes you win at county fairs; I had never seen it before, and had no idea how it came to be in my possession. I am not especially spiritual, but it was crystal clear to me that my mother had sent a message. She wanted me to know that she was still close by.

I have heard that such occurrences are not unusual.

At the time I called a friend who is an Episcopal priest and extremely level- headed. She told me that she frequently hears from people about odd occurrences following the death of a loved one. She agreed that it might be a sort of communication, and also said that such messages often lapse after a few weeks.

I haven’ t had any further such incidents, but I’ m not surprised. I know Judy is near by; I hear her all the time. It isn’ t her voice, though it’ s mine. We just sound alike.

As I talk to my kids, especially, she suddenly pops up, like a freckle. She used to stand at the foot of the stairs on dark winter mornings, yelling “ Rise and Shine, ” trying to rouse my brother and me in time for school. I don’ t know if that annoyingly cheerful message grated because it meant quitting our warm nests, or because it invariably ushered in our two large Boxers tearing noisily up the stairs, pausing at the threshold and then vaulting several feet onto our beds. It was a rude, muddy and often snowy, awakening.

I swore I would never utter those words, but as I race through the apartment, frantic to get to work, I improbably shout “ Rise and Shine! ” At my wits’ end, I borrow those hateful words: “ Because I said so” and “ Go ask your father. ” When I tell my children to pull the hair out of their eyes, to stand up straight, to stop rocking in their chairs, to stop reading in the dark, to replace cokes they take from the fridge, Judy is at my shoulder. Or maybe that’ s just the product of Mom, Inc. , the source of universal coping skills.

I don’ t know, but it sounds awfully familiar. My mother was always up before the rest of us, and always the last to go to bed.

Busy, busy – always moving the family forward. As I sometimes linger in the kitchen late at night, cherishing the peacefulness of a sleeping household, I’ ve thought that she, too, much have relished those few minutes she had to herself at the end of a long day. I remember long, still days in August, when we kids were limp with heat and boredom. She would patiently offer up one possible entertainment after another; finally, in exasperation, she would drive us out of the house with some nonsensical chore. Turns out that’ s a pretty useful technique.

In pure grit, my mother set the bar above my head. Every year we drove south to Florida, where my father spent the winter writing New Yorker pieces about the Ringling Brothers circus people. He would go on ahead, escaping the cold weather and the tedium of a long car trip. & # 160; We would start out in great excitement, with a laundry bag stuffed full of comic books and toys. That cache of entertainments was normally exhausted by the time we hit the George Washington Bridge, about two hours from home; we had three days to go.

Those trips must have been exhausting. Not only did my mom do all the packing and make all the arrangements – she also of course did all the driving. We usually traveled with our dogs and cats, and occasionally with birds, skunks, turtles and other creatures not normally welcome at roadside motels.

One day, we got up early and hit the road – I think it was Georgia.

The morning was misty with dew and the warm air you finally hit driving south. We had traveled about two hours when my brother scoured the station wagon and asked “ Where’ s Molly? ” In the general confusion, we had left one of our Boxers at the motel. I can only imagine how desperately she must have wanted to drive on and leave the damn dog. It was, finally, dealing with the menagerie that elevates my mother out of my league.

She somehow managed an impossible assortment of needy animals that routinely knocked over her furniture, annoyed the neighbors, mixed it up with porcupines, sullied her wardrobe, stole dinner, wandered into oncoming traffic, chewed through important books ( and one of my father’ s manuscripts – that was NOT a good day) but ultimately provided much of the emotional tapestry that was our chaotic home. Having struggled to care for one small Bijan with a slightly leaky bladder, I have no idea how she coped. My mother spoke French, quoted Keats, played tennis, made short ribs and identified flowers.

I’ m behind on most of those skills, and not even close on cooking short ribs. However, I think I’ m keeping up on what was best about her. At all times, and in every way, no matter how small the hurt or improbable the grievance, she had my back. I absolutely knew I could count on her support and love. As I today counsel wounded egos and bruised hearts, I hope that my kids feel the same.

I wonder if someday, my girls, too, will think they have become me. Liz Peek is a Fox. News. com contributor and a financial columnist for . & # 160; For more visit .

Welcome back to another week of " Hannity. " Tonight' s show will kickoff with reaction to the firing of GM' s CEO and the rest of the auto bailout plan. Sean will be joined by former Clinton adviser Dick Morris .

And as an earlier blog post noted, the show will close with Joel and Victoria Osteen who will join Sean in the studio. And there' s a whole lot of news to cover in the middle. Here are some other stories to check out before the clock strikes 9PM eastern: 1. I know it sounds crazy, but what I am about to tell you is actually true.

Believe it or not, President Obama has named an AIG board member to his Task Force on Tax Reform.

Sean will weigh in on this story. . . blogs. wsj. com/ washwire/ 2009/ 03/ 26/ obamas- tax- task- force- includes- an- aig- board- member 2. The scandals surrounding Chris Dodd continue to pile up.

Is he currently serving his final term in office? Ainsley Earhardt and Connecticut State Senator Sam Caligiuri have all corners of this story covered in a special investigation tonight. In the meantime, here' s a refresher. . . It seemed like every other day the mainstream media would run a story criticizing the Bush White House for how they distributed tickets to town halls and speeches. Well, now some surprising details have been uncovered on the people selected by President Obama to ask a question during last week' s " online town hall. " Take a look at this article and Sean will have more on it tonight in " Hannity' s America" . . .

Check back tomorrow at 5PM for another edition of Briefing Material.

Cliff Lee has a simple explanation for his brilliant pitching. Cliff Lee has a simple explanation for his brilliant pitching. " I' m making pitches, staying out of the zone, using my breaking ball and getting lucky, " Lee said, downplaying his recent success. Lee tossed a two- hitter for his third consecutive shutout and the Philadelphia Phillies beat Josh Beckett and the Boston Red Sox 5- 0 Tuesday night. In a series hailed as a potential World Series preview, Lee ( 9- 5) and the Phillies dominated the opener. Domonic Brown and Shane Victorino each hit a two- run homer for Philadelphia, which improved its major league- leading record to 50- 30.

Lee didn' t allow a hit until Marco Scutaro led off the sixth with a line- drive single to left- center. He ran his career- best scoreless streak to 32 innings with his ninth career shutout and fourth this year. " It' s been a good run, no doubt about it, " Lee said. " I' ve had a few in my career, but I don' t look back and compare them.

I want to throw a shutout every time out there. I never want to give up a run. " Beckett ( 6- 3) g. . .