Set behind hedges and a wide lawn, this B& B is a short walk from the village center. The 1699 inn has preserved its antique wide- board floors and has open- hearth fireplaces ( one with a beehive oven) in the living room, the dining room, and the keeping room. The rooms are toasty, too— all but one have working fireplaces, and the suites have whirlpool tubs.

Antique and country furnishings, Oriental rugs, and glimmers of brass and crystal create an elegant feel. Breakfast is served on the backyard terrace or in the formal dining room. Less than 1 mi to restaurants and shops of Barnstable Village, spacious, authentically decorated rooms, working fireplaces for cooler nights, in- room spa treatments available. Rooms are on 2nd floor, accessed via very steep stairs. www. ashleymanor. net. 2 rooms, 4 suites.

In- room: Wi- Fi. In- hotel: tennis court, some age restrictions. Breakfast.

Five years later, what good came from Hurricane Katrina? Any reminder of that catastrophic situation usually brings nothing to mind but pain for so many. The nation’ s inability to help Americans overwhelmed by the flooding remains a damning political indictment against local and state officials in the Gulf region, the Federal Emergency Management Agency ( FEMA) and the Bush administration. But the raw emotional hurt goes beyond any political blame game. The sight of people, overwhelmingly children, seniors and poor black people, scrambling for survival like third world refugees in one of America’ s major cities, remains a scar on America’ s self- image as a modern, powerful society and a beacon to all the world of the promise of “ justice for all. ” The clogged highways, the racism against people seeking to reach safe ground, the talk show hosts quick to shout “ looting” at desperate people simply seeking food, all made for a very bad time.

Most of the news reports out of New Orleans in the last few weeks have replayed all the hurt and political stupidity that led to that shameful episode. They are ignoring good news. Because while it is easy to be negative it is now also possible, five years later, to say out loud, without appearing insensitive, that a lot of good has come from the devastation that threw people far and wide from their homes, family and culture. For example, one New Orleans resident pushed out by the storm, Josh Levin, wrote in Slate Magazine last week that the storm “ gave New Orleanians an unprecedented opportunity to remake a city that wasn’ t working. ” He described the rise of politicians such as Republican Joe Cao and Democrat Mayor Mitch Landrieu as evidence of a new “ crusade against inertia” that had been the rule of local life and allowed for high poverty rates, high crime rates, bad schools, bad health care and corrupt politicians and even more corrupt police. That is not just one man’ s odd opinion.

A Pew Research Center poll’ s finding show 69 percent of Americans say a lot ( 14 percent) or some ( 55percent) progress has been made in getting New Orleans and the Gulf Coast back on track. There is no political divide here. Pew found close to two- thirds of Democrats saying progress is underway.

And that view is backed up by three- quarters of Republicans and independents. There is no regional split on whether life is better on the Gulf Coast. Three- quarters of Southerners, the highest percentage of people in any region in the nation, say they see a turn for the better in the city and the region today, five years after the hurricane. This emerging positive consensus, which is never featured on major news reports, is backed up by a report released by the Brookings Institution this month. “ The real makeover may be in the new spirit of reform and enhanced self- reliance in the city, ” according to the Brookings survey.

Among the positive developments listed in the think tank’ s report is that the New Orleans metropolitan area now has 90 percent of it people back home and 85 percent of its jobs back in place even as the nation goes through recession.

The authors found more arts groups, better health care, reforms to the criminal justice system, more monitoring of police and even an improved master plan for city development. The new plan does away with walled off poor and dangerous neighborhoods that made a walk beyond the French Quarter a matter of taking your life in your hands. Improved race relations are central to any civic improvements taking place in New Orleans.

So much of the negativity around the future of the city has to do with the rarely mentioned fact that the hurricane blew open the door on the deep and hidden black poverty behind the happy, party town Mardi Gras faade. New Orleans before Katrina was 70 percent black, the city had the highest percentage of black people of any American city. And black families made up 90 percent of the city’ s families living below the poverty line. Close to 40 percent of the city’ s children, mostly black, lived in poverty.

A third of the black people in the city had never finished high school. The result was a heart- breaking black poverty rate in the city of 35 percent, which was higher than the national black poverty rate of about 25 percent. So before the storm, for all the talk of tradition and culture, the reality was that New Orleans represented the nation’ s biggest concentration of rank black poverty. Again, it may sound insensitive to say it out loud but the rarely spoken truth is that breaking up that poverty and all the negatives associated with it – from acceptance of crime, drugs, family breakdown and bad schools – is a good development for anyone, black or white, mired in a dysfunctional society. Change is tough for anyone.

For some people it can be too much. About half of the 1, 464 people who died as a result of the storm were over age 74. And more than a million people in the Gulf Coast region had to leave their homes. No one wants to bear such a burden. But there is something to be said for pulling apart neighborhoods paralyzed by crime and drugs and creating new opportunities by forcing people locked in there by inertia to get out of town.

There is even more to be said for rewarding people by giving them the chance to take the initiative to build a better life when if they come back. The Brookings report concluded that entrepreneurship in New Orleans, which was lacking before the storm, has now surpassed the national average. And it is no coincidence that the report also finds that average wages are up 14 percent in the last five years and are now equal to the national average - - something not seen in New Orleans since the 1980s. That is why 63 percent of blacks – along with 70 percent of whites, in the Pew poll, agree that a lot or some progress has been made in rebuilding New Orleans and the Gulf Coast in the last five years.

This is a reconstruction project that goes far beyond better levees and floodwalls. This has to do with rebuilding the soul of the region for its neediest residents. And on that score America has a lot to be proud about five years after a natural disaster blew away any pretense of normalcy in New Orleans as well as a lot of convenient lies that cemented poverty and disadvantage.

Juan Williams is NPR Senior Correspondent and Fox News contributor. His most recent book is " Enough: The Phony Leaders, Dead- End Movements, and Culture of Failure That Are Undermining Black America- - and What We Can Do About It. " Fox News Opinion is on Twitter. Follow us @ fxnopinion.

If there' s one thing the Washington Redskins have done right this season, it' s overtime. If there' s one thing the Washington Redskins have done right this season, it' s overtime.

Kevin Barnes intercepted David Garrard' s second pass in overtime, setting up Graham Gano' s 31- yard field goal that gave the Redskins a 20- 17 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars and snapped a four- game losing streak Sunday. Rex Grossman had a touchdown pass early, and Ryan Torain added a 1- yard plunge on fourth down late. But the Redskins ( 6- 9) won this game with defense.

Washington played without several defensive starters, including linebacker Brian Orakpo and safeties Reed Doughty and Kareem Moore, and lost cornerback Carlos Rogers during the game. It didn' t matter. The Redskins stuffed Jacksonville' s running game, pressured Garrard and came up big when it mattered most.

The win was Washington' s third in four overtime games this season. The Jaguars ( 8- 7) have lost two in a row and need help to make the playoffs. They need to win at Houston next week and have Tennessee upset Indianapolis to win the A. . .

Which new albums should you be playing this week? Take a listen, and decide for yourself. Take some time this week to enjoy some new American music, won' t you? After all, it' s not like there' s any other big news event that would bring us together as country & mdash; at least not as big as a new Beastie Boys album.

Nothing brings the country together more than the Beastie Boys. & nbsp; MUST- PLAY PICK OF THE WEEK: Fleet Foxes' " Helplessness Blues" SKIP: Jennifer Lopez , " LOVE? " As " American Idol " hopefuls move closer to the finish line, " American Idol" judges are juicing the machine for their own fame gain. Here comes J. Lo reminding all of her new " Idol" followers that she' s still got game. According to Lopez, " LOVE? " is a deeply personal album.

According to anyone with ears, " LOVE? " is a deeply overbearing, overproduced attempt to fit into a post- Gaga world that has left J. Lo on the side of the dance floor.

Being on " Idol" every week can' t hurt sales, but " LOVE? " is a long way from being everlasting. WATCH the music video for Jennifer Lopez' s song " On the Floor ( featuring Pit Bull) . " SKIP: S. . .

Scotty Mc. Creery is the new " , " defeating fellow country crooner Lauren Alaina. Mc. Creery, a fresh- faced 17- year- old from Garner, N.

C. , with a strikingly deep voice, received more viewer votes than Alaina, a peppy 16- year- old from Rossville, Ga. It was the first all- country finale for the Fox singing contest, now in its 10th season. Mc. Creery' s victory Wednesday continued a recent pattern: He' s the fourth male in a row to win " Idol. " The last female to win was 17- year- old in 2007. Alaina competed in Tuesday' s final sing- off despite a vocal cord injury that required medical treatment.

She received raves from the judges, who said she won the night. But the consistently popular Mc. Creery claimed the title and a record contract. The Fox TV show attracted high- wattage stars including , , Tom Jones and , who performed at the Nokia Theatre with the top- finishing " Idol" contestants. Judge even got into the act.

Draped in a scanty outfit and shaking her famous booty, she took the stage to dance while husband Marc Anthony sang, briefly turning the night into a salsa- flavored family affair. The show remains a hot promotional platform, with Seacrest helping some of the pop stars push either movies ( Black' s new " Kung Fu Panda 2" ) or a Las Vegas show ( ) . , whose new album " Born this Way" is out this week, was another performer. The grandest bid for attention came from Broadway' s troubled " Spider- Man: Turn Off the Dark, " with composers Bono and The Edge performing with the musical' s star, Reeve Carney.

Alaina, 16, and Mc. Creery, 17, represent the first all- country finale and the youngest duo ever to compete on " Idol. " Last year, by contrast, Fox didn' t announce the total in the much lower- key contest between winner Lee De.

Wyze and runner- up Crystal Bowersox. When winner and duked it out in 2009, more than 100 million votes were cast. The season' s vote total was more than three- quarters- of- a- billion, Seacrest announced as the show got under way. For Fox, it' s affirmation there' s still life in the series that' s had a long ratings reign as No.

There was drama during Tuesday' s performance show when Alaina of Rossville, Ga. , required medical treatment for a vocal cord injury suffered during rehearsals for Tuesday' s performance show.

She soldiered on with three tunes, drawing high praise from the Fox TV show' s judges. " This is a very tight race tonight, but Lauren, with that song, you may have just won, " Lopez said after Alaina sang an emotional " Like My Mother Does, " the last of her trio of tunes. But it was up to viewers to choose between Alaina and Mc.

Creery of Garner, N. C. , an equally fresh- faced performer but one with a strikingly mature voice. said backstage Tuesday he thought Alaina' s performance, not her vocal problem and a possible sympathy reaction, would count in the voting. " I think she sang brilliantly tonight, " said Jackson, who thought she outsang Mc. Creery on two songs. But the judge stopped short of predicting her victory. " Going into tonight, Scotty definitely had an edge and he may still have a slight edge, " Jackson said.

But Alaina " was the best tonight. " Both are impressive singers for the show' s " first- ever, all- country final, " he said. " These kids are so young . . .

I just go, ` Wow. ' They embody what this whole show is about. " Alaina' s other tunes were Carrie Underwood' s " Flat on the Floor" and Pam Tillis' " Maybe It was Memphis, " which was selected by former " Idol" winner Underwood. Mc. Creery sang his own possible future single, " I Love You This Big, " Montgomery Gentry' s " Gone" and George Strait' s " Check Yes or No, " Strait' s pick for the teenager.

After the show, Alaina gave reporters the silent treatment to protect her voice, with Mc. Creery offering his services as spokesman while she scribbled answers on a memo pad or whispered to him. When Alaina was asked if her finale performance had been at risk, he replied, " She says, ` Yes. " ' Judge said it' s not unusual for steroids to be used for a vocal cord injury. " You pay for it dearly the next day, " he said, adding that Alaina shouldn' t be affected because she was on stage briefly Tuesday. The show started with host bringing Dr.

Shawn Nasseri on stage to explain that Alaina blew out one of her vocal cords but had been given " a lot of medicine" to be able to sing during the finale.

Public recognition is not a useful thing when your job is clandestine operations. That& rsquo; s not tough to figure out.

With everything else going on here in the U.

S. and around the globe, it& rsquo; s possible you may have missed this little gem of a story. Let me try to succinctly set the stage while you pour yourself a drink and prepare to smack yourself in the forehead with amazement. Or disgust. I& rsquo; ll preface by saying that the takedown of Al Qaeda' s terror mastermind Usama bin Laden was a painstaking, labor intensive decade- long effort involving dedicated folks from numerous agencies and organizations. These people toiled for years trying to piece together countless bits of information& hellip; sifting for any credible lead, chasing down potential sources, carrying out surveillance, interviewing and analyzing every word from detainees, working every angle and never giving up.

All that work is what allowed the Navy SEALs to do what they do best and close the deal. The men and women of the CIA, FBI , NSA and other shops carried out the operations, the analysis, the surveillance, the interrogations and the investigatio. . .

A magnitude- 6. 7 earthquake rattled northeast Japan early Thursday in the same area where a massive quake triggered a deadly tsunami in March, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami warning for the region after the quake, but canceled it about an hour later. The temblor struck the region of the Pacific where a magnitude- 9.

0 quake hit on March 11, triggering a huge tsunami. At least 23, 000 people were killed or left missing in those disasters, which destroyed hundreds of homes, offices and factories in northeastern Japan. Thursday' s quake hit about 30 miles off the shore of Iwate prefecture at 6: 51 a. m. , the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

Much of the coast in the area is still heavily damaged from March' s disasters. The U. Pacific Tsunami warning center said it did not expect a destructive Pacific- wide tsunami.

The quake, 19. 9 miles deep, caused tremors across the northern half of the country, including Tokyo, which is about 325 miles to the southwest.

It was followed by several smaller aftershocks, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. Japan is located on the Ring of Fire, an arc of volcanoes and fault lines spanning the Pacific Basin, and is regularly hit by earthquakes.

Less than a mile from Downtown Disney, and within walking distance of a variety of restaurants, this hotel' s in- room amenities and price make it a good bet for families on a budget. Totally renovated in 2011, the hotel has brand new furniture, bedding, TVs, and ergonomic work stations. Guests with children can book a family suite with a refrigerator, a microwave, and partitioned off kids' " room" with two TVs ( one for video games) . A small pool, a huge gameroom with free interactive games, a fitness center and free continental breakfast round out the deal. refrigerators and microwaves in every room; free shuttle to Disney; free continental breakfast; free Wi- fi and Internet; free parking. no on- site restaurant; small pool; no room service. www. marriott. com.

170 rooms, 50 suites. In- room: safe, Internet, Wi- Fi. In- hotel: pool, gym, laundry facilities, business center, parking.

Breakfast.

Boise State has closed the last three seasons ranked no worse than 11th in the AP Top 25. Boise State has closed the last three seasons ranked no worse than 11th in the AP Top 25.

And about a month later, on signing day, it hasn' t cracked Scout. com' s recruiting top 50. The Broncos aren' t just an anomaly because of their blue turf. As competition for football recruits becomes ever hotter, gaining more and more attention from fans who post a running commentary along with video of the best prospects online, Boise State stands out not because of how great its recruiting is but, in national terms, how bad it is & mdash; at least according to the rankings. " We' ve had kids that have no offers and we' ll pride ourselves on that, " Boise State coach Chris Petersen says. " We don' t care who has or hasn' t offered a guy.

If we like him we' ll recruit him. " Sure, Petersen would love to bring in the best talent available. But that isn' t the Broncos' reality in a landscape where they are recruiting against established Bowl Championship Series schools, whether it' s Oregon from the Pac- 10 or Texas from the. . .

As the ranks of India' s wealthy surge with rapid economic growth, many families are staging extravagant displays of food at their children' s weddings to show off their newfound affluence. When the daughter of businessman Mohammed Sultan got married recently, guests were treated to a lavish 30- course meal served in super- sized silver platters. The Kashmiri feast, prepared by an army of chefs, included more than 20 meat and kebab dishes rich with spices to go with the saffron- flavored rice and naan breads. Hours later, after the more than 500 guests had eaten their fill, the leftovers were dumped by the cartload at a nearby garbage site. As the ranks of India' s wealthy surge with rapid economic growth, many families are staging extravagant displays of food at their children' s weddings to show off their newfound affluence.

The prodigious waste that follows has horrified many in a nation where food prices are skyrocketing and tens of millions of young children are malnourished. At the recent wedding of the son of a ruling party leader, more than a 100 dishes representing Thai, Chinese, Mediterranean and Indian cuisines were served to over 30, 000 guests. About 20 percent would' ve. . .

Sun Damaged Hair? Long days at the beach can take a toll on your hair. & # 160; Feed your tresses with Nutritional Acai Berry Avocado Shampoo and Conditioner from Organix ! Its exotic ingredients add moisture and nutrients to the hair, leaving it smooth, healthy and as beautiful as the sunny weather. And be sure to check out our favorite cocktail recipes made with Acai , perfect for a warm summer day!

A modern all- suites inn facing the bay at the very east end of Commercial Street, the Watermark has enormous accommodations with separate living- dining rooms, making it a favorite for longer stays ( weekly or daily rates are available in summer; rates are . . . A mile from Marconi Beach, opposite the Audubon sanctuary, this clean and tasteful ( although somewhat pricey) highway- side complex sits on 12 wooded acres. Rooms in the single- story motel aren' t fancy but are renovated regularly; those in the two- story . . . Twenty Cape- style cottages and an attractive hotel make up this traditionally elegant resort by the sea.

Set on 22 acres of shaded landscape partially surrounded by Pleasant Bay, the Wequassett is an informally upscale resort. An attentive staff, evening . . .

This 1830 whaling master' s home is on 3- landscaped acres. Wide- board pine floors, fireplaces, and 19th- century country antiques provide historical appeal. Rooms in the main inn have four- poster twin, double, or queen- size beds; floral fabrics; and antique . . . Comprising two distinct properties, the Winstead Inn and Beach Resort offer a two- for- one Cape Cod experience.

Harking back to an earlier era, the airy, attractive Beach Resort sits on a private beach overlooking Nantucket Sound. You can gaze at the sweep . . . Behind this cozy B& B, a 17- acre working cranberry bog and acres of conservation land spread out as far as you can see. The small but comfy Cottage Room has lace curtains and a brass bed with a floral comforter, and both suites have a bedroom plus a sitting . . . A century- old carriage house and barn have been converted into a romantic showcase.

The large rose- hue common room radiates comfort with its lace curtains and overstuffed furniture. One guest room ( the smallest) is in the main house; the others are in the . . .

NEW YORK ( Reuters) - Third baseman David Wright will return to the New York Mets' lineup for Friday' s game at the Florida Marlins after being sidelined for more than two months with a stress fracture in his lower back. NEW YORK ( Reuters) - Third baseman David Wright will return to the New York Mets ' lineup for Friday' s game at the Florida Marlins after being sidelined for more than two months with a stress fracture in his lower back. The five- time All Star has been on the disabled list since May 16, but he completed his six- game minor league rehabilitation assignment on Thursday. " He said he feels great, " Mets manager Terry Collins told the team' s website ( newyork. mets. mlb. com) . " He said he' s seeing the ball good, he' s healthy, and he' s just ready to go. This guy' s been here.

He' s a five- time All- Star. Those guys know themselves. " Wright is having a down year, batting just . 226 with six home runs while playing through back discomfort. The Mets ( 49- 49) have struggled with injuries this year with National League batting leader Jose Reyes having missed time and first baseman Ike Davis ( ankle) still on the DL. ( Writing by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles. Edited by Patrick Johnston)

More than a third of mammal species considered extinct or missing have been rediscovered, a study says, and a lot of effort is wasted in trying to find species that have no chance of being found again. Metro Pictures. American comedian Buster Keaton hopes to become a great detective in the film ' Sherlock Junior. ' More than a third of mammal species considered extinct or missing have been rediscovered, a study says, and a lot of effort is wasted in trying to find species that have no chance of being found again. Species face an accelerated rate of extinction because of pollution, climate change, habitat loss and hunting and that this rate of loss is putting ecosystems and economies at ever greater risk, according to the United Nations . Researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia said a greater understanding of patterns of extinction could channel more resources to finding and protecting species listed as missing before it' s too late. " In the past people have been very happy to see individual species found again but they haven' t looked at the bigger picture and realized that it' s not random, " university research fellow Diana Fisher, lead author of the study, told Reuters.

Fisher. . .

The people who run Media Matters do not believe in honest discourse or the free flow of ideas. They are in business to protect and promote one brand of political orthodoxy - - far left - - by slandering and intimidating any voice in the media who disagrees with them. & nbsp; That is the opposite of free speech. At first glance & ldquo; Media Matters& rdquo; is a group that monitors the wild and crazy comments that are made on radio and television.

There is nothing wrong with that. People should be accountable for their words & ndash; words have power. Since they began work in 2004, however, the watchdog spirit of the group' s founding has turned into an outright assault on its political opponents.

That means they delight in attacking anyone with a conservative point of view on radio or TV.

In fact, they have now announced they are engaged in a & ldquo; war& rdquo; against Fox News Channel and anyone who appears on their airwaves.

They have also admitted to engaging in a despicable campaign to dig up dirt on Fox News executives and producers in an attempt to do personal damage to people who are guilty of offering the public political perspectives they find disagreeable.

That means they have targeted me. Yes, I am paid by Fox News to do political analysis. It is also true that on most issues I am left of center & ndash; what most on the far. . .

Expect some spills, anticipate the thrills, and try your luck clipping through the seas. Most beachfront resorts rent Windsurfers and offer one- hour lessons for about $ 120. If you want to learn, try Paul Stoeken' s Island Sol & nbsp; ( Ritz Carlton St. Thomas, Estate Nazareth, 00802. PHONE: 340/ 776- 9463. ) .

The two- time Olympic athlete charges $ 120 per hour for private lessons, $ 85 per hour for group lessons. There' s a free windsurfing clinic every Tuesday at 9: 30 am.

One of the island' s best- known independent windsurfing companies is West Indies Windsurfing & nbsp; ( Vessup Beach, No. 9, Estate Nazareth, 00802.

PHONE: 340/ 775- 6530) .

Owner John Phillips is the board buff who introduced the sport of kite boarding to the USVI; it entails using a kite to lift a boardsailor off the water for an airborne ride.

A private kite- boarding lesson costs $ 125 per hour, while a semiprivate lesson starts at $ 85 per hour.

BASTAD, Sweden ( AP) & mdash; Flavia Pennetta breezed through to the second round of the Swedish Open with a straight- sets victory Tuesday over Anna Brazhnikova. Pennetta beat the wild card 6- 2, 6- 0 Tuesday as she chases a second title of the year.

Fourth- seeded Gisela Dulko took little more than an hour . . . BASTAD, Sweden ( AP) & mdash; Flavia Pennetta breezed through to the second round of the Swedish Open with a straight- sets victory Tuesday over Anna Brazhnikova. Pennetta beat the wild card 6- 2, 6- 0 Tuesday as she chases a second title of the year. Fourth- seeded Gisela Dulko took little more than an hour to beat another Swedish wild card, 16- year- old Ellen Allgurin, 6- 1, 6- 3.

Sweden has no players left in the singles competition after the country' s No. 1, Sofia Arvidsson, lost 6- 2, 6- 4 to unseeded Anna- Lena Groenefeld. " Mentally, I was still in the locker room, " Arvidsson said. " I really wanted to do well here in Bastad but it just didn' t work out that way. " Jill Craybas beat Rossana De Los Rios 6- 3, 6- 3. Third- seeded Lucie Safarova beat Kathrin Woerle 6- 2, 6- 0, but sixth- seeded Angelique Kerber had to retire with a shoulder injury when 3- 0 behind in the third set to Ana Vrljic. Eighth- seeded Barbora Zahlavova Strycova hit four aces on the way to a 6- 3, 6- 0 win over Zuzana Kucova.

Sloane Stephens, Nur. . .

Troubled diva has canceled the rest of her European summer concert tour and scrapped all public performances after an embarrassing appearance in , her spokesman said Tuesday. Chris Goodman said Winehouse, who has struggled with drug and alcohol abuse, " is withdrawing from all scheduled performances" to focus on recovering. " Everyone involved wishes to do everything they can to help her return to her best and she will be given as long as it takes for this to happen, " Goodman said.

He did not disclose the reason for her unsteady appearance in Belgrade.

Winehouse' s show on Saturday kicked off what was supposed to be a 12- stop European tour.

But she was jeered and booed as she stumbled around the stage, unable to remember the lyrics to her songs. Serbian media called the concert a " scandal, " with the Blic daily labeling it " the worst in the history of Belgrade. " The next day, Winehouse' s management canceled this week' s shows in Istanbul and Athens. Further dates in , , Italy, , Poland, Hungary and Romania have now also been scrapped. The tour had been due to end in Bucharest on Aug.

15. Winehouse' s breakthrough album, 2006' s " Back to Black, " won her five and brought her worldwide stardom, The album included the hit single, " Rehab, " on which she sang: " They tried to make me go to rehab. I said ' No, no, no. " ' The song was prophetic: Winehouse' s music has been overshadowed by alcohol and drug use and run- ins with the law, as well as a tempestuous marriage to music industry hanger- on Blake Fielder- Civil. The pair married in 2007 but divorced two years later. The 27- year- old British singer has, in fact, sought rehab therapy in the past.

In October, Winehouse said she had been drug- free for three years, but her public behavior has continued to appear erratic. Last month she spent a week in London' s Priory clinic, which offers treatment for psychiatric problems, drug and alcohol addiction. In addition to her stage troubles, Winehouse' s recording career has also been put on hold.

There have long been plans for a follow up to " Back to Black, " but new material has not been released.

The St. Louis Rams and Kansas City Chiefs usually play the Governor' s Cup game at the end of the preseason. The St. Louis Rams and Kansas City Chiefs usually play the Governor' s Cup game at the end of the preseason. This time, both teams are in playoff mode and there are some big stakes.

The Rams ( 6- 7) are tied with the Seahawks for the NFC West lead, and the Chiefs ( 8- 5) lead the AFC West, making Sunday' s game at the sold- out Edward Jones Dome more exciting than most expected before the season.

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon attended Rams practice Friday. A win would help both teams in their quest to return to the playoffs. " I think everyone gets it, " running back Steven Jackson said. " Basically, if you win, you put yourself in a great position of being in the postseason. Our goal is to be the NFC West champs.

All season long we' ve been talking about these things. To have three games remaining and have that as a possibility, I think guys realize that it' s crunch time and we have to play extra hard and we have to play good football. " Nixon gets it. " It' s so neat to have both teams in your state playing. . . .

It’ s no surprise some in Congress have hailed Senate Republican Leader ’ s new debt ceiling proposal as politically savvy. What’ s surprising is that a large portion of Mc. Connell’ s establishment Republicans and even some “ conservatives” have joined the chorus. But the shocking measure would betray the trust of the American voters who sent a wave of Republicans to Congress in 2010 to put the nation’ s fiscal house in order. Mc.

Connell’ s plan would allow to raise the debt ceiling by $ 2. 5 trillion in three separate installments over the next year unless two- thirds of both houses of Congress disagree with the increase. Everyone knows Republicans lack a super- majority. The president would have to propose spending cuts equal to the amount of each hike, but Congress could ( and probably would) ignore the suggestions.

This proposal is purely political in its motivation, intended to shift the responsibility for unpopular debt ceiling hikes entirely onto the president. Establishment Republicans like Mc.

Connell are gambling that by putting the blame for debt hikes on Obama, they will help the Republican challenger in 2012 and get control of spending in 2013. This is wishful thinking.

Electing a more fiscally conservative president and Congress is essential, of course, but Mc. Connell’ s proposal to grant more borrowing power to the biggest- spending president in American history is not the way to do it.

It’ s a mistake to think that giving Democrats impunity to borrow and spend today will somehow ensure a victory for fiscal restraint tomorrow. Aside from the fact that delegating completely unlimited borrowing power to the president is constitutionally questionable at best, it’ s just a bad idea. Doing so is not in the public interest and would only put us that much closer to a Greek- style debt crisis in the next few years. Washington is already borrowing 43 cents of every dollar it spends.

The national debt has doubled in the past five years, including a 43- percent increase in just two years. This year’ s budget deficit of $ 1. 6 trillion indicates we have a serious spending problem, and we simply cannot afford to increase the government’ s borrowing power without enacting substantial budget reforms. Polls show that the American people want to see three things: real cuts, spending caps with teeth, and a Balanced Budget Amendment. & # 160; The fiscal responsibility mandate of the 2010 elections means Congress should not approve another penny of debt without first enacting “ Cut, Cap, and Balance. ” & # 160; Mc.

Connell’ s plan raises serious questions about whether Republicans are committed to pursuing the change Americans are demanding.

His eagerness to cover Republicans politically without putting up much of a fight for real reform suggests business- as- usual is Mc. Connell’ s strategy of choice. But there are senators committed to restoring fiscal sanity.

A bill proposed by Sens. , ( Ky. 0, , ( Penn. ) , and ( Utah) , ( S. 1340) would raise the debt limit, but only if accompanied by substantial spending cuts, an enforceable statutory spending cap, and the submission to the states of a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution.

Unlike the misguided Mc. Connell proposal, this bill would satisfy the public' s demand for permanent reform and end the reckless borrowing and overspending.

Mc. Connell’ s retreat, however politically clever, is still a retreat. And it’ s premature.

The debt ceiling will have to be raised, but August 2 is not Armageddon. If an increase isn’ t passed before then, the will not default on its debt, nor will the president have to delay , or military pay. Some spending will have to be delayed, yes, but there is still time to pursue real spending cuts and permanent reforms along with an increase in the debt ceiling without catastrophic results. Mc.

Connell is not up for reelection again until 2014, but two Republicans are retiring and eight face reelection in 2012. It’ s difficult to foresee voters rewarding Mc. Connell’ s retreat by capturing Democratic seats or reelecting Senate Republicans who supported his proposal.

Since the Senate Majority Leader has already lost sight of the voters’ mandate, Speaker would be wise to bring the Paul/ Toomey/ Lee bill up for a vote in the House as soon as possible. He may be our last hope for restoring fiscal responsibility. Former Texas Republican Rep.

Dick Armey, served as the House Majority Leader from 1995- 2003. He is currentlly the chairman of Freedom. Works and co- author of the book “ Give Us Liberty: A Tea Party Manifesto. "