It seems the Dalai Lama’s message is that Woods needs to really focus on what’s important in his life and live up to it. Woods, who built his empire on being a role model who banked millions of dollars from sponsors such as Gatorade, also lived what appears to be the life of a frat boy who fills the void in his life with bubbly women. But last week he took a step towards acknowledging the success of his life: “I have a lot of work to do, and I intend to dedicate myself to doing it. Part of following this path for me is Buddhism, which my mother taught me at a young age. People probably don’t realize it, but I was raised a Buddhist, and I actively practiced my faith from childhood until I drifted away from it in recent years. Buddhism teaches that a craving for things outside ourselves causes an unhappy and pointless search for security. It teaches me to stop following every impulse and to learn restraint. Obviously, I lost track of what I was taught.”

This can’t be good news to Brit Hume who sort of wanted Tiger Woods to convert to Christianity.

Click here to see the video at dscriber.com

Answers to Questions about the Mobile Giving Campaign

Q Does the full $10 go to the Red Cross?

A Yes. 100% of your text donation will support the American Red Cross relief efforts in Haiti.

Q Will my wireless carrier charge me for text messaging to 90999?

A When you text the word “HAITI” to 90999 you donate $10 to the Red Cross. A onetime $10 donation will be added to your phone bill. Depending on your carrier agreement, message and data rates may apply. Reportedly, Verizon Wireless and AT&T have both agreed to donate the cost of the back-and-forth text messages. Your $10 donation will appear on your regular monthly mobile phone bill.

Q Is there a processing fee for the company hosting this service?

A Mobile Accord and mGive have generously donated their fees.

Q Has this kind of program been done before?

A Yes. In the past, the Red Cross has raised funds for domestic disasters through a program called Text2Help. Text2Help initiative is a partnership between the Red Cross and the Wireless Foundation.

Q What’s the strategy behind the text donations?

A Mobile giving is a fast and convenient way for people to make a donation that can help save the day for people in need, and this effort has proven to be especially popular in social media such as Twitter and Facebook. The American Red Cross is deeply grateful to be the beneficiary of this opportunity created by the State Department and powered by Mobile Accord and the MGive Foundation.

Q How many times can someone make a text donation via 90999?

A Two or three times. AT&T and T-Mobile subscribers can donate three times. If you wish to donate more than $20 or $30, please visit redcross.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS.

Q Are there other ways to donate larger amounts?

A Yes. If you would like to make a larger donation, please visit redcross.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS.

Q Why do you think people want to give this way?

A It’s easy and convenient to donate using your mobile phone. A donation can be made from any place you get a signal and you don’t have to enter in a lot of information to give a quick and meaningful gift. Raising this amount of money $10 at a time is a true testament to the generosity of the American people. The success of the mobile campaign shows the powerful impact and opportunity this channel can have on fundraising. The needs in Haiti are tremendous and we thank the people who continue to donate and help the American Red Cross meet that need.

Q How will people know that this texting program is legitimate?

A The principal organizations behind the 90999 program (i.e., The State Department, mGive Foundation, Mobile Accord, and The American Red Cross) have made public statements to confirm their involvement in this special program. To document your donation, after you send a text message you will receive a confirmation text that asks you to reply “YES” if you intend to give a $10 donation to the Red Cross Haiti relief efforts. A thank you text will follow.

Q How did the text “Haiti” to 90999 mobile giving program come about?

A The State Department worked with The mGive Foundation, Mobile Accord, CTIA (CTIA-The Wireless Association) and The American Red Cross to set up an immediate system to channel contributions for relief directly through cell phones. Quickly providing necessary resources to assist with relief efforts is vital. Understanding that Americans are eager to do their part to help, mGive, participating wireless service providers, and the American Red Cross have created an easy and efficient way for their subscribers to lend their support.

Q Why is the State Department sponsoring mobile giving? What is their role?

A The State Department worked with The mGive Foundation, Mobile Accord, CTIA (CTIA-The Wireless Association) and The American Red Cross to set up an immediate system to channel contributions for relief directly through cell phones. The American Red Cross is deeply grateful to be the beneficiary of this opportunity created by the State Department and powered by Mobile Accord and the MGive Foundation.

Q Why is the mobile donation fixed or limited to $10 dollars?

A Current carrier and Mobile Marketing Association guidelines stipulate offering either $5 and or $10 options.

Q What happens after a donor opts in to receive additional news from the Red Cross?

A After your donation and acknowledgement, you will then receive one more text asking you to reply with YES if you want to receive text updates from the Red Cross. You do not need to reply to this message if you do not wish to receive updates. If you DO want to receive text updates you will need to reply with YES. Red Cross can communicate with opt in donors up to 4 times per month via text.

Q How do I get a tax receipt for this donation?

A Go to www.mgive.org/receipt and enter your mobile number. A PIN number will be sent via text to your phone and you will need to enter it on the site where requested. You will then be able to see confirmation of all donations you have made via the mobile phone number that was entered. You can print a receipt for your records that can also be treated as the official donation receipt for tax purposes.

Q Will anyone other than the Red Cross have access to the donor data from the 90999 program?

A Only mGive, working under an agreement with the Red Cross, and the Red Cross have access to the donor information.

Q Can people outside the US give using 90999?

A Only US wireless subscribers can donate this way.

Q How much money has the Red Cross raised via mobile giving for Haiti Earthquake relief?

A As of Friday morning, January 15, the text “Haiti” to 90999 program has raised more than $8 million. The Red Cross continues to receive donations for relief in Haiti. You can make a donation to the Red Cross by texting “Haiti” to 90999, visiting redcross.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS.

Q How much has Red Cross raised via mobile versus other giving vehicles?

A In the 48 hours since the earthquake struck in Haiti the American public pledged more than$37 million specifically for this response and we are thankful for this unprecedented outpouring of support. More than half of the total donations have been through online contributions, with strong support as well from corporations and the unprecedented activity over the past two days in mobile giving.

Q How quickly does the Red Cross receive the donations after the donor text messages the number?

A The carriers and Mobile Accord will work to get the Red Cross these donations as quickly as possible. It can take anywhere from 60-90 days for the Red Cross to get these funds. Despite this delay in receiving funds, the American Red Cross will continue to provide relief in Haiti and these donations will cover expenses incurred after the fact.

Q What challenges does mobile giving address for the Red Cross?

A By accepting donations through the mobile sphere, the Red Cross can reach a wider audience during times of disaster when support is needed immediately. Supporters are not limited to writing a check and putting their gift in the mail nor having immediate computer access and entering in credit card information – the donation can be made instantly from a mobile phone.

They were identified Tuesday as 24-year-old Sgt. Joshua A. Lengstorf of Yoncalla, Ore., 24-year-old Spc. Brian R. Bowman of Crawfordsville, Ind., and 19-year-old Pvt. John P. Dion of Shattuck, Okla.

Read the full story at thedenverchannel.com.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol and the Orlando Sentinel, professional golfer Tiger Woods was involved in an automobile accident directly outside his home. The incident is reported to have taken place at approximately 2 a.m., when Woods’ 2009 Cadillac Escalade struck a fire hydrant near his driveway, then continued into a tree located in the neighbor’s yard.

A release from Woods’ representatives first stated he was listed in serious condition with unknown injuries, but officials at Health Central Hospital in Ocoee, where Woods was transported, now state he is no longer an admitted patient.

FHP officials have confirmed that Woods had several facial lacerations, and that the Escalade’s airbags did not deploy. Officials also have stated that alcohol was not related in the crash, but that charges are pending. The current No.1 golfer in the world was alone in the vehicle.

Truth or hoax? Russian blogs claimed this image was taken from a video filmed on a mobile phone just after the meteor crashed to earth

TUESDAY UPDATE

RIGA, Latvia — Latvian mobile operator Tele2 was involved in staging a hoax on a meteorite allegedly falling in the country on Sunday as reported by local media, the operator’s marketing and sales director said Monday. (Ria Novosti)

Janis Sprogis’ confession to the Leta news agency followed a statement by the country’s interior minister, Linda Murniece, vowing to recoup the costs of investigating the reports of a meteorite strike.

“I think they [those who staged the story] will have to pay for the work of all special services involved in the case. The sum will be big. People should be held accountable for such jokes,” Murniece said.

Sprogis promised to compensate the state for its losses.

MONDAY’S STORY

In the aftermath of the recent Balloon Boy fiasco, one would hope the media had learned a valuable lesson when covering what would seem to be “out of the ordinary” events.

Early Monday morning, the Associated Press reported a meteor strike in Riga, Latvia, with the headline Meteorite-like object falls in Latvia.‎

A meteorite-like object crashed into a meadow in northern Latvia, creating a crater 27 feet (9 meters) wide and 9 feet (3 meters) deep, a geologist who visited the site said Monday.

Uldis Nulle, a scientist at the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Center, said there was smoke coming out of the crater when he arrived at the crash site late Sunday in the Mazsalaca region near the Estonian border.

“My first impression is that, yes, it was a meteorite,” he said. “All the evidence suggests this when compared to pictures of real meteorite craters.”

He said the rim of the crater was slightly raised and there was a black-grayish scar at the bottom — both signs of a meteorite impact.

Experts outside Latvia said it was unusual for such a large meteorite to hit the Earth. The planet is constantly bombarded with objects from outer space, but most burn up in the atmosphere and never reach the surface.

Not more than two hours  after its initial headline, the Associated Press released a new story with this updated headline: Latvian experts investigate larger crater.

As it turns out, the meteor strike is likely a staged hoax.

North Vidzeme Biosphere Reserve geologist Dainis Ozols has concluded that the object in Mazsalaca, thought to be a meteorite, is merely smoky ember of chemical elements and the wide crater around it is in fact man-made.

Ozols arrived at the location, where the alleged meteorite had fallen, at 9 a.m. Monday, as the geologist informed LETA. He established that the 10-12 meters wide depression in land surface was artificially created and afterward potassium nitrate and sulphur were burned there.

The geologist believes that somebody merely wanted to pull a prank, therefore burned the chemical elements, filmed the scene and spread information about an alleged meteorite having fallen. The crater itself, however, in Ozols’ opinion, was created for other purposes. It must have taken a lot of effort to dig it; in case the crater was actually dug by the prankster who burned the chemical elements in it, then he should have tried a bit harder to imitate a blast caused by a meteorite, the geologist said. –The Baltic Course

At a time when there is plenty of meaningful news to cover, good and bad, are we now destined to be barraged with staged hoaxes, hoping to fool us?

A U.S. Blackhawk helicopter parked in Afghanistan. This has been the deadliest year for international and U.S. forces since the 2001 invasion to oust the Taliban.

The crashes involved a total of three choppers, two of which collided in midair in the south of the country, and a third that went down in the wake of a firefight in Afghanistan’s west, according to the NATO force and American officials.

Hostile fire was ruled out in the midair collision, which killed four American troops and injured two others, but the cause of the other crash was not immediately clear. The Taliban claimed to have shot down a Western helicopter today in Afghanistan’s northwest, but it was not clear whether that was the same incident the military described.

Read the full story at latimes.com.

These photos aren’t new, and many readers have probably seen some of them before in their inboxes. Nonetheless, they’re worth a few smiles.

The Fort Carson Honor Guard stands at attention as people make their way into the post's Soldiers' Memorial Chapel. About 500 people attended the service for six Fort Carson soldiers killed in Afghanistan. (The Gazette photo)

The six died in August and September, victims of a burgeoning insurgency in Afghanistan that has claimed 25 lives from the post since June, including nine who died this month.

Eulogists highlighted the individual traits of the six: 1st Lt. Tyler E. Parten, Staff Sgt. Randy M. Haney, Sgt. David A. Davis, Sgt. Youvert Loney, Pfc. Matthew E. Wildes and Pfc. William L. Meredith.

But commanders said they shared one thing in common: heroism.

Read the full story at The Gazette.

Soldiers being memorialized are:

* 1st Lt. Tyler E. Parten — 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment,
4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division.

* Staff Sgt. Randy M. Haney — 4th Brigade Special Troops
Battalion, 4th Infantry Division.

* Sgt. David A. Davis — 68th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 43rd Sustainment Brigade.

* Sgt. Youvert Loney — 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th
Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division.

* Pfc. Matthew E. Wildes — 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment,
4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division.

* Pfc. William L. Meredith — 569th Mobility Augmentation Company,
4th Engineer Battalion

The memorial service is rich in military tradition and honors
soldiers with the traditional roll call, a rifle squad salute and the
final tribute to a fallen soldier with the playing of Taps.