Online Searches Flush With Kentucky Derby Tradition Of Mint Julep Recipes, Bourbon And Straw Hats

As the Kentucky Derby approaches, big straw hats, fine southern bourbon and the mint julep, one of the oldest, most revered fixtures of the drinking world show a resurgence in online searches.

The mint julep originates from the Arab word “julab,” which was likely a medicinal rose water concoction. However, the modern day mint julep reportedly came about in the early 1800s.

Frederick Marryat’s 1839 A Diary in America probably captured the mint julep best: “I once overheard two ladies talking in the room next to me, and one of them said, ‘Well, if I have a weakness for any one thing, it is for a mint julep’ – a very amiable weakness, and proving her good sense and good taste. They are, in fact, like American ladies, irresistible.”

What exactly is a mint julep? Historically, a drink of whiskey, cognac or rum that is sweetened with sugar, iced and flavored with a taste of fresh spearmint. A highly ritualistic tipple, I’ll leave you to judge which is best.

Regardless of alcohol preference, curious partakers can follow these basic mint julep preparation guidelines:

In a pre-chilled glass or julep cup, add the syrup and mint leaves. Muddle lightly, just to release the oils. Discard the bruised mint, half pack the glass with crushed ice, pour on the base spirit, stir to chill and top with more crushed ice. Garnish with a bunch of fresh spearmint, stems cut up to the leaves.

The official Kentucky Derby website boasts a classic mint julep recipe featuring Early Times southern whiskey – http://www.kentuckyderby.com/experience/traditions/mint-julep2

For a hands on approach, The Food Network offers a easy to follow video at http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sara-moulton/the-perfect-mint-julep-recipe/index.html

New World Trade Center Shadows Empire State Building: Smile Appears On Statue Of Liberty

A smile was said to appear on the Statue of Liberty as two unassuming steel beams were lowered in place from a tower crane and the new World Trade Center once again reclaimed its status as king of the New York City skyline from the majestic Empire State Building.

While the event took only a few minutes, it was more than a decade in the making as the entire world watched in quiet anticipation.

On Monday afternoon, for the first time since the 9/11 attack, another majestic milestone was reached in the recovery from that great tragedy as the new tower (aptly named 1 World Trade Center) rose to 1,271 feet,  surpassing the iconic Empire State Building.

As the tower crane released the beam, a robust cheers and applause resounded from workers on the 100th floor of the structure. Ecstatic cheers also hailed from the 71st floor where members of the international media and the project developers watched on a live video feed overlooking the entire city area.

“We are well on our way to becoming the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere,” said Scott Rechler, board member of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which owns the site.

Rechler also mentioned the thousands of various construction jobs created by the project that is bringing citizens together in spirit and helping to revitalize the local economy and change the shape of Lower Manhattan.

Patrick Foye, the Lower Manhattan Authority’s executive director, exclaimed, “It will anchor lower Manhattan and its rebirth for many generations to come.”

The resurrection of Lower Manhattan is already well underway, bustling with activity during all hours of the day.

When it was the pinnacle of American and global finance in the days of the Twin Towers, Lower Manhattan all but shut down by 5 p.m. However, the neighborhood today has become known as the “Times Square South” as it is constantly beaming with tourists, retail, a thriving nightlife and new apartment buildings.

Before the 9/11 attacks, the center’s historic Twin Towers were home to financial powerhouses including Morgan Stanley and Cantor Fitzgerald.

A grand day, indeed, for New York and America as the new World Trade Center reaches higher and helps to restore the spirit and vision of The Big Apple.

John Edwards Liaison Sheds Tears Recalling Rielle Hunter Corruption Case

Heated campaign corruption trial of John Edwards heats up as the wife of an ex-aide to Edwards broke down in tears on the witness stand Monday, recounting how the former presidential candidate asked the couple to hide an affair he was having with Rielle Hunter and justified using wealthy donors’ money to carry out the matter.
Cheri Young testified at Edwards’ campaign corruption trial,  saying that she and her husband, Andrew Young, huddled around a phone in her upscale Chapel Hill home during December 2007 involving Rielle Hunter, Edwards’ pregnant mistress.

During the call, Edwards emphasized the need to preserve his campaign while keeping the affair from his cancer-stricken wife, Elizabeth, stated Young. It was several weeks prior to the 2008 Iowa caucuses, and all parties involved were extremely cautious about tabloid reporters searching for a political scandal story.

When asked by a prosecutor why she agreed to go along with the scheme, Young clasped her hands together and bowed her head, as if in shame. Beginning to weep, U.S. District Court Judge Catherine C. Eagles dismissed the jury to give Young sufficient time to compose herself before returning to the courtroom.

Across the courtroom, John Edwards leaned back in his chair and placed two fingers on his pursed lips. As Young dabbed her tears with a tissue, the former U.S. senator seemed to impatiently look at his watch.

And when the jury returned to the courtroom, Young answered the question.

“I felt like everything had been dumped in my lap,” Young said. “Everybody was on board but me. … I didn’t want the campaign to explode and for it to be my fault. I ultimately decided to live with a lie.”

Young went on to state that during the call, Edwards suggested that it would only be a one-day story if Andrew Young took responsibility for the baby.

“‘Nobody cares about two staffers having an affair,’” Young recalled Edwards saying.

Rielle Hunter had previously been paid for her videographer services by one of the many organizations linked with Edwards, accused of deliberately using contributions from two wealthy donors in an attempt to hide Hunter as Edwards pursued the presidential nomination.

Fiona Apple Back On The Road As Fans Rave Every Single Night

Seven years of near silence have passed since Fiona Apple released a new CD but the wait is over as Apple returned today with the first single (Every Single Night) from her much anticipated new CD titled The Idler Wheel.

While the full title of Apple’s latest CD is The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than The Driver of The Screw And Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do, it is simply being referred to as The Idler Wheel. For fans hungry for new material from the legendary singer-songwriter, this far-reaching album appeals to a broad fan base as well as newly won Fina Apple listeners.

At first listen, the lyrics may seem a bit serene but they soon turn passionate, as her sultry vocals are revealed in true Fiona style. When Apple confesses “Every single night’s a fight with my brain,” listeners hear the inner dialogue battling in her performance.

Listeners enchanted by the creative genius and passionate vocals contained in Every Single Night will be in shear bliss when the balance of Apple’s new work wisps through the airwaves in June.

Fiona Apple fans can find tour dates as well as listen to the new hit single by visiting http://www.fiona-apple.com/.

OptionFair Hailed As Binary Options Trading Leader Worldwide

No longer the new kid on the block, Binary Options trading platform, OptionFair, has proven its mettle and emerged as the premier industry leader in the highly competitive online trading world. By implementing proprietary algorithms, OptionFair investors are able to take advantage of profit potential in real time from a variety of stocks, currencies, commodities and indices in record time, often as soon as 15 minutes after completion of account setup.

Historically a mystery to the average investor, binary options methodology has recently become a very popular vehicle among circles of investors with varying experience levels due to tan ever evolving simplicity and ease of trading believed to be unavailable until now.

“The beauty of this proprietary system is that OptionFair speculation is based on the direction that a particular asset is most likely to move at any given time. These simple investment choices are appealing to the vast majority of serious investors because they tend to lend themselves to quick and easy returns,” stated Craig Cordova of www.OptionFairNews.info in a recent online interview.

A bit of welcomed news for many Forex investors in that OptionFair offers an intuitive and user-friendly platform that makes it a favorite both with new traders who may have limited trading experience or knowledge as well as more seasoned trading professionals with numerous trades to their credit.

Another plus of the OptionFair trading platform is that it boasts uniqueness and notoriety in the vast binary options market, offering three varieties of instruments to maximize profit potential, including High/Low, One Touch and Boundary choices.

With the majority of Binary Options platforms available elsewhere only offering the single High/Low instrument, each of the three OptionFair instruments offer two option types to trade, providing an extra cushion for investors.

OptionFair is still the only Binary options trading platform that allows the trader to invest in both sides of the pricing range. This choice stands head and shoulders above the competition as it remains a preferred alternative. Additionally, this unique feature also generates more profit opportunities as well as encourages fairness in pricing among trades.

Also to be taken into consideration is the fixed return at www.OptionFairNews.info being a market leading 85%. Online trading at OptionFair remains relatively simple and straight-forward with a marginal learning curve reported.

Investors can soon be trading after opening an account and making a minimum deposit. In fat, the first action investors new to the OptionFair platform take is to simply enter the site’s trading arena and select one of the three instruments desired to trade by choosing between the standard criteria (High/Low, Boundary, or One Touch).

Once investors have proceeded to select the desired trading instrument, they will be prompted to select an asset to trade prior to choosing the Prediction on the trading slip. Afterwards, simply entering the investment amount and finally clicking the “buy” button to finalize the trade results in seamless transactions.

The entire process is incredibly intuitive and simple for even the most novice of investors.

“OptionFair also provides a unique early closure feature that enables the trader to limit their risk or secure a profit by closing a position at any point during the length of the contract, regardless of whether a position is profitable or not,” according to the company website.

All inclusive features offered by OptionFair in an effort to enhance the investor experience entail:

* 24/7 customer support
* Platform available in seven languages
* Ability to close a position prior to expiry
* Low minimum deposit of $100
* No commission, no fees policy

And with the ever-increasing economic instability combined with worldwide interest in binary options, trading platforms like OptionFair are quickly becoming the new benchmark in an evolution of online trading, primarily due to the simplicity, low risk and enticing potential 85% returns available within 15 minutes of completion of trades.

For full details, investors interested in taking full advantage of binary options trading or learning more about OptionFair are encouraged to visit www.OptionFairNews.info .

S&P Downgrade For Spain Over Budget and Bailout Concerns

Standard & Poor has issued yet another credit downgrade of Spain’s sovereign credit rating, reduced to BBB+ from A based on concerns that the nation will need to provide further fiscal support to the banking sector as the national economy continues to contract.

Spain’s short-term rating was lowered to A-2 from A-1, while the outlook on the long-term rating is negative, New York- based S&P released in an official statement ear;ier today.

As the nation’s 10-year borrowing costs have already soared to approximately70 basis points this year, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy attempts to convince investors he can continue to control public finances in the midst of a soaring unemployment rate and a contracting economy.

Meanwhile, banks threaten to potentially disrupt the premier’s efforts as defaulted loans soar, reaching the highest levels in nearly two decades.

S&P released in the statement, “Spain’s budget trajectory will likely deteriorate against a background of economic contraction,” . And continued, “At the same time, we see an increasing likelihood that Spain’s government will need to provide further fiscal support to the banking sector. As a consequence, we believe there are heightened risks that Spain’s net general govern debt could rise further.”

Questions regarding stability continue as yields on 10-year Spanish bonds recently surpassed 6% on seven trading days this month, resulting in an elevated concern that borrowing costs may soon reach levels that originally prompted bailouts for Ireland, Greece and Portugal. The rate at that time was 5.83 percent.

The ominous forecast continued, “We could also consider a downgrade if political support for the current reform agenda were to wane,” the S&P statement stated.“ Moreover, we could lower the ratings if we see that Spain’s external position worsens or its competitiveness does not continue to approach that of its trading partners, a key factor for Spain to return to sustainable economic and employment growth.”

Bail Set As George Zimmerman Goes Home

George Zimmerman was released on $150,000 bail at around midnight on Sunday from county jail as he awaits his second-degree murder trial for the fatal shooting of 17 year old Trayvon Martin.

Zimmerman was wearing blue jeans and a brown jacket and was spotted carrying a paper bag. He was met by an unidentified man in a white vehicle and drove away. For safety reasons, his temporary location is being kept secret for the time being.

At a hearing Friday, Circuit Court Judge Kenneth Lester stated that Zimmerman cannot have any guns and must observe a 7 p.m.-to-6 a.m. imposed curfew. Zimmerman was also required to surrender his passport.

Having to put up 10 percent, or $15,000, to make bail, Zimmerman’s father indicated that he might take out a second mortgage on their family home.

It’s noted that George Zimmerman worked at a mortgage risk-management company at the time of the shooting while his wife has been attending nursing school. Meanwhile, a website has been organized to collect donations for Zimmerman’s defense fund but it is unclear how much money has been raised at this time.

While bail is not unheard of in second-degree murder cases, many legal experts had predicted it would be granted for Zimmerman because of his ties to the community. That combined with the fact that he turned himself in after he was charged last week. Zimmerman has never been convicted of a serious crime.

Although prosecutors asked for $1 million bail, citing two previous scrapes Zimmerman had with the law, neither of which resulted in charges.

In early 2005, Zimmerman was required to take anger management courses after he was accused of attacking an undercover officer who was trying to arrest Zimmerman’s friend. In another incident, a girlfriend accused him of attacking her in a domestic dispute.

Following the Trayvon Martin shooting, Zimmerman was not charged for more than six weeks, sparking national protests led by Martin’s parents, civil rights groups as well as Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. The fact that Martin was black, Zimmerman’s father is white and his mother is from Peru has raised questions regarding the allegations of Jackson and Sharpton that the incident was racially motivated.

Flying Elbow From Ron Artest Compromises World Peace

Metta World Peace dunked Sunday and then suddenly appeared to lose all control as Ron Artest had a deja vu elbow relapse. All was calm during the first half of what was to become a rollercoaster double-overtime victory for the Lakers over the Thunder, World Peace threw a vicious elbow to James Harden, head of Oklahoma City.

Artest apparently told officials that the elbow was accidental and only part of his overzealous celebration of the shot.

Either way, his behavior was completely over the top. The controversial player formerly known as Ron Artest seems to go long periods of time without incident, winning over fans with his entertaining and seemingly harmless personality, until something ugly is triggered for a apparent multitude of reasons.

As Friday night progressed, the Knicks showed that they are capable of losing to nearly anyone. A loss to the lowly Cavaliers has been unacceptable and Sunday was merely a reminder that the Knicks can probably beat just about anyone, too.

Carmelo Anthonyclaimed 39 points with 10 rebounds as the Knicks comfortably defeated the Hawks in Atlanta.

Meanwhile, the Penguins snagged 108 points in the regular season to finish with second-best in the Eastern Conference. However, because they weren’t a division champion, they wound up being #4 seed in the playoffs against the 103 point Flyers.

And that’s as far as Sid Crosby and Co. are going as Claude Giroux scored his sixth goal of a wild series for the Flyers to close out Pittsburgh with a 5-1 victory in Game 6. With the only Eastern Conference team to finish ahead of the Penguins, the top-seeded Rangers is on the brink of elimination as they trail Ottawa, 3-2.

ESPN.com reports, “The Falcons have declined the opportunity to be featured in the HBO show “Hard Knocks.” The problem for this terrific show: The coaches we would most want to get an unfiltered look at would be unlikely to sign up. We don’t see Bill Belichick or Tom Coughlin welcoming a bunch of cameras behind the scenes.”

Facebook Timeline Panic Among Small Business Owners Nationwide Results In Unusual Daily Deal

Facebook has created yet another double edged sword for small business owners nationwide as the much anticipated Timeline changes took effect on March 30th, resulting in one of the most unusual daily deals to date. With all change comes initial resistance and apprehension, especially when it comes to the internet.

According to Michael Fauscette, an analyst with the research group IDC who follows social networks.”I think there is some pain that is going to happen, but you have to look at it from the overall perspective. I think it is a positive for most companies. It gives them a greater capability to promote their brand, and to really brand their pages and make them stand out.”

To meet the challenge of helping small business keep up with the new Facebook Timeline changes, renowned leader in social media management, Nike Media Group, has teamed up with OfferFuse.com to create a unique Daily Deal specifically designed to bring peace of mind to the marketplace.

“We saw a tremendous need to provide a valuable Facebook Timeline service for any (small) business wanting to capitalize on the huge social media trend,” stated Dan O’Connor of Nike Media Group. “Business owners need to be able to focus their attention on building and maintaining their business instead of being distracted by having to learn the ins and outs of the Timeline changes.”

Facebook declares that the massive transition to Timeline is going well, with more than 8 million brands and companies having already switched their pages to comply with the new format. According to Facebook, major companies and brands like Ben & Jerry’s, Dr Pepper and Ford have already bolstered their interaction with customers by using the Timeline features.

Small business owners should heed the changes to the marketplace and quickly adopt the Timeline changes in order to keep an edge over their local competition.

“We pledge to help any business, regardless of size or location, to not only improve their social media presence and customer loyalty but also their bottom line profits,” said O’Connor.

Any business needing a Facebook Timeline update or simply wanting to increase their customer base via social media is encouraged to visit Nike Media Group’s daily deal offer at  http://www.offerfuse.com/deals/facebook-timeline-deal/ 

Monumental Movie: Kirk Cameron Searches For America's National Treasure

As opening day approaches for the epic Monumental movie, actor Kirk Cameron makes startling discoveries while searching for America’s national treasure.

During a recent interview, Cameron shared a glimpse of his inspiration behind  Monumental, stating, “It’s hard for me to imagine, but I am now 41. Amazing. It seems like yesterday my poofy mullet and parachute pants were all the rage, and Prince had a #1 hit on the radio. Now I’m married to the most beautiful woman, raising six children, and living the American dream. Our country has changed so much since my days of fighting with Carol and Ben on TV. America has always been known as “the land of the free” and “the home of the brave.” It’s the richest, freest nation the world has ever seen. Everyone wants to live here. But as I look around, I’m left with a sinking feeling that America is losing her way. Big time. The soul of our country is sick, and history shows me we are headed for disaster if we don’t change course now.”

When asked about possible answers to the obvious problems currently facing the United States, Cameron went on to say, “I’ve been looking around for answers, but all I hear is noise. Everyone is pointing fingers at the Left or the Right, blaming Hollywood or Capitol Hill. Time is flying by too quickly for petty arguments. My children’s future won’t wait. I’ve got to do something now.”

“In the film I retrace the footsteps of our Founders from England to America in the hope of discovering our true “national treasure.” I wanted to listen to them, to learn from them. Our forefathers knew we were a forgetful people, that someday we would lose our way as a nation. So they left us “maps” that would guide us back to the source of America’s success. What I discovered is amazing!” stated Cameron.

Monumental take viewers through historic details of the United States that few even realize happened.

The film delivers hard hitting facts about America and discloses the whys and hows of the founders who first landed on our shores with the hope of building a great country. When asked what viewers will take away from this riveting story, Cameron passionately stated, “This is one of the most important journeys of my life. America is worth fighting for, and so are our families. We can still be a “city upon a hill,” but we need to work together. With God’s help, we can turn this thing around. It’s been said, “Footprints in history are not made sitting down,” and I couldn’t agree more. I hope that our children will mark this moment as the turning point when we stood up, came together, and reclaimed the true national treasure of America.”

For details about the Monumental movie, to buy tickets and a view the list of cities where the film will debut, visitors can visit http://monumentalmovie.com/