GOSSIP GAZER ONLINE

A small group associated with a fringe Christian church in Florida is planning to burn Qurans on Sept. 11 -- and is now the subject of outraged protests in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, the top U.S. military commander in Afghanistan warned that the anti-Islamic action could hurt troops in the volatile region. "It could endanger troops and it could endanger the overall effort," Gen. David Petraeus http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703713504575475500753093116.htm... ">told the Wall Street Journal . "It is precisely the kind of action the Taliban uses and could cause significant problems. Not just here, but everywhere in the world we are engaged with the Islamic community." Florida pastor Terry Jones, who leads a small group of 50 worshipers, said they would forge ahead with plans for the Quran-burning, even though the city of Gainesville has refused him a permit for the protest.   About 500 protesters in Kabul burned an effigy of Jone...

A small group associated with a fringe Christian church in Florida is planning to burn Qurans on Sept. 11 -- and is now the subject of outraged protests in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, the top U.S. military commander in Afghanistan warned that the anti-Islamic action could hurt troops in the volatile region. "It could endanger troops and it could endanger the overall effort," Gen. David Petraeus told the Wall Street Journal . "It is precisely the kind of action the Taliban uses and could cause significant problems. Not just here, but everywhere in the world we are engaged with the Islamic community." Florida pastor Terry Jones, who leads a small group of 50 worshipers, said they would forge ahead with plans for the Quran-burning, even though the city of Gainesville has refused him a permit for the protest. About 500 protesters in Kabul burned an effigy of Jones and shouted ...

AP – Rev. Terry Jones at the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Fla., Monday, Aug. 30, 2010. Jones … Slideshow: Quran Burning Debate http://news.yahoo.com/video/us-15749625/21778756 " class="media media1"> http://news.yahoo.com/video/us-15749625/21778756 " class="media media1"> Play Video http://news.yahoo.com/video/us-15749625/21778756 "> Terrorism Video: America Overreacting to 9/11? FOX News http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/21754175 " class="media media1"> http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/21754175 " class="media media1"> Play Video http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/21754175 "> Terrorism Video: Iraqi Military Targeted by Terrorist FOX News GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A Christian minister vowed Tuesday to go ahead with plans to burn copies of the Quran to protest the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks despite warnings fr...

AP – Rev. Terry Jones at the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Fla., Monday, Aug. 30, 2010. Jones … Slideshow: Quran Burning Debate Play Video Terrorism Video: America Overreacting to 9/11? FOX News Play Video Terrorism Video: Iraqi Military Targeted by Terrorist FOX News GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A Christian minister vowed Tuesday to g...

How's this sound for a slate of candidates? A homeless tarot card reader, "Grandpa" the pedicab driver and a 20-year-old street performer. Those are the Green Party political hopefuls whom Republican operative Steve May has recruited to run for office in Arizona, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/07/us/politics/07candidates.html?_r=1&hp ">the New York Times reports . While the state's community of tarot enthusiasts is unlikely to sway any elections, May insists that he hasn't engaged in any political trickery. "Did I recruit candidates? Yes," May told the Times. "Are they fake candidates? No way." May also openly concedes that his recruits, who are running for various state offices, "may siphon some support from the Democrats," according to the newspaper. Arizona Democrats evidently believe the same thing. State party officials have filed a complaint to remove May's candidates from the ballot. Meanwhi...

How's this sound for a slate of candidates? A homeless tarot card reader, "Grandpa" the pedicab driver and a 20-year-old street performer. Those are the Green Party political hopefuls whom Republican operative Steve May has recruited to run for office in Arizona, the New York Times reports . While the state's community of tarot enthusiasts is unlikely to sway any elections, May insists that he hasn't engaged in any political trickery. "Did I recruit candidates? Yes," May told the Times. "Are they fake candidates? No way." May also openly concedes that his recruits, who are running for various state offices, "may siphon some support from the Democrats," according to the newspaper. Arizona Democrats evidently believe the same thing. State party officials have filed a complaint to remove May's candidates from the ballot. Meanwhile, the state's Green Party...

Has President Obama been listening to a lot of Jimi Hendrix lately?  With just under two months to go before Election Day, Obama kicked off the fall campaign season Monday with an aggressive speech targeting Republicans. But it was an off-script moment in the speech that's attracted the most attention, as Obama accused his GOP critics of talking about him "like a dog." "Some powerful interests who had been dominating the agenda in Washington for a very long time -- and they're not always happy with me -- they talk about me like a dog. That's not in my prepared remarks, but it's true," Obama said during a speech at Wisconsin's Laborfest on Monday. Watch Obama's remarks (the Hendrix quote is a little more than a minute in, at 1:13):   Though Obama didn't acknowledge it, the line was a http://littlegreenfootballs.com/article/37117_President_Obama_Quotes_Jimi_Hen... " target="_blank">verbatim quote from ...

Has President Obama been listening to a lot of Jimi Hendrix lately? With just under two months to go before Election Day, Obama kicked off the fall campaign season Monday with an aggressive speech targeting Republicans. But it was an off-script moment in the speech that's attracted the most attention, as Obama accused his GOP critics of talking about him "like a dog." "Some powerful interests who had been dominating the agenda in Washington for a very long time -- and they're not always happy with me -- they talk about me like a dog. That's not in my prepared remarks, but it's true," Obama said during a speech at Wisconsin's Laborfest on Monday. Watch Obama's remarks (the Hendrix quote is a little more than a minute in, at 1:13): Though Obama didn't acknowledge it, the line was a verbatim quote from " Stone Free ," the first song Hendrix wrote after...

http://news.yahoo.com/video/politics-15749652/21778371 " class="media media3s video"> http://news.yahoo.com/video/politics-15749652/21778371 " class="media media3s video"> Play Video ABC News  – U.S. General Warns Against Burning Koran Slideshow: Koran Burning Debate http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/21770333 " class="media media1"> http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/21770333 " class="media media1"> Play Video http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/21770333 "> Video: Protesters denounce pastor's plan to burn Quran AP http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/21752667 " class="media media1"> http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/21752667 " class="media media1"> Play Video http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/21752667 "> Video: Blast amid prayers in Afghanistan Reuters A...

Play Video ABC News – U.S. General Warns Against Burning Koran Slideshow: Koran Burning Debate Play Video Video: Protesters denounce pastor's plan to burn Quran AP Play Video Video: Blast amid prayers in Afghanistan Reuters AP – Afghan protesters step on a U.S. flag during a demonstration against the United ...

The Heisman Trophy Trust is expected to strip former University of Southern California star running back Reggie Bush of college football’s top honor by the end of September, sources told Yahoo! Sports. Bush would become the first player in the 75-year history of the award to have the trophy taken away. The NCAA found major violations in the Trojans’ football program in June and levied serious sanctions against the school. Two sources close to the Heisman trust said the body’s investigation is coming to a close, and will ultimately concur with the NCAA’s determination that Bush was ineligible during his Heisman-winning season in 2005. Because of that independent conclusion, sources said the trust will relieve Bush of the award and leave the honor for that season vacant. The sources said Bush met with Heisman representatives last month at the New York law offices of Emmet, Marvin & Martin. The sources would not reveal details of that meeting. ...

The Heisman Trophy Trust is expected to strip former University of Southern California star running back Reggie Bush of college football’s top honor by the end of September, sources told Yahoo! Sports. Bush would become the first player in the 75-year history of the award to have the trophy taken away. The NCAA found major violations in the Trojans’ football program in June and levied serious sanctions against the school. Two sources close to the Heisman trust said the body’s investigation is coming to a close, and will ultimately concur with the NCAA’s determination that Bush was ineligible during his Heisman-winning season in 2005. Because of that independent conclusion, sources said the trust will relieve Bush of the award and leave the honor for that season vacant. The sources said Bush met with Heisman representatives last month at the New York law offices of Emmet, Marvin & Martin. The sources would not reveal details of that meeting. ...

AP – With a five star hotel in the background, a man walks by restored Roman pillar tombs of the ancient city …   Slideshow: Ancient Egyptian City of Leukaspis MARINA, Egypt – Today, it's a sprawl of luxury vacation homes where Egypt's wealthy play on the white beaches of the Mediterranean coast. But 2,000 years ago, this was a thriving Greco-Roman port city, boasting villas of merchants grown rich on the wheat and olive trade. The ancient city, known as Leukaspis or Antiphrae, was hidden for centuries after it was nearly wiped out by a fourth century tsunami that devastated the region. More recently, it was nearly buried under the modern resort of Marina in a development craze that turned this coast into the summer playground for Egypt's elite. Nearly 25 years after its discovery, Egyptian authorities are preparing to open ancient Leukaspis' tombs, villas and city streets to visitors...

AP – With a five star hotel in the background, a man walks by restored Roman pillar tombs of the ancient city … Slideshow: Ancient Egyptian City of Leukaspis MARINA, Egypt – Today, it's a sprawl of luxury vacation homes where Egypt's wealthy play on the white beaches of the Mediterranean coast. But 2,000 years ago, this was a thriving Greco-Roman port city, boasting villas of merchants grown rich on the wheat and olive trade. The ancient city, known as Leukaspis or Antiphrae, was hidden for cen...

AP – FILE - In this Nov. 5, 2006 file photo, Congolese men push a pirogue across the Congo river between Congo's … KINSHASA, Congo – In a country of dense rain forests with few paved roads, boarding an overcrowded boat on a treacherous river is simply a way of life. This weekend, journeys on the dangerous waterways stole the lives of up to 270 people. Since barely anyone can afford to fly, travelers in Congo ride on boats and barges not intended for people, sleeping at night next to sacks of maize and piles of timber amid the stench of fish. There is no such thing as maximum occupancy: Boat operators try to make as much money as they can, frequently overloading the vessels with passengers and cargo. "You get scared with the traveling conditions, but you put it in prayer for God to help you reach your destination," said Emery Makumeno, a Congolese journalist who has traveled by boat. The Congo River is the o...