EYE THE TICKER

The Photo File...1-01-09

NASA: 'Lethal Trauma' Killed Shuttle Columbia Astronauts

WASHINGTON — (CNN)

When the first of many loud alarms sounded on the space shuttle Columbia, the seven astronauts had about a minute to live, though they didn't know it.

The pilot, William McCool, pushed several buttons trying to right the ship as it tumbled out of control. He didn't know it was futile.

Most of the crew were following NASA procedures, spending more time preparing the shuttle than themselves for the return to Earth.

Some weren't wearing their bulky protective gloves and still had their helmet visors open. Some weren't fully strapped in. One was barely seated.

In seconds, the darkened module holding the crew lost pressure. The astronauts blacked out. If the loss of pressure didn't kill them immediately, they would be dead from violent gyrations that knocked them about the ship.

In short, Columbia's astronauts were quickly doomed.

A new NASA report released Tuesday details the chaotic final minutes of Columbia, which disintegrated over Texas on Feb. 1, 2003.

The point of the 400-page analysis is to figure out how to make NASA's next spaceship more survivable. The report targeted problems with the spacesuits, restraints and helmets of the Columbia crew.

Many of the details about the astronauts' deaths have been known — they died either from lack of oxygen during pressure loss or from hitting something as the spacecraft tumbled and broke up.

However, the new report paints a more detailed picture of the final moments of the Columbia crew than the broader investigation into the accident five years ago.

Astronaut Pam Melroy, deputy study chief, said the analysis showed the astronauts were at their problem-solving best trying to recover Columbia, which was starting to crack up as it re-entered Earth's atmosphere with a hole in its left wing, damage that had occurred at liftoff.

"There was no way for them to know that it was going to be impossible."

The crew had lost control of the motion and direction of the spacecraft. It was pitching end-over-end, the cabin lights were out, and parts of the shuttle behind the crew compartment — including its wings — were falling off.

"It was a very disorienting motion going on," NASA deputy associate administrator Wayne Hale said in a telephone conference call. "There were a number of alarms going off simultaneously. The crew was trying very hard to regain control. We're talking about a brief time in a crisis situation."

The NASA study team is recommending 30 changes based on Columbia, many of them aimed at the spacesuits, helmets and seatbelts for both the shuttle and the next space capsule NASA is building.

"There was no way for them to know that it was going to be impossible."

The crew had lost control of the motion and direction of the spacecraft. It was pitching end-over-end, the cabin lights were out, and parts of the shuttle behind the crew compartment — including its wings — were falling off.

"It was a very disorienting motion going on," NASA deputy associate administrator Wayne Hale said in a telephone conference call. "There were a number of alarms going off simultaneously. The crew was trying very hard to regain control. We're talking about a brief time in a crisis situation."

The NASA study team is recommending 30 changes based on Columbia, many of them aimed at the spacesuits, helmets and seatbelts for both the shuttle and the next space capsule NASA is building.

Since the accident, NASA has quietly made astronauts put more priority on getting their protective suits on, Melroy said.

NASA's suits don't automatically pressurize, "a basic problem of suit design and it is one we intend to fix with future spacecraft," Hale said.

Had the astronauts had time to get their gear on and get their suits pressurized, they might have lived longer and been able to take more actions. But they still wouldn't have survived, the report notes.

The report lists events that were each potentially lethal to the crew: Loss of cabin pressure just before or as the cabin broke up; crew members, unconscious or already dead, crashing into objects in the module; exposure to a near vacuum at 100,000 feet; and crashing to the ground.

Killed in the Columbia disaster along with pilot McCool, were commander Rick Husband, Michael Anderson, David Brown, Kalpana Chawla, Laurel Clark, and Israel's first astronaut, Ilan Ramon.

Columbia was the second space shuttle NASA has lost. The hole in its wing was caused by a piece of foam insulation that broke off the fuel tank and slammed into it at launch.

The shuttle Challenger blew up shortly after liftoff on 1986, also claiming seven lives. Investigators in both accidents pointed to a NASA culture of ignoring problems that later turned fatal.

Viacom Threatens to Pull MTV From Time Warner if Deal Not Met

LOS ANGELES — (CNN)

Media giant Viacom Inc. is threatening to pull MTV, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon and 16 other channels from Time Warner Cable Inc. if a new carriage fee deal is not agreed upon by midnight Wednesday.

If realized, the move could shut off popular shows like "The Colbert Report" and "SpongeBob SquarePants" to 13 million subscribers, said spokesman Alex Dudley, a vice president at Time Warner Cable, the nation's second-largest cable operator.

"The issue is that they have asked for an exorbitant increase in their carriage fees and their network ratings are sagging," he said. "Basically we're trying to hold the line for our customer."

Viacom has asked for fee increases of between 22 and 36 percent per channel, adding up to tens of millions of dollars per year, an amount that could increase customers' cable bills, Dudley said.

Viacom replied in a statement that the increases would cost less than 25 cents a month per subscriber. It said that Americans spend a fifth of their TV time watching Viacom shows but its fees make up less than 2.5 percent of the Time Warner cable bill.

"We make this request because Time Warner Cable has so greatly undervalued our channels for so long," it said.

"Ultimately, however, if Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV and the rest of our programming is discontinued — over less than a penny per day — we believe viewers will see this behavior by their cable company as outrageous," it said.

Tense negotiations are continuing at the highest level, Dudley said.

WABC's Mark Simone Reports

WABC's Mark Simone will be substituting for Don Imus on Wednesday, Dec. 31 from 6:00 to 10:00 a.m. on 77 WABC New York.

Temperatures Could Drop to 50 Below Zero in Parts of Alaska

FAIRBANKS -(CNN)  Bitterly cold weather slid over from Canada and settled into Interior Alaska with forecasters saying temperatures could continue to slide to nearly 50 degrees below zero in coming days.

Over the weekend, the mercury at Fairbanks International Airport dropped to 39 degrees below zero. Areas in the Interior outside the city were even colder; 46 below on the Yukon Flats, 41 below in Fort Yukon and 44 below in Central, according to the weather service.

Rick Thoman, lead forecaster at the National Weather Service office in Fairbanks, said temperatures rose a few degrees on Sunday, but that was it.

"The temperature will probably continue to go up and down randomly," he said. "With no clouds and no wind on the valley floor, temperatures are pretty much probably going to be stuck."

Fairbanks had experienced a relatively mild winter prior to Christmas. It had only dropped to 30 below once, in early December.

The howling winds and frigid weather were too much for several mushers, including four-time Iditarod winner Jeff King and his dog team, who pulled out of the Gin Gin 200, a 200-mile race along the Denali Highway.

For the men, Brent Sass came in first, ahead of more well-known mushers such as four-time Yukon Quest and two-time Iditarod champion Lance Mackey who was fourth.

Mackey, resting Monday at the lodge in Paxson, said it was blowing so hard and the teams were getting so turned around by the wind that it almost made him laugh.

"It was almost comical. Your sled was going sideways down the road," he said.

Further down the trail, when temperatures dipped to 50 below, it wasn't so much fun, he said.

"There were a lot of people not wanting to put their teams through that," Mackey said. "It is all about the dogs in a situation like this... They get hardened by this stuff. That is why we do it."

The Photo File...12-31-08

          The Scheckner Family of New Jersey:

          

                               JOSHUA    and    HARLAN  SCHECKNER        

          

                JEFF SCHECKNER

 

 

 

Mia Farrow's Daughter Dead at 35

NEW YORK — (CNN)

Lark Previn, a daughter of actress Mia Farrow whose sister Soon-Yi Previn was at the center of Farrow's messy breakup with Woody Allen, has died. She was 35.

Lark Previn died Christmas Day at New York Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn, the medical examiner's office said. No cause of death was given. A cremation was held Tuesday at Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery.

Lark Previn was born in Vietnam in 1973. She was one of three children adopted by Farrow and her then-husband, conductor Andre Previn. The couple also had three biological children.

Representatives for Farrow and Previn didn't immediately return calls seeking comment.

Farrow adopted two children and had a biological son during her relationship with Allen. She starred in several of Allen's movies during their relationship, which ended in 1992 when she discovered that Allen was having an affair with her adopted daughter Soon-Yi, then 22.

The bitter custody battle that followed featured accusations by Farrow that Allen had sexually abused adopted daughter Dylan, 7. Allen was exonerated of the abuse charges but Farrow won sole custody of the children.

Soon-Yi Previn married Allen, who is 35 years her senior, in 1997. They have two adopted daughters.

Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick Fall Victim to Madoff Scheme

NEW YORK —(CNN)

Kevin Bacon and wife Kyra Sedgwick are among the many victims of the massive Ponzi scheme run by the disgraced New York money manager.

Bacon's publicist, Allen Eichhorn, confirmed Tuesday that the couple had investments with Madoff. He wouldn't say how much money Bacon, whose most recent film is "Frost/Nixon," and "The Closer" star Sedgwick might have lost.

Madoff told federal investigators that his investment business was "a lie" that lost as much as $50 billion.

Other Hollywood victims have included a charity linked to director Steven Spielberg and his DreamWorks partner Jeffrey Katzenberg, and screenwriter Eric Roth, whose credits include "Forrest Gump" and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."

Retail Rip-Offs in Food

Pre-Cut Produce

Pre-cut fruits and vegetables didn't even exist 10 years ago, but we spent more than $600 million on prepared salads alone last year. While grabbing pre-cut fruit and vegetables can help cut down on your time in the kitchen, that small convenience carries a big price. It's safe to say you are paying at least double the cost for pre-cut produce vs. buying their whole counterparts. Another negative -- you aren't getting all the vitamins you think. Tests have shown that pre-cut vegetables, for example, start losing their Vitamin C once they are cut!

Popcorn at the Movies

You don't need us to tell you that the price of popcorn at the movie theater amounts to highway robbery. But it might be even worse than you thought. According to a professor at the University of California-Irvine, you're paying a 1,300% markup on that tub of buttery popcorn! When you do the math, $5.50 for that bucket of popcorn makes an ounce of popcorn more expensive than filet mignon!

Eye-Level Grocery Items

Here's a great inside tip that we got from a store manager: you'll pay more for items at eye level on the grocery store shelves. Products with the highest markups get that prime shelf space because the grocery store gets a share of those fat profits. Less profitable products get high and low shelf space at the grocery store, so that's where you are likely to find the best bargains.

Brand Name Medication

Next time you are shopping for an over-the-counter medication (such as Tylenol or Nyquil), give a closer look to the generic versions next to them on the shelf. A general rule of thumb is that you'll pay 30-40% more for name brand medication vs. generics. Most of that cost difference is because of the money that brand name companies spend on marketing and packaging. Check the active ingredients on each box or bottle to be sure they are the same ingredients at the same dosages. If so, save big with the generic. If you have any questions, ask your pharmacist or doctor.

Non-Organic Produce at
Organic Grocery Stores

Just because produce is being offered at an organic store, this does NOT mean it's organic! Be sure to check the signs and labels before you buy. Non-organic produce often still carries a hefty markup at specialty stores. You could end up paying 30-50% more for the same non-organic apples or tomatoes you could get at your regular grocery store. Buyer beware—read the labels!

Restaurant Coffee

A plain 16 oz. cup of coffee at Dunkin Donuts costs $1.75. You'll pay at least that much for a much smaller cup at most restaurants. Consider that a plain 16 oz. cup at home will cost you about $0.55. We're not telling you not to enjoy that occasional coffee run. But just one cup of coffee a day at home rather than buying it out could save you $438 a year.

Restaurant French Fries

French fries are a big profit maker for restaurants. A 10 ounce potato makes about 90 french fries (that's about the serving size for large fries at a fast food restaurant). That potato costs about 30 cents, but brings the restaurant about $1.75.

 

California Woman Dies When Parachute Fails to Fully Open

PERRIS, Calif. —(CNN)  A woman from Newport Beach was killed at a popular Riverside County skydiving spot when her parachute failed to fully open.

The Riverside County coroner said Sunday that 33-year-old Brooke Baum, who friends said was an experienced skydiver, was killed after jumping from more than 12,000 feet above the Perris Valley Skydiving facility.

Baum was pronounced dead after she was found in an open field Friday. An autopsy was performed Sunday, but the results weren't immediately available.

Fighter Jet Crashes Near Marine Corps Base in North Carolina

HAVELOCK, N.C. — (CNN) A Marine fighter jet crashed Monday about a mile short of a runway at an eastern North Carolina air base, killing the pilot, a Marine Corps spokesman said.

The single-seat plane was returning to the base after a training flight when it crashed about 12:30 p.m. in an unpopulated area, Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point spokesman Mike Barton said. No one else was hurt, Barton said.

Local authorities say the crash, about a mile east of the base off N.C. Highway 101, did not affect the few homes in the area.

The pilot's identity was being withheld until next-of-kin was notified and an investigation had begun, Barton said. The AV-8B Harrier jet was assigned to Marine Attack Training Squadron 203.

Another Harrier crashed in February near Cherry Point, but the pilot wasn't injured. In May, a two-seat training model of the Harrier crashed in Arizona, but the pilots ejected safely.

Monday's crash comes the same month that a Marine jet crashed in a San Diego neighborhood near its base, killing four people on the ground.

WNCT-TV in Greenville reported that a hunter nearby said the jet was making an odd noise and belching smoke and flames before it crashed.

The Photo File...12-30-08

The Rolling Stones---Paint it Black

Plane Accidentally Starts With 6-Year-Old Inside

PALESTINE, Texas —(CNN)  Federal investigators are looking into an accident involving a small plane at an eastern Texas airfield that injured a 6-year-old girl.

Palestine fire officials said the girl was alone in the Cessna 150 when her 81-year-old grandfather, Virgil Fielden of Fairfield, manually started the engine of the two-seat plane Sunday afternoon.

Fire Capt. Kyle Betterton says the plane began rolling unexpectedly and crashed into nearby woods. He says it never left the grounds of Palestine Municipal Airport.

Betterton says the girl wasn't seriously injured but was airlifted to Children's Medical Center in Dallas as a precaution. Fielden was treated for minor injuries at a Palestine hospital.

Palestine is about 100 miles southeast of Dallas.

Israel At 'War to the Bitter End,' Strikes Key Hamas Sites

Israel's defense minister said Monday the country is engaged in a "war to the bitter end" against Hamas in the Gaza Strip and said the military operation against the terror group would continue and intensify.

"We have stretched our hand in peace many times to the Palestinian people. We have nothing against the people of Gaza," Ehud Barak said to a special session of parliament. "But this is an all-out war against Hamas and its branches. The restraint that we have demonstrated is the source of our strength when it is time to fight."

Israel's air force obliterated symbols of Hamas power on the third day of its overwhelming Gaza assault, striking a house next to the Hamas premier's home, devastating a security compound and flattening a five-story building at a university closely linked to the Islamic terror group.

Israel declared areas around the Gaza Strip a "closed military zone," citing the risk from retaliatory Palestinian rocket fire.

The closure could also help Israel mount a surprise ground assault, should it be ordered. A military spokesman told Reuters the new policy meant that civilians, including journalists, may be barred from a buffer zone of 1 to 2 miles from Gaza.

A Hamas police spokesman, Ehab Ghussein, said 180 members of the Hamas security forces were among the dead. The United Nations agency in charge of Palestinian refugees said at least 51 of the dead were civilians. The three-day death toll rose to 320, including seven children under the age of 15 who were killed in two separate strikes late Sunday and Monday, medics said.

Israel launched the deadliest attack against Palestinians in decades on Saturday in retaliation for rocket fire aimed at civilians in southern Israeli towns.

Israel is trying to avoid civilian casualties, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni told reporters Monday, while "Hamas is looking for children to kill."

"Hamas is targeting deliberately kindergartens and schools and citizens and civilians because this is according to their values. Our values are completely different. We are trying to target Hamas, which hides among civilians," Livni said.

The strikes appear to have gravely damaged Hamas' ability to launch rockets, but one medium-range rocket fired at the Israeli city of Ashkelon killed a man there Monday and wounded several others. It was the second fatality in Israel since the beginning of the offensive, and the first person ever to be killed by a rocket in Ashkelon, a city of 120,000.

On Sunday, Hamas missiles struck for the first time near the city of Ashdod, twice as far from Gaza as Ashkelon and only 25 miles from Israel's heart in Tel Aviv.

At first light Monday, strong winds blew black smoke from the bombed sites in Gaza City over deserted streets. The air hummed with the buzz of pilotless drones and the roar of jets, punctuated by the explosions of new airstrikes.

Most of those killed since Saturday were members of Hamas security forces, though the precise numbers remain unclear. The U.N. agency in charge of Palestinian refugees said at least 51 of the dead were civilians. A rise in civilian casualties could intensify international pressure on Israel to abort the offensive.

A group of Iranian hardline clerics volunteered to fight in the Gaza Strip in response to Israel's air strikes, the Fars news agency reported on Monday.

WABC's Mark Simone Filling in For Imus All Week, Dec. 29 - Jan. 2

Mark Simone will be filling in for Imus all week on 77 WABC New York from 6 - 10 a.m. 

                      

 

 

Top 100 Hits of 1979

1. My Sharona, The Knack 2. Bad Girls, Donna Summer 3. Le Freak, Chic 4. Da Ya Think I'm Sexy, Rod Stewart 5. Reunited, Peaches and Herb 6. I Will Survive, Gloria Gaynor 7. Hot Stuff, Donna Summer 8. Y.M.C.A., Village People 9. Ring My Bell, Anita Ward 10. Sad Eyes, Robert John 11. Too Much Heaven, Bee Gees 12. MacArthur Park, Donna Summer 13. When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman, Dr. Hook 14. Makin' It, David Naughton 15. Fire, Pointer Sisters 16. Tragedy, Bee Gees 17. A Little More Love, Olivia Newton-John 18. Heart Of Glass, Blondie 19. What A Fool Believes, Doobie Brothers 20. Good Times, Chic 21. You Don't Bring Me Flowers, Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond 22. Knock On Wood, Amii Stewart 23. Stumblin' In, Suzi Quatro and Chris Norman 24. Lead Me On, Maxine Nightingale 25. Shake Your Body, Jacksons 26. Don't Cry Out Loud, Melissa Manchester 27. The Logical Song, Supertramp 28. My Life, Billy Joel 29. Just When I Needed You Most, Randy Vanwarmer 30. You Can't Change That, Raydio 31. Shake Your Groove Thing, Peaches and Herb 32. I'll Never Love This Way Again, Dionne Warwick 33. Love You Inside Out, Bee Gees 34. I Want You To Want Me, Cheap Trick 35. The Main Event (Fight), Barbra Streisand 36. Mama Can't Buy You Love, Elton John 37. I Was Made For Dancin', Leif Garrett 38. After The Love Has Gone, Earth, Wind and Fire 39. Heaven Knows, Donna Summer and Brooklyn Dreams 40. The Gambler, Kenny Rogers 41. Lotta Love, Nicolette Larson 42. Lady, Little River Band 43. Heaven Must Have Sent You, Bonnie Pointer 44. Hold The Line, Toto 45. He's The Greatest Dancer, Sister Sledge 46. Sharing The Night Together, Dr. Hook 47. She Believes In Me, Kenny Rogers 48. In The Navy, Village People 49. Music Box Dancer, Frank Mills 50. The Devil Went Down To Georgia, Charlie Daniels Band 51. Gold, John Stewart 52. Goodnight Tonight, Wings 53. We Are Family, Sister Sledge 54. Rock 'N' Roll Fantasy, Bad Company 55. Every 1's A Winner, Hot Chocolate 56. Take Me Home, Cher 57. Boogie Wonderland, Earth, Wind and Fire 58. (Our Love) Don't Throw It All Away, Andy Gibb 59. What You Won't Do For Love, Bobby Caldwell 60. New York Groove, Ace Frehley 61. Sultans Of Swing, Dire Straits 62. I Want Your Love, Chic 63. Chuck E's In Love, Rickie Lee Jones 64. I Love The Night Life, Alicia Bridges 65. Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now, McFadden and Whitehead 66. Lonesome Loser, Little River Band 67. Renegade, Styx 68. Love Is The Answer, England Dan and John Ford Coley 69. Got To Be Real, Cheryl Lynn 70. Born To Be Alive, Patrick Hernandez 71. Shine A Little Love, Electric Light Orchestra 72. I Just Fall In Love Again, Anne Murray 73. Shake It, Ian Matthews 74. I Was Made For Lovin' You, Kiss 75. I Just Wanna Stop, Gino Vannelli 76. Disco Nights, G.Q. 77. Ooh Baby Baby, Linda Ronstadt 78. September, Earth, Wind and Fire 79. Time Passages, Al Stewart 80. Rise, Herb Alpert 81. Don't Bring Me Down, Electric Light Orchestra 82. Promises, Eric Clapton 83. Get Used To It, Roger Voudouris 84. How Much I Feel, Ambrosia 85. Suspicions, Eddie Rabbitt 86. You Take My Breath Away, Rex Smith 87. How You Gonna See Me Now, Alice Cooper 88. Double Vision, Foreigner 89. Every Time I Think Of You, Babys 90. I Got My Mind Made Up, Instant Funk 91. Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough, Michael Jackson 92. Bad Case Of Lovin' You, Robert Palmer 93. Somewhere In The Night, Barry Manilow 94. We've Got Tonite, Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band 95. Dance The Night Away, Van Halen 96. Dancing Shoes, Nigel Olsson 97. The Boss, Diana Ross 98. Sail On, Commodores 99. I Do Love You, G.Q. 100. Strange Way, Firefall

Oldest U.S. Man Dies of Heart Failure at 112

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —(CNN)  The nation's oldest man has died at 112.

The son of George Francis says his father died Saturday of congestive heart failure at a nursing home in Sacramento.

The son, 81-year-old Anthony Francis, says his father was born on June 6, 1896 in New Orleans, and that his only wife, Josephine Johnson Francis, died at age 63 in 1964.

UCLA gerontologist Dr. Stephen Coles, who maintains a list of the world's oldest people, says Francis was the oldest man living in the U.S., at 112 years and 204 days. Coles says the oldest living person in the world is Maria de Jesus of Portugal, who is 115 years and 109 days old.

The Photo File...12-29-08

Miami Dolphins Complete Turnaround, Capture AFC East

The rookie coach stood in front of his team inside the visiting locker room of the Meadowlands, pausing in silence for nearly 10 seconds as he choked back tears on this unforgettable day in Dolphins history.

He wanted to tell his players the biggest lesson that could come from all of this, the one aspect of this thrilling season that can transcend even sports, but coach Tony Sparano first needed to collect himself. Eventually, he did.

''Don't ever let anybody say that you can't,'' Sparano said.

Perhaps no team in NFL history has proven to believe that mantra more than this one.

As a result of a 24-17 win against the Jets on Sunday -- and a season that included 10 other Sunday afternoons that ended much the same -- Sparano and his storybook squad has masterfully crafted one of the greatest turnarounds sports has ever seen.

''AFC East Champions,'' Sparano said to his players. ``How does that sound? Why not the Dolphins?''

One year ago, it would have sounded ridiculous and unrealistic. But now, those were the very words printed on hats and T-shirts worn by Dolphins players. Miami is headed to the playoffs for the first time since 2001.

Don't ever let anybody say that you can't.

Quarterback Chad Pennington knows that much. He returned to the stadium of the team that dumped him just four months ago, playing with poise and efficiency as he dismantled the Jets with 22 completions on 30 pass attempts for 200 yards and plenty of vindication.

''He fell down, but he got back up,'' wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr., who was the recipient of a 27-yard touchdown pass and another 44-yard on a flea-flicker. ``He's still working, and he's still playing. He came here, took over and we got behind him as a team.''

Don't ever let anybody say that you can't.

Cornerback André Goodman knows that, too. During a season when he battled to find his identity on the field while dealing with personal issues away from it, one of the team's most inspirational leaders has played like a Pro Bowler during the past two games.

He had two critical interceptions Sunday, picking off a pair of Brett Favre's passes to add to a total of three picks and seven passes defensed in the past two games.

''It doesn't get any better than this,'' Goodman said. ``Just to be able to share this with all of these guys that went through [last season] with me, it's amazing. It's not about me, but it feels great to contribute.''

Pennington was the leader on offense, and Goodman was the leader on defense -- but this was a game won through the discipline of the entire team.

This win wasn't always easy, and it didn't always seem as if it would even happen.

That much was clear when running back Ricky Williams dropped an open pass on one Wildcat play, and it was further emphasized when running back Ronnie Brown's pass attempt on another Wildcat play fluttered far from his intended target.

But suddenly, with the Dolphins' focus still intact, all of that changed in 13 seconds. First, Pennington completed a 27-yard touchdown to Ginn in the corner of the end zone.

Then, on Favre's first play of the following offensive series, defensive end Phillip Merling intercepted a pass and returned it for 25-yard touchdown. Once again, the Dolphins would use the momentum to carry them.

And once again, they would survive in the end.

''It was a tough game, which is the way we've been playing them for the past six or seven weeks,'' Sparano said. ``Our guys made some plays in some critical situations.''

And as a result, the Dolphins will continue to need more of the same. While Sunday's celebration was certainly deserved, it also needs to be short-lived. Miami's playoff journey begins Sunday at 1 p.m. against the Baltimore Ravens.

''We have a new set of goals right now,'' Sparano said.

While Sunday's locker room scene included plenty of smiles and hooting and hollering, it also included one very serious moment from nose tackle Jason Ferguson. It was time to set another goal.

The Super Bowl will be played in Tampa on Feb. 1.

''We've got work to do,'' Ferguson said. ``Everybody is happy, but we have a bigger goal now. It's obvious: We're trying to get to Tampa. And we've got enough to do it.''

Just like Sparano said: Don't ever let anybody say that you can't.

World Journal: This report from Jeff Darlington.

Storm Triggers Power Outage On Hawaiian Island Of Oahu

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Emergency crews were working to restore electrical service to Honolulu and across most of the Hawaiian island of Oahu following a storm packing heavy rain and lightning Friday night, reports said. Some 800,000 residents and thousands of tourists, including President-elect Barack Obama, were affected by the outage. The storm triggered failures in a pair of power generators operated by Hawaiian Electric.

WABC Saturday Night Oldies...December 27, 2008

Time Title Artist Year
1. 6:07 Rainy Day Women #12 & 35--Bob Dylan 1966
2. 6:12 Band of Gold--Freda Payne 1970

6:16 Fake Break

6:17 Jack Webb "Dragnet" clip

3. 6:19 She's Not There--The Zombies 1964
4. 6:27 War--Edwin Starr 1970

WABC legends clips:
6:31 Dan Ingram
6:33 Harry Harrison
6:36 Cousin Brucie

5. 6:40 Down in the Boondocks--Billy Joe Royal 1965

6:43 Eartha Kitt (clip)

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The Post-game Show

6. 9:30 Bang a Gong (Get it On)--T Rex 1972
7. 9:35 Band on the Run--Paul McCartney & Wings 1974
8. 9:44 Glad All Over--The Dave Clark Five 1964
9. 9:47 More Today than Yesterday--The Spiral Starecase 1969
10. 9:50 We Don't Talk Anymore--Cliff Richards 1979
11. 9:54 Mony, Mony--Tommy James and the Shondells 1968
12. 9:58 Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye--Steam 1969

The Photo File...12-28-08