How the U.S. Found and Killed Osama bin Laden

WASHINGTON – U.S. forces finally found al Qaeda leader Osama bin laden not in a mountain cave on Afghanistan's border, but with his youngest wife in a million-dollar compound in a summer resort just over an hour's drive from Pakistan's capital, U.S. officials said.

The elite troops , wearing night-vision goggles, came under almost immediate fire as they entered Osama bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad, a town 35 miles north of Islamabad, the Pakistani capital, U.S. officials said Monday.

U.S. forces were led to the fortress-like three-story building after more than four years tracking one of bin Laden's most trusted couriers, whom U.S. officials said was identified by men captured after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

The SEALs battled their way through the first floor. They made it to the upper floors, where they found the man who had eluded American forces for so long. The troops had orders to take bin Laden alive only if he posed no threat to American soldiers. But bin Laden refused to give himself up. That’s when he was shot in a bedroom — only minutes into the raid — ending a 10-year manhunt.

Bin Laden was finally found -- more than 9-1/2 years after the 2001 attacks on the United States -- after authorities discovered in August 2010 that the courier lived with his brother and their families in an unusual and extremely high-security building, officials said.

They said the courier and his brother were among those killed in the raid.

President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and members of the national security team watched a live feed of the raid in the White House Situation Room, officials said.

“The world is safer. It is a better place because of the death of Osama bin Laden,” Obama said 12 hours after announcing the terrorist’s death.

The building, about eight times the size of other nearby houses, sat on a large plot of land that was relatively secluded when it was built in 2005. When it was constructed, it was on the outskirts of Abbottabad's center, at the end of a dirt road, but some other homes have been built nearby in the six years since it went up, officials said.

The town where bin Laden was living is Abbottabad, and his home was within walking distance of the Pakistan Military Academy, the West Point for the Pakistani Army. The town is also home to many current and retired Pakistani army officials, and analysts on Monday were questioning how such a well-appointed, secure facility as bin Laden’s home could be built in such a populated, militarized area without anyone in the Pakistani Army becoming aware of it.

Everything we saw, the extremely elaborate operational security, the brothers' background and their behavior and the location of the compound itself was perfectly consistent with what our experts expected bin Laden's hide-out to look like," another Obama administration official said.

Abbottabad is a popular summer resort, located in a valley surrounded by green hills near Pakistani Kashmir. Islamist militants, particularly those fighting in Indian-controlled Kashmir, used to have training camps near the town.

40 minutes to capture or kill: Timeline, history of Osama bin Laden raid

(States Twitter)-Reporting from Abbottabad, Pakistan— After landing by helicopter at the Pakistani compound housing Osama bin Laden early Monday, local time, the U.S. special operations team tasked with capturing or killing the Al Qaeda leader found itself in an almost continuous gun battle.

For the next 40 minutes, the team cleared the two buildings within the fortified compound in Abbottabad, north of Islamabad, trying to reach bin Laden and his family, who lived on the second and third floors of the largest structure, senior Defense and intelligence officials said Monday.

Bin Laden "resisted" and was killed by U.S. gunfire in the larger building toward the end of the operation. He fired on the assault team, a U.S. official said, and may have tried to use his wife as a shield. Other officials said disputed that Bin Laden fired a weapon. A woman also was killed, but it was not Bin Laden's wife, officials said.

This wasn't an execution," one U.S. official later said. "The assessment going into it was that it's highly unlikely that's he's going to be taken alive, but if he decided to lay down his arms, he would have been taken captive."

Bin Laden's body was taken to the aircraft carrier Carl Vinson in the northern part of the Arabian Sea and buried at sea Monday at around 1 a.m. EDT.

The funeral was conducted using what a Pentagon official said were "traditional procedures for Islamic burials."

The body was washed and placed in a white sheet on a flat board as a U.S. military chaplain read remarks that were translated into Arabic. Then the board was lifted up, the official said, and the "deceased body eased into the sea." The funeral was conducted on the ship's hangar deck, which is at the waterline.

ey information that enabled the Central Intelligence Agency to eventually identify the courier came from detainees held by the U.S., according to senior intelligence officials, and crucial information came from interrogations years ago of 9/11 mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, officials said. Mohammed had been subjected to waterboarding and other brutal interrogation methods.

"We were able to get pieces of information from detainees," the official said. "That took years, and these guys don't give it up all willingly.

How the U.S. tracked down bin Laden

It was a $1 million complex, in an affluent neighborhood of mostly military retirees 35 miles north of Islamabad in Pakistan.

It was those sometimes controversial interrogations that first produced descriptions of members of bin Laden’s courier network, including one critical Middle Eastern courier who along with his brother was protecting bin Laden at his heavily fortified compound in Abbottabad on Sunday. Both the courier and his brother were among those killed, along with bin Laden, in the dramatic raid by U.S. special forces.

Half a world away in the White House Situation Room, the president and his war council crowded around a table covered with briefing papers and keyboards and watched nervously as video feeds streamed in. The special forces team needed a rescue chopper. Gunfire was blazing around them. No one wanted another "Black Hawk Down" debacle.

The officials would not allow their names to be used in discussing the sensitive intelligence and military details of an operation that began Friday morning at 8:20 a.m. ET. Obama, on his way to view tornado damage in Alabama, made the decision to send a small U.S. team in helicopters into the compound to go after bin Laden.

The extraordinary drama surrounding the killing of Bin Laden encompassed the White House, the CIA and other arms of America's vast national security apparatus. The tale is part detective story, part spy thriller. But the decade-old manhunt for the Al Qaeda leader ultimately came down to a three-story building on a dirt road in the Pakistani army town of Abbottabad, north of Islamabad.

The place had no phone or Internet service. The residents, who included the courier and his brother and their families, burned their garbage instead of putting out for collection like everyone else.

It has 18-foot walls, two security gates, and no exterior windows. On a third-floor balcony, there were 7-foot high privacy walls.

As reports flowed into the White House, the commando team methodically swept through the compound. Bin Laden and his family lived on the second and third floors of the largest structure, U.S. intelligence indicated. Officials said that when the commandos found him there, he was armed and "resisted." They shot him in the head and chest.

They sent in a small team — they did not say who made up the team or how many members it had — in helicopters. A firefight ensued when bin Laden resisted and he, the couriers and several others were killed, possibly including bin Laden's son.

In the course of events, one of the helicopters went down because of mechanical trouble. Those aboard it were able to destroy it and get away with their fellow team members.

In addition, the raiding party took "a large volume of information" from the compound, a U.S. official said, "so large that the CIA is standing up a task force" to examine it for clues. The material, which includes digital and paper files, could be a treasure trove of new intelligence about Al Qaeda, the official said. Among other things, officials hope the information will lead them to Al Qaeda's other leaders.

They left behind the bodies of four other people killed in the raid — a courier they had been tracking for years, his brother, one of Bin Laden's sons and an unidentified woman.

The U.S. government doesn't officially acknowled the existence of SEAL Team 6, but it is well-known as an elite team designed specifically for counterterrorism missions. The team is trained to conduct lightning strikes under a variety of conditions.

Find the courier, the thinking went, and they'd ultimately find Bin Laden.

Interrogators at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay were pushed to ask Al Qaeda suspects in custody about possible couriers. The information came in pieces, a U.S. official said, and it took years.

Pakistan

Pakistan, پاکِستان, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ,اسلامی جمہوریۂ پاکِستان, is a parliamentary republic and sovereign state in South Asia. It has a 1,046-kilometre (650 mi) coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. Tajikistan also lies very close to Pakistan but is separated by the narrow Wakhan Corridor. Strategically it is located in a position between the important regions of South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East.

The region forming modern Pakistan was the site of several ancient cultures including the neolithic Mehrgarh and the bronze era Indus Valley Civilisation. Subsequently it was the recipient of Vedic, Persian, Indo-Greek, Islamic, Turco-Mongol, and Sikh cultures through several invasions and/or settlements. As a result the area has remained a part of numerous empires and dynasties including the Persian empires, Islamic caliphates and the Mauryan, Mongol, Mughal, Sikh and British Empires. Pakistan gained independence from the British Empire in 1947 after a struggle for independence, led by Mohammad Ali Jinnah, that sought independent states for the Muslim majority populations of the eastern and western regions of British India. With the adoption of its constitution in 1956, Pakistan became an Islamic republic. In 1971, an armed conflict in East Pakistan resulted in the creation of Bangladesh.

Pakistan is a federal parliamentary republic consisting of four provinces and four federal territories. With over 170 million people, it is the sixth most populous country in the world and has the second largest Muslim population after Indonesia. It is an ethnically and linguistically diverse country with a similar variation in its geography and wildlife. With a semi-industrialized economy, it is the 27th largest in the world in terms of purchasing power. Since gaining independence, Pakistan's history has been characterised by periods of military rule, political instability and conflicts with neighbouring India. The country faces challenging problems including terrorism, poverty, illiteracy and corruption.

Pakistan has the seventh largest standing armed force and is the only Muslim-majority nation to possess nuclear weapons. It is designated as a major non-NATO ally of the United States. It is a founding member of the Organization of the Islamic Conference and a member of the United Nations, Commonwealth of Nations, Next Eleven economies and the G20 developing nations.

Economy of Pakistan

Pakistan has a semi-industrialized economy.The growth poles of the Pakistani economy are situated along the Indus River.Diversified economies of Karachi and Punjab's urban centres, coexist with lesser developed areas in other parts of the country. Despite being a very poor country in 1947, Pakistan's economic growth rate has been better than the global average during the subsequent four decades, but imprudent policies led to a slowdown in the late 1990s.

Recently, wide-ranging economic reforms have resulted in a stronger economic outlook and accelerated growth especially in the manufacturing and financial services sectors.Since the 1990s, there has been great improvement in the foreign exchange position and rapid growth in hard currency reserves.

The 2005 estimate of foreign debt was close to US$40 billion. However, this has decreased in recent years with assistance from the International Monetary Fund and significant debt-relief from the United States. Pakistan's gross domestic product, as measured by purchasing power parity, is estimated to be $475.4 billion while its per capita income stands at $2,942. The poverty rate in Pakistan is estimated to be between 23% and 28%.

GDP growth was steady during the mid-2000s at a rate of 7%; however, slowed down during the Economic crisis of 2008 to 4.7%. A large inflation rate of 24.4% and a low savings rate, and other economic factors, continue to make it difficult to sustain a high growth rate. Pakistan's GDP is US$167 billions, which makes it the 48th-largest economy in the world or 27th largest by purchasing power adjusted exchange rates. Today, Pakistan is regarded as to having the second largest economy in South Asia.

The structure of the Pakistani economy has changed from a mainly agricultural base to a strong service base. Agriculture now only accounts for roughly 20% of the GDP, while the service sector accounts for 53% of the GDP. Significant foreign investments have been made in several areas including telecommunications, real estate and energy. Other important industries include apparel and textiles (accounting for nearly 60% of exports), food processing, chemicals manufacture, and the iron and steel industries. Pakistan's exports in 2008 amounted to $20.62 billion (USD) Pakistan is a rapidly developing country.

However, the economic crisis of 2008 led Pakistan to seek more than $100 billion in aid in order to avoid possible bankruptcy. This was never given to Pakistan and it had to depend on a more aggressive fiscal policy, backed by the IMF. A year later, Asian Development Bank reported that the Pakistan economic crisis was easing. Furthermore it is projected that in 2010 Pakistan economy would grow at least 4% and could grow more with strong international economic recovery.

Special election to replace Nevada Rep. Dean Heller

Special election to fill Rep. Dean Heller's (R-Nev.) seat will be a free-for-all with candidates allowed to compete without securing their party's nomination.

Nevada Secretary of State Ross Miller, a Democrat, announced Monday the Sept. 13 special election will be open for all comers, which could give his party an edge.

The decision is expected to spark a lawsuit by the Republican Party, which fears that if several Republicans run for the seat in a race against one or two Democrats, then a Democrat conceivably could win.

Dean is an experienced representative who is ready for the responsibilities of this office, and who will work hard, not just for Nevada, but for the entire nation," Sandoval said.

The new GOP governor, who was elected on a pledge not to raise taxes, praised Heller for similar thinking.

Spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee called the decision a "blatantly partisan ruling from Harry Reid’s political machine" that will lead to "what will surely be a long and drawn out process.

Miller, a Democrat, said he made the decision after consulting with the state attorney general's office. He said his decision was based strictly on the law and cases from other states, and it had nothing to do with his party.

here is a lot of hard work ahead to get our state and nation moving in the right direction," Heller said. "Nevadans across our state have been struggling with job loss, high gas prices, and foreclosure. There is no question that our nation needs to change the way we do business if we are going to get our economy back on track and get Nevadans working again.

No Democrat has yet to step forward to run in the Republican-leaning district. But if multiple GOP candidates remain in the field for the special election, it could hinder the party's chances of retaining the seat.

The winner of the special election will serve the remainder of Heller's current term. The seat will be up for reelection in November 2012.

Clinton calls for 'continued vigilance' in fight of terrorism

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said the death of Osama bin Laden.

Speaking Monday from the State Department, Clinton said the nation must stay focused in its battle against global terrorism, and she reaffirmed the United States’ mission in Afghanistan and the U.S. partnership with Pakistan, where the terrorist leader was found and killed.

Continued cooperation will be just as important in the days ahead, because even as we mark this milestone, we should not forget that the battle to stop al-Qaida and its syndicate of terror will not end with the death of bin Laden," Clinton said.

She vowed to continue taking the fight to al-Qaida and their Taliban allies in Afghanistan while working to support the Afghan people as they build a stronger government and begin to take responsibility for their own security.

The Pentagon told the Associated Press that bin Laden was identified by name by his wife during the U.S. raid.

Senior U.S. officials told the AP that bin Laden's body was identified by "multiple" methods, including DNA testing and matching physical features, and that they were "99.9 percent" sure that the terrorist was killed.

Also:Vice President Biden contacted Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.); Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates called Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee; and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton called Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Clinton noted that Al Qaeda’s mission of terror was not solely directed at the United States, referring to other attacks in London, Madrid, Bali and Istanbul.

Clinton, who was serving as senator from New York when the World Trade Center was destroyed by an Al Qaeda attack, closed by saying that just as the community there “pulled through” then, today the “American spirit remains as powerful as ever, and it will continue to prevail.

World markets show little reaction to Bin Laden's death

Rallies in the streets of New York and Washington after the death of Osama bin Laden haven’t translated into stock market rallies.

The Dow Jones industrial average, which hit a three-year high on Friday, rose as much as 65 points early on Monday but was up 26 points, or 0.2%, to 12,836 at about 11:15 a.m. PDT. Broader indexes were mixed, and declining stocks slightly outnumbered winners on the New York Stock Exchange.

Bin Laden's death sent shockwaves through equities, futures and energy markets around the world. U.S. futures jumped close to 100 points around the time the news was released, the Japanese Nikkei 225 climbed 1% and oil prices tumbled. However, more than 12 hours after the release, the market effects became more muted.

Reaction to his death also was muted in European stock markets, most of which closed little changed.

The same was true in Middle Eastern markets. The main Saudi Arabian stock index added 0.5% for the session. In Israel, the Tel Aviv 100 index slipped 0.1%.

Indeed, a continuous stream of strong first-quarter results from big-name players like Apple (AAPL: 345.79, -4.34, -1.24%) and Ford (F: 15.42, -0.04, -0.29%) ignited a rally that sent the blue chips higher by 4% last month and left the Nasdaq close to its highest mark in a decade.

Chrysler said Monday it posted a quarterly profit of $116 million in the first quarter of 2011 -- its first quarterly profit since emerging from bankruptcy.

Silver, this year’s hottest commodity, suffered a steep sell-off at the outset of Asian trading on Monday, but that was before word of Bin Laden’s death. After trading as low as $42.20 an ounce overnight, a drop of 13.1% from Friday’s close, the metal ended futures trading in New York at $46.08 an ounce, off $2.51, or 5.2%, from Friday.

But gold edged up 70 cents to $1,556.70 an ounce, a new nominal record high.

White House: Osama bin Laden's death a 'strategic blow' to al Qaeda

Briefing reporters in the White House, homeland security adviser John Brennan also described the scene as President Obama and other White House officials monitored the operation from the Situation Room, calling it "probably one of the most anxiety-filled periods of times in the lives of the people assembled here.

On the second question, experts seem divided. Some say that al-Qaeda will struggle without bin Laden, even though they agree that he was more of a symbolic than a strategic leader. Others say the group will continue to conduct operations against targets in the West and in the Muslim world.

In the days that follow, the long-term military, political and strategic implications of this momentous event will become clearer, and I will comment at length on what the future may hold,” concluded Bauer. “But for now, let us thank the brave men and women in uniform who protect us and our intelligence community for tracking bin Laden down. And let us rededicate ourselves to defeating an enemy that even now wants to bring to us and our allies sorrows greater than the sorrows we have already experienced.

During the past few years, Al-Qaeda became more decentralized and operated from individual cells of supporters in various countries. That will make its complete destruction more difficult, according to Kenneth James Ryan, a criminologist and terrorism expert at California State University, Fresno.

Brennan acknowledged that there was not unanimity among the president’s national security team before Obama gave the go order. Intelligence offered the best evidence of the terrorist mastermind’s whereabouts, but it was still short of full confirmation, he added.

Analysts told the New York Times that the al-Qaeda founder had largely played a totemic role within the group in the last few years and had not taken a central position in directing global operations. Though his death in a U.S. attack on a large compound in Pakistan is notable, U.S. officials asserted that self-sufficient al-Qaeda cells are still active in Yemen and North Africa

The death of Osama bin Laden is not only a victory for the war on terror, it sends an important message around the world - that no matter how long it takes, America's resolve never waivers, America's commitment to seeking justice is never ending,” added Sekulow. “Our thanks go to the U.S. military who took part in this mission as well as the men and women around the globe who fight for our freedoms - and to President Obama and President Bush for their dedication in bringing Osama bin Laden to justice. While there are many challenges ahead with radical Islamists and the ongoing threat of terrorism at home and abroad, we should cherish this moment - this accomplishment. Now it is time to redouble our efforts to protect our freedoms from those who want to destroy our way of life.

Commercial real estate industry not excited about a possible Donald Trump

New York real estate magnate Donald Trump mulls a run for the Republican presidential nomination, people within his own industry aren't exactly high on his candidacy, according to one online poll.

Obama tried to quash conspiracy theories that have raged since he was a little-known candidate, which are gaining traction again, fanned by figures like billionaire mogul Donald Trump as the 2012 White House race begins.

At least some of this renaissance in support for the so-called birther movement can be attributed to Mr Trump, a property tycoon, who is considering running for the Republican presidential nomination.

Last month he told an interviewer that he had doubts over Mr Obama's account of his birth. He then proceeded to follow this up with a string of statements that were simply not true.

Trump, the property mogul and reality television star mulling a Republican presidential run has in recent weeks raised questions about Obama's birthplace, in an apparent bid to court the party's radical conservative base.

"I've accomplished something that nobody else has been able to accomplish," Trump said in the political bellwether state of New Hampshire, which will host an early 2012 Republican party nominating contest.

The poll will remain open for another week. The site's readers appear to be evenly split between Democrats and Republicans, although with an anti-Washington bent. An earlier poll asking who was to blame for the near-shutdown of government found 29% blamed Democrats, 23% blamed Republicans -- and 44% blamed "the whole damn lot of them.

Bin Laden died with gun in his hand

Bin Laden was shot while shooting back, the official reported. Contrary to some reports, the operation was intended to kill or capture bin Laden, although all involved thought capture was unlikely.

Intelligence officials discovered the compound in August while monitoring an al-Qaida courier. The CIA had been hunting that courier for years, ever since detainees told interrogators that the courier was so trusted by bin Laden that he might very well be living with the al-Qaida leader.

On the one hand, Osama bin Laden, the son of a gun who was responsible for the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, is dead. He died in a firefight with U.S. forces this weekend at his heretofore secret compound in Pakistan. One of the reports last night said the U.S. has bin Laden’s body in custody, which made me wonder where his mind is.

Are we to believe that U.S. intelligence officials knew this compound existed for five years, yet the Pakistan government was never able to pin down who exactly was living in it? The AP story later suggests that intelligence on the building’s occupants came from “multiple sources” but does not say which ones. It also reports that the raid was conducted “without collaboration with Pakistani intelligence.” Perhaps because advising Pakistani intelligence of the raid may have compromised the mission? It would seem that Islamabad has a lot to answer for this morning.

Now that American has its hands on the prize — dead or alive, the president said, and we have him dead — you can bet that the boys hiding out in the caves in the Middle East have a trick or two up their sleeve. If they were mad before, they’ll be even more irritated now.

Josh Barkley, a member of the Ossian Town Council, posted on Facebook last night that he was praying Homeland Security was on its game.

Sony Gaming Online

Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) is a game development and game publishing division of Sony that is best known for creating massively multiplayer online games, including EverQuest, EverQuest II, The Matrix Online, PlanetSide, Star Wars Galaxies, Free Realms, and Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, DC Universe Online and yet other smaller games in development.

In 2008 Sony Online Entertainment’s game Everquest was honored (along with Neverwinter Nights and World of Warcraft) at the 59th Annual Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards for advancing the art form of MMORPG games.

Recent history

As of May 2010, John Smedley is the CEO of Sony Online Entertainment. SOE is headquartered in San Diego, California, with additional game development studios located in Austin, Texas, Denver, Colorado and Seattle, Washington.

In January 2005, Sony Online Entertainment announced the creation of Station Publishing, a new label for distributing titles made by external developers.

SOE has produced numerous EverQuest expansions and spin-off video games, including Champions of Norrath (for PlayStation 2) and Lords of EverQuest (Windows). They published the sequel to Champions of Norrath, called Champions: Return to Arms, in February 2005.

In August 2005 SOE entered a deal with Warner Bros. Entertainment which saw the acquisition and transition of The Matrix Online to the existing line up of Station games.

In April 2006, Sony Online Entertainment, Inc. became Sony Online Entertainment LLC, owned by Sony Pictures Digital and Sony Computer Entertainment America.

In May 2006, it was announced that SOE would be co-publisher of Vanguard: Saga of Heroes. However, Sigil retains full development rights, and SOE's role is only that of marketing, distribution, technical support and hosting the game servers. SOE also announced the release of Field Commander, its third game for the PlayStation Portable System.

In August 2006, SOE announced the acquisition of developer Worlds Apart Productions, renaming the studio SOE-Denver. The studio has since released an online version of the WizKids Pirates Constructible Strategy Game.

Sony Online Entertainment's history can be seen as starting with Sony Interactive Studios America (SISA), an internal game development studio of Sony that formed around 1995. In 1996, John Smedley was put in charge of SISA's development of an online computer role-playing game that would evolve into the MMORPG EverQuest. Smedley hired programmers Brad McQuaid and Steve Clover who had come to Smedley's attention through their work on the singleplayer RPG Warwizard.

In April 1998, Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) was formed by merging parts of Sony Online Ventures with Sony Pictures Entertainment. Within a matter of months after this change, Sony Interactive Studios America was renamed 989 Studios.

Towards the end of 1998, 989 Studios shifted its strategy to making PlayStation console games only. The company's computer game/online development branch spun off, initially calling itself RedEye Interactive and then soon after Verant Interactive.

History

EverQuest launched with modest expectations from Sony on March 16, 1999 under its Verant Interactive brand and quickly became successful. Numbers continued rising at a steady rate until mid-2001 when growth slowed. As of 2004, Sony reported subscription numbers close to 450,000.

In April 2000, Verant hired former Ultima Online developers Raph Koster and Rich Vogel forming its office in Austin, Texas to develop Star Wars Galaxies for LucasArts. SOE acquired Verant in June 2000 and eventually promoted Brad McQuaid to be its Chief Creative Officer. EverQuest: The Ruins of Kunark (March 2000) was the first in a long list of expansions for its hit MMORPG. In October 2001, McQuaid resigned and went on to found Sigil Games Online, drawing many of the original developers of EverQuest from SOE to develop Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, an MMORPG that was released in January 2007.

Developed by Sony Online Entertainment, LucasArts released Star Wars Galaxies in 2003, which saw rapid growth as expected. Bruce Woodcock estimates that SWG reached nearly 300,000 subscribers within the year before trailing off. LucasArts has released three expansions for Star Wars Galaxies, Jump to Lightspeed October 2004, Rage of the Wookies May 2005 and Trials Of Obi-Wan November 2005.

In 2003, the company also explored relatively untouched MMO territory with the MMOFPS PlanetSide and the PlayStation 2 MMORPG EverQuest Online Adventures. PlanetSide enjoyed a reasonably successful launch, however the product never attracted wide popularity. SOE has released two expansions for PlanetSide, one a retail product called Core Combat, and a second free expansion titled Aftershock. EverQuest Online Adventures was not as successful but spawned an expansion EverQuest Online Adventures Frontiers, which is still maintained by SOE as of 2007.

Donald Trump

Donald John Trump, Sr. (born June 14, 1946) is an American business magnate, author, and television personality. He is the Chairman and CEO of the Trump Organization, a real-estate developer based in the United States. Trump is also the founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts, which operates numerous casinos and hotels across the world. Trump's extravagant lifestyle and outspoken manner have made him a celebrity for years, and more recently with his NBC reality show, The Apprentice, where he serves as host and executive producer. Trump has expressed interest in becoming a candidate for President of the United States in 2012.

Trump is the fourth of five children of Fred Trump, a real-estate developer based in New York City and real-estate tycoon. Donald was inspired to follow his father into real-estate development, and began working on projects for his father's real-estate firm while still in college. Upon his graduation from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1968, Trump formally joined his father's company, Elizabeth Trump & Son. He took the helm in 1971 and renamed it The Trump Organization.

Trump has said that he is seriously considering running for President of the United States in the 2012 election.

In his primary campaign, Trump has made an energetic investigation of a presidential candidacy, including a February speech to a CPAC gathering, an early venue for candidates considering a presidential run, as a write-in candidate in its straw poll for the office. A Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll released in March 2011 found Donald Trump leading among potential contenders for the Republican nomination for President of the United States, one point ahead of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. A Newsweek poll conducted February 2011 showed Trump within a few points of Obama, with many voters undecided in the November 2012 general election for President of the United States against Barack Obama. A poll released in April 2011 by Public Policy Polling showed Trump having a nine point lead in a potential contest for the Republican nomination for President of the United States.

Trump's present political stances include the following:

Pro-life

Against same-sex marriage

Anti-gun control

Advocates for the repeal and replacement of Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

With Trump expected to make a decision by June 2011, his campaign has been reported by some media as a possible promotional tool for his reality show The Apprentice. Time.com had the headline "Donald Trump Begins Not Running For President" and the Huffington Post was similarly skeptical of whether he would run.

Regardless of this skepticism, Trump has quietly chosen to participate in the “Politics and Eggs” forum at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College, a popular spot for presidential candidates visiting New Hampshire. This scheduled visit is important because the event is taking place in mid June of 2011, supposedly after Trump had been supposed to make his decision whether to or not to run.

On April 23, 2011, the New York-based TV station NY1 reported that Trump had not voted in primary elections in New York City for a span of 21 years, beginning after the city's mayoral primary in 1989, an accusation he has denied. A City election board spokeswoman confirmed the story.

Trump is popularly known as The Donald, a nickname given to him by the media after his first wife Ivana Trump, a native of the Czech Republic, referred to him as such in an interview. Trump is also known for his catchphrase, "You're fired", made popular by his television series The Apprentice, and his "possibly unprecedented" double comb over hairstyle in a "lattice-like structure, which he has refused to change throughout his career. While it has been reported that Trump does not shake hands because of fear of germs, he claims this phobia is "a rumor that the enemies say," and shook hands repeatedly in public during a visit to New Hampshire in April 2011.

Statements regarding Barack Obama

Speaking to an audience in Boca Raton, Florida on April 16, 2011, Trump made the analogy that voter reaction to former United States president George W. Bush's performance in office was a reason for the election of his successor Barack Obama and further that Obama would be known as the worst President in U.S. history.

Trump has promoted the conspiracy theories about Obama's citizenship status in media appearances, and he has received criticism for his position. In an NBC-TV interview broadcast on April 7, 2011, Trump said he would not let go of the issue, because he was not satisfied that Obama had proven his citizenship.

Trump has received criticism from both the right and the left in the media for his stance. Bob Schieffer of CBS News, Whoopi Goldberg of The View, Bill O'Reilly, and Carol Costello of CNN, have criticized his claims.

On April 25, 2011 on Anderson Cooper 360 on CNN, Trump said he wanted Obama to end the issue by releasing a long form Certificate of Live Birth (distinct from the short form Certification of Live Birth, which is Hawaii's prima facie evidence of birth). However, on April 22, 2011, Obama requested that the Hawaii Board of Health release a certified copy of his long-form birth certificate to him which they granted through special waivers.

Many developers pay Donald Trump to market their properties and be the public face for their projects. For that reason, Trump does not own many of the buildings that display his name. According to Forbes, this portion of Trump's empire, actually run by his children, is by far his most valuable with a valuation of $562 million. According to Forbes, there are 33 licensing projects under development including seven "condo hotels" (i.e. The seven Trump International Hotel and Tower developments). Some examples are:

Trump Palace: 200 East 69th Street, New York, NY.

Trump Parc and Trump Parc East: Two adjoining buildings on Central Park South on the southwest corner of The Avenue of the Americas. Trump Parc East is a 14-story apartment building and Trump Parc (the former Barbizon Plaza Hotel) is a 38-story condominium building.

Trump Plaza: 167 East 61st Street, New York, NY (39-story, Y-shaped plan condominium building on the Upper East Side)

610 Park Avenue (The old Mayfair Hotel): Trump is helping with the construction and development of this property for Colony Capital.

Trump SoHo Hotel Condominium: A partnership with Bayrock Group to build a 42 story building in Soho.

Trump Plaza (Jersey City): The project includes New Jersey's two tallest residential towers and costs about $450 million. The 55-story tower will have 445 condos, and the 50-story tower will have 417.

Trump Plaza (New Rochelle) is a 39-story luxury residence and hotel with retail space that is currently under construction in Westchester County, NY with developer Louis R. Cappelli.

Trump Tower at City Center is a 35-story condominium apartment building built in Westchester County, New York with developer Louis R. Cappelli.

Trump Parc Stamford is a development in Stamford, Connecticut with F. D. Rich Company and Louis R. Cappelli.

Trump International Hotel and Tower Fort Lauderdale (Official Site), Anticipated completion is 2007.

Trump Towers (Sunny Isles Beach, Florida): will have over 270 residential condominiums.

Trump Grande Ocean Resort and Residences: A hotel condominium (Trump International Sonesta Beach) and two residential condominium towers (Trump Palace and Trump Royale) located in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida with fellow Forbes 400 member Jorge Perez.

Trump Hollywood: A 40-story building on Hollywood Beach, Florida with fellow Forbes 400 member Jorge Perez.

Trump Tower (Palm Beach) will be a 23-story residential condominium development.

Rush Limbaugh

Rush Hudson Limbaugh III, born January 12, 1951) is an American radio talk show host, conservative political commentator, and an opinion leader in conservative politics and conservatism in the United States. He hosts The Rush Limbaugh Show which is aired throughout the U.S. on Premiere Radio Networks and is the highest-rated talk-radio program in the United States. Limbaugh signed an 8 year, $400 million contract extension with Clear Channel in 2008 that pays him $50 million a year.

He was born into a family with a long history of involvement in Republican politics and first began working at a local radio station at age sixteen. In 1984, after a series of radio related jobs, Limbaugh began working as a radio talk show host in Sacramento, California at radio station KFBK, which still airs his syndicated program today. His unique program featured no guests, relying exclusively on his conservative political analysis for content. He moved to New York City in 1988 where he began the national broadcast of his program on WABC radio. His program grew in popularity and he began his rise to national fame.

In the 1990s, Limbaugh’s fame grew beyond radio, into publishing and television. He became a bestselling author with his books The Way Things Ought to Be (1992) and See, I Told You So (1993). From 1992 to 1996, Limbaugh hosted a half-hour television talk show.

Limbaugh frequently accuses the American mainstream media of having a strong liberal bias. He criticizes liberal policies and politicians and promotes positions viewed as conservative.

The Rush Limbaugh Show

Main Post: The Rush Limbaugh Show

Limbaugh's radio show airs for three hours each weekday beginning at noon Eastern Standard Time on both AM and FM radio. The program is also broadcast worldwide on the Armed Forces Radio Network.

Radio broadcasting shifted from AM to FM in the late 1970s because of the opportunity to broadcast music in stereo with better fidelity. Limbaugh's show was first nationally syndicated in August 1988, in a later stage of AM's decline. Limbaugh's popularity paved the way for other conservative talk radio programming to become commonplace on the AM radio. In March 2006, WBAL in Baltimore, MD became the first major market radio station in the country to drop Limbaugh's nationally syndicated radio program. In 2007, Talkers magazine again named him #1 in its "Heavy Hundred" most important talk show hosts.

Michael J. Fox controversy

On the October 23, 2006, broadcast of his radio show, Limbaugh imitated on the "DittoCam" (the webcam for Web site subscribers to see him on the air) the physical symptoms actor Michael J. Fox showed in a television commercial raising awareness of Parkinson's disease. He said Fox is exaggerating the effects of the disease. He's moving all around and shaking and it's purely an act. This is really shameless of Michael J. Fox. Either he didn't take his medication or he's acting. Three days later, on October 26, Limbaugh denied that he was ridiculing Fox, stating that, after seeing Fox without his medication, I was]stunned because I had never seen Michael J. Fox that way." Limbaugh said that he was "moving around like Fox does, but never once was I making fun of him. I was trying to illustrate for my audience watching on the Dittocam what I had seen.

Fox later appeared on CBS with Katie Couric and said he was actually dyskinesic at the time, a condition that results from overmedication.

Barack the Magic Negro" parody

On March 19, 2007, Limbaugh referred to a Los Angeles Times editorial by David Ehrenstein which claimed that Barack Obama was filling the role of the "magic negro", and that this explained his appeal to voters. Limbaugh then later played a song by Paul Shanklin entitled "Barack the Magic Negro, sung to the tune of "Puff the Magic Dragon.

Phony soldiers controversy

During the September 26, 2007, broadcast of Limbaugh's radio show, Limbaugh used the term "phony soldiers" when speaking to a caller who had brought up soldiers who criticize the war. The caller, saying he was currently serving in the Army for 14 years, said, "They never talk to real soldiers. They like to pull these soldiers that come up out of the blue and spout to the media." Limbaugh interrupted, "The phony soldiers." The caller continued, "The phony soldiers. If you talk to a real soldier, they are proud to serve. They want to be over in Iraq. They understand their sacrifice, and they're willing to sacrifice for their country. Several minutes later, after the caller had hung up, Limbaugh read from the AP story describing the story of Jesse Macbeth. Macbeth joined the Army but did not complete basic training, yet claimed in alternative media interviews that he and his unit routinely committed war crimes in Iraq.

Operation Chaos

In an attempt to undermine the 2008 Democratic primary campaigns, Limbaugh encouraged his listeners to vote for whoever was behind in the race, an effort dubbed "Operation Chaos".[47] In Ohio, Limbaugh encouraged his listeners to register as Democrats and vote for Hillary Clinton. In Ohio, voters changing their registration must attest that they support the principles of the party to which they switch. About 16,000 Ohio Republicans switched parties for the election. The Ohio Attorney General's office stated that it would be hard to prove any voter's fraudulent intent. Limbaugh said that there is nothing wrong with Republicans voting in Democratic primaries, as Democrats were able to vote for John McCain in Vermont, New Hampshire, Florida, Michigan, and other states, stating, "this is getting absurd. If it weren't for independents and Democrats crossing over, Senator McCain would not be our nominee!

Comments on Obama's policies

On January 16, 2009, Limbaugh read a letter on his radio show that he had received a request from a national print outlet: ... "If you could send us 400 words on your hope for the Obama presidency, we need it by Monday night, that would be ideal." He responded, "I don't need 400 words, I need four: I hope he fails." He explained that he didn't want "absorption of as much of the private sector by the US government as possible, from the banking business, to the mortgage industry, the automobile business, to health care. I do not want the government in charge of all of these things. I don't want this to work." He continued, "What is unfair about my saying I hope liberalism fails? Liberalism is our problem. Liberalism is what's gotten us dangerously close to the precipice here.

Early life

Family and background

Rush Hudson Limbaugh III was born in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, the son of Mildred Carolyn "Millie" (née Armstrong) and Rush Hudson Limbaugh, Jr. His father was a lawyer and a U.S. fighter pilot who served in the China Burma India Theater of World War II. His mother was a native of Searcy, Arkansas. The name "Rush" was originally chosen for his grandfather to honor the maiden name of family member Edna Rush.

His family has many lawyers, including his grandfather, father and brother David. His uncle, Stephen N. Limbaugh, Sr. is a Ronald Reagan-appointed federal judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. His cousin, Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr., is currently a judge in the same court, appointed by George W. Bush. Rush Limbaugh, Sr., Limbaugh's grandfather, was a Missouri prosecutor, judge, special commissioner, member of the Missouri House of Representatives from 1930 until 1932, and longtime president of the Missouri Historical Society. The Federal Courthouse in Cape Girardeau is named for Limbaugh's grandfather.

Education and Vietnam draft

Limbaugh began his career in radio as a teenager in 1967 in his hometown of Cape Girardeau, using the name Rusty Sharpe. Limbaugh graduated from Cape Girardeau, Missouri Central High School, in 1969. Because of his parents' desire to see him attend college, he enrolled in Southeast Missouri State University but left the school after two semesters and one summer. According to his mother, "he flunked everything", and "he just didn't seem interested in anything except radio."

Limbaugh was not drafted during the Vietnam War draft lottery, as his birth date's high rank (152) was well above the 125 rank below which service members were drafted. He was classified as "1-Y" (later reclassified "4-F") due to a Pilonidal cyst.

The Rush Limbaugh Show

Rush Limbaugh Show (also called The Rush Limbaugh Program) is an American talk radio show hosted by Rush Limbaugh on Premiere Radio Networks. Since its inception on August 1, 1988, The Rush Limbaugh Show has become the highest-rated talk radio show in the United States.

Notable guests

In 1992, President George H. W. Bush made an appearance on Limbaugh's show.

Charlton Heston called into the show in 1995 to read from Michael Crichton's book Jurassic Park.

Secretary of State Colin Powell appeared on the show in November 2003 when Roger Hedgecock was guest-hosting the show.

Former President George W. Bush has appeared six times on the program. The first time was during the 2000 presidential campaign. Then, in 2004, he "called in" to a live broadcast during the week of the 2004 Republican National Convention to give a preview of his nomination acceptance speech. He called in again in 2006. The fourth time was April 18, 2008, when Limbaugh asked the White House to speak with Bush to thank him for the ceremony welcoming Pope Benedict XVI, which awed Limbaugh. The fifth call was during the show's 20th anniversary celebration, in which then-President Bush (and George H. W. Bush and Jeb Bush) congratulated Limbaugh. He appeared a sixth time for an interview regarding his autobiography, Decision Points on November 9, 2010.

Vice President Dick Cheney has made multiple appearances.

In 2007, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger called in to a live broadcast of the show a day after having called Limbaugh "irrelevant;" adding, "I'm not his servant. I'm the people's servant of California," on an appearance on NBC's

 See also:Rush Limbaugh

Today show.

Other notable guests who have called into Limbaugh's show include former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, unsuccessful Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork, economist Thomas Sowell, former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, and television writer Joel Surnow, who took calls about events in his show, 24. In December 2006, Sylvester Stallone made an appearance on the show to discuss his upcoming movie Rocky Balboa. On February 27, 2004, actor Jim Caviezel called into the program to discuss The Passion of the Christ film, in which Caviezel played the role of Jesus Christ. Republican Vice-Presidential nominee Governor Sarah Palin (R-AK) also called into a show before a rally in October, 2008 to discuss the election and the economic distortion and impact of Senator Obama's tax policy; Palin returned to the show in November 2009 to discuss her book Going Rogue. Phil Gingrey, a congressman who compared shows such as Limbaugh and Sean Hannity to "throwing bricks" in January 2009, gave an interview on Limbaugh's show the next day.

Music

The Rush Limbaugh Show uses music as a significant part of the show. This comprises "Updates" (songs usually played at full length leading into a particular themed story, such as "Ain't Got No Home" by Clarence "Frogman" Henry for a story about homeless people or an eccentric New Wave version of "You Don't Own Me" by underground artist Klaus Nomi for a homosexual-themed story), parodies (see below), and bumper music, most of which spans the classic hits and classic rock eras of the 1960s through 1980s (roughly corresponding to Limbaugh's time as a disc jockey). On occasion, Limbaugh will feature a particular song that he likes, which will often have a positive impact on the song's sales. For instance, after playing Waldo de los Rios's version of Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, the album that contained the song briefly jumped to the top of Amazon.com's sales charts.

Parodies

Sometimes The Rush Limbaugh Show will air political parodies from voice humorist Paul Shanklin, in conjunction with a variety of political news examined on the show. These satires range from parodies of well known songs to audio skits in which the voices of politicians are imitated by Shanklin. Such contributions from Paul Shanklin have been aired on the show since 1993. Some of these, such as "Barack the Magic Negro (That's What the L.A. Times Called Him)," have gained considerable notoriety. From 1993 through 1997 a series of parodies written and performed by the similarly named Paul Silhan[citation needed], including take-offs on Bob Dylan tunes referred to by Limbaugh as the "Bob Zimmerman" songs, were also played on his show. (Bob Zimmerman is the birth name of Bob Dylan.) Paul Shanklin created his parodies by writing and then recording all the voices and instruments himself using simul-synch recording techniques. The six albums of Shanklin's Limbaugh parodies are available on the Web.

Environmentalist wacko picks

Limbaugh will occasionally perform a comedic bit called “environmentalist wacko picks” on his last show prior to the weekend during the NFL season. He predicts the outcome of upcoming football games based on how an "environmentalist wacko" would assess the teams' mascots. The mascot that is the least offensive to an "environmentalist wacko" is the projected winner. For example, the Philadelphia Eagles would always be favored over the New York Jets, the Denver Broncos would always be favored over the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Carolina Panthers would always be favored over the New England Patriots and the Chicago Bears would always be favored over the Kansas City Chiefs.

Recent substitute hosts

Mark Davis

Host of The Mark Davis Show, a talk show on WBAP in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, Texas. First substitute hosted on March 4, 2008.

Mark Belling

Host of The Mark Belling Late Afternoon Show, a radio show on WISN in Milwaukee.

Mark Steyn

A Canadian journalist, columnist, and film and theatre critic. Since the removal of Jason Lewis from the substitute rotation in February 2009, Steyn's hosting has become more frequent.

Dr. Walter E. Williams

Economics professor, strong proponent of laissez-faire capitalism, and former chairman of the Economics Department at George Mason University in Virginia. He most often hosts on Fridays and is a fan favorite.

Karl Rove

Republican political consultant and former White House Deputy Chief of Staff to George W. Bush. First substituted August 9, 2010.

Holidays

When Limbaugh is absent and no substitute is available, most frequently on major holidays such as Thanksgiving or Christmas, a "Best of" show will air.

In addition, a portion of the show on the day before each Thanksgiving is always set aside for a reading of the real story of Thanksgiving. During this segment, Limbaugh reads from a section of his book "See, I Told You So" regarding the first few years of the Mayflower crew in Plymouth Colony. Limbaugh asserts, based upon excerpts from the personal journal of William Bradford, that the pilgrims had attempted to set up an early form of communism in the colony but failed, and when the colony went to a free enterprise system the colony began to thrive. Limbaugh claims that the Indians were largely irrelevant to the situation. In addition, Limbaugh also reads from President George Washington's 1789 National Thanksgiving Proclamation.

In the event that Limbaugh cannot broadcast on the day before Thanksgiving (as occurred in 2006), a substitute host will read the excerpt.

Show airtime and format

The Rush Limbaugh Show has a format which has remained basically unchanged since the program began. The program airs live and primarily consists of Limbaugh's own monologues, based on the news of the day, interspersed with parody ads, phone calls from listeners and a variety of running comedy bits (some live, some taped). Limbaugh also does a few live commercials during the show for certain sponsors, and he also sometimes promotes his own products, such as his political newsletter, The Limbaugh Letter. He only occasionally features guests, but once in a while a politician or a fellow political commentator will appear on the show. An 800 number is announced for incoming calls from listeners. However, Limbaugh generally takes far fewer calls per show than most other national talk programs.

The listeners to the show are affectionately referred to as "Ditto-heads." Early in the show's run, listeners began to use the variations on the expression "ditto" to speed up the beginnings of the calls, which typically (as on most popular call-in shows) tend to open with the listener excitedly expressing his or her gratitude to the host and his or her appreciation of the show.

An edited instrumental version of The Pretenders' “My City Was Gone” has been Limbaugh's theme song almost continuously since the start of his show. Briefly in 1999, Limbaugh stopped playing the song while negotiating with the song's writer, Chrissie Hynde. Limbaugh now pays her one hundred thousand dollars per year, which she donates to the animal rights organization PETA.

Show history

This section details only events which were primarily about the show and not about Limbaugh himself; of course, because Limbaugh and his show are so intertwined, it can be difficult to separate the two. Please see Rush Limbaugh for events in Limbaugh's life which may have impacted the show.

Radio syndication

In 1984, Limbaugh started as a regular talk show host on AM radio station KFBK in Sacramento, California, after several years of employment with the Kansas City Royals and in the music radio business, which included hosting a program at KMBZ in Kansas City. He succeeded Morton Downey, Jr. in the time slot.

Operation Chaos

In late February 2008, Limbaugh announced "Operation Chaos," a political call to action with the initial plan to have voters of the Republican Party temporarily cross over to vote in the Democratic primary and vote for Hillary Clinton, who at the time was in the midst of losing eleven straight primary contests to Barack Obama. Limbaugh has also cited the open primary process in the early primary states of New Hampshire and South Carolina, which allowed independent voters to cross over into the Republican primaries to choose John McCain over more conservative candidates (such as Fred Thompson), as an inspiration.

At the point in which Limbaugh announced his gambit, Obama had seemed on the verge of clinching the Democratic nomination. However, Clinton subsequently won the Ohio primary and the Texas primary (while losing the Texas caucus and the overall delegate split) with large pluralities from rural counties; thus reemerging as a competitive opponent in the race. Statistics released by the state of Texas show Hillary Clinton won the primary due to a large number of Republicans crossing over to vote for her. Whether these voters were Operation Chaos Operatives or simply Republicans who preferred Clinton is impossible to tell.

Rush to Excellence Tours and Cruises

In the 1990s Limbaugh sponsored several Rush to Excellence Tours, or "concerts" featuring him at venues across the country, including the Masonic Temple in Detroit, Michigan. He also sponsored Rush to Excellence Cruises on ocean liners.

Armed Forces Radio controversy

On May 26, 2004, the article "Rush's Forced Conscripts" appeared on the online news and opinion magazine Salon.com. The article discussed the controversy surrounding the fact that American Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS), (which describes itself as "providing stateside radio and television programming, 'a touch of home', to U.S. service men and women, DoD civilians, and their families serving outside the continental United States"), carries the first hour of Limbaugh's show. Melvin Russell, director of AFRTS, defended Limbaugh's presence, by pointing to Limbaugh's high ratings in the US: "We look at the most popular shows broadcast here in the United States and try to mirror that. [Limbaugh] is the No. 1 talk show host in the States; there's no question about that. Because of that we provide him on our service." In addition, AFRTS produced a ballot of radio and television shows asking troops worldwide, "Who do you want that we don't at present carry?" The Rush Limbaugh Show was not listed on the ballot, but won the vote as a write-in by the troops. A later poll by Lund Media Research found that a majority of soldiers preferred that talk show programs be replaced by hip hop and rap stations, bringing into question the future of content such as the Rush Limbaugh Show on AFRTS.