Oak Lawn Emergency Closings and Early Dismissals

The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning for the Chicago region starting Tuesday afternoon, with snow accumulations up to 18 inches. Oak Lawn Patch will update emergency and school closings during the snow emergency.
We'll watch the news crawl so you don't have to.
Richards High School Closes Early, Re-schedules Registration
Dist. 218 has rescheduled registration for incoming freshmen at Richards High School until next week.
Registration has been canceled for Feb. 1 and 3.
The new registration dates, times and guidelines are as follows:
Monday, Feb. 7, 5 to 7 p.m., students living in ZIP Coded 60453.
Tuesday, Feb. 8, 5 to 7 p.m., students living in ZIP codes 60415, 60803,60827, and 60472.

Parents must bring proof of residency and students’ birth certificates to registration.
Richards High School will dismiss classes early at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 1.
School Closing Information
Check back here often  for information about school closings for local public and private schools. As of Monday evening, these schools were still planning to be open on Tuesday, Feb. 1.

Oak Lawn Community High School Dist. 229 will post school closings and/or alternate bell schedules on its website at olchs.org.
Parents who've signed up for the Honeywell Instant Alert System will receive a phone call, text or e-mail regarding school closings and alternative bell schedules. Click here to update links.
OLCHS school closings and alternate bell schedules will also be posted at the Emergency Closing Center at www.emergencyclosingcenter.com.
Emergency school closings due to weather conditions, power failures or other unforeseeable events will be broadcast on AM radio stations 670, 720, 780 and 890; FM radio stations 94.7, 96.3 and 99.5; and TV stations Fox32 and WGN Ch. 9.
School closings will also be announced on WGN 720 AM and WBBM 780 AM and TV Channel 2 CBS; Channel 5 NBC; Channel 7 ABC, Channel 9 WGN and Channel WFLD/Fox.

Candid Camera

, California - Developed by a senior in high school, the hilarious iPhone application, Candid Camera: Black Ops Edition, is now free to celebrate the release of the First Strike Map Pack! Using a secret facial recognition software, Black Ops takes judging your friends to a new level. Take a picture of anyone and watch as the app assigns a Black Ops personality trait and description to each of your friends.

After extensive research and testing, It has been proven that the Candid Camera: Black Ops Edition iPhone application is the funniest application on iTunes. "A must have" for all iPhone or iPod touch 4th Generation users, the simple functionality of the application makes a perfect party tool to show to your friends. Developer Kyle Barber explains the functionality.

"Simply pick up your iPhone/iPod touch, and select the Scan button. Once the Camera is displayed, find a target that you would like the app to scan. After you capture your target in the perimeters of the application, sit back and watch as the app scans your target."

After the application is finished scanning, a result is shown for everyone to see. Wait and watch as everyone around you reads the definition and starts laughing uncontrollably. By the end of the night, everyone in the room will have their face scanned. From definitions such as Noob, to Death Machine and Kill Joy, your audience will be begging for more scans with this application.

Made by a senior in High School, the Candid Camera: Black Ops Edition is truly a gem. Although extremely simple in functionality, developer Kyle Barber guarantees theat his application will provide hours of entertainment.

"As a huge fan of Call of Duty Black Ops, I thought an application that utilized the games keywords and sayings would be perfect for any Call of Duty fan. I was honestly amazed by how positively my friends responded to the app. My friends took my phone for nearly 30 minutes, walking around to everyone in sight scanning their face. It was like a contest to see how was the coolest in the eyes of thee app. Everyone seemed to want their picture taken," reminisced. Barber. "When first day sales exceeded my goal of $0.99, I knew that I had something special. I was very excited that my grandma and three of her friends downloaded the application on the first day it was released. I honestly did not expect such an outcome," Barber continued.

Device Requirements:
* iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad
* Requires iOS 4.1 or later
* 1.8 MB

Pricing and Availability:
Starting February 1st, for a limited time Candid Camera: Black Ops Edition 1.0 is free and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Photography category.

pretty little liars episode 15

Spencer is feeling awkward about something, the girls have a little backbiting distress, and A is just as busy as ever, on tonight’s episode of “Pretty Little Liars,” “If At First You Don’t Succeed, Lie, Lie Again”.

Let’s start with Spencer, who is with the other PLLs one morning after a sleepover. Aria’s been studying the photo of Alison from last week’s episode, and trying to figure out whose shadow is in the picture. Spencer looks at it as if she may already know something about that shadow.

Aria is so exciting about her upcoming first real date with Ezra (Spencer has scored her two tickets to an art opening at a Philadelphia museum), and since it’s out of town, they won’t have to sneak around (and let’s face it, shouldn’t a teacher-student love affair be allowed to surface?). But unbeknownst to Aria, a monkey wrench is thrown into the best-laid plans…

Hanna, who’s reeling from her mom’s grim news that the bank loan is being called into question by Mrs. Potter, deals with A’s latest “deal”: Hanna will get more of the missing money if she “outs” Aria’s relationship with Ezra. She arranges for Aria’s mother Ella to get a ticket for the same art opening. Hanna’s conscience tells her not to set up Aria, but circumstances prevent her from retrieving the ticket. She shows up at detention, and somehow the school’s new Mr. Fix-It, Caleb, knows a little about Hanna’s difficulty. Hanna later tries to warn Aria away from the date, but Aria thinks her friend is being a jealous hater. I hate it when the PLLs fight, don’t you?

Emily, newly re-engaged in her swim team, breaks a record during a practice lap, which angers Paige, the alpha-dog of the team. When the coach drools all over Emily, Paige threatens Em with revealing the team she really plays for. Emily tells Spencer, who apparently tells the coach, who confronts both Emily and Paige. Emily is humiliated by Spencer’s actions and tells her so. More infighting between the girls…

Spencer, armed with the photo, goes to Alison’s brother Jason, thinking that he must have taken the picture from his bedroom. He admits that he could have taken it, but he was so messed up at that time, he says he doesn’t really remember it. He also says that he partied a lot that summer with Ian. In any event, he takes the photo to his family’s P.I., who verifies that it’s real. But this only troubles Spencer more…

Finally, Spencer forces herself to remember the last time she saw Alison. The two had a big fight, after which Alison left. Spencer followed her, and somehow, the picture was taken at that moment, meaning that it’s Spencer’s shadow in the photo! You know who else seems to figure out Spencer’s in the photo? Jason!

What will Jason think of this surprise? Hanna apparently owes Caleb a favor, but how will he collect on it? Will Aria find out that her estranged parents reconnected?

Now, I have given you the full episode summary of this show. I’m sure many of you are now very excited to watch the Pretty Little Liars Episode 15. To watch this episode; All you have to do is to follow the link button that I have include above.

Even though the fact that last season was less than supreme, I still love these characters and look forward to watching more of Pretty Little Liars Episode 15 being told. It may not be perfect, but at least the season looks like it’s off to a good start.

So, don’t waste your time waiting because the actions are getting hotter and hotter. Watch Pretty Little Liars Episode 15 now! This is a nice show. We are here to make your life more and more great. This is just a wonderful show

edie falco

From the Who Knew? file comes this: "Nurse Jackie" star Edie Falco is launching a cabaret career.
Falco, who stars in the Showtime comedy, will make her cabaret debut Sunday, teamed with fellow "Nurse Jackie" cast member Stephen Wallem, a cabaret regular.
The two will perform three nights at 7 p.m. at the Laurie Beechman Theater in the West Bank Cafe (407 W. 42nd St.).
They're calling the show "The Other Steve and Edie," and it will feature their take on songs from contemporary pop to jazz standards, as well as show tunes and original material. Reservations are mandatory. For information, call (212) 695-6909.
Dots all ...
Regis Philbin will receive the Legend Award at the ninth annual "TV Land Awards," to be held April 10 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. (The show will air on TV Land April 17.) "Hey, it's about time! Only kidding," Philbin joked in a statement. "I'm delighted to receive this award. Thanks, TV Land." ...

Local book clubs anticipate speech by author Salzman

When Patty Wixon learned there were at least 173 book clubs in Ashland and Mark Salzman was among their top authors, she and the other Chautauqua Poets & Writers board members decided to try to bring him to his fans.

Salzman, author of the Pulitzer-prize-nominated memoir "Iron and Silk," will speak at the biannual Chautauqua event at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Ashland High School's Mountain Avenue Theatre, 201 S. Mountain Ave.

"Since we announced he's coming, people keep stopping us and saying, 'Oh, I'm so glad you're bringing him. We just love his books,' " Wixon said.

In addition to his memoir about his time teaching English in China and studying martial arts, the diverse writer has penned three novels: "The Laughing Sutra," "The Soloist" and "Lying Awake." Salzman also wrote another memoir, "Lost in Place: Growing up Absurd in Suburbia," and a nonfiction book, "True Notebooks," about teaching writing in Los Angeles Central Juvenile Hall.

He is one of the top selling authors at Bloomsbury Books, which keeps a list of the number of book groups in Ashland, said manager Anita Isser.

"I do know that people are aware that he's coming and fans of his have expressed delight that he'll be here," Isser said. "I think he's so popular because he's an excellent writer and he also writes different things: fiction, biography, travel lit."

A number of his books have been used as texts in Southern Oregon University and Ashland High School classes, Wixon said.

Salzman will lead writing workshops for educators and high school students during his time in Ashland.

He also is a screenwriter and an accomplished cellist whose music has appeared on film soundtracks, including the documentary "Breathing Lessons: The Life and Work of Mark O'Brien."

Salzman's range of interests and knowledge attracts many locals to his writing, said Wixon, who has read many of his books.

"We have a large number of writers here in this area, not just published writers, but people who write frequently," she said. "In the case of Mark Salzman, I think any of us who write are amazed when someone can write so interestingly and skillfully about a whole variety of things."

Several book groups whose members hadn't previously read Salzman decided to do so in anticipation of his visit, said Kathi Bowen-Jones, an Ashland High School English teacher and a Chautauqua board member.

"He's a writer people really like to read together and talk about,

obama kill switch

While the Egyptian government has drawn international criticism for shutting down internet and mobile phone access during civil unrest, it might alarm many Americans to learn that Barack Obama may soon have the same powers.
Lawmakers are set to debate a controversial new plan to give the President the power to shut down the Internet in case of a cyber emergency.
The proposal is certain to meet opposition, but Senator Susan Collins, the co-sponsor of the bill, insisted today that the legislation would not be used for censorship.

'Turn it off!': Under proposed new laws, President Barack Obama would have the power to cut access to the internet in the event of a cyber threat to national security

She said it would ‘provide a mechanism for the government to work with the private sector in the event of a true cyber emergency.
‘It would give our nation the best tools available to swiftly respond to a significant threat.'
Former vice presidential candidate Joe Lieberman, chairman of the U.S. Homeland Security Committee, said safeguards were needed to ‘preserve those networks and assets and our country and protect our people'.
He claimed national security was at risk from new foes such as ‘cyber warriors, cyber spies, cyber terrorists and cyber criminals'.
He said: ‘For all its allure, the Internet can be a dangerous place with electronic pipelines that run directly into everything from our personal bank accounts to key infrastructure to government and industrial secrets.'

Presidential powers: Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Joseph Lieberman and Senator Susan Collins. Both are in favour of a 'kill switch' bill

The issue has been brought into sharp focus by moves by the Egyptian authorities in recent days to disrupt activists by preventing them from using the Internet or their phones to arrange rallies.
Egypt’s four main Internet service providers reportedly cut off international access for their customers at the same time last Thursday.
Officials said the shutdown is the most comprehensive official electronic blackout in history.
Mr Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have both called on the Egyptian government to restore the Internet and social networking sites.
The plan to give the president the right to flip the kill switch of the Internet has already attracted opposition from abroad.

'For all its allure, the Internet can be a dangerous place with electronic pipelines that run directly into everything from our personal bank accounts to key infrastructure to government and industrial secrets'

Bjorn Landfeldt, an associate professor at the University of Sydney, Australia, said taking the Internet offline would ‘inflict an enormous damage on the world’.
He added that it would be tantamount to giving a country ‘the right to poison the atmosphere, or poison the ocean’.
But officials said there was no intention to paralyse the Internet.
Republican Brandon Milhorn said: ‘We’re not trying to mandate any requirement for the entire Internet backbone.'
He said the proposal would only assert governmental control over those ‘crucial components that form our nation’s critical infrastructure’.
One contentious provision of the bill is that it would prevent private companies from contesting the shutdown in court.
Steve DelBianco, director of the NetChoice coalition - which includes eBay, Oracle, Verisign and Yahoo as members - said: ‘Judicial review is our main concern. A designation of critical information infrastructure brings with it huge obligations for upgrades and compliance.’
In some cases, said Mr DelBianco, a company might have a ‘good-faith disagreement’ with the government's ruling and would want to seek court review.
He said: ‘The country we're seeking to protect is a country that respects the right of any individual to have their day in court. Yet this bill would deny that day in court to the owner of infrastructure.'

She later told Ryan Seacrest, 'I'm glad I did it.'

Kim Kardashian appeared on the cover of W Magazine last October, and the photo leaves little to the imagination. Now, it comes out that Kardashian was upset over the photos. She said on her new E! reality show, Kourtney & Kim Take New York, Sunday night, that she was less than happy with the magazine.
She said about the Mark Seliger photos, “I was naked, but fully covered in silver paint. This artist will put images of architecture and buildings and stuff on top of me so you will see my body shape and the outline, but not actually my boobs or anything.”
Kim cried to her sister, Kourtney, “I’m more naked here than I was in my Playboy. I’m so f***ing mad right now.…She promised I would be covered with artwork.…This is serious porn…you can see nipple.” She added, “I’ve definitely learned my lesson.”
Her mom, Kris Jenner, eventually consoles her saying the cover was done artfully.
Kim told Ryan Seacrest later, “At the end of the day, they are gorgeous photos, and I’m glad I did it, and I love them. But at the time, I was shocked about how they weren’t how I thought they would be.”

Socialite Kim Kardashian arrives at the 16th Annual Critic's Choice Movie Awards presented by the Broadcast Film Critics Association at The Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, USA, on 14 January 2011. Photo: Hubert Boesl