More than 1,000 safe after fire on ferry

More than 1,000 safe after fire on ferry

A JORDANIAN man died and 1,250 passengers and crew members, most of them Egyptians, were rescued following a fire aboard a ferry sailing across the Red Sea to Egypt's port of Nuweiba,,Air Jordan Shoes, according to a Jordanian official.

The blaze broke out earlier in the day in the ferry's cargo section during a trip across the Gulf of Aqaba, said Jordanian Civil Defense spokesman,Louis Vuitton Handbags wholesale Farid al-Sharaa.

A Jordanian ship arrived to help the stricken vessel about 16 kilometers off the coast of Jordan, an Egyptian port official said.

Rescuers extinguished the blaze but a Jordanian man died after jumping into the water.

Al-Sharaa said 12 passengers suffered from smoke inhalation and were taken to hospital. The remaining 1,230 passengers - all Egyptians - were put on another ferry to Egypt.

Al-Sharaa said the captain and three crew members - all Egyptians - were among those rescued.

An Egyptian official said Pella's passengers were mostly Egyptian expatriate workers returning home for the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday, which started on Sunday.

The Pella is owned by The Arab Bridge company, an Egyptian-Jordanian venture.

The Gulf of Aqaba, also known as the Gulf of Eilat in Israel,,wholesale authentic nfl jerseys, is the northeastern tip of the Red Sea between Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.,Bears football jerseys cheap,

Egypt has experienced occasional accidents involving ferries on the Red Sea. In February 2006, about 1,000 people - mostly Egyptian workers returning home from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations - died when fire broke out on their vessel and rescue attempts were botched by the Egyptians.

Thai flood holdouts slow relief effort

Thai flood holdouts slow relief effort

There's no food left for sale anywhere near Thipawan Pipatkul's house. In fact, there's not much of her house left above the surface now that the fetid black waters have poured in. Yet,Demeco Ryans white jerseys like thousands in Bangkok's flood zones, she's ignoring government warnings to evacuate.

Instead, Thipawan and her husband are making a four-hour slog through stinking water that shines with oil and is littered with garbage as they head to dry ground in search of essentials. It is a grim routine they've repeated several times in the week since Thailand's worst floods in a half century turned their neighborhood near Don Muang Airport into an inland sea.Sanyo Projector Lamp

"Every time we go out, we bring as much food and supplies back as we can," the 30-year-old mother of three said. "We have to help ourselves.,Cheap authentic nfl jerseys,"

As Thailand struggles to cope with the historic floods, holdouts like Thipawan's family are frustrating authorities who say victims' reluctance to leave behind their few possessions is complicating an already difficult relief effort.

Many of Bangkok's government-run shelters sit largely empty, even as the submerged streets in some of the city's hardest-hit areas are still bustling with a constant stream of people wading, floating and boating in and out.

"We try to do the best we can, but we can't cover every house in flooded areas," said Jate Sopitpongstorn, a spokesman for the city government. "We don't have the manpower to get to everyone and to get three meals a day to them."

The city says it has no estimate for the actual number of Bangkok's 9 million residents affected by the deluge, but population figures suggest they have impacted a far greater number than the 11,000 who have moved into the city's evacuation centers. Don Muang district alone - which the government says is nearly 100 percent flooded - is home to 166,000 people.

Many in Bangkok's 15 flooded districts have likely moved in with relatives or friends in unaffected areas, but swamped neighborhoods still show signs that life goes on despite disaster.

Along Don Muang's Chang Akat Uthit Road, the neighborhood duck restaurant was closed. So were the two convenience stores, the gold shop and even the Party House pub. The car wash was deserted except for two Honda hatchbacks submerged in the driveway,,cheap adidas shoes, and a construction site with the sign advertising "Cheap Land For Sale" was quiet.

But in the middle of the street people were ferrying supplies into the neighborhood, some carrying jugs of cooking oil, sacks of rice or styrofoam boxes of fresh food, while others were leaving, carrying valuables such as TVs and electric fans toward drier ground.

Chaiyut Baannak, 49, said he was on his way to find a boat to purchase, but promised he would be back. Wearing a bright orange life jacket with a bottle of water tucked into a pocket, he said it was a sense of community that keeps him from leaving.

He acknowledged that he and his neighbors desperately need mobile toilets and it was becoming more difficult to find food, with many in the area now dependent on relief supplies.

Oscar producer Gil Cates dies, age 77

Oscar producer Gil Cates dies, age 77

FILM, television and Broadway producer and director Gil Cates, who ran the show for 14 Oscar ceremonies and was an entertainment industry leader, has died at age 77.

Cates died on Monday evening at the University of California Los Angeles where he was the founding dean of the School of Theater, Film and Television, the school said.,Roger Vivier flat shoes,

A cause of death has yet to be determined, pending an investigation by the Los Angeles County coroner. Cates, who was the uncle of actress Phoebe Cates, was found in his car in one of UCLA's parking structures. Emergency personnel tried to revive him but could not, UCLA said.

He was dean of UCLA's School of Theater, Film and Television from 1990-1998, and served two terms as president of the Directors Guild of America in the 1980s. He most recently produced the Academy Awards in 2008, marking his 14th time at the helm of the film industry's top honors for which he received several awards and nominations over the years.

"He was a consummate professional who gave the Academy and the world some of the most memorable moments in Oscar history. His passing is a tremendous loss to the entertainment industry," Tom Sherak, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said in a statement.

Director Steven Spielberg called Cates "the most liked person I knew," and said of his time at the Motion Picture Academy and Directors Guild, that Cates "set a remarkable standard for dedication and excellence."

Directors Guild president Taylor Hackford said, "there was no greater champion of the creative and economic rights of directors and their teams and no truer friend to membership, board and staff of the DGA."

Cates was born June 6, 1934 in New York City where he got his start producing and directing plays on and off Broadway. Some of his early stage work included "You Know I Can't Hear You When the Water's Running," "I Never Sang for My Father," "Voices," and "Tricks of the Trade."

He moved his career to film in 1970 when he produced and directed the big screen version of "I Never Sang for My Father," which earned three Academy Award nominations.Prada handbag sale

Cates also directed Joanne Woodward and Sylvia Sidney in the 1973 film "Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams," which received two Oscar nominations. Other film directing credits include: "The Promise," "One Summer Love," "The Last Married Couple in America," "Oh! God Book II" and "Backfire.chanel handbags on sale"

Cates also distinguished himself as the director and/or producer of a number of television specials.

He is only the third person to receive the Presidents Award from the Director's Guild of America, which represents film and TV directors in entertainment. In 2005, he was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Cates is survived by his wife, Dr. Judith Reichman, four children,,wholesale POLO Ralph Lauren SERIES, two stepchildren and six grandchildren.

Kim Kardashian denies profiting from TV wedding

Kim Kardashian denies profiting from TV wedding

REALITY TV star Kim Kardashian yesterday dismissed reports that she profited from her televised wedding to Kris Humphries, only one day after filing for divorce from the basketball player.

"There are also reports that I made millions of dollars off of the wedding.Louis Vuitton Handbags wholesale,Bears football jerseys cheap, These reports are simply not true and it makes me so sad to have to even clarify this. I'm so grateful to everyone who took the time to come to my wedding, and I'll be donating the money for all the gifts to the Dream Foundation,,cheap nfl jerseys china," Kardashian wrote in a message posted on her website.

The 31-year-old "Keeping Up With The Kardashians" TV star filed for divorce from Humphries, 26, on Monday after 72 days of marriage. Their wedding in August was reported to have cost US$10 million, and it aired in October on the E! network in a special called "Kim's Fairytale Wedding: A Kardashian Event."

Kardashian explained that her desire to settle down, along with the pressures of having a reality TV show, may have held her back from declining Humphries proposal of marriage.

"I got caught up with the hoopla and the filming of the TV show that, when I probably should have ended my relationship, I didn't know how to and didn't want to disappoint a lot of people," she said.

This is the second divorce for Kardashian, who was previously married to music producer Damon Thomas for four years, separating in 2004.

Kardashian is one of the highest-paid reality stars on US television with 2010 earnings estimated at US$6 million from her TV show,,wholesale authentic nfl jerseys, clothing line, perfume, jewelry and tanning cream and other product endorsements and appearances.

Greek referendum plan plunge financial markets into frenzy

Greek referendum plan plunge financial markets into frenzy

The planning of Greek plebiscite on the bailout package reached at eurozone summit and the associated austerity requirements has plunged the financial markets into a frenzy, as the German DAX index slumped by five percent on Tuesday.

Traders were apparently shocked by Greek Prime Minister Giorgos Papandreou's call for a referendum, as the Stock Exchange in Athens saw its index shedding by more than eight percent into the red.

The announcement of the referendum has obviously stirred up great turmoil in the financial markets, as the specific consequences of the referendum and a possible rejection of the requirements for austerity on the Greece loom and put the positive effect of the recent summit decisions into question.

Both European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso reacted cautiously to the planned referendum, saying that they were "completely confident that Greece will fulfill its commitments it has agreed upon with the eurozone and the international community".,Jogos Quentes Gold,

Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker stressed that such a decision for a referendum did not get the consent from most of the European leaders, and warned that if the Greeks vote against the new rescue package, the procedure for the bust of the country should not be excluded.

After a special meeting with the key ministers of his government,Pittsburgh Pirates Jerseys French President Nicolas Sarkozy said that the agreed European rescue plan is the "only way" to solve the debt crisis in Greece, and the leading European institutions must now make it clear, under what kind of circumstance could the bailout plan be further carried out.

During an earlier telephone talks, Sarkozy and Chancellor Angela Merkel exchanged ideas about the possible consequences of the planned referendum, and said in joint statement that both countries were determined "to ensure full and immediate implementation of summit decisions that are more necessary today than ever."

Germany and France were convinced that the agreement could have Greece returning to normal track of sustained growth, and that subject should be put onto open discussion with the EU, the European Central Bank, the International Monetary Fund and representatives of Greece in Cannes.

Merkel will travel to the French town a day earlier than previously planned for the G20 summit, which will begin on Thursday.

Finnish Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen said the decision of referendum by Papandreou was negative for the stability of Europe. Similar sentiments were expressed by the Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, who said"that does not help to calm the situation, given the debt crisis".

Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt also criticized that "the referendum makes the uncertainties even greater because it is not clear when it will occur and what are the alternatives.discount fashion jewelry"

The spokesman for the Spanish government sees the announcement from Athens "not good news for Europe, and a solution to the Greek debt crisis would be delayed through a referendum,,hair weave, it's unfortunate for Europe".

The U.S. government thinks that the Greek plan of referendum piles pressures on the EU, as the package of measures against the debt crisis ought to be implemented as soon as possible.

German FDP parliamentary leader Rainer Bruederle urged the eurozone to adjust to a possible state bankruptcy of Greece. "If Greece says no to tackle its structural weaknesses, and refuses to address to the its competitive problem on the reform process, then I think it will come to a national bankruptcy," as he was quoted by saying on a radio interview.

German CSU, the ruling CDU's sister party in Bavaria, also warned against the consequences of Athens 'no' in the referendum. "Greece must know: If it is not willing or able to implement tough austerity measures, it must expect no help and leave the euro zone," said CSU General Secretary Alexander Dobrindt.

German SPD leader Frank-Walter Steinmeier described the planned referendum as "risky but courageous way, that Papandreou and his reforms have ensured that his country get back on their feet".

Meanwhile, Green Party head Jurgen Trittin expressed the similar points of view that this vote has Greece and Europe been in a period of great risks, saying that Papandreou also prove courage while trying to convince the public of the need to reform Greece.

The leader of the Left Party, Gregor Gysi, welcomed the planned referendum. "Papandreou had obviously realized that he had been ruled "against the population," said Gysi.

The German private banks turned sharply against the referendum plans, as Papandreou's announcement "has led to considerable uncertainty in the markets," said the chief executive of the Federal Association of German Banks, Michael Kemmer.

"Important detailed planning in the aftermath of the summit will now be delayed, at worst, put on hold," he said.

The rating agency Fitch views the planned referendum a threat to financial stability in the euro zone. The development underscores the need for a credible defensive wall must be built so that Greece could not infect and destabilize the area, said Fitch.

All Qantas flights back to normal after chaos

All Qantas flights back to normal after chaos

QANTAS Airways said its flights were back on schedule yesterday, a day after an Australian court ruling ended 48 hours of travel chaos stemming from the airline's decision to ground its entire fleet.

Qantas, the world's 10th-largest airline, said all flights were operating on time and as scheduled, with the remaining backlog of passengers affected by the two-day grounding expected to be cleared soon.,Cheap moncler vests,

The airline grounded its fleet last Saturday in response to months of strikes by unions representing pilots, aircraft mechanics, baggage handlers and caterers. The move threw the travel plans of tens of thousands of passengers into disarray, and prompted the government to order an emergency court hearing.,Nike shox shoes,

On Monday, an arbitration court ordered an end to the strikes, which had forced the cancellation of 600 flights in recent months, disrupted travel for 70,000 customers and cost Qantas 70 million Australian dollars (US$75 million). The court also canceled a staff lockout, and the airline began flying again about 12 hours later.

The court gave the airline and unions 21 days to reach an agreement. If no deal is reached by then, they will be forced into mandatory arbitration.

"The question is whether the parties can now act in a mature way," Transport Minister Anthony Albanese said in Australia's capital, Canberra, yesterday. "We've called upon both Qantas and the unions to get down to business and to get this deal done."

Qantas enraged union workers in August when it said it would improve its loss-making overseas business by creating an Asia-based airline with its own name and brand. The five-year restructure plan will cost 1,000 jobs.

The airline also said in August that it had more than doubled its annual profit to A$250 million. But it warned the business climate was too unstable to forecast future earnings.

Australian and International Pilots Association President Barry Jackson said its negotiators were working hard to come to a resolution with the airline.cheap NFL jerseys "The clock is ticking," Jackson told Australian Broadcasting Corp television on Monday night. "I'm pretty confident that we'll get an agreement."

Qantas CEO Alan Joyce defended his decision to ground the airline, saying while it was costly in the short-term, it helped the airline overall.

"I'll make whatever tough decisions are needed to be made in order to ensure the survival of this great company," he said on Monday.

Qantas is the 10th-largest airline in the world by passenger miles flown, according to the International Air Transport Association, an airline trade group.Moncler Jacket

Tim Tebow to start again in Week 9

Tim Tebow to start again in Week 9

Tim Tebow wasn't sacked Monday.

One day after giving his embattled young quarterback a less-than-ringing endorsement following a humiliating 45-10 loss at home to the Lions, Broncos coach John Fox said he's sticking with Tebow.,Vikings Jerseys buy offers,

"For this week, yes," Fox said.

Tim Tebow wasn't sacked Monday.

One day after giving his embattled young quarterback a less-than-ringing endorsement following a humiliating 45-10 loss at home to the Lions, Broncos coach John Fox said he's sticking with Tebow.,Probowl jerseys wholesale,

"For this week, yes," Fox said.

The Broncos had eight possessions of three plays or fewer Sunday, turned it over once on downs and three times on takeaways, two of which were returned for touchdowns. Tebow was sacked seven times and his only TD toss came after the Lions had built a 42-point lead while razzing him with imitations of his prayerful pose that's become an online sensation.

"We knew he was a scrambling quarterback," Lions linebacker Stephen Tulloch said. "We knew he was going to try to get out of the pocket and try to keep plays alive and we did a good job just executing. He's a young player. He's got a lot to learn as a player. Take nothing from him, he's a winner, he finds a way to win. He just needs to clean up some things in his pass game, but that takes time."

The Broncos tried to adapt to Tebow's unconventional skill set, spreading out the offense and speeding up the tempo, even sprinkling in some option-read plays, but nothing seemed to work very well.

The Lions crowded the line of scrimmage and used Tulloch as a spy to keep the second-year scrambler from running. They blitzed him on more than 50 percent of his dropbacks, pushing the pocket and containing the edge with a disciplined pass rush.

Lions cornerback Chris Houston, who returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown, revealed Detroit's gameplan was to stack the box and make Tebow try to beat them with his arm.

"We just wanted to make him be a quarterback today," Houston said after the game.,Super Bowl jerseys wholesale, "... He's an athlete, he's no Tom Brady or Peyton Manning or nothing like that. Or Michael Vick or nothing like that. He's got a long ways to go as far as being a quarterback, but he's a hard worker."

Tebow didn't make quick decisions or quick throws, and his long, looping throwing motion led to a strip by defensive end Cliff Avril, who scooped up the fumbled football and scored a touchdown.

Tebow's quarterback rating this season is 75.1, almost identical to the 75.7 rating that cost Orton his starting job during the team's 1-4 start.

If Tebow loses the gig, too, the Broncos might not go back to Orton but could give Brady Quinn his first shot under center since his arrival two years ago from Cleveland in the Peyton Hillis trade.

"You know, really, in this business all things are possible," Fox said. "And Brady's a guy that we acquired before I got here, but he's shown flashes in our practice and (preseason) games, so right now we're in the process of finding out who the quarterback is and we'll leave it at that."

Fox said he trusts Tebow will learn from his mistakes and get better.

"He's competitive by nature, and I think he'll respond just fine,,Dallas Cowboys jerseys wholesale," Fox said.

The task only gets tougher for Tebow. The Broncos play four of their next five games on the road and six of the remaining nine games are against teams that employ the 3-4 defensive scheme that's given him fits as he tries to recognize where the fourth rusher is coming from.

First things first. Tebow said he doesn't feel as though he's on a short leash and is content to let tomorrow take care of itself.

"I feel like each week I'm going to take the game plan and do the best I can with it and keep improving with it and take my weaknesses and try to make them strengths," he said.

Chasers put Talladega in the rearview

Chasers put Talladega in the rearview

We return to your regularly scheduled Sprint Cup Chase programming.

Yes, that interruption in NASCAR's 10-race playoff lineup -- otherwise known as Talladega Superspeedway -- has used up its time slot. It's time to get back to racing as it should be.

It's time for Martinsville Speedway.

Sunday on this half-mile gem in the heart of the Virginia foothills you won't hear Jeff Gordon complaining that Trevor Bayne abandoned him in the final laps or Bayne feeling guilty for helping a fellow Ford driver.

You won't hear anything about tandem racing, team orders, the "big one" or anything that defined this past weekend in Alabama.

We're back to pure racing, where drivers don't depend on each other to race to the front, where there's beatin' and bangin', and all the things that have made the sport popular are in play.

"You have to remember where your roots come from, and Martinsville is a good example of that," Richard Childress Racing driver Kevin Harvick said. "We all grew up on short tracks, and Martinsville keeps that in our sport. All of us drivers like the short-track feel that we grew up racing on, so we're looking forward to it."

How can they not be? Talladega was more about not racing than racing. Points leader Carl Edwards spent most of his day hanging around the back hoping to avoid disaster rather than trying win. So did defending five-time champion Jimmie Johnson and NASCAR's most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr.

That's not what fans pay to see.

Look at how the competitors described that racing. Earnhardt said he was bored. Edwards called it a "spiritual event." Marcos Ambrose got out of his car and said, "I am alive,,Hakeem Olajuwon Red Jerseys, so that is good."

"The best I can describe it is we were stuck without a date to the prom, so I was just hitting on everyone's mom," Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin said as he described the tandem racing.

Funny, but true.

The term "racing" at Talladega should be used loosely. Whenever you have to rely on another driver to compete, it becomes a bit artificial, even more so than with pack racing, where you depended on a train of cars.

You won't have that at Martinsville. You won't have drivers lucking into wins or good finishes. Look at the track's all-time winners; the best of the best dominate the list.,NBA finals 2010 Jerseys, You have Richard Petty with 15 wins,,MLB Jerseys, Darrell Waltrip with 11, Rusty Wallace and Gordon with seven each, and Johnson, Cale Yarborough, Dale Earnhardt and Fred Lorenzen with six each.

That's a Hall of Fame list, a combined 30 championships.

At Talladega, Sunday's top three finishers and seven of the top 10 aren't even contenders for this year's title.

"It's a great snapshot of NASCAR in the old days, where you're right on top of the action whether you're on pit road or in the grandstands," Johnson said of Martinsville before this race a year ago. "I just personally enjoy the challenge that track brings, and I think it's a cool venue."

Martinsville comes at the perfect time for NASCAR; as team owner Jack Roush said, "one of the things that makes you feel good about Martinsville is to go to Talladega before that."

Sunday's race gives fans frustrated by the non-racing at Talladega a chance to see the type of competition they yearn for.

And there were plenty of frustrated fans. My mailbox is full of frustration, such as these words from Rich Phillip of Delaware: "Is it just me or was the race at Talladega a complete bore? In qualifying the cars couldn't reach 185 mph and the race was another 'couples only deal.' ... I have just about decided that I am not a NASCAR fan anymore. This is a very sad situation I think."

Comments on my blog about Bayne's soap opera echoed the same. Wrote donbejohnson: "I don't like tandem racing and cooked dinner while the race was on. That my friend was a first. I am usually glued to the set for Talladega."

NASCAR must fix the problem with the two-car dancing at Talladega and Daytona. Officials tried to by opening the size of the restrictor-plate hole to create higher speeds. They also made an adjustment on the pop-off valve in the cooling system that was supposed to increase the threat of overheating, and thus reduce the length of push time.

Neither worked.

Perhaps Kyle Busch is right. Perhaps the only way to fix the problem is to change the bumpers so they don't match up.

Rams shock Saints 31-21

Rams shock Saints 31-21

Nothing in the St. Louis Rams’ first six games indicated they were capable of even keeping this one close.

Maybe the crosstown Cardinals’ pregame appearance with the World Series trophy inspired them to pull off a shocker of their own. A few choice words from their star player helped, too.

Steven Jackson awoke in the middle of the night on game day, deciding he’d tell teammates enough was enough and that no way the Rams were this awful. Then he led by example with two touchdowns in his first 100-yard game in three seasons,,custom Bears jerseys, helping St. Louis earn its first win with a 31-21 upset of the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.

“I think the Cardinals being here was great for the city,” Jackson said. “Whoever showed up today, regardless if the place was empty, today was the day.

“We came out with a mindset we were going to fight.”

Drew Brees(notes) barely kept alive his touchdown pass streak on a meaningless score in the final seconds a week after throwing five in a 62-7 rout of the winless Indianapolis Colts. Brees was intercepted twice, too, with Darian Stewart’s(notes) pick and 27-yard return putting the game away with 2:51 to go.

“As you look at the cardinal sins of football, we committed quite a few of those today,” Brees said, no pun intended. “Obviously, we gave them a lot of momentum.”

The NFC South-leading Saints (5-3) average a league-best 35 points, but never got on track against a defense ranked near the bottom of the league. The Rams (1-6) had a season-high six sacks after entering the game with just 11, three by Chris Long(notes).

“We always thought we had that in us,” coach Steve Spagnuolo said. “It was a wonderful weekend for St. Louis fans.”

Saints pass catchers were bottled up by a secondary minus its top three players, and the rushing game totaled just 56 yards on 20 carries. Saints radio reported that offensive guard Carl Nicks(notes) and line coach Aaron Kromer had to be separated after squabbling near the end of the game.

The Rams trailed by double digits in each of their first six games, and before Sunday had the lead for only 6:28 all season. They led at halftime for the first time since they were up 3-0 against the 49ers in the 2009 season finale in a 28-6 loss.

The Saints were held scoreless in the first half for the first time since ,custom Dolphins jerseys,2007, mustering just 94 yards total offense and going 1 for 6 on third down. Watching from the booth while recovering from a knee injury, coach Sean Payton detected a lack of effort.

“They certainly played with more energy than we did,” Payton said. “I just thought we looked flat.”

The Rams wore throwback jerseys in a nod to their 1999 Super Bowl championship team and the Cardinals’ appearance helped fire up a crowd growing accustomed to disappointment from the Rams. The game was sold out, but there were hundreds of empty seats.

Manager Tony La Russa donned a Sam Bradford(notes) jersey and Game 7 winner Chris Carpenter went out for the coin toss wearing a Jackson jersey.

Rams players attended Game 3 of the World Series in Texas last week—Albert Pujols’ three-homer game—the night before their 34-7 loss to the Cowboys in Dallas.

“I very, very much appreciate Tony and his players for coming over today,” Spagnuolo said. “I wanted them to know how much that means to us.”

All three Saints losses have come on the road. But they were favored by nearly two touchdowns against a franchise that has been staggeringly awful on both sides of the ball. Like the Colts a week earlier, the Rams were starting their backup quarterback.

A.J. Feeley(notes) made his second straight start in place of Bradford (high left ankle sprain), and threw his first touchdown pass of the season in a mistake-free outing.

Jackson had 159 yards on 25 carries, including a 32-yard jaunt on fourth-and-2 to set up his second touchdown that made it 24-0 in the third quarter.

Jonathan Vilma(notes) got the Saints on the board after recovering Feeley’s fumble on a sack by Malcolm Jenkins(notes), and Pierre Thomas(notes) scored with 10 minutes left to cut the gap to 10.

The first quarter was scoreless, a victory in itself for the Rams, given they’ve been outscored 59-13 in the opening period. Then, shockingly, they took control.,custom Vikings jerseys,

They capitalized on a pair of turnovers to go up 17-0 at the break. Jackson scored on a 3-yard run two plays after rookie Robert Quinn’s(notes) blocked punt, the first in three NFL seasons against Thomas Morstead(notes). Josh Gordy’s(notes) interception at the Saints 38 gave St. Louis another short field that led to Brandon Lloyd’s(notes) 8-yard catch.

Hundreds of thousands at Cardinals parade, rally

Hundreds of thousands at Cardinals parade, rally

A red sea of fans jammed downtown St. Louis on Sunday to honor the World Series champion Cardinals and send a clear message to Albert Pujols(notes): Please stay.,new style fendi handbags,

An official crowd estimate was not immediately available for the parade down the streets of St. Louis and the celebration at Busch Stadium, but city officials expected several hundred thousand, and it was clearly that, if not more. The crowd was so large that people were parking more than two miles away, and interstate highways were jammed near downtown.

Pujols drew loud cheers along the parade route and a long standing ovation at the stadium. When asked on the podium if he’d like to be back for another celebration next season, he smiled sheepishly and said, “Hey, why not?”

Whether that happens remains to be seen. After 11 Hall of Fame seasons as a Cardinal, Pujols is a free agent for the first time and it isn’t clear if the mid-market Cardinals will be able or willing to give a long-term contract to a player who turns 32 before next season, despite his career .328 average, 455 homers and status as a team icon.

Pujols’ pending free agency and a chilly, breezy and overcast afternoon did nothing to dampen the celebratory spirit. People began staking out the good spots many hours before the parade, climbed trees and leaned out office windows for better views.,nike total 90 series soccer shoes, Nearly everyone was dressed in red except for a few in Rams blue who made the short walk from the Edward Jones Dome after the football game. Even the Rams added to the joy of the day, beating New Orleans 31-21 for their first win after an 0-6 start.

High school marching bands played along the parade route. Vendors sold hot dogs and peanuts. Fathers and mothers hoisted small children on their shoulders to wave at the passing red and white pickup trucks carrying Cardinals past—Lou Brock, Red Schoendienst—and present. The biggest cheers appeared to be for Pujols, Lance Berkman(notes), Yadier Molina(notes), Chris Carpenter and postseason hero David Freese(notes), who was Most Valuable Player in both the NL championship series and the World Series.

Freese, a native of St. Louis County, recalled sitting in a California Burger King in December 2007 when “I got the greatest phone call of my life, that I had been traded to the St. Louis Cardinals.”

Manager Tony La Russa led the parade atop a beer wagon pulled by the Budweiser Clydesdales, followed by a truck carrying owner Bill DeWitt Jr. clinging to the World Series trophy.

The parade ended inside Busch Stadium, where a sold-out crowd watched the celebration. In fact, the ballpark rally sold out in 90 minutes after the Cardinals won the clincher.

“This 11th Cardinals world championship will always be remembered as one of baseball’s greatest achievements,” DeWitt said, noting the Cardinals had to win four elimination games this postseason.

La Russa, too, paid respect to his team for never surrendering, even when 10 1/2 games out wild-card contention on Aug. 25, or when they faced three postseason opponents with superior records—Philadelphia, Milwaukee and Texas.

“What these guys did so many times facing elimination, it’s a lesson for all of us,” La Russa said. “They never quit.”

The celebration was the culmination of a four-day party in St. Louis that began with the stunning win in Game 6, when the Cardinals rallied five times and in two straight innings were within a strike from elimination before Freese won the game 10-9 with a leadoff homer in the 11th.

Friday’s 6-2 win in Game 7 set off a frenzied celebration that lasted well into Saturday.

Players appreciated the response from the fans.


“I’ll never forget any of this,” outfielder Allen Craig(notes), who hit three homers in the World Series, said. “It’s been great.”

Fans said they were still jubilant about the team’s amazing turnaround.

“It just seemed improbable,” said Chris Ambrose, 24, of Chesterfield, as he watched the parade. “It’s one of the greatest World Series runs of all time.”

Jenny Ulrich and her husband, Jeff,,adidas F50i Tunit Start Kit soccer shoes, of Lonedell, Mo., brought their two young daughters to the parade.

The Cardinals “are just part of what our family does,” Ulrich said. Pointing to the girls, “they’re the next generation of Cardinals Nation.”

Mayor Francis Slay called Sunday’s celebration “unbelievable.”

“The Cardinals fans are the best in baseball and when the Cardinals win the World Series, there’s nothing like it,” Slay said.