At Wednesday night’s rehearsals, the middle-aged man of 50 was showing the kids how it’s done. “He’d take the stage with this group of dancers, all in their 20s, but you couldn’t take your eyes off him,” says Dorian Holley, vocal director for Michael Jackson’s This Is It series of concerts, planned to begin this month in London. During Jackson’s run-through at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, “he was giving a clinic to those dancers,” recalls Bashiri Johnson, the percussionist on the tour. “Whenever he would do a move, he’d raise the bar.” If somebody screwed up, the star took it placidly, saying over and over, “This is what rehearsals are for.” He was psyched to see his comeback extravaganza finally taking recognizable shape. “He was aglow that night - aglow and afloat,” Johnson says. “His feet barely touched the stage, and he wasn’t stressed at all.”

The following afternoon, Jackson was dead. His physician, Conrad Murray, said when the star had stopped breathing, he had done CPR but delayed calling 911 for up to 30 minutes because he wasn’t sure of the street address of Jackson’s Holmby Hills home. The star was declared dead at 2:26 p.m. local time on June 25, and the awful news raced quickly from the ER through the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. Even veteran nurses reacted like many of his fans soon would. “They were hysterical. They’re going, ‘Michael Jackson is dead, he’s dead!’ They were catatonic,” Irena Medavoy, wife of studio chief Mike Medavoy and a junior high school friend of Jackson’s, told People. She was arriving for an appointment when the ambulance bearing Jackson pulled up. “I was there for about an hour and a half, and by the time I got out, people outside are sobbing and other people dressed up as Michael are dancing.” (See the top 10 Michael Jackson moments.)

So began the tribute from millions. Mourning is usually a song of celebration in a minor key, but the memorial services, at the Apollo Theater in Harlem and around the world, took on the tone of a jubilant revival meeting. MTV remembered that it used to be a music network and became MJTV for a few days. And Jackson’s CDs, which sold torpidly in the past few years, were again best sellers.

The high-speed flowering of interest, melancholy and remorse is common at the sudden early passing of a superstar - James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, Jimi Hendrix, Princess Diana - whose life is marked by achievement and controversy. Jackson’s death and commercial resurrection are eerily like those of Elvis Presley, dead at 42. One Hollywood cynic, learning that Presley had just died, commented, “Good career move.” Cutting but prophetic: Elvis sold far more records after his death than before. Presley’s daughter Lisa Marie, Jackson’s wife for 20 months in the mid-’90s, recalled a few days ago on her MySpace page a conversation with Jackson: “He stared at me very intensely and he stated with an almost calm certainty, ‘I am afraid that I am going to end up like [Elvis], the way he did.’” (Read “Michael Jackson’s Estate: Saved by the Beatles.”)

Unquestionably, Jackson is worth more dead than alive. The 1,000 hours of video of the final rehearsals of his London show could be worth about $500 million in gross sales of DVDs, CDs and other items. His assets include half ownership of music publisher Sony/ATV, worth $1 billion. His small remaining interest in Neverland could skyrocket in value; so will his personal items when sold. But his staggering debt, perhaps $500 million, reflects a lifetime of indulgence on antiques, houses, helicopters, more than $100 million in annual upkeep on the 2,500-acre (1,000 hectare) Neverland estate and the hosting of an army of parasitic hangers-on, pseudo advisers and business partners whose main concern did not seem to be him. Says a source with knowledge of Jackson’s finances: “All these other guys tried to set these deals up - lucrative deals up - everything from starting theme parks in different countries to other brand-extension-type ideas. They were trying to set up deals and take fees regardless if they made him money or not.”

The King died from a surfeit of pills and junk food. But what or who killed the King of Pop? Amateur pathologists in the entertainment-news industry flooded TV, newspapers and the Internet with lurid theories. British tabloid the Sun claimed that an autopsy revealed that Jackson’s body, weighing an emaciated 112 lb. (50 kg), was riddled with needle marks from painkiller injections, a report swiftly denied by the Los Angeles County coroner’s office. (See Michael Jackson’s last photos.)

Not that Jackson hadn’t punished his body - sculpted, spindled and mutilated it - on his own. The extensive plastic surgery he permitted on his face left a beautiful young man looking like the Phantom of the Opera; he often wore a mask to hide his disfigured features. After he was injured in a fire while shooting a Pepsi commercial in 1984 and, later, in a stage fall, he became dependent on prescription medication and on the Dr. Feelgoods who cater to the pharmacological demands of the stars. “The doctors prescribed so much drugs, it was crazy,” said a longtime Jackson-family attorney, Brian Oxman. Jackson often looked frail and wasted away in his public appearances, the result, said another tabloid, of a malady called alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, a genetic condition that leads to the breakdown of the lungs. Yet according to those who worked with him, he was vital and tireless the night before his death.

A harsh spotlight fell on Murray, the cardiologist who had been hired to accompany Jackson on the tour. The autopsy dismissed foul play, and Murray denied injecting Jackson with Demerol, a powerful painkiller.

The star’s survivors and friends are also pressing for answers. “The doctor has showed some bizarre behavior,” the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who has ministered to the family in recent days, told People. “Apparently, the doctor was with Michael, maybe administering to his back pain. And then, the next thing that happens is there is a 911 call … Then, of course, the doctor did not confer with the family … He didn’t sign the death certificate. He didn’t talk with the coroner. And then he was missing in action. Finally, when he surfaced, he surfaced with a lawyer. All these are rather bizarre actions. There may be plausible answers, but we don’t know.”

Bizarre behavior was a phrase often applied to the Michael Jackson who, for the past 20 years, seemed so remote as to be extraterrestrial - the moonwalking moon child. But that was just the last of many Michaels who fascinated, seduced and troubled the world of popular music. In his first prodigious eminence, at 11, as the Cupid and Kewpie doll of the Jackson 5, he was no more complicated than he was adorable: the family singing group’s star, dimpled and lithe, the young emperor of elfin cool. Five of Katherine and Joe Jackson’s nine kids were in the group, which had a slew of hits for Motown Records, then went to Epic, called themselves the Jacksons, and let Michael branch out on his own.

INDIO, Calif. - Energized by the desert air and memory of his late wife, a playful and passionate Paul McCartney riffed on “Foxy Lady,” led an after-midnight “Hey Jude” singalong and dedicated songs to his former bandmates at the Coachella music festival that kicked off Friday.

McCartney took off his black jacket five songs in and didn’t put it back on for the next 29, strutting the stage in boots, black pants, a white shirt and suspenders that he tugged at wryly.

“It’s going to be a good weekend, dear,” he told the crowd of thousands gathered for the three-day festival, which erupted in cheers with the first chords of Beatles tunes like “Eleanor Rigby.” It was McCartney’s first appearance at a U.S. festival as a solo artist.

In the 2 1/2-hour set, including two encores, McCartney dedicated “Long and Winding Road” and “My Love Does It Good” to his late wife Linda, who died at the couple’s ranch at Tucson, Ariz., 11 years earlier to the day.

“It’s an emotional day for me. That’s good, that’s OK,” he said, pounding his chest. “Lot of heart, lot of emotion.”

Before a moving performance of “Blackbird,” he noted that it had been written in response to the 60s civil rights movement. “Now you’ve got President Obama. Yeah, you know we’ve come a long way.”

Switching from serious to cheerily self-aware, he led call-and-response chants only to wave them off quickly as “messing around,” and dismissed signs held by front-row fans - including one that asked for his guitar pick.

“No! It’s mine!” McCartney said. “Anyway, if I make a mistake, I can blame the signs.”

There were mistakes. McCartney was proficient but sometimes out-of-sync with the four-man band backing him. But he clearly enjoyed himself, plowing through songs from his “Fireman” album, “Band on the Run” from the Wings, and Fab Four favorites like “Back in the USSR,” “Paperback Writer” and, for the finale, “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.”

McCartney launched brightly into “Something” with only his voice and a ukulele he said was given to him by George Harrison, before his band mates and the crowd joined in.

The first day of the festival also featured Morrissey, Leonard Cohen, the Hold Steady, Franz Ferdinand and the Ting Tings. It drew a number of young Hollywood stars to this desert city southeast of Palm Springs.

Anne Hathaway was spotted in the VIP area wearing patterned harem pants and a cardigan, while Morrissey’s set drew the attention of “Twilight” actor Robert Pattinson, wearing skinny cut-off jeans, and Kirsten Dunst in a short-sleeve mini-dress. Kate Bosworth, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Chloe Sevigny and Zoe Kravitz were also spotted in the VIP area.

Police reported 18 arrests for drug- and alcohol-related crimes, and fire officials took three patrons to hospitals.

Las Vegas-based The Killers and M.I.A., a replacement for Amy Winehouse, headline a more youthful Saturday lineup. My Bloody Valentine and The Cure cap off Sunday night.

The recession has forced music festivals nationwide to lower prices or downsize, and three-day, $269 tickets to Coachella were available on a layaway plan. Single-day tickets were $120 at the door. Organizers have not yet announced attendance or ticket sales.

WASHINGTON - In a whirlwind week of change, President Barack Obama jettisoned Bush administration policy on greenhouse gases, shone an unforgiving light on its support for torture as an interrogation tactic and eased its restrictions on Cuba.

But there are limits, even to this new president’s power, and a campaign pledge to seek a ban on assault weapons is an early casualty as a result.

And while the promise of change was arguably Obama’s single most powerful asset in last year’s campaign, the week demonstrated anew how carefully he calibrates its impact.

“We have been through a dark and painful chapter in our history,” the president said in a statement that accompanied the release of once-secret memos outlining torture techniques the Bush administration allowed.

“But at a time of great challenges and disturbing disunity, nothing will be gained by spending our time and energy laying blame for the past.”

That was designed as a reassurance to the CIA employees who carried out waterboarding, which simulates drowning, and the other harsh interrogation techniques that former President George W. Bush once sanctioned and that Obama has now banned - much as his decision to leave combat troops in Iraq a few months longer than he once promised was a bow to the Pentagon.

“I will always do whatever is necessary to protect the national security of the United States,” he said in a statement on the torture memos that could easily have been written about the troop withdrawal.

Attorney General Eric Holder added one more assurance, announcing the administration would pay legal expenses for anyone in the intelligence agency who needs a lawyer as a result of carrying out interrogations covered by the memos.

Holder also formally revoked every legal opinion or memo issued during Bush’s presidency that justified interrogation programs, a largely symbolic step since Obama had already said his administration would not rely on them.

The release of the documents had been the subject of a long, fierce debate, with a deadline looming as the result of a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union.

No lawsuit drove the timing of the new Cuba policy, which was released in the run-up to Obama’s first presidential trip to Central America. And here again, Obama went further than some wanted and not as far as others had hoped.

Under the new policy, the administration lifted restrictions on Cuban-Americans who want to travel and send money to their island homeland and freed U.S. telecommunications companies to seek business there.

Some of the changes specifically undid what Bush had imposed: tightened travel restrictions on Americans wishing to visit relatives in Cuba; limiting payments to immediate family; and bans on seeds, clothing, personal hygiene items, veterinary medicines and - later - cell phones from humanitarian parcels.

But the broader embargo remains in place as it has since the Kennedy administration, its existence meant now as then to prod the Cuban government into democratic reforms.

In response to the announcement, Cuban President Raul Castro said he is ready to put “everything” on the table in talks with Americans, including questions of human rights and political prisoners. If so, that would mark a change from decades of Cuban insistence that those issues were not subject for discussion.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton pronounced Castro’s comments an overture, and said, “We are taking a very serious look at how we intend to respond.”

Still, despite sentiment within the 15-member Caribbean Community to lift the U.S. embargo, Jamaica’s prime minister, Bruce Golding, said the organization had agreed not to push Obama too hard on the issue.

By contrast, there was little that was nuanced about the Environmental Protection Agency’s announcement Friday that carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse gases emitted by cars and many industrial plants “endanger public health and welfare.”

It was prompted by a Supreme Court ruling two years ago that said greenhouse gases are pollutants under the Clean Air Act and must be regulated if found to be a danger to human health or public welfare.

Confronted with the high court’s decision, the Bush administration stalled, leaving for Obama an issue he was only too happy to seize. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said while the agency is prepared to move forward with regulations under the Clean Air Act, the administration would rather defer to Congress.

“The (EPA) decision is a game changer,” said Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., who is involved in drafting legislation to limit greenhouse emissions.

For all the changes Obama has piled up since taking office 87 days ago, his retreat on assault weapons is hardly unique. He has already yielded on other relatively minor issues, giving in to veterans groups during the budget debate, for example.

Pressed by Mexican President Felipe Calderone to help stem the flow of military-style assault weapons from the United States, Obama said he still believed that the ban made sense. Any yet, he added: “None of us are under any illusion that reinstating that ban would be easy.” He said he would focus instead on using existing laws to stop the flow of weapons prized by elements of the Mexican drug trade.

If anything, Obama’s closest allies in Congress are probably relieved.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California signaled as much several weeks ago after Holder said the administration wanted to renew a ban that lapsed and that the powerful National Rifle Association opposes strenuously.

“One good place to start would be to enforce the laws that are on the books right now,” she said on Feb. 26. “And I think the evidence points this out, that the Bush administration was not enforcing law.”

TEHRAN, Iran - An American journalist jailed in Iran has been convicted of spying and sentenced to eight years in prison, her lawyer said Saturday, dashing any hopes for her quick release.

The verdict was the first time Iran has found an American journalist guilty of spying, and it was unclear how the conviction would affect recent overtures by the Obama administration for better relations and engagement with Washington’s longtime adversary.

Roxana Saberi, a 31-year-old dual American-Iranian citizen, was arrested in late January and initially accused of working without press credentials. But earlier this month, an Iranian judge leveled a far more serious allegation, charging her with spying for the United States.

She appeared before an Iranian court behind closed doors on Monday in an unusually swift one-day trial. The Fargo, North Dakota native had been living in Iran for six years and had worked as a freelance reporter for several news organizations including National Public Radio and the British Broadcasting Corp.

“Saberi has been sentenced to eight years in jail. I’ll definitely appeal the verdict,” lawyer Abdolsamad Khorramshahi told The Associated Press. It was not immediately known when she was convicted.

The United States has called the charges against Saberi baseless and has demanded her release, and the conviction and prison sentence could put strains on efforts to improve ties.

President Barack Obama has said it wants to engage Iran in talks on its nuclear program and other issues - a departure from the tough talk of the Bush administration.

Iran has been mostly lukewarm to the idea, but on Thursday Iran’s hard-line president gave the clearest signal yet that the Islamic Republic was also willing to start a new relationship with Washington.

In a speech Wednesday, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Iran was preparing new proposals aimed at breaking an impasse with the West over its nuclear program.

But it was uncertain how Washington would react to Saberi’s conviction. On Thursday, the State Department said Saberi’s jailing was not helpful and that Iran would gain U.S. good will if it “responded in a positive way” to the case.

The United States severed diplomatic relations with Iran after its 1979 Islamic revolution and takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran.

Human rights groups have repeatedly criticized Iran for arresting journalists and suppressing freedom of speech. The government has arrested several Iranian-Americans in the past few years, citing alleged attempts to overthrow its Islamic government through what it calls a “soft revolution.” But they were never put on trial and were eventually released from prison.

Iran has released few details about the charges against Saberi. Iranian officials initially said she had been arrested for working in the Islamic Republic without press credentials and she had told her father in a phone conversation that she was arrested after buying a bottle of wine.

An Iranian investigative judge involved in the case charged that Saberi was passing classified information to U.S. intelligence services.

Her parents, who traveled to Iran from their home in Fargo in a bid to help win their daughter’s release, could not immediately be reached for comment on Saturday.

Presidential Debate Schedule 2008:Obama/McCain Presidential Debate Schedule - Here is the Presidential Debate Schedule 2008 between Obama and McCain.The Presidential Debate Schedule 2008 shows that there will be 3 debates between John McCain and Barack Obama and one vice presidential debate as well. Presidential Debate Schedule 2008 is as followed:

September 26, 2008: Presidential debate with domestic policy focus, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS
October 2, 2008: Vice Presidential debate, Washington University, St. Louis, MO
October 7, 2008: Presidential debate in a town hall format, Belmont University, Nashville, TN
October 15, 2008: Presidential debate with foreign policy focus, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY

Here is Presidential Debate Schedule 2008 break down:

1. First Presidential Debate:

– Date: September 26 – Site: University of Mississippi – Topic: Foreign Policy & National Security – Moderator: Jim Lehrer – Staging: Podium debate – Answer Format: The debate will be broken into nine, 9-minute segments. The moderator will introduce a topic and allow each candidate 2 minutes to comment. After these initial answers, the moderator will facilitate an open discussion of the topic for the remaining 5 minutes, ensuring that both candidates receive an equal amount of time to comment

2. Vice Presidential Debate:

– Date: October 2nd – Site: Washington University (St. Louis) – Moderator: Gwen Ifill – Staging/Answer Format: To be resolved after both parties’ Vice Presidential nominees are selected.

3. Second Presidential Debate:

– Date: October 7 – Site: Belmont University – Moderator: Tom Brokaw – Staging: Town Hall debate – Format: The moderator will call on members of the audience (and draw questions from the internet). Each candidate will have 2 minutes to respond to each question. Following those initial answers, the moderator will invite the candidates to respond to the previous answers, for a total of 1 minute, ensuring that both candidates receive an equal amount of time to comment. In the spirit of the Town Hall, all questions will come from the audience (or internet), and not the moderator.

4. Third Presidential Debate:

– Date: October 15 – Site: Hofstra University – Topic: Domestic and Economic policy – Moderator: Bob Schieffer – Staging: Candidates will be seated at a table – Answer Format: Same as First Presidential Debate – Closing Statements: At the end of this debate (only) each candidate shall have the opportunity for a 90 second closing statement.

All four debates will begin at 9pm ET, and last for 90 minutes and will be broadcast on CBS, NBC, ABC, and FOX, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, and C-SPAN.
That’s all we have for now on the Presidential Debate Schedule 2008:Obama/McCain Presidential Debate Schedule.

Source:news.spreadit

Musharraf: Bhutto Knew Of Risks

(CBS) Pakistan’s president, Pervez Musharraf, leads a country in crisis ten days after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. Pakistan is the only Islamic country with nuclear bombs, a place where the influence of the Taliban and al Qaeda is growing.

The Bush administration hopes Musharraf can save his country, but he’s the man many Pakistanis blame for its crisis. Was he responsible for the assassination, as many Pakistanis believe? Did his government fail to provide adequate protection? Or did Benazir Bhutto take unnecessary risks?

Lara Logan asked these questions of President Musharraf on Saturday in Islamabad, his first interview since the Bhutto assassination.

“I knew that she’s under threat. She herself knew that. I told her personally,” Musharraf says.

“So it was just a matter of time, do you think?” Logan asks.

“It’s your luck,” Musharraf replies. “There’s no real protection against a suicide bomber really.”

Benazir Bhutto’s luck ran out on December 27th. She was leaving a campaign rally in her bid to become prime minister for the third time. Bhutto was waving and smiling from her vehicle as excited supporters swarmed around her.

Gunshots rang out. Then, moments later, a suicide bomber blew himself up. In less than two hours, the announcement came that Bhutto was dead.

“That came as an utter shock. It came as an utter shock,” Musharraf remembers.

Asked what the first thing was that went through his mind when he heard the news, Musharraf tells Logan, “Well, I knew there was going to be a disturbance in the country and I immediately told the army commander and told everyone to alert everyone, and we must take immediate measures to control any kind of agitation, any kind of emotional outburst.”

The moment word of Bhutto’s death hit the streets, riots broke out; much of the rage was directed at President Musharraf, her main political rival.

“By the time of her assassination, how would you describe the nature of your relationship with her?” Logan asks.

“Up and down. It wasn’t constant - I had asked her not to come before the election, and that we will arrange - then she could come after the election, which she agreed. She had agreed. But then she decided to come all of a sudden. Now that changed a little. It upset me a little,” Musharraf says.

“Were you feeling that she was not sticking to her agreements with you, that she wasn’t keeping her word?” Logan asks.

“Well, to an extent yes. She used to change the goalposts frequently, depending on the ups and downs here in the country,” Musharraf replies.

“It sounds like she was annoying you,” Logan remarks.

“On many occasions,” Musharraf admits. “But on many other occasions she was positive.”

“Did you like her?” Logan asks.

“I think in such a situation it’s not your personal like and dislikes. It’s more for the nation that I thought one has to interact with her,” Musharraf says.

“When I hear words like that, you know, ‘One has to interact with her for the sake of the nation,’ sounds to me like you didn’t like her very much,” Logan remarks.

“No I wouldn’t say I didn’t like her - well, I like or dislike, I didn’t have any kind of personal friendship with her,” Musharraf says.

The president was upset with Bhutto last October, when, in spite of warnings, she went ahead with a rally in Karachi on her return from self-imposed exile in Dubai. Her convoy was attacked, with two blasts killing close to 150 people.

“Now, in Karachi we knew from Sheikh Mohammad of Dubai, I mean, I got information, intelligence from him. We had our own intelligence. He sent intelligence that there are suicide bombers there targeting her. We told her this,” Musharraf explains. “And she knew it. We told her. Don’t do it!”

“And 145 people died,” Logan remarks.

“We offered. We said that we can give you a helicopter,” Musharraf says. “But she decided to go in that procession. That’s what happened.”

Asked if he thinks that was a mistake, Musharraf tells Logan, “Yes, indeed. Absolutely.”

(CBS) Musharraf also thinks Bhutto made a mistake by going to the area where she was killed, where a former prime minister had previously been assassinated. And it wasn’t the first time Bhutto had tried to hold a rally there.

“We again had intelligence that this is a dangerous place and there’s a likelihood of a suicide attempt. We asked her not to go,” Musharraf says. “She insisted she will go. We stopped her. And we got such a poor - flak - we got flak from all over the world, from media, from Western media.”

“From the U.S.?” Logan asks.

“From everywhere,” Musharraf explains.

The night of the assassination, Musharraf believes Bhutto broke a basic rule of security in a crowded charged political rally: to be particularly careful when leaving.

“She should have just gone and moved fast, gone and waved, yes. But if you’re standing and — because you are vulnerable. You’re vulnerable and people are charging,” Musharraf says. “And all the film that you see, people are charging. Now, when people are there by the hundreds swarming around you, this man is one of them. Who can check these people at that stage?”

“And the mistake she made, if I understand you correctly, was stopping?” Logan asks.

“Yes. But then the mistake was not that,” Musharraf says. “I mean, God was kind — she went into the car in spite of the fact that she was waving and all that. She did go into the car. Now is the point. Why did she stand outside the car?”

“Why did she stand up in the hatch?” Logan asks.

“Entirely. Who’s to blame?” Musharraf replies.

Asked who is to blame, Musharraf says, “Only she.”

“So Benazir Bhutto, in your words, should bear some responsibility for what took place for her own death?” Logan asks.

“For standing up outside the car, I think it was she to blame alone. Nobody else. Responsibility is hers,” Musharraf says.

“Don’t you think it will make her supporters crazy to hear you say that?” Logan asks.

“Well, I don’t think so. I mean, that’s the fact. She shouldn’t have stood up,” Musharraf says.

“Just so I’m clear, even with the benefit of hindsight, you feel that your government, you and your government, did everything possible to give Benazir Bhutto the security she needed?” Logan asks.

“Yes, absolutely,” Musharraf says. “She had the threat. So she was given more security than any other person.”

Musharraf conceded that Bhutto’s return was a bitter pill to swallow. It was part of a deal engineered by the Bush administration after a year of political unrest and extremist violence in Pakistan.

“There was a year of secret negotiations; the United States administration has made their views very clear. President Bush endorsed Bhutto’s return, Condoleezza Rice, they had top State Department officials meeting with her. You yourself went to Dubai and met with her twice,” Logan says.

“Well, yes. All this was going - you seem to be well-informed. Very good. Yes it was happening, I agree,” Musharraf acknowledges.

“One of the reasons Benazir Bhutto had such popularity amongst top U.S. officials is that she cast herself as the person who would take action against al Qaeda. Who would go into the tribal areas. Who would get Bin Laden. Who would do all the things that she said you were not doing,” Logan says.

“No. Now, again, these are misperceptions of American thinking. All American media, some officials who don’t know Pakistan,” Musharraf responds.

“So what are you doing to find Osama bin Laden? What is Pakistan doing? What end are you actually still today - seven years - under you…,” Logan asks.

“We are…fighting terrorism. And we are fighting extremism,” Musharraf says.

“But the question is really within that fight against extremism, what are you doing - if you like - to find Osama Bin Laden?” Logan asks. “That’s what Americans want to know.”

“Okay. We are fighting first of all al Qaeda. Let’s take al Qaeda. We have arrested or eliminated about 700 al Qaeda leaders. Only Pakistan has done it. And lately also whoever has been killed or arrested, I challenge — who else, which other country has done this?” Musharraf asks.

(CBS) “Well, which other country has Osama bin Laden?” Logan replies.

“No, I challenge– I don’t accept that at all. There is no proof whatsoever that he is here in Pakistan,” Musharraf says.

“But are you looking for him?” Logan asks.

“No, again, the same answer,” Musharraf says. “We are not particularly looking for him but we are operating against terrorists and al Qaeda and militant Taliban. And in the process, obviously, it is combined, maybe we are looking for him also. Yes. If he’s here?”

Musharraf was quick to blame Bhutto’s assassination on al Qaeda, particularly a local extremist named Beitullah Mehsud, who operates out of Pakistan’s lawless tribal region where both al Qaeda and the Taliban enjoy widespread support.

“Point two percent of our population is in South Waziristan and North Waziristan. Point two percent,” Musharraf says.

“Well, that point two percent has be able to cause a lot of trouble,” Logan remarks.

“Yes. We must not say that Taliban are in Pakistan. Pakistan, this is a frontier region. Two tribal agencies of Pakistan,” Musharraf says.

“It’s still inside Pakistan. Any way you look at it,” Logan points out.

“But it’s a small part the population and it is this population where they hide and they get support,” Musharraf says.

“But they regrouped under…,” Logan says.

“Yes, indeed,” Musharraf says.

“…your watch?” Logan says.

“No, they regrouped because — not under us. Because of Afghanistan. Okay?” Musharraf says.

“But under your term as president,” Logan remarks.

“Yes. Yes, indeed,” Musharraf acknowledges.

“They have regrouped and they are stronger than ever,” Logan says.

“Well, Taliban. Yes. They may be. They may be getting stronger. I can’t say for sure,” Musharraf says.

Asked if the U.S. shares any of the blame in this, Musharraf says, “Yes, of course. I mean everyone, the whole coalition should share the blame for not succeeding.”

Of all the issues 60 Minutes discussed with Musharraf, the one that seemed to affect him the most personally, was about accusations that he may somehow have been involved in Bhutto’s death.

“There have been suggestions among certain quarters, particularly amongst Benazir Bhutto’s supporters, that you may have had a hand in her killing,” Logan says.

“This is unfortunately a very baseless allegation. Nobody has a right to blame anyone for killing anyone unless they have the proof. I’ve lived in a family which believes in values - it believes in certain principles. It stands for character. And I stand for that,” Musharraf says. “Why would I be informing her about all these intelligence reports that we have against her, the threat to her? Why would I be doing that? Why would I be concerned about telling her all this? ‘Don’t go there, don’t do this, don’t do that.’ So these are all indicators. I can’t prove it legally, I can’t prove my innocence legally. But I can prove it only through what I stand for as a person.”

Source: [CBS News]

Chocolate (pronounced /ˈtʃɑklɪt/ (help·info), British English: /ˈtʃɒklət/; it originates from a Nahuatl word meaning “bitter water”) comprises a number of raw and processed foods that originate from the seed of the tropical cacao tree. It is a common ingredient in many kinds of confections such as chocolate bars, candy, ice cream, cookies, cakes, pies, chocolate mousse, and other desserts. It is one of the most popular and recognizable flavours in the world.

Chocolate is made from the fermented, roasted, and ground seeds taken from the pod of the tropical cacao tree, Theobroma cacao. The tree is native to lowland tropical Central America but is now cultivated throughout the tropics. The seeds have an intense bitter taste, and must be fermented to develop the chocolate flavor. The resulting products are known as “chocolate” or, in some parts of the world, cocoa.

Chocolate, or cacao, beverages were made by many Mesoamerican civilizations in antiquity, including the Maya and the Aztecs. The fermented seeds of the Theobroma cacao tree were ground and mixed with other ingredients such as honey, chile peppers, water, and the ground seeds of other plants.

Today, chocolate commonly refers to bars made from the combination of cocoa solids, fat (usually cocoa butter), sugar and other ingredients. Chocolate bars have a melting point just below body temperature. Chocolate contains alkaloids such as theobromine and phenethylamine, and has numerous physiological effects on the body: it has been linked with serotonin levels in the brain. The presence of theobromine renders it toxic to some animals such as dogs.

Chocolate is often produced as small molded forms in the shape of squares, animals, people, or inanimate objects to celebrate festivals worldwide. For example, there are moulds of rabbits or eggs for Easter, coins for Hanukkah, Saint Nicholas (Santa Claus) for Christmas, and hearts for Valentine’s Day. Chocolate can also be made into drinks (called cocoa and hot chocolate), as originated by the Aztecs and the Mayas. In England, Samuel Pepys records in his diaries at least two entries relating to “jocolatte” as early as the 1660s.[1] Later, in 1689 Hans Sloane developed a milk chocolate drink in Jamaica initially used by apothecaries, but later sold by the Cadbury brothers.

History
 
 A mug of modern hot chocolate. The first chocolate was drunk rather than eaten.Main article: History of chocolate
The word “chocolate” comes from the Nahuatl language of the Aztecs of Mexico. The word is derived from the Nahuatl word xocolatl (IPA /ʃo’kola:tɬ/)[2], which is a combination of the words, xocolli, meaning “bitter”, and atl, which is “water”. The Aztecs associated chocolate with Xochiquetzal, the goddess of fertility. Chocolate is also associated with the Mayan god of Fertility. Mexican philologist Ignacio Davila Garibi, proposed that “Spaniards had coined the word by taking the Maya word chocol and then replacing the Maya term for water, haa, with the Aztec one, atl.”[3] However, it is more likely that the Aztecs themselves coined the term, [4] having long adopted into Nahuatl the Mayan word for the “cacao” bean; the Spanish had little contact with the Mayans before Cortés’s early reports to the Spanish King of the beverage known as xocolatl.[5] However, Micheal D. Coe, professor Emeritus of Anthropology and Curator Emeritus in the Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale University, and coauthor of the book The True History of Chocolate, argues that the word xocolatl appears in “no truly early source on the Nahuatl language or on Aztec culture.”

The earliest record of using chocolate pre-dates the Mayans. Chocolate residue has been found in pottery dating to 1100 BC from Honduras,[6] and 600-400 BC from Belize. The chocolate residue found in an early classic ancient Maya pot in Río Azul, northern Guatemala, suggests that Mayans were drinking chocolate around 400 A.D.. Chocolate has been used solely as a drink for nearly all of its history. In the New World, chocolate was consumed in a bitter, spicy drink called xocoatl, and was often flavored with vanilla, chile pepper, and achiote, (which is known today as annatto). Xocoatl was believed to fight fatigue, a belief that is probably attributable to the theobromine content. Other chocolate drinks combined it with such edibles as maize starch paste (which acts as an emulsifier and thickener), various fruits, and honey.

Chocolate was an important luxury good throughout pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, and cacao beans were often used as currency.[7] For example, the Aztecs used a system in which one turkey cost one hundred cacao beans and one avocado was worth three beans.

In 1689 noted physician and collector Hans Sloane, developed a milk chocolate drink in Jamaica which was initially used by apothecaries, but later sold by the Cadbury brothers.[8]
Production
 
A cacao tree with fruit pods in various stages of ripeningRoughly two-thirds of the entire world’s cocoa is produced in Western Africa, with close to half of the total sourced from Côte d’Ivoire. Like many food industry producers, individual cocoa farmers are at the mercy of volatile world markets. The price can vary from £500 ($945) to £3,000 ($5,672) per ton, in the space of just a few years. While investors trading in cacao can dump shares at will, individual cocoa farmers cannot increase production or abandon trees at anywhere near that pace. When cocoa prices drop, farmers in West Africa sometimes cut costs by using slave labor.[9] It has been alleged that an estimated 90% of cocoa farms in Côte d’Ivoire have used some form of slave labor in order to remain viable.[10]

Despite some disagreement in the EU about the definition, chocolate is any product made primarily of cocoa solids and cocoa fat. The different flavours of chocolate can be obtained by varying the time and temperature when roasting the beans, by adjusting the relative quantities of the cocoa solids and cocoa fat, and by adding non-chocolate ingredients.

Production cost can be decreased by reducing cocoa solid content or by substituting cocoa butter with a non-cocoa fat. Chocolate is a popular ingredient in many other foods, so any change in its cost has a significant economic impact on the food market.

There are two main jobs associated with creating chocolate candy, chocolate makers and chocolatiers. Chocolate makers use harvested cacao beans and other ingredients to produce couverture chocolate. Chocolatiers use the finished couverture to make chocolate candies (bars, truffles, baked goods, etc.).[11]
Bean

Varieties
The three main varieties of cacao beans used in chocolate are Criollo, Forastero and Trinitario.

Criollo is the rarest and most expensive cocoa on the market and is native to Central America, the Caribbean islands and the northern tier of South American states. There is some dispute about the genetic purity of cocoas sold today as Criollo, because most populations have been exposed to the genetic influence of other varieties. Criollos are particularly difficult to grow, as they are vulnerable to a variety of environmental threats and produce low yields of cocoa per tree. The flavour of Criollo is unique. It is described as delicate yet complex, low in classic chocolate flavour, but rich in “secondary” notes of long duration.

Forastero is a large group of wild and cultivated cacaos, most likely native to the Amazon basin. The African cocoa crop is entirely of the Forastero variety. They are significantly hardier and of higher yield than Criollo. Forastero cocoas are typically strong in classic “chocolate” flavour, but have a short duration and are unsupported by secondary flavours. There are exceptional Forasteros, such as the “Nacional” or the “Arriba” varieties, which can be very complex flavors.

Trinitario is a natural hybrid of Criollo and Forastero. Trinitario originated in Trinidad (hence the name) after an introduction of (Amelonado) Forastero to the local Criollo crop. These cocoas encompass a wide range of flavour profiles according to the genetic heritage of each tree.

Nearly all cacao produced over the past five decades is of the Forastero or lower-grade Trinitario varieties. The share of higher quality Criollos and Trinitarios (so-called flavour cacao) is just under 5% per annum.[12]

Cacao trees are difficult to grow and cultivate as they will only grow twenty degrees north and twenty degrees south of the equator. The temperature for cacao trees cannot drop below sixty degrees fahrenheit without damaging the tree.
Harvesting
Harvesting cacao beans is a delicate process. First, the pods, containing cacao beans, are harvested. The beans, together with their surrounding pulp, are removed from the pod and placed in piles or bins to ferment for three to seven days. The fermentation process is what gives the beans the chocolate taste that we know and love. The beans must then be quickly dried to prevent mold growth; weather permitting, this is done by spreading the beans out in the sun.
Chocolate liquor
The dried beans are transported from the plantation where they were grown to a chocolate manufacturing facility.

The beans are then cleaned (removing twigs, stones, and other debris), roasted, and graded. Next the shells are removed to extract the nib. Finally, the nibs are ground which releases and melts the cocoa butter producing chocolate liquor.

There are three things that can be done with the chocolate liquor at this point:

It can be solidified and sold (in the US) as unsweetened baking chocolate.
Cocoa butter can be removed from it and the result is cocoa powder. There are several mechanisms for removing cocoa butter from chocolate liquor. These include using hydraulic pressure, the Broma process.
Cocoa butter can be added to it to make eating chocolate.

Blending
Main article: Types of chocolate
Chocolate liquor is blended with the cocoa butter in varying quantities to make different types of chocolate or couvertures. The basic blends of ingredients for the various types of chocolate (in order of highest quantity of cocoa liquor first), are as follows:

Dark chocolate: sugar, cocoa butter, cocoa liquor, and (sometimes) vanilla
Milk chocolate: sugar, cocoa butter, cocoa liquor, milk or milk powder, and vanilla
White chocolate: sugar, cocoa butter, milk or milk powder, and vanilla
Usually, an emulsifying agent such as soya lecithin is added, though a few manufacturers prefer to exclude this ingredient for purity reasons and to remain GMO-free (Soya is a heavily genetically modified crop), sometimes at the cost of a perfectly smooth texture. Some manufacturers are now using PGPR, an artificial emulsifier derived from castor oil that allows them to reduce the amount of cocoa butter while maintaining the same mouthfeel.

The texture is also heavily influenced by processing, specifically conching (see below). The more expensive chocolates tend to be processed longer and thus have a smoother texture and “feel” on the tongue, regardless of whether emulsifying agents are added.

Different manufacturers develop their own “signature” blends based on the above formulas but varying proportions of the different constituents are used.
Chocolate made with enough cocoa butter flows gently over a chocolate fountain to serve fondue.The finest plain dark chocolate couvertures contain at least 70% cocoa (solids + butter), whereas milk chocolate usually contains up to 50%. High-quality white chocolate couvertures contain only about 33% cocoa. Some mass-produced chocolate contains much less cocoa (as low as 7% in many cases) and fats other than cocoa butter. Some chocolate makers opine that these “chocolate” products should not be classed as couvertures, or even as chocolate, because of the low or virtually non-existent cocoa content.

In 2007, the Chocolate Manufacturers Association, whose members include Hershey, Nestlé, and Archer Daniels Midland, lobbied the FDA to change the legal definition of chocolate to let them substitute partially hydrogenated vegetable oils for cocoa butter in addition to using artificial sweeteners and milk substitutes.[13] Currently, the FDA does not allow a product to be referred to as “chocolate” if the product contains any of these ingredients. [14][15]
Conching
Main article: Conching
The penultimate process is called conching. A conche is a container filled with metal beads, which act as grinders. The refined and blended chocolate mass is kept liquid by frictional heat. The conching process produces cocoa and sugar particles smaller than the tongue can detect, hence the smooth feel in the mouth. The length of the conching process determines the final smoothness and quality of the chocolate. High-quality chocolate is conched for about 72 hours, lesser grades about four to six hours. After the process is complete, the chocolate mass is stored in tanks heated to approximately 45–50 °C (113–122 °F) until final processing.
Tempering
 
Chocolate truffles typically have a thin shell of tempered chocolate, a dusting of cocoa powder and a soft creamy center.The final process is called tempering. Uncontrolled crystallization of cocoa butter typically results in crystals of varying size, some or all large enough to be clearly seen with the naked eye. This causes the surface of the chocolate to appear mottled and matte, and causes the chocolate to crumble rather than snap when broken. The uniform sheen and crisp bite of properly processed chocolate are the result of consistently small cocoa butter crystals produced by the tempering process.

The fats in cocoa butter can crystallize in six different forms (polymorphous crystallization). The primary purpose of tempering is to assure that only the best form is present. The six different crystal forms have different properties.

Crystal Melting Temp. Notes
I 17 °C (63 °F) Soft, crumbly, melts too easily.
II 21 °C (70 °F) Soft, crumbly, melts too easily.
III 26 °C (78 °F) Firm, poor snap, melts too easily.
IV 28 °C (82 °F) Firm, good snap, melts too easily.
V 34 °C (94 °F) Glossy, firm, best snap, melts near body temperature (37 °C).
VI 36 °C (97 °F) Hard, takes weeks to form.

Making good chocolate is about forming the most of the type V crystals. This provides the best appearance and mouth feel and creates the most stable crystals so the texture and appearance will not degrade over time. To accomplish this, the temperature is carefully manipulated during the crystallization.

Generally, the chocolate is first heated to 45 °C (113 °F) to melt all six forms of crystals. Then the chocolate is cooled to about 27 °C (80 °F), which will allow crystal types IV and V to form (VI takes too long to form). At this temperature, the chocolate is agitated to create many small crystal “seeds” which will serve as nuclei to create small crystals in the chocolate. The chocolate is then heated to about 31 °C (88 °F) to eliminate any type IV crystals, leaving just the type V. After this point, any excessive heating of the chocolate will destroy the temper and this process will have to be repeated. However, there are other methods of chocolate tempering used– the most common variant is introducing already tempered, solid “seed” chocolate.

Two classic ways of tempering chocolate are:

Working the molten chocolate on a heat-absorbing surface, such as a stone slab, until thickening indicates the presence of sufficient crystal “seeds”; the chocolate is then gently warmed to working temperature.
Stirring solid chocolate into molten chocolate to “inoculate” the liquid chocolate with crystals (this method uses the already formed crystal of the solid chocolate to “seed” the molten chocolate).
Another more modern way to temper chocolate is with a chocolate temper meter. Temper meters offer accuracy and repeatability for the measurement of chocolate temper in a single, compact, no-mess, easy to operate unit. The user fills a sample cup with chocolate, places it in the unit, and has printed & displayed temper results within minutes. Monitoring chocolate temper using a temper meter ensures the chocolate’s stability, best flow properties, rapid set, high gloss, mold release, and bloom resistance. Use of a temper meter allows corrective action to be taken before temper becomes unacceptable and reduces production yield and shelf life.
Storing
Chocolate is very sensitive to temperature and humidity. Ideal storage temperatures are between 15 and 17 degrees Celsius (59 to 63 degrees Fahrenheit), with a relative humidity of less than 50%. Chocolate should be stored away from other foods as it can absorb different aromas. Ideally, chocolates are packed or wrapped, and placed in proper storage with the correct humidity and temperature. Additionally chocolate should be stored in a dark place or protected from light by wrapping paper. Various types of “blooming” effects can occur if chocolate is stored or served improperly. If refrigerated or frozen without containment, chocolate can absorb enough moisture to cause a whitish discoloration, the result of fat or sugar crystals rising to the surface. Moving chocolate from one temperature extreme to another, such as from a refrigerator on a hot day can result in an oily texture. Although visually unappealing, these conditions are perfectly safe for consumption.[16][17][18]
Physiological effects

Pleasure of consuming
 
Molten ChocolatePart of the pleasure of eating chocolate is due to the fact that its melting point is slightly below human body temperature: it melts in the mouth. Chocolate intake has been linked with release of serotonin in the brain, which produces feelings of pleasure.[19] A study reported by the BBC indicated that melting chocolate in one’s mouth produced an increase in brain activity and heart rate that was more intense than that associated with passionate kissing, and also lasted four times as long after the activity had ended.[20] Research has shown that heroin addicts tend to have an increased liking for chocolate; this may be because it triggers dopamine release in the brain’s reinforcement systems[21] — an effect, albeit a legal one, similar to that of opiates.
Potential health benefits and risks
Recent studies have suggested that cocoa or dark chocolate may possess certain beneficial effects on human health. Dark chocolate, with its high cocoa content, is a rich source of the flavonoids epicatechin and gallic acid, which are thought to possess cardioprotective properties. Cocoa possesses a significant antioxidant action, protecting against LDL oxidation, perhaps more than other polyphenol antioxidant-rich foods and beverages. Processing cocoa with alkali destroys most of the flavonoids.[22] Some studies have also observed a modest reduction in blood pressure and flow-mediated dilation after consuming approximately 100g of dark chocolate daily. There has even been a fad diet, named “Chocolate diet”, that emphasizes eating chocolate and cocoa powder in capsules. However, consuming milk chocolate or white chocolate, or drinking fat-containing milk with dark chocolate, appears largely to negate the health benefit.[23] Processed cocoa powder (so called Dutch chocolate), processed with alkali greatly reduces the antioxidant capacity as compared to “raw” cocoa powder. [24] Chocolate is also a calorie-rich food with a high fat content, so daily intake of chocolate also requires reducing caloric intake of other foods.

Two-thirds of the fat in chocolate comes in the forms of a saturated fat called stearic acid and a monounsaturated fat called oleic acid. However, unlike other saturated fats, stearic acid does not raise levels of LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream.[25] Consuming relatively large amounts of dark chocolate and cocoa does not seem to raise serum LDL cholesterol levels; some studies even find that it could lower them[26].

Several population studies have observed an increase in the risk of certain cancers among people who frequently consume sweet ‘junk’ foods such as chocolate. However, very little evidence exists to suggest whether consuming flavonoid-rich dark chocolate may increase or decrease the risk of cancer. Evidence from laboratory studies suggest that cocoa flavonoids may possess anticarcinogenic mechanisms, but more research is needed to prove this idea.

The major concern that nutritionists have is that even though eating dark chocolate may favorably affect certain biomarkers of cardiovascular disease, the amount needed to have this effect would provide a relatively large quantity of calories which, if unused, would promote weight gain. Obesity is a significant risk factor for many diseases, including cardiovascular disease. As a consequence, consuming large quantities of dark chocolate in an attempt to protect against cardiovascular disease has been described as ‘cutting off one’s nose to spite one’s face’.[27].

Studies suggest a specially formulated type of cocoa may boost brain function and delay decline as people age.[28]

Small but regular amounts of dark chocolate were shown to lower the possibility of heart attack.[29]
As a stimulant
See also: chocoholism
 
A chocolate sweet.Chocolate contains a variety of substances, some of which have an effect on body chemistry. These include:

Sugar: Chocolate bars (as opposed to cocoa) contain large amounts of sugar.
Theobromine: This is the primary alkaloid found in cocoa and chocolate[30], and is one of the causes for chocolate’s mood-elevating effects. This mild stimulant belongs to the methylxanthine family, which also includes the similar compound caffeine, with which theobromine is frequently confused.
Anandamide: An endogenous cannabinoid.
Tryptophan: An essential amino acid that is a precursor to serotonin, an important neurotransmitter involved in regulating moods.
Phenethylamine: An endogenous alkaloid and monoamine. Often described as a ‘love chemical’[31], it can cause endorphin releases in the brain.[20]. However, unlike its synthetic derivative amphetamine, it is quickly metabolized by the enzyme MAO-B, preventing significant concentrations from reaching the brain.
Caffeine: This stimulant is present mainly in coffee and tea, but exists in chocolate in very small amounts[30]. The amount of caffeine in chocolate is roughly 6 mg per ounce (about 30 g) of chocolate bar[6]. Compare with 100-150 mg of caffeine in a cup of coffee.
Current research indicates that chocolate has a weak stimulant effect due mainly to its content of theobromine.[32] However, chocolate contains too little of this compound for a reasonable serving to create effects in humans that are on par with a coffee buzz. Chocolate contains only small amounts of the compound caffeine.[33] There are 5 to 10 milligrams of caffeine in one ounce of bittersweet chocolate, 5 milligrams in milk chocolate, and 10 milligrams in a 170 millilitre cup of cocoa. There are 100 to 150 milligrams of caffeine in a 220 millilitre cup of coffee; it would be necessary to eat more than a dozen chocolate bars to get the same amount of caffeine as one cup of coffee. The pharmacologist Ryan J. Huxtable has described chocolate as “more than a food but less than a drug”. However, chocolate is a very potent stimulant for horses; its use is therefore banned in horse-racing. Theobromine is also a contributing factor in acid reflux because it relaxes the esophageal sphincter muscle, allowing stomach acid to enter the esophagus more easily.
Molten chocolate and a piece of a chocolate barChocolate also contains small quantities of the endogenous cannabinoid anandamide and the cannabinoid breakdown inhibitors N-oleoylethanolamine and N-linolenoylethanolamine. Anandamides are produced naturally by the body, in such a way that their effects are extremely targeted (compared to the broad systemic effects of drugs like tetrahydrocannabinol) and relatively short-lived. In experiments, N-oleoylethanolamine and N-linolenoylethanolamine interfere with the body’s natural mechanisms for breaking down endogenous cannabinoids, causing them to last longer. However, noticeable effects of chocolate related to this mechanism in humans have not been demonstrated.

Some studies have described a condition called Hysteroid dysphoria, characterized by repeated episodes of depressed mood in response to feeling rejected, and a craving for chocolate.
Medical applications
Mars, Incorporated, a Virginia-based candy company, spends millions of dollars each year on flavonol research. The company is talking with pharmaceutical companies to license drugs based on synthesized cocoa flavonol molecules. According to Mars-funded researchers at Harvard, the University of California, and European universities, cocoa-based prescription drugs could potentially help treat diabetes, dementia and other diseases.[34]
Coughing
Research indicates that chocolate may be effective at preventing persistent coughing. The ingredient theobromine was found to be almost one third more effective than codeine, the leading cough medicine.[35] The chocolate also appears to soothe and moisten the throat.
Diarrhea
South American and European cultures have used cocoa to treat diarrhea for hundreds of years.[36] A study done at Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland, in collaboration with scientists at Heinrich Heine University in Germany, has shown that flavonoids can inhibit the development of fluids that result in diarrhea.[37]
As an aphrodisiac
Romantic lore commonly identifies chocolate as an aphrodisiac. The reputed aphrodisiac qualities of chocolate are most often associated with the simple sensual pleasure of its consumption. More recently, suggestion has been made that serotonin and other chemicals found in chocolate, most notably phenethylamine, can act as mild sexual stimulants. While there is no firm proof that chocolate is indeed an aphrodisiac, giving a gift of chocolate to one’s sweetheart is a familiar courtship ritual.[38]
Acne
There is a popular belief that the consumption of chocolate can cause acne. Pure chocolate contains anti-oxidants which aid better skin complexion. The University of Pennsylvania and the US Naval Academy conducted experiments that fed subjects chocolate or a bar with similar amounts of macronutrients (fat, sugar etc.) and found that consumption of chocolate, frequent or not, had no effect on the developing of acne. [39] Chocolate bars with milk content may contribute to acne. It is not the chocolate itself that causes acne, but rather the milk with which the chocolate is mixed.[40]
Chocolate, ranging from dark to light, can be molded and decorated like these chickens with ribbons.
Lead
Chocolate has one of the higher concentrations of lead among products that constitute a typical Westerner’s diet. Recent studies have shown that although the beans themselves absorb little lead, it tends to bind to cocoa shells and contamination may occur during the manufacturing process.[41] A recent peer-reviewed publication found significant amounts of lead in chocolate.[42] A review article published in a peer-reviewed journal in 2006 states that despite high consumption levels of chocolate, there is a paucity of data on lead concentrations in chocolate products. In a USDA study in 2004, mean lead levels in the samples tested ranged from 0.0010 to 0.0965 µg lead per gram of chocolate, but another study by a Swiss research group in 2002 found that some chocolate contained up to 0.769 µg per gram, close to the international (voluntary) standard limit for lead in cocoa powder or beans, which is 1 µg of lead per gram.[43] In 2006, the U.S. FDA lowered by one-fifth the amount of lead permissible in candy, but compliance is only voluntary.[44] While studies show that the lead consumed in chocolate may not all be absorbed by the human body, there is no known threshold for the effects of lead on children’s brain function and even small quantities of lead can cause permanent neurodevelopmental deficits including impaired IQ.[45]
Toxicity in animals
Main article: theobromine poisoning
In sufficient amounts, the theobromine found in chocolate is toxic to animals such as horses, dogs, parrots, small rodents, and cats (kittens especially) because they are unable to metabolise the chemical effectively. If they are fed chocolate, the theobromine will remain in their bloodstream for up to 20 hours, and these animals may experience epileptic seizures, heart attacks, internal bleeding, and eventually death. Medical treatment involves inducing vomiting within two hours of ingestion, or contacting a veterinarian.

A typical 20-kilogram (40-lb) dog will normally experience great intestinal distress after eating fewer than 240 grams (8.47 oz) of dark chocolate, but will not necessarily experience bradycardia or tachycardia unless it eats at least a half a kilogram (1.1 lb) of milk chocolate. Dark chocolate has 2 to 5 times more theobromine and thus is more dangerous to dogs. According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, approximately 1.3 grams of baker’s chocolate per kilogram of a dog’s body weight (0.02 oz/lb) is sufficient to cause symptoms of toxicity. For example, a typical 25-gram (0.88 oz) baker’s chocolate bar would be enough to bring about symptoms in a 20-kilogram (44 lb) dog. Of course, baking chocolate is rarely consumed directly due to its unpleasant taste, but other dark chocolates’ canine toxicities may be extrapolated based on this figure. Large dogs such as St. Bernards or Rottweilers are somewhat less susceptible to poisoning, but caution is still necessary. As dogs like the taste of chocolate products as much as humans do, and are capable of finding and eating quantities much larger than typical human servings, they should be kept out of their reach. Treats made from carob are a good substitute and pose no threat. There are reports that mulch made from cacao bean shells is dangerous to pets (and other animals).[46][47][48]
An alternative to chocolate
 
A model of the Reichstag made of chocolate at a Berlin shopThe seeds of the Carob tree are used as a chocolate substitute and in some animal treats instead of chocolate due to the toxicity of real chocolate. It is also used as a sweetener. For those allergic to chocolate it may provide an alternative without the allergic side effects.
Labelling
Some manufacturers provide the percentage of chocolate in a finished chocolate confection as a label quoting percentage of “cocoa” or “cacao”. It should be noted that this refers to the combined percentage of both cocoa solids and cocoa butter in the bar, not just the percentage of cocoa solids [7].

Chocolates that are organic or fair trade certified carry labels accordingly. Manufacturers may also state whether their chocolate is shade grown.

In the US, some manufacturers are lobbying the government to permit confection containing hydrogenated vegetable oil in place of cocoa butter to be sold as “chocolate”. This is controversial [8] and as of July 2007 the FDA has not yet consented to permit it.

What Inky Beast?

Inspired by an odd leap in “frog tattoo” searches, we checked on the menagerie of animal body art. Because the beasts in question aren’t standard barnyard fare, we found quite a few interesting ink choices in our top 20 animal tattoo searches.

In the top spot, the delicate butterfly symbolizes metamorphosis, so it’s no surprise that deep thinkers flock to this tattoo to represent their changing moods. Following the wings of the butterfly are 19 other critters emblazoned on arms, backs, and legs all over the world…

A couple final drops of ink…

—We were a bit surprised that dogs didn’t bark loud enough to make our top 20. We could blame it on the wide variety of breeds splitting the Search vote. Or the fact that you don’t find many Shih Tzu owners into body art. Either way, the top three breeds in Buzz are “bulldog tattoos,” “pitbull tattoos,” and “rottweiler tattoos.”

—Fish usually symbolize knowledge—but folks searching on “coy fish tattoo” should go back to the drawing board. Other popular fish tattoo searches swimming throught the Buzz included: “pisces fish tattoos,” “jesus fish tattoos,” and “tribal fish tattoos.”

People wearing traditional masks take part in a parade in Oaxaca’s square, July 21. REUTERS/Daniel Aguilar

A wakeboarder jumps into the air on Budapest’s Lake Omszk, July 23, 2007. REUTERS/Laszlo Balogh