NHL owners, players plan to meet again Wednesday

NEW YORK (AP) ? NHL owners and players were back in contact with each other Wednesday morning, but didn't hold a bargaining session because they didn't want to rush through a meeting before the league's board of governors got together.

Just hours after ending a long day of talks that produced the greatest sense for optimism since the lockout began three months ago, the sides spoke early Wednesday and planned to talk again later in the day. Instead of meeting with each other, each side held internal discussions.

The same negotiators on both sides were expected to participate in talks Wednesday. Bargaining stretched on Tuesday night until about midnight, and it was clear progress was made when deputy commissioner Bill Daly stood side by side with union special counsel Steve Fehr in a rare joint status report from both sides.

Negotiations lasted for nearly eight hours in a pair of sessions that included big and smaller groups. The sides hoped to meet Wednesday morning during a small window of time before the board of governors meeting at 11 a.m., but they decided put off negotiations until the afternoon. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman had planned to hold a news conference after the board meeting, but that might be postponed or canceled because of the ongoing talks.

The sides are trying to avoid another lost season. The NHL became the first North American professional sports league to cancel a full year because of a labor dispute back in 2005. The deal reached then was in place until this September, and the lockout was put into effect on Sept. 16 after that agreement expired.

The lockout reached its 81st day Wednesday.

While no details of what was discussed Tuesday were released, the addition of new owners to the negotiating process and a group of 18 players ? without Bettman and union executive director Donald Fehr in the room ? helped move the process forward and create a sense of hope that there will be a hockey season, and maybe soon.

The respective leaders were again on the same floor where talks were taking place but remained removed from the discussions.

"We had a long day," Steve Fehr said after Tuesday's talks. "We thought it was a constructive day. We had a good dialogue. In some ways I'd say it might be the best day we've had, which isn't too overly optimistic of a picture. There is still a lot of work to do and a lot to be done."

Daly echoed Fehr's comments, and spoke well of the talks.

"I appreciate the efforts of the players," Daly said. "Everybody is working hard. I think everybody wants to get a deal done, so that's encouraging. We look forward to hopefully making more progress."

That was the extent of the details revealed by the two sides, which could be another good sign that neither group wanted to say anything that could throw the discussions off the rails.

The large group of owners and players gathered to try to find some common ground as the search for a deal that would save the hockey season continued. Bettman and Donald Fehr were at the Manhattan hotel but stayed outside the meeting room.

Not much had worked up until Tuesday so the sides agreed to a different format to see if that would shake things up.

"I'm hoping we get to where we need to be," Bettman said before talks began Tuesday afternoon.

The dialogue continued throughout the day until the sides separated for a dinner break. The owners left while the players stayed to have a meal inside the hotel. The owners then returned to the hotel later Tuesday night for another round of talks with the union.

As more and more days pass by, the possibility that the entire hockey season will be lost grows. A lockout forced the cancellation of the 2004-05 season in February, and the belief is the NHL won't wait that long to call off this already-delayed and shortened campaign.

All games through Dec. 14, along with the New Year's Day Winter Classic and the All-Star game, have been wiped off the schedule.

The NHL board of governors was expected to discuss the latest developments in the negotiations and perhaps where to go from here if a deal isn't reached soon. If momentum toward an agreement doesn't continue, more game cancellations could be announced soon, and an internal deadline for eliminating the season could also be established.

Originally the thought was no one other than owners and players would be in attendance for Tuesday's meeting, but each side had staff present, as well. The six selected owners were Ron Burkle (Pittsburgh Penguins), Mark Chipman (Winnipeg Jets), Murray Edwards (Calgary Flames), Jeremy Jacobs (Boston Bruins), Larry Tanenbaum (Toronto Maple Leafs) and Jeff Vinik (Tampa Bay Lightning).

Jacobs, considered one of the hard-line owners, and Edwards are the only members of the group of six to have taken part in previous negotiations.

The NHL had no objection for more than six players to take part, so Sidney Crosby, Jonathan Toews, Shane Doan, Brad Richards, Martin St. Louis, Ryan Miller, Craig Adams, David Backes, Michael Cammalleri, B.J. Crombeen, Mathieu Darche, Ron Hainsey, Shawn Horcoff, Jamal Mayers, Manny Malhotra, Andy McDonald, George Parros and Kevin Westgarth joined the union's negotiating team.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nhl-owners-players-plan-meet-again-wednesday-155200780--nhl.html

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Navy: No US drones missing after Iran claim

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) ? A U.S. Navy spokesman says no American drones are missing in the Middle East following Iranian claims it had captured an unmanned American surveillance aircraft.

Cmdr. Jason Salata, a spokesman for the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, says all U.S. drones in the region are "fully accounted for." He also cast doubt on Iranian claims Tuesday that the U.S. ScanEagle drone entered Iranian airspace, saying U.S. operations in the Persian Gulf are "confined to internationally recognized water and airspace."

He says that U.S. ScanEagles have been lost into the sea in the past, but none have gone down recently.

Other nations in the Gulf, including the United Arab Emirates, have ScanEagle drones in service.

The 5th Fleet is based in Bahrain.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/navy-no-us-drones-missing-iran-claim-103541584.html

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LA police: 4 arrests in killings of 4 outside home

Facebook (FB) announced on Tuesday that it will begin opening Facebook Messenger to consumers who do not have a Facebook account, starting in countries like India and South Africa, and later rolling out the service in the United States and Europe.?This is a belated acknowledgement of a staggering strategic mistake Facebook made two years ago. That is when the messaging app competition was still wide open and giants like Facebook or Google (GOOG) could have entered the competition. WhatsApp, the leading messaging app firm, had just 1 million users as late as December 2009. By the end of 2010, that number had grown to 10 million. Right now, it likely tops 200 million, though there is no current official number

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/la-police-4-arrests-killings-4-outside-home-001758940.html

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NYPost sparks outrage with subway death photo

(New York Post)

The New York Post is facing criticism over its decision to publish a front-page photo of a man, pushed onto the subway tracks in Midtown on Monday, trying to climb to safety before being fatally struck by an oncoming train.

Han Ki Suk, a 58-year-old from Queens, N.Y., was hurled from the 49th Street station platform onto the tracks by "a deranged man" around 12:30 p.m., according to the paper. Han was attempting to calm the down the man, apparently a panhandler, when a scuffle broke out, police say. The man then pushed him onto the tracks.

Witnesses told police the man had been harassing people on the platform.?"At least one witness felt that the aggressor was emotionally disturbed," NYPD spokesman Paul Browne told the New York Times.

"Onlookers screamed, shouted and frantically waved their hands and bags in a bid to get the downtown Q train to stop," the Post reported.

R. Umar Abbasi, a freelance photographer, was among those waiting on the platform. He said he tried to alert the train's conductor with his camera.?"I just started running, running hoping that the driver could see my flash," Abbasi told the tabloid.

During the chaos, Abbasi managed to snap the photo that the Post splashed on its cover.

In a larger version of Abbasi's photo, people are seen huddled at one end of the platform in apparent fear.

"People were shouting and yelling when it happened," Dr. Laura Kaplan, another witness, said. "But then people ran the other way."

"DOOMED," the Post declared on its front page. "Pushed on the subway track, this man is about to die."

Abbasi did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment, nor did representatives for the paper. But plenty of Twitter users expressed outrage."Sickening rubber-necking front page from the New York Post," Ian Prior wrote in Twitter. "Imagine how this man's family feels."

"I would drop dead if I saw a family member about to be run over by a train on the cover of a newspaper," Chris Spooner wrote. "@NYPost trades in snuff."

"Shame on the NY Post," Haverly Elizabeth tweeted. "Though I am less then shocked they'd stoop so low."

"Wow," Daniel Joseph wrote. "The New York Post might be the most tasteless, disgusting, and despicable publication out right now. #Garbage #Classless."

"Horrifying," Katie Zezima wrote on Twitter. "Why did no one help?"

"It was a lot of confusion," Patrick Gomez, another witness, told amNewYork.com. "It was a lot of people getting scared."

Han was taken to St. Luke's Hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to the Metro Transit Authority.

The train's operator was treated for shock, the MTA said, declining to release his name.

The man who pushed Han fled the station, police and witnesses say. The NYPD described him as a black male in his mid-20s or early 30s, about 5-foot-9, 240 pounds with short dreadlocks. He was wearing a tan T-shirt, dark jacket, jeans, black sneakers and a black beanie when he left.

The suspect is seen arguing with Han in the video, released by the NYPD, below.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/nypost-photo-subway-tracks-cover-173659604.html

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Revealed: Secrets of a smartphone bill under $50

By Bob Sullivan

Roger Dluzak used his survival skills to fight his way through the jungles of Vietnam in the 1960s, and picked up a few medals before coming home.? He says he uses those same skills now to navigate the jungle of being a U.S. consumer.

"I learned how to survive a long time ago, still using the survival skills in today?s economy," he said.? So when he saw his cellphone bill creep up toward $100 per month, he took immediate evasive action.?

"When my contract was over with AT&T, I went to Walmart and bought their best smartphone, a Samsung Galaxy II for $350, and signed up with Straight Talk ... for $44 a month, or $500 a year," he said.

---

Dluzak is part of a small but growing segment of smartphone users who are fighting back against triple-digit bills by exploring creative options.

The Red Tape Chronicles recently wrote about a cellphone industry report claiming the average bill was $47 per month, and asked readers to tell us how much they pay for service.? From the 1,400 responses we examined, the average bill was more like $125 per month, and about one-quarter of respondents paid more than $200. We looked at the stories behind these high-bill payers in another recent story, "Newest family budget-buster: the $300 cellphone bill."

But hundreds of others wrote in to brag that their bills were at or below that industry average $47. Roughly one-quarter -- 423 out of 1,400 -- said their bills were under $85, and 223 said their bills were $50 or less.? Today we look at how these cheap talkers do it.

The easiest way is to use your phone as just a phone. There is no shortage of old-fashioned, flip-phone plans that can keep your bill south of $50, provided you don't end up receiving a bunch of unexpected text messages. If you want a phone-only phone, you might want to look away from the major carriers, however, which are now focused on lucrative data-hogging customers. If you wander into a local Verizon store, for example, you are likely to find only one or two basic phone options.? Smaller carriers and pre-paid services are the right choice here. Those who want cellphones only for emergencies and pay for only the minutes they use can keep their bills down to $20 or even $10 per month. Ditto for those who just don't want to have their face buried in a smartphone for hours per day.

"Friends have smartphones.? I couldn't care less,? said Judith D. Schlesinger, 67, who lives just outside Annapolis, Md. ?If they want to talk to me, they can call.? If not, they can send email. ?I had text and email turned off on my phone after I received charges ... for some junk texts and some unknown use, they said, of 1 megabyte of data.? I'd never used either before and don't miss them."

But can cellphone users who worry about getting lost, getting an important work email on the road or being able to look up movie times while sitting at dinner keep their costs down to $50 monthly??

It depends.

You'll need a bit of geographical luck, you generally won't enjoy the latest new phone, you might need to forgo any kind of customer service and you probably need to swallow some high up-front costs. But plenty of Red Tape readers are living proof that low smartphone bills exist and, like Dluzak, most of them are darn proud of it.

"My service has been great for the past five months or so and I only pay $45 a month!!!" wrote Edwin Argueta. ?He lives near Los Angeles, and uses a Galaxy Nexus phone he purchased directly from Google on Straight Talk's service, which offers unlimited text, talk and web surfing.

David Wynn lives in Little Rock, Ark., and had similar enthusiasm for Straight Talk.

"I had recently completed a two-year contract with AT&T; enjoyed the service but not the telephone ... or the price. I was paying $100 for unlimited talk and text," he said. "Now I have a better plan (unlimited talk/text/data) with Straight Talk and my cost is a flat $45 per month plus tax. ? The bottom line is. I am extremely satisfied with Straight Talk and plan to keep it forever."

His enthusiasm hasn't persuaded his wife, however, who has an iPhone on AT&T's network and is on a ?'quest to have the most expensive plan ever," Wynn said. Her bill is $150 monthly, he said. "I've yet to convince her that she's going in the wrong direction."

Straight Talk, offered through Walmart, was very popular with budget-conscious Red Tape readers. Of the 433 who pay $85 or less monthly, 36 use Straight Talk, and nearly all of them pay less than $50.? Another 28 use Virgin Mobile, which offers similar (but slightly more expensive) discounted plans.? Virgin has one advantage -- users can "tether" their phones, and use them as WiFi hotspots for tablets and laptops, by paying an extra $15 monthly. Straight Talk doesn?t allow tethering. Boost, Tracfone, MetroPCS and Consumer Cellular were also popular with Red Tape readers, and there were a few Cricket users.

Some in this discount group were truly lucky ?? ?they?d managed to hold on to inexpensive, ?grandfathered? data plans from major providers. Since that option isn?t available any longer, we won?t spend time on that.

But customers with moderate data requirements also can find deals, said Sam Simon, senior fellow at the New?Millennium?Research Council, which advocates for phone consumers. ?We tend to think about data gobblers, but if you aren't the kind of person who?s going to use a lot of data, there are cheaper options,? he said. ?

There are a few big hurdles to getting a deeply discounted data plan.

*Network quality

As with all things cellular, the network you use can make or break your deal.? A cheap smartphone that can't access your email is useless. A discount seller?s service ?might not work where you live. Because? they ride along the large carriers' networks, some have huge coverage gaps. Straight Talk users, for example, must use either AT&T or T-Mobile?s network, while Virgin customers use Sprint?s network. While service might be good across town, it might be terrible at your house or along your commuting path. When shopping for cheap smartphone service, do a lot of research and ask your friends and neighbors about their experiences with dropped calls and data speeds.?

*Where's the store?

While there are plenty of loyal Straight Talk, Virgin, and Boost customers, there are plenty of complaints about customer service, too. Verizon has the largest national network of cell coverage, and Verizon retail locations are as common as fast food joints. That's handy when you have a cellphone emergency. Discount data users complain frequently that customer service isn't a kiosk away -- it's continents away, as troubles are handled by overseas call centers.

* Bad to big users

Data plans are complex, and change frequently, so it?s difficult to give generic advice, but this is certain: Cheap unlimited plans are not designed for data hogs.? Straight Talk has a soft cap at 2 gigabytes per month or 100 megabytes per day; that might not get you through an entire Netflix movie or baseball game.? Users who exceed these marks get warnings that they can be terminated at any time, which would really stink if you paid a lot of money for a phone because you planned on sticking with a discounted service.

*Up-front costs

Speak of the devil: The biggest hurdle for many would-be discount plan users is the "bring your own phone" element, which can require a large up-front investment.? The discount plans offer no phone purchase subsidy with two-year contracts.? For example, Walmart is offering a Galaxy SII Android phone for $349, while similar phones would be free from major carriers to users who sign a contract. Of course, there's no such thing as a free phone, and those subsidized phones end up being more costly than one used with a "bring your own" plan.

Dluzak's situation is typical:

"With AT&T, the cost for two years would have been $2,400 even if I didn?t go over my data limit," he said. "With Straight Talk, two years is $1,000, plus the $350 for the phone ... so which would you rather pay??

Here's a rare case where it's sensible to make a purchase with a credit card, even if you can?t pay off the full balance at the end of the month. Instead of having the carrier subsidize the large purchase, borrow the money from your card-issuing bank instead. The interest you pay will be less than the "interest" you'd pay the carrier for the subsidy.

*Not the latest gadget

Cellphone-plan discounters and prepaid services generally don't offer the latest gadgets.? Walmart isn't selling the Galaxy III to prepaid users, for example.? This isn't so much a conspiracy as it is market economics, says Simon.

"The latest phones would be too expensive for the prepaid folks to provide," he said. They are also servicing their budget-conscious customers, who are clearly more worried about price than getting the latest and greatest gadget.? "You still get a decent phone, just not the latest one,? he said. ?It might be one generation older."

But even this bit of accepted market behavior is beginning to change. Starting this week, Apple began selling fully unlocked iPhone 5 devices direct to consumers for $649 to $849, depending on model. The device has some limitations -- you can only buy the GSM model from Apple, meaning it can't be used on many U.S. networks. But the sale shows that smartphone contract haters are starting to enjoy more options.

The emergence of a thriving prepaid market for flip-phones over the last decade was a godsend to consumers tired of overpaying for calling minutes they never needed, just to avoid accidental overages and surprise big bills. As pre-paid plans emerged from the shadows and became mainstream, the competition forced contract carriers to lower prices and offer more consumer-friendly options. This same cycle is playing out now with smartphones. Contract phones and the big providers still have an edge with smartphone service and gadgets. But that gap is closing. If you aren?t a technophile, don?t plan on streaming a lot of video with your phone and don?t need tethering capabilities for home or work, you owe it to your family budget spreadsheet to investigate month-to-month smartphone plans.

?Sure, it?s not the latest and greatest,? Dluzak said.? ?But the latest and greatest will cost dearly. Dearly is twice the price, and yes to be safe, you?ll need to make sure you?re sitting in a nice comfy chair when you open the bill, because if you?re not, you could fall over and injure yourself.?

* Follow Bob Sullivan on?Facebook.

* Follow Bob Sullivan on?Twitter.

More from Red Tape Chronicles:

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Source: http://redtape.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/04/15652999-a-smartphone-bill-for-under-50-red-tape-readers-reveal-their-cell-secrets?lite

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The whats, whys and hows of Positive Affirmations Answered ~ The ...

?The Universe and the light of the stars come through me?. -Rumi

In this second part of ?The Power of Positive Affirmations? Series, we are going to dig a little deeper and see What truly are Positive Affirmations, How to make your own positive affirmations and How they can be used to create success and inner wellbeing. I will also share some of my favorite affirmations here with you.

I was initially introduced to the idea of a Positive Affirmation just by chance. After completing my Reiki masters and Silva Mind control courses I began reading a lot of Deepak Chopra. I was only 18 then and in one of his books he spoke of Affirmations and in the praises the name Louise Hay of ?You can Heal Your Life? came up. I was obviously intrigued and began reading some of her work. To say I was in ?awe!? is putting it mildly. I loved her work and still do. Even though I might have two Masters degrees and One Doctorate?what she shares is truly LIGHT. No amount of degrees can give you that insight. Its then that I started using and experimenting with Positive Affirmations only to realize I was affirming myself all my life?

What are Positive Affirmations really?

Very simply, they are positive statements or sentences, you say to yourself to subtly heal your negative beliefs and create positive success.

On any given day, in any given moment, we are swimming in a sea of affirmations. We walk out of our house in the morning thinking, ?This is a great day? (positive affirmation) or ?Such bad weather, I hate it.? (negative affirmation). ??I cant do it.? (negative affirmation) or ?I can do it? (positive affirmation).

Positive affirmation is positive self-talk. Making use of affirmations changes the way you think, feel and behave. You become what you say to yourself most of the time. Your affirmations must be positive and in the present tense. When you make an affirmation to yourself, you are confirming the truth of the statement. By saying it repeatedly to yourself, you are making a direct impact on your subconscious mind which eventually accepts it as a command and implements it.

Again, and the importance of this simply cannot be overstated; everyone constantly creates their own realities whatever that may be. Positive affirmations help to create a positive reality. They are an integral part of being a Positive thinker.

How to make your own Positive Affirmations everyday

Creating your very own positive affirmations is pretty simple.?Think about each area of your life one by one and write down a few positive statements summing up how you would like this area of your life to be. Please make sure that the statements are in the present tense and are positive, focusing on what you DO want rather than what you DON?T want.

Let me illustrate this with a few examples about how you can change negative thoughts to positive affirmations:

Negative thought: ?I will never get a promotion in this job?
Positive Affirmation:??I am so pleased with my excellent job promotion?

Negative thought: ?I will always be short of money?
Positive Affirmation:??I have all the money I really need?

Negative thought: ?my relationship will never improve and become a happy one?
Positive Affirmation:??my relationship has never been better or happier?

Positive affirmations must always be stated in the present tense, and most importantly charged with as much feeling, positive Energy and emotion as possible, as if the result has already manifested into your life as an absolute reality; a fact that you should have absolutely no doubt in your Mind. You should intensely feel the joy, happiness and all other emotions involved, which will generate the corresponding positive vibrations in you and around you.

Here are some examples of positive affirmations:

• I have all that I want.
• I have a healthy body and a happy mind.
• I have plenty of energy.
• My mind is calm and relaxed.
• I have an enjoyable and fulfilling job.
• Money flows easily and naturally into my life.
• I radiate love and happiness.
• I have a happy, loving relationship with my partner.
• I am successful in all that I do.
• I AM happy.

Its best to write your own in accordance to your situation.

The right way to Use Positive Affirmations for health, happiness and success

The more often an affirmation is repeated, consciously or otherwise, the more quickly and effectively it will manifest into your observable, individual, experiential reality.

An excellent time to repeat affirmations, with as much sincerity and emotion as possible, is just before drifting off to sleep at night, and just after waking in the morning before arising. At these times your conscious Mind is most in communication with your subconscious Mind and therefore the inner causal spheres of Energy.

Repeat the affirmation throughout the day, write down the affirmation on notepaper and place copies of your affirmation around your home, repeating the affirmation frequently, and whenever you are reminded to do so. If you make use of a personal computer for long periods of time, it is a very good and effective idea to have a copy of your affirmation on your PC desktop?utilizing?some appropriate software. You might not always notice the affirmation, but it will still be integrated into your subconscious Mind where it can begin its effect.

Positively Affirm with Love

Affirm with love, faith, feeling and interest, and feel and believe that your desire has already been fulfilled. This kind of thinking will accelerate its fulfillment.

It is natural for the mind to bring up doubts and negative thoughts, especially if your current environment and situation are very different from what you want to achieve. Persevere, and do not let your negative thoughts and doubts conquer you.

In the next(part three) article in this ?The Power of Positive Affirmations? series I?ll share with you different difficult situations I was in and how ?Positive Affirmations? helped me come out of them and heal PLUS some surprise guests Stay tuned!

What are your thoughts on this Positive Affirmations article? Do you have any favorite affirmations and how do you use them in your life?

With Immense Love & Gratitude,
~Zeenat~
Counseling Psychologist/ Spiritual Counselor
Motivational Speaker/Naturopath
Holistic Healer/Writer

GET YOUR ?HAPPINESS GOODIES?!!!?
Get the latest articles(FREE) as soon as they are published, by Email OR RSS.PLUS if you are an Email Subscriber, You get the Positive Living Handbook(new 2012 release!)+My Ebook ?The Best of Positive Provocations?+ ?Your Self Healing Starter Kit?+a free Positive Newsletter ?every month with the months highlights+Positive Living Affirmations +New Tips and articles which are Exclusively for Email Subscribers and not published anywhere else. Come Join the facebook community & follow me on Twitter?and Google+ for Positive Provocations Everyday!

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???Please Share this article on your favorite social networks. Every share, like or tweet makes me reach more people who need a positive healing nudge in their lives. Thank you!???

Source: http://positiveprovocations.com/2012/12/04/the-whats-whys-and-hows-of-positive-affirmations-answered-the-power-of-positive-affirmations-part-two/

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Letterman, Hoffman, Zeppelin honored by Obama

WASHINGTON (AP) ? David Letterman's "stupid human tricks" and Top 10 lists vaulted into the ranks of cultural acclaim Sunday night as the late-night comedian received this year's Kennedy Center Honors with rock band Led Zeppelin, an actor, a ballerina and a bluesman.

Stars from New York, Hollywood and the music world joined President Barack Obama at the White House on Sunday night to salute the honorees, whose ranks also include actor Dustin Hoffman, Chicago bluesman Buddy Guy and ballerina Natalia Makarova.

The honors are the nation's highest award for those who influenced American culture through the arts. The recipients were later saluted by fellow performers at the Kennedy Center Opera House in a show to be broadcast Dec. 26 on CBS.

Obama drew laughs from his guests when he described the honorees as "some extraordinary people who have no business being on the same stage together."

Noting that Guy made his first guitar strings using the wire from a window screen, he quipped, "That worked until his parents started wondering how all the mosquitoes were getting in."

The president thanked the members of Led Zeppelin for behaving themselves at the White House given their history of "hotel rooms trashed and mayhem all around."

Obama noted Letterman's humble beginnings as an Indianapolis weatherman who once reported the city was being pelted by hail 'the size of canned hams.'"

"It's one of the highlights of his career," he said.

All kidding aside, Obama described all of the honorees as artists who "inspired us to see things in a new way, to hear things differently, to discover something within us or to appreciate how much beauty there is in the world."

"It's that unique power that makes the arts so important," he added.

Later on the red carpet, Letterman said he was thrilled by the recognition and to visit Obama at the White House.

"It supersedes everything, honestly," he said. "I haven't won that many awards."

During the show, comedian Tina Fey said she grew up watching her mom laugh at Letterman as he brought on "an endless parade of weirdos."

"Who was this Dave Letterman guy?" Fey said. "Was he a brilliant, subtle passive-aggressive parody of a talk show host? Or just some Midwestern goon who was a little bit off? Time has proven that there's just really no way of knowing."

Alec Baldwin offered a Top 10 reasons Letterman was winning the award, including the fact that he didn't leave late night for a six-month stint in primetime ? a not-so-subtle dig at rival Jay Leno.

Jimmy Kimmel, who will soon compete head-to-head with Letterman on ABC, said he fell in love with Letterman early in life and even had a "Late Night" cake on his 16th birthday.

"To me it wasn't just a TV show," Kimmel said. "It was the reason I would fail to make love to a live woman for many, many years."

For Buddy Guy, singers Bonnie Raitt, Tracy Chapman and others got most of the crowd on its feet singing Guy's signature "Sweet Home Chicago."

Morgan Freeman hailed Guy as a pioneer who helped bridge soul and rock and roll.

"When you hear the blues, you really don't think of it as black or white or yellow or purple or blue," Freeman said. "Buddy Guy, your blue brought us together."

Robert De Niro saluted Hoffman, saying he had changed acting, never took any shortcuts and was brave enough to be a perfectionist.

"Before Dustin burst on the scene, it was pretty much OK for movie stars to show up, read their lines and, if the director insisted, act a little," De Niro said. "But then Dustin came along ? and he just had to get everything right."

By the end of the night, the Foo Fighters, Kid Rock and Lenny Kravitz got the crowd moving to some of Zeppelin's hits at the Kennedy Center.

Jack Black declared Zeppelin the "greatest rock and roll band of all time."

"That's right. Better than the Beatles. Better than the Stones. Even better than Tenacious D," he said. "And that's not opinion ? that's fact."

For the finale, Heart's Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson sang "Stairway to Heaven," accompanied by a full choir and Jason Bonham, son of the late Zeppelin drummer John Bonham.

Zeppelin front man Robert Plant and his bandmates John Paul Jones and Jimmy Page seemed moved by the show.

Meryl Streep first introduced the honorees Saturday as they received the award medallions during a formal dinner at the U.S. State Department hosted by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Clinton said ballerina Makarova "risked everything to have the freedom to dance the way she wanted to dance" when she defected from the Soviet Union in 1970.

Makarova made her debut with the American Ballet Theatre and later was the first exiled artist to return to the Soviet Union before its fall to dance with the Kirov Ballet.

Clinton also took special note of Letterman, saying he must be wondering what he's doing in a crowd of talented artists and musicians.

"Dave and I have a history," she said. "I have been a guest on his show several times, and if you include references to my pant suits, I'm on at least once a week."

___

Follow Brett Zongker on Twitter at https://twitter.com/DCArtBeat

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/letterman-hoffman-zeppelin-honored-obama-004142953.html

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