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| Hendrick Now |
Like most racers, Chad Knaus grew up around cars. Born in Illinois, his introduction was immediate as he followed his father, John, around the local Midwest tracks, helping out when he could and anxiously watching when he couldn't.
Knaus' desire for racing continued throughout his adolescence and at age 14 his future success in NASCAR was foreshadowed when he served as crew chief for his father. That year the elder Knaus captured the Rockford Speedway championship with his son calling the shots from the pits. The father-son combination went on to many more victories, capturing the NASCAR Great Northern Series championship and finishing second in the Winston Racing Series.
Nearly two decades later, Knaus would be called champion again. However, this time it would be in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as the leader of the No. 48 Lowe's team, winner of back-to-back championships in 2006 and 2007.
Knaus' ascent began after high school graduation. Spurred on by his success in the Midwest with his father, Knaus moved to North Carolina in search of more racing glory.
Working for his uncle, Knaus held a steady job but couldn't break into the elite ranks of racing. He was even offered a job as a corporate engineer but decided that racing was his true calling. A brief trip back to Illinois was just that and in 1991 he moved to Alabama, working for Stanley Smith's stock car team as a mechanic and fabricator.
In 1993, Knaus' determination paid off. The No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports team, led by crew chief Ray Evernham and driver Jeff Gordon, called and Knaus answered. From 1993 to 1998, Knaus assumed a variety of duties. He started in the body shop as an assistant, gradually working his way through the ranks to the fabrication department. Eventually, he was put in charge of the body development for the No. 24 car and served as a tire changer for the team, proving an integral part of the 1995 and 1997 championship teams.
After the 1997 season, Knaus reluctantly left Hendrick Motorspsorts seeking further advancement in the sport. The organization was stocked with a solid staff but Rick Hendrick vowed that he would one day bring Knaus back.
The Illinois native spent the next few years gaining valuable experience throughout the industry. He initially joined Dale Earnhardt, Inc. as a car chief for driver Steve Park. From there he teamed up with new team owner Ray Evernham and in 2000 helped Casey Atwood with his limited run in the Cup series. The following year, Knaus began working as crew chief with Melling Racing driver Stacy Compton, winning several speedway poles.
The desire to return to Hendrick Motorsports proved too much and in 2002 Knaus rejoined the organization as crew chief for Jimmie Johnson and the No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet.
Knaus had an immediate impact, leading the rookie team to unprecedented success in 2002. That season the team earned three wins, four poles, six top-five and 21 top-10s finishes. As a result, Knaus took home crew chief of the year honors.
Putting to rest any talk of a sophomore slump the team vaulted up the point standings in 2003, finishing second with three wins, two poles, 14 top-five and 20 top-10 finishes.
The 2004 season proved another winning one as the team won a season high eight races, one pole, 20 top fives and 23 top 10s. The team, who earned pit crew of the year honors, led the points through most of the season and pulled out a nail biting performance in the final race for a run at the championship, finishing a mere eight points out of the top spot.
Success continued in 2005 as the Lowe's team went into the final race of the season with a shot at winning the championship for the second consecutive year. The team finished fifth in the final point standings, amassing four wins, one pole, 13 top-five and 22 top-ten finishes.
In 2006, the prize the team had worked so hard for was finally theirs. It was storybook year with wins in the sports two most prestigious events- the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400. Victories ensued at Las Vegas, Talladega, Martinsville and the All-Star race. The team's record included a pole, 13 top-five and 24 top-10 finishes. Knaus' hard working crew took home pit crew of the year honors again.
The fairy tale run continued in 2007 as the No. 48 Lowe's team captured its second consecutive championship- a feat last accomplished by Jeff Gordon's No. 24 team in 1998. The team, led by Knaus, launched an incredible run to the title, winning four of the final five races and ending the season with 10 wins, four poles, 20 top-five and 24 top-10 finishes. The team once again was honored for their work in the pits as the 48 crew walked away with the coveted Sprint Cup trophy.
With impressive credentials throughout his career, Knaus has proven that he and his driver are one of the best driver/crew chief combinations in the business.
| 5th Grader Suspended For Anti-Obama Shirt | |
| Last Edited: Tuesday, 23 Sep 2008, 7:51 AM MDT | |
| Created: Monday, 22 Sep 2008, 9:15 PM MDT | |
 AURORA (MyFOXColorado.com) - An 11-year-old in Aurora says his first amendment rights are being trampled after he was suspended for wearing a homemade shirt that reads "Obama is a terrorist's best friend." The fifth grader at Aurora Frontier K-8 School wore it on a day when students were asked to wear red, white and blue to show their patriotism. The boy's father Dann Dalton describes himself as a "proud conservative" who has taken part in some controversial anti-abortion protests. Dalton says the school made a major mistake by suspending his son for wearing the shirt. "It's the public school system," Dalton says. "Let's be honest, it's full of liberal loons." According the the boy's father, the school district told the student, Daxx Dalton, that he had the choice of changing his shirt, turning his shirt inside out or being suspended. Daxx chose suspension. "They're taking away my right of freedom of speech," he says. "If I have the right to wear this shirt I'm going to use it. And if the only way to use it is get suspended, then I'm going to get suspended." Daxx's dad agrees with him and is encouraging his son to stand his ground. "The facts are his rights were violated. Period." Aurora Public Schools would not talk about the case but said the district "Respects a student's right to free speech, such as the right to wear specific clothing," but administrators say they review any situation that interrupts the learning environment. Paperwork submitted by the school district says Daxx Dalton was not suspended for wearing the shirt, but for willful disobedience and defiance. The boy's father says he intends to pursue a lawsuit against the district. |
There are so many things swirling in the economy and the markets right now, it’s hard to keep track of what’s what. But there are a few ideas in particular that have bounced around in recent days that are simply incorrect.
Here are five myths you may have heard about the financial crisis -- and an explanation of what’s really going on.
Myth #1: The U.S. government’s Triple-A rating is in imminent danger.
It’s true that the federal government looks set to take on a lot more debt, with the economic rescue package, the bailout of Fannie Mae (FNM: 1.31, +0.52, +65.82%) and Freddie Mac (FRE: 1.32, +0.47, +55.29%), the loan to American International Group (AIG: 5.00, +0.28, +5.93%) and more. But even the immense dollar amounts being thrown around aren’t endangering the U.S.’s credit rating.
“I do not think [these actions] are going to cause our credit rating to shift. I wouldn’t even put it as a ‘low’ probability,” said David Ader, head of government bond strategy at RBS Greenwich Capital. “The expanding deficit is a situation we know about, and our ability to pay the deficit is something we know about.”
In a recent report titled “The Unshaken Foundations of the U.S. Government's Aaa Rating,” ratings company Moody’s outlined the reasons the credit rating is safe.
Pierre Cailleteau, managing director of Moody's Sovereign Risk Unit and author of the report, cited “the U.S.'s exceptional economic and financial resilience, its flexible and competent policy-making and its high level of balance-sheet flexibility” as reasons to maintain the rating.
“As a Aaa-rated government, the U.S. faces very limited liquidity risk and is therefore able to manage its balance sheet in the best interest of what matters the most from a rating standpoint: the protection of its power to tax. Allowing gross public debt to increase, even materially, poses less of a risk to the rating of a Aaa government than would an impairment in the vitality of the economy and ultimately the tax base," Cailleteau said.
Rival rating company Standard & Poor’s expressed similar sentiments recently. So, unless the situation gets a lot worse, it looks as though the rating is here to stay.
Myth #2: Money-market funds are unsafe.
Money-market funds, which are historically some of the safest investments, got a lot of attention last week because one of them -- The Reserve Primary Fund -- “broke the buck,” meaning that it was worth only 97 cents on the dollar.
That news sparked massive concerns about money-market funds overall, and the reaction may have been one of the factors that shocked officials into action on a rescue package. They certainly came through quickly with a plan to backstop these funds, estimated to be around $50 billion.
But the Primary Fund was one of the highest-yielding, and therefore one of the riskiest, funds. It encountered the problems because it had exposure to Lehman Brothers notes, and of course Lehman filed for bankruptcy protection. In addition, it had no parent company to help shore up its funds.
Peter Crane, president of money market fund data firm Crane Data, told FOXBusiness.com’s Dunstan Prial last week that the Primary Fund problem seemed “to be an anomaly,” and that “it’s hard to find anyone else who fits that profile.”
The fact that the Primary Fund was down a mere three cents on the dollar -- and that it was so exceptional in this loss -- is actually a pretty good testament to the stability of money market funds overall.
Myth #3: FDIC insurance is simply $100,000 a person.
Saying that bank deposits are insured up to $100,000 a person is the simple answer, but FDIC insurance actually has some complicated rules.
The good news is that the complexity is in your favor -- not only can you have $100,000 of your own insured at your local bank, but you can have up to $250,000 insured in an IRA, as well as money in living trusts.
Also, the limit is $100,000 per person per bank, so you can have money in different banks. If that sounds like it’s too complicated to arrange, check out the CDARS service, which spreads your deposits around to different banks and can get up to about $50 million insured by the FDIC.
Myth #4: “I can call the bottom in the stock market.”
Take it from longtime NYSE floor trader Doreen Mogavero, president and CEO of Mogavero, Lee & Co.: “It is very hard to call a market bottom or top.”
Study after study has shown that people who try to time the market almost always fail. It isn’t pretty to watch the value of your 401(k) decline, but unless you need to take money out of the markets right away, your best bet is just to hold on for the ride.
In addition, individual investors have a tendency to pull money out of the markets when they’re down, and to put money in when markets are high -- the exact opposite of what’s ideal -- because they’re reacting more emotionally than logically.
Bottoms are “typically done during periods of great uncertainty and stress,” said Alan Gayle, senior investment strategist at Ridgeworth Investments. “That’s assuming you have tremendous foresight and can sense the bottom when it’s there… if you really don’t want to spend the time playing that game, you should maintain a diversified portfolio and stay fully invested.”
Myth #5: Short sellers are inherently evil.
Short sellers are kind of the “Debbie Downers” of the markets. They bet that stocks will go down in price, when most investors just want stocks to keep going up. But even if it’s hard to love the short sellers, they also provide an important balance in the system.
For one thing, short sellers are often the ones who spot frauds and other problems at companies. The firm founded by famed short seller James Chanos, Kynikos Associates, was one of the first to raise questions about Enron.
Chanos wrote recently in The Wall Street Journal that “short sellers act as ‘safety valves.’ Their transactions help to bring share prices to levels supported by the fundamentals, decreasing the likelihood of price bubbles. Short selling also improves market quality and efficiency by narrowing spreads, improving the speed of price adjustments based on new information, and pumping liquidity into the market.”
“When the markets aren’t functioning well, short selling can add to the down pressure,” said Ridgeworth’s Gayle. “But typically, short sellers are trying to find value, just like the long buyers.”
The Fiesta ECOnetic could compete with hybrids and help remake Ford's image. But big obstacles are keeping the vehicle out of the US market. By BusinessWeek
If ever there was a car made for the times, this would seem to be it: a sporty subcompact that seats five, offers a navigation system and gets a whopping 65 miles to the gallon. Oh, yes, and the car is made by Ford Motor (F, news,msgs), known widely for lumbering gas hogs.
Ford's 2009 Fiesta ECOnetic goes on sale in November. But here's the catch: Despite the car's potential to transform Ford's image and help it compete with Toyota Motor (TM, news,msgs) and Honda Motor (HMC, news, msgs) in its home market, the company will sell the little fuel sipper only in Europe.
"We know it's an awesome vehicle," says Ford America President Mark Fields. "But there are business reasons why we can't sell it in the U.S." The main one: The Fiesta ECOnetic runs on diesel.
Automakers such as Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz have predicted for years that a technology called "clean diesel" would overcome many Americans' antipathy toward a fuel still often thought of as the smelly stuff that powers tractor-trailers.
Diesel vehicles now hitting the market with pollution-fighting technology are as clean as, or even cleaner than, gasoline-powered cars, and they are at least 30% more fuel-efficient.
Yet while half of all cars sold in Europe last year ran on diesel, the U.S. market remains relatively unfriendly to the fuel.
Taxes aimed at commercial trucks mean diesel costs anywhere from 40 cents to $1 more per gallon than gasoline. Add to this the success of the Toyota Prius, and you can see why only 3% of cars in the U.S. use diesel.
"Americans see hybrids as the darling," says Global Insight auto analyst Philip Gott, "and diesel as old tech."
Dunn's River Falls & Park
Dunn's River Falls is one of Jamaica's
national treasures. Globally, it is as well
known as reggae and equally stimulating.
There are few places where the Arawak
name "Xayamaca" - land of rivers and
springs - is more apt. The Spaniards called
the area "Las Chorreras", the waterfalls or
springs and it is truly one of the most beautiful spots on the island.
A stone's throw from Ocho Rios, one of Jamaica's fastest growing resort centres, Dunn's River Falls is unique. Described as a living and growing phenomenon, it continuously regenerates itself from deposits of travertine rock, the result of precipitation of calcium carbonate from the river, as it flows over the falls. The small dome-shaped cataracts are usually associated with thermal spring activity found in limestone caves. This, combined with its location near to the sea, gives Dunn's River the distinction of being the only one of its kind in the Caribbean, if not the world.
The Belmont property was entrusted to the Urban Development Corporation(UDC) for the people of Jamaica. It is managed by the St. Ann Development Company (SADCo), a regional subsidiary of the UDC.
Dunn's River Falls Park is the perfect environment for fun and relaxation for the entire family. There is a delightful new discovery around every corner.
Climb the falls in a human chain led by experienced Falls Guides. Pause at the 'massage parlour' and experience the soothing effects of the water as it cascades to the sea. For the less brave - live vicariously. View the activities of the more intrepid from the "safe" vantage point of the terrace or deck.
Sun lovers can renew their pact with the Sun Goddess at the beach, on the golden sands lapped by the aquamarine waters of the Caribbean Sea.
Exercise buffs may jog on the beach or walk the property as part of their
The Cafeteria has savoury delights to please any palate - from spicy jerked chicken, pork or fish and curried goat to… delectable snacks. Or, bring your own vittles and take advantage of the several barbecue pits around the park. Spend a day and do it all.
The new DUNN'S RIVER FALLS & PARK … pure pleasure …
Throughout the ins and outs and ups and downs of island life, this company has managed to excel for the last 50 years. Started by the man who "discovered" Stingray City, the company is still family owned, and although the founder is now retired, he often will board the boat and regale his guests with tales of life in Cayman's earlier days.Chankanaab National Park
Chankanaab National Park Beach Front
Why do a completely separate review of Chankanaab National Park? Its easy, Chankanaab is a destination in itself and is worthy of many Cozumel visitor's complete attention. Chankanaab National Park is a great choice for a do-it-yourself shore excursion, as it is close to the cruise terminals, easy to get to, reasonably affordable, completely safe, and really caters to families and those wanting to experience more than just a day at the beach.
Chankanaab became a National Park in 1980 to portect its unique eco systems and ocean environment, flora and fauna. While Chankanaab National Park only resides on about 40 to 60 acres (my guess) it offers something for everyone. Here is a breakdown of what you will find.
The Entrance to Chankanaab National Park
Getting to Chankanaab National Park:
Getting to Chankanaab is quite easy. It is a short taxi ride from the International pier (about $5.00 each way) and a bit longer from the downtown piers (about $10.00 each way) There are always ample taxis waiting at Chankanaab to take you back to the pier or into town for shopping. The entrance fee for adults is currently $12 (as of April, 2004) The park opens at 8 am in the morning and closes at 5 pm. The entrance fee is collected at the tick windows at the entrance and you are given a temporary bracelet that must be worn the entire time you are visiting the park.
The Children's Beach at Chankanaab National Park
The Beach
Chankanaab National Park's beaches are typical for Cozumel with one exception. On the north side of the park (near the dolphin pens) there is a protected cove that is perfect for young children. HINT: If you have young children, don't think of going anywhere else on Cozumel! Other than this prize, the beach is imported sand held behind a rock wall built to retain the sand.
Typical Chankanaab Beach Front
You can lie in the sand (bring towels from the ship) but the palapas and beach lounges are for rent only. However, they are reasonable and do make the day much nicer if you have some comfort. To get the best spots, be sure to arrive at the park early and stake your claim.
The Float in the Center of the Snorkeling Area
The Snorkeling and Diving
Chankanaab is known to be an excellent snorkeling spot, however I have never seen the area they must have been talking about. In my opinion, the snorkeling here is only mediocre at best. There are a few rock outcroppings in the primarily sand bottom and the shoreline reef (rock) is barren of much life one would expect to see. The fish are friendly (especially if you have some fish food) but you will not see anything extraordinary here. There are some sunken statues and artifacts that are fun to find (one of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, a cannon, an anchor and a sea maiden)
Chankanaab's Dive and Snorkel Shops
Snorkel gear is rented at one of the sports shacks on the beach for a nominal amount of money, but I would always suggest that you visit a dive shop before you leave home and get fitted for your own personal mask and snorkel, as this will make every minute in the water so much more enjoyable for you. You can arrange for dives at Chankanaab's dive shops and I understand there are some excellent dives that are made from this location as the coastline is riddled with caves and tubes to explore.
Chankanaab's Swim with the Dolphins
Swim with the Dolphins
Swim with the dolphins has been a phenomenal success wherever it is offered. Chankanaab National Park has been offering its dolphin encounter for a couple of years now and it has met with huge success. For about $120 you get 30 to 45 minutes with two dolphins in their natural environment (of course, you and they are in a cage) Folks with you, but not participating in the swim can also join you at the tank while you swim to photograph you. Of course the park also takes a video of your experience and makes it available for a charge. Everyone that does it seems to walk away pleased with the experience.
Chakanaab's Sea Lion Show Arena
The Sea Lion Show
While I didn't see the show, or talk with anyone that did, I would suspect this would be a great choice for those with children. The current charge is $10 per person to enjoy the show and there seems to be a lot of takers for it.
Entrance to Chankanaab National Park
The Botanical and Archaeological Park
Now this is a cool reason to visit Chankanaab National Park. After clearing the entrance gates, you are presented with a pathway that leads into the park. Shops and dolphins, to the right; beach, straight ahead; if you want to visit the botanical and archaeological gardens, then take the left fork.
Chankanaab National Park Botanical Gardens Pathway
Exploring the trails and walkways that meander throughout a huge area is a wonderful way to enjoy the botanical and archaeological gardens. The diversity in vegetation is amazing.
Chankanaab Replica Mayan Village
All of a sudden, you stumble upon a complete replica of an ancient Mayan Village to explore. Inside the huts are artifacts from the era and the hanging planters used to grow vegetables was ingenious.
Leaving the village one enters an area where well over 50 replicas of famous statues and artifacts are located throughout the vegetation. It is very stunning to see.
Everywhere you look, there are more visual treats from the Maya, Aztec and other ancient cultures from the area.
The enormity of some of the artifacts is quite impressive. Without question, this is one area of the park everyone will enjoy.
Jungle Pond
Leaving the archaeological section of the park, one hears the sound of water falling into a stream and then follows the stream until it becomes a pond. The vegetation surrounding the pond is simply breathtaking. You could spend hours wondering around this section of the park.
The Saltwater Lagoon
The Lagoon
One of the main attractions of the park is the saltwater lagoon that is connected to the ocean by underwater limestone tubes. I could not get a picture that would do this lagoon justice, as the water color and intensity was almost unbelievable. There is a trail that surrounds the entire lagoon well worth walking, as you will see many fish you would normally only see in the surf zone swimming freely in the calm water.
Chankanaab Lagoon Inlet
The water in the lagoon is crystal clear as you can see here and the reef is absolutely gorgeous. This is one of the inlets where the ocean water transfers from the lagoon.
El Bucanero Restaurant
The Restaurants
As one might imagine, Chankanaab has several restaurants to select from. There is one (El Bucanero Restaurant) that is located back from the beach in a secluded location. Also, the beachfront restaurant is excellent
Chankanaab Oceanfront Restaurant
The Shopping
Of course, no national park would be complete without world class shopping opportunities. Chankanaab is no exception! Adjacent to the dolphin pens lies a complete Mexican shopping village that offers souvenirs for everyone.
Chankanaab Shopping Village
Here you can find all of the souvenirs that you might need and avoid having to go into town shopping. There are also shops outside of the entrance to Chankanaab National Park that sell souvenirs and other products.
Check out over 25 different shore excursions in Cozumel!
Cozumel Shore Excursions
Email this StoryNEW YORK (AP) - Google Inc. (GOOG) (GOOG) further extended its dominance in the search engine market in August, according to figures comScore Inc. released Thursday.
Google accounted for 63 percent of searches by U.S. surfers in August, up from 61.9 percent in July and 56.5 percent in August last year.
The increase came at the expense of the second- and third-largest players in the market, Yahoo Inc. (YHOO) (YHOO) and Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) (MSFT)
Yahoo's share fell to 19.6 percent from 20.5 percent in July and 23.3 percent a year ago.
Microsoft's share was 8.3 percent, down from 8.9 percent in July and 11.3 percent a year ago.
ComScore's report excludes searches for mapping, local directory and user-generated video sites.
The measures rely heavily on online recruitment techniques dismissed by more traditional pollsters, and the company was criticized several months ago for a separate report on paid search clicks, which relies on a similar panel as the data on search market share.
Lehman Brothers analyst Douglas Anmuth said the report suggested that Google's strength in search is intact, and the company remains a top pick.
Google shares rose $24.59, or 5.9 percent, to close Thursday at $439.08.
Email this StoryWASHINGTON (AP) - A top Hillary Rodham Clinton fundraiser threw her support behind Republican John McCain on Wednesday, saying he will lead the country in a centrist fashion and accusing the Democrats of becoming too extreme. "I believe that Barack Obama, with MoveOn.org and Nancy Pelosi and Howard Dean, has taken the Democratic Party - and they will continue to - too far to the left," Lynn Forester de Rothschild said. "I'm not comfortable there." Rothschild is also a member of the Democratic National Committee's Platform Committee. She said she would be stepping down from her position on the committee but will not switch political parties. Clinton spokeswoman Kathleen Strand said in an e-mail that the New York senator disagrees with Rothschild's decision to endorse McCain. "Senator Clinton has been criss-crossing the country and doing whatever she can to make the very clear case that the Obama-Biden ticket represents the new ideas and positive change we need right now, and the McCain-Palin ticket does not," Strand said in the e-mail. Rothschild said she was excited by the prospect of a woman being in the White House, even though she and Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin disagree on issues. The Alaska governor opposes abortion except in the case of a threat to the mother's life. Rothschild said she supports abortion rights. "I believe that the McCain-Palin government will be a centrist government," Rothschild said. "It's not going to be an ideological government." Rothschild is a member of the DNC's Democrats Abroad chapter and splits her time living in London and New York. She was one of Clinton's top fundraisers, bringing in more than $100,000 for her presidential campaign. She built a multimillion-dollar telecommunications company before marrying international banker Sir Evelyn de Rothschild. Rothschild said she has not discussed her support for McCain with Clinton. "I'm sure she is not pleased with what I'm doing today," she said. "But you know what? I have to do what I believe in."
Email this StoryWASHINGTON (AP) - Hackers broke into the Yahoo! e-mail account that Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin used for official business as Alaska's governor, revealing as evidence a few inconsequential personal messages she has received since John McCain selected her as his running mate. "This is a shocking invasion of the governor's privacy and a violation of law. The matter has been turned over to the appropriate authorities and we hope that anyone in possession of these e-mails will destroy them," the McCain campaign said in a statement. The Secret Service contacted The Associated Press on Wednesday and asked for copies of the leaked e-mails, which circulated widely on the Internet. The AP did not comply. The disclosure Wednesday raises new questions about the propriety of the Palin administration's use of nongovernment e-mail accounts to conduct state business. The practice was revealed months ago - prior to Palin's selection as a vice presidential candidate - after political critics obtained internal e-mails documenting the practice by some aides. One person whose e-mail to Palin apparently was among those disclosed, Amy B. McCorkell, declined to discuss her correspondence. "I do not know anything about it," McCorkell said. "I'm not giving you any comment." Wired.com said McCorkell later confirmed that she did send the e-mail to Palin. Another of the e-mails apparently revealed Wednesday was an exchange in July with Alaska Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell discussing a talk show host who had been critical of Parnell. Parnell declined to discuss the matter. Palin herself used "gov.sarah" in one of her e-mail addresses, but the hackers targeted her "gov.palin" account. Her husband used "fek9wnr" in his address. "Fe" is the representation for iron, and "k9" is an abbreviation for canine. Todd Palin was the winner of the grueling Iron Dog snowmobile race, and "fek9wnr" also is Todd Palin's vehicle license tag in Alaska. It wasn't immediately clear how hackers broke into Palin's Yahoo! account, but it would have been possible to trick the service into revealing her password knowing personal details about Palin that include her birthdate and ZIP code. A hacker also might have sent a forged e-mail to her account tricking her into revealing her own password. McCorkell was appointed by Palin to an advisory board on issues involving alcohol and drug abuse. One of the leaked e-mails suggested McCorkell wrote to Palin on Sunday to say she was praying for Palin. "Don't let the negative press get you down!" the message said.
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