Powerful Earthquake Hits off Coast of Indonesia

A strong earthquake has hit off the coast of western Indonesia, prompting local officials to issue a tsunami warning.

The U.S. Geological survey said the quake had a preliminary magnitude of 7.3 and struck 260 miles off the coast of Aceh province.

It was centered 18 miles beneath the ocean floor.

Arief Akhir, an official with Indonesia's geological agency, said a tsunami warning has been issued and the situation is being watched closely.

Indonesia is always prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanos and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.

A giant quake off the country on Dec. 26, 2004, triggered a tsunami in the Indian Ocean that killed 230,000 people, half of them in Aceh.

Updates to come...

Update on Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at 3:01PM by Rick C.Limpert

Looks like it might've been a 7.3  Aftershocks are expected.

Snow Buries Cities in Alaska

Two Alaska communities are seeking help after an exceptionally harsh winter left one buried in snow and the other iced in and facing a fuel shortage.

Dozens of National Guard members are helping the fishing town of Cordova dig out from mountains of snow that collapsed roofs, triggered avalanches and trapped some people in homes.

More than 10 feet of snow has fallen in the town of 2,000 in the last few weeks.

With high winds, more snow and possibly rain in the forecast, responders and local volunteers Monday were trying to shovel out buildings considered most at risk.

Almost 700 miles to the northwest, the old gold rush town of Nome is awaiting the arrival of a Russian tanker that’s barely inching along in its mission to deliver much-needed fuel.

A Coast Guard vessel is cutting a path in the thick ice of the Bering Sea, but ship crews are encountering challenges that are sometimes forcing the vessels to come to a complete stop.

This winter, almost 15 feet of snow has fallen on Cordova, with a series of bursts that ended with a rain drenching over the weekend that added substantial weight to the snow and slicked the landscape.

The town issued a disaster declaration Friday, prompting the National Guard to send more than 70 troops Sunday. Heavy equipment, including a snow-melting machine, also arrived Sunday to supplement local resources.

iHeartRadio Adds Greater Media Radio Stations

Clear Channel Radio, the leading media company in America, and Greater Media, a premiere privately held broadcasting company, announced today that Greater Media’s 22 radio stations will be available on the iHeartRadio digital radio platform, offering Greater Media’s listeners more choice and an enhanced digital listening experience.

Under the agreement, Greater Media’s 22 AM and FM radio stations in Boston, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Detroit and New Jersey will be available on the iHeartRadio platform beginning April 2012. iHeartRadio is Clear Channel Radio’s free, industry-leading digital radio service that offers more than 800 broadcast and digital-only radio stations from 150 cities plus the ability to create custom radio stations, delivering listeners everything they want all in one fully integrated service.

“Adding Greater Media to iHeartRadio only improves our leading digital destination for consumers, expanding their ability to find the best and most complete online radio experience anywhere,” said John Hogan, President and CEO of Clear Channel Radio. “Clear Channel Radio and Greater Media understand that radio connects local businesses to consumers like no other medium can, and this agreement offers more choices for our listeners which is what they want.”

“We are thrilled to be able to provide our listeners with even greater access to our stations, anywhere they may be listening throughout the country, with this exciting platform,” said Greater Media Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Peter H. Smyth.

iHeartRadio is available to consumers through the Web, mobile devices and automobiles. It is the number one free broadcast radio app on the iPhone and Android. There have been 47 million downloads of iHeartRadio mobile apps.

Want to Punch Tim Tebow?

You can if you have an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad and you download this new free app.

It's called Punch Tebow, and you can do just that.  Just punch, tap or touch the screen where you want to hit the Bronco's starting QB and he will react accordingly.

See Tebow before and then after he gets punched.

If you hit him at the right angle, his head will snap back.

I dished out more abuse on the former Heisman Trophy winner in one session than the Steelers defense did in their entire playoff game yesterday.

It's mindless, it's fun, it's a waste of time.  But it's pretty cool.

Bungee Cord Snaps on Australian Girl During Jump

An Australian woman has survived a terrifying fall after her bungee cord snapped while attempting a 364-feet leap off Africa's Victoria Falls Bridge, plunging her into the crocodile-infested Zambezi River below.

Erin Langworthy, who suffered only cuts and bruises in the fall on New Year's Eve, according to the Sydney Morning Herald, said it was a "miracle" that she had survived the plunge into the rapids below the bridge, which borders Zambia and Zimbabwe.

"It felt like I had been slapped all over," the 22-year-old from Perth told Australia's Channel Nine television.

Video footage showed the moment towards the end of the fall that the cord snapped and hurled her into the river.

Langworthy had to dive under the water to unravel the rope bound around her feet as she entered the rapids.

"I actually had to swim down and yank the bungee cord out of whatever it was caught on to make it to the surface," she said.

After unbinding her feet she managed to swim to the river bank on the Zimbabwe side to await assistance.

"Yes, I think it's definitely a miracle that I survived," she said.

Langworthy was treated at a nearby clinic before being evacuated to South Africa.

A Zambian minister sought to reassure tourists about bungee safety but said the issue would be discussed with the operator.

"The bungee has proven to be a very viable operation considering that more than 50,000 tourists jump on it every year. It has been in operation for 10 years.