HAMIDZ BLOG

Disruptions: Facebook Users Ask, 'Where's Our Cut?'

2012-02-17T00:00:00.000-08:00

San Francisco - According to my calculations, Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Facebook, I have about $ 50.

Without me, and other 844 999 999 perforations, and sharing sites like, Facebook is like a scene from the post-apocalyptic film "The Day After Tomorrow": sad, melancholy and really very sad. (Or MySpace, if that is easier to imagine.) Facebook ever be worth anything near the U.S. $ 100 million, which is well into the next IPO.

Company S-1 filing, submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission this week, Facebook boasts of its statistics: every year, people who "want" a billion things 91 billion photos are uploaded, half a billion people use Facebook on mobile phones, and hundreds of millions of those annoying "piercing".

So all this has left me with a question: Where is my part? I helped build this thing. Facebook and the house lay the foundations to put in plumbing, but put the walls, choosing furniture, painted and hung the pictures, and invite everyone to dinner.

So why am I asking for money from Facebook and Google? Although hundreds of IPOs related to technology over the past decade, Facebook is the first offering real social media service, in which the site content is entirely created by the user. (The closest, LinkedIn, there is a better business model, including the payment of a premium subscription.) "The idea that a company can benefit from social interaction is not as strange or new Many cafes and small restaurants that people meet, because they attract other people, "said M. Yannis Ioannidis, a professor of economics at Tufts University. ". What is unusual and new is that Facebook needs to access information about people to make a stronger business, "adding:" The owner does not use personal information about me and my friends to make money. "

Mr. Ioannides showed that social Web sites Facebook and can make two-way street finance. Facebook, for example, could pay the people who create content on the site. Companies can make money by matching the content of the ad, as it does now. As an alternative for people who are more personal, people can pay to use Facebook if you promise not to strain your personal information. In this way, everyone wins.

For my part, I feel more comfortable with Facebook to see through the portfolios of the phone book, and drawers of clothing if I knew it was going to charge for it.

Jaron Lanier, one of the deepest thinkers on the impact of technology on society and the "innovator in residence" at the Annenberg School at the University of Southern California, concerned about companies like Facebook and Twitter users not pay them, while the fate of work to be rich people free user-generated content. Mr. Lanier said that as more money flows to build this network, distort and divide society. Those without the skills required in the new economy - in addition to Twitter and post a picture - could fall even further behind economically.

"This value comes from the people, none of them are self-created," Lanier said in an interview. He warned that if people do not think an economical solution for social networks, there may be a "serious social decline."

Sure, $ 50 might not seem like much money now, but if Facebook continues to grow as it has in the past, $ 4 billion in annual revenue could be in the tens of billions of billions of dollars a year. If that happens, I rely on the dividend.

Therefore, Mr. Zuckerberg, do not hesitate to message me on Facebook, and give you my address so you can send me a check - unless, as I suspect, you know where I live.

What to expect from Apple’s iPad 3

2012-02-15T17:50:00.000-08:00

When Apple pulled the curtain on the iPad 2 to indicate a stronger, more agile, but not so different from the replacement of the original tablet, rumors immediately began spinning on what the company can plan for the next slate. Now as we approach the first anniversary of the launch of two IPAD, the outlook for 3 iPad inevitably become more evident. Several reliable sources to explain what the new star of Apple as, and if even half of them have proven legitimate, this is a real pleasure. Join us as he ran through the list before iPhone 3 features and trying to hash out what's real and what is left for future releases.

Dazzling display

Before iPad 2 officially paraded for the first time, many industry insiders have promised that we would completely new, high resolution touch-screen equivalent of the iPhone 4 (and now 4S) Retina screen. But when the dust has settled, the screen remains the same as the original device. The iPad is now 1024 x 768 pixel multi-touch interface is still pleasing to the eye, but to actually sell the adult and the current owner of Adults 2 in a new Apple tablet is likely to statistics for the next level .

Not surprisingly, many sources claim that the views and even a new tablet will take a sharper screen resolution and higher on the road. Bloomberg confidence knowing even claimed that the pixel density is sufficient to make the screen look like printed paper.

Specific information on what the final resolution will remain a mystery, but the backward compatibility of the largest developers of applications without too much frustration, Apple simply can double its current size up to 2048 x 1536. This will provide a new tablet ability to play content from Netflix and Hulu with a higher resolution than the tablets of the competition, clearly bring more amazing looks with new applications and games.

Able to assign

IPAD 2 is a great step forward from the original in terms of graphics power and performance. Apple A5 processor, which allows applications and games more beautiful and faster response when you touch the screen. The same chip finally found its way into the iPhone 4S, which helps support new features such as Siri Virtual Assistant. However, if we do not believe that the iPad 3 shows an increase in the resolution of the screen - and can also support Apple's new features, such as Siri was born - the company certainly want more power.

Usually reliable industry sources technology Boy Genius Report website provides images and specifications without notice tablets to demonstrate a new chip - Apple A6 - will debut on 3 iPad. A6 was reported to have features quad-core technology, which is a big step from the A5 dual-core chips are used today. Including larger amounts of memory, which allow the iPad 3 provides an answer to the high resolution screen and is consistent with the usual round of Apple's chip development.

3G or 4G?

Apple has made clear it would not be willing to support LTE 4G technology to full confidence in the ability of technology to enhance the experience. 4S 4G iPhone is not compatible with the full because most people know this, but three iPad can break that barrier for the first time.

Litany of sources - including people who claimed to be in Japan, which are given in support of 4G to a new list, and partners Apple and AT & T and Verizon million of spending to bolster their 4G networks, it seems likely that 3 iPad advantage. This faster network connection is also important for the transmission of higher resolution video and mobile content without having to wait for buffering annoying it can interfere with the 3G tablet.

New look sexy

Of all the rumors circulating about 3 iPad, one of the least likely to change the overall look of the device. Apple cut a good amount of original iPad tablet two designs, and elegant, it seems almost certain to remain the same for the next generation.

Apple mobile devices typically receive at least a big improvement, but still in the same form factor - iPhone 3G with 3G and 4 in the 4S perfect example. IPad 3 is likely to fall in line with the updated schedule and more emphasis on the features and capabilities in design changes, although anything is possible.

Texas Squatter With $16 McMansion Kicked Out After 8 Months

2012-02-13T00:10:00.000-08:00

Kenneth Robinson was finally expelled from the $ 340,000 house he had lived since June for $ 16.

Robinson, 51, lives in Waterford Drive in Flower Mound, Texas, but does not own or want to rent a house in which he claimed he had a right to live, then the owner left the property, which has been in foreclosure over a year, and mortgage companies made a reported fee of $ 16 at the local courthouse, having the law of "adverse possession", which gave him the right to occupy the house.

However, a judge in Denton on Monday ruled that the current creditor, Bank of America, can force Robinson out.

Robinson became a local celebrity class, writing e-books and create a website, http://16dollarhouse.com near the house where he lived for about eight months. On the site, said: "I am successful because I see no other way."

After the judge's decision, told the Associated Press he was transferred to end what he calls "a great learning experience." Prosecutors add to anyone hoping to emulate Robinson.

Adverse possession is a common law concept that developed in the 1800s. Luke A. Ferrara, a partner at Newman Ferrara, City of New York real property law firms, put in place to ensure that adverse possession of the property is not abandoned. " Maintained and monitoring "is required publication of the notice, the public is clearly a man on the property - the court filing - and someone who will stay there for a specified period, usually within 10 years.

After the time requirements are satisfied, Robinson's world will have the opportunity to take a clear title to the property. Meanwhile, the original property owner can fight the action, but is expensive. And since the house was abandoned, it is possible to implement the original owner of a costly legal battle to recover. Mortgage holders will have to fight the court action.

A growing number of abandoned homes due to mortgage crisis has resulted in a small buzz around the idea of evil.

A spokesman for the National Association of Realtors, however, said that adverse possession is not common or the radar screen of the congregation.

However, a quick Google search, however, many websites seem to want to teach anyone how to do what he did Ken Robinson.

In AdversePossession.com, for example, for only $ 39.95, the "average person" can learn to "take up valuable space for free." The site takes steps to ensure that Robinson has a potential that is not harmful squatting. "Squatters," the site says, "is unfortunate and negative terms used to describe a person illegally occupying vacant property or other real estate." And do not occupy the abandoned house wrong with profit, in accordance with the site. "Make the environment a favor."

Robinson, a former neighbor saw the situation differently. He was later taken first in, told local press that "If he [Robinson] wants a house, buying a house like others ...."

And Ferrara said, "the notion somewhat anti-American can take someone else's property without paying for it .... After all, even the government must pay for your property if you decide to take you. "

David DeCosse, director of campus ethics programs at the Center for Applied Ethics Santa Clara University Markkulla said that while Robinson may have the right to do what he did, is not always the right thing to do.

Some of the great moral thinkers as Thomas Aquinas, who said DeCosse, argues that in cases of extreme urgency, it's okay to do something like take-out food store because the food is intended to support and fulfill human needs . OK so who steal under certain circumstances. But if there is an emergency, "which offends our morals," said DeCosse. "What could be legally permitted is not necessarily morally right."

The BlackBerry, Trying to Avoid the Hall of Fallen Giants

2012-02-11T19:33:00.000-08:00

Forget the Union - what the status of the BlackBerry?

Research in Motion, maker of BlackBerry smartphones and tablets, co-chief executives sent packing last week and replaced by Thorsten Heins, who is operating the side of the head. How did your employer?

"We make the best communication device in the world," said Heins, who met with editors and reporters of The New York Times on Friday.

Not everyone feels the same. During the past year, stock prices fell 75 percent advantage. The company had asked for more than half the U.S. market smartphone. Today is 10 percent.

RIM has two, maybe three, way to go.

The first - which Mr. Heins clearly the goal - a successful comeback after a near-death experience. Apple and its iMac. It is the side on the edge of the improved operating system guidelines - now with, among others, e-mail, an original feature that has no guidelines disconcerting - and the release of BlackBerry OS 10 this year.

There is no back door 2 is a gradual decline and contraction of rivals such as Apple, Google and Microsoft has the largest market share, to some extent, they already have. BlackBerry will scrap - a small but dedicated fans of the company's customers and the government wants exclusive messages and security features.

Then there is a third option: Oblivion. Progress is filled with the bodies way to beat the Titans. Things that once seemed very necessary as the company replaced it without mercy - as seen below. And the need to know: on mobile devices like the BlackBerry 957, which helps kill the time pager.

Sony WALKMAN (1979-2010) Before the Walkman, the "personal audio" refers to holding a transistor radio in his ear. Sony has created a whole category of devices and helps the technology leader in the 1980's. The new model (Thinner auto reverse!) Is expected, LP fell slightly in the attic and spent time listening to mix tapes a year-long flourished in the teen room. Sony seems to be able to put a foot wrong. Successfully moved brand CD discman, then buy the record labels and movie studios to get the real marriage of technology and content. When the digital revolution of the press, Sony is too tied to a proprietary format, as well as inertia in media companies. Enter Apple and iPod.

Pagination (born 1951) At first, pagers connected to the people who work in areas where life is on the line. That is usually a doctor, although the group in late 1980 to include drug traffickers. Pagers beginning to show a single number, "hello" when read backwards. Resulting in the lexicon with a code number such as 911 (call me right away) and 07 734, which resembles a pager briefly rose to fame in early 1990, the hip-hop, as shown in songs like "Skypager," by A Tribe Called Quest. Decreased force caused pagers disrupt and destroy other technologies: mobile phones. Call when you can talk? And the messages are very small pager makes a tweet as a locator to live in a limited circle "Iliad.": The network is more reliable than a cellular network is useful for EMS and other rescue workers.

Palm Pilot (1997-2007) Filofax personal organizer brought to its climax in the analogue 90, but Ramos has brought them into the digital age. Palm Pilot dazzling when he appeared for the first time all contacts, calendar and notes on a device, a thin pocket size. A touch screen, which requires a stylus, which makes navigation easy. And you can add software, acquired through the online store. Want Zagat guide to go along with your personal information? There is no problem. In later years, despite the addition of Palm telephony features, creating, shooting everything in one gadget. Although the drama that affects the boardroom of the company name and ownership, Palm's reputation as a source of innovative hardware and software to survive until January 9, 2007. Why that date? That's when Apple introduced the iPhone.

Polaroid instant camera (1948-2008) Edwin Land found developing instant film in 1948 to put a darkroom in a handheld camera. The success of Polaroid Corporation had a clear advantage over traditional film cameras. In 1980, Polaroid is selling 7.8 million cameras a year in the United States - more than half of the 15 million cameras, snapshot and traditional, sold that year. In 1985, he won a patent infringement lawsuit important, forcing Kodak left the instant camera business alone. The success was short-lived. Late 80's brought the advent of digital cameras. In 2000, began to appear on mobile phones with digital camera, camera bag placed in the millions. Polaroid filed for bankruptcy for the first time in 2001 and stopped making instant film in 2008. Kodak announced bankruptcy on January 19.

Atari 2600 (1977-c.1984) This is not the first game console, but the Atari 2600 video game brought home and popular culture. During his lifetime, more than 30 million units sold. Pong, Combat, Pitfall and Frogger child absorbed in the afternoon. Then came the PC, where you can play games and much more. Atari left the game, on the assumption that customers play anything released. They do not. Millions of games and consoles sold is buried in the landfill in New Mexico in 1983. Warner Communications, which bought Atari in 1976 for $ 28 million in 1984 sold for cash.

Namibia sponge fossils are world's first animals: study

2012-02-09T23:44:00.000-08:00

Scientists digging in national parks such as Namibia found fossils of sponges which they say is the first animal, a discovery that will favor the re-emergence of millions of years of animal life.

Vase-shaped fossils of tiny creatures found in Namibia Etosha National Park and other sites around the rock between 760 and 550 million years, a team of 10 members of international researchers said an article published in the South African Journal of Science.

This means that animals, which were thought to appear in the last 600 to 650,000,000, 100 to 150 million years before they actually appear, the authors said.

It also means hollow beads - about the size of a speck of dust, and covered with holes that allow fluid to pass in and out of their bodies - that our ancestors, says co-author Tony Prave, a geologist at the University of St Andrews in Scotland.

"When we see a family tree and the project back to where you have what is called the father, the ancestor of all animals, then yes, it's great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandmother" ;, told AFP.

Prave said that the fossil evidence for animals appeared 760 million years ago to fit properly to what geneticists hypothesis by looking at the "molecular clock", a tool to measure the age of a kind looking at the percentage difference between the DNA and other species.

"This aspect is quite satisfactory, at least intellectually, is that in broad agreement on what genetics can tell us looking at the molecular level as we see the emergence of the first multicellular life form," he said.

Retirement Savings: Will $4 Million Be Enough?

2012-02-07T18:44:00.000-08:00

I hope that saving of $ 4,000,000 by the time I retire in 30 years. Sounds like a lot of money, but how many are in dollars today? - Brian

It seems as if $ 4 million should be enough to fund a comfortable retirement 30 years from now. But you are entitled to assume that it would not be enough.

A major issue is the future of the purchasing power of the dollar on the dollar today. Most people are not accustomed to thinking of money in real, or inflation-organized, terms. They use a calculator, plug in the amount they plan to invest for the next 10, 20 or 30 years, throw in the rate of return (often very high) and came away with six or seven digit nest egg large projects that they think they will show you made in the shade in retirement.

But psychologists and behavioral economists are familiar with our tendency to exaggerate the value of future dollars. They even have a name for this phenomenon: the illusion of money.

Four million dollars does not sound like a lot of money - and it will remain even 30 years from now. But it is not worth anything close to $ 4 million today.

Unless we are sustained over a period of deflation, the inflation will erode the purchasing power of the future value, citing the great economic thinkers of the Yogi Berra, "is a nickel is not worth a dime today. "

Though inflation is relatively modest 2% a year, $ 4 million over 30 years is the purchasing power of $ 2.2 million today. And if inflation heats up to an annual rate of 4%, $ 4 million over 30 years is the equivalent of about $ 1.2 million today. Feed mostly chicken, but far from the $ 4 million.

If you want to see what each number in the future is worth now at a different rate of inflation, check the current value calculator.

[See also: I lost 40% of my Pension Fund. Now What?]

Another important issue is our tendency to see the purpose of accumulating retirement planning as a single large amount. The best example of this way of looking at retirement is too often heard phrase, "What's your number?"

Better to focus on annual pension income you will need a rather large lump sum. Yes, they are estimates, but revenue is something more easily translated into a lifestyle. In addition, a large number may give a false impression of how good for you, because it can produce almost as much annual income throughout retirement as you think.

For example, using the 4% rule, common metrics to convert assets into income with a high possibility that takes at least 30 years, $ 4,000,000 nest egg will generate approximately $ 160,000 to annual retirement income.

That was in 2042 dollars, however. In terms of purchasing power, the $ 160,000 is the equivalent of about $ 88,000 now, assume inflation of 2% over the next 30 years, or about $ 49,000, 4% inflation. Still a significant number, but they do not think that feeling after pressing the jackpot of $ 4,000,000 not.

Another issue that goes to the heart of retirement planning - how do you know how to save enough to give yourself a realistic shot at a secure retirement?

You expect socked away $ 4,000,000 when you retire in 30 years. But what this number represent? Is the amount that you have a project that is based on how much you save and what to expect to get your investment? Is the amount you think you will need to maintain pre-retirement lifestyle?

Difficult to get accurate adjustments on how much you should save for retirement do not begin for several decades. There are many unknowns - how much do you earn in the future, what kind of lifestyle will lead the next 30 years, how long you live.

May not be able to save as much as you can imagine because of layoffs or higher than the estimated cost of living. Your investment may not get what you expect. You can be forced to stop earlier than you would with health problems or "rightsizing" in the workplace. No one can predict how things will shake out in the next 10 years, let alone the next 30. By going with a tool like our Retirement Planner or T. Retirement Income Calculator Rowe Price, you can make some reasonable assumptions about how much you need to stop, how much should you save and how you should invest. From here, you can get a sense of possibility to achieve a secure retirement.

Suppose you place. Life and financial markets are too unpredictable. But updating your information and conclusions by looking at the actual experience and training to do this again every two years will help monitor your progress. You can make adjustments to the amount you save, invest or how your planned retirement age. By making some small improvements in recent years, you will reduce the possibility of having to make dramatic changes on the eve of retirement.

Instead of wondering what it would be worth $ 4 million in 30 years, I suggest you focus on getting a realistic idea of how much you should save and how you should invest for a comfortable retirement - but many years from now that may be and however good nest egg you'll eventually need.

Skip Schumaker’s new baseball card features the rally squirrel … but not Skip Schumaker

2012-02-06T19:18:00.000-08:00

Well, that's not entirely true. The bottom pants Skip Schumaker is actually quite visible in the 2012 Topps baseball card set a series of launch on Wednesday.

But most real estate boards is one of the squirrel cross the road rally Schumaker Roy Oswalt pitch delivered during the fifth inning of Game 4 of AIDS last October. In the following weeks, I remind you that the demonstration of squirrel became a sensation as Schumaker and rose to the title of Cardinal baseball World Series is not possible.

Now l'il creatures somehow big enough to push Schumaker almost entirely out of his own baseball card. According to Topps, this is the first time in company history that the player does not have the players' faces.

The company also said it was looking a bit more hidden memorabilia Schumaker, so that we can only guess what I think I played a secondary role for the squirrels in his own baseball card. But you can take comfort in the fact that some cards will face Schumaker. According to Beckett, squirrels appeared only in a variation of a "short form" of the card, so the squirrel version of a valuable find for collectors out there.

How to Land a New Job

2012-02-05T18:49:00.001-08:00

If it is a re-write your resume, check out the way you approach the interview, or to rethink what kind of work will make you happy, here are some tips for landing a new job in the new year . You will hear from authors, career experts, career coaches, and even employers.

Position yourself as a thought leader in your industry. Creating a professional blog and writing posts on the insight of industry trends and advice. Comments of the other leading blog to increase your visibility in the community. Join and participate in niche communities, such as LinkedIn group related knowledge and skills. For related articles (and your own content) on Twitter, Facebook, and Google +. Not only help to build your online presence, but you can not accidentally be networking with people who can take you to the next job opportunity.

Heather R. Huhman is a career expert, experienced procurement manager, and founder & president of Come Recommended, a content marketing consulting for organizations that have products that target job seekers and employers.

Let the jobs find you. If you are a job seeker, you need to move your focus. Instead of spending all your time identifying jobs and apply, you should also think about how to help people who want to hire you, find you. Ramp your networking efforts. The study showed 89 percent of a U.S. company Jobvite will use social networks to recruit in 2012 and 73 percent of social workers through LinkedIn. Job-seeking in the survey, Jobvite found 78 percent of job seekers who credit their current job for a social network called Facebook as a key factor in the direction of their positions and 42 percent mentioned Twitter. Ignore one of the major social networks at your own risk.

Miriam Salpeter is a job search and social media consultant, career coach, author, speaker, resume writer, and owner of Keppie work.

Write a new letter. If you still use a generic cover letter only summarizes your resume, you are missing one of the most effective way to capture the attention of employers. In 2012, dispose of old letters and start writing a new one for each job you are applying. In the job market, you can not afford to waste a whole page of the application to repeat what's on your resume. Instead, use your cover letter to provide information about how you fit for work, the information is not available in your resume, such as personal characteristics, work habits, and why you are excited about positions. For example, if you apply for jobs that require accounting top-notch organizational skills, and you are so nervous organized a color-code your bills every month, taking most managers want to know about you. And it's not something you put on your resume, but the cover letter is a perfect place for it.

Alison Green writes popular Ask a Manager blog which will be given a recommendation to issue a career, job search, and management.

Bring your questions for job interviews. When the interviewer asks if you have any questions, make sure you do. And ensure that they are no good. Intelligent questions show the interviewer that you are smart about the company you work for, you're ready for the interview, and that you are familiar with the company. Spend some time looking online and read the company is reviewing the latest news about the company and the industry as a whole. Topics of questions might include: corporate culture, organizational structure, day to day responsibilities of the position, stand firm in the industry, and five year corporate plan.

Luke Roney is a content manager CareerBliss, an online career community is committed to helping people find happiness in the workplace.

Follow-up after the interview. If you are really interested in the job after the interview, make a habit of sending follow-up notes of appreciation. As a thank you does not guarantee you'll get a job, it certainly will not hurt you. Not only is the general attitude of respect, it is the perfect place for you to reaffirm your interest and show the manager why you getting the right person for the job. It also gives you the opportunity to add details about your background that you can have the opportunity to explain in an interview or just simply reinforce connection. Sending a follow-up note via email is acceptable and fast, but the handwritten note is set apart from the competition.

Lindsay Olson is a founding partner of recruiters and public relations and staffing Hoojobs prototype, a niche job board for public relations, communications and social media work.

Create your own business. When you look at the history of business for 100 years, you'll find that many companies are currently the most successful beginning in 1930 - the same as the Great Depression decade. The truth is, innovation and business growth of the economy falling off because the entrepreneur is a problem solver (and there are certainly still many problems to solve at this time). We are in the age of the entrepreneur. The new economy has forever changed the social customs of the past season, so 2012 is as good as the time to join the entrepreneurial revolution. So free up your own life from a resume, start the little things that can be grown organically in the hard work and unfailing spirit, and make this world alone.

Causes Founder's $400M Facebook 'Mistake'

2012-02-04T19:07:00.000-08:00

Joe Green is more likely that the roommate of Facebook you've never heard of, but a graduate of Harvard, is trying to make a difference in the world with friends.

Green does not have the name recognition the company's co-creator, Mark Zuckerberg, Eduardo Saverin or even, renowned helped launch Facebook, although I was there on the Internet entrepreneur in the room where he was born strength of social media. And he turned away from him.

Green is one of the friends of Zuckerberg at Harvard University in 2004, and asked the child, now estimated at 17.5 billion, to leave the Ivy League to join him in building social media sites, which are expected to submit an initial public offering this week.

After the two were arrested in some hot water with Harvard for the previous project - "hot-or-no" FaceMash site, the construction dramatized in the Oscar-winning film "The Social Network" - Green Zuckerberg finally said "no", because the schools threatened with dismissal.

His decision not to join Zuckerberg is now considered an error of $ 400 million.

"We have achieved a small problem with previous projects ... and my father, a teacher, not happy at the prospect that I am expelled from school, "Green said ABC News. "Zuckerberg like to tease my dad about it, but we're still very close."

Rather than follow Zuckerberg and his team of Silicon Valley, Green followed a passion for politics and worked for John Kerry's failed 2004 presidential campaign.

Now, although the initial decision, is back in the fold of Facebook, a business for profit is called the cause, Facebook application and a site that allows friends to their friends show love neighbor, causing social and even political candidates. The reason stated goal is "to allow anyone with a good idea or passion for change into effect in the world."

"The way to get people civically involved, not only during elections, but throughout the year, using Facebook and do it with their friends," said Green.

In the number increases, political candidates and campaigns aimed at social media to win elections. As President Obama has shown in 2008, social media has become a powerful political tool that can mobilize voters.

"You can not ignore," said Green. "It's like the TV ignoring or not ignoring, you know, mail. It became an important part of human life. "

Green says his company has helped raise $ 50 million for 50,000 charities, when the page that caused the "Facebook has 6.5 million active users monthly.

The New York Times reported in December, which received $ 9,000,000 to bring venture capital funding, bringing total funding of $ 16 million.

Green, with the words "no" to what became the Internet giant, has no regrets, even though Facebook has a lot of stock, which has found its own cause.

"Every person has the ability within themselves to make a difference," said Green.

School suspends cancer survivor teen over hair he plans to donate

2012-02-02T18:55:00.000-08:00

A Michigan teenager who survived a battle with leukemia was suspended from school for long hair, that he intended to donate.

The Detroit News reported that 17-year J.T. Gaskins hair has grown since last summer to donate to lock of love, love. Gaskins said he was inspired to make the donation after learning that the sister of a friend of the family is diagnosed with cancer.

Gaskins was diagnosed with leukemia when he was only a year old and has been in remission since the age of seven. "I Fought the cancer in my lifetime. I will keep fighting, "said Gaskins Detroit News. "I'm not going back because my school say no."

Madison Academy in Burton Gaskins said the suspension "has more to style hair disheveled, not length. Student Handbook requires schools to grow hair, "clean, orderly, free from artificial colors or disruptive, collars, ear and eye out."

Gaskins said the key to love horses require from 10 inches to donate and your hair is now just 2 ½ inches long.

Key Love Communications Director Lauren Kukkamaa said that while they respect the efforts Gaskins, who wanted to see him back in school.

"There are many ways to support Locks of Love, and we are very grateful for all the effort and the boy and his desire to return," said Kukkamaa. "But certainly, we understand that the school has reason to have some rules in place."

Gaskins also encouraged by her mother Christa Plante, who said he supported her efforts to "100 percent." Crop launched an online petition at Change.org by his son, received about 4,700 signatures.

"He has seen how it works and how to help people, how they help us," he said. "It was for her. I want to do it now. It feels good, "he said.

Petition the school to change its policy, allowing students to grow their hair for locks of love, love. The new policy requires students to sign a promissory note, the study because they want to support and keep your hair "good" to be given.

"I fought for them to be an option for children to grow their hair to Locks of Love, to be part of the school and raise awareness of cancer charities all you need to help patients," Gaskins said. "It will be a change in where people just find ways to grow hair."

"It's good that all policies," said Gaskins. "I think, you can try to make a commitment."

Cowboys Stadium Transformed Into Opera House

2012-01-31T19:51:00.000-08:00

Dallas Cowboys have a problem, even the appearance of football players in recent years, and now let's see if a group of singers so.

Beloved franchise, Jerry Jones, the NFL is a key delivery to your pigskin palace 100 000 seats for members of the Dallas Opera.

Cowboys Stadium is a football field for the first time in North Texas to the headquarters of an opera, according to Pegasus News. Legendary opera by Mozart "The Magic Flute" will be held this April in the same Tony Romo throws interceptions.

Only about 7,500 seats available for fans of the art stadium, but participants can see The Magic Flute simulcast video board in the world's largest center-hung. Everything is bigger in the Republic of Texas, and Diamond Vision Cowboys line extending from 20 Yards 20-yard line and it takes 4920 of 52-inch flat-screen TV with the same size. The video card shows the subtitle to The Magic Flute, performed in Germany.

Dana White calls out Internet hackers, they respond by releasing his alleged personal info

2012-01-30T19:45:00.000-08:00

Chicago - war between the UFC and Internet pirates.

On Sunday, UFC.com will be sent several times a UGnazi site. The organizers of the site, called White terrorists several times during "UFC on Fox 2" press conference, said the hacking UFC.com is the result of support from the soup company and PIPA. Large bills to stop online piracy.

White criticized the hackers.

Update: White deepen during a conversation with Mauro Ranallo points (13:30 mark).

"Continue to hack into our site, do it again. About tonight, "White said. "These people are terrorists and now the bill goes to die, is about to return."

Hackers take credit for holding the UFC, @ joshthgod, go a different route of exposure, white post personal information, including your Social Security number, a list of residential addresses, vehicle identification numbers and figures personal phone.

The tweet read today's white targets.

"@ Danawhite your site again we do for you:. Come with me tonight to show interesting! # # # # UFC Act pipe soup "

[Related: Why soup, pipe is not the answer to the problem of piracy MMA]

White said the hacker is only hurting their own cause by reminding politicians with serious problems. He wants to risk their own safety to stop the theft online.

"Soup is the perfect law? No, it is not only focusing on piracy .. Piracy is theft. If you walk into a store and stealing a gold watch, it's like stealing a pay-per-view I do not care what you play, stealing is a crazy idea. "White said. "Never children who grow up without the Internet pay, so do not think it should be."

How to Get a $106,000 College Education for Free

2012-01-29T19:40:00.000-08:00

How do you go to a private liberal arts college that will provide a full tuition scholarship for four-year journey? Sounds crazy? In fact, I'm serious.

Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio, is giving up the school for all students who enroll in the next three years.

Many useful free? The amount of free quotas for this year is $ 26,500. Scholarships, based on that price, so it's worth at least $ 106,000 grants each.

Some students applying for financial aid are available at a price higher than the rest. If you qualify, you can get to pass the cost of board and lodging or pay a reduced price. Antioch Room and board is now $ 8,628.

[See also: 7 ways to score free stuff]

Why so generous?

Clearly, there was a university to offer free tutoring for all students. However, the explanation of generosity.

Antioch to explore the cemetery. Antioch College, which was originally founded by slavery in 1850, closed in 2008 after years of decline. Terrible management decisions, among others, led to the closure, but the great financial support from committed alumni, who were surprised at the closing, which led to the Renaissance.

Antioquia has accepted 35 students for its inaugural class in 2011 new students, and we hope to welcome 65 other 75 students in the fall. School purposes is about 300 students attend the school in 2015.

[See also: The purchase of the]

"We are a newly established institution with many 160-year history," said Cezar Mesquita, dean of Antioquia input and financial assistance. The universities want to invest in hard work, committed students, "which could help restart this great institution."

Antioquia has been known by the cooperative work program and restore the tradition. All students will have many opportunities to work for four years with them, local experience, national and international levels. At this point, the school has 12 areas of concentration increased environmental and health sciences in language and social sciences.

Academic profile of students at Antioch

Inaugural class, which comes from countries all over the country, with an average weighted high school GPA of 3.56 and the average score of 27, which is roughly equivalent to 1,250 on the SAT.

If you are a high school, there is still time to apply! The deadline for Antioch February 15.

NC State’s Scott Wood explains how losing to your rival feels

2012-01-28T19:27:00.000-08:00

Shortly after the State of North Carolina lost to rival North Carolina for the 11th straight time on Thursday, reporters asked the young striker Scott Wood knows how frustrating it is to not have beaten the tar heels.

Response of wood brilliant in its simplicity.

"Did your husband ever cheated on you?" Canda Wood in response.

Then after a few seconds of silence is more difficult to imagine, he replied, "it's probably how frustrating it is."

It is clear that the wood was not in the best mood to remember how hard it is North Carolina played a game that was brought to 4.1 to prove his start in ACC play. Wolfpack shot 36.8 percent from the field, making 17 turnovers and only succeeded without opposition to the Tar Heel defense, when they were 80 feet from the basket.

Losses provide an important game for the state of North Carolina against the upper echelon ACC opponent Virginia on Saturday in Raleigh. The Wolfpack (15-6, 4-2) remains the best opportunity for the fifth ACC team in the NCAA tournament, but ran out of opportunities to enhance a resume that looks very thin at this time, in addition to November victories in Texas.

An embarrassing revelation on ‘Resident Evil’ game box

2012-01-27T19:21:00.000-08:00

Typos and spelling has become prevalent at the time of our new fast digital publications. Although most of the time you are worried about accidental micro blogging and strict character limit.

Unfortunately, it probably will not fly as an excuse for a poor copy editor who escaped from the spelling errors on the packaging for the upcoming launch of Nintendo 3DS Capcom, Resident Evil: Apocalypse.

See the trailer for Resident evil 6

Advance copies of games that are sent to members of the media (including Yahoo! Games), and can confirm that adorn the back of the box ... Uh, say, an unauthorized version of the subtitle of the game. To be more specific: "Revelaitons." (For what it's worth, the words in front of the packaging is well written.)

We check in on Capcom, acknowledged the error.

"We apologize for the error, which remains for further production of the game," he said in a statement. "We're working on a solution to provide affected customers with the right packaging. Please visit Capcom-Unity, for the update. "

[Related: common spelling errors spell checker will not catch]

This is not the first time that I was spoiled by a statement of high-profile video games for a typo. February 2009 release, Guitar Hero: Metallica, players also face humiliation "when the band Lynyrd Skynyrd misconstrued as" Lynyrd Skynrd "on the cover.

Could this seemingly harmless errata affect sales? Both casual and hardcore fans of the browser can be disrupted by the purchase of the franchise for $ 50 a stunning visual errors. The experience of playing, of course, the answer is not affected, and criticism is very positive, with a Metacritic rating at 82 of 100. "Revelation is a successful blend of old school horror resident evil and the actions of the new school," says GameSpot.

U.S. military moves carriers, denies Iran link

2012-01-25T23:11:00.000-08:00

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military said Wednesday that the new aircraft carrier strike group arrived in the Arabian Sea and the other is of the form in this region, but denies link with new tensions in Iran and describes the usual movement.

Changes to the U.S. naval assets coming on strong as the tension increases with Iran, which has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz - the world's major oil shipping route - if the U.S. and EU sanctions over its nuclear program to cut its oil exports.

U. S. The Army has said that stopping the blockade every strategic Strait and U. of S. Navy officials acknowledged Tuesday that preparations for a possible conflict with something that "makes me awake at night. "

However, the Pentagon denied any direct connection between the recent tension and movement of aircraft carriers.

"I do not want to leave anyone with the impression that we somehow (spelling) there are two companies because we care about what happened, you know, today in Iran. It is simply not the case, "said Capt. John Kirby, spokesman for the Pentagon.

Military officials said the USS Carl Vinson arrived in the Arabian Sea on Monday to replace the USS John C. out Stennis carrier strike group, which last week warned Iran not to return after leaving the Gulf in late December.

Stennis is due to return to home port in San Diego, but the Pentagon did not say when it happened.

The strike carrier group, led by aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, has completed a port visit to Thailand on Tuesday and is now in the Indian Ocean. It is on track to join the Vinson in the Central Command area of operations, from the Arabian Sea near.

"It's not unusual to have two CENTCOM theater company at the same time," said a second U.S. military official.

Another official said there are two operators in the Gulf region at least twice in the last 18 months.

Tensions between Iran and the U.S. again last week ratchet. Iran has started enriching uranium at secret plants the U.S. and sentenced to death for espionage. Washington and Europe have stepped up efforts to halt oil exports from Iran, and Tehran on Wednesday blamed American officials and Israel for the killing of an Iranian nuclear scientist.

Israel refused to comment on the assassination and the United States has denied the U.S. role and condemned the attack, which was detonated by scientists in a car bomb on a motorcycle assassin for hire.

Iran has warned that Stennis had entered the Gulf and it's clear that when other U.S. companies enter the Gulf waters. The Pentagon has suggested that, sooner or later, the company will pass through the Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf.

"We regularly run our boat - all of our ships, our ships of all types - in the Persian Gulf and on," said Kirby.

Obama, party allies raise $68 million for re-election

2012-01-23T23:06:00.000-08:00

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - re-election campaign of President Barack Obama and his Democratic allies have raised more than $ 68 million in the last three months of 2011, dwarfing the White House His Republican rival during the race close.

In a video message sent to supporters Thursday, 2012 Obama campaign, Jim Messina announced the draw, which combines with Obama's fundraising campaign and the Democratic National Committee more than $ 200 million for 2011.

In most of the money said to have come in a small number of thousands of U.S. dollars, fundraising offers Obama, a Democrat, a re-election campaign against Republican mattress and a good debate to see who their candidate in November elections.

Even the money given to Obama DNC effectively in play, your own campaign - the face of a lower contribution limits - $ 42 million received during the last three months of 2011.

However, now exceeding the required number of Republican campaigns, you will not receive financial support from the Republican National Committee.

Primary candidate Mitt Romney campaign, said Wednesday it has raised $ 24 million in the fourth quarter. Ron Paul raised $ 13 million and Newt Gingrich, raised $ 9 million.

Team Obama has surged to nearly $ 750 million raised for him when he was elected president in 2008.

Most of Obama's victory in 2008 was credited to his base support illustrated through small donations, which follows the flow of Messina, he said. As in the previous quarterly report, 98 percent of donations to the Obama campaign consists of $ 250 or less, he said.

In the video, Messina refused to support the campaign hopes to raise $ 1 billion. That false hope, he said, giving the wrong impression of Obama donors do not need financial support.

"Obama supporters are many who think that they do not need the money, or you do not need to give at this time," he said in the video.

"We won in 2008, because all the children and volunteers see their role in this campaign as really important for us to win. But now we are in danger of letting the belief that to escape through my fingers at this time. "

A major donor campaign highlights the financial challenges facing Obama's "Super PAC" technical group can contact the campaign, but can accept unlimited donations to support the candidate.

"This race is going to be expensive. The truth is that there is a finite cube (R) PAC money, "he said.

"The Obama campaign will need the money from him for the rest. And once they (the Republicans) to the candidate, when you begin to have a face. "

Some 1.3 million Americans gave Obama's campaign last year, including 000 donor 583 in the fourth quarter alone. Of these, nearly one-third of first time donors, Messina said.

This campaign would defeat the purpose of increasing $ 60 million in the fourth quarter, although the number performed on less than $ 70 million raised in the third quarter. At the end of September, the campaign and the DNC has raised nearly $ 155 million.

Supporting email Messina asked to chip in $ 25 today, Obama often exciting fundraising will begin with a request for a donation is much lower than $ 3.

This campaign until May 31 to release the full report their fourth quarter.

Steve Carell’s Magical New Role

2012-01-21T23:01:00.000-08:00

Try, try, try to understand, is the magic. Steve Carell is seen wearing a wig of wild, mass distribution, and enough to make a necklace of gold, while Mr. T jealous on the set of her new film, "Burt Wonderstone."

Carell plays a Las Vegas magician faces huge challenges in the form of new and modern rival played by Jim Carrey. Photo feature leak Carell looks cheap version of Siegfried Fischbacher Siegfried and Roy fame. Brown Love Monkey, Steve!

"Burt Wonderstone" is currently filming and due out around 2013. Other cast members include Olivia Wilde, Brad Garrett, and Steve Buscemi, who plays Burt ex-husband in the art of magic.

Buffett to Republicans: if you pay, so will I

2012-01-19T18:17:00.000-08:00

Washington / BOSTON (Reuters) - Warren Buffett wanted to put the money where your mouth is, if only the Republican Congress have joined him.

U.S. billionaire investor in the new issue of Time magazine, said it offered $ 1 pays part of the national debt for every dollar sought by Congressional Republicans. The only exception is the Republican leader Mitch McConnell Senate - of which Buffett said the U.S. $ 3 to $ 1.

The idea arose from the opinion column written by New York Times last August Buffett who said that the rich should pay more taxes. It immediately set off a debate, with some conservatives in Washington called the 81 years that the "Oracle of Omaha" to voluntarily pay more.

McConnell said at the time that Buffett feels "guilty" on the payment of the tax rates are very low, which should be followed immediately by the introduction of this bill to give taxpayers "send a check . "A selection of tax forms to make voluntary contributions.

"It restores my faith in human nature to think that people have been in Washington all this time and not so cynical to think that can not be resolved by voluntary contributions," said Buffett asked for time for an item for sale on Friday .

That the second McConnell suggested that the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway has had to expand to offer adequate for President Barack Obama and his Democrats.

"Senator McConnell said Washington should be smaller than tax increases. And for some, like President Obama and Buffett wants to pay more taxes, Congress has made it possible to cheat on their own and send a check, "said Don Stewart, McConnell Deputy Chief of Staff.

"So I hope to match Buffett's lots of healthy controls of those who really want to pay higher taxes, including congressional Democrats, the president and the Democratic National Committee," he said.

Strikes became voluntary payment of higher taxes for the rich and the extension of payroll tax relief for middle class America will become an increasingly controversial issue of the presidential race of 2012. Obama is trying to paint Republicans support only the wealthy, while Republicans tried to make the president based on tax increases to finance the extra spending.

Buffett said in an interview at the time that America needs a tax system that favors people who are not born of investors.

"We need a tax system that would take good care of people who just really are not so well adapted to the market system and capitalism, but these things are only as good citizens, and in doing so is used in society," he said.

Buffett, who raised money for President Barack Obama recently, also has a swing at Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich in the Time interview, Gingrich criticized the edit history and relationships of Romney for the private company katarungan.

Nick Hill’s Spartan tattoo sets the standard for college football ink

2012-01-17T17:56:00.000-08:00

Tattoo can be a dangerous combination . I still think we are all trying to figure out what Alabama quarterback (and the new MVP of the BCS Championship Game) AJ McCarron was thinking when he became famous tattoo on his chest.

However, red shirt Michigan State runner Nick Hill, students officially set the standard of tattooing throughout the college football players now on trial.

Hill of the design is simple. This is a Spartan directly from the film "300" and goes a long hill right oblique. Spartan is a threat helmet, shield, spear, shield and armor of the chair. Despite the cloud as a little accent to any look very artistic. The problem is that cost a fortune, because the details are very well to the decor of the armor of the chair. It is also very painful.

This really is a thing of beauty and tattoo place Jerel Spartans deserve shame. I feel like all Michigan players should be required to tattoo in harmony.

I think it's reasonable to assume that Hill, a team back up with the speed to run to the spring, has no plans to transfer more and Michigan State.

New snake in Tanzania: 'Fierce, probably venomous'

2012-01-15T17:48:00.000-08:00

Kenya (AP) - The business world in the last scale threat are looking yellow and black, dull green eyes and two sharp front. And bears the name of a woman 7 years.

Matilda Snorkack Viper on a small portion of southwestern Tanzania for almost two years and last month the introduction of world's most popular species of snake in Zootaxa problems.

[Related: The child is affected by the downgaze with the lion]

Tim Davenport, director of the Wildlife Conservation Society in Tanzania, is the team of three persons in the Cobra. Thanks to his daughter, the snake will always bear the same family name.

"My daughter, five at a time, he was fascinated by it and used to spend time watching the love and help us take care of it," Davenport told The Associated Press on Wednesday. "We call it the Cobra Matilda at the time ... and then leave your name. "

Only three poisonous snakes in Africa recently discovered in the last three decades, so a rare and valuable find. Wildlife Conservation Society does not reveal exactly where the snake lives to trophy hunters can not hunt.

Davenport said he was not sure how many live in the wild due to the snake as hard to do. Twelve live in captivity and that the expected increase.

Davenport, a British citizen who has lived in Tanzania for 12 years, said that although many people are afraid of snakes, mostly harmless and help keep down the number of rats. Matilda the snake with horns can grow to 2 feet (65 cm) or larger, he said.

"This particular animal is strong and can be toxic (although the snake bite is not fatal Bush)," said Davenport AP via chat. "However, the animal is actually a very quiet and not aggressive. I have one of a number of occasions. "

Wildlife Conservation Society runs the Bronx Zoo and Central Park Zoo in New York, and Davenport said it was "good choice" to reflect the new snake with horns in one place, but has not been decided.

Recent Mom Jessica Alba Stuns in Black Dress

2012-01-13T17:40:00.000-08:00

Jessica Alba recently struck the leather (or pleather perhaps?) Clothes Valentino event with Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills. Y - yuck! - The mother of 30 years from two look absolutely stunning on the red carpet.

Alba, who gave birth to her second child in August, with a little black dress PVC plastic parts and components of thin films. Indeed, highlighting the features without showing it, not go unnoticed. Yahoo! Search for "Jessica Alba" high, rose 22% more.

Photos: Jessica Alba on the red carpet

Jessica Simpson, the current method of family, recently Twitter his admiration for the way back to you quickly, so postbaby Alba. Twitter Simpson, "New Destination! Jobs @ Jessicaalba child care for well done "Alba foot back," OMG! Ur so sweet! Thx dear! "

Alba's next project is "Escape from the Planet Earth." Animated family film, which also offers voice talent James Gandolfini and Sarah Jessica Parker is ready to make a film of this year.

Fans Debate New Britney Spears Photo–Altered Or Not?

2012-01-11T17:37:00.000-08:00

Britney document.Cancel Spears has ended 2011 on a high note, what the success of mega-tourism femme fatale and a proposal for a long time boyfriend Jason Trawick in December. In the upcoming issue of V Magazine, the stars talk about the tour and pose with a professional team, providing excellent reviews of the "second family" her.

It seems, however, Spears is not standing goodwill in a special article. A commentary in the Daily Mail today took the pictures that accompany supervision, highlighting how quickly Spears seems thin for this particular run.

"Obviously, he works regularly in an effort to bring health and hope to see," said the Daily Mail today wisely.

Fan, however, is more subtle about it, with a large number of comments that were shot clearly manipulated. Sample: "Dillon photoshopped" "It's head on another person's body," "Even Ray Charles could see a 'cut and paste" a horrible job to be done to Britney. ";

Spears looks quite finished on this day, so it does not like shots of V is a major disruption of normal appearance - at least weightwise. Figure weird, though. Compare for yourself - here is Spears in September, only a short time after the session V was reported to have occurred.

Mavericks’ Delonte West: ‘I’m banned from going to the White House’

2012-01-08T20:00:00.000-08:00

Ang yourself a visit to the White House on Monday, every champion in 2011, gave an interview with President Barack Obama, along with a new edition in the 2011-12 NBA components. All but a maverick, often misunderstood guard Delonte West.

West, a high-profile arrests of more than two years under the influence of prescription drugs, is "forbidden" (to use his words) the safety equipment set foot in the White House after President normal controls run the bottom of the guards.

Dwain Price, Fort Worth Star-Telegram Mavericks win the West next appointment on Saturday night:

"I am forbidden to go to the White House, so I will not do,''West said after a night 96-81 victory over the Hornets in New Orleans." But I'll be back in DC, I can go to the White House. That's what happens when you make bad decisions in your life. You can not go to the White House.''

I have 100 times in my life,''said West, who was born in Washington DC "I live in the corner. I live in Washington DC would be a pity not the president have the opportunity to meet me. I am president of my house.''

Strange confession, written comes in what appears to be a night that seemed to drive the West, who then went to a Twitter tirade sessions with reporters Dallas. Tweet bad, already eliminated, you can see here. Why Cavaliers West Akron Beacon Journal previously aimed writer Brian Windhorst beat (someone who covers the west, apparently without incident for two years), who now writes for ESPN and the Mavericks game on Saturday, is beyond me.

As is the case because he entered the NBA in 2004, the West will remain the starting point guard the caliber of the good can certainly put a good team - like the NBA - in it. But even when the mood tends to swing their medication, and constantly reminded of their past mistakes of not much help. Journalists can not ask for the resignation, however. Especially when left alone rebel strike on board a bus at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue on Monday.

Now step back and let what is almost certainly a strange comment in the history of the Internet dito.

AP: McCready says can’t return to Fla for court

2011-12-15T19:22:00.000-08:00

ST. Petersburg, Fla.. (AP) - Country singer Mindy McCready was in Nashville and said he probably will not be able to bring her 5 years to return to Florida to conform to the order of the judge - because it is nearly 7 months twin pregnancy.

Speaking exclusively that The Associated Press, McCready said Wednesday that she and her mother had a long battle over custody of Zander. Her mother was awarded custody of children in 2007.

Department of Children and Families said that lack of complaints filed with police Tuesday night after getting home Zander McCready of her father.

On Tuesday, DCF found that McCready and the child is staying with his father and the judge decided he had to return the child voluntarily 17:00 Thursday or risk arrest.

America's Dirtiest Vehicles

2011-12-12T19:13:00.000-08:00

Nobody want to be known as the most dirty, at least when it comes to air pollution.

The good news is that since 1975, total emissions of new passenger cars to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and higher fuel efficiency. This trend seems to continue, partly based on technological change, government regulation slightly higher, and in part by consumer interest and demand.

Electric, hybrid vehicles and alternative fuels has received considerable attention this year, and undertake to remain in the spotlight during 2012. But most new light vehicles sold next year will probably be powered by traditional fuel combustion engine internals. As shown promising new technology, manufacturers and regulators should continue to focus on improving the efficiency and cleanliness of gas engines have a significant impact on air quality.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has given an average of the Company's new fuel economy (CAFE) for model year 2012-2016 passenger cars and light trucks, in coordination with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), provided by national authorities gases house gases (GHG) emissions standards.

Special version of the exhaust of the car is carbon dioxide (CO2), and for good reason: "CO2 emissions make up 95-99% of total greenhouse gas emissions from a passenger CH4 (methane), N2O (nitrous oxide.) And HFC emissions (AC refrigerant) account for approximately 1 to 5% of greenhouse gas emissions of passenger cars in total, and then considering the global warming potential of each greenhouse gas, "according to the EPA publications.

To determine the list of dirtiest U.S. vehicles in 2012, we have the basis of data from NHTSA's fuel economy rating and EPA's Green Guide for vehicles, two publicly available sources. Also use carbon footprint calculator, which helps to translate information from EPA to the size of metric tons of CO2 emissions. As in the past, has issued heavy vehicles (which currently are not subject to federal regulations on fuel economy) and vehicles are considered "exotic" like the Bugatti Veyron. Almost all foreign vehicles was ranked as the dirtiest car in its class, with a focus on performance in fuel consumption is concerned. Due to low volume and small distance driven per year, the environmental impact is not popular in the production of exotic vehicles, and environmental concerns are rarely part of the decision to buy exotic.

EPA and NHTSA estimates are based on the assumption that the vehicle is driven 15,000 miles per year and that 55% of the miles are miles from town, with 45% classified as miles of roads. By means of the carbon footprint, calculate the metric tons of CO2 emissions based on equal annual estimate of 15,000 miles. We use EPA's Air Pollution Scale, which is a Standard Carbon-containing compounds (including hydrocarbons) "auto tailpipe emissions that contribute to local and regional air pollution.", Nitrogen oxides, particulates, carbon monoxide and formaldehyde. Results are presented as the sum total of points from 1 to 10, with "1" represents the minimum passing score and "10" represents a perfect score, with no tailpipe emissions at all. We use the California standards, the most stringent in the U.S. for 2012.

EPA figures the first hurdle. Vehicles with the (worst) score the lowest compared based on their CO2 emissions. Vehicles with the dirtiest emissions determined from the Class.

Agents Uncover 'Most Sophisticated' Drug Tunnel in Years

2011-12-09T19:07:00.000-08:00

Agen in California have found the "most sophisticated" drug tunnel in the year, the latest discovery in what one official called it "a huge phenomenon" in the war against drugs.

A U.S. spokesman Immigration and Customs Enforcement declined to provide details of the tunnel to run from Tijuana to San Diego, but said: "When we speak of a sophisticated tunnel, we are talking about a tunnel Several types of reinforcement and hard work she put in it to help them smuggle drugs in a more easy.

"In the past we have found a tunnel with a train and lighting and ventilation and all kinds of situations and is one of the largest we have discovered possibly ever, but not least the last five years," ICE spokesman said Lauren Mack.

The tunnel was discovered by the Task Force San Diego tunnel, in collaboration with the Mexican authorities, Mack said. The working group, whose sole job is to discover the drug-smuggling tunnels, consisting Protection agents from ICE, Customs and Border Control and Drug Administration.

More than 70 tunnels have been discovered by the federal government since October 2008, according to a report by The Associated Press, which first reported the new finding.

Earlier this month, U.S. authorities arrested 14 tons of marijuana in a reservoir connected by a tunnel of drugs from Mexico to southern San Diego. The tunnels are built with structural support and have electricity and ventilation. Only a few days ago a couple of similar tunnels discovered in Nogales Arizona border.

Mack said the tunnel has been "growing phenomenon in the last decade or more" for the cartel in Mexico trying to get their products into the hands of U.S. customers.

Marijuana is also found in the new tunnel and Mack said federal agents until the weight on Monday night. Amount, together with other details about the tunnel, is expected to be revealed at a press conference in San Diego at 17:00 ET.

Horses could soon be slaughtered for meat in US

2011-12-06T19:01:00.000-08:00

TULSA, Oklahoma (AP) - horse be killed in the U.S. for human consumption after Congress quietly lifted the ban five years, funding for the inspection of horse meat, and activists say the slaughter of animals can run only a month.

Slaughter opponents pushed a measure to cut funding for the inspection of horse meat in Congress in 2006, after another attempt to provide a total ban on horse slaughter in recent years. Congress lifted the ban on spending bill President Barack Obama signed into law November 18 to keep the government to last until mid-December.

He did, however, assign a new fund to pay for inspections of horse meat, which opponents say could cost taxpayers $ 3,000,000 $ 5,000,000 each year. U. S. Department of Agriculture must find the money in the current budget, expect to see further cuts this year, Congress and the White House goal of cutting federal spending.

USDA issued a statement Tuesday saying that there is no slaughterhouse in the U.S. for horse meat for human consumption now, but if you switch on, is carried out inspections to ensure that federal laws are followed. USDA spokesman Neil Gaffney declined to answer questions beyond what the statement.

Last U.S. slaughterhouses that animals were slaughtered in 2007 in Illinois closed, and animal welfare activists warned of mass public protests in every city where you can open a slaughterhouse.

"When the plant opened in Oklahoma or Nebraska, you can see the controversy, litigation, legislative action and really a very inhospitable environment to operate," predicted Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States. "Local opposition has come out and sacrifice the great controversy in the shooting and Mr. Ed."

But activists say the ban is killing unintended consequences, including increased neglect and left the horse, and struggling to get a plant - possibly in Wyoming, North Dakota, Nebraska and Missouri. They estimate the slaughterhouse can open the 30-90 day approval of the state and, eventually, more than 200,000 horses a year be slaughtered for human consumption. Most of the meat will be sent to countries in Europe and Asia, including France and Japan.

Dave Duquette, president of the massacre of pro-Knights-profit, the Group of States, said that no country or site is released, but it ranks as many investors expressed interest to finance the processing plant. During the last three slaughterhouses in the United States is owned by foreign companies, says a new plant belongs.

"I personally probably five to 10 investors can call now if you have the plant ready to go," says Duquette, living in Hermiston, Ore.. He added: "If the plant has turned in two weeks" d I have enough money to fund it. People have put up $ 100,000. "

Sue Wallis, a Wyoming state legislator group president, vice president, said that farmers used to sell horses that are too old or unfit for work for slaughterhouses, but now they have to send them to butcher Canada and Mexico, where for half the price.

The federal ban has destroyed "The livestock sector is the whole idea of a purely passionate and romantic," he said.

Although there have been reports of Americans eat horse meat a bit like 1940, almost no practice in this country, where the animals are treated as pets and beloved symbol of the West.

Lawmakers in California and Illinois banned horse slaughter for human consumption, and more than a dozen states heavily regulate the sale of horse meat.

House Lift ban federal funding for inspections of horse meat is partly due to the recession, which came just stop the killing. A federal report published in June found that the local animal welfare investigations reported an increase in horse neglect and abandonment since 2007. In Colorado, for example, the data indicate that the investigations of neglect and abuse of horses has increased more than 60 percent - from 975 in 2005 to nearly 1600 to 2009.

Reports from the U.S. Office of Government liability also found that about 138 000 horses are transported to Canada and Mexico for slaughter in 2010, almost the same as that lost their lives in the United States before the ban imposed in 2007 . The U.S. has an estimated 9 million horses.

Cheri White Owl, the founder of a nonprofit rescue horse hair horses in Guthrie, Oklahoma, said he saw leaving the horse during the recession. His group is caring for 33 horses and now can not receive more.

"Most of this situation because of the economy," he said, "people choose to pay their mortgage or keep their horses."

However, White Owl fear that if slaughter is open, the owners will get rid of their unwanted animals than alternatives, such as animal shelters.

Animal rights also states that sacrifice is a messy process, cruel, and some say it might be more friendly to homeowners that their horses put to sleep by a veterinarian.

"Euthanasia is always an option," says Pacelle. But "if you buy a horse, you must be a responsible owner and care for life."

The fight for horse slaughter lawmakers face the same party against each other.

Sen. Max Baucus, a Montana Democrat, said the bad economy, has resulted in "sad case" abandoned horse and neglect, and repeal the ban would give Americans a chance to recover the lost jobs and ensure that the sick horses is not neglected or abused.

But in U. S. Congress Jim Moran, D-VA., Is pressing his colleagues to ban horse slaughter permanently because he believes that this process is not humane.

"I am committed to doing everything possible to prevent the return of horse slaughter and force Congress to debate this important policy in an open and democratic at every opportunity," he said in a statement.

Pacers talk with Celtics about Rondo deal

2011-12-03T18:43:00.000-08:00

No clear if the Pacers began to come to extend the discussion, but expected.

Celtics Rondo is measured in value of trade for over a year and has held talks with the team over the past malls and NBA draft. How long it will be divided in the Boston office, coaches and costumes from Rondo. She can moody, difficult, stubborn, and several league sources doubt whether the young Pacers coach, Frank Vogel, the height to handle Rondo.

As the Boston Celtics, Danny Ainge, general manager of aggressively pursuing potential agreements Rajon Rondo (notes), Indiana Pacers have emerged as attractive candidates for the owners, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

In the past few days, officials of the Pacers - and substitutes for others - have been making calls and gathering of information and knowledge and Rondo's reputation as a leader of the team, the source said.

Pacers and Celtics have discussed the framework of the preliminary agreement, but said the two sources of Indiana will need a third team to provide Boston with talent who want to make a deal. Celtics might try to put the pieces needed to make the main purpose of offering Ainge: New Orleans point guard Chris Paul (notes), sources said.

[Related: Top 15 NBA Free Agents: Who tops the list? ]

Boston likely will try to bring players to make the offer more attractive to Paul, the sources said. New Orleans does not show interest in a deal that will include a combination of Rondo and Celtics teammates. However, New Orleans GM Dell Demps is determined to get the most value for Paul, if it is clear that the point guard saw his future elsewhere. Demps had no desire to stop the run just as Paul was a free agent in New York.

Most of the teams in the league are taking part in New Orleans about Paul, the intention to reach the New York Knicks as a free agent in the summer of 2012. Paul has a bit of history in Oklahoma City, having played there in the Hornets after Hurricane Katrina, but Thunder has refused dialogue with Paul-de-Russell (notes) Westbrook agreement, according to sources.

Djokovic earned $1.6 million for stepping onto court in Paris

2011-11-30T19:38:00.000-08:00

This is a problem we all face at one time or another: Do not go to work or come in and get a bonus of $ 1.6 million?

Novak Djokovic has made a tough decision on Wednesday, when he played his second round match of the Paris Masters despite a back injury that interferes with down from historic U.S. Open victory in September and won a bonus of $ 1.6 million to the effort. World No. 1 is not in the best in the game, but still lost Ivan Dodig 6-4, 6-3.

At the end of the year at No. 1, Djokovic entitled to a bonus of $ 2 million of ATP, when he played eight seasons in the Masters Series 1000. He was docked $ 400,000 for missing the event last month in Shanghai on damages, so the total will reach $ 1.6 million. Are you withdrawn from the tournament in Paris, Djokovic has made all the money.

In a press conference after the match, Djokovic refused to play for verification.

"It's really a bit silly for me to see how the people who came across the story," he told reporters after the victory. "I hear you get to court and play games just to earn money. This is ridiculous. "

Let Djokovic has been playing tight for money. What's wrong with that? He took to the court given in good faith and did not recover after a point, why not take advantage of the bonus structure of ATP?

Roger Federer does not think it should be a motivating factor for his rival.

"It's a good problem to have, right, who made 10 million dollars this year," he said. "The money from it? [It is] definitely helps, but I think he did a lot this year should not matter. "

Spoken like someone who makes $ 61 million last year.

British Censors Ban Dakota Fanning’s ‘Provocative’ Ad

2011-11-27T19:25:00.000-08:00

Dakota Fanning is one of the kids become teenagers young actors have managed to avoid the tabloid headlines, but 17 years of semi-scandalous Marc Jacobs ads only forbade the English coast.

Although they are running in print since June of this, the Advertising Standards Authority United Kingdom self image simply considered "sexually provocative" and "irresponsible," says the ad was "likely to cause a serious crime "Fanning because she is a minor, reported The Guardian.

American eyes accustomed to flow under the age of the stars dance pole and paced with a substance that female students may find the ads - showing fanning in a polka dot dress holding a flesh-colored flowers, Perfume peak between the two legs - a relatively pleasant. However, the ASA make a convincing argument that U.S. sensors may want to record.

"We understand that the model 17 years old, but thought I saw under the age of 16 years," he reasoned non-governmental organizations. "Therefore, with their appearance, it is assumed ad can look sexy for a child."

Thus, although certainly fanning act much older than his age (both in film and real life, because he was attending NYU), show that he looked much younger than most children his age.

Of course, you can not help matters that her own perfume called "Oh, Grandma!" That brings to mind a similar theme controversial novel "Lolita." Although each unit sell the output of artificial flowers in bottle neck, that association does not favor the defense either.

However, it is worth noting that when a celebrity in question is small in fact 15 years, shared a screen kiss with Stewart after 19 years of Kristen - and R-rated "Runaways" movie is not the extent of British dead eyes, only people under 17 years.

Colorado Woman Spots Stolen Bike on Craigslist, Steals it Back

2011-11-24T19:16:00.000-08:00

A Colorado woman took matters into their own hands when his bike was stolen from outside Boulder sports bar. That tracks your stolen bike on Craigslist, posing as buyers interested in theft and recover his own motorcycle.

Kathryn Lucas, 25, parked his bike outside a bar where we went to see a football game at the University of Colorado on the night of October 4, according to ABC News affiliate KMGH Denver.

When he left the bar to go home, he found that his black Trek 1.2 road bike is gone. After filing a police report, he and his roommate began searching Craigslist to see if the thief tried to sell the bike.

In fact, he found a message with a picture of your bike. He immediately identified the red bicycle handlebar tape and water bottle holder.

Lucas responded to a Craigslist ad, posing as an interested buyer. Minutes later, the person using the name "Lance Robinson", responded with a phone number and told him that he can send text to your address.

On Sunday, he went to his apartment complex and asked if I could try cycling.

"I started riding a bike and know it, so I went on horseback," Lucas told KMGH. "I got my car and then threw it in my car and then left."

Lucas said he has no plans to leave the bike again, but took advantage of opportunities and make decisions stimulus-de-la-time.

"They are bigger than I thought they were," says Luke. "I think it would be like a little man who stole a bike and I was like, 'Hey, I call the police and my bike and try to sell me", but led me to travel and go with it. "

Having recovered his bicycle, call the police and give them the address of the thief. "Lance Robinson" Denzel O'Neal turns 18 Crawford, who had no criminal record.

Crawford was arrested, admitted to stealing a bicycle and was released on bail. Police also said that although his recovery was successful mission, not a tactic they recommend, according to KMGH.

"They told me for future reference I would not, you can do it themselves," said Luke.

Berlusconi promises to resign amid Italy debt woes

2011-11-21T20:08:00.000-08:00

ROME (AP) - Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, Tuesday, admitted he has no support for the decision and announced his resignation as Greek partner, became the largest political victims in the European debt crisis.

Berlusconi promised to leave office after Parliament passed the economic reforms demanded by the EU to keep Italy from falling into debt problems in Europe. He came to the decision that the time after voting at a regular part of the law makes clear that he never commanded a majority in the Chamber of Deputies.

A vote on the proposed reforms planned for the next week, Berlusconi took a couple of days before his turbulent 17 years in public life - and the political season in Italy - the end. Over the years, witnessed the Italian political class as a magnate of the media who survived sex scandals and corruption charges, while his opponents brand communists, traitors and terrorists.

Italy and Greece are under pressure to convince financial markets that the euro zone from 17 nations to act quickly to reduce damage to government loans separately before they contaminate the monetary union and plunge into the world into a new recession.

In Greece, the Greek government official said the new interim government announced late on Wednesday after the critical power-sharing talks between the two major parties are dragging the country into a third day despite European pressure intense.

Both government approved the new package feed euro130 million (U.S. $ 179 billion) rescue with the new state of the European Parliament and end the political crisis that threatens the solvency of Greece and membership of the eurozone. Papandreou, son and grandson of Greek prime minister, do not get along.

European countries, including Germany and France are being redeemed rich Greek, Irish and Portuguese, Greeks, and receive an additional euro100 million ($ 138 billion) of debt relief as soon as they resolve the political crisis.

But as the third largest economy in the eurozone, Italy, to be around euro1.9 billion ($ 2,600,000,000,000), are now considered too big for Europe to rescue, putting more pressure on state leaders to convince the market that Italy and get home is in order.

The Italian lending rates jumped Tuesday at the highest level since the euro was established in 1999. Results in Italy of the 10-year bonds rose 0.24 percentage points to 6.77 percent. Rate of over 7 percent is considered unsustainable and demonstrate that the trigger points which forced Greece, Portugal and Ireland in receiving bailouts.

Berlusconi defied the usual acknowedged not have a majority in parliament and said he would step aside for the good of the country.

"The market does not believe that Italy is not, or with intent to pass the amendment," he told private Mediaset television. He added: "Things like that never lead to or cause the government" is more important to do "what is best for the country."

Waiver may not be enough. Political analyst Sergio Romano, a column on the front page of Corriere della Sera on Tuesday, warned that unless the program is clearly emerging in the post-Berlusconi "foreign observers to conclude that the end does not goverenment to the arrival of Berlusconi's government, more credible confidence. "

Italy accounts for 17 percent of domestic product, the euro zone as well. But most of its debt must be rolling in the coming months and years, the country needs to increase the euro300 million ($ 412 billion) in 2012 alone - as interest rates soared.

Berlusconi took steps last week to ask embarrassing the International Monetary Fund to continue the efforts to reform the country in a bid to reassure markets. On Wednesday, a European Union mission is monitoring a separate to begin work in Rome to examine the measures taken so far.

Questionnaire of the European Union, Italy stood in front of the mission, said that additional steps beyond what Italy has promised to do to balance the budget by 2013, according to the text that appears on Italian television.

When Berlusconi resigned, Italian President Giorgio Napolitano will begin political consultations to form a new government. Name the most discussed government is led by Mario Monti, former commissioner of EU competence.

The development of seizures in the market is closed today and the House of Representatives. At least regular budget vote in an internal test support for Berlusconi, prime minister of collecting 308 votes of approval and none against. However, the 321 deputies abstained, a tactic that revealed the recession continues Berlusconi.

Berlusconi margin of eight votes of 316 needed to win an absolute majority in the House of 630 members.

"The government is no longer the" Cries of Pierluigi Bersani opposition leader. "If you have a sense of particles in the face of Italy, offering a letter of resignation!"

Talk Like Bersani, Berlusconi has chosen to write on a sheet of paper. An AP photo showed writes "resignation" and also "the traitorous eight," apparently referring to a former ally who abstained.

After business leaders enthusiastically support the leadership of the media mogul, but now some say the government has failed to stimulate the Italian economy stagnated.

"The state can not survive in these conditions," said Emma Marcegaglia, who led the influential Italian business lobby.

January Randolph, head of sovereign risk analysis at IHS Global Insight, said Berlusconi's resignation brings brief relief rally in the market.

"But Italy is not out of the bond market will heat up a solid and stable government, the actual implementation of agreed reforms and saving for a strong credible leadership," said Randolph.

___

Gatopoulos reported from Athens. Colleen Barry in Milan, Frances D'Emilio in Rome and Gabriele Steinhauser in Brussels contributed.

After man loses nearly 200 pounds, he collects on bet

2011-11-18T19:57:00.000-08:00

When the Fulton, New York resident Jay Wornick started losing weight at the request of his wife, who has high expectations. It weighs over 360 pounds in January, Wornick's a nice thought would lose 20 or 30 pounds and then put it back. But that did not happen. Not by a long shot.

Now, slightly more than 10 months later, Wornick will lose about 200 pounds. It weighs only 168 pounds and is still adjusting to his new life as high. According to a blog from Syracuse.com Buzzy, Wornick still can not stop looking at a booth at the restaurant to see if he is able to adapt, but now easily upgrade to the open space with room to spare. He was also surprised when he accidentally pushed through the crowd - even now more regularly when he brings all that extra weight in your body.

So how to lose weight so much? It all started with a stake in the form of New Year's resolutions. Wornick wife, Angelia, challenging him to see who can lose the greatest percentage of weight. The name of the winner of a tattoo on his stomach disappear. They bet big steak Jay was inspired to cut a big meal. Eat less meat, switching to water instead of soda, and started working out.

At the end of the first month, which has lost 40 pounds. Inspired, he continued, and the weight kept coming. It should be noted that Jay can be done without a personal trainer, even though a lot of help from your local YMCA, which he called We also consulted the Web for tips on diet and found "a great support system." A number of Dr. Oz. Jay will make a presentation to show the doctor in the coming weeks.

To be efficient in a part of your wager, Angela plans to name Jay tattooed on his back sometimes in the coming weeks. Jay is also planning to get a tattoo - Now that the two slim, do not fit the wedding ring finger - make plans to replace it with a ring-shaped tattoo.

Five Celebs Remain As Another Star Eliminated On 'Dancing'

2011-11-15T23:58:00.000-08:00

It is interesting Halloween competition on Monday night "Dancing with the Stars", but a celebrity ballroom regularly proven more screaming in the dream, winning his return ticket.

(SPOILER - This story contains the results of "ETAP Tuesday)

Listen now: it is the dance of David Arquette With the "ordinary" sabotaged the Stars "?

"Scream" was the star of David Arquette franchise dismissed from the competition, taking professional won the "stage" the last time (Hines Ward) - Kym Johnson.

"This is fantastic, I love it, but there is one, and it shows me, I'd probably go home," said David joked, referring to the pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy's comments last week, after his companion, Hope Solo, received criticism from judge Len Goodman.

'Dancing With The Stars' Season 13:: View Photos Night of Halloween

"No, I'm kidding," said David happiest Season 13 cast members, he said.

When David's name was announced, he and Kym were younger than 2 years with Nancy Grace and Tristan MacManus shock passing through the ballroom, triggers, always strong derision from the audience.

David, however, keep their spirits high.

SEE PHOTO: Courteney Cox and David Arquette During the Year

"I came here to learn more about myself, face my fears, to entertain people, America has [] the opportunity to get to know me better and learn to dance," he said.

The actor said he plans to dance more than Kym in the future.

See photos: 'Dancing With The Stars' Season 13: Week 6 - Broadway

"Thank you so sweet and patient with me and I have the intention to dance with you more - if you see me," he said.

"Of course I am," said Kym, cuddling.

It seems that a faithful daughter, Coco Arquette, as the audience to see his father is killed.

While David was out, HLN host Nancy Grace was surprised he made it through another week.

As the camera cutting, hugged "ETAP" to his colleagues in the back, and he pretended to collapse in one arm of a professional.

"ETAP" again on Monday at 08.07 C on ABC.

Scarlett Johansson Admits Sending Those Nude Photos to Ryan Reynolds

2011-11-12T23:48:00.000-08:00

Scarlett Johansson talks about nude photo scandal in a surprisingly straightforward - an interview with Vanity Fair magazine - and fun.

"I know my best angle," says Johansson, who graces the cover of the magazine in December. "They sent my husband (Ryan Reynolds) There's nothing wrong with it .. . It's not like I was shooting porn ", adding:". While there is nothing wrong with that "

Last month, the FBI arrested the person who leaked private photos after the phone Johansson piracy. (Male, 35 years, Christopher Chaney of Jacksonville, Florida, is also the subject of Mila tear, Christina Aguilera and Vanessa Hudgens, among dozens of other young stars.)

After a little over two years of marriage, Johansson and Reynolds - aka "ScarJo and RyRy" - split in November 2010. "I really do not know what to do with myself," said the breakup. "It was a strange time There's nothing interesting for me .. I have a very public separation. That is difficult. I feel very uncomfortable. "

Is Harold Camping quitting the prediction business?

2011-11-09T23:35:00.000-08:00

You can say that Harold Camping: As a great leader, who held himself responsible.

Radio preacher said to have resigned as head of the Association of Family Radio, having incorrectly predicted the coming of the rapture, where Christians are lifted to heaven, twice in the past month.

Camping predicted the rapture would happen 21 May "beyond the shadow of a doubt." That was the first foray into the media caused hubbub recent assessment, spreading the word of time waiting for calculating the earth in many places, causing Some people believe it to start making preparations.

When the big day came and went without incident, Camping suffered a stroke. Later, he revised the prediction, said the group site, it is only a spiritual trial, which took place in May, and that the rapture will take place October 21.

Four days after this last prediction does not pan out, the group was deprived of notice from your website, which shows that it takes advantage of the prediction business. And Brandon Tauszik, a documentary filmmaker who attends the church of Camping for eight months, in The Christian Post that Camping said that the repeal.

Tauszik cabin also said it has changed his opinion about whether it is possible to predict the exact date of doomsday. Now he emphasizes the importance of always prepared for the trial of the Lord.

Many believers doubt the truth of camping all the time. The first time I predicted the end of the world in 1992, saying it will come in 1994.

10 Things Not To Say to Your Childfree Friends

2011-11-06T23:40:00.000-08:00

Parenting can have a major impact on friendship. However, you can keep your link - with some insight into the views of the childless.

By Jillian Mackenzie

My girlfriend and I do not know if we have kids - but in recent years, most of our friends who have taken risks. At that time, I learned some things about how to maintain the strong ties of friendship when they have both parents. Here are 10 things that do not tell your friends without children.

1. "When you finally have kids?"

If you have children, you want your friends to share the experience. But please, do not ask difficult questions around the table at Thanksgiving dinner or a baby shower. While many people are happy without children or wait, maybe the situation is more complicated. A friend may face infertility, a position that torture is a partner who does not want children, or vice versa, in a complex struggle over this issue. Bringing in private with close friends, or wait to share with you.

2. "We always wanted a family."

If you used the phrase "non-family" means "having a child," without realizing it, the message that people with no children ... family-less. Families come in many forms, significant others, parents, siblings, nieces, nephews, cousins, neighbors - fortunately, the list is endless!

3. "I just invited other parents."

Having children is the norm, and people without children can sometimes feel isolated or excluded. So we invited to a birthday party! Sure, there are some people who simply do not want children and have no desire to spend the night surrounded them. You can decline the invitation, and the rest of us are happy when the birthday boy took the first bite of the cupcake.

4. "Are you hung over?"

If you have children when they are younger side, you may suddenly gone from being out in bars and night Yo Gabba Gabba nursing - and a few years later, you can assume that we are still acting as if two decades are crazy self. But the fact of not having children does not mean they do not grow.

5. "You're so lucky you can sleep in / store / travel."

We understand that giving up the most incredible his father - and we appreciate the extra money and free time, and God himself to sleep. But many casual remarks like this make us feel like the reason is that no children are lazy, selfish or shallow. This decision is not easy.

6. "We have birth control for you."

Parents often make the joke is when your child has severe or persistent, and we understand that because they are worried about this situation is annoying the hell out of everyone around you. Do not stress - a good friend who understand that their child has a seasonal crisis. We can pick it up. And, of course, the cry of a young child is not really a key point in our decision to have children. We are not narrow minded.

7. "Your dog / cat / parakeet was his baby."

Animals are an important part of the lives of many people, whether or not people have children. But feels like a consolation prize when he was getting well. That said, asked about my cat, I'm happy to take my picture on your new adorableness.

8. "I can not die, I am a mother."

For terrorism to scare little short in New York, friends told me: "I need to go -. I can not die, I am a mother, "We know you have someone who depends on you so you have never happened, but there are people who love and depend on us.

9. "Sorry it takes forever to call / email / text you back."

Do not start any letter with an apology. His life was crazy and said we'd have time for us to be appreciated. But not as much stress: My life is very busy, and more often than not, they do not understand late.

10. "You would not understand."

We know that there are many things about the paternity of her child would be friends with her mother to talk about. And frankly, nobody but friends, it is probably better - I lost interest quickly when someone can not speak well of their children. However, when these are real friends, do not let our relationship fade because they are afraid of boring things with parents. As we listened to talk about your ex, you know what is important in your life now. And we hope to do the same for us.

Virginia Republicans condemn graphic of a zombie Obama shot in the head

2011-11-03T23:21:00.000-07:00

Republicans in Virginia to strongly condemn Halloween-themed graphics circulated by the local Republican committee Monday that President Obama is like a zombie with a gunshot wound to the head.

Number is displayed in a mass email sent to supporters of the Loudoun County Republican Committee is invited to a Halloween party. Images are displayed in the headers of messages, including photos of the Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi damaged, and many flesh-hungry zombies supporting Obama.

Obama's image, with a gunshot wound with blood over his right eye, was first reported Monday by too conservative blog in Virginia right political leaders accused of Loudoun County Republicans went "too far".

Another top Republican in the country quickly agreed.

"Figure nice used today in mass e-mail has no place in our politics," says Pat Mullins, the Virginia Republican Party chairman, said in a statement to the press, the Washington Post Anita Kumar. Party, he said, "condemned the images and their use in the strongest possible terms."

Meanwhile, Virginia Governor Bob O'Donnell, through a spokesman, called the graph "outrageous and offensive" and asked the Commission to ask for forgiveness.

"The governor has always stressed the need for civility and respect which is greater than our politics," said McConnell spokesman Tucker Martin. "There is e-mail as it undermines the purpose, offended all of Virginia and undermine our political process. It will not be tolerated. "

Loudoun County Republican Party Chairman Mark Sell said in an e-mail to The Associated Press Bob Lewis graph is an attempt "to inject humor fun taunt to a Halloween party.

"Apparently, some people have interpreted the image Barack Obama appears in the email as an attempt to describe the president as a victim of violent crime," writes Sale. "Nothing could be further from the truth, and fully and sincerely apologize to the President and anyone who saw the picture if it is the impression left behind."

Lawyer: Cain accuser wants to be allowed to talk

2011-11-01T23:16:00.000-07:00

Washington (AP) - A lawyer for one of two women who allegedly accused the Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain of sexual harassment in the 1990s, said Tuesday he has asked former employers to give up the deal and allow him to speak publicly about the complaint them.

Joel P. Bennett, a Washington lawyer who specializes in employment cases, said in media interviews that his client wanted the National Restaurant Association to release confidentiality to respond Cain said that the accusations were "completely unfounded and untrue. "

A spokesman for the restaurant association, Sue Hensley said Tuesday that the group has not been linked by Bennett. Cain, a Georgia businessman best known as the former CEO of Godfather Pizza, is the head of the association at the time of the complaint.

Bennett told The Associated Press that he had more to say after he met with his client on Wednesday. In an interview on CNN Tuesday night, said his client is behind. "I know very well," he said, "and I'm sure not going to make a false report."

The New York Times reported Tuesday that the National Restaurant Association gave workers a year salary severance, $ 35,000, he said after meeting with Cain his work was not comfortable there. The newspaper quoted three people with knowledge of the payments to the woman, who was a client Bennett.

One of the opponents of Cain, vice Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, seems to attack Cain when he met Tuesday night with his followers in a Baptist church in Marshalltown, Iowa

Although not mentioned by name Cain, standing in the pulpit, Bachmann said: "This year we had no surprises with our candidates, we have a candidate who would know, when we took office. We can hope for a list of what they do and what they are. "

Cain, meanwhile, spent the entire Monday Tuesday he is, going from interview to interview to defend himself. There is a time for politics, too: he met with Republican senators on Tuesday night at a restaurant near the Capitol, as part of a strategy to meet and greet members of parliament who support you are looking for.

Cain contradictory explanations - who also denied that his story has changed - raised questions about the details of cost and current capacity to manage crises in the national spotlight. Costs have emerged as increases in national polls in the struggle for the Republican nomination two months before the Iowa caucuses leadoff hitter.

He said Tuesday night on Fox News that he believes there are some Democrats who want him defeated because he is an unconventional candidate "to achieve some unexpected, unconventional," and can get some right "to not me because I'm not a candidate the establishment. "

Cain, who is black, said he believes the race that also involved, he added "but we have no evidence to support it.": "Relative to the left, I think race is a bigger factor than I do not think that is factor on the right .. "

In the original report on Sunday night, by politicians, at least two women who complained Cain said they have agreed to settlements that include provisions not repeated his allegations in public.

Cain answered the questions of growing a series of interviews with the media this week causing rival campaign that shows that it is not upfront about the costs.

"If you are the favorite and will be a candidate ... Promptly investigated, and not get into a situation where our candidates and the things we learned after the fact, "said John Brabender, a campaign strategist Rick Santorum, a forum organized by the National Journal. "We are awaiting clarification from Cain campaign."

Cain said that instead of hurting the allegations, fundraising actually grew - "was the highest since I've been into this campaign," he told Fox News.

The campaign started up to U.S. $ 400,000 per day, said Mark Block, Cain, chief of staff.

Cain debilitating debate in Iowa and beyond? Iowa Governor Terry Branstad was willing to listen to the candidates out.

"Iowa is a pretty fair and the people just because someone makes a stand - nobody in high profile positions it is possible that people make allegations like that," Branstad said. "I think Iowans, you know, look carefully at the real situation and did not arrive at any conclusion."

In two days, Cain admitted that he knew a deal between the restaurant association and a woman who accused him of sexual harassment. He said that he had initially asked for a large financial settlement, but eventually received 2-3 months of salary as part of the separation agreement. Caine also recognized remember one of the charges against him woman, said she approached him to make reference to his height, and said it was the same height as his wife.

He said he did not know the agreement or arrangement with another woman, but politics - which was first revealed allegations - a trade group reported a settlement with at least two employees who accused him of sexual misconduct.

In addition, Cain offers a series of sometimes contradictory statements about what is happening and not happening, and what he knew about financial compensation.

On Tuesday, Cain chalking semantic confusion, saying that he is aware of the "deal", but not the "solution".

"It seems that he has changed my story," Cain told CNN. "I have not changed my story."

Realizing that this is exactly the problem worsened during the last days.

On Tuesday night, saying, "I fully agree it may be more ready. Mea culpa to be better prepared. "

On Monday, the first Cain said he had no knowledge of the settlement in every woman who complained of inappropriate sexual behavior. He later admitted that he knew the deal.

Damage control for the test of real-time crisis management of the introduction of the candidate countries themselves and by campaigning on his decades of business management experience including teaching at Godfather Pizza, Pillsbury, Coca-Cola and the Department of the Navy.

In an era of unemployment 9.1 percent, Cain is the same pitch as traders who could solve the problem.

He took the heat for the management of the campaign, insisting that the lack of personnel in the early voting states of only the conventional approach as well as former employees complained about the candidate without a plan. Today, the approach to solve their own political situation has raised questions about how the crisis management as the country's president.

"Where are the problems encountered," change the story? Because when the story changes, people equate that with guilt, "says Eric Dezenhall, who runs a crisis communications firm more efficient. "The act of change itself may indicate that there is a problem."

"The contrast is good news, and how to touch someone who says competition is to bring something that he says is not true that competition is a ghost," says Dezenhall.

Cain committed to surround himself with a professional if elected president.

"Part of being a leader surrounded yourself with good people and that's what I do," he said during a recent rally in Alabama, explaining that he believed Candidate should be expert in all areas of policy to be a good president.

However, because of allegations of abuse became public, staff Cain contributed to the conflicting accounts - even offering a flat denial that there is no factual basis for the story.

Furthermore, the personnel manager Mark Block is an attorney to investigate whether the charity he founded, U.S. prosperity, giving the wrong goods and services Fabrics presidential campaign earlier this year.

Allegations of abuse, Cain initially told the AP he could not recall the details of the allegations. Hours later, he admitted a complaint from an elderly woman.

Tuesday, she relates lapses in memory to be under pressure in a day of media appearances.

"After 12 hours in the day, many events, many interviews, I was able to recover gradually more details about what happened 12 years ago," he said. "I was given the opportunity to think about it for a day before he was forced to begin to answer the question."

Politics began to ask Cain said the cost of the campaign October 20 to 10 days before the article was published on Sunday.

Cain said Monday it has also given the name of a political campaign with a second woman, Politico reported, also received a settlement after complaining of improper sexual relationship with Cain.

Who is Saudi Ambassador Adel Al-Jubeir?

2011-10-29T21:06:00.000-07:00

Department of Justice as a tight five criminal charges on Monday accused Iran of the Qods forces backed agents plotted to assassinate Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States and probably Saudi embassy attacks Israel and Washington, DC

Riad sent to Washington, Adel al-Jubeir, selected by hand, sent by the King Abdullah is believed that the oil-rich monarchy.

A-not-king, Al-Jubeir, 49, who previously served as a liaison with the Congress of the Saudi embassy and the chief information officer (his brother is fulfilling this role). Study in Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Germany, USA and Lebanon, Al-Jubeir obtained a master's degree from Georgetown University. He joined the diplomatic service in Saudi Arabia in 1987. He was appointed special envoy to Washington in Riyadh in 2007.

Messenger reported last month that al-Jubeir personally deliver a secret letter from King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia to President Obama in the White House in September. Then immediately went to Saudi Arabia again. White House and the Saudi embassy did not reveal what the subject of writing is involved.

Middle East experts in Washington say Al-Jubeir seems to travel a lot for this fall - either that, or afraid, just avoid them.

Sectarian tensions between Sunni-dominated Saudi Arabia and Shiite Iran's growing in recent months, exacerbated by competition for influence among the Arab uprising last spring, showed Saudi fears about Iran's nuclear program. Tensions have been heightened by the leaders of Saudi Arabia have struggled with their own anxiety about the unrest in Sunni ally ruled by Bahrain, and concerns that Iran could increase the shift toward the center of the turmoil continues in Syria, a planned withdrawal from U.S. Iraq and the region.

The night of Herman Cain’s “9-9-9 Plan”

2011-10-26T21:01:00.000-07:00

There is a winner of the presidential debate Tuesday from the Republican Party, which is based on simple measures of name recognition. "9-9-9" Herman Cain Business Plan

Almost all candidates debate at the table has something to say about Cain's plan to change the tax code with three levels of consumption of nine per cent of federal business taxes, and profits. Cain, once assigned to the wing away from the debate stage, has enjoyed a surge in the polls since winning the polls in Orlando, Fla., last month, and the first debate since joining the former governor of Massachusetts. Mitt Romney and Governor of Texas. Rick Perry at the top level, Cain and policy proposals for longer than the discussion of the ideas floated by the other candidates.

Of course, this does not mean that any of them praised the idea of Cain. Probably not. In fact, all of which have the opportunity to take photos plan.

Former Governor of Utah. Hunter is reduced to a "catchy phrase" and joined with former Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania said that it never became law.

Former governor of Massachusetts. Mitt Romney stated that the 9-9-9 scheme will be "enough" to solve the country's problems.

"Herman, I've got my life experience to deal with some issues," Romney said when he asked if Cain's name every 59 points in its economic plan. "And I must admit that the simple answer is always very helpful, but often not enough."

Minnesota Rep.. Michele Bachmann, even making a joke referring to the sign of Satan in the Book of Revelation.

"Open your reverse 9-9-9 plan, and the devil in the details", referring to the number "666" - mark of the beast described in Revelation.

However, none of his enemies have been able to stop the repetition of the line fabrics throughout the night. There may be provisions that candidates who spend their time discussing the proposal of Cain, the moderator takes an integrated clip and fabrics are touting a few weeks ago and asked all candidates to provide comments. Again. They do this, and "9-9-9 plan" received a new dose of airtime.

It is as if the candidate never mentioned the words - "9-9-9" - a little stronger fabrics.

This marketing scheme, however, does not expire without renewal.

Independent analysis showed Cain plans do not generate enough revenue to support the most basic functions of government. When asked about it, only Cain rejected the premise and repeat the "9-9-9" field.

"The problem in this study is that it is wrong," Cain said with disgust.

If you want to stay at the top level, you need to build something better than that. As a lesser known candidate who only received very little opportunity to talk with a debate before, you may say little about it, plan to continue the 9-9-9 and moderators. However, this platform was won by landing on top will be forced to expand their ideas and even get a new one.

But at least for tonight, everyone talks about the 9-9-9 plan, but Cain will not ask for a better gift than his opponents.

Scott Brown, Elizabeth Warren spar over nude photo shoots

2011-10-23T23:51:00.000-07:00

It took five minutes to shoot nude Republican Senator. Scott Brown in 1982 for Cosmopolitan magazine to talk about in the Massachusetts Senate race.

In a debate sponsored by the Boston Herald and the University of Massachusetts at Lowell Tuesday, Democratic Senate candidate panelists to discuss their own college experiences, in light of the late Senator colorful modeling. "To help pay for education in law school, Scott Brown pose for Cosmo. How to pay your college education "are asked to all candidates during the phase of the" lightning round "questions.

Democratic Leader Elizabeth Warren is the first response: "I can keep my clothes on," he said, evoking laughter and praise from the audience. ". Hiram my money, "Warren added that they also had student loans and part-time work - and that the" combination "to keep the bills paid.

But Brown will not let go Unless response. On the radio Thursday at WZLX, the host asked him what he thought about Warren's decision will remain clothed during the college years. Brown said two words: "Thank God."

And so a new round of attacks and counterattacks fly on Thursday.

"Comment of the senator. Brown type of thing one expects to hear at a frat house, not a race for the U. S. Senate, "said Clare Kelly, executive director of the Massachusetts Democratic Party said in a statement widely circulated. "Comments Scott Brown would send a terrible message that women are made even in the highest prices can laugh fired by his appearance."

Brown campaign, Jim Barnett wrote in an email to The Boston Globe that "it is elitist contempt by Professor Warren Scott Brown took the decision to wear to school and over the circumstances of his life. Scott has fought and scratched for everything they have. "

Warren is not the only candidate debate Tuesday, Alan Khazei social entrepreneur, who also competes for the Democratic nomination, said his wife and daughter were in the audience before insisting that "certainly does not see me posing for Cosmo. "

Secret panel can put Americans on "kill list'

2011-10-20T23:22:00.000-07:00

Washington (Reuters) - American militiamen and Anwar al-Awlaki listed or killed by a secret group of government officials, who reports to the President for his decision, officials said.

There is no public record of the operation or decisions of the group, which is a subset of the White House, National Security Council, the words of several past and present. Nor are there laws establish the existence or set of rules that have to operate.

The rear panel's decision to add Awlaki was born in the United States preacher suspected militants in connection with Al Qaeda's target list. He was killed by a barrage of CIA drone in Yemen late last month.

The president's role in ordering or ratifying the decision to target citizens are blurred. White House spokesman Tommy Vietor declined to discuss anything about the process.

And former officials said that the best of their knowledge, Awlaki, the White House says is a key figure in Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, Yemen based on the affiliate Qaeda, is the only place in the U.S. government's list of persons under arrest or death for his alleged involvement with militants.

The White House described the murder as a manifestation of resistance of President Barack Obama Awlaki against militants who threaten America. But the process that led to the murder Awlaki has been the subject of fierce criticism from the political left and right.

In an ironic twist, Obama, who ran for president denounced his predecessor, George W. Extensive use of executive power in Bush's "war on terror", was attacked on several occasions to use similar tactics. These include a secret legal justifications and secret intelligence assessment.

Liberals criticized the rumor of an attack on U.S. citizens, including extrajudicial killings.

Conservatives criticize Obama for refusing to release a legal opinion from the Department of Justice Equality Awlaki killed. Obama was accused of hypocrisy, noting that his government insists on issuing the Bush era of legal memos justifying the use of research methods many equate with torture, but refused to make public the reasons for the murder of citizens adjustment process.

Some details about how the government was on the orientation of Awlaki held on Tuesday, when the ranking Democrat on the Intelligence Committee of the House, Representative Dutch Ruppersberger, reporters asked him about the murder.

This process involves the passage "of the National Security Council, and finally went to the presidency, but the National Security Council of the probe, with lawyers, review, view the situation, you have the input of the military, and In addition, we are sure that they comply with international law, "said Ruppersberger.

Consulting attorney

Other officials said the president's role in this process is so bleak Ruppersberger said.

They say that the recommendations made by a committee of middle-level National Security Council and officials of the agency. He was sent its recommendations to the "principal" means the group NSC Chief Cabinet Secretary and the intelligence unit for approval. The head of the panel members may have additional time to consider the various operational problems, they said.

The official insisted on anonymity to discuss confidential information.

Shall be ensured that lawyers, including the Department of Justice, was consulted before the name of Awlaki was added to the list of targets.

The two main legal theories have been advanced, an official said: first, that such action is authorized by Congress when it authorized the use of military force against militants in the wake of the attacks of September 11, 2001, and allowed under international law if the state to defend itself.

Some officials say that when Awlaki became the first American to be placed on the target list, Obama is not necessarily personally approve the target person. However, an official said Obama will be notified of the most important decisions. If he objected, the decision was overturned, he said.

An official said earlier that the reasons for doing most of the senior officials responsible for the candidacy for the U.S. target list to "protect" the president.

U.S. officials confirmed that a second, Samir Khan, was killed in the attack drone killed Awlaki. Khan has worked as editor of Inspire, glossy magazine AQAP English language as a vehicle for propaganda and recruitment.

However, rather than specifically targeted at fashion operators, Khan in the wrong place at the wrong time, authorities said. Ruppersberger seems to confirm, said Khan's death was "collateral", which means that rumors deliberately protest.

When a name, instead of U.S. foreign militants have been added to the list of objectives, the decision was made in the intelligence community and usually do not require approval by higher officials of the NSC.

'Inspiration in the operation'

Awlaki officials say, the harsh sermons widely circulated English language militant website, the objectives of the information collected by Washington has lost its role in the AQAP not resign "from the inspiration for the operation." Propaganda only compatible with the objectives of al-Qaeda, have begun Awlaki directly involved in a plot against U.S. targets.

"Let me emphasize, Awlaki was not only a human messenger, but the integral involved in a deadly terrorist activity," said Daniel Benjamin, senior State Department counterterrorism, last spring.

The Obama has not been made public accountant classified evidence that operating Awlaki involved in planning terrorist attacks.

However, officials acknowledged that some intelligence purporting to show the role of hand-Awlaki in planning attacks patchwork.

For example, a framework within which authorities say involved Awlaki was born in Nigeria Omar Faruk Abdulmutallab, accused of trying to break the plane of Detroit in the United States on Christmas Day 2009 with a bomb hidden in his pants.

Abdulmutallab is definitely a fan or follower Awlaki, recognizing that U.S. researchers. When he appeared in the Detroit courtroom earlier this week to begin the trial in the alleged plot, he said, "Anwar is still alive."

But this time the White House is considering placing the list of U.S. targets Awlaki, especially in the intelligence that connects Awlaki Abdulmutallab and the alleged plot to bomb a little. Authorities said at the time U.S. participation Awlaki sound wiretapping known and used by someone you trust, but positive, not Abdulmutallab.

Awlaki involved in cases where an employee who was imprisoned by British Airways for conspiring to blow up a plane to America. E-mails obtained by the authority of the employee's computer shows what one researcher called "operational contact" between Britain and Yemen.

Authorities believe the main contact between the UK based on suspect and his brother. But there is a strong suspicion that Awlaki is part of the brothers when it sent the message. The British media reported that in the message, the people of Yemen at the end is like saying: "Our top priority is the United States ... For those, you can get a package or a person with a package to board a flight to the U.S.? "

U.S. Awlaki intelligence officials suggested instead of participating in a particular plot in the works of Adam Gadahn, an American citizen who became a major propagandist for English-language based on the Al Qaeda led by Osama bin Laden above.

While Gadahn appeared in a video calling for attacks angered U.S. officials said it was not intended specifically to capture or killing by U.S. forces because he was considered a flagrant not directly involved in planning attacks.

Electric airplane wins big money

2011-10-17T00:54:00.000-07:00

NASA has awarded a Pennsylvania company gift of $ 1350000 for the development of ultra-efficient electric aircraft.

Tauro won G4 plane flew 200 miles from Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport in Santa Rosa, California., In less than two hours.

CNN reported that the plane was created by Pipistrel-USA.com State College. There are 14 aircraft in the competition, but Pipistrel won easily. It is almost "doubled the fuel efficiency requirements" for the contest.

Requirement was to fly 200 miles in two hours or less in less than a gallon of gasoline (or equivalent in power) for each passenger. Pipistrel aircraft used slightly more than half a gallon of gasoline per passenger. Most of the aircraft in the contest to using electric motors, however, some participants supported by gasoline or biofuels.

The team leader Jack W. Langelaan said, "Two years ago the idea of flying 200 miles to 100 miles per hour in an electric airplane is pure science fiction. Now, we all hope for the future provision of aviation. "

Including 14 aircraft in the competition, only three meet the requirements of competence, according to the press, D-Santa Rosa. $ 1,350,000 prize was the largest in aviation history. In total, the teams compete to spend more than $ 4 million on their aircraft.

Wired magazine reported that the winner of the aircraft "was developed and built in Slovenia as a technology demonstrator for the aircraft manufacturer." And while the company has no plans to mass produce the plane, "going to use liquid-cooled electric propulsion system in a four-seat aircraft which is developing and hopes to fly next year. "

Chris Christie declines (again) to run for president

2011-10-14T00:23:00.000-07:00

Chris Christie ended a brief flirtation with a presidential bid in 2012 Tuesday, insisting, as has been done before, that the effort by the White House "does not feel right."

"Ultimately, what I always thought it was the right decision remains the right decision today: It's not my time," Christie said in a press conference on the afternoon of New Jersey.

The governor has formed the opposition in an attempt in 2012 did not change, but recently admitted that he had "ceased to really resonate" with the decision after being forced to re-race.

"I feel an obligation to consider seriously what people are asking me to do it," said Christie. "For me, the answer is anything but ... It never felt right to me. "

Christie's announcement would disappoint some of the major donors and activists who urged the Republican governor of New Jersey to again run for the nomination in 2012 a few questions about the viability of race Rick Perry and the lack of passion for the nomination of Mitt Romney.

What decisions are left Christie candidate? Romney seems to be a winner. His support for the moderates and people on Wall Street and Washington companies may have had great success is Christie's entered the race. Major donors, and stay on the bench, awaiting a decision from Christie, Romney could change, given the increasing doubts about Perry.

However, voters tea Conservative Party, was approached by blunt talk economy and the country's state governors serious fiscal, Christie is also interesting. Support units that Perry could change, especially if Perry inflame anger at Republican efforts to reform health care in Massachusetts Romney.

Christie's decision is good news for Jon Huntsman and Herman Cain.

While Hunter will be in single digits nationally, that figure has doubled in New Hampshire, a state that bet the whole campaign. Christie has jumped in the race, the governor of New Jersey became the leading opponent Romney in Granite State. Christie out, hunters can not maintain their momentum. It can appeal to moderates and independent as Christie.

Herman Cain will rise in the polls in recent days has made his candidacy more serious aspect than usual. Cain attract conservative voters who oppose Romney and Perry enthusiastically. If some voters waiting to go Christie, now able to Cain.

The next big question is that Republicans Christie agreed, if he supports it. The governor has come under intense courtship between the 2012 candidates, especially Romney.

In January, Christie's held a dinner for Governor Romney SA home in New Jersey. Christie later downplayed the incident, calling Romney But a "friend." May, Romney gave serious political coverage, praised Romney gave a speech in defense of health care law in Massachusetts.

Christie speculate about the role in 2012 is no more. While he may have questions about a presidential candidate, is a matter of time before he was beaten with a question about whether he is willing to serve as the final candidate's spouse.

Of course, I answer that question. Like the previous bill in June, Christie insisted that he wanted to be-No. 2-and anyone who asks that suggest he might be crazy.

"Can you imagine? The person I choose as vice president was sedated now, "Christie said on NBC's" Meet the Press "." Forget it. "

On Tuesday, Christie again insisted he did not want to be VP - "no one in America believe that my personality is more suited to number one. Two additional "do not think, however, admitted that not rule out any future work, including the White House run in 2016.

Favre on Rodgers: ‘He fell into a good situation’

2011-10-11T00:15:00.000-07:00

It is expected that after Brett Favre (notes) get back a little to release the game contest last Saturday at Southern Miss, may have some opportunities in radio experience. That must happen, and Favre went to the Atlanta area 790 stations recently to discuss a number of factors, including the team when the Green Bay Packers, quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the name (note).

Now, if you look at Rodgers this year, you know that you're playing midfield on how well he played. If you do not pay attention, recently founded by you. And a good quarterback, Favre was asked, you wonder that Rodgers led the Packers win the Super Bowl XLV, Rodgers gave the same number of Super Bowl rings as Favre (and, I must say, another super Bowl MVP award that the old number 4)?

Favre is a typical response from people. Passive-aggressive, a series of compliments to a group of hidden needle is inserted, and an uncanny ability to always bring the topic back around.

"I will be honest, I was surprised. The biggest surprise to me that he was before. Years ago I was in Green Bay before the first game, I made the observation that it's probably the most talented team I've ever played. And of course everyone looked up and was like, 'this guy out of the chair. "

"We are very, very young, I took a lot of Halo and the youngest team in the league, but I could see the talent in all areas of the extraordinary and the type of weather we are finally to be reflection. it. We were close, and I think many people surprised, but people rather quickly. Aaron has a chance to ... Although in recent years seems almost rookie, who has been around a while. And I think he saw, learned, and then, when he has a chance to play, he brings a skill that obviously is good or not have drafted him in the first round. He has a tremendous talent who is very bright and have the opportunity to observe and look at successful teams get it right.

"And he just sort of fell into a state of mind. In addition, he is a good player. I do not think there is pressure on him now, the talent around him even better than when I was there. So I'm actually a little surprised it took so long. In the first period of last year, simply click on yet and I do not know if just a little thought when they came in their way, they will be hard to beat. And that's what happened. "

I can understand the desire to protect its own heritage Favre in Green Bay (although they do everything possible in the tank after the fact in his time in New York and Minnesota after the first "retired" his Packers) but the element of sour grapes in a statement that just does not feel good . On the one hand, reminds me of the tension that developed between Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in the 1930 New York Yankees, when Ruth realizes that their own ability began to diminish and Gehrig would a monster player. Gehrig was not as Ruth, and fell into a good situation (hey, that beats playing for the St. Louis Browns), but also held together the Yankees Gehrig Ruth and DiMaggio in the same way Rodgers helped the Packers to go from good to very good in time with the team to pursue Favre.

The simple fact is that Rodgers is playing a position in a way that it can not have Favre - ruthless efficiency that Favre has been rare. It was not a strong and close to Favre, look daring of his work was one reason he is one of the most successful NFL quarterback of all time. But it is also true that Favre should be seen both in the form of classification Rodgers is a former team - or, it is possible that Favre gets a second look and that Rodgers did not want to fly so near the sun.

After all, Donald Driver (note), Greg Jennings (note), James Starks (note), Jermichael Finley (notes) and Jordy Nelson (records) are all talented players, but Rodgers is the only person that a violation has Hall of Fame one way now. And it could very easily argue that a better offensive line with his career Favre Rodgers - at least for now.

Bar just a little attempt to make Favre the best quarterback in the NFL is (in my opinion, and I'm here) is less than what it is, just because he runs the ball and Favre here, and more accurate throwing Favre was never alone.

Perry once defended Confederate symbols

2011-10-08T00:10:00.000-07:00

Austin, Texas (AP) - Eleven years ago, when the NAACP has increased the organization's campaign to remove the battle flag of the state legislatures and other government buildings throughout the South, finding that the opponent Rick Perry.

Texas has a pair of bronze plaque with the symbol of the Confederacy is shown in the Supreme Court building in the country. Perry, then lieutenant governor, said they should stay, arguing that the people of Texas "we must not forget our history."

It is the consistent position taken when Perry appointed Civil War heritage, because many officials from other countries of the former partners. However, although the organization of defense of South symbols and political institutions may still be far below the Mason-Dixon line, the subject may appear in a different light when officials of seeking national office.

For Perry, now the governor of Texas for 11 years and the level of Republican presidential candidate, the issue of race is lurking.

He took the criticism in recent weeks by the stones without the camp his family once a Texas hunting lease Niggerhead name painted it. Perry campaign said the governor's father, was painted on a stone to block the name as soon as it began renting the place in the 1980's and Perry said the family is not controlled, owned or managed property properties. But his rival Herman Cain, the only black Republican in the race, said that the symbol of racial insensitivity stone against Perry.

Relevant issues may increase this fall if Texas decides whether to allow a special plate that displays the flag of the association. These plates are required by the children of the Veterans Association, a nonprofit organization supported Perry in recent years. A commission appointed by stating that he will decide.

The NAACP said the action against the "glorification" symbol of the slave states remained constant. "The romance of the Old South," said Hilary Shelton, director of the NAACP office in Washington. "This is a view of history that ignores how racism became a tool to maintain the supremacy and domination systems."

Perry spokesman Mark Miner campaign did not respond to messages seeking comment on the matter. However Granvelle block Texas Division Commander children of veterans, said he appreciated the Association's position on these issues Perry.

"It gave me a great compliment to say," said Block. "Respect for his ancestors, is something that the Bible teaches."

Association of the battle flag is a prime target for the NAACP. The Association called for a boycott of South Carolina in 2000 to fly a banner over its Statehouse. State Capitol flag warning has been moved. In 2003, Georgia changed the state flag, which is usually contrary to the organization, combined with other elements of the previous state flag. Other agencies to reduce the view of the organization's assets. The University of Mississippi Colonel retired as mascot for the rebels in the field.

In January 2000, the Texas NAACP asked the association to remove the battle flag of the plate on the door of a building in the state Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, saying it undermines the notion of equality justice. One 11-inch by 20 inch bronze plaque with the seal of the Confederacy and other images of the battle flag and a quote from Genesis organization. Robert E. Lee.

Perry wrote to the children of veterans association in March 2000, "although it is an emotional issue, I know that I oppose efforts to remove the monument of the association, the board and the memories of public ownership of the property. "

"I also believe that society must decide if the statues or memorials are appropriate for their communities," Perry wrote in the letter, one of many obtained by The Associated Press in requests for public information. "I believe that Texas must remember the past and learn from it."

He added: "We must not forget our history, but in the 19th century brought the necessary attention to our future in the 21st century."

Perry described the public on the subject, saying: "I think there's a slippery slope when you start to say we will begin to take note of any plaque or a monument."

Not only prominent plaque defense of Texas. The then governor. George W. Bush ran for president, initially said they should stay, but then backtracked and authorized the Public Service Commission to replace the motherboard before you say with equal justice available to all Texans, "regardless of race , creed or color. "

Floor rotunda of the Texas Capitol still bear the seal of the Confederacy, and statues in the area of Lee commemorate the soldiers and organizations. But civil rights organizations on the battle flag is a symbol of the most desirable.

Public officials in Texas and other southern states, is called periodically to honor organizations that are relevant is that the organization mark the anniversary. Block said that the children of veterans of the association was founded in 1896 and 2500 members statewide. It also allowed the children of Texas Division of the Confederate States.

In a letter in 2005, Perry was well received by participants of the advantages in the hands of the sons of veterans' associations. "By learning about the past," he wrote, "We honor the memory of our parents and contributions, and appreciate the people and events leading up to this point." Great-grandfather David H. Hamilton fought at Gettysburg Perry knee in the First Texas Infantry.

Two years later, Perry received the "Message from the Governor" honor Lawrence Sullivan "Sul" Ross repeated what his 169. She says the services of Ross' association as a brigadier general, twice governor of Texas and president of what would become Texas A & M University, called it "one of the best on our shoulders is that of today in Texas "Veterans Association of children to maintain a scholarship fund in honor of the University of Ross" - despite allegations that Ross behind the killing of black POWs in Mississippi ..

Currently, the Association of block you wish to flag boards licensed association to raise money for the association of markers of Graves army. "I know some people this is a problem," he said. "But our goal is to honor our ancestors and to educate the public about the true cause of war."

State Department of motor vehicles tied 4-4 in the Council in April by a vote of its members, Ramsay Gillman of Houston, was not present. Gillman died and then Perry has chosen the newly appointed Raymond Parker Jr. of El Paso.

Palacios refused to comment on this issue. Members may not vote on the board at least until November 9. A similar request for the children of the veterans' association was rejected two years ago, but the criteria for expansion, opening the door for approval at this time. Texas has approved 276 special dishes.

Perry did not comment. "It's a matter before the council," said Lucy Nash, a spokesman for the governor's office.

Matt Glazer, executive director of Progreso, Texas, a group of left-leaning advocacy, said the block association is: "If you want to put a sticker on your car, or flying the flag to accompany your home or business, that up with them. But the state should not associate with racist lips. "

Cook County defies government on immigration

2011-10-05T00:03:00.000-07:00

Chicago (AP) - Emissions of more than 40 suspected illegal immigrants detained in Cook County with the crime is added to fuel the controversial debate about public safety and the challenges for local government from the White House directed the program to pursue more criminal deportation.

The program is based on police and sheriff's deputies to detain suspected illegal immigrants were arrested beyond the time that would otherwise be exempt. However, about the Chicago County Commissioners recently adopted a new law that orders the sheriff to ignore all requests to delay the federal immigrants after they complete their sentence or released on bail later.

Other areas, like San Francisco, took similar measures, part of the reaction to the Obama administration, which many say is unfair to try to act immigrants charged with traffic violations and other minor offenses other. However, new regulations Cook County is the first to prohibit the sheriff holding the suspects and those accused of criminal violations of the law.

"It puts the population at risk, and this is my officers put at risk," said Rod Craig, Mayor of Hanover Park in suburban Chicago, is angered by the release of three suspected illegal immigrants charged of assaulting two police officers and try to get one of their weapons.

Detention of foreigners should be given to federal agents when choosing the suspect and begin the deportation process. But one by one, local governments are complaining about the Safe Communities program, which allows immigration officers access to fingerprints collected in prison. They say costs too much money and the practice is unfair to immigrants, especially those accused of minor offenses only as theft, traffic violations or drunk driving.

In some countries withdrawing from the program. In Illinois, for example, the governor. Pat Quinn said the government is not cooperating. Governor of New York also suspended its participation. And in San Francisco, the sheriff refused to accept demands arrest of Immigration and Customs Enforcement of illegal immigrants charged with minor offenses.

Cook County, which is largely a Democrat and has experienced rapid growth in its Latino population, members of the Commission on the same side of this issue has captured the anger and fear that is expressed more in the Chicago area.

"What we do is correct the injustice against people on the floor of Cook County, under the protection of U. S. Constitution, "said Commissioner Larry Suffredin, a Democrat who supports the measure.

Why, asked Jesus Garcia, the commissioner who sponsored legislation, should be treated differently from immigrants from anyone arrested?

"By refusing to postpone the people deserve their freedom, which is only on request from the (Immigration officers) who defend our system of justice ...", said in a statement.

Another commissioner said that the council is putting people at risk - and risk the storm of negative publicity if someone released a crime of violence.

Less than a month after the board action, more than 40 suspected illegal immigrants accused or convicted of serious crimes instead of walking to freedom in the arms of federal agents, according to sheriff's department.

"This is our Willie Horton Cook County," said Commissioner Timothy Schneider, a Republican who voted against it. He was referring to a murderer who was released as part of a Massachusetts prison break and then raped her. If used with devastating effect in 1988, when George HW Bush's presidential campaign said his opponent, Michael Dukakis, with the support of the program when he was governor of Massachusetts.

Schneider and others say that all ordinances are doing is wasting an opportunity to keep dangerous offenders off the road. Immigration authorities agree that increases the risk of a known dangerous offender is released.

Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart is quite calm. When it became clear that the council would exceed their recommended personal, DART representatives said nothing but promise that the sheriff's department will enforce the regulations, despite repeated efforts by the County board members for him to do.

"If you want a more comprehensive manner to all free apart from criminal charges they were only away from the conversation," said DART spokesman Steve Patterson.

The judge can always ask an illegal immigrant - or any other suspects were detained on bail so high that people can not afford. So most of the 280 people who are under the control of the federal request would not work. However, some can not find enough money to go.

The possibility and the fact that some of those who came had failed to show in court, assistance by immigrant rights activists, the sheriff and others are waiting to see if the council fails to act.

"I think the whole world watching to see how to play politics," said Arturo Venegas Jr., a former police chief of Sacramento, California., And immigration consultant who until recently served on the panel review the federal government's efforts to find illegal immigrants.

In California in Santa Clara County, officials are ready to go through the same procedure, when one day before their meeting, they found that the Cook County to try first. They decided to wait.

If Cook County triggering adoption regulations similar legislation to be seen.

In the Obama administration has taken steps to relax the controversial program. Earlier this month, announced that agents arrested nearly 3,000 criminals from deportation, emphasizing that all the prisoners at least half the criminal convictions and have a criminal conviction. Eighty-seven of those arrested were from Illinois.

Meanwhile, at least one other jurisdiction that is similar laws in Cook County is reversed in the interest of public safety. San Miguel County, New Mexico detention is very limited applications received. Today honor each and every.

After Labor Day: OK to Wear White?

2011-09-14T20:31:00.000-07:00

By Zap

Of course that the temperatures cool and the leaves begin to change colour, the question: wardrobe white be kept with the swimsuit and Sun hats?

Traditionally, in North-Eastern dress clear: summer white and released after a day of remembrance and walked away after the working day. Remember the fashion historian kosgravi Bronwyn growing up, "this was a short season wearing white".

But at the time of Lady Gaga nothing appear (we seek you dress meat) and to remove a closet of the end of the summer crisis came "Don't white dress after labour day" increased 2000% in search, yahoo search also Fashionistas! "Why can ช็อร์ you wear white after Labor Day" "and no white after Labor Day" in the last week.

The issue released on the Web site. Fashion forums were contradictory. Retail site blogger Micromania warned that white should not be consumed "below size" after a day's work.

Others suggested that white shoes (though LaJollaMom approved worn shoes Manolo Blahnik white with Neiman Marcus, if stomach the price tag of $ 1,695.)

As we get stuck in this rut supporters? The curator of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM), Kevin Jones, says that it all started with America's high society, who dressed for the season-the social season.

Summer "If this is you, you're in your home country," explained Jones. A popular choice, white cotton clothing, reflects the light and in a cool place. Jones adds, "when the season ended, change their clothes."back to the city to fall, women who wore long skirts for city streets dirty, change their cabinets in a heavier, darker.

Nice way of life, if part of it. But for the rest of us and the world of fashion, changed time–and this rule really implements doesn't. Also the "Emily Post etiquette Book 2004, issue 17″ it says well white after labor day to wear.

I still do not know? Let Colleen Shire, Director of the older fashion for Saks Fifth Avenue, it offers a few tips. With offices in New York assured shoppers "are really not policy. It allows only the appearance of "should."Translation: "go to, not what you wear, it is like to wear: Shire suggests winterizing white jeans after years of shoes, no sandals, Jacket instead of the waist.

«This is the way you put together it makes appearance work year round, "he added. Great magazine is promoting more look at the "winter white" in the colder months, including a suit and a fur coat in the shade Nevada.

I think kosgravi, fashion, fashion is in fact later "white. "It supports white" eternal "" wear.Sisonls: it therefore highlights the amazing white gown worn by first lady Michelle Obama to inaugural balls in 2009. "Oscar winner Marion Cotillard rocked dress white siren when she accepted her Oscar.

But don ' t or a movie star has to be a first lady to break down the white line. "Everything that can break the dominance of black, in my view, bring it on," Cosgrave says.

Six fascinating facts about blinking

2011-09-11T20:24:00.000-07:00

Most of the seriously you know the basics of Why we blink: it cleans and moisturizes luminosity are irritating to the eyes. All the flashes. And then there is a forced one-eyed blink a wink, which is used to form the body language, that is to say, "Hey, good lookin'." If the object is used by a Grandparent has come-as age is, well, come and gone.

At first blush, Flash may not be the most shocking, but there are a few things you might not know about the rapid closing and opening of the hesitation. Below are six events, myths and linked to a flashing oddities that enough to keep our eyes open.

1. women's (alleged) rules when it comes to Flash: Despite rumors that "women flashing more" hard to get back with scientific facts, it is believed that females blinkers more productive than their male counterparts, blink twice as much. The number varies for exactly how time someone blinked in a minute, but the average is considered to be 15 or once every four seconds, although this may increase when one anxious, worried or tired. In addition to a double blink-rumored age, male Heath reports that women who take birth control pills flashes 32 percent more often than women who are not on the pill.

2. Blinking inspired the creation of auto-parts: game changing idea tarball intermittent page glasses wiper, electric guitar, inventor of the wedding night after — the problems of the champagne Cork it directly to his left eye, leaving him the irregular blinking patterns. Kearns later went to the blind and the injury to the mental health Division the year after the Court of first instance was used by Christopher Ford and other automakers, accusing them of his pilfering from a revolutionary design. Working with the image she had, according to Greg Kinnear in the 2008 movie "Flash of Genius."

3. Babies are infrequent blinders: the jury is still exactly why human babies blink far less frequently than adults, usually only twice or less over the course of a minute. In addition, a study found that children blink more often as they grow, not reaching full "blink maturity" up to the age of 14 or 15. A theory on why babies blink less is that they sleep much and therefore it is not necessary to lubricate the eyes as often as adults. Another theory says that the newborn infants, when I awake, they are occupied working his eyes (but not his eyelids) extra to soak up visual information.

4. George w. Bush and air force pilots flying over "friendly territory" = blinders frequent: in addition to the children, have been widely investigated models blink of adults in a variety of circumstances. Generally, when we look at important information, we blink less. When not taking in as much information or when under duress, we have more Flash. Air force pilots flying over friendly territory "simulators" are flashing more than when flying over the "enemy territory" because there is less crucial information. The late Dr. John Stern, a research pioneer and Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Washington University in St. Louis has noted that during the first presidential debate between George w. Bush and John Kerry in 2004, Bush blinked rapidly, especially when under attack from his opponent. Kerry did not blink quickly at any point, won the debate, although the flasher rapid went on to take the White House.

5. Flashes, all creatures great and small — with the exception of fish, snakes and other animals without lids. And then there are some special creatures — probably the most famous hamsters — this wink, miga only one eye at a time. In 1927, W.P. Blount published the definitive guide to blink in the Kingdom of animals, entitled "examination of movements of pulling animals: blink." Among the findings: Blount by Sudanese monkeys, rats blink blink rapidly when they sneeze and goats blink in intervals of 30 to 60 seconds.

6. Involuntary blinking devices — new 3D glasses? In an effort to do away with those pesky 3D glasses took on many moviegoers, created a Brazilian production company named Jonathan Post a blink-inducing device worn on the head, makes you look like a crazy person. And oh yeah, device, 3D no glasses, allows users to experience the three-dimensional vision sans disposable glasses thanks to all that crazy-looking blinking. And another oh yeah: the most visited video of 3D nr glasses will be demoed by a hirsute Frenchman named Francois is one elaborate, well-executed joke.

10 of Today’s Hottest Jobs

2011-09-08T20:15:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, even with the unemployment rate stubbornly high and many industries are reluctant to staff up, there are employers who still can't find enough qualified candidates. Some offer six-figure salaries for the right job-seekers. The trick, of course, the truth is these hidden opportunities.

We started with its extensive CareerBuilder database to identify promising occupations experiencing under-supply of qualified candidates, the number of available jobs. The resulting factor is a good indicator of employment require–less than the coefficient, the greater the need for applicants. The ratio of 10.0, for example, means that there are ten job seekers for every open position. Coefficient of 0.5 means there are two open positions for each unemployed person.

We also took the view that paying the poor and the opportunities for growth, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics Office. Range of annual earnings to reflect the rates in the 25 and 75 percentiles, planned to grow to ten years is based on the BLS of the changes expected in the number of positions between 2008 and 2018, the final. We can filter our option to display a range of industrial and educational needs. Check the list of ten of the most ardently today

1. the Practitioner (medical doctor).

Rental demand: active jobseekers 0.25 for each open position
Annual salary range: $52, 980-$ 79 020
projections of growth in the year 10: 22%

Post: the picture of health. The first baby boomers reach retirement age at the time, if there is a shortage of family doctors. Nurses need to close the gap. You perform many tasks, medical histories of disease management, previously handled by the doctors. When hospital nurses, fast growth and better pay to see the doctors Office. You have to stop at least formal training program. Some of the positions for the elderly in need of a lawyer, Bachelor or master degrees also.

2. mail Marketeer

Request rental: 0.65 active job seekers for every open position
Annual salary range: $ 43, 840-$ 84, 430
growth projection of 10 years: 28%

Position: Spam, which I am. The fragmentation of information market makes get harder and harder, the attention of the consumer. If a fisherman has more luck when the bait ends, where the fish are, more and more companies apply targeted e-efforts the right message to the right audience. Technical and quantitative skills are a plus large distribution lists manage and analyze the reports on the success or failure of the electronic campaigns. A Bachelor's degree in the usually expected candidate extent.

3 Network security engineer

Additional work: 1.07 open active job seekers each position
Annual salary range: $ 57,240-$ 97,660
10-year growth projection: 30%

Job Description: climbing the barrier care. The Internet has made information more accessible, but also has a rich environment for identity thieves, hackers and others looking to gain by misuse of sensitive data. Specialists in the field of safety nets should be well-versed in the latest technologies for deterring cyber attacks. A formal degree is less important than adequate computer skills. Knowledge of all aspects of information technology, software and hardware to the network and databases, paid dividends.

4. Environmental Engineer

Setting request: 1.15 active job seekers for every open position
Annual salary range: $ 99,180-$ 61,500
10 years of development view: 31%

Job description: it is easy, green. This is not a "brand name" t "for garbage, sanitation engineer, a la. Interest in all things, which is environmentally–and public and private financing; that stoked, interest–create openings for engineers to solve problems in various sectors, including pollution, recycling, and Yes, the management of waste. State and local governments are major employers, but oil and natural gas companies pay the best salary. Bachelor's degree is usually sufficient to begin, but some positions require a graduate work, as well.

5. heavy and tractor-trailer truck and the driver

Rental demand: 1.39 active job seekers for every open position
Annual salary range: $ 270-$ 46, 920.
Growth projection this year: 13%

Job Description: keep on truckin '. To get behind the wheel of an 18-Wheeler takes more than just a love for the open road. It also has a commercial driver license and in some cases, a Union card. Many long-distance drivers want to sign up for a course at a training school to learn the ropes. In the Outlook is much brighter for drivers of tractor trailers and other heavy trucks than for drivers of light trucks that deliver small packages, merchandise and so on. Large cockpit equipment also pays much better.

6. the Assistant doctor

Application for employment: 1.45 active candidates for each Open database
Annual salary range: $ 73,040-$ 101,690
10-year growth forecast: 39 per cent

Job description: Assistant to doctor it is called the unit of measurement. Medical Assistant jobs, many of the same thing as M.D.: interview analysis, the process of examination and sometimes even prescribes drugs drugs formal training required updates through the process of checking, but national less strict (and construction) Med schools than in the hierarchy of the administration of health between the units value today practitioner (medical), a nurse and a doctor full fledged Don alone is not to be confused with Assistant Physician Assistant physician. The last is a low cost professional growth, albeit involving such basic religious and clinical coding link forms and save important signal.

7. Social Media Manager

Let active job seekers for every open position question: 1.50
Annual salary range: $ 38,960-$ 71.820
10-year growth projection: 24%

Job description: update your status. Facebook, Twitter and other "share" only friends more servants sites can't. Are an integral component of corporate communication strategies and professional, too. Companies are throwing money at people who understand how to use social media to build brands and markets expand. Look at the Facebook more than 750 million active users and it's easy to see the potential in this relatively new industry. A degree in journalism, marketing or communications is preferred.

8 financial analyst

Rental demand: 1.50 active job seekers for every open position
Annual salary range: $ 56,310-$ 99,230
the projection of the 10-year growth: 20%

Job description: crisis in numbers. Guidance on financial analysts, investment decisions, mostly for business. Banks, funds, insurance companies and securities in pensions, and the bodies responsible for model employers. The greatest concentration of employment in urban cities are synonymous with Supreme Financial Express Setup: Stamford, Conn; Boston; in New York, Wilmington, del.; and San Francisco. Even the most rapidly growing field of personal financial adviser. MBA: n common and professional licenses may be required.

9. software application engineer

Optional work: 1.67 open active job seekers each position
Annual salary range: $ 69,090-$ 109,210
View year growth% 10: 34

Job description: there is a maker app for that. As users become more milking from wired networks and smart phones have become more intermediary, will increase the demand for engineers, which may be kept only the time mobile trains. You will probably have to hold a degree or higher. engage in the field, but more importantly proven experience with the latest mobile technology. California is home to the largest general, thanks to Silicon Valley, but Washington State has the highest concentration of jobs, thanks to Microsoft.

10. Home Health Aide

Hiring demand: open 1.74 active job seekers for each position
Annual salary range: $ 17.900-$ 24.020
Annual growth projection: 48%

Job description: Home is where the health care. America began to show his age–first baby-boomer, which is itself in the age of 65–the needs of workers, to help people age gracefully will only become more apparent. This is where the home health aide in. .. Assistant visited the shelter to help the elderly, the disabled and seriously ill with the tasks of daily living (bathing and concerns, for example) and provides a very basic health services (check pulse and monitoring of the prices of drugs). Is not without minimum education level, but training may be required, depending on where you work and demanding.

Giant crocodile captured alive in Philippines

2011-09-05T20:04:00.000-07:00

Manila, Philippines (AP) — the villagers and hunters of the Estuarine crocodile veteran captured tonne to adopt the proposed park in the southern Philippines City tourism ecotourism stars. The Government said Monday

Mayor Edwin Cox Elorde said that dozens of residents and the entangled male crocodile (6.4-meter) 21-foot along the River in Bunawan town in the province of Agusan del Sur, after three weeks of Sawyer. This is probably one of the largest crocodile to catch in the last few years, he said, citing local crocodile experts.

Elorde said the crocodile killed Buffalo as a witness in the attack last month by the villagers are submitted and was also suspected of having attacked in July turned fisherman missing.

He said that he sought by the experts at the Crocodile Farm in the Western Province of Palawan.

"We were nervous, but it is our duty to respond to the threat of the peasants" Elorde told The Associated Press by telephone. "When I finally stood before, I could not ' t believe my eyes. «

After the first observations in a Creek four hunters set traps that destroyed the crocodile. They then utilized traps more resistant, using steel cables, one of which finally caught it huge reptile Saturday afternoon, he said.

About 100 people had to be a crocodile, who weighed around 2,370 kg (1,075 kg), the open, where a crane lifted in a truck, he said.

The crocodile was located in the city intends to build the Park eco-tourism, the species concentrated around the poor areas of Agusan, 515 miles (830 km) South East of the vast swamp these separately cage Manila, Elorde said.

"It will be the biggest star of the Park," said Elorde, adding that the villagers were happy that she would be capable of dangerous crocodile "from a threat to."

Although the vulnerability of the villagers remain wary because many crocodiles still track all town suburban na 37000.

They avoid venturing in at night only marshland, Elorde said.

Florida man wins Hemingway look-alike contest

2011-08-21T21:34:00.000-07:00

Key West, Florida, White Bearded, male Florida 64 years won the Ernest Hemingway annual if competition in Florida-Keys-Bar, once available by the author.

Matt Gineo Jensen Beach sweater dress, a fisherman wool to emulate the famous portrait of Hemingway, photographer Yousuf Karsh bested 120 other operators after an unprecedented run-off vote. He attempted to 12 from Gineo.

"This was in my heart I had to do, but it does not, and does not know how many years it will take," said Gineo.

Gineo, biomedical engineer, said that he shared a taste for Hemingway sports, fishing and writing.

Saturday night: "Papa" Hemingway's Sloppy Joe's Contest is Hemingway Bar in Key West days annual highlights in.

Two dozen finalists garbed in robes of sportsman 's, killing 121 participants to detect, were convicted of past winners.

Arne Inge-Mathisen, who on Friday in the Government Center during the attack on n Norway and black armband in memory of the victims of the retreat youth Gjettum, Norway, were the other finalists included.

Annual Hemingway days ended Sunday, the Festival in the 1930s to honor the legacy of the author, living here.

Six days of the Festival includes Marlin tournament, "running the bulls" tricks and short story competition won by Darci Bysouth from Edinburgh, Scotland.

Debris From Space Shuttle Columbia Disaster Found in Texas

2011-08-18T01:11:00.000-07:00

Part of NASA's Columbia space shuttle debris have been found in Texas, eight years after the 2003 disaster that destroyed the space shuttle and crew of seven astronauts killed during re-entry, NASA officials confirmed today (August 2).

Debris was found last week in the eastern sector as the reactant round aluminum storage and distribution of the refrigerant from Colombia, which disintegrated over Texas, returning to the Earth's atmosphere, near the end of the mission 16 on science.

The tank was discovered in an open part of the Lake Nacogdoches, Nacogdoches County, Texas, about 160 kilometres north-east of Houston. [Image: NASA space shuttle Columbia disaster reminiscent]

"The only reason that is mainly because there is a drought occurs and the idea was under the sea," Lisa Malone, spokeswoman for NASA at the Agency, the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, told SPACE.com. "The tank itself is full of mud".

Nacogdoches police informed NASA quest and sent photographs for identification. NASA engineers work on transfer reactant FilesMozilla power storage and distribution systems have been able to confirm the piece belonged to Colombia. [NASA shuttle Program in images: a tribute to]

"One of the guys have been here more than 30 years and knew him, and said, ' that's one of the tanks ' Malone said.

The piece was one of 16 tanks on the space shuttle stored supercold liquid hydrogen and oxygen. The spherical tank, approximately 40 inches (1 meter) in diameter, and eventually shipped to the Kennedy Space Center where NASA saves all the collected debris from Columbia in a climate controlled by giant vehicle Assembly building.

Meet the new Super Congress

2011-08-15T00:59:00.000-07:00

Now, when Congress has agreed on a general framework to increase the debt ceiling, a party leaders ' Foreign Affairs Committee, lawmakers from both Chambers on the hash algorithm, the finer the details.

Under the new Act, the Federal Government will cover expenditure levels, about $ 1 trillion over 10 years and delegate responsibility slashing $ 1-$ 2 trillion on a powerful 12 members of the Committee.

No, is not it the gang of six (times two). This time it is called "Super Congress. "

The Committee of the six Republicans and six Democrats, makes most of its work behind closed doors, will have until November 23 to draw up a plan to reduce the budget deficit, which must pass both houses of Congress before Christmas.

When they come up with a plan that seven members accept, will go to both Chambers and can pass with only a simple majority. No delaying tactics, and no change allowed.

If, however, fail to find agreement, there is a "backup plan: the new law, Congress set a number of" triggers, "which will automatically reduce the spending levels across the Board if the group cannot well in his work. If the negotiations, billion units for its consideration and the defense budget will be automatically applied, with none of the parties to talk about the details.

The negotiations, of course, is not expected to be easy. Democrats insist that tax hikes are included in the plan committee , Republican proposal still refuses to consider.

"Everything is on the table for that Committee, " said White House Press Secretary Jay Carney. "Entitlement reform and tax reform. And let ' s be clear, the President thought that perhaps the greatest achievement as a whole, in terms of deficit reduction, is the desired goal, for it balanced. "

For the Republicans and the Liberal Democrats, it remains much skepticism of the ability of the group find a solid solution.

Right to worry that the Democrats will still have to convince one Republican to join them in raising taxes.

"The context of ' ' triggers are not available and a new Committee of 12 members of the House-Senate opens the door to dangerous national security cuts and raises the possibility that six Democrats and one Republican wrong could rush tax increases in House and Senate floor," said Ohio Republican REP. Jim Jordan Republic, Chairman of the conservative Republican study.

The left has similar concerns, as the key for even more cuts to programs that help the poor without raising taxes on the rich.

And who will sit on the Committee of the Almighty? Details of Super Congress "membership are still pending. Since this small group is likely to determine the details of the budget of the federal government for the next ten years, , each opening are undoubtedly had a post office on Capitol Hill.

Tennis player flies to wrong city for tournament

2011-08-12T00:55:00.000-07:00

Note for all future travellers: there are two airports in Carlsbad, New Mexico, United States. Is the lesson, discovered 19-year-old Serbian tennis player Bojana Jovanovski hard way on weekends.

Jovanovski has been proven in Carlsbad California, but this week Mercury Insurance Get open, planned their travel agent accidentally fly Carlsbad, N.m. after a long day of travel to Washington, D.C., Dallas, Albuquerque, poorly Carlsbad, Jovanovski wasn't quickly noted another locale.

Because he was waiting with their bags for transport of tournaments get up early Saturday, a man approached.

"What are you doing here? "the man asked. "You play tennis? «

"Yes, there is a tennis tournament," said Jovanovski.

"Here?"

Serbs 19 years called again, wondering where the tournament has been its driving. It was said that the driver was looking for her. "I'm the only person here," she said, "How can you don't see me?"

"You're Carlsbad, California and New Mexico; "asked the voice on the other side of the phone.

Continental geography finally figured out, reserved transportation Coordinator Jovanovski 53 takes place on the next flight to Albuquerque, eight hours later. She stayed overnight at the airport, flew to the largest city in New Mexico, took another plane in San Diego and finally came to Carlsbad is 30 minutes properly before their match was scheduled to start at the end of the day.

After all, govanovski will still be able to "Roberta Vinci No. 23″ into three groups, in the end they lost 3-6, 6-4 6-1.

Govanovski tournament in Toronto. One in Canada.

How to ask a guy out

2011-08-09T23:54:00.000-07:00

This key phrase is "what are you crazy?", there is no way to reason, but here's my theory without easy: when 20, kartlikumad, mousiest, hits, even the most un-Katie-Holmes for children fending off for at least primitive (or response) has developed a strategy for a woman to come-ons by willing. But it may have been the man for the consideration of the right to stay will be without their 70s when Viggo Mortensen Looks out of the blue, at the time, asked flatly — — review. (Rate, management of the species, as a nice hard mold industry, Captain, or move the unmarried women to marry on on a Yacht that is remaining after tend to. No one bothered yet?)

Anyway, what I asked for a clarification, the only woman and children by asking for more accustomed to the fact that they are more accustomed to one which is the first time how the data is to be addressed, such as people — about means a lot. To resolve this imbalance, with someone you met Online with a look, here's where running one of the best way to hit a guy or any Sherlock you just busy intersection about observations.

Xbox addict 'dies from blood clot'

2011-08-06T23:43:00.000-07:00

Family computer promising programmer on Saturday launched a campaign to raise awareness about the health risks of online computer games after their son died after a marathon session on his Xbox.

An autopsy showed, that 20-year-old Chris Staniforth–, studying a place to play at Leicester University is offered – was killed by a pulmonary embolism that can occur when someone for several hours in the same position.

Deep Vein Thrombosis of the controller for the Xbox 360 is usually affect passengers on long flights, but fear lifting specialist medical people spent hours glued to their game may still at risk and has urged them to take regular breaks.

Professor Brian Colvin–blood related conditions–expert said that have "unhealthy " for young people to spend long periods in front of their consoles.

"There's anxiety in the obesity and children not to do anything other than computer monitors, view the information about the ' '" he told the Sun.

David Staniforth now has a campaign with the other parents the dangers to warn.

"Games are fun and once blank-I started playing it is hard to stop.

"Kids across the country are playing these games for long periods-they don 't realize it could kill them, " he told the Sun.

The Court was coroner/Sheffield how young man who has no medical conditions — was complaining of low rate of heart before collapsing outside any.

Staniforth 's Distraught father saying his son would spend up to 12 hours playing on his Xbox.

"He sucked into Halo online play against people from all over the world. "

Online computer games are very popular, as thousands in shared science fiction worlds interact.

Reports of the games collapse after spending 15 hours in front of video games is fairly common throughout Asia.

Died In 2005, a South Korean gamer after playing online games for three days without taking a break.

Microsoft–which produces Xbox–he said "recommend gamers take breaks for implementation, as well as to make time for other activities. "

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2011-08-04T23:28:00.001-07:00

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Miley Cyrus Gets New Tattoo In Support Of Gay Marriage

2011-08-03T23:37:00.000-07:00

LOS ANGELES, California–Miley Cyrus has taken in writing of his finger after the equal sign rather than a permanent position in favour of gay marriage.

"All love is equal," Tweeted Miley Friday, along with a picture of her new tattoo.

Play it now: access Spotlight: Miley Cyrus family falls outside part ı

18-year-old former Disney cute bold statement, the fan quickly replies by (not all favourable), prompting a flurry of reaction to Miley.

"Where it says in the Bible to judge others?"She tweeted in one of his followers. "Oh right. It doesn 't. God is the only judge of honey. ' God is love. ""

Slideshow: Celebrity ink treasures!

This is not the first time of "party in United States" singer with his support for homosexuality.

After Casey Anthony was found not guilty of murder, Tweeted Miley, "you know that the world is distorted when people get away with killing children, but could not obtain legal gay marriage in California."

New tattoo joins several other body art Miley, including heart on his finger, still in his wrist, dreamcatcher in nohra and "breathe" on the left chest (in honor of a friend who died from cystic fibrosis).

Congressional leaders reach agreement to raise the debt ceiling

2011-07-31T23:30:00.000-07:00

Republican and democratic leaders have agreed on a plan to raise the debt ceiling, announced by President Obama on Sunday evening.

Alert arrives in the months of intense negotiations with the door closed, and only two days before the deadline set by the Treasury Department.

According to available data, the agreement would slow down the growth of public expenditure in the next ten years by $ 2-$ 3 trillion and allow enough to borrow from another vote to increase the ceiling until 2013. Approximately $ 1 trillion will be immediately cut, and the details of the remaining reductions of expenditure will be handled by a bipartisan Committee of 12 lawmakers from both Chambers, who will recommend cuts for Congress to vote on them. To appease the GOP conservative wing, the deal would also require a vote in both Chambers on an amendment to the Constitution that the Federal Government each year to its budget in balance.

"I wish to announce that the leaders of both parties in both houses, have reached an agreement which would cut the deficit and avoid the default is the default value, which would have catastrophic consequences for our economy," Obama said. "Now, whether this is the case, I would prefer? №… But this compromise to make serious guarantee fee to reduce the deficit, we need, and gives each side a powerful incentive to maintain a balanced plan made before the end of this year. "

House Speaker John Leader Boehner's held a conference call Sunday night with the Republicans to the House in which he asked them to support the package, declaring that business on place "meets our principles of smaller government. "

"There is a framework, would the expenditure by a larger amount as we raise the debt and future expenditure limit the growth of the Government, Cap " he said, according to a transcript, the Boehner of the Office. " Listen to "Now, this Isn ' t the largest business in the world. But it shows that how much We have changed the terms of the debate in this city. "

On the approval of the leaders of the House and Senate, and the Tuesday deadline looming, the Congress must act quickly and to convince enough members to conclude an agreement with the vote on Monday. The agreement will require the support of both political parties, due to opposition within the factions from both sides.

Senate Leader Harry Reid both majority leader and the minority Mitch McConnell will present the agreement to their group on Monday at 11 a.m. with a vote expected later.

Obama’s motorcade fined for London congestion fees

2011-07-30T23:48:00.000-07:00

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London Mayor Boris Johnson is raising a stink over minor congestion charges he says President Obama's motorcade incurred while visiting his city, the London Evening Standard reports.

Johnson has fined the United States 120 pounds (nearly $200 U.S. dollars) in congestion levies--10 pounds per vehicle--for the presidential motorcade used during Obama's state visit in May.

The sum may seem to be a pittance, but it is part of a much larger problem, Johnson and others say.

London officials told AFP that the American Embassy owes 5.3 million pounds ($8.7 million dollars) in unpaid congestion fines--known as C-charges--which were first established in 2003. Since the roads weren't closed during the president's visit, he is subject to the fines, Johnson says.

In speaking with the Standard, the Embassy defended its refusal to pay, citing the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which prohibits "this sort of tax on diplomatic missions."

The Standard reports that Obama's personal armored Cadillac--nicknamed "The Beast"--first escaped a fine because congestion charge cameras were unable to record its license plate number.

As you may remember, "The Beast" encountered problems of its own on that UK trip.

During a visit to the U.S. Embassy in Dublin, Ireland, Obama's car got stuck on the driveway in front of crowds of onlookers.

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APNewsBreak: Skull discovered at Pearl Harbor

2011-07-28T23:44:00.000-07:00

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HONOLULU (AP) — An excavation crew recently made a startling discovery at the bottom of Pearl Harbor when it unearthed a skull that archeologists suspect is from a Japanese pilot who died in the historic attack on Dec. 7, 1941.

Archaeologist Jeff Fong of the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Pacific described the discovery to The Associated Press and the efforts under way to identify the skull. He said the early analysis has made him "75 percent sure" that the skull belongs to a Japanese pilot.

He did not provide specifics about what archaeologists have learned about the skull, but said it was not from one of Hawaii's ancient burial sites. They also contacted local police and ruled out the possibility that it's from an active missing person case, said Denise Emsley, public affairs officer for the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Hawaii, which was being inundated with media calls Wednesday about the skull from international news organizations.

The items found with the skull, which was determined not to be from a Native Hawaiian, provided some clues: forks, scraps of metal and a Coca-Cola bottle Fong said researchers have determined was from the 1940s.

Fifty-five Japanese airmen were killed and 29 of their aircraft were shot down in the attack, compared with the 2,400 U.S. service members who died. No Japanese remains have been found at Pearl Harbor since World War II.

Pearl Harbor is home to the USS Arizona Memorial, which sits on top of the battleship that sank during the attack. It still holds the bodies of more than 900 men.

The skull remains intact despite being dug up with giant cranes and shovels.

It was April 1 when items plucked from the water during the overnight dredging were laid to dry. When it was determined a skull was among the dredged items, contractors were ordered to stop the work, Emsley said. "We definitely wanted it to be handled correctly," she said.

"That's why it's been kept quiet. We didn't want to excite people prematurely," she said.

The Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command on Oahu, charged with identifying Americans who were killed in action but were never brought home, has been asked to determine who the skull belongs to. The cranium was turned over to the command's lab for tests that will include examining dental records and DNA, said John Byrd, the lab's director and a forensic anthropologist.

"We're working on the case but the case is just in the early stages of analysis," he said. "We're not going to know much more about it for a while yet."

The lab is the only accredited Skeletal Identification Laboratory in the United States. JPAC has identified more than 560 Americans since the command was activated in 2003. When more information is gleaned from the skull, other agencies could get involved including the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the Japanese Consulate.

"At this point it's just a hypothesis, it's not a conclusion," Byrd said. "It might be very interesting or it could be very mundane."

It's rare to find remains in Hawaii, said Kohei Niitsu, an official at Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in Tokyo. "The government usually sends a team to determine if the remains are indeed Japanese, and if this is confirmed, they are brought back to Japan," Niitsu said.

NAVFAC Pacific issued a statement late Wednesday saying it was too early to identify the remains.

"Until we receive the final report of the forensic analysis being conducted by scientists at (JPAC), we won't know with certainty whether the remains are a Japanese pilot or not," the statement said.

Daniel Martinez, the National Park Service's chief historian for Pearl Harbor, said experts on Pearl Harbor know enough about the specific location where Japanese planes went down in the attack that they might be able to match the skull with a crewmember.

"They landed in a variety places throughout Pearl Harbor and the island of Oahu," Martinez said. "In the area of Pearl Harbor, we know what plane was shot down and who was in the crew."

Martinez said that beyond the historical significance of the finding, it is a reminder of a life lost.

"I think that anytime you're able to reclaim a casualty and perhaps even identify it, regardless of what country, it may bring closure to a family," he said.

Returning remains to a family in Japan will also have religious significance.

"In terms of Japanese religious belief and practice, it's very important to recover the physical remains," said George Tanabe, a University of Hawaii at Manoa professor emeritus of Japanese religion. "The dead are still thought of as having some sort of afterlife. They still need to be fed. If you don't feed the souls of the dead, they will become hungry ghosts."

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Katy Perry Crushes Gaga In MTV Music Video Noms

2011-07-26T23:24:00.000-07:00

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Pop singer Katy won a leading nine nominations for the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards on Wednesday, reducing eccentric superstar Lady Gaga to also-ran status with just three nods.

Sultry British singer Adele, whose second album "21" is the world's top-selling record this year, earned seven nominations -- all of them for her hit single "Rolling in the Deep."

Rapper Kanye West was the top male nominee, with seven nods for his futuristic "E.T" collaboration with Perry as well as his own music videos for "All of the Lights" and "Power."

Soulful "Grenade" singer Bruno Mars earned four nominations while Beyonce, Eminem, rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars and female rapper Nicki Minaj racked up three nods apiece. The awards will be handed out during a televised live show in Los Angeles on August 28. Winners are picked by public voting.

The nine nods for Perry, 26, were the climax of an extraordinary 12 months that has seen the once struggling gospel singer reinvent herself as a pop sex kitten with a string of hits like "California Gurls," "Teenage Dream" and "Firework."

"Firework" was nominated for both video of the year and best female video, while "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F)" got a best pop video mention.

Perry will compete with Adele ("Rolling in the Deep"), first time VMA nominee Tyler the Creator ("Yonkers"), Bruno Mars ("Grenade") and the Beastie Boys ("Make Some Noise") for video of the year --the top MTV video music prize.

Lady Gaga was the big winner at last year's MTV music awards,
taking home eight prizes, including video of the year for "Bad Romance."

But after months of hype for her new album "Born This Way" the flamboyant New York singer was sidelined in the 2011 nominations. Her three nods came for best female video for "Born This Way," while "Judas" will compete for art direction and choreography.

Rappers Wiz Khalifa, Tyler the Creator, and Big Sean will face off in the best new artist category against American indie band Foster the People and hip-hop singer Kreayshawn.

The TV audience for last year's MTV Video Music Awards was the biggest since 2002, attracting some 11.4 million viewers.

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Kim Kardashian sues Old Navy over lookalike in ads

2011-07-24T23:27:00.000-07:00

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LOS ANGELES - Kim Kardashian wants Old Navy to stop using a lookalike to advertise its clothing.

The reality show starlet and model on Wednesday sued the clothing store and its parent company, The Gap Inc., in a Los Angeles federal court alleging their ads violated her publicity rights with ads that feature a woman who looks like her.

A video of a broadcast ad featuring a smiling, dark-haired woman who bears a resemblance to the real Kardashian has been viewed more than two million times on Old Navy's YouTube channel.

Kardashian's lawsuit claims consumers may be confused by the ads and the model's actual endorsements, which include her own clothing store and shoe line. A commercial, titled, "Super C-U-T-E," began airing in February and Old Navy is still using some of the promotions, the lawsuit states.

The case cites all the benchmarks of modern celebrity: her eight million followers on Twitter, more than five million fans on Facebook and ranking as one of the most searched-for celebrities on the Internet.

Kardashian "has invested substantial time, energy, finances and entrepreneurial effort in developing her considerable professional and commercial achievements and success, as well as in developing her popularity, fame, and prominence in the public eye," the lawsuit states.

Louise Callagy, a spokeswoman for San Francisco-based Gap said the company has not yet seen the case and had no comment.

Kardashian, 31, has rocketed to fame in recent years after gaining prominence as a friend of Paris Hilton and for having a sex tape. She appears along with her family on the E! Entertainment Television series "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" and routinely graces magazine covers.

Her lawsuit is seeking unspecified damages and wants a federal judge to prevent Old Navy from using a Kardashian lookalike model in its ads again.

The model in the ads, Melissa Molinaro, is not named in the lawsuit. She expressed exasperation that the resemblance was being pointed out again. "Were (sic) still talking about this," she posted on Twitter, noting the ad ran five months ago. "Some people have too much time on (their) hands."

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Blogger discovers trio of perfectly rendered knockoff Apple stores in China

2011-07-22T23:19:00.000-07:00

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Anyone who's spent time shopping in China — or even Chinatown — has likely run into a vast spread of imitation Apple electronics, from almost-iPods to faux iPhones. But on a recent trip back to her home in China, one blogger discovered a much bolder — and much bigger — knockoff: an entire, painstakingly detailed fake Apple Store.

The 27-year-old blogger known as "BirdAbroad" stumbled onto a strange scene near her apartment in Kunming after returning from a few months abroad. Noting that a handful of major retail chains had popped up in her absence, she strolled into what appeared to be an Apple Store just like any other.

At first glance, the store boasted all the telltale trappings of the iconic retailer: "It had the classic Apple store winding staircase and weird upstairs sitting area. The employees were even wearing those blue t-shirts with the chunky Apple name tags around their necks."

But a few key details were off. The signs in the window featured Apple's glowing emblem, but also the words "Apple Store," in English. The paint job was shoddy, and spiraling stairs — resembling those in some of Apple's most prominent stores — appeared poorly constructed. For a company renowned for its uncompromising design aesthetic, these little faults were telling.

As if a fully-realized multilevel imitation Apple Store wasn't bizarre enough, the retail workers didn't express that anything was amiss when questioned — they appeared to genuinely believe they were employed by Apple. "I tried to imagine the training that they went to when they were hired, in which they were pitched some big speech about how they were working for this innovative, global company," BirdAbroad writes.

According to Apple's website, the company has four official retail locations in China, two in Beijing and two in Shanghai. Apple has recently ramped up efforts to open its shops around the globe, but these initial stores are only clustered around major urban hubs — they aren't in Kunming, the capitol of the southwest province of Yunnan, and China's 16th most populous city.

After discovering the first faux retailer, the blogger took a 10 minute cruise around the neighborhood only to find two more "Apple" stores, just like the first. "This was a total Apple store ripoff. A beautiful ripoff — a brilliant one — the best ripoff store we had ever seen." For a country awash in replica electronics and near-perfect knock-offs, that's saying a lot.

While it's unclear how (or if) Apple plans to handle China's apparent preponderance of imitation Apple retailers, the company is expanding its global grasp every day and watching profits soar sky-high. According to one Apple Store representative we spoke with, "I guess it's just a matter of getting to the point where people are walking into the right stores." That is, if they can tell the difference.

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That sinking feeling: Woman finds giant sinkhole under her bed

2011-07-20T23:08:00.000-07:00

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Here's something you never want to hear: "That loud booming sound is coming from inside the house!"

That's what one Inocenta Hernandez from Guatemala City learned after a sudden noise caused her to run outside, thinking there had been an explosion nearby. When she realized the problem was inside her home, she returned to find a gaping, three feet wide, 40 feet deep sinkhole beneath her bed.

Hernandez, 65, was relieved that the damage was only to her house, and hadn't harmed her grandchildren, who had been playing near the bed. This was a little too close to home, but she couldn't have been too surprised that a sinkhole had visited her city.

Guatemala City is prone to spawning giant pits, which are often caused by tropical rain storms. Sinkholes are natural depressions in the earth that can range anywhere from a few feet to hundreds of acres wide, and measure a shallow foot to 100 feet deep.

A massive chasm opened up in Guatemala City back in May 2010; it swallowed up whole buildings and an intersection. No deaths were blamed on the almost perfect cylindrical crater, though.

Meanwhile, a Texas-sized pit opened up in Daisetta, Texas in 2008. The sinkhole stretched 600 feet long and 150 feet wide; it sucked down a tractor, several telephone poles and an assortment of oil field equipment.

Searches certainly opened up on the Web. Lookups on Yahoo! for "what is a sinkhole" and "guatemala sinkhole" and even "daisetta sinkhole" all grew in the last week.

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Good Samaritans come to aid of Pirates catcher during road rage incident

2011-07-01T21:00:00.000-07:00

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It's hard to imagine what Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Chris Snyder(notes) must have been feeling on Wednesday.

Placed on the disabled list with a herniated disk last week, the 30-year-old just underwent a back surgery that has severely limited his movement.

The procedure was so recent, in fact, that it prevented him from helping his wife Carla as she was attacked during a road rage incident in Pittsburgh on Wednesday.

Talk about a tough spot to be in: Carla was driving Chris and their two children in a car in Pittsburgh when she almost collided with a man on a motor scooter. Police later identified that man as 44-year-old Subhash Arjanbhi Modhwadia.

Police allege that Modhwadia was so enraged that he followed the couple's car to a nearby gas station. It was there that he threw his scooter in front of the car before kicking and scratching at the automobile. Luckily two Good Samaritans — an off-duty police officer plus a former high school wrestler and volunteer firefighter named Joe Changle — were able to intervene and subdue Modhwadia before he could injure Carla Snyder or anyone else.

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French village seen at threat from Apocalypse sects

2011-06-28T20:36:00.000-07:00

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PARIS (Reuters Life!) – The tiny southern French hamlet of Bugarach has drawn scrutiny from a government sect watchdog over droves of visitors who believe it is the only place in the world that will survive a 2012 Apocalypse.

A report by the watchdog, Miviludes, published on Wednesday said the picturesque village near Carcassonne should be monitored in the run-up to December 21, 2012, when many believe the world will end according to an ancient Mayan prophecy.

Miviludes was set up in 2002 to track the activity of sects, after a law passed the previous year made it an offence to abuse vulnerable people using heavy pressure techniques, meaning sects can be outlawed if there is evidence of fraud or abuse.

Surrounded in legend for centuries, Bugarach and its rocky outcrop, the Pic de Bugarach, have attracted an influx of New Age visitors in recent months, pushing up property prices but also raising the threat of financial scams and psychological manipulation, Miviludes said in its report.

"I think we need to be careful. We shouldn't get paranoid, but when you see what happened at Waco in the United States, we know this kind of thinking can influence vulnerable people," Miviludes president Georges Fenech told Reuters.

Waco, Texas, made headlines in 1993 when federal agents raided the headquarters of the Branch Davidian movement, led by David Koresh, leading to a 50-day siege.

The building was burnt down when agents eventually tried to force their way in, leaving some 80 people dead.

MAGIC MOUNTAIN

Bugarach, with a population of just 200, has long been considered magical, partly due to what locals claim is an "upside-down mountain" where the top layers of rock are older than the lower ones.

The Internet is awash with myths about the place -- that the mountain is surrounded by a magnetic force, that it is the site of a concealed alien base, or even that it contains an underground access to another world.

And now many have seized on it as the ultimate refuge with Doomsday rapidly approaching.

Alerted to an influx of visitors by the mayor of Bugarach, Fenech said he recently visited the area, and found six settlements in the surrounding countryside set up by members of the American Ramtha School of Enlightenment.

Other "gurus" and messianic groups have been organising fee-paying conferences at local hotels, according to Fenech. "This is big business," he told Reuters.

Aside from the risks in Bugarach, the Miviludes report also warned of the danger of increased activity by Apocalyptic groups across France in the run-up to 2012, particularly in the wake of recent disasters which could be interpreted as omens.

Climate and environmental fears, anxiety over pandemics after the 2009 swine flu outbreak, and the earthquake disaster in Japan are all reinforcing the idea of the Mayan calendar, Fenech said.

Among the groups highlighted in the report, the Ramtha movement is said to be focussing on southwestern France to spread its message, the report said.

Founded by J.Z. Knight, the group claims to follow the mystic teachings of Ramtha, a Lemurean warrior who fought the residents of the mythical Atlantis 35,000 years ago, and is said to have discovered the secret of immortality.

Other groups being watched include the Raelians, founded by a former sports-car journalist who claims to have had repeated encounters with aliens.

The report says its aim is not to stigmatise movements but to inform the public about "groups or individuals whose doctrine or discourse follows an "end-of-world" theory."

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Next Playboy has "runaway bride" sticker on cover

2011-06-25T20:32:00.000-07:00

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LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, dumped by his fiancee days before their wedding, said Wednesday he is affixing "Runaway Bride" stickers over her picture on the cover of the magazine's upcoming issue.

Hefner, 85, announced a day earlier that 25-year-old Crystal Harris had "a change of heart," and that Saturday's wedding ceremony for 300 people at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles had been canceled.

In an unfortunate coincidence, Harris appears on the cover of the July Playboy issue, hitting newsstands Friday, described as "America's Princess ... Introducing Mrs. Crystal Hefner."

In the interests of journalistic accuracy, Hefner has moved quickly to remedy the situation.

"Recent events call for a special sticker on the July cover. Look for it on newsstands," Hefner said on Twitter.

A big red sticker announcing "Runaway Bride In This Issue!" covers most of Harris' bottom half.

Still visible is Hefner's beloved cocker spaniel, which Harris took with her after the split. She is wearing his trademark sailor's cap and smoking jacket, and holding a pipe.

A spokeswoman said the sticker would appear only on newsstand copies since issues have already been mailed to subscribers.

It was not clear why the couple split, although Hefner said there were no arguments. TMZ reported that Harris wanted a bigger weekly allowance and a career in the music business. Coincidentally she released a song, "Club Queen," through iTunes Tuesday.

A two-hour TV special featuring wedding highlights was due to air July 13 on the women's cable channel Lifetime. That has now been canceled.

The marriage would have been Hefner's third. He said his second wife, former Playmate Kimberley Conrad, and her mother were among the friends who consoled him in recent days.

Hefner, known around the world by his nickname Hef, has championed sexual freedom and civil rights, published stories challenging McCarthyism and the Vietnam War, and backed gay causes and the legalization of marijuana.

Raised in San Diego by British parents, Harris met Hefner at his annual Halloween party in 2008. She moved into the mansion after a few weeks and became Playboy's Playmate of the Month in December 2009.

This article's coverage of the information is as complete as it can be today. But you should always leave open the possibility that future research could uncover new facts.

A Mysterious Harry Potter Site

2011-06-22T20:28:00.000-07:00

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It's a bittersweet time for fans of Harry Potter. The eighth and final movie hits theaters this summer. The series of books concluded several years ago. What's a hard-core Hogwarts fan to do?

Fear not! A newly launched URL, pottermore.com, indicates that author J.K. Rowling has a few more tricks up her sleeve. As of now, there really isn't much to go on. The site is bare-bones. Two owls sit atop branches and there's a "coming soon" message. That's it. Click on the owls and you're taken to a YouTube link with a countdown to the mysterious announcement. As of now, the big reveal is a little less than a week away on Wednesday, June 22.

Clues are frustratingly scarce, but interest in the new URL is anything but. Over the past 24 hours, web searches on "pottermore," "pottermore.com" and "new harry potter web site" have all soared like a Nimbus 2000. Related lookups on "jk rowling announcement" are also spiking. She sure knows how to drum up interest.

The Associated Press talked with Rowling spokesperson Rebecca Salt about the project. Salt did say the site is not (repeat: not) a reference to a new book nor is it "directly related" to the upcoming Potter movie, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2." Alas, the Rowling camp isn't saying anything else.

Fan sites and blogs are, of course, not letting the lack of details slow the speculation. Among the possibilities being floated around: a new amusement park, an improved website for all things Harry Potter, or, perhaps, a new Harry Potter encyclopedia. The Leaky Cauldron, one of the top Potter fansites, has a slew of theories from readers. One or the most popular: a massive multiplayer online game. If so, we got dibs on "Dumbledore."

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How Weinergate became a media circus

2011-06-19T20:23:00.000-07:00

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Anthony Weiner's press conference Thursday afternoon to announce his resignation from the U.S. House of Representatives in the wake of a sexting scandal gave new meaning to the phrase "media circus."

Though brief, the announcement was an apt sequel to the similarly surreal presser Weiner gave in Manhattan on June 6. During that mid-day event, the New York congressman fought back tears for more than 40 minutes while confessing that he had carried on inappropriate electronic correspondence with six women--and then lied about his behavior in an effort to cover it up.

For today's press event, dozens of reporters filled a Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn senior center to cover the concluding mea culpa. And Twitter--the social-media platform that helped bring about Weiner's downfall--exploded with commentary from those watching online.

"Peyser! Peyser!" someone shouted as Weiner approached the podium, referring to Andrea Peyser, the acerbic New York Post columnist who had grilled Weiner at the previous event.

"Today, I am making my official resignation from Congress," Weiner said, bathed in the light of flashbulbs.

Weiner was berated by at least one heckler as he apologized to his constituents, family and wife, Hillary Clinton adviser Huma Abedin.

"Are you more than 7 inches?" Benjy Bronk, a writer for "The Howard Stern Show," shouted at Weiner.

The assembled journalists didn't appear particularly amused. "Get him outta here," one yelled. "He's not with us." (According to CNN, a policeman later escorted Bronk out of the room.)

Andrew Breitbart--who hijacked Weiner's initial press conference 10 days ago--was not in attendance, but joked on Twitter: "In Coney Island at the Cyclone eating a Nathan's hot dog! Anything else to do around here this afternoon?"

All three of the major cable news networks carried the four-minute address live, with Martha MacCallum anchoring for Fox News, Tamron Hall for MSNBC and John King, Gloria Borger and Wolf Blitzer handling the special coverage for CNN.

ABC News aired a special report with anchor George Stephanopoulos, senior political correspondent Jon Karl and Chris Cuomo of "20/20." NBC News provided its local stations with an optional special report anchored by Brian Williams. CBS News also made the live feed available to its affiliates. Before the press conference on Thursday, CNN.com had a live video stream showing the outside of Weiner's apartment building in Forest Hills.

"It's a dramatic moment," Blitzer said. "Almost tragic."

Weiner had widely been considered a front-runner to succeed New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg in 2013--that is, until a "gate" was attached to his surname.

Dana Bash, CNN's senior congressional correspondent, said the Weiner scandal unfolded slowly, in the fashion of many unflattering revelations about the nation's political class: "drip, drip, drip."

Thanks in large part to this incremental pacing, Weinergate became a major story in the U.S. news cycle during the past several weeks. Coverage of the saga occupied 17 percent of the news hole between June 6 and June 12, according to the Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism, finishing well ahead of the ongoing unrest in the Middle East, the economy, and the 2012 presidential election.

That's how things stand right now. Keep in mind that any subject can change over time, so be sure you keep up with the latest news.

The World's Highest-Paid Musicians

2011-06-16T20:15:00.000-07:00

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Two decades ago Jon Bon Jovi sat with the members of his eponymous band in a basement in New Jersey. Hoping to rekindle the group's desire to make music after two grueling years on the road, he'd hung vintage posters on the wall, illuminated only by candles and blacklights. But instead of feeling inspired, Bon Jovi found himself becoming cranky and short of breath.

"I'm thinking maybe this is an issue, maybe I just don't like them," Bon Jovi said in a recent interview for the FORBES Celeb 100 issue. "Until I realized that all the oxygen was sucked out of the room by the candles ... So I blew out the candles, cranked up the amplifiers, and said, 'We're going to be a rock band. If you believe in what I'm telling you, we can be the Rolling Stones.'"

Sure enough, Bon Jovi is still rocking. The group earned $125 million over the past 12 months, enough to claim the No. 2 spot on FORBES' annual list of the world's highest-paid musicians. U2 (pictured above) took home $195 million-and music's money crown-thanks to an international stadium tour that grossed some $700 million over two years, surpassing the Stones' A Bigger Bang tour as the most lucrative of all time.

Power ballad rockers aren't the only artists raking in the cash this year. Elton John ranks third with $100 million, fueled by a 102-show tour; Lady Gaga, godmother to Sir Elton's new son, clocks in at No. 4 with $90 million; Canadian crooner Michael Bublé rounds out the top five with $70 million, also on the strength of a lucrative tour.

Full List: The World's Highest-Paid Musicians

Our numbers encompass all pretax income earned from May 2010 to May 2011, before subtracting agent and manager fees. The totals were compiled with the help of data from Pollstar, RIAA and others, as well as extensive interviews with industry insiders including lawyers, managers, concert promoters, agents and, in some cases, the musicians themselves.

Full List: The World's 25 Highest-Paid Musicians

For most artists, touring was the largest source of income this past year-but some were more efficient than others. Lady Gaga grossed nearly as much in 12 months of touring ($168 million) as Elton John ($204 million), but the costs of her elaborate production (dozens of backup dancers, pyrotechnic undergarments, etc.) ate into her take significantly. Gaga did grab plenty of additional cash from recorded music, publishing and endorsements. And regardless of the margins on her tour, drawing some 2 million fans over the past 12 months is no small feat-for Gaga, or for any of the big touring acts.

"It's one thing to cut a song and get airplay, it's another thing to convert listeners into a loyal fan base that goes through the trials and tribulations of buying tickets, paying for dinner, hiring a baby sitter," says Randy Phillips, chief of concert promoter AEG. "To motivate a fan base to go through all those hurdles, there are very few artists who can do that consistently."

The musicians on our list run quite a gamut. Justin Bieber, who raked in $53 million, is the youngest at age 17. Paul McCartney, who took home $66 million, is the oldest at 68. One couple even made the list-Jay-Z and Beyoncé took home $37 million and $35 million, respectively, marking the first time since their nuptials that the hip-hop mogul earned more than his wife.

Beyoncé is one of only five female solo acts on the list, compared to 13 males. What the list lacks in gender equality, it makes up for in geographical diversity-over one-third of the artists hail from outside the U.S., from countries including the U.K., Barbados, Canada, Ireland, South Africa and Australia.

As for the Rolling Stones, they're widely expected to hit the road again to celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2012. But don't expect a Bon Jovi reunion tour in 2030.

"I don't know if I want to be 68 years old and doing 140 shows in a year," admits Jon Bon Jovi. "Where I'm going, I don't know. And that's the beauty of it."

When word gets around about your command of facts, others who need to know about will start to actively seek you out.

Photos of tsunami striking Japanese nuclear plant

2011-05-30T21:18:00.000-07:00

Do you ever feel like you know just enough about to be dangerous? Let's see if we can fill in some of the gaps with the latest info from experts.

It's really a good idea to probe a little deeper into the subject of . What you learn may give you the confidence you need to venture into new areas.

Photos of the recent Japanese tsunami battering the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant have been released by TEPCO, the Japanese power company that runs the stricken facility.

In the images from the March 11 disaster, a massive surge of water triggered by the 9.0 earthquake breaches the seawall that protects the plant, and pours into the facility. One shows cars bobbing in the water.

Damage to the plant from the tsunami led to a nuclear emergency that captured the world's attention.

Now might be a good time to write down the main points covered above. The act of putting it down on paper will help you remember what's important about .

Did the press go too far in identifying Arnold’s mistress?

2011-05-28T21:01:00.000-07:00

Do you ever feel like you know just enough about to be dangerous? Let's see if we can fill in some of the gaps with the latest info from experts.

Once you begin to move beyond basic background information, you begin to realize that there's more to than you may have first thought.

Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's whopping breach of marital ethics has touched off a curious ethical dilemma in the media world: In reporting the ongoing fallout from Schwarzenegger's affair with the former housekeeper who gave birth to his child, has the press unduly invaded the privacy of Schwarzenegger's one-time paramour?
Some major news organizations have exercised restraint, declining to publish the names, photos or any other revealing details about the housekeeper and her son. Bill Keller, executive editor of The New York Times, which published the woman's name on Wednesday, has an answer.
"Our basic job is to inform readers about news events, so we need a pretty compelling reason NOT to give readers information we think they care about," Keller told the Los Angeles Times' James Rainey. Russ Stanton, editor of the Los Angeles Times, which broke the Schwarzenegger scandal late Monday night, sees things differently.
We hewed to the principle of protecting the identify of an innocent child. To have identified the mother would, in effect, have been to identify the child. CNN made the call to run with the woman's name--Mildred Baena, for the record, as well as her photo following the New York Times report. Other television outlets, including ABC News, CBS News and Fox News, also put Baena on display Wednesday and Thursday, as did various online sources, including the Huffington Post and Yahoo!.
The Associated Press published Baena's name only after it had been floated by multiple news outlets. (Radar was the first to report her name, according to the AP.) An arrow actually points to Baena's abdomen."

Knowing enough about to make solid, informed choices cuts down on the fear factor. If you apply what you've just learned about , you should have nothing to worry about.

Do you ever feel like you know just enough about to be dangerous? Let's see if we can fill in some of the gaps with the latest info from experts.

Once you begin to move beyond basic background information, you begin to realize that there's more to than you may have first thought.

Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's whopping breach of marital ethics has touched off a curious ethical dilemma in the media world: In reporting the ongoing fallout from Schwarzenegger's affair with the former housekeeper who gave birth to his child, has the press unduly invaded the privacy of Schwarzenegger's one-time paramour?
Some major news organizations have exercised restraint, declining to publish the names, photos or any other revealing details about the housekeeper and her son. Bill Keller, executive editor of The New York Times, which published the woman's name on Wednesday, has an answer.
"Our basic job is to inform readers about news events, so we need a pretty compelling reason NOT to give readers information we think they care about," Keller told the Los Angeles Times' James Rainey. Russ Stanton, editor of the Los Angeles Times, which broke the Schwarzenegger scandal late Monday night, sees things differently.
We hewed to the principle of protecting the identify of an innocent child. To have identified the mother would, in effect, have been to identify the child. CNN made the call to run with the woman's name--Mildred Baena, for the record, as well as her photo following the New York Times report. Other television outlets, including ABC News, CBS News and Fox News, also put Baena on display Wednesday and Thursday, as did various online sources, including the Huffington Post and Yahoo!.
The Associated Press published Baena's name only after it had been floated by multiple news outlets. (Radar was the first to report her name, according to the AP.) An arrow actually points to Baena's abdomen."

Knowing enough about to make solid, informed choices cuts down on the fear factor. If you apply what you've just learned about , you should have nothing to worry about.

Al Qaeda releases posthumous bin Laden audio recording

2011-05-26T20:48:00.000-07:00

The best course of action to take sometimes isn't clear until you've listed and considered your alternatives. The following paragraphs should help clue you in to what the experts think is significant.

Those of you not familiar with the latest on now have at least a basic understanding. But there's more to come.

CAIRO (Reuters) – Al Qaeda released a posthumous audio recording by Osama bin Laden in which he praised revolutions sweeping through several Arab countries, and called for more Muslim "tyrants" to be toppled.

Islamists have conspicuously been absent in the uprisings in the Middle East that have largely been led by ordinary citizens angered by autocratic rule, corruption and mismanaged economies.

Al Qaeda and other militant groups have waged bloody, but unsuccessful, campaigns to topple these same rulers and by praising the revolts, bin Laden, who was killed in a U.S. raid on May 2 in Pakistan, appeared to be trying to make the Islamists relevant again.

Al Qaeda had said bin Laden, who masterminded the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, recorded a message a week before his death. The audio was included in an Internet video more than 12 minutes-long and posted on Islamist websites.

"The sun of the revolution has risen from the Maghreb. The light of the revolution came from Tunisia. It has given the nation tranquility and made the faces of the people happy," the speaker, who sounds like bin Laden, said.

"To the Muslim nation -- we are watching with you this great historic event and share with you the joy and happiness. Congratulations for your victories and may God grant your martyrs mercy, your injured recovery and your prisoners freedom."

Tunisia's president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali was overthrown by mass protests in January, followed by Egypt's Hosni Mubarak.

Bin Laden praised the Egyptian revolution and urged Arab protesters to maintain their momentum, adding: "I believe that the winds of change will envelope the entire Muslim world."

"This revolution was not for food and clothing. Rather, it was a revolution of glory and pride, a revolution of sacrifice and giving. It has lit the Nile's cities and its villages from its lower reaches to the top," he said.

"To those free rebels in all the countries -- retain the initiative and be careful of dialogue. No meeting mid-way between the people of truth and those of deviation."

Bin Laden made no specific reference to Libya, Syria, Bahrain and Yemen, where pro-democracy protesters have had less success than in Egypt and Tunisia, but said Israel, reviled by many ordinary Arabs, was worried by the unrest.

REVOLUTION CALL

Bin Laden called on young Arabs to consult "those of experience and honesty" and to set up a framework that would allow them to "follow up events and works in parallel... to save the people that are struggling to bring down their tyrants."

But he did not mention or advocate democratic rule, which was a key demand of protesters in Egypt, Tunisia and Bahrain in particular. Al Qaeda figures usually pour scorn on Western-style democracy which they see as contradicting Islamic values.

"Tunisia was the first but swiftly the knights of Egypt have taken a spark from the free people of Tunisia to Tahrir Square," said bin Laden, adding: "It has made the rulers worried."

U.S. commandos killed bin Laden in a compound in Abbottabad, a garrison town near the Pakistani capital. The incident embarrassed Pakistan's military and spy agencies and led to calls by members of the U.S. Congress for a tougher approach toward the country.

Al Jazeera television, citing Pakistani security sources, said on Wednesday that al Qaeda had appointed Egyptian Saif al-Adel as temporary leader following bin Laden's death, but bin Laden's number two Ayman al-Zawahri, another Egyptian, is widely seen as best placed to take over the whole organization.

Audio and video announcements from bin Laden largely dried up in recent years while Zawahri recorded frequent messages. But Zawahri, an Egyptian medical doctor, is seen as lacking the charisma and oratorical skills of Saudi-born bin Laden, who has Yemeni roots.

Al Qaeda has an active wing in Yemen but has not managed to establish itself in Egypt, the most populous Arab nation.

As your knowledge about continues to grow, you will begin to see how fits into the overall scheme of things. Knowing how something relates to the rest of the world is important too.

Police find Kyle Kendrick’s World Series ring in swamp near Seattle

2011-05-24T20:37:00.000-07:00

Is everything making sense so far? If not, I'm sure that with just a little more reading, all the facts will fall into place.

If you're looking for a profitable way to spend your time this weekend, you may want to head down to your local swamp and check it out for valuable and missing sports paraphernalia.

Police in an area near Seattle did just that this week and came away with Kyle Kendrick's(notes) missing World Series ring, which they found inside a Mentos container in a nearby swamp. Among other mementoes from his career, the Philadelphia Phillies pitcher had the valuable ring stolen from him at the beginning of April during a burglary at his Mount Vernon, Wash., home.

When word gets around about your command of facts, others who need to know about will start to actively seek you out.

PR campaign for the apocalypse seems to be working

2011-05-22T20:31:00.000-07:00

Would you like to find out what those-in-the-know have to say about ? The information in the article below comes straight from well-informed experts with special knowledge about .

If you don't have accurate details regarding , then you might make a bad choice on the subject. Don't let that happen: keep reading.

Theological doomsayers have been trying to convince innocent pedestrians for years that the end of the world is nigh. A new theory that Judgment Day is coming this Saturday has certainly generated lots of media attention, but done little to convince many Americans, including most evangelical Christians.

Some of those skeptical of the prophecy are planning on celebrating Saturday with tongue-in-cheek "rapture parties," LiveScience reports. Tacoma, Wash., non-believer Paul Case told the Seattle Times that he wants to celebrate on Saturday because if the Rapture does happen, and all Christians are lifted to heaven, "we know as atheists, we're not going."

The theory that the "Rapture"--or Judgment Day--will occur on May 21 appears to have originated with the 89-year-old leader of the ministry Family Radio Worldwide, Harold Camping, who earlier predicted the end of days as Sept. 6, 1994. He went back to the drawing board and says his calculations are now correct. (The Daily Beast's Bryan Curtis profiles Robert Fitzpatrick, one of Camping's most ardent followers, who gave up his life savings to spread the word about the coming day of reckoning. "For Fitzpatrick, the calculation's outlandishness confirms its rightness," Curtis writes. " 'A genius could not understand this,' he says, 'because God has to open your mind to allow you to understand this.' ")

Camping--an uncredentialed evangelical minister in California whose radio show is broadcast on 66 stations--took out an ad in Reader's Digest magazine proclaiming: "The Bible guarantees the end of the world will begin with Judgment Day May 21, 2011." He's also plastered the message on 2,200 billboards around the country, according to Reuters, and his followers have traveled around in caravans to spread the word. After a big earthquake on Saturday, true believers will be swept up to heaven while everyone else descends into hell before the world is officially over, he says.

Camping's full-on PR campaign for the apocalypse seems to be working. At Yahoo!, searches for "May 21 2011 Rapture" spiked 30 percent to 11,500 searches on May 17 compared to the day earlier. "May 21 2011 End of World" and other related search terms have also spiked.

A bevy of entrepreuners hope to capitalize on believers' fear. A website called "Eternal Earth-Bound Pets" is offering to care for believers' furry friends after their masters have been Raptured and can no longer care for them--for a fee, of course. (The site, which claims to be the brainchild of a group of pet-loving atheists, claims it's not a joke, but we're not so sure.) There's also You've Been Left Behind, a kind of high-tech concierge service for the chosen, which will send their digital records to un-Raptured friends or loved ones for the low, low price of $14.95. NPR has rounded up an array of jokes the prediction has sparked on Twitter and other social media sites.

Of course, the joke will be on all of the Rapture-obsessed pranksters if the Apocalypse happens this Saturday. But Pastor Joseph Fuiten of Bothell, Wash., told the Seattle Times that he puts no stock in the prophesying of Camping and his followers. "Unfortunately they have overlooked the obvious words of Jesus: 'You do not know the day or the hour' of such events," he said.

That's how things stand right now. Keep in mind that any subject can change over time, so be sure you keep up with the latest news.

Would You EVER Let Your Guy Pick Out Your Clothes? I Did, for a Week!

2011-05-19T20:08:00.000-07:00

The following paragraphs summarize the work of experts who are completely familiar with all the aspects of . Heed their advice to avoid any surprises.

Once you begin to move beyond basic background information, you begin to realize that there's more to than you may have first thought.

As you might know, over at Beauty Riot we're no strangers to dares. We've been dared to wear a different hairstyle every day for a month (uh, twice actually, so thank gosh I had this helpful guide to help me with hairstyle ideas), 30 days of different makeup looks; we even gave up shampoo for a week. But this latest dare takes the cake.

After reading a Shine post that featured husbands picking out an outfit for their wives, we got to thinking. Sure, a guy could probably pick out a decent outfit from a pre-screened selection of clothes once, but could he do it with a regular girl's closet (that hasn't been cleaned out in years, eep!) for a week? And so, our next dare was born.

The victim: me (and depending on your viewpoint, my boyfriend). The challenge: Let my boyfriend choose my head-to-toe outfit every day for a week. The results: ummmm ... you'll have to see for yourself.

Hopefully the sections above have contributed to your understanding of . Share your new understanding about with others. They'll thank you for it.

Ten things Kate can’t do once she marries Wills

2011-04-18T00:48:00.000-07:00

One generation ago someone like Kate Middleton can have been tasered for getting too near to the British Royal family. So when Clarence Residence relaxed their stun weapons and let their future king propose with a 'commoner', Britain awoke from a postmodern-like daze where facts became relative and training boundaries blurred. The only problem along with such superb forward thinking could be that the Royal Family is still quite definitely backward and old fashioned in relation to some matters, namely protocols and etiquette. And since the first normal woman to help enter the Windsor times, Kate will feel that changes to her life on the higher level than several past princesses

Another air controller naps; new schedules coming

2011-04-18T00:21:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON - The government Aviation Administration changed air flow traffic control work agendas Saturday, acknowledging it incorporates a widespread problem with exhaustion after another controller dropped asleep on duty - now in Miami. "We are taking important steps today that should make a real variation in fighting air targeted traffic controller fatigue. But we know we will surely have to do more. This is merely the beginning, " FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said inside a statement. On Monday, Babbitt along with Paul Rinaldi, president with the National Air Traffic Controllers Relationship, will begin visiting surroundings traffic control facilities to help hear what controllers ought to say and to help remind them that sleeping about the job won't be tolerated. Their own first stop is Atlanta, home with the world's busiest airport. Today's feeting sleeping incident - the fifth to get disclosed by FAA considering late March - occurred prior to 5 a. m. Saturday morning with a busy regional radar ability that handles high altitude air traffic for high of Florida, portions of the Atlantic Ocean plus the Caribbean Sea. According with a preliminary review of surroundings traffic tapes, the controller would not miss any calls from aircraft and there is no impact on journey operations, the FAA explained. The controller, who has been working an overnight transfer, has been suspended. Ahead of the start of the be tossed about, all controllers were presented a briefing on professionalism plus the importance of reporting to figureout fit for duty, FAA stated. The incident was reported to some manager by another controlled, the agency said. There have been 12 controllers on obligation and two managers, that said. Rinaldi said the Miami event was particularly disturbing because there is ample staff on duty back then. "It is never acceptable when we finally don't provide the a higher level service expected and required people on every shift, " he or she said. "We take our duties very seriously and believe fatigue may be a significant factor in all these instances. " Regional radar centers usually are large rooms, but each controller features a cubicle. Because of this layout, a controller can easily accidently doze off devoid of being noticed. It has become known for decades this fatigue is rampant concerning controllers. FAA rules forbid any sleeping around the job, even during pauses. Employees who violate those rules is often fired. But present and past controllers told The Connected Press that unsanctioned napping in the evening is an open secret while in the agency. At a radar factory, one controller may nap insurance policy coverage other handles two radar opportunities. At an airport system, one may handle takeoffs and landings insurance policy coverage other sleeps. Then, they'd swap. Many supervisors look other way when controllers industry turns working their assignments to nap simply because they know how tiring controllers' daily activities are, said retired controlled Rick Perl of Oxnard, Calif. "It has become a problem, " stated Perl, who at only once was an instructor with FAA's academy for innovative controllers in O "There is no way you can aquire off at 2 p. m. inside the afternoon and be back again at 10 p. m. in the evening and get decent sleeping. " Most tiring is the midnight shifts, which generally begin about 10 p. m. along with end about 6 a new. m. Staying awake during those hours disrupts your bodys natural sleep rhythms, get to sleep scientists say. A new fatigue study by FAA plus the National Air Traffic Controllers Relationship, which has not but been released, found that the single most tiring schedules worked by controllers can be a week of midnight work day, followed by a 1 week of early morning shifts after which a week of movement shifts that start inside afternoon and wind up through the night. The schedule doesn't present controllers time to adjust to one set of waking along with sleeping hours. Another schedule compresses personal trainer eight-hour work days into as couple of days as possible, concluding which includes a day shift that stops about 2 p. m. as well as a midnight shift that commences about 10 p. m. Some controllers such as schedule because when that they conclude the fifth shift they've got three and a one half days off before they've report back to do the job. But the schedule is also called the "rattler" because this doubles back and bites folks that work it. The study's chief recommendation usually controllers be allowed sleeping breaks of if 2 1/2 hours in the course of midnight shifts. Some other countries : including Germany and Asia - provide sleeping suites for controllers on break through the night. Babbitt said the modifications to controllers' schedules is going to be implemented within 72 a long time, but he didn't summarize the changes. Earlier this particular week, FAA announced it had been ending its practice with single-staffing control towers at 26 airports including a radar facility where targeted traffic is light between night time and 6 a. m. The head from the FAA's air traffic surgical treatments resigned. The agency also will certainly commission an independent post on its training curriculum and qualifications "to make certain our new controllers have mastered the suitable skills and learned the best disciplines before they get started their careers, " Babbitt and Rinaldi said within a column posted late Friday about the USA Today website.

Could lead codices prove ‘the major discovery of Christian history’?

2011-03-30T20:18:00.000-07:00

As UK Daily Mail reporter Fiona Macrae writes, some researchers are suggesting this could be the most significant find in Christian archeology since the Dead Sea scrolls in 1947.

The codices turned up five years ago in a remote cave in eastern Jordan—a region where early Christian believers may have fled after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 CE. The codices are made up of wirebound individual pages, each roughly the size of a credit card. Some of the codices were sealed, prompting yet more breathless speculation that they could include the sealed book, shown only to the Messiah, mentioned in the Book of Revelation. Initial metallurgical research indicates that the codices are about 2,000 years old--based on the manner of corrosion they have undergone, which, as Macrae writes, "experts believe would be impossible to achieve artificially."

Beyond the initial dating tests, however, little is confirmed about the codices or what they contain. And the saga of their discovery has already touched off a battle over ownership rights between Israel and Jordan. As the BBC's Pigott recounts, the cache surfaced when a Jordanian Bedouin saw a menorah—the Jewish religious candleabra—exposed in the wake of a flash flood.

The Jordanian government has pledged to "exert all efforts at every level" to get the potentially priceless relics returned, Pigott reports.

Meanwhile, biblical scholars who have examined the codices point to significant textual evidence suggesting their early Christian origin. Philip Davies, emeritus professor of Old Testament Studies at Sheffield University, told Pigott he was "dumbstruck" at the sight of plates representing a picture map of ancient Jerusalem. David Elkington, an ancient religion scholar who heads the British research team investigating the find, has likewise pronounced this nothing less than "the major discovery of Christian history." New Testament scholar Larry Hurtado observes that since these codices are miniature, they were likely intended for private, rather than liturgical, use. This would likely place their date of origin closer to the 3rd century CE.

Questions loom about possibility of arming Libyan rebels

2011-03-30T20:05:00.000-07:00

Forces loyal to Muammar Gadhafi continue to hold key towns against incursions by Libyan rebels--and the fragile international coalition that has been carrying out airstrikes over the past 11 days in order to protect Libyan civilians from attack is now at odds over whether the Libyan rebels require more direct military assistance.

Coalition members are discussing a range of options, including increased NATO close air support to aid the rebels engaged in direct combat with Gadhafi's forces and efforts--in all likelihood carried out covertly--to arm and train the rebels. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, speaking at a conference on Libya in London Tuesday, said her reading of the UN Security Council resolution 1973 on Libya allowed for the arming of the Libyan rebels. Former U.S. officials who have worked on Libya said they suspect that any plan to arm and train the rebels would be carried out covertly. Such initiatives would likely take shape via neighboring Egypt, the officials said—thereby bypassing the consensus-driven command structure of the NATO-led coalition that assumed command of Libya military operations Wednesday.

"The Libyan rebels have said they want training by the Egyptian military. Other analysts noted the years-long U.S. effort to train the security forces in Iraq and Afghanistan--and wondered, given that ongoing effort, just how coalition members might manage to effectively arm and train the Libyan rebels in a relatively short time frame.

Western officials and analysts also noted that Gadhafi regime insiders have been placing phone calls to western embassies and intermediaries, with the aim of opening up negotiations to secure a cease-fire arrangement or exit plan for themselves or Gadhafi.
The former U.S. official also noted reports Wednesday that Musa Kusa--Libya's foreign minister and former longtime intelligence chief --was in Europe.

Baltic Sea letter in a bottle found 24 years later

2011-03-30T20:02:00.000-07:00

MOSCOW – Nearly a quarter-century after a German boy tossed a message in a bottle off a ship in the Baltic Sea, he's received an answer.

A 13-year-old Russian, Daniil Korotkikh, was walking with his parents on a beach when he saw something glittering lying in the sand.

"I saw that bottle and it looked interesting," Korotkikh told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "It looked like a German beer bottle with a ceramic plug, and there was a message inside."

His father, who knows schoolboy German, translated the letter, carefully wrapped in cellophane and sealed by a medical bandage.

My dad and I are traveling on a ship to Denmark. The letter, dated 1987, included an address in the town of Coesfeld.

The boy in the letter, Frank Uesbeck, is now 29. His parents still live at the letter's address.

The Russian boy and the German man met each other earlier this month via an Internet video link.

Korotkikh showed Uesbeck the bottle where he found the message and the letter that he put in a frame.

In the web chat earlier this month, Uesbek gave Korotkikh his new address to write to and promised to write back when he receives his letter.

"He'll definitely get another letter from me," the 29-year-old said.
Uesbeck was especially thrilled that he was able to have a positive impact on a life of a young person far away from Germany.

MOSCOW – Nearly a quarter-century after a German boy tossed a message in a bottle off a ship in the Baltic Sea, he's received an answer.

A 13-year-old Russian, Daniil Korotkikh, was walking with his parents on a beach when he saw something glittering lying in the sand.

"I saw that bottle and it looked interesting," Korotkikh told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "It looked like a German beer bottle with a ceramic plug, and there was a message inside."

His father, who knows schoolboy German, translated the letter, carefully wrapped in cellophane and sealed by a medical bandage.

My dad and I are traveling on a ship to Denmark. The letter, dated 1987, included an address in the town of Coesfeld.

The boy in the letter, Frank Uesbeck, is now 29. His parents still live at the letter's address.

The Russian boy and the German man met each other earlier this month via an Internet video link.

Korotkikh showed Uesbeck the bottle where he found the message and the letter that he put in a frame.

In the web chat earlier this month, Uesbek gave Korotkikh his new address to write to and promised to write back when he receives his letter.

"He'll definitely get another letter from me," the 29-year-old said.
Uesbeck was especially thrilled that he was able to have a positive impact on a life of a young person far away from Germany.

'Wonder Woman' Costume Gets an Upgrade

2011-03-30T19:53:00.000-07:00

When "Wonder Woman" announced that Adrianne Palicki had been cast in the title role, buzz on the superhero show quickly shot through the roof. But then fans got a look at the ill-advised costume. Outrage quickly ensued. And hell hath no fury like a comic fan outraged.

The anger stemmed from Wonder Woman's shiny, rubber-like pants and high heels. Commenters on EW's article speculated that the show would be canceled in a matter of weeks. SlashFilm wrote that the outfit did little to inspire confidence in the show's prospects.

Some photos of the actress on the set have surfaced, and eagle-eyed fans quickly spotted the changes to Wonder Woman's threads. The red bustier is still intact as are her trademark tiara and lasso of truth. Time will tell if these modest changes to Wonder Woman's threads have a positive effect on the show when it premieres on NBC this fall.

That includes Lynda Carter, who played Wonder Woman in the beloved (and campy) TV show from way back when. Carter even liked the original outfit, saying: "What's not to like! Adrianne [Palicki] looks gorgeous."

Muzak Sold for a Soothing $345 Million

2011-03-29T00:14:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for some inside information on ? Here's an up-to-date report from experts who should know.

Hopefully the information presented so far has been applicable. You might also want to consider the following:

In an era of sluggish music sales, where two of the major record labels are on the verge of changing hands at discount prices -- Citigroup is looking to deal beleaguered EMI and Warner Music is up for grabs to anyone with a spare billion or two -- it appears the market for terrible music is still in high demand. Muzak, the company that famously turns big hits into instrumental background music for supermarkets and doctors' offices, has been sold to its easy-listening competitor Mood Media for $345 million, giving the Toronto-based Mood Media a monopoly in the elevator music market.

According to ABC News, Muzak was bankrupt last year thanks to a debt of at least $200 million, but even though it owes hundreds of millions of dollars, Mood Media jumped at the chance to buy the company that gave birth to the almost-derogatory term "Muzak," which nowadays is often used to described forgettable, characterless music that essentially serves as white noise with a tune. Together, Muzak and Mood Music will provide everything from call-waiting music to display screen graphics to over 300,000 businesses in the U.S.

"This combination will offer sophisticated new and expanded solutions and opportunities for our customers and employees," Muzak CEO Steve Richards said in a statement. "As part of Mood Media, we will continue delivering unique experiences to millions of people daily." Added Mood Media CEO Lorne Abony, "We're super-jazzed about the opportunity to purchase Muzak. It's a storied brand, a classic brand, with an incredible footprint." As part of the deal, Muzak will update its dated method of transmitting "music" via satellite radio channel to a digital delivery service.

You can't predict when knowing something extra about will come in handy. If you learned anything new about &keyword% in this article, you should file the article where you can find it again.

Gadgets You Should Get Rid Of (or Not)

2011-03-29T00:09:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered what exactly is up with ? This informative report can give you an insight into everything you've ever wanted to know about .

See how much you can learn about when you take a little time to read a well-researched article? Don't miss out on the rest of this great information.

The common rap against technology is that it leads to an accumulation of devices. But the nature of technology is changing. Fewer products are doing more tasks — all accomplished by countless lines of massless software code.

And so we no longer need to accumulate products. If anything, we can cut down. The question is, Which can be replaced and which are fine, or even preferable, to keep? It is plain as day that paper maps and Rolodexes have given way to their digital counterparts. But what else can you get rid of? Here is a list of common consumer technologies and products and a somewhat opinionated judgment on whether to keep or pitch it.

DESKTOP COMPUTER Lose it. You may have one now, but are you really going to replace that deskbound PC when it becomes out of date? Assuming you are not a hardcore gamer or a video editor, laptops have all the necessary computing power the average user needs. If you want to replicate that desktop experience, you can always connect your laptop to a larger display and keyboard.

HIGH-SPEED INTERNET AT HOME Keep it. With the advent of devices like the MiFi, which converts a 3G mobile signal into a Wi-Fi cloud for multiple devices to share, you might be thinking about giving your Internet service provider the boot and using your cellphone as your Internet connection, even when at home. That would work — provided that you get a strong data signal where you live; that you never intend to stream video from Netflix, YouTube or Hulu; and that you have an unlimited data plan from your wireless provider. Given all these caveats, it probably makes more sense to stick with your I.S.P.

CABLE TV Depends. While you may and should hold on to a good broadband connection at home, it is debatable whether you need to pay for cable TV. Sports fans probably will want to keep it, as many leagues restrict online content, but casual viewers who mainly want some shows and movies to watch could get by with a good Internet connection and some low-cost subscriptions to services like Netflix, Hulu Plus and Amazon Instant Video.

POINT-AND-SHOOT CAMERA Lose it. Yes, a dedicated camera will probably take a better picture than the small lens and image sensor of a smartphone, but it will not be that much better. And a point-and-shoot has limitations of its own. It is hard to share photos until you have transferred them to your computer, and there are no apps for cameras, as there are for smartphones, that allow you to quickly apply cool filters and treatments to the shots you took. Perhaps most important, a camera may or may not be close by when a photo-worthy moment arises, but it’s very likely that your phone will.

CAMCORDER Lose it. Camcorders get squeezed at both ends of the video spectrum. On the low end, smartphones can capture video, and while it may not be Imax quality, many people do not care. At the high end, new digital S.L.R. cameras (like Canon’s EOS Rebel T1i, which costs around $750 with a lens) can shoot full-HD video while taking advantage of all the interchangeable lenses that were created for still photography. That camcorder you have now is probably the last one you will own.

USB THUMB DRIVE Lose it. File sharing does not require hardware anymore. In almost any case you can think of, you can move files around digitally via the Internet. That could mean signing up for a service like Dropbox, which creates a private, shareable hard drive in the cloud, or by simply e-mailing yourself attachments and storing them in the drafts folder of Gmail, Yahoo Mail, etc. A USB drive is just something to misplace or break.

DIGITAL MUSIC PLAYER Lose it (probably). Do you have a smartphone? Then you have a music player. Why load yourself down with an extra gadget? Apple popularized the music player with its iPod, but when was the last time you saw that iconic white box with the dial on the front? Music is data, and many multifunction devices can handle it along with many other kinds of data (like video, e-mail and apps). The one exception may be if you enjoy music while exercising. In that case, a tiny player like the $49 iPod Shuffle might be a better accessory than a larger, heavier smartphone.

ALARM CLOCK Keep it. Smartphones can be terrific alarm clocks. They can ramp up the volume gradually, display weather information and awaken you to your favorite song. And when on the road, they are still light-years ahead of the incomprehensible alarm clocks in hotel rooms. But a recent daylight time glitch in iPhones that fouled up the clock could give some early risers pause. Furthermore, setting and resetting smartphone alarms may require a dive into one submenu too many; turning a little knob on the back of a clock and flipping a switch is still simplicity itself.

GPS UNIT Lose it. The least expensive GPS units cost around $80. But your smartphone can do the same thing, if not more, for half that price, or even free. Android smartphones already have Google’s turn-by-turn navigation app built in. And earlier this month, Google announced that the company would be including live and historical traffic data in route planning, so you hopefully get to where you are going faster.

If you have an iPhone, you have several options for GPS apps, including Navigon’s MobileNavigator (which starts at $30) and ALK’s CoPilot Live ($20). Renting a car? Decline the optional GPS; if you have a smartphone, you already have one with you.

BOOKS Keep them (with one exception). Yes, e-readers are amazing, and yes, they will probably become a more dominant reading platform over time, but consider this about a book: It has a terrific, high-resolution display. It is pretty durable; you could get it a little wet and all would not be lost. It has tremendous battery life. It is often inexpensive enough that, if you misplaced it, you would not be too upset. You can even borrow them free at sites called libraries.

But there is one area where printed matter is going to give way to digital content: cookbooks. Martha Stewart Makes Cookies a $5 app for the iPad, is the wave of the future. Every recipe has a photo of the dish (something far too expensive for many printed cookbooks).

Complicated procedures can be explained by an embedded video. When something needs to be timed, there’s a digital timer built right into the recipe. You can e-mail yourself the ingredients list to take to the grocery store. The app does what cookbooks cannot, providing a better version of everything that came before it.

So now you know a little bit about . Even if you don't know everything, you've done something worthwhile: you've expanded your knowledge.

Free Printer: How to Avoid Getting Ripped-Off on Refills

2011-03-28T23:48:00.000-07:00

Costco gives you a free color printer practically every time you buy a computer, for instance. You get a free "Fusion ProGlide" razor when you buy a four-pack of shaving gel -- but fresh blades cost a small fortune. Electric toothbrushes aren't free, but new brush "heads" can overwhelm the cost of the whole toothbrush set up in less than a year.

There are an increasing number of ways to work around the rip-off prices for ink, razors and even replacement heads for your electric toothbrush. Printer ink: 3 Ways to Save

Jeff Bertolucci, a contributing writer for PC World magazine, is the go-to guy if you want to know how to refill those costly inkjet cartridges without breaking the bank. He's spent months running through pounds of printer ink, experimenting with bargain sites and refilling his own printer cartridges. Do it Yourself: If you refill your own printer cartridges, you can get the cost of ink down to about 2 cents a page, he says. And the quality of DIY refilled-ink isn't half-bad -- even when you're printing photos. Office Depot and Cartridge World offer remanufactured cartridges, but Bertolucci doesn't recommend them. The cost: $8 to $10 per cartridge, which is about one-third of the price of buying new -- and about half the price of remanufactured cartridges. One trick you should know: You should refill the cartridges promptly when they run low of ink. Each cartridge usually can be refilled 5 to 10 times. Conserve: Another way to save on ink? Instead of printing with the standard quality settings, set your printer to "draft" or "fast draft" mode, which uses less ink per page. Razors

Did you get Gillette's free "Fusion ProGlide" razor with your shaving gel, but have an attack when you realized that Costco's bargain 14-pack of razor-head refills costs a whopping $44.99? For the math challenged, that's less than one-seventh the price of the blade refills.

But you really like a five-blade razor Amazon.com's $24.50 8-pack ProGlide refill is a slightly better deal -- about $3.06 per blade -- but only if you qualify for free shipping.

Another alternative M5 Magnum offers a 5-blade disposable razor that costs a fraction as much as the ProGlide -- about $15 for the 18-pack at Costco, which works out to 83 cents a razor. Electric toothbrushes

They're certainly not free, but with the Philips Sonicare "Essence" electric toothbrush 2-pack -- replete with three brush heads, two charger bases and two travel cases -- going for $89.99 at Costco, you've got to figure that each toothbrush costs less than $35.

Yep. That would be nearly $10 a toothbrush top. The brush heads double the price of your toothbrush investment in less than a year.

If you don't have gingivitis or some other serious oral health issue, the standard 8-pack of toothbrushes costs $13.99 -- $1.75 each. Instead of looking at the price of the unit, check the price of the refills first.

Checking the Oral B website, for example, you can see that their least-costly brush-heads, which run $4.25 if you buy the biggest package, work with the the Advance Power, Triumph and Professional Care tooth brushes. If you get the Sonic Complete toothbrush, you'll spend nearly $13 a brush head. Pulsonic and Cross Action brush heads ran $7.49 and $8.32 respectively.

Is Steven Tyler The New Ellen DeGeneres?

2011-03-28T23:37:00.000-07:00

Current info about is not always the easiest thing to locate. Fortunately, this report includes the latest info available.

The information about presented here will do one of two things: either it will reinforce what you know about or it will teach you something new. Both are good outcomes.

When I first heard that Steven Tyler had been cast as a judge on "American Idol," I immediately pegged the screwball rocker as the new Paula Abdul: someone to bring the unpredictable, possibly unintentional comedy with babbly banter, out-there outfits, and even some inappropriate flirting. And so far, he hasn't disappointed me in that regard. But now that the live "Idol" shows have started, I'm beginning to think he's not the new Paula. Steven Tyler just may be (gasp!) the new Ellen DeGeneres.

"He was great in the audition rounds, but Steven Tyler calling everybody 'beautiful'...I'm tired of it," my esteemed Yahoo! colleague Matt Whitfield wisely griped during our latest "Idol" gabfest. "Steven is kind of starting to play that Ellen role, just sitting there and clapping like a seal."

It's almost enough to make me wish that Kara DioGuardi would come back. Almost.

Look, I love me some Steven Tyler. I love me some Ellen, too...but let's face it, when she was on "Idol," she just benignly told everyone they were great, great, great. Her empty critiques offered no real help to the contestants. ("As the season wore on and her one-liners became familiar, the question of what she added to the panel grew more pronounced," recalls American Idol: The Untold Story author Richard Rushfield.) However, Ellen's general uselessness could be excused, since--not being a musician or music expert herself--she was obviously out of her depth. But Steven is a real rock 'n' roll legend with five decades of music-biz experience from which to draw. Surely he can come up with more astute critiques, or at least a few more adjectives, than just "beautiful," right?

When the current "Idol" season launched in January, Steven--a man who was clearly born to rock the reality-TV screen--was the runaway star of the show. He pretty much SAVED the show, even, in Season 10's early weeks. He even totally upstaged the seemingly un-upstage-able Jennifer Lopez, as viewers, myself included, tuned in to hang on his every wacky word. So, granted, in the one-liner department, Steven has always had Ellen beat. (Ellen never came up with a zinger like "holly shipyard" or "even a week says WTF," you know.) But now, much like Ellen did last year, Steven simply seems to be coasting on his lovable loopiness.

It's possible that it's difficult for nice guy Steven to hurt these sweet kids' feelings (a moral issue that nice gal Ellen later admitted she grappled with while on the show). And unlike some other talent-show judges, he knows firsthand what it's like to sing onstage for public approval--so that might make him more sympathetic than most. But his fellow veteran performer/tabloid target/former softie J.Lo is finally taking the "Idol" judging job seriously (some of her critiques last week were so smart and on-the-money, Simon Cowell should have taken notes). And "Idol" dawg Randy Jackson has toughened up and stepped it up too. So Steven has no excuse for softballing it, at this point.

Look, if Steven Tyler is tough enough to battle Kid Rock, Joe Perry, and drug addiction, then he should be capable of brutally-honestly critiquing Stefano Langone's shrill Lionel Richie cover, Thia Megia's robotic emotionlessness, or Scott McCreery's eyebrow-wriggling facial mugging and one-octave range. Lines like "You don't look a day over fabulous" may be quotable and DVR-able (and at least they're dang funny, which is more than can be said for most of Ellen's Season 9 critiques), but they're not going to help anyone grow in this competition in the long run. He certainly shouldn't lose his wonderfully weird sense of humor, but it's time for S.Ty to get a grip.

It never hurts to be well-informed with the latest on . Compare what you've learned here to future articles so that you can stay alert to changes in the area of .

10 Quick Pickups for Your Personal Finances

2011-03-24T20:56:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for some inside information on ? Here's an up-to-date report from experts who should know.

Knowledge can give you a real advantage. To make sure you're fully informed about , keep reading.

If you're like most people, your New Years Resolutions have already expired. You haven't lost 10 pounds, you're not going to the gym five days a week, and when was the last time you called your mother?

Chances are, your financial goals have fallen by the wayside too. I don't want to discourage you from paying down debt, saving a down payment for a house, or any of those big goals that you may have set for yourself at the beginning of the year. But if you sort of tuckered out on the big things (or even if you're still going strong -- go you!), maybe it's time to set some more achievable goals. Here are 10 things you can do in an hour or less apiece to make yourself -- or your household -- more financially sound.

1. Join Mint

I'm an unabashed fan of the site, and not just because they do some great data-mining on their blog. (Don't worry, all at the very aggregate level). It will track and aggregate your spending for you, showing you where the money is going, and what's happening to your net worth over time. If you have sort of complicated finances -- as I do, living in a two-journalist household -- then it's an absolute godsend at tax and expense time. And in the last year they've added goals, allowing you to set your spending, saving, and debt-reduction goals and then track how you're doing with a thermometer. It's surprisingly motivating, and it's free.

I probably spend 20 minutes a week in Mint, categorizing our expenses and monitoring our financial position. But even if you don't put in that kind of time (and most of you don't have to keep track of which meals are tax-deductible), it's still incredibly helpful at tracking the broad outlines of your spending.

2. Get Your Papers Together

If you die, someone is going to have to clean up the financial aftermath. Make it easy on them by putting everything in one place where they can find it. Dave Ramsey calls this a "Legacy Drawer," and suggests putting in a cover letter and letters to your loved ones as well as the financial papers. But we're trying to keep this under an hour, so the notes are optional. Here's what it should contain:

• Insurance papers.

• Loan documents.

• A list of every financial account: loans, bank accounts, investment accounts, 401(k)s, whatever. Security experts will kill me for saying this, but I'd say this list should have the account numbers, the PINs, and the passwords.

• Deeds and titles to any property you own (cars, land, etc).

• Birth certificate and social security card, if you have them.

• Information about your will/estate plans: who has them, who the executor is.

• Funeral instructions (if any; mine are "cheapest coffin you can find").

• Tax returns.

• A list of your major recurring expenses (so people know which bills to pay).

Start by putting this in a drawer; eventually, you should move this to a safe-deposit box, and tell whoever's likely to be taking care of your final details where to find the key. This should only take you an hour -- if it takes you longer than that, well, you really needed to get these documents while you could find them anyway.

3. Buy Life Insurance

If you're single, you don't need this unless you have a kid or someone else depending on you -- your job usually offers you enough to bury you. If you're married, I think you do need a little, even if you don't have kids. Married life is usually built on the expectation of two incomes: a mortgage (or lease), the cars, all sorts of other recurring expenses. At a minimum, make sure your partner will have enough to bury you and pay off any outstanding debt -- including not only mortgages and cars, but credit cards and student loans in their name alone, if you own property. You don't want to have to hassle with someone coming after their half of the house or car to pay off their unsecured debt. Obviously, if your partner is at home, or makes very little money, you're also going to want to replace some of your income.

You do not want "whole life" insurance, "return of premium" or any other product that promises you to give you some or all of your money back -- all this is is a savings vehicle with bad rates of return, bundled with expensive term life insurance. Buy a simple term life policy for 20 or 30 years -- long enough for you to accumulate enough assets to take care of your partner if you die. You can compare rates online or mosey down to your local insurance office, but either way, this shouldn't take you too long provided that you resist the blandishments of insurance agents who will attempt to upsell you "features" you don't need. Stand firm, buy term.

4. Cancel Stupid Recurring Expenses

Remember when you thought you'd try Stamps.com? How about that credit monitoring service you signed up for eighteen months ago? The dual subscriptions to Netflix left over from before you moved in together? For many of you, I am sad to say, your gym membership also falls into this category.

Whatever it is, if you haven't used it in three months, cancel it. Cancel it whether or not you think you should be using it. You can always rejoin the gym after you've developed a burning desire to actually go. With the hundreds of dollars you will save between now and then, you will easily be able to afford any re-initiation fees.

5. Ramp Up for Retirement

Unless you are already at the legal maximum, increase your 401(k) contribution by 1% of your income. Unless you are already pinching pennies so hard that Abraham Lincoln is actually screaming in pain, you can afford to put an extra 1% of your pre-tax income into your 401(k). Then every time you get a raise, you increase your contribution by another 1% until you hit the legal limit ($16,500) or 15-20% of your income. Almost painless, and you'll feel a lot safer in retirement. (Of course, if you want to save faster, you can -- try 2% or 3%).

6. Start Saving

If you don't have an emergency fund, you need one. Here's how to do it so that you almost won't notice: set up an automatic transfer into your savings account from every paycheck. Figure out how much can you afford, but even if it's only $25, transfer it from every paycheck, and resolve not to touch that money unless it's an actual emergency. (Emergency: my car won't start. Not an emergency: I really need a break, so I'm going to the beach for a week.)

The ideal way to handle this is to have a separate account that isn't linked to your other bank accounts, and to have the transfer done as part of your auto-deposit. That way, you never see the money -- and I think you'll be surprised to find that you don't much miss it. But if you don't want to go to the trouble, you can do this with your regular savings account, as long as you're resolved not to touch the money in that account for anything but an emergency: just use online banking to do a recurring transfer on the same day as your paycheck hits the account.

Over time, increase the amount that you're saving. Eventually you'll have a tidy nest egg, and because the money was never in your checking account, you won't have been tempted to spend it on incidentals.

7. Re-balance Your Portfolio

If you already have substantial assets, it's time to make sure they're correctly structured for your priorities. Are your mutual funds allocated the way that you want them, or over time, has one grown faster than the others, leaving your portfolio lopsided (many companies now automatically re-balance, but you should check.) You should also be thinking about your portfolio's life-cycle. If you're in your fifties, you should already be transitioning some of your money to bonds.

I know what you're going to say: you'll never be able to retire at those kinds of returns. My response is a piece of wisdom that I picked up from my driving instructor: "If you left late, you're going to get there late." Trying to flout that simple equation only gets you in trouble. Just as it's a bad idea to race through red lights in the hopes of making up the lost time, it's a bad idea to leave your assets in 100% equity because you're hoping that higher returns will still let you retire in comfort at 65. Risking destitution now is just compounding your earlier planning errors.

8. Make a Will

If your finances are pretty simple, you can do this in half an hour with something like Quicken Willmaker, which took Lifehacker half an hour. LegalZoom will also do it for you for a pretty modest fee. If your finances are complicated -- well, OK, this won't take under an hour, and you need a lawyer. But if your finances are complicated, you really need a will. If it freaks you out too much to meditate upon your own death, pretend that you are preparing this will so you can drop out of sight and assume your new identity as Agent 007 of Her Majesty's Secret Service.

9. Fix Your Withholding

Are you looking forward to a nice big refund from the IRS this year? Don't look so happy -- that refund means that you made the government an interest-free loan for most of the year. And if you're like many freelancers, and you owe the government a hefty chunk, then you may be liable for interest and penalties.

The easy way to fix either problem is to adjust your withholding. HR can help you do this. If you're getting a big refund every year, raise your exemptions; if you're having to pay, lower them. (If they're already as low as they can get, look at what you owe this year, adjust for what you'll owe next year ... and start making estimated payments every quarter.)

10. Shop for Better Deals

Can you get a better interest rate on your credit cards? How about your bank accounts? You don't have to follow through, if you decide it's not worth it. But it's worth taking 15 minutes on the web to find out. Also worth doing: threaten to cancel your cable. You don't have to actually do it -- though with Netflix and Hulu and Amazon Prime's new subscription service, it's possibly worth it. But if you call to cancel, they'll usually offer you a better deal.

That's how things stand right now. Keep in mind that any subject can change over time, so be sure you keep up with the latest news.

Plan for mystery mega-mansion sparks furor in 90210

2011-03-24T20:49:00.000-07:00

Would you like to find out what those-in-the-know have to say about ? The information in the article below comes straight from well-informed experts with special knowledge about .

Knowledge can give you a real advantage. To make sure you're fully informed about , keep reading.

A mystery landowner's plan to build an 85,000-square-foot family compound has set off a major kerfuffle in a tony Hollywood hills neighborhood whose residents include Bruce Springsteen, Jay Leno, and David Beckham, the Los Angeles Times reports.

The proposed "mega-mansion"—which would be located in the iconic 90210 zip code—will include a 42,681-square-foot main house, a double-winged "son's villa" of more than 27,000 square feet, a 4,400-square-foot guest house, a 5,300-square-foot staff quarters and a 2,700-square-foot gatehouse.

The owner's identity is being kept secret. But there are indications he could be a member of the Saudi royal family. A special business created to buy the land lists as its president Mansour Fustok of London. Fustok--who described the mansion to the Times as "just a normal Mediterranean-style house"--is the uncle of Prince Abdulaziz ibn Abdullah ibn Abdulaziz al Saud, one of Saudi King Abdullah's sons.

And the complex may be intended for the prince himself. According to a representative of Fustok's business, the owner is a single father of three.Â Prince Abdulaziz is divorced and has three children.

But residents of the Benedict Canyon neighborhood—including Hollywood honcho Michael Ovitz (pictured)—are worried about the project's potential for noise, pollution, and environmental damage. They've organized a campaign to block it, arguing that the owners are trying to get around a legally mandated environmental review.

Ovitz may not be the best front-man for the campaign. He himself once proposed a 28,000-square-foot megamansion on property straddling the Los Angeles-Beverly Hills border, which also generated heated opposition. The home, which ultimately was built, sits a stone's throw away from the site of the proposed compound.

Don't limit yourself by refusing to learn the details about . The more you know, the easier it will be to focus on what's important.

Skip The Gym And Get Lighter -- In The Wallet

2011-03-24T20:43:00.000-07:00

The best course of action to take sometimes isn't clear until you've listed and considered your alternatives. The following paragraphs should help clue you in to what the experts think is significant.
Is everything making sense so far? If not, I'm sure that with just a little more reading, all the facts will fall into place.

Sometimes it’s just plain hard to motivate yourself to get to the gym. There are so many reasons to stay away: sleep, work, friends, weather, traffic … did we mention sleep? And the incentive for working out is long-term, while the reasons for avoiding the treadmill are very tangible.
But what if missing a workout hit you where it really hurts – in the wallet?

Gym-Pact is similar to a site like Groupon in that it offers customers (currently in the Boston area only) deals and discounts on yoga studios and fitness centers. That’s nothing new. But if the customer misses a workout, he or she pays a fine (referred to as a “motivational fee”). The system uses a text-message-based password system, so that the customer has to check in via text in order to get credit for going.

When signing up, you make a commitment to attend one of Gym-Pact’s fitness centers for a certain number of days per week (with a minimum of one day a week). You agree on a weekly schedule, and if you miss a session…you pay $10. Ouch. So basically, one of two things can happen: 1) You can fulfill your commitment, take pleasure in the discounted membership, and bask in the glory of attaining your fitness goals; or 2) You’re pretty much made to feel like a complete and utter slacker. And a slacker with a lighter wallet, at that.

If you think Gym-Pact is draconian and mean-spirited, just look across the pond to the system it’s modeled after. A gym chain in Denmark offers free membership, so long as you show up at least once a week. Fail to show and you are charged full price for that month. Yikes.

But is financial motivation an effective-enough way to get people off the couch and into the gym? Sure seems like it. Because if there’s one thing that’s more unattractive than a soft body, it’s an empty bank account.

There's a lot to understand about . We were able to provide you with some of the facts above, but there is still plenty more to write about in subsequent articles.

Jimmer’s magical senior season ends with an unfortunate thud

2011-03-24T20:36:00.000-07:00

This article explains a few things about , and if you're interested, then this is worth reading, because you can never tell what you don't know.

Hopefully the information presented so far has been applicable. You might also want to consider the following:

His calf cramped up, he played most of the second half with a bandaged-up chin and shot a porous 11-of-29 from the floor.

BYU rode Jimmer Fredette — or, now, simply known as 'The Jimmer' — to the program's first Sweet Sixteen since 1981, but eventually, the magic had to run out.

Florida forced the drainage in sound fashion, ousting the Cougars on Wednesday night in New Orleans in an 83-74 overtime triumph.

The Cougars were playing either from behind or neck-and-neck with a bigger, stronger and deeper team all night, managing to hang around despite the nation's leading scorer taking longer than normal to get going.

Fredette missed his first shots of the game, didn't score until there were just over six minutes left in the first half and, still, the two were tied at the half, 36-36.

Just after the start of the second stanza, TV cameras showed footage of Fredette having his calf worked on by the BYU training staff, immediately setting him up to become the wounded savior.

It appeared that he was on the cusp of willing the Cougars past the Gators in the tourney for the second year in a row with five minutes to go in the game. First, off of a Noah Hartsock steal, he shielded 6-foot-9 Chandler Parsons for 25 feet in the open court en route to a pretty finger roll, and followed it up with a 30-foot 3-pointer in transition to tie it again, 63-63, and set play-by-play guru Gus Johnson into one of his signature frenzies.

After that, though, Florida locked him up and became much more disciplined on the defensive end. Following the spurt, Fredette simply tried to do too much.

In the game's final two minutes, he was the only Cougar to attempt a shot, missing badly on two forced, deep threes. In overtime, he was 0-for-2 from the floor with two ill-timed turnovers.

BYU coach Dave Rose made a classy move in pulling Fredette in the final minute with the outcome all but decided, giving him a chance to get an ovation not just from the Cougar faithful, but also from the Florida crowd.

The game was played at the up-and-down pace that Fredette and BYU prefer, but the Cougars simply couldn't hit enough shots to keep up. As a team, they were 25-of-71 from the floor (35.2 percent) and a woeful 10-of-37 from deep (27 percent).

Fredette? Well, it was about the ugliest 32-point performance you'll see. He was 3-of-15 from deep, and despite offering up five assists, had six turnovers and never could dominate the game for more than a minute at a time.

Some may say Fredette was too selfish down the stretch, but the truth is that BYU wouldn't have been on this stage without his abnormal offensive repertoire pacing the team to 32 wins. Despite color analyst Reggie Miller jumping on him verbally for several of those shots, no one on the BYU bench seemed to mind, and if pressed, they'd probably not groan over the attempts, either.

It masked a problem that was surprisingly rare for BYU this year — Without Fredette at least performing consistently on the offensive end, winning wasn't so easy.

In the Cougars' five losses this season, he was a respectable 51-of-121 from the field (42 percent), but 14-of-48 from beyond the arc (29.2 percent).

Now, instead of playing for the school's first Final Four berth, he'll accept a new challenge in trying to quiet the critics who all season have tried to rain on his parade in saying that his NBA prospects are slim.

So how will The Jimmer be remembered? Well, for one wild season, he averaged a shade under 30 points per game, seemed to break either a different school, conference or national record every night and — let's face it — he made everyone want to watch BYU basketball.

That's how things stand right now. Keep in mind that any subject can change over time, so be sure you keep up with the latest news.

Julian Schnabel’s Controversial Movie

2011-03-24T20:21:00.000-07:00

Do you ever feel like you know just enough about to be dangerous? Let's see if we can fill in some of the gaps with the latest info from experts.

How can you put a limit on learning more? The next section may contain that one little bit of wisdom that changes everything.

"I make portraits of people. I don’t like it when people say I make biopics because I don’t," Julian Schnabel said to me this week. "The question is, does a Palestinian girl get to have her portrait painted?"

As an artist, Schnabel is no stranger to controversy. His paintings -- big, brash, imposing affairs -- have elicited some wildly divergent opinions. Yet as a filmmaker, none of the handful of movies that he's made, including the Oscar-nominated "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," has generated quite as much controversy as his latest movie, "Miral."

When the film had its US premiere earlier this month at the United Nations building, David Harris of the American Jewish Committee slammed the movie, calling it "blatantly one-sided" arguing that it portrayed Israel in a "negative light." And the AJC has not been shy about lambasting the movie on other occasions. During its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, the AJC wrote: "Without exception, the IDF [Israeli Defence Force] is stereotyped as an army of inhumane villains.... It is worthy to note that no one seems to be aware that civilians are simultaneously being blown up on Israeli streets by Palestinian 'activists.'"

The Palestinian girl in question is author Rula Jebreal. Her novel on which the movie is based is a strongly autobiographical account of her youth in West Bank. She's torn between the injustice she sees at the hands of the Israeli army during the first Intifada and a desire for peace. Not surprisingly, Israel doesn't come off looking good in the movie. But Schnabel, who is Jewish, is unapologetic.

"It’s not my job to make a balanced story. I’m not trying to get elected. I’m telling the story that’s in her book. I’m telling the story that she wrote...I think that people feel the threat of Palestinian people being considered as human beings, which is ridiculous. It’s a really a civil rights film."

"Miral" first came to his attention in 2007 during an art show at Rome's Palazzo Venezia. Jebreal, who looks uncannily like her on-screen alter ego played by Frieda Pinto, approached him with a script. "When I met her, I said to her, are you Indian?," he recalled. "She said to me, no I’m Israeli." "So you’re Jewish?" "No, I’m Palestinian." At that moment, I must have had a strange look on my face, because she said "Are you scared?" I said, "Should I be?"

Schnabel wasn’t terribly fond of the script, which was written by somebody else, but he loved Jebreal's book. He had her re-write the screenplay, which hewed much closer to the novel. The first hour of the movie details the life, not of the main character, Miral, but of Hind Husseini, the woman who founded the Dar Al-Tifel Institute, the all-girls orphanage where Jebreal was raised. Miral's worldview is very much informed by Husseini. Schnabel felt that this inclusion was important for the movie.

"As a storytelling device, I thought anybody who was human and sane and young that had been surrounded by this supportive environment created by Hind would try to help their own people. Anybody would try to help their own people."

His collaboration with Jebreal soon extended beyond the movie: they are now in a relationship. "She’s very pretty," he told me with a wry smile.

Schnabel has only made four feature films, but those movies have racked up a total of five Oscar nominations. His last movie, "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," received near-universal acclaim and wound up on Yahoo! Movies' Modern Classics list.

Yet he considers himself a painter, treating filmmaking as sideline to his main calling. He certainly didn't have the slick veneer one usually encounters at a Hollywood press junket. He dressed in his trademark pajama bottoms and a flannel shirt. He has a restless charisma that brings to mind a wild animal. He doesn't talk in sound bites; the last quarter of my interview with him consisted of a sustained five-minute, long run-on sentence. Yet his enthusiasm for the movie and art in general is contagious.

Schnabel doesn't plan to return to filmmaking any time soon. He's booked up with exhibitions for the next two years. "I don’t make movies for the money. I don’t do it for a career or a job. I did it because I could."

Now might be a good time to write down the main points covered above. The act of putting it down on paper will help you remember what's important about .

Do you ever feel like you know just enough about to be dangerous? Let's see if we can fill in some of the gaps with the latest info from experts.

How can you put a limit on learning more? The next section may contain that one little bit of wisdom that changes everything.

"I make portraits of people. I don’t like it when people say I make biopics because I don’t," Julian Schnabel said to me this week. "The question is, does a Palestinian girl get to have her portrait painted?"

As an artist, Schnabel is no stranger to controversy. His paintings -- big, brash, imposing affairs -- have elicited some wildly divergent opinions. Yet as a filmmaker, none of the handful of movies that he's made, including the Oscar-nominated "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," has generated quite as much controversy as his latest movie, "Miral."

When the film had its US premiere earlier this month at the United Nations building, David Harris of the American Jewish Committee slammed the movie, calling it "blatantly one-sided" arguing that it portrayed Israel in a "negative light." And the AJC has not been shy about lambasting the movie on other occasions. During its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, the AJC wrote: "Without exception, the IDF [Israeli Defence Force] is stereotyped as an army of inhumane villains.... It is worthy to note that no one seems to be aware that civilians are simultaneously being blown up on Israeli streets by Palestinian 'activists.'"

The Palestinian girl in question is author Rula Jebreal. Her novel on which the movie is based is a strongly autobiographical account of her youth in West Bank. She's torn between the injustice she sees at the hands of the Israeli army during the first Intifada and a desire for peace. Not surprisingly, Israel doesn't come off looking good in the movie. But Schnabel, who is Jewish, is unapologetic.

"It’s not my job to make a balanced story. I’m not trying to get elected. I’m telling the story that’s in her book. I’m telling the story that she wrote...I think that people feel the threat of Palestinian people being considered as human beings, which is ridiculous. It’s a really a civil rights film."

"Miral" first came to his attention in 2007 during an art show at Rome's Palazzo Venezia. Jebreal, who looks uncannily like her on-screen alter ego played by Frieda Pinto, approached him with a script. "When I met her, I said to her, are you Indian?," he recalled. "She said to me, no I’m Israeli." "So you’re Jewish?" "No, I’m Palestinian." At that moment, I must have had a strange look on my face, because she said "Are you scared?" I said, "Should I be?"

Schnabel wasn’t terribly fond of the script, which was written by somebody else, but he loved Jebreal's book. He had her re-write the screenplay, which hewed much closer to the novel. The first hour of the movie details the life, not of the main character, Miral, but of Hind Husseini, the woman who founded the Dar Al-Tifel Institute, the all-girls orphanage where Jebreal was raised. Miral's worldview is very much informed by Husseini. Schnabel felt that this inclusion was important for the movie.

"As a storytelling device, I thought anybody who was human and sane and young that had been surrounded by this supportive environment created by Hind would try to help their own people. Anybody would try to help their own people."

His collaboration with Jebreal soon extended beyond the movie: they are now in a relationship. "She’s very pretty," he told me with a wry smile.

Schnabel has only made four feature films, but those movies have racked up a total of five Oscar nominations. His last movie, "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly," received near-universal acclaim and wound up on Yahoo! Movies' Modern Classics list.

Yet he considers himself a painter, treating filmmaking as sideline to his main calling. He certainly didn't have the slick veneer one usually encounters at a Hollywood press junket. He dressed in his trademark pajama bottoms and a flannel shirt. He has a restless charisma that brings to mind a wild animal. He doesn't talk in sound bites; the last quarter of my interview with him consisted of a sustained five-minute, long run-on sentence. Yet his enthusiasm for the movie and art in general is contagious.

Schnabel doesn't plan to return to filmmaking any time soon. He's booked up with exhibitions for the next two years. "I don’t make movies for the money. I don’t do it for a career or a job. I did it because I could."

Now might be a good time to write down the main points covered above. The act of putting it down on paper will help you remember what's important about .

“Zombie” ants fall victim to mind-control fungus

2011-03-10T23:48:00.000-08:00

'Zombie ants' may sound like the title of an Ed Wood movie, but, according to National Geographic, they are quite real.

Oddly, there's nothing very zombie-like about the actual ants. It's only when a particular fungus takes over the ant's brain that things get weird.

Once the "stalk of the newfound fungus species Ophiocordyceps camponoti-balzani infects an ant, the ant gives up control over its own body. After the fungus is in control, it forces the ant to scamper toward "a location ideal for the fungi to grow and spread their spores." Then, it's lights out for the ant. Who knew a fungus could be so diabolical?
These wild discoveries were made by a group in Brazil headed by entomologist David Hughes. National Geographic published a series of pictures of ants that have "lost their minds" to the fungus. Not for the squeamish.

Islamic radicalization hearings may motivate GOP base

2011-03-10T23:37:00.000-08:00

The House Homeland Security hearings on Islamic radicalism that began today have garnered widespread attention, chiefly for the controversies they've raised even before they started. Protests against the hearing have helped position King and his supporters as terrorism hawks fighting against liberals soft on terror.

King alluded to this "us versus them" battle in his opening remarks at Thursday's hearing:

King has argued that radical American Muslims are responsible for most of the terrorist attempts and attacks in the United States. since Sept. 11--and that U.S. Muslim leaders aren't doing enough to weed out radicalization within the Islamic community.

But critics argue that the hearings demonize all Muslims and will foster more discrimination against Muslim Americans. A coalition of 50 progressive groups this week described the hearings as "little more than a political show trial" in a letter to King objecting to the hearings.

A recent poll from the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press found that Americans were mostly split on whether Islam is more likely than other religions to encourage violence--40 percent agree and 42 percent disagree. By about 3-to-1, 66 percent of conservative Republicans believe Islam encourages violence more than other religions as opposed to 21 percent do not, according to the poll. Among a pool only of those who "agree with the tea party," 67 percent agree that Islam encourages more violence than other religions.

Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) is an up-and-coming GOP lawmaker firmly aligned with both the tea party and King's view of the threat posed by militant Islam. West has long railed against Islam and made many inflammatory statements about the religion.

There are many examples of strong anti-Muslim sentiment on the right. Last summer, for instance, conservative activists sought to block a proposed Muslim community center in Lower Manhattan on the grounds that it would serve to inflame the by virtue of its proximity to the former World Trade Center site. Conservative leaders such as Newt Gingrich and Sarah Palin weighed in against the project. That furor was part of a general wave of anti-mosque protests on the right, according to Muslim-American activists. A rally last month, attended by two members of Congress and several tea party groups, drew nationwide scrutiny for its anti-Muslim fervor.

But King says the purpose of his hearing is not to feed anti-Muslim sentiment. Rather, he insists that the panel will focus on terrorism and the threat of terrorism from within the Muslim community. And GOP leaders on Capitol Hill echo that view.
Again, that's a fairly well accepted notion at this point and that's where Chairman King has gone."

Appeal of iPad 2 Is a Matter of Emotions

2011-03-10T23:28:00.000-08:00

“An utter disappointment and abysmal failure” (Orange County Design Blog). “Consumers seem genuinely baffled by why they might need it” (Businessweek). “Nothing more than a luxury bauble that will appeal to a few gadget freaks” (Bloomberg). “Insanely great it is not” (MarketWatch). “My god, am I underwhelmed” (Gizmodo).

Good heavens! What a critical drubbing! Whatever it is must be a real turkey. What could it be?

Only the fastest-selling gadget in the history of electronics: the Apple iPad.

All right, let’s not pile onto the tech critics. The thing is, they were right, at least from a rational standpoint. The iPad was superfluous. It filled no obvious need. If you already had a touch-screen phone and a laptop, why on earth would you need an iPad? It did seem like just a big iPod Touch.

But as it turns out, the iPad’s appeal is more emotional than rational. Once you get it in your hands, you get caught up in the fascination of manipulating on-screen objects by touching them. Apple sold 15 million iPads in nine months, created a mammoth new product category and started an industry of copycats. Apparently, it doesn’t pay to bet against Steve Jobs’s gut instinct.

On Friday the iPad 2 goes on sale, for the same price as the old one (from $500 for the Wi-Fi-only model with 16 gigabytes of storage, to $830 with 64 gigabytes and both Wi-Fi and cellular Internet connections). And if you thought there was an intellectual/emotional disconnect before, wait till you see this thing.

On paper, Apple didn’t do much. It just made the iPad one-third thinner, 15 percent lighter and twice as fast. There are no new features except two cameras and a gyroscope. I mean, yawn, right?

And then you start playing with it.

My friends, I’m telling you: just that much improvement in thinness, weight and speed transforms the experience. We’re not talking about a laptop or a TV, where you don’t notice its thickness while in use. This is a tablet. You are almost always holding it. Thin and light are unbelievably important for comfort and the overall delight. So are rounded edges, which the first iPad didn’t have.

The iPad 2 is now 0.34 inches thick. Next to it, the brand-new Motorola Xoom — the best Android competitor so far — looks obese. Yet somehow, the new iPad still gets 10 hours of battery life on a charge.

Some of the iPad’s new features play industry catch-up. A 5-megapixel camera on the back (no flash) can also record high-definition video. If you’ve never used a tablet as a camera, you’re in for a treat; the entire screen is your viewfinder. It’s like using an 8-by-10 enlargement to compose the scene.

There’s also a low-resolution front camera that’s useful for video calls, like clear, sharp Wi-Fi calls to iPhone 4, Touch, iPad 2 and Mac owners using Apple’s FaceTime software.

You can now connect the iPad to a hi-def TV, thanks to a single H.D.M.I. adapter ($40) that carries both audio and hi-def video. What you see on the TV mirrors whatever is on the iPad, which makes it a great setup for teaching, slide shows, presentations, YouTube and movies. It works automatically and effortlessly.

The more expensive iPad 2 models can also go online using either AT&T’s or Verizon’s cellular networks, but figuring out the right pricing plan requires a graduate degree in forensic accounting. With AT&T, for example, you can pay $15 a month for 250 megabytes of data, or $25 for two gigabytes. Verizon’s plans are 1 gigabyte for $20, 3 for $35, 5 for $50 or 10 for $80. O.K., but how are you supposed to know how many megabytes a bunch of Web pages and YouTube videos are going to consume?

On the bright side, both AT&T and Verizon let you sign up for cell service right from the iPad, only when you need it — no two-year contract. You can turn on service only when you’ll be traveling, for example.

Now, about Apple’s new iPad screen cover. Ordinarily, devoting time to a technology review of a screen cover would indicate that the columnist was a few sandwiches shy of a picnic. But Apple’s new cover is a perfect symbol of its fondness for high-tech magic tricks.

You attach this single sheet by drawing it across the iPad’s face as though you’re making a bed. With a satisfying clicking sound, hidden magnets anchor the thing solidly to the iPad’s face.

“But Dad,” my 6-year-old son pointed out, “you’re supposed to keep magnets away from electronics!”

“I know,” I replied sagely. “But this is Apple.” And then I showed him how opening the cover turns the iPad on automatically, and closing it again puts the thing back to sleep.

This cover ($40 for polyurethane in five colors, or $70 for leather in five other colors) is not for protecting the screen, whose hardened glass doesn’t need much help. It’s for fashion, for cleaning (Apple says that the cover’s microfibers mop away dust) and for propping up the iPad. Clever hinges in the cover’s rigid panels prop up the iPad at two different angles, so you can watch movies or freely use the on-screen keyboard with both hands.

There’s a gyroscope in the iPad, too, just as in the iPhone 4. You notice it only when you play games that have been written to exploit it. For example, you can look behind you in the Nova 2 shoot-’em-up environment by moving the iPad around you, or “walk around” the tower of wood blocks in Jenga.

Now, the coming months will bring a blizzard of tablets that are meant to compete with the iPad. And they’ll offer some juicy features that the iPad still lacks. On an Android tablet, you can speak to enter text into any box that accepts typing. You also get an outstanding turn-by-turn navigation app — and GPS maps are a different experience on a 10-inch screen. It’s like being guided to your destination by an Imax movie.

Furthermore, new Android tablets will be able to play Flash videos and animations on the Web, something that both Apple and Adobe (maker of Flash) assure us will never come to the iPad (or iPhone). Flash on a tablet or phone can be balky and battery-hungry, but it’s often better than nothing. Thousands of news and entertainment Web sites still rely on Flash, and the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch simply can’t display them.

But you know what? The iPad will still dominate the market, because it dominates in all the most important criteria: thinness, weight, integration, beauty — and apps.

Oh, yes, the apps: there are 65,000 apps already available for the iPad (not including the 290,000 iPhone apps that run at lower resolution on the iPad’s screen). But Google’s programming kit for tablets just came out, so there are very few apps written for larger Android screens.

The kicker, though, may be the price. Apple is at the top of its game these days — and at the top of the industry. The rap, of course, is that you often pay extra for Apple elegance.

But the shocker here, though, is that the iPad 2 actually costs less than its comparably equipped Android rivals, like the Xoom and the Samsung Galaxy Tab. That twist must have something to do with Apple’s huge buying clout — when you order five million of some component at a time, you can usually persuade the vendor to cut you a deal.

But that surprising price detail may turn a lot of heads. It means that for the first time, your heart can succumb to the iPad mystique — without having to ignore the more practical input from your brain.

Guinness: Kinect sets record as fastest-selling consumer electronics device

2011-03-10T23:21:00.000-08:00

Microsoft's Kinect camera system is all about movement, but no one could have imagined it would move this quickly.

The company today revealed some startling sales info for the motion-control device. According to Microsoft, since launching in November of 2010 they've sold over 10 million Kinect sensors worldwide. Even more impressive is the rate at which those units were sold: in its first 60 days (between November 4, 2010 and January 3, 2011), eight million Kinects were sold, an average of 133,333 Kinects per day.

Big numbers? To Guinness World Records, they're pretty much the biggest ever. The record-tracking authority has officially stated that Kinect is now the fastest-selling consumer electronics device of all time, outpacing even Apple's iPod and iPad during their equivalent launch periods.

"The sales figures here speak for themselves," said Gaz Deaves, Gaming Editor for Guinness World Records. "According to independent research, no other consumer electronics device sold faster within a 60-day time span, which is an incredible achievement considering the strength of the sector."

Make note of that little "within a 60-day time span" caveat, because, well, it's sort of a huge caveat. Labeling something the "fastest-selling" of its kind depends greatly on the time period you're working with. The 60-day sales record seems somewhat arbitrary, although no less impressive a feat.
Microsoft also announced that over 10 million standalone Kinect titles have been sold.