WikiLeaks

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange breaks cover but will avoid America

US desperate to ask hacker what he knows of classified messages about Iraq and Afghanistan wars

 

Julian Assange of WikiLeaks spoke to the Guardian in Brussels after emerging from a month in hiding

The elusive founder of WikiLeaks, who is at the centre of a potential US national security sensation, has surfaced from almost a month in hiding to tell the Guardian he does not fear for his safety but is on permanent alert.
Julian Assange, a renowned Australian hacker who founded the electronic whistleblowers' platform WikiLeaks, vanished when a young US intelligence analyst in Baghdad was arrested.
The analyst, Bradley Manning, had bragged he had sent 260,000 incendiary US state department cables on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to WikiLeaks.
The prospect of the cache of classified intelligence on the US conduct of the two wars being put online is a nightmare for Washington. The sensitivity of the information has generated media reports that Assange is the target of a US manhunt.
"[US] public statements have all been reasonable. But some statements made in private are a bit more questionable," Assange told the Guardian in Brussels. "Politically it would be a great error for them to act. I feel perfectly safe … but I have been advised by my lawyers not to travel to the US during this period."
Assange appeared in public in Brussels for the first time in almost a month to speak at a seminar on freedom of information at the European parliament.
He said: "We need support and protection. We have that. More is always helpful. But we believe that the situation is stable and under control. There's no need to be worried. There's a need always to be on the alert."
Manning is being held incommunicado by the US military in Kuwait after "confessing" to a Californian hacker on a chatline, declaring he wanted "people to see the truth".
He said he had collected 260,000 top secret US cables in Baghdad and sent them to WikiLeaks, whose server operates out of Sweden. Adrian Lamo, the California hacker he spoke to, handed the transcripts of the exchanges to the FBI.
Manning was promptly arrested in Baghdad at the end of last month and transferred to a US military detention unit in Kuwait. He has been held for more than three weeks without charge.
Assange said WikiLeaks had hired three US criminal lawyers to defend Manning but that they had been granted no access to him. Manning has instead been assigned US military counsel.
While WikiLeaks declined to confirm receipt of the material from Manning, it has already released a film of a US Apache helicopter attack on civilians in Baghdad.
It has also posted a confidential state department cable on negotiations in Reykjavik over Iceland's financial collapse and is preparing to disclose much more material, including film of a US attack that left scores of civilians dead in Afghanistan.
The material is believed to derive from Manning, although WikiLeaks does not reveal its sources and its operations are designed to mask the source of the files it receives.
Prominent US whistleblowers and lawyers have advised Assange to stay out of the US and to be ultra-careful about his travel and public appearances. "Pentagon investigators are trying to determine the whereabouts of [Assange] for fear that he may be about to publish a huge cache of classified state department cables that, if made public, could do serious damage to national security," US web paper the Daily Beast reported 10 days ago.
"We'd like to know where he is – we'd like his co-operation in this," a US official was quoted as saying.
Daniel Ellsberg, who leaked the Pentagon Papers – a top secret study about the Vietnam war – in 1973, spoke to the Daily Beast.
He said: "I would think that [Assange] is in some danger. Granted, I would think that his notoriety now would provide him some degree of protection."
Assange said: "Some fear for my life. I'm not one of them. We have to avoid some countries, avoid travel, until we know where the political arrow is pointing."
He added that WikiLeaks had been trying, "unsuccessfully so far", to contact Manning in Kuwait.
"Clearly, a young man is detained in very difficult circumstances with the allegation he is the whistleblower. We must do our best to obtain freedom for him."
Regarding his own predicament, Assange said the US state department had signalled it was not seeking any WikiLeaks people because the Pentagon's criminal investigations command had assumed the lead role in the case.
Apart from preparing much more material for release, WikiLeaks is planning to publicise a secret US military video of one of its deadliest air strikes in Afghanistan in which scores of children are believed to have been killed in May last year.
The Afghan government said about 140 civilians were killed in Garani, including 92 children. The US military initially said that up to 95 died, of whom about 65 were insurgents.
US officials have since wavered on that claim. A subsequent investigation admitted mistakes were made.
In April WikiLeaks released the Baghdad video, prompting considerable criticism of the Pentagon.
The film was edited and produced in Iceland where Assange spends a lot of his time and which last week prepared the most radical and liberal freedom of information legislation anywhere in the world.
Birgitta Jonsdottir, an Iceland MP and anti-war activist who led the drive for the new laws, co-produced the WikiLeaks version of the Baghdad video.
"I worked on it 18 hours a day through the Easter holidays," she said.
Jonsdottir, a close associate of Assange, said the WikiLeaks founder "went into hiding when the story of Manning's arrest was published".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/jun/21/wikileaks-founder-julian-assange-breaks-cover

Prader Willi Syndrome

Prader Willi Syndrome is also known as PWS is a rare genetic disease. PWS symptoms may be different. Some of the most common symptoms are muscle weakness and the insatiable appetite, which leads to obesity. Other symptoms include problems and characteristics of behavior, speech problems, violations of OCD type, length short, incomplete S-EX-ual development, and more.
Disorders of the name of the doctors who first noticed in 1956 by Andrea Prader, Alexis Labhart and Willi Heinrich. Much remains unknown about this disorder. It is known that Prader-Willi syndrome genetic and should not be confused with a hereditary disease. Prader Willi Syndrome occurs only in the period of 1-10 000 and 1 in 25,000 live births.

http://usspost.com/prader-willi-syndrome-13617/

Comic-Con Is Back!

• 
  
  

(CBS)  CBS heroes and the anti-heroes of Showtime will make their mark at Comic-Con 2010 in San Diego.

It runs from July 21-25.

The CBS presence, through panels, a booth, autograph signings and a joint "Fandemonium" party with Entertainment Weekly, will provide Comic-Con fans with multiple opportunities to engage with CBS and Showtime Networks' popular stars and creative teams.

"The Early Show" will be there. S[ecial correspondent and "Superfan" Tyler McGill will mix with the ultimate fans of pop culture and report live from the convention on Friday, July 23. It will be his fourth special assignment for the show since his on-air debut last month, when he discussed his 218-mile walk from Boston to New York to win Celtics playoff tickets.

The Showtime and CBS panels will include a session on the three-time Emmy Award-nominated and Peabody Award-winning series "Dexter"; a special Showtime anti-hero panel featuring the stars and creative talent behind some of television's most subversive characters, including "Weeds," "Nurse Jackie" and "Californication"; a session on the highly-anticipated return of the iconic series "Hawaii Five-0"; and CBS's "Teching Out on TV" panel comprised of stars who play the beloved tech-geek characters on "NCIS," "NCIS: LA" and "Criminal Minds," to be joined by both the creator and technical expert behind "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation."

Entertainment Weekly and CBS will jointly celebrate all things pop culture -- including the fans -- at their "Fandemonium" event on Thursday, July 22. The party will bring together stars from CBS's primetime line-up, EW.com bloggers Michael Ausiello and Jeff "Doc" Jensen, and fans attending the convention for an evening of fun, food, drinks and a live Q&A moderated by Entertainment Weekly Managing Editor, Jess Cagle.

At the CBS booth, a fun mix of CBS and Showtime talent and producers will sign autographs. Among many giveaways and contests will be the chance to win a vacation getaway to the filming location of "Hawaii Five-0," on the island of Oahu. The cast will be on-hand exclusively to sign free, specially-produced Comic-Con-"Hawaii Five-0" collectors' posters.

Since no one would savor Comic-Con more than the brilliant and quirky characters on the phenomenally popular CBS comedy series "The Big Bang Theory," it's more than fitting that, in conjunction with Warner Bros. Television, the celebrated series' cast will interact with fans at the CBS booth, the Warner Bros. booth and the CBS/Entertainment Weekly "Fandemonium" party. On Friday, July 23, the cast will participate in Warner Bros. Television's "The Big Bang Theory" panel.

Those who can't attend Comic-Con can follow the extensive on-site video and text coverage on CBS Interactive's TV.com and Gamespot.com. TV.com's editorial team will provide round-the-clock coverage of the biggest news on the hottest television shows at the convention, including interviews and coverage broadcast from the CBS booth on the exhibit floor. GameSpot.com, covering Comic-Con from a video game perspective, will feature stage demonstrations as well as interviews with the biggest movers and shakers in the gaming industry.

Additionally, Showtime Networks' SHO.com is launching a dedicated Comic-Con micro site that will host the season five "Dexter" trailer and content from the anti-hero panel, both to be showcased after their respective panels.

Showtime's anti-hero messaging will be prominently featured throughout Comic-Con with high-impact advertising both inside and outside of the convention center. The official lanyards for the over 130,000 Comic-Con attendees will be branded by Showtime's anti-hero creative, and in a media company first, so will every shuttle bus at Comic-Con.

Showtime will also launch "Dexter Game On" DexterGameOn.com, an interactive game exclusively for Comic-Con where players will step into Dexter's mind and unlock content from season five.
As devoted "Dexter" fans know, all of Dexter's victims are marked with a small incision on their right cheek, and fans at Comic-Con can show their love for the series by sporting a "Dexter" cheek slash tattoo. SHOWTIME will distribute over 100,000 lick-'n-stick tattoos throughout all four days of Comic-Con.

Fans are encouraged to take pictures of themselves at various locations around the convention and upload them to the "Dexter Game On" site. As they play throughout the weekend, gamers have the chance to unlock exclusive content and pick up "Dexter"-themed merchandise including season four DVDs.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/07/16/earlyshow/leisure/main6684608.shtml

Merle Haggard on America

We Peaked Somewhere Around 1975

A few years ago, Merle Haggard was diagnosed with lung cancer and nearly became the latest country music legend to be felled by the unforgiving combination of hard living and age. Haggard beat the disease, returned to touring and now, at 73, he’s the subject of a PBS “American Masters” special airing tonight.
The documentary, “Merle Haggard: Learning to Live with Myself,”  portrays a man trying to come to terms with a life that took him from a train-hopping delinquent to an ex-con to a country music superstar, thanks to hits like “Mama Tried” and “Okie from Muskogee.” Haggard has always been a deeply personal songwriter, re-working the major events of his life — his father’s early death, his hardscrabble childhood, the years he spent in San Quentin — again and again in his songs. And in the PBS film he’s surprisingly emotional — more tortured poet than rabble-rousing tough guy.
Speakeasy caught up with Haggard on tour in Canada to talk about the film and his new album, “I Am What I Am.”
The Wall Street Journal: In the PBS film, you say that what motivates you is trying to write that one great song. Haven’t you already written several?
Merle Haggard: It’s sort of like an athlete. Nobody wants to fight their last fight. You always feel like you’ll do your best the next time. It’s the same with songwriting. I just feel like maybe there’s a great song that might cover everything that I’ve done.
Your songs often draw on your early years. Why do you continue to explore that period?
You used the word explore. I was very, very young and everything was left to explore. Same with the conditions of the world; they were so raw and untouched and almost virgin, even though it was just 50 years ago. We’ve changed so much on this planet.
The first song on your new album — “I’ve Seen it Go Away” –- implies that both America and country music have peaked.
Maybe it seems that way to everybody and to every time period. But it seems to me we peaked somewhere around 1975. It was still a two-lane country. It was more localized. There wasn’t an identical situation on every commercial street, such as a Wendy burger and McDonald and a Taco Bell and a BP. Individuality still was in play. Radio stations got their request from a local audience. I don’t know what it did to film — I’m not much involved with it — but it sure changed music when you couldn’t call the radio station and say can we please hear so and so.
On another song you sing “Love is always lovely when it’s new.” What’s old love like?
Well, I’ve only had that experience once in my life and it happens to be now. I’m married to a girl I’ve been with since 1986. I never stayed with anybody that long, and didn’t intend to do it this time in my life but I’ve been blessed with this wonderful family. When people get married they’re positive about what they believe in. It’s a lovely thing. As it passes by, in some cases it turns into an old love that’s maybe richer. But there’s one thing for certain: 99% of the time it’s always great when it starts.
You’ve said that playing the White House in 1973 was a career highlight. Was the experience tainted because Nixon was president?
I understand that we were there the day he got word that he was possibly in serious trouble. So I didn’t get to see much of the reaction that might have been there if it was a few days later. We played for about 300 dignitaries. You know, the CEO of American Steel and his wife and so forth. Nixon was able to stand with me and his wife and my wife and introduce everyone in that room to me, and tell me about his legal education while I was in prison and had four or five stories going on and remembered everyone’s children’s names. He was magnificent with his intelligence. Maybe he was short on common sense.
Does modern country music speak to you?
In most cases –- 99% of the time — the subject matter is so shallow. Should you write something that would touch a nerve, that would be the first thing the big programmer jerks [off the air]. He don’t want anything that’s going to cause somebody to look up from their computer and bitch. [Someone at a radio station] told me that. He said, we don’t want them crying in their beer. That eliminates a lot of emotion, which is the beginning of the country song, I thought.
How’s your current tour going?

The roads and the bridges and everything are in such bad shape now that you feel like you’ve been in a fight with Muhammad Ali by the time you’ve arrived at the place to play. I had a driver who said, how in the hell have you f***ing done this for 40 years? I said, I don’t know Ray. It’s hard. But it’s a labor of love. So here I am.

http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/07/21/merle-haggard-on-america-we-peaked-somewhere-around-1975/

 

 

I-580 Oakland shooter Byron Williams was Tea Party sympathizer

According to Bob Egelko and Henry K. Lee of the San Francisco Chronicle, the man who terrorized Oakland (causing Adams Point residents to take to online chat rooms about the helicopter and shooting noise) was a parolee named Byron Williams who hated left-wing politicians and had on a bullet-proof vest.  In other words, a Tea Party sympathizer.
That he was on the Oakland stretch of I-580 may have been no accident, considering Oakland's a hot bed of left-wing political activity. Byron Williams also reads like a Tea Party sympathizer, and not exactly the warm and fuzzy kind. More like the kind that wants to harm you if you disagree with him.

Rush Limbaugh's a Tea Party hero

Is this what we're coming too? A Northern California man who's mother says was upset by "the way Congress was railroading through all these left-wing agenda items." Another Tea Party-type nut?
Doesn't that sound something like Joe Stack, the man who flew his plane into the Austin, Texas IRS Building earlier this year and who was called a Tea Party sympathizer? Or how about the Tea Party Express' Mark Williams, who just last week wrote a racist blog post against the NAACP? Someone white, male, generally middle-aged, at times not economically successful or comfortable, and angry, and who wants to take a gun or a plane (or a blog) to wreck society? All because they say they don't like the left wing political agenda (whatever that is, since the left can't seem to agree on things), when the real issue is they can't get a good job?   Rush Limbaugh, this is your fault.
As I've written before, the USA's got to fix this economy, and the only fast way is with another stimulus package. But I will put a finer point on it: the GOP has two problems: it's becoming known by the company it draws in loony-bin angry older white men like Rush Limbaugh and who want to harm people either mentally or physically, and really because their own economic lot isn't great (except for Rush, who makes a half-billion off hate), and the GOP is not helping President Obama fix the economy. So the GOP and the Tea Party, and its extremist expressions of hate for liberal politics are in a way responsible for encouraging the actions of i-580 Shooter (now he has a title) Byron Williams, and for Joe Stack too.
The GOP better look at itself and start being part of the solution, because it and Fox News are helping to produce domestic terrorists at an alarming rate. Republicans can't just ignore the Tea Party Express, it must totally repudiate it, and the actions of its most hateful members. Fox News has to stop being the place where people like Byron Williams and his Mom get their half-basked anti-American-government ideas, and, I assert, become so riled up they take action against America and its people.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/abraham/detail??blogid=95&entry_id=68175#ixzz0uBBdLNo3

Silibil ‘N Brains – The Fake ‘American’ Rappers Who Fooled Everyone

The Fake ‘American’ Rappers Who Fooled Everyone
Gavin Bain and Billy Boyd were two college friends from Dundee, Scotland, trying to make a name for themselves in rap music. But despite a talent for spinning rhymes, they couldn’t make it past the local scene. They even traveled to London for open auditions to become the next Eminem, but were told that they sounded more like a rapping version of the thick-accented pop group The Proclaimers.
Bain and Boyd returned disappointed that no one would take them seriously. So they adopted new identities, Bain as Brains McLoud and Boyd as Silibil, and invented an elaborate back story: They were from a small town in California, got kicked out of school and ran out of money in the U.K., where they were currently working to make it as the rap group Silibil ‘N Brains. They based their personas on their favorite comedians — Jim Carrey, who is actually Canadian, and Chris Tucker — and rapped with American accents. That made all the difference, Bain tells Weekend All Things Considered host Guy Raz.
“These lyrics were just the same when we did them again in American accents,” he says. “There was nothing different, and all of a sudden, people were saying, ‘Oh, wow. They’re just as good as Eminem.’ But in the Scottish accent, they’re saying, ‘Oh, no. They don’t have any talent.’ ”
The group eventually signed a $350,000 record deal with Sony U.K. and recorded three albums. They dropped small clues to their true identities in their lyrics, as in “Losers,” which subtly mocks the people who bought their story.
“We kind of liked to put little hints about what we were actually doing,” Bain says, “because we knew as soon as the record came out, we were going to come clean and that would make sense. It was a very naive plan.”
One lie in particular took on a life of its own. Bain and Boyd claimed to be close friends of Eminem and D-12, but when their manager told them that Silibil ‘N Brains would be joining the rappers on their U.K. tour, they didn’t know what to do. Bain says they couldn’t avoid them on the whole tour, so they decided to go for it.
“We walked over and we started throwing high-fives and cuddling them and acting like we were the best of friends. And they just went along with it,” he says. “To everyone else, it just really looked real.”
When Lies Become Life
Bain and Boyd dodged that bullet, but there were numerous other close calls — some of which appear in Bain’s book California Schemin’. When the group appeared on MTV’s TRL, fans and friends starting flooding message boards about their Scottish origins. Bain says he and Boyd worked to shut down the sites and keep their secret under wraps.
“It just got carried away,” Bain says. “There was so much money involved. The plan was originally to come out, but… when it got big enough… we stood to be sued [by the record company].”
The stress of the lies had Bain and Boyd at each other’s throats, Bain says. They even stopped talking to their friends and parents.
“We were so in love with these characters,” he says. “We couldn’t get out of the character. It was complete insanity.”
Eventually, the pressure became too much. Bain says they had a violent fight about keeping up the facade. Boyd wanted to leave the group and marry his girlfriend back in Scotland, but Bain didn’t want to jeopardize the group. The next day, Boyd was gone, leaving just one half of Silibil ‘N Brains.
Although his music deal fell apart, Bain continued to live in character as Brains McLoud for the next two years. He lived on welfare and struggled with alcohol and drug abuse. Soon, he had overdosed.
“I always said when I was younger, if I hadn’t been happy with music by the time I was 25, then I would kill myself,” he says. “And that date had really crept up.”
Bain lived through his near-death experience and found several odd jobs. He worked as an escort agent and even conned his way into a job as a shoe salesman for an American company, using his American accent.
“For me, I still thought this American character I was playing — it was more beneficial to be him,” Bain says.
Finally, in 2007, Bain came out with the truth in a debut performance with his new band, Hopeless Heroic. He says it was the first time he’d been on stage sober. The reaction was mixed, but Bain says it was an inspirational story for some.
“That was the aim of it,” he says. “That was the message, to get people off their asses and doing what they want to do and never give up.”

http://newmusicreviews.net/silibil-n-brains-the-fake-american-rappers-who-fooled-everyone/

Mel Gibson Roars Oral Sex Demands in Newest Tape

In RadarOnline.com's fourth blistering Mel Gibson audio rant, the actor literally roars (think tape two) for oral sex while threatening to burn the house down.

"I deserve to be b***n first! Before the f***ing Jacuzzi! Okay? I'll burn the goddamn house up, but b**w me first!" Gibson, 54, thunders, so enraged that he's left panting for breath.

Oksana Grigorieva, 40, also apparently sought the number of Gibson's therapist, giving him more ammo to unload. "Don't you ever speak to him! Find your own g*****n therapist! Because you've got problems more than me!"

Oksana maintains supreme calm throughout the new three-minute tape.
Gibson seems to be raging over an incident that occurred with Grigorieva the evening before (honestly, it's hard to tell). "I should've woken you up and said f****ng b**w me b***h!" Mel explodes. "I should've f***in' woken you up and said, 'B**w me!' You would've liked that better, yeah? But you need the g****n sleep!"

Oksana defends herself, saying she waited in bed for him but fell asleep. This sends Mel careening off the deep end once more: "Waited and waited! What, two and a half f***ing minutes?! You're f***ing snoring. Don't you dare."

The couple have restraining orders filed against each other and are warring for custody of 8-month-old daughter Lucia. "You're a liar and you're dishonest and you're f***ed up! So you stay the f*** away from me! Take care of your f***ing son and I better have my daughter! I just want my daughter and a maid! It's a lot less f***ing trouble! They clean up after themselves, they make your g*****n bed, which you did not! You don't have to worry about emotional blackmail or any of the other bull***t you put me through. I just need a nice woman to look after my beautiful daughter."

In the previous tapes, Gibson admits to punching Oksana and threatens to kill her -- "I'll put you in the f*****g rose garden you c**t! You understand that? Because I'm capable of it." Sources tell TMZ that incidents also occurred in February and that Grigorieva spoke to deputies on Monday.

The pair broke up in April after dating for a little over a year. At the time, Grigorieva was quoted as merely saying, "We have split up, suddenly and recently ... Unfortunately, I cannot give you the reason. But you will find out everything quite soon."

The couple made their first public appearance only a few weeks after Gibson's wife of over 30 years, Robyn, filed for divorce. Gibson has seven children from that marriage. Grigorieva has a son, Alexander, from a previous relationship with actor Timothy Dalton.

http://www.popeater.com/2010/07/14/mel-gibson-tapes-rant/?sem=1&ncid=searchusnews00000004&s_kwcid=TC|11111|mel%20gibson%20tape||S||6021996513

Obama Deception Censored

Fall of the Republic Director Angry

The Obama Deception movie created by filmmaker Alex Jones (Fall of the Republic) has been posted on YouTube and created a stir these past weeks. But you may have a hard time finding it now because the Obama Deception movie has been censored and taken off YouTube.
“This was a criminal act, and You Tube needs to investigate, track the IP and find out who did it,” said Alex Jones.
The video from Google has not been taken off yet. Watch it from here.


http://dailypostal.com/2010/07/18/obama-deception-censored-fall-of-the-republic-director-angry/

David Villa

Spain had just defeated Portugal 1-0 and Vicente del Bosque was standing at the side of the pitch, a microphone under his moustache, when the camera panned back. There, over his shoulder in the stands at the Green Point Stadium was a banner. On it was the slogan: "¿¡Luis, por qué no te callas?!" Luis, why don't you just shut up?!
Fat chance. There was no way Luis Aragonés was going to shut up. After all, he was being paid for commentating on Spain for the TV channel Al Jazeera; for the duration of the World Cup talking is his job. Besides, he seemed to quite enjoy putting the boot into del Bosque, the man he reckoned had jumped into his job with indecent haste. Still, at least this time the former Spain coach would surely have something positive to say.
Spanish fans had grown annoyed with Aragonés' attacks on the man who followed him into the Spain job. When he said that Spain's opening match defeat had been "coming for some time," most considered his jibes bitter and opportunistic. Famously bad-tempered, he was still furious at his departure from the national team and sour at the way the RFEF handled the appointment of del Bosque, his successor.
And yet while they rallied around the current coach, while they appealed for unity and sniped at the snipers, bit-by-bit some Spanish fans and media commentators were struck by a worrying thought: what if the former coach was right? This had not been the best of World Cups so far. They had been beaten and even when they won they didn't win the right way. Their precise, short-passing style has been described as tiki-taka, roughly "touch-touch" but some suggested it had deserted them. There was tiki but no taka.
Spain didn't look much like, well, Spain.
Tuesday night, at last, it did. Certainly by the end, it did. Before the match Aragonés said that he didn't have much confidence in Spain. By the end of it, everyone else did. Before the game, he said Portugal might win "quite easily." By the end of it, Spain had. By the end of it, everyone was delighted. An occasionally nervy, heavy-legged first half -- the opening 10-minute burst apart -- gave way to an impressive second.
At half time, Spain had dominated possession but not found a way through against a side that had kept 20 clean sheets in their last 25 games. David Villa had drawn the best save but the chances had not been clear cut. Fernando Torres still looked some way off the pace, his touch deserting him. Worse, at the other end, Iker Casillas had twice fumbled what looked like routine catches. He redeemed himself by being very alert, quickly off his line to break down a swift Portuguese attack -- but that only served to increase the feeling of vulnerability.
Some could not help being reminded of the opening match against Switzerland, when a sucker punch, a goal that looked like a slapstick comedy routine, had condemned Spain to only its second defeat in 50 games. Everyone was looking at the possible changes, demanding them. Some wanted an extra midfielder to give them fluidity -- Cesc Fàbregas or David Silva. Some wanted a winger -- Jesús Navas or Juan Manuel Mata. Most wanted one less defensive midfielder, to jettison Sergio Busquets or Xabi Alonso in favor of a creative force. And many wanted Torres off.
Few wanted Torres off for Fernando Llorente. It was a change that implied no change in terms of formation and approach; another physical center forward to occupy the defenders. More of the same. But that was the change Vicente del Bosque went for. Patience, he had decided, was a virtue. Others may have doubted Spain but afterwards del Bosque, his voice hoarse said: "On the inside, we think we have been playing well. We weren't worried." There was no need to panic. He has insisted over and over that, despite arguments to the contrary, there has been no diluting la selección's style, even if there have been variations added. He has not committed treason against it.
Soon patience -- and the introduction of Llorente, who was excellent -- had its reward in the form of the kind of goal that many Spanish commentators like to think is the typical Spanish goal. There was plenty of tiki and this time there was plenty of taka too, Xavi Hernández and Andrés Iniesta cleverly combining in the tightest of spaces to release Villa for his fourth of the tournament -- taking him level at the top of the charts. Top scorer at Euro2008, he is on course to be top scorer at South Africa 2010.
The moment the ball went in, the game was over. The moment the ball went in Spain became Spain. But Spain had been given the chance to become Spain by being Spain in the first place. If you see what I mean ... Portugal had to react but it couldn't. Not because the Portuguese are a bad side -- although they are not especially good and they're certainly not a team built to carry the game to the opposition; their tactics consist of waiting for the counterattack -- but because once the Spanish are in front they are an exceptional one.
There have been many myths built around tika-taka. Such as the insistence that at Euro2008, Spain relied solely on neat passing and short balls, never going direct and never opting for pace or power -- resources that are often treated as if they are somehow morally inferior. Another is that tiki-taka is a route to goal, a purely offensive tactic. In fact, it is a defensive one too. Spain defends with the ball; few teams, perhaps none, can kill a game better. On Tuesday, Portugal could not even begin to find a way back into the game. Why? Because it just could not get near the ball to attack Spain.
Eased of the burden of having to score, Spain settled into a mesmerizing rhythm. The final 20 minutes were frustrating for the Portuguese; they were gripped by impotence. "Spain move the ball well, they keep possession and they scored the goal," said the Portugal manager Carlos Queiroz, with a resignation that suggested that he knew that victory had become impossible the moment Villa found the net.
Spain played a proper team, theoretically one of the tournament's strongest, and while a first goal for Portugal would certainly have changed things, it was a convincing win. In the end the Spanish boasted over 60 percent of the possession and had 10 shots on target to Portugal's three. The confidence, dented in the first three games, flooded back. Vicente was vindicated; the players, too.
When the final whistle went, the commentator shouted out: "We have seen the best of Spain, the Spain of the European Championships. We could not be happier." Down on the touchline, his pitch side reporter was talking to del Bosque, who dared to admit that his team was hopeful of "making history." Meanwhile, over on the other channel, Luis Aragonés said: "After half time Spain had possession and confidence. Quite honestly, they surprised me." But this time no one was listening.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/soccer/world-cup-2010/writers/sid_lowe/06/29/spain.portugal/#ixzz0sIJxW5es

Kyle Boller is Carrie Prejean boyfriend

Quarterback Kyle Boller is Carrie Prejean boyfriend, actually after this weekend you can call him her husband. I have your attention now right because you are wondering who the heck would marry Prejean, well never fear I am here to tell you all about Kyle which of course includes some pictures and a video of this hottie.

The hunky football player Kyle Boller is Carrie Prejean’s boyfriend but only for a little while longer as the two are rumored to be tying the knot this weekend in San Diego. Kyle and Carrie became engaged in February after a year and a half of dating. It is interesting timing given the fact that Kyle will be vying for a spot as back up quarterback with the Oakland Raiders when training camp begins. Certainly hope the wedding doesn’t distract him this may be his last chance to keep playing.

If you aren’t a huge football fan you probably haven’t heard much about Boller. Let me tell you about him. The Burbank, California born and raised Kyle was born to play football. He proved he was a force to be reckoned with during his days at William S. Hart High School, he was even the California State Player in 1998. Boller at one time was compared to the great John Elway during his school days. Kyle spent his college years playing for University of California.
Boller was the first round draft pick for the Baltimore Ravens in 2003, however his first season was cut short when he was injured in the thigh during the ninth game of the season. He made a great recovery and started in all games during his second season with the team. In fact he had career highs during that season. During his third season with Ravens he was yet again injured, this time it was turf toe that put him on the can not play list for seven games. Kyle fully recovered from his injuries and went on to play for the Ravens until 2009. He continued to try and prove himself despite rarely being the starting QB.
In 2009 Kyle became a free agent and signed with my favorite team the St. Louis Rams. Unfortunately for the Boller the Rams were a disaster during that season and he was unable to make any sort of lasting impression. After his disastrous year with the Rams Kyle recently signed with the Oakland Raiders.
Kyle Boller may be Carrie Prejean boyfriend or future husband but he is clearly more than that, he is a football player who has worked hard to have a career in the sport he loves.

http://www.rightcelebrity.com/?p=9441

iPhone 4 Problems

UPDATE: Apple has acknowledged the antenna problem. Steve Jobs told one iPhone 4 owner to hold it differently. He told another that "there is no reception issue. Stay tuned."
Original: Apple's iPhone 4 is off to a rough start (sales numbers, excepted).
The phone is barely in the hands of consumers, and there have been widespread gripes from early adopters. Some of these aren't one-off whines either--in one case, they involve a legitimate concern that seems to affect every unit.
The biggest complaint to emerge is that the phone's signal strength drops when a user grips the phone by the metal antenna band. Gizmodo has over a dozen videos of users showing off this problem.
We've run the same test on our phone. When we held the phone in front of us in our left hand with our fingers touching the metal band, the bars representing signal strength dropped from 5 to 1 in less than a minute.
The problem appears to involve finger-contact on certain parts of the metal band.  When we switched the phone to our right hand (which put our fingers in different positions), the signal strength remained the same.
This is a strange error.  Assuming the signal strength actually affects the quality of phone calls, Apple had better be able to fix this problem with a firmware update, or it will likely have millions of irate customers.
Other reported iPhone 4 problems are of the one-off type.  They include screens shipping with discoloration, including yellowing in the bottom right corner and fragility. The iPhone has already been scratched by at least one user, and another user says s/he dropped an iPhone from a foot up and the glass back of the phone shattered.
Apple will likely sell 1+ million units today, so the scratched, broken, and yellow phones don't seem much of a concern (although any other company would be catching hell for them). The reception problem, however, could be a big issue.

http://www.businessinsider.com/iphone-4-problem-2010-6

El Debarge

El Debarge,Chico Debarge:El DeBarge triumphant return to the stage in 2010 “BET Awards” on June 27 was only the beginning of the second chance of life of one of R and B Pop’s most famous and popular vote.
“Second Chance”
On a starry show, DeBarge sang the title track from his forthcoming album, aptly “Second Chance, which will be released this autumn on Geffen Records, and a medley of his R & B hits” All This Love, “I Like It” opens the Time “and” Rhythm Of Night “.

Mental performance of charismatic DeBarge has opened exciting new chapter in the history of a man whose emotional, romantic, inspiring a generation of music fans and installed on the same thing for another. “I want the world to know what everyone deserves another chance,” says DeBarge.
His long-awaited fifth solo album, “Second Chance tells her story of ransom, which followed a period of personal upheaval for the immensely talented singer and composer.
Earlier, his falsetto soft and smooth songs about love after 16, top 10 and with his family, DeBarge, one of the most popular young American R & B Pop acts of the 80′s, and as a solo performer. But Al still heard even after the arena after 1994 heart and soul, cooperation with Babyface.
Each of the Notorious B.I.G. and Ashanti to Mariah Carey and Patti LaBelle covered or sampled hits featuring him as lead singer, many of which he also wrote and produced. Original reserve now refreshed and renewed ready to take its place again among the real stars of R and B.
The songs on “Second Chance has co-authored and co-produced some of the most famous music hitmakers, including Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Babyface, Mike City, Michelangelo, Mishka, Avila Brothers and Ron Fair.

 http://www.12news.us/el-debargechico-debarge.html

England, and so, its Germany in the Last 16

With a sort of grim inevitability, England will play Germany on Sunday. England performed really well to finally get off to winning ways this Afternoon, but as did USA just about, which put England second in the group. A stunning German winner means its the old enemy in the next round. I know, I know. You aren’t looking forward to it. Germany looked fantastic in their opener against Australia, were robbed of at least a draw in the second game, and did enough in the third.
The Germans are not invincible. If we play to our full strength, we’ve got every chance I think. And while there is no team I would hate to be knocked out by, there are fewer teams I’d love to see us beat. Especially on penalties.

Ah yes penalties. Its pretty tempting to conclude that those might come up on Sunday night. How sweet would it be to finally beat the hoodoo against the Germans?
I’m saying lets be realistic, but lets be positive. I mean, what the hell. No-one in this tournament has stood really far out just yet, and maybe we can have a run at it. We’ll probably have Argentina in the next round, and I think that’s winnable. But lets not get ahead of ourselves. Its Germany, Sunday, and its not as bad as you think.
We’re unbeaten, and the only goal we’ve conceded was a freak goal. We’ve reasons to be cheerful if we can start playing well as well.

http://england.worldcupblog.org/world-cup-2010/and-so-its-germany-in-the-last-16.html

Toronto Earthquake Magnitude 5.0

A magnitude 5.0 earthquake has just hit Toronto, Canada and was also felt "in a number of U.S. states, including Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Vermont, New Hampshire, New Jersey and New York." The USGS "initially said the quake had a 5.5 magnitude, but later reduced it to a magnitude-5.0." Continue reading for a news report.

The USGS said the quake occurred at a depth of about 12 miles (19.2 kilometers). The quake came just ahead of the weekend summit of G-20 and G-8 world leaders in Toronto and Huntsville, Ontario.

http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/toronto-earthquake-reported-to-be-magnitude-5-0

France World Cup

Les Bleus broke our hearts…and (as fans) we deserve better

With the events over the past few days, its easy to feel like the Bleus have turned their back on the fans

*Post written to the tune of Everybody Hurts by REM…audio at bottom of post (below the jump)*

Please note: The timeline of events has been updated thanks to additions and clarifications made in the comments section of the post. Credit to Justin and Sandrahn! 

I’ve been a fan of the Bleus since 1998, ever since the team’s glorious World Cup win in Paris – I became a passionate fan of the Bleus after their infamous first round exit in the 2002 World Cup.  But, the feeling of losing so miserably after such joyous feelings and high expectations upset me, and formed my desire to follow the team until the day they would avenge the past and win the World Cup again.  With each year I’ve become more enthralled with the Bleus- and though I joined the France-mania in 1998, I’m hardly a fair weather fan who jumped on the bandwagon.  Since 2002,I can count the number of games I’ve missed on one hand.  At times, it’s even mysterious to me how I have developed such a strong connection with Les Bleus.   There have been a lot of times when I could have abandoned the team because the Bleus are not always an easy team to love.  Growing up in Texas (the founder of freedom fries), it was hardly a passion that was encouraged and I’m pretty sure I was the only one on the France bandwagon.  Even outside of those cultural issues, both the French Football Federation’s as well as the team’s performances and behavior the past decade have alienated even their most ardent supporters.  In 2006, France fans were given a brief reprieve when they managed to string together 3 magnificent performances in a row (Spain, Brazil, Portugal) to make it to the finals of the 2006 World Cup in Germany.  For reasons we all know, we did not win that Cup.  And it is clear that without a miracle, we will not win it this year either.  And it breaks my heart.  Really.

There are differences in fans’ dedication levels. Bandwagon or fair-weather fans will get excited and follow teams only when they’re playing well or during big competitions such as the World Cup.  But hardcore fans get very connected emotionally and dedicate themselves to the team every year, despite its record. These people experience powerful emotions from watching the team and support them through the ecstasy of winning and the agony of defeat.  These are the types of fans which seemingly live and die with their favorite teams and athletes.  In any match, scenes of one fan throwing back their head in desperation are juxtaposed against the opposition’s supporters jumping up and down in jubilation.  While the Mexican fans broke our their sombreros and tequila (before you accuse me of breaking out an ethnic stereotype, some of them actually did that), France fans experienced a barrage of emotions:  sadness that their team was most likely going home in the first round, anger that the players didn’t seem to care, confusion over why a team of talented players could create neither a credible offense or defense and frustration that had the FFF made changes in 2008, this could have been avoided.

That bond is a two-edged sword. A win by your favorite team can pick you up, but a loss is demoralizing (to say the least). Beyond losses, fans can feel a personal connection to players, which is why when even “off the field” scandals like Frank Ribery’s occur, fans can feel betrayed.  There’s a lot in my relationship with the Bleus that I’m not proud of. I’ve cancelled lunches and dates at the movies because a game was on. My temper has snapped like a twig more than a few times and I’ve yelled at everyone in the room when the pundit misrepresented or distorted game or a player, or when one of my friends had the audacity to chat during a game.  Of course if we won, it’s shots for everybody…

As a France fan, I’ve experienced many great and unforgettable moments. But as Bleus supporters know too well, there have been too many moments when they find a way to break your heart.  When I saw Fabio Cannavaro and the rest of the Italian team raise the Cup  in 2006 and heard the celebration from the Spanish fans in 2008, it was gut-wrenching.  But neither of those can compare to what I have felt since the game against Mexico on Friday.

Since then, the shit has really hit the fan and I have felt more like I was watching a soap opera unfold rather than a team of world-class professionals participate in one of the biggest events in their career.  While it was clear going into this tournament that all was not well, I never would have imagined that things would spiral out of of control this quickly.  We all knew Domenech was not the right man to lead the Bleus for this tournament – that was abundantly clear in 2008.  But, for reasons they have yet to explain, the FFF declared he was the appropriate man for South Africa.  Since then, the atmosphere surrounding a team has resembled a country about to break into civil war.  The FFF were pitted against both the public and the their famous alumni who repeatedly (every chance they got) denounced the FFF and Domenech.  For most of the two years, Domenech has taken a majority of the hits and criticism.  And while he is certainly not blameless by any means, surely we can all agree that there is enough blame to go around.  But the lack of transparency and the team’s insistence of shrouding everything in secrecy has made it difficult to determine how to assign the blame.  Instead, we are left to put the pieces together by a dramatic press corps who seem more interested in selling papers than writing the truth, a team of players whose oversized egos result in them constantly deflecting and blaming everyone else, Domenech who is clearly clueless and has no clue what is going on and how to fix it as well as the Federation who appear willing to do almost anything to salvage their reputation.  And yet none of these people appear willing to take any responsibility for the position we are in now.  And what position is that, you ask?  Let’s just summarize the events of the last few days…

http://france.worldcupblog.org/world-cup-2006/les-bleus-broke-my-heart-but-its-time-to-move-on.html

2010 Summer Solstice Is Here

Let the fun begin!
It seems like every one looks forward to the summer solstice. It began today at 7:28 a.m in the US and today at 11:28 UT in the UK. Summer fun begins at this time.
Solstice means “the sun stands still”. It is actually the longest day of the year and the shortest night of the year. The northern hemisphere celebrates in June and the southern hemisphere celebrates their longest day in December.
The sun has such respect and admiration all over the world it is celebrated in many ways. In England thousands gather together at Avebury and Stonehenge to welcome in the sunrise on the first day of summer. The Chinese honor Li, the Chinese Goddess of Light on the Summer Solstice.
Pagan festivals still happen in June, a sacred fire is lit and people gather and stay up all night to welcome in the dawn.
The beginning of summer just seems to make people happy maybe because there is more time spent out side in the parks, at the beach and at your favorite swimming pool.

 http://www.ecanadanow.com/lifestyle/2010/06/21/2010-summer-solstice-is-here/

At least 12 hurt after Chicago subway fire

CHICAGO (BNO NEWS) — At least twelve people were injured after a fire broke out in the Chicago subway near Chicago Station on Sunday afternoon, authorities said.
The fire broke out at around 5 p.m. local time when railroad ties caught fire, creating large amounts of black smoke. The fire, in which no trains were involved, was extinguished nearly an hour later.

Chicago Fire Department spokesman Richard Rosado said at least 12 people sustained injuries, including five people who were taken to area hospitals in a critical condition. A Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) worker who sustained smoke was among the injured.
CTA spokeswoman Catherine Hosinski said power was cut off to the Red Line at 5.10 p.m., and said trains are being re-routed to the elevated tracks between Fullerton and Cermak-Chinatown.
“The Chicago Fire Department is on scene and is inspecting the tracks,” Hosinski said.
The cause of the fire is being investigated.

http://wireupdate.com/local/at-least-12-hurt-after-chicago-subway-fire/

Fire breaks out in Chicago subway

July 18, 2009 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- Black smoke poured from the CTA Red Line subway after a fire broke out on the tracks.

It caused some tense moments for people above ground who saw the smoke, and it also prompted a big response from the Chicago Fire Department.
No trains were involved in the incident, and no one was injured. However, trains had to be diverted out of the subway to the elevated tracks.
The fire department says the fire started when maintenance materials ignited in the subway near the Clark and Division station.
Over a dozen firefighters arrived after a 211 alarm was called as a precaution. Crews arrived to find at least one large fire on the tracks.
The blaze was quickly put out as emergency workers vented the subway of smoke.
"The fire was small and retained. It produced a lot of smoke. In the subway, it becomes a panic situation. Our concern was for the passengers. No reports whatsoever," said 1st Chief John Nokes of the Chicago Fire Department.
That wasn't the case in July 2006 when a fire on the CTA's Blue Line during a weekday evening commute forced riders to evacuate. Some 152 people were taken to a dozen hospitals.
Some officials said no one was hurt in Saturday's incident, probably, because it happened over the weekend.
One cheese vendor at a Farmers Market near the fire site was happy her product was possibly the only catastrophe.
"We have a perishable project. At least it didn't happen at 9 a.m. or something," said vendor Celeste Peterson.
Fire officials say that they made quick work of the blaze simply because the agencies responding to the emergency were able to communicate effectively, obviously something they have learned from past experiences.

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=6921961

The Phantom

Ryan Carnes stars as Kit Walker; The Phantom and the new story of this version of The Phantom sees law student Kit learning that he was adopted, and that he is actually the son of the 21st Phantom and Diana Palmer Walker. Kit joins the Phantom team in the jungles of Bengalla, and is trained in martial arts and combat skills, emerging as the next Phantom to battle the Singh Brotherhood and save the only man who can bring peace to the Middle East. The updated 22nd Phantom wears a modified costume that is impervous to bullets, blades and even falls, it also doubles his strength and can make him move more faster than normal. Syfy's The Phantom is here, that premieres today in the States, and as no one seems to be reviewing it, I thought I'd step up. Small Spoilers enclosed...

 

The villains are a bit over the top and comic bookie, but then again it is based on a comic book. Well the acting isn't that bad from anyone in the whole cast and this does surpass most Syfy movies I've recently seen, just watch the Phantom Racer and you'll know what I mean. Talking other characters, of course like nearly always theres a love interest and thats Renny Davidson, played by actress Cameron Goodman. Who's the daughter of a police sergeant.

Kit Walkers (though still Chris Moore at the time) life turns upside down when he meets a mentor who worked with his father Abel Vandermaark, played by Jean Marchand. Lets just say things don't go to well for Chris/Kits parents and after that Vandermaark takes him to Bengalia, where he meets the loyal Guran and a whole secret team that trains him to be the best for the next Phantom, and of course with that darn extreme sports protective Phantom suit, as lets just say he wasn't too impressed with the original costume when they showed it to him, which is the main reason we get the new one, oh and maybe for the ratings lol, seriously Syfy?

The story is a little long winded in some parts, but you have to remember this was originally shown in Canada as a two-part mini series and it does have that action packed from start to finish feel to it. I do have issues with the skull cave entrance in Bengalia, it just looked like a small side entrance than the epic one we saw in the Zane movie. Anyway lets just say The Phantom rights the wrongs and gets his justice he's after. I can see this going to a series as its much more enjoyable than some long running series out there right now. Though saying that and if it does get the ratings and goes series, it has to get the original costume back because basically you cringe every time you see this new one on screen.

The movie did do its job and entertain as a superhero TV movie but in some parts it fails to have the feel of The Phantom, mainly its down to the stupid rebooted suped-up suit, but like I said they can work around that. Just give it a chance, leave your brain for a while and it might surprise you, you might enjoy it. http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/SuperGamer/news/?a=19270

BP 'small people' comment causes anger along Gulf

VENICE, La. — The "small people" of the Gulf Coast have a humongous message for oil giant BP: They're tired of the company's big-time executives making insensitive comments.
On Wednesday, BP Chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg told reporters in Washington: "I hear comments sometimes that large oil companies are greedy companies or don't care, but that is not the case with BP. We care about the small people."
Orange Beach, Ala., Mayor Tony Kennon laughed when he heard Svanberg's remark.
"They can call me small, miniature, they can call me anything they want. Just write the check and send it to us," he said.
But Justin Taffinder of New Orleans was not amused.
"We're not small people. We're human beings. They're no greater than us. We don't bow down to them. We don't pray to them," Taffinder said.
Svanberg is Swedish, and his comments — in English — may have been an unintentional slight. He uttered the remark to reporters following a joint press conference with President Barack Obama — who had spoke of the small business owners, the fishermen and the shrimpers affected by the spill.
But coastal residents already were angry over the oil spill disaster and at BP CEO Tony Hayward's earlier comments that he "wants his life back."
Asked about the chairman's remark, BP spokesman Toby Odone told The Associated Press in an e-mail that "it is clear that what he means is that he cares about local businesses and local people. This was a slip in translation."
Lyn Ridge, 47, ferried reporters to see oil clean up operations Wednesday in a bay at Plaquemines Parish. He just shook his head when told about the "small people" comment.
Ridge describes himself as "commercial contractor that can't find work and driving boat trying to make a living." To make matters worse, Ridge figures his house on the water in Myrtle Grove has lost half it's value due to the oil spill.
"They can say he didn't mean it that way, but that's how they think of us," Ridge said. "They can't keep their foot out of their mouth," he added referring to another BP executive's desire to have his life back.
In Alabama, Terry Hanners, who owns a small construction company in Gulf Shores, said the chairman's remark revealed something about BP's frame of mind.
"These BP people I've met are good folks. I've got a good rapport with them," said Hanners, 74. "But BP does not care about us. They are so far above us. We are the nickel-and-dime folks of this world."
Kennon said he is relieved that BP agreed to put $20 billion in an escrow fund, and joked, "They better be lucky I called off the invasion of 10,000 rednecks with their rifles headed toward England anyway."

Steve Tracy as Percival Dalton inspires Nellie Oleson's AIDS activism

Steve Tracy was an actor who was probably best known for playing Percival Dalton, husband of Nellie Oleson, on one of my all-time favorite TV series, "Little House on the Prairie." We "Little House" fans remember the love story between Nellie and Percival fondly, as it started out as a love-hate relationship. Percival (who never existed in real life) was hired to teach Nellie how to cook in her own restaurant, and he was the first person who wouldn't put up with her spoiled behavior. By calling her "pretty," he gained the adoration of Nellie, and the two eventually married.
Alison Arngrim, the actress who played Nellie, has written a memoir, Confessions of a Prairie Bitch. In the book, Arngrim explains how the death of Steve Tracy from AIDS complications in 1986 inspired her to become an activist. She says in the book:
"I always referred to Steve Tracy as my 'other husband.' In the years after we both left Little House, we stayed incredibly tight. It was as if our relationship picked up where Little House left off. We kidded around and told each other dirty jokes. We still could finish each other’s sentences — without a script. It was as if we never stopped being Nellie and Percival. Steve was my friend, my teacher, the confidant I ran to if I had a fight with a boyfriend. I needed him. He was the only constant in my crazy life, and I clung to him when everything else was spinning out of control."
A chapter of Arngrim's book appears in the latest issue of The Advocate.

http://entertainment.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978307080

Pre-Order iPhone 4 Now !

Apple Store is back! and guess what? It is now accepting pre-orders for the new iPhone 4. For those of you who want the new full white iPhone 4 are out of luck for now as currently only the black one is available for pre-order.

iPhone 4 is available in two sizes: the 16GB model which costs US $199 and the 32GB model which costs US $299. iPhone 3GS 8GB is also available for pre-order for just US $99. All these devices will ship on 24th June 2010.
Apple iPhone 4 was earlier unveiled by Steve Jobs at WWDC 10 along with iOS 4 (formerly iPhone OS 4). iOS 4 will be available for public download on 21st June.
Head over to Apple Store now to pre-order yours before it gets too late !

http://www.redmondpie.com/pre-order-apple-iphone-4-now/

Laurie David

Producer Laurie David Vehemently Denies Affair With Al Gore

When Al and Tipper Gore announced their separation earlier this month, many in Washington were shocked and rumors started swirling about the cause of the split. Earlier today, Star Magazine reported that the marriage ended due to a two-year relationship between Al Gore and producer Laurie David, ex-wife of 'Curb Your Enthusiam' star Larry David.

"This report is completely, patently false," David's agent, Dorian Karchmar, told PEOPLE. "I have no idea where it started from or why, but it is absolutely, positively and patently untrue."

David also spoke to the Huffington Post saying the allegation is a "total fabrication." She went on to say, "I adore both Al and Tipper. I look at them both as family. And I have happily been in a serious relationship since my divorce."
The Gores revealed their separation on June 1, saying it was "a mutual and mutually supportive decision that we have made together." At the time, friends of the couple told PEOPLE the breakup wasn't, "one of those [cheating] situations in any remote way."

Gore's rep declined to comment on the recent allegation.

http://www.popeater.com/2010/06/15/laurie-david-denies-al-gore-affair/

Texas Pac 10

AUSTIN, TEXAS — The Big 12 is alive and kicking.

The University of Texas on Monday said it was staying in the Big 12, followed moments later by pledges from Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M to remain in a league that had seemed to be falling apart last week when Nebraska (Big Ten) and Colorado (Pac-10) decided to leave over the next two years.
The Texas announcement came shortly after Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott confirmed to The Associated Press in an e-mail that Texas had declined an invitation to become the 12th member of his conference. Scott said Texas president William Powers Jr. told him "the 10 remaining schools in the Big 12 Conference intend to stay together."
Powers wouldn't give any details about why the school decided to stay put when asked by the AP. The school has scheduled a news conference for this morning.
A person with direct knowledge of discussions among the Big 12's remaining members said Texas is clear to set up its own TV network and keep all proceeds in exchange for remaining in the Big 12. The person, speaking on condition of anonymity because nothing has been finalized, said details were still being worked out.
The fate of the conference born in 1996 when the Big 8 merged with four members of the Southwest Conference has been at risk for days, and Texas emerged as the key to the Big 12's survival. The Pac-10 courted Texas and other Big 12 South Division schools, while Texas A&M reportedly expressed interest in going to the Southeastern Conference barring a better offer.
"Texas A&M is a proud member of the Big 12 Conference and will continue to be affiliated with the conference in the future," school president R. Bowen Loftin said in a statement.
Officials at Oklahoma State and Oklahoma issued similar statements, with OSU president Burns Hargis singling out Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe for his "bold moves and intense efforts."
Beebe did not return messages seeking comment Monday.
The news that the Big 12 survived spread quickly.
"That's great news," said Scott Drew, whose Baylor men's basketball team advanced to the South regional final in the NCAA tournament a few months ago. "Obviously, we're very excited and pleased about the 10 schools staying together. It will be great to continue the rivalries and traditions."
Texas A&M had represented another wild card, with school officials meeting with Pac-10 and SEC officials in recent days. If the Aggies are serious about leaving for the SEC, no matter what Texas and the others decide, would that prompt the Longhorns, Sooners and the rest to decide the Big 12 is not worth saving with only nine members?
Texas A&M regent Gene Stallings said Monday he wants the Big 12 to survive and would vote to keep the Aggies in the league if they don't get a much better offer. Stallings told The Associated Press that keeping the Big 12 together "would tickle me to death."

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20100614/SPORTS53/6140354/Texas-announces-plan-to-remain-in-Big-12

New Xbox 360 Slim

New Xbox 360 Slim: UK Release Date in July

The new Xbox 360 Slim console was introduced at Microsoft’s E3 conference this morning, with prices and a release date for the U.S following soon after. The good news is that Microsoft has confirmed a release date for everyone in Europe who missed out on all of the fun.
As reported from VG247, the all-important date for our UK readers is July 16th. From that date onwards you’ll be able to take home the new Xbox 360 console for yourself.
It is over a month later than the U.S, but hey – you are used to it by now. Microsoft didn’t reveal UK pricing for the new console yet, but we’ll hopefullly bring you confirmation of that soon.
Microsoft confirmed the news on their official Twitter page – check out the status update here if you like. Will you be picking up the Xbox 360 in Europe? If so, let us know your thoughts on today’s events.

http://www.product-reviews.net/2010/06/14/new-xbox-360-slim-uk-release-date-in-july-twitter/

Helen Thomas

Helen Thomas issued the following statement today:   “I deeply regret my comments I made last week regarding the Israelis and the Palestinians. They do not reflect my heart-felt belief that peace will come to the Middle East only when all parties recognize the need for mutual respect and tolerance. May that day come soon.” (June 4, 2010)

Listen Up, Mr. President
Helen Thomas has covered the administrations of ten presidents in a career spanning nearly sixty years. She is known for her famous press conference closing line, "Thank you, Mr. President," but her most recent book she trades deference for directness. Thomas holds nothing back in "Listen Up, Mr. President," a witty, history-rich lesson plan of what it takes to be a good president. Combining sharp observation and dozens of examples from the first presidency through the forty-fourth, the book outlines the qualities, attitudes, and political and personal choices that make for the most successful leaders, and the least. Calvin Coolidge, who hired the first professional speechwriter in the White House, illuminates the importance of choosing words wisely. William Howard Taft, notorious for being so fat he broke his White House bathtub, shows how not to cultivate a strong public image. John F. Kennedy, who could handle the press corps and their questions with aplomb, shows how to establish a rapport with the press and open oneself up to the public. Ronald Reagan, who acknowledged the Iran-Contra affair in a television address, demonstrates how telling hard truths can earn forgiveness and even public trust. By gleaning lessons from past leaders, "Listen Up" not only highlights those that future presidents should follow but also pinpoint what Americans should look for and expect in their president. Part history lesson, part presidential primer, "Listen Up, Mr. President" is smart, entertaining, and exceedingly edifying.


Watchdogs of Democracy?The legendary journalist and bestselling author, Helen Thomas, delivers a hard-hitting manifesto on the precipitous decline in the quality and ethics of political reportage—and issues a clarion call for change. In the course of more than sixty years spent covering Washington politics, Helen Thomas has witnessed firsthand a raft of fundamental changes in the way news is gathered and reported. Gone are the days of flying in Air Force One with JFK, as she once did. Now, Thomas sees a growing—and alarming—reluctance among reporters to question the government and probe for the truth. The result has been a wholesale failure by journalists to fulfill what is arguably their most vital role in contemporary American life—to be the watchdogs of democracy. Today’s journalists, to hear Thomas tell it, have become subdued, compromised lapdogs. Watchdogs of Democracy? provides readers with rich historical perspective on the roots of American journalism, the circumstances attending the rise and fall of its golden age, and the nature and consequences of its current lapses. Drawing on her peerless knowledge of Washington politics, as well as frank interviews with leading journalists past and present, Thomas delivers a powerful discourse on the state of political reportage—as well as a welcome and inspiring demand for meaningful and lasting reform. 

http://helenthomas.org/ 

Judgement at Nuremberg

Judgement at nuremberg was  released in the year 1961, is considered one of the best ever film in the history of  entertainment.

Movie Plot :
The movie focus on the trail conducted by an  American court on Nazi’s in Germany.

Rating:
IMDB  rating 8.3 out of 10 .

User reviews :
Review given by Stanford from England
When films like this can be made.

If this is not considered as one of THE great films of all time, then all of us film fans should pack up bags and go home I cannot fault anyone, any scene, anything in this film. The dialogue races along in its smooth yet supremely captivating style. You grab a film like this, see a whole host of famous actors, and wonder if such a mix could ever work. It does, believe me, it really, really does.
Tracy. He was given the most powerful of dialogues, he presents it to us in a way that does not shout at you, yet holds you in a vice like grip every time he comes on screen. With his characteristic method of looking down whilst talking, hands in pocket, that small sly look up that he does, vintage Spencer, just how you would imagine a judge to be, or should be.
The supporting cast, again, never lets the film down. Some have the opportunity to step up a notch, Snell, Widmark, and others play their roles in a more subtle manner, Garland and Dietrich. And others just wipe away the floor with their presence, Clift and Lancaster for example.
And the story by Abby Mann – incredible.
Shot in black and white, it makes you think, it makes you smile, it will make you sad, and in the end you will be all the better for having seen one of the greatest films ever made, you will be richer for the experience, and you will be wiser.
You will also be able to say that you saw what Hollywood can do, you saw what great actors can do when put amongst their peers and are not ’stars’ of a movie but are part of a larger ensemble.
And you will also see why this particular group were, genuinely, the very best Hollywood had to offer, period.

http://www.thfire.com/entertainment-news/judgement-at-nuremberg-3647