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American Idol News - $45 Million Contract for Seacrest

2009-07-13T09:22:00.000-07:00

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Just days after it was reported that Ryan Seacrest was renegotiating his "American Idol" contract comes news that the host will be back — and for a lot of dough.

On Monday (July 13), it was announced that Seacrest, under a three-year contract with CKX, parent of "Idol" production company 19 Entertainment, will be making $15 million a year. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the deal, which triples his current salary, had been in the works for several weeks.

While "Idol" has yet to make its own announcement, THR notes that official word will come sometime Monday. The site also reports that "the three-year deal gives CKX exclusivity on Seacrest's on-camera services for broadcast TV," although the host has a separate cable deal with Comcast and works with E! as an anchor and producer on several shows, including "Keeping Up With the Kardashians."

With Seacrest's deal out of the way, the "Idol" producers can now focus on getting the judges' contracts finalized before next season. All four "Idol" judges are currently in the process of negotiating new contracts, though the season's auditions have already begun. But in May, Simon Cowell seemed certain that everyone would be back on the show.

"Everyone's going to be back. Absolutely," Cowell said just weeks before Paula Abdul hinted she'd be back for another season. "It's been honestly the best eight, nine years of my life. But I just believe sometimes everything has to come to an end."

On Monday, Seacrest took to his Twitter page to discuss the news. "Very excited about locking in a deal to host idol for this season and the following 2," he wrote, adding, "Lots of conversations going on behind the scenes but I fully expect you will see the whole team next year."

Michael Jackson's Dermatologist Warned Singer About Diprivan

2009-07-10T09:53:00.000-07:00

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A number of anonymous and secondhand insiders have come forward since Michael Jackson's death to discuss the pop star's alleged use, and possible abuse, of prescription medicines. And on Wednesday, one of the people who had direct knowledge of Jackson's medical history, longtime dermatologist Arnold Klein, told CNN's Larry King that he occasionally gave Jackson the powerful painkiller Demerol after surgical procedures, but that he had warned his patient about using the powerful anesthetic Diprivan, which Jackson is alleged to have used to combat chronic insomnia.

Klein said he was not surprised to learn that investigators found a number of prescription drugs in the singer's rented Beverly Hills-area home at the time of his death.

"I'm very shocked by it, but I have to tell you it's not something that would be unheard of," Klein told King. "I knew at one point that he was using Diprivan when he was on tour in Germany," he added, not specifying the date of the alleged use. "He was using it to go to sleep at night. I told him he was absolutely insane. I said, 'You have to quit it. This drug, you can't repeatedly take.' "

Citing an anonymous source, CNN reported on Wednesday that the Los Angeles County Coroner's office had put together a list of Jackson's doctors whom they are planning to talk to about what drugs they may have prescribed to the singer over the years. Klein was reportedly on that list. According to two other anonymous sources close to the Jackson family, Janet Jackson was so concerned after visiting the emaciated singer in 2007 that she attempted to stage an intervention with assistance from some of her siblings, CNN said.

Faced with the potential confrontation, Jackson reportedly ordered his security detail to deny family members entrance to his house, refusing to take calls from his mother, Katherine, as well. "If you tried to deal with him, he would shut you out," one unnamed source told CNN. "You just wouldn't hear from him for long periods." Shortly following the alleged attempt at an intervention, the family released a statement denying it, though Janet was not among the names on the release.

"Michael, at one time, had an addiction. He went to England and withdrew that addiction, where he went off drugs altogether," Klein said, referring to Jackson's 1993 stint in rehab. Klein also denied ever giving Jackson any drugs beyond those needed for surgery. "If you took all the pills I gave him in the last year at once, it wouldn't do anything to you," he said.

Investigators have not yet determined what caused Jackson's death at the age of 50 on June 25, and final results from toxicology tests are expected in several weeks. Reports have claimed that police said numerous prescription drugs, including Diprivan, were found at the home. Last week, anonymous sources claimed to CNN that Jackson traveled with an anesthesiologist on his mid-1990s HIStory world tour to help him cope with chronic insomnia by helping to "take him down" at night and "bring him back up" in the morning.

Klein, who could not be reached for comment at press time and who has also denied reports that he is the biological father of Jackson's two oldest children, told CNN that he did not see Diprivan (Propofol) or IV poles in the singer's home.

Again citing an unnamed source reportedly involved with the investigation into Jackson's death, CNN reported on Wednesday that when the singer collapsed in his home shortly before suffering cardiac arrest, his arms were riddled with "numerous track marks" that "could certainly be consistent with the regular IV use of a drug, like Diprivan." Dr. Klein, however, who claims to have examined Jackson as recently as the Monday before his death, said he never saw track marks on the singer's arms, but that he didn't always examine his entire body.

The source said it was too soon to say whether an IV drip of Diprivan caused the track marks, some of which appeared fresh. The newer ones could have been made by IVs that paramedics used when they tried to revive Jackson. Last week, nutritionist Cherilyn Lee said that Jackson had pleaded with her to supply him with Diprivan because he was suffering from chronic insomnia, but that she refused.

Michael Jackson's Mother Gets His Kids

2009-06-30T05:27:00.000-07:00

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While the tributes to Michael Jackson keep flowing in, his family moved quickly to take control of his complicated personal and financial affairs yesterday.

And there were new revelations about his death, with a lawyer saying it took up to half an hour for paramedics to be called to Jackson's home after he was found stricken in his bedroom.

Jackson's mother, Katherine, won temporary custody yesterday of Michael's three children, aged 7 to 12.

The children – Michael Joseph Jackson Jr. (known as Prince Michael), Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince Michael II – are living at the Jackson family compound in L.A.'s San Fernando Valley.

The Jacksons say they have not heard from Debbie Rowe, mother of the two older children, since their son's death.

A judge also allowed Katherine Jackson, 79, to take control of personal property of Michael's now in the hands of an unnamed third party but not any of the money in Jackson's estate.

Hearings have been scheduled for July 6 and Aug. 3 to consider Katherine Jackson's requests to be appointed the children's permanent guardian and to take charge of Jackson's estate.

Meanwhile, information about the delay in calling paramedics to Jackson's home came from Matt Alford, a partner in the law firm representing Dr. Conrad Murray, the physician who found Jackson with a faint pulse and performed CPR.

Alford said Murray was unfamiliar with his surroundings and that delayed the call. "He didn't know where he was, didn't know the physical address. There was no land line, no phone in Jackson's room that would have allowed him to call. It was all happening so fast."

Alford said he doesn't know how long Murray performed CPR on the singer before rushing downstairs and asking Jackson's chef to call 911. A security guard made the call and it took three minutes after that for paramedics to arrive, fire department officials have said.

They spent 42 minutes working with Murray on Jackson before transporting the 50-year-old pop icon to UCLA Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

In other developments yesterday, officials with the Los Angeles County coroner's office returned to the mansion Jackson was renting when he died and left with two large plastic bags of evidence.

Assistant chief coroner Ed Winter said the bags contained medication but declined to elaborate.

The coroner's office performed an autopsy on Jackson's body on Friday but deferred a decision on the cause of death, citing the need for further tests. A second, private autopsy was being performed Monday, according to Jackson's father, Joe.

Winter said the investigation will possibly continue for another four or five weeks, "with extensive testing."

There have been no details announced regarding Jackson's funeral, but many believe it could one of the largest celebrity memorial services ever. According to Britain's Daily Mail, the family is contemplating a private burial with a public remembrance, but some speculate more than a million people might flock to L.A. for the ceremony.

One senior Los Angeles police officer told the paper: "We are preparing for an event of historic proportions. We will be cooperating closely with the family once they have decided where to hold the funeral."

Complicating matters is that Jackson desired to be buried on his Neverland estate, which Joe Jackson has said won't happen.

It's expected there will be a battle over Jackson's property more convoluted than recent high-profile squabbles over the estates of singer James Brown and ex-Playboy playmate Anna Nicole Smith.

Complicating matters is that few, if any, people know all the details of the reclusive entertainer's financial affairs. His mother's filing, for example, declares that Jackson died "intestate," or without a will.

But celebrity website TMZ.com says that Jackson's lawyer has a copy of the pop singer's will and a source told the Associated Press last Friday that there is a will, which would take precedence in court.

With files from Associated Press

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Frankie Avalon on Idol

2009-04-09T05:32:00.000-07:00

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Actor and American singing legend Frankie Avalon made a guest appearance on American Idol Wednesday night to sing his 1959 hit Venus.

The tie-in came with “the year of your birth.” Simon Cowell was born in 1959, and the segment started with video of Avalon from the era, before he appeared on stage, to a standing ovation from the judges and the audience.

Few in the audience knew who he was, but for those who did, they were simply surprised that he was still alive. Ironically perhaps, the 1980 movie that was loosely based on his life story was called “Idolmaker.”

Other idol news:

Our favorite American Idol contestant Adam Lambert managed to pull of a very rare thing: a standing ovation led by Simon Cowell.

It was 80’s night on Idol, and Lambert performed an arrangement of the Tears for Fears classic Mad World. Lovers of the original might question the changes he made, but you can’t question the pure signing talent. Lambert was controlled, measured, and despite large slabs of falsetto, pitch perfect.

The show was running overtime to the break so only Cowell got to speak. “Adam, the bad news is we’re running out of time. The good news is that I’ll be the only one talking. I think words are unnecessary, because I want to give you a standing ovation.” said Cowell, who then stood, clapping.
Source: The Inquisitir

Adam Lambert's "Mad World"

2009-04-08T05:00:00.000-07:00

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Once again, Adam Lambert has managed to overshadow his competition on American Idol. Tonight the Top 8 American Idol contestants performed songs from the year they were born. Lambert was the only standout performer of the night. At this point, they might as well refer to the show as Adam Lambert & Those Other Dudes.

With Adam Lambert closing out the show, you knew it was going to be amazing or absolutely horrendous, yet still come off as more entertaining than the rest. Adam sang Mad World by Tears for Fears. It was a really powerful and heartfelt performance. Adam Lambert does have the best voice out of all the contestants, however, there were moments when he sounded like the creepy old neighbor Herbert from Family Guy. Please, someone else tell me they noticed that! Still, he gets my standing ovation for the night.

In order of best to worst, here is a quick assessment of the rest of the performances:

Matt Giraud performed Part Time Lovers. It was cute, and I would almost go so far to say it was a sexy performance. He doesn't have the charisma of Justin Timberlake, but he's improving. Kara, though, went a little too far by awkwardly getting out of her seat and shouting, "Stand O!"

Anoop Desai surprised me with his selection, True Colors. I had never really liked the song, but with Anoop, I had a change of heart. He changed it from a simple pop arrangement to one with soul. Yes, he kept is slow, but his voice sounded great.

Alison Iraheta made me feel old for two seconds when she sang the only 1990s song of the night, I Can't Make You Love Me. Beautiful voice, but with all the songs to choose from in that decade, she should have gone for something younger.

Kris Allen chose All She Wants to Do is Dance. He performed it in a rock and funk style while standing on a stage, surrounded by groupies, which I'm sure the wifey loved. He needed to up the tempo though because it was really no fun. Simon called it "self-indulgent".

Danny Gokey started the show with Stand By Me. Why didn't he pick a song that was actually written in 1980 rather than remade? Danny's performance sounded like one you'd hear at a wedding. But the judges complimented him in an effort to sway the audience not to vote him off the show. Yeah, we all know it happens.

Lil Rounds performed What's Love Got to Do With It. Lil looked great in a cute black leather vest, skirt and with a new hairdo. Unfortunately, Lil ain't no Tina! The performance was amateur and karaoke. Lil needs to be extremely careful about controlling her voice.

Scott MacIntyre sang The Search is Over. This time he tried something different by getting away from his piano, and instead playing his guitar. And from this, we learned that Scott really can't play the guitar. Worse yet, Scott was incredibly off-key! Looks like someone's going home tomorrow night!

Source: news.gather.com

Megamouth Shark

2009-04-07T13:05:00.000-07:00

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Fishermen in the Philippines accidentally caught and later ate a megamouth shark, one of the rarest fishes in the world with only 40 others recorded to have been encountered, the World Wildlife Fund said Tuesday.

The 1,100-pound (500-kilogram) 13-foot (4-meter) megamouth died while struggling in the fishermen's net on March 30 off Burias island in the central Philippines. It was taken to nearby Donsol in Sorsogon province, where it was butchered and eaten, said Gregg Yan, spokesman for WWF-Philippines.

Yan said a WWF Donsol Project Manager Elson Aca took pictures of the megamouth and tried to dissuade the fishermen from eating it. Shark meat is the main ingredient in a local delicacy.

The first megamouth was discovered in Hawaii in 1976, prompting scientists to create an entirely new family and genus of sharks. The megamouths are docile filter-feeders with wide, blubbery mouths. Yan said the Burias megamouth's stomach revealed it was feeding on shrimp larvae.

Yan said the fish was tagged "Megamouth 41" — the 41st megamouth recorded in the world — by the Florida Museum of Natural History. It was the eighth reported encountered in Philippine seas.

He said the megamouth was caught in 660-foot (200-meter) deep waters, which are also frequented by the endangered whale shark, the world's largest fish and also a filter-feeder in the Donsol area, about 185 miles (300 kilometers) southeast of Manila.

Aca said the presence of two of the world's three filter-feeding sharks along with manta rays and dolphins indicates that the region's marine ecosystem was still relatively healthy and should continue to be protected.

Yan urged fishermen who encounter the rare shark to immediately report to authorities or the WWF.

Others megamouths have been encountered in California, Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, Brazil, Ecuador, Senegal, South Africa, Mexico and Australia.

Source: AP

Jay Cutler

2009-04-02T12:08:00.000-07:00

Last night, Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen said they will start shopping Jay Cutler to other teams after it became evident the Pro Bowl quarterback had no desire to play in Denver anymore.

So who's in the race? Here's a sampling:

• New York Jets — Last year they traded away Chad Pennington to make room for Brett Favre. This year they have neither. Cutler and Favre have the same agent, Bus Cook, who initially brought Favre to New York last year. Who would you rather have starting: Jay Cutler or Kellen "De Facto" Clemens?

• Detroit Lions — This team's got nothing, so Cutler could immediately become the franchise face. Every reporter and their grandmother-in-law is saying these guys will use their No. 1 overall pick on Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford, but how tempting would it be to send that to Denver straight up for a proven commodity?

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers — If you remember why Cutler was originally pissed, it was a three-team trade that would have sent Matt Cassel to Denver and Cutler to Tampa Bay. Perhaps the Bucs can take a second stab at their franchise QB.

I'd say over half the league is connected with a major news report that they are interested in trading for him (Browns? Redskins? Jaguars? Bears? Vikings?) and a large portion of them probably are interested. But Denver's likely going to ask for a lot in return, perhaps first-round picks, another starting quarterback, or the general manager's firstborn. It'll be fun to see how the scenarios play out, especially if it languishes through draft day.

source: BC Sports

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Skype iPhone

2009-03-30T05:44:00.000-07:00

New York - Skype, the internet telephone unit of eBay Inc, is planning to launch its service for iPhone users on Tuesday and for BlackBerry in May as part of its effort to expand beyond desktop computers.

Skype has been pushing to make its service work on the most popular advanced phones with an aim to expending its more than 400 million users who were mostly lured by the promise of cheap and sometimes free calls made using its computer application.

Skype Chief Operating Officer Scott Durchslag said he has high hopes for the application's success on Apple Inc's popular iPhone as he expects Skype's most feature-rich mobile offering to appeal to new and existing customers.

"The No 1 request we get from customers is to make Skype available on iPhone. There's a pent-up demand," Durchslag said in an interview before the CTIA annual mobile showcase in Las Vegas, where Skype plans to launch the service on Tuesday.

In May it will launch Skype for Research In Motion's BlackBerry devices, which popularized mobile email.

It has already announced Skype for Nokia phones and for phones based on Android, Google Inc's mobile system, and Windows Mobile, from Microsoft Corp.

No duplication

CCS Insight analyst Ben Wood said the new applications give Skype a chance to boost its mobile phone position, which has been weaker than that of social sites such as Facebook, Twitter or News Corp's MySpace.

One of Skype's unusual iPhone features is the fact that it allows subscribers use to the phone numbers in their existing iPhone address book so they do not need duplicate lists.

"Whether you're Twitter, MySpace or Facebook you want to be embedded in the address book," said Wood. "This puts Skype firmly into the game."

Skype's iPhone application will be free to download and will allow free calls between Skype users.

As with Skype on the desktop, fees will be charged for calls to traditional phones.

The service will also work on later versions of Apple's latest iPod Touch device, which has Wi-Fi links but no cellular connection.

'We're considering video carefully'

The iPod Touch launched September 2008 has a microphone, unlike the first iPod Touch launched in 2007.

While Skype video is very popular with desktop customers, Durchslag said that the company is still considering whether it will offer video for the iPhone or other phones.

"We're considering video carefully but we have a really high bar on the quality," and how the user interaction will work with other applications on iPhone, he said. "If we do it we will have to do it incredibly well."

CCS's Wood said that if Skype can replicate the popularity of its desktop video feature on the cellphone it would help a mobile category that has been slow to take off, as well as boost its own status in cellphones.

"I'm firmly convinced that if Skype could find a way to bridge all those cellphone cameras and laptop cameras it might kick start a video telephony opportunity," he said.

While mobile Skype has has been available for some time in other countries such as the United Kingdom, it has been slow to catch on in the United States partly due to carrier concern that it would cannibalize their phone call revenue.

Roaming revenues

In the United States for example, AT&T Inc has had a monopoly on calls made from iPhones, as it is the exclusive carrier here.

But Wood said that Skype has actually shown that it can boost consumer spending on cellphones as it encourages use of the phones for other services such as data.

For example he said that its success on networks such as 3 UK, owned by Hutchison Whampoa Ltd, suggests that carrier fears have been unfounded.

"The only area where I think there are some question mark is that it could erode roaming revenues," he said, noting that some consumers particularly in Europe hesitate to use their phones while outside of their carrier territory because of notoriously high roaming fees.

"The carriers will be suspicious of this service but what we've learned from other markets is that (Skype) did not have the detrimental effect feared," he said.

source: Reuters and news24.com

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Health Update

2009-03-27T05:59:00.000-07:00

An amazing medical discovery that provides a permanent solution for Erectile Dysfunction (ED: 38.77, 0, 0%) is in the US and looking to make the big three ED pills obsolete.

To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/bathmateus/37601/

Developed by engineers, originally marketed for male enhancement and now sold in the US at www.bathmateus.com, the Bathmate Hydropump reverses Erectile Dysfunction through its revolutionary use of water. Completely safe and with multiple positive effects, the Bathmate uses water under vacuum pressure to increase blood circulation, allowing men to achieve and maintain erections naturally and spontaneously once again.

Air vacuum pumps have been prescribed and even designed by physicians for many years, but since they use air they cannot achieve equal vacuum pressure. These devices are cumbersome, uncomfortable, produce uneven results, and are soon abandoned by the user. They can also cause permanent damage if improperly operated.

The Bathmate's unique pump gaiter along with warm water creates gentle, equal vacuum pressure making it comfortable, easy to use, and extremely effective. Its elegant design is instantly appreciated by engineers, and its use of water by therapists.

Reversal of ED is seen in weeks. Amazingly, men with spinal cord injuries report fantastic success, no longer requiring pills or injections to achieve erections. The Bathmate Hydropump works so well that it is being incorporated into the British healthcare system as an approved medical device.

Men with diabetes, hypertension, and depression all benefit from using the Bathmate. The Bathmate can also correct Peyronie's Disease, an often painful condition that affects many, some who even resort to surgery.

Contrary to the adverse effects of pharmaceuticals, the Bathmate Hydropump's effects are all positive and include enhanced cardiovascular health, increased enjoyment and confidence, and improved relationships.

Unlike expensive pharmaceutical and herbal pills that must be bought again and again, the Bathmate is a onetime purchase engineered to last a lifetime. At less than the cost of a month's worth of ED pills, it is the most economical, the safest, and only permanent solution for Erectile Dysfunction.

Though new to the US, there are over a million satisfied owners of the Bathmate worldwide, and it carries a money-back guarantee when used as directed in the bath or shower, 15 minutes daily for six weeks.

The Bathmate is imported and distributed in the USA by Violet Times Inc., New York.

SOURCE bathmateus.com

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Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2

2009-03-26T05:18:00.000-07:00

Activision has issued a release date for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, the follow-up to Infinity Ward's critically-acclaimed shooter, with the title set to hit shelves on November 10.

Curiously the announcement trailer makes no mention of the Call of Duty franchise, merely referring to the game as Modern Warfare 2, suggesting that Activision may believe the title is strong enough to stand as an independent series.

Earlier this month, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, picked up three BAFTAs, including Gameplay, Story & Character and the GAME Award of 2008.

Following its initial release, the title sat atop various regional sales charts and became a popular multiplayer game - with over 14 million online players.

Source: gamesindustry.biz

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Canon 500d

2009-03-25T05:49:00.000-07:00

Canon has just announced the 15.1 megapixel EOS 500D, known as the Rebel T1i in the US market. The new DSLR is a response to Nikon’s D90 — it’s a high-end consumer model which shoots HD video. It’s also Canon’s second DSLR to best Nikon’s HD efforts.

The 500D shoots at up to full 1080p resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels) but only does so at 20 frames per second. Drop to 720p (1280 x 720 pixels) and you get a better 30fps. This compares to the Nikon D90’s maximum 720p at 24fps (the same speed as film based movie cameras). The Nikon, though, records in the crappy motion JPEG format. The 500D pops out .mov files in the H.264 codec. Another nice touch is the ability to use the autofocus whilst shooting, although you only get to use the slower contrast-detection system available in the live-view mode.

Yes, the 500D has live-view, like almost every camera appearing these days. The stills mode (this is a DSLR, after all) also has some neat touches. The one we like most is called Creative Auto by Canon, and is essentially an easy way to tweak settings while letting the camera take care of the heavy lifting. The camera remains in auto mode, but the user can choose from English-language options, like “Darker/Brighter" or “Blur Background" to customize the image. For beginners not coming from a manual camera background, this is a great way to learn without actually messing things up.

Otherwise, there isn’t much that stands out, other than a good top “film speed". The 500D goes up to ISO 3200 in regular mode with two extra emergency settings of 6400 and 12800. The rest of the specs are unsurprising but good — a 3", 920,000 pixels LCD, 95% viewfinder coverage, HDMI-out, self-cleaning sensor, face-detection. You know the rest.

The 500D will cost just $800 for the body and for $900 in a kit with the EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens. That, in case you were wondering, is quite the bargain. Available May

Source Wired

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Bulletproof Clothing

2009-03-24T05:29:00.000-07:00

What do you get the stylish, ambitious young exec who has everything? Well, if he's got a price on his head- or he does a lot of business in volative Middle Eastern nations- then consult the expert services of Miguel Caballero, clothier to the paranoid jet-set.

Now here's a designer who knows how to marry high fashion with military-grade ballistic resistance. Whether it's attending that all-important 'special contractor' meeting in Baghdad's bustling financial center, or heading out for dinner and drinks in Beirut's 'party district', Miguel has you covered. Everything from bulletproof tuxedo suits to bulletproof 100% cotton t-shirts are on offer at the clothing line's official website. There's country-themed wear, strictly formal attire and even some beach-friendly duds, for the fun-loving beachcomber who's life is under constant threat.

Caballero also caters to tactical and private security clients, but the focus is most definitely on providing fashionable alternatives to those oh-so-clunky bulletproof vests currently sported by SWAT teams and visiting dignitaries. The bulletproof elements of each item are camouflaged for discretion and well-cushioned, and the thin, thermo-regulating materials provide extra comfort.

source: Examiner.com

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Emma Heming

2009-03-23T05:36:00.000-07:00

Bruce Willis has wed Victoria's Secret model Emma Heming in a Caribbean island ceremony attended by his ex-wife Demi Moore and their three children.

Moore's husband, fellow actor Ashton Kutcher, was also at the event in the Turks and Caicos islands, a spokesman for the Die Hard star said.

There is a 22-year age gap between the bride and groom - Willis is 54, Heming is 32. The couple reportedly met last year.

US television said the A-list celebrity guests included pop queen Madonna.

Moore, 46, was married to Willis from 1987 to 2000. The couple have three daughters, Rumor, 20, Scout, 17, and Tallulah Belle, 15.

After her marriage to Willis ended she married Kutcher, 31, in 2005.

Meanwhile it has been announced Kutcher is set to star in a new TV series with Aussie supermodel Elle Macpherson.

Called A Beautiful Life the drama is set in the world of the modelling industry.

Macpherson will reportedly play a former 80s supermodel who owns a modelling agency.

Source news.com.au

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Siena College

2009-03-21T06:35:00.000-07:00

Ohio State was stunned by tiny Siena College 74-72 in double-overtime here Friday night, bouncing the Buckeyes out of the NCAA Tournament in the opening round.

Ohio State had a 72-71 lead with 18 seconds left in the second overtime after a driving basket by Evan Turner, but Siena's Ronald Moore, who had hit a 3-pointer to force the second overtime, then buried another 3-pointer from the top of the key with 3.9 to play to put the Saints up by two.

Turner's desperation shot at the buzzer missed, ending Ohio State's season and sending Siena into tomorrow's second round game against top seed and No. 1 ranked Louisville.

The Buckeyes blew an 11-point second-half lead and watched Siena finish in a rush to send the game to the first overtime. The lead bounced back and forth in the first extra session until P.J. Hill hit two free throws to put the Buckeyes up 65-62 with just under 10 seconds on the clock.

Moore then knocked in a triple with 3.5 seconds left to tie it up, and force a second overtime. It was more of the same in the second extra session, with Turner answering Siena's scores, and knotting the game at 70 with a minute left. After a free throw by Moore put Siena up a point, Turner got his basket that gave the Buckeyes the lead, setting the stage for Moore's dramatic game-winner.

It was the second straight giant-killing for the Saints, who ousted Vanderbilt in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last year.

'We were only down five at half and I told them to keep playing and we'll win this game,' Siena coach Fran McCafferty said.

Edwin Ubiles led the Saints (26-7) with 20 points, while Moore finished with 11. Ohio State (22-11) was led by Turner with 25 points, while freshman William Buford added 11.

'I didn't feel we were mentally in the game for 50 minutes,' Ohio State coach Thad Matta said. 'We didn't handle the ball well, or the pressure well. You have to credit Siena for that.'

From the start, the game shaped up as a tug-o-war between the sheer size and inside strength of Ohio State, against the speed and athleticism of Siena, a tiny private school from upstate New York.

The No. 8-seeded Buckeyes found the Saints' style and the matchup to be significantly different than the physical grinds it was accustomed to from the Big Ten.

While the Buckeyes tried to play a half-court game that took advantage of seven-foot B.J. Mullens and the ability of All-Big Ten first-teamer Turner to create shots in close, No. 9 seed Siena played like it was shot out of a rocket and streaked down the court on almost every possession.

Source Toldeo Blade

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Sarah Gronert

2009-03-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

Beautiful, 22-year-old Sarah Gronert, a professional tennis player from Germany who desperately wants to compete in the woman's tour, has been the victim of sometimes cruel scrutiny because she is no ordinary young lady - she was born with male and female genitalia.

Sarah Gronert, who is from Germany, finds that her coaches and fellow tennis players have strong and rather insulting opinions of her 'gender', despite the fact that she is medically certified a woman after having her male genitalia removed, and is struggling to be accepted into the woman's tour.

Gronert, who recently returned to tennis, almost abandoned her talent and career three years ago for the very same reasons - constant criticism and alienation because of the way she was born.

However, Julia Glushko's coach Schlomo Tzoref paints a very clear picture of unfair strength and overall performance that Sarah is capable of - that other women cannot achieve: "There is no girl who can hit serves like that, not even Venus Williams."

"When I heard her story, I was in shock. I don't know if it's fair that she can compete or not. She does have an advantage, but if this is what the WTA have decided, they probably know best. If she begins to play continuously, within six months she will be within the Top 50."

"This cannot be. This is not a woman, it's a man. She does not have the power of a woman and no woman has such a technique."

"She serves like a man. It's very strange."

Source The Post Chronicle

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Ski Helmets

2009-03-19T05:52:00.001-07:00

Whatever it was that befell Natasha Richardson on the beginner slopes of the Mont Tremblant ski resort in Quebec on Monday — so far, about all we know is that she had a fall and later had to be hospitalized — the incident has once again ignited an industry debate about skiing safety, and specifically about helmets, the kind of debate celebrity mishaps seem to inspire.

It has been a little more than 11 years since Michael L. Kennedy and Sonny Bono died in separate but eerily similar accidents: each was skiing without a helmet, and each crashed into a tree at high speed. Mr. Kennedy was reportedly playing a dangerous game of ski-football, while Mr. Bono was skiing off-trail.

Ms. Richardson, by contrast, was on a beginner slope taking a lesson — but she was not wearing a helmet, either, according to a spokeswoman for Mont Tremblant. The fall seemed to be a minor one, and she was not only conscious afterward, but talking and joking. It was only an hour later, when she complained of severe head pain, that she was rushed to a local hospital, transferred to one in Montreal for a higher level of care, and then airlifted to Lenox Hill Hospital in New York.

Though a confusion of unconfirmed reports were swirling in the news media about how grave her condition was — several, including The Gazette in Montreal and The New York Post, say she was profoundly and irreversibly brain-injured — no specifics had been officially released by Wednesday morning either about her condition or its cause; the fall on the ski slope on Tuesday might have simply aggravated a previous injury, or even have nothing to do with it at all.

Even so, people are already wondering whether the effects of the fall might have been mitigated if Ms. Richardson had been wearing a helmet.

Helmets, once rarely seen on recreational skiers, are becoming increasingly popular. According to the National Ski Areas Association, 43 percent of all skiers and snowboarders surveyed in the United States wore helmets in the 2007-2008 season. That is up from 25 percent in 2002-2003, the association says.

Even so, the rate of accidental deaths on the slopes — there were 53 recorded last season, 44 from skiing accidents and 9 from snowboarding — has not changed much.

“The situation is sort of mixed,” said Jasper Shealy, a professor emeritus at Rochester Institute of Technology who has been tracking skiing and snowboard fatalities since the 1970s. “We’e now at the point where roughly half the population wears a helmet, and we’ve seen no difference” in fatalities.

But helmets do seem to make a difference in the head-injury statistics: Mr. Shealy’s own research found a 35 percent reduction, and he said that other studies had found as much as a 50 percent reduction in head injuries.

“Typically, in the scenario that results in death, you need something more than a helmet to save you,” Mr. Shealy said. Referring to helmet-wearing, he said, “Where it really comes into play is if you fall into hard-packed snow, and that can turn a serious head injury into a minor injury.”

Helmets have been shown to protect the heads of recreational skiers traveling at a rate of 12 to 17 miles an hour, but typically not at higher speeds. Professional skiers and snowboarders, who surpass those speeds, are required to wear more sophisticated helmets.

Mr. Shealy’s research has shown that for those wearing a helmet, “the chance that the primary cause of death will be a head injury is going down.” But even if the pattern has changed, he said, the outcome has not.

The debate about helmets raged in Europe recently, after a prominent German politician, Dieter Althaus, was charged with negligent manslaughter and convicted after colliding with a woman on the slopes in Austria on New Year’s Day. The woman who was killed — Beata Christandl, 41, a mother of four from Slovakia who lived in the United States — was not wearing a helmet, but Mr. Althaus was; he spent days in a coma but awoke again. Since then, ski helmets have soared in popularity in Germany and Austria.

Ski resorts in the United States do not require people to wear helmets, although at Aspen Mountain, since 2003, children 12 and under who participate in ski school have been required to wear them. At Vail, children 14 and under who participate in the ski school are strongly recommended to wear helmets, and must decline their use in writing. According to the ski resort association, the vast majority of children 9 and under wear helmets.

“If people are entrusting their children to our care, we want to ensure that they are protected as best they can be,” said Jeff Hanle, spokesman for the Aspen Skiing Company, which operates the area’s resorts. Concerning the age requirement, he said: “Kids who grow up skiing with a helmet tend to continue to wear it. As far as mandating it for adults, they have their own informed opinion on the matter, they can make up their mind.”

The most common arguments against helmets is that can be cumbersome and restrict vision, and that they give wearers a false sense of security, perhaps encouraging more reckless behavior.

“I’d be surprised if it didn’t lead to that,” Mr. Shealy said. “But that’s not a sufficient reason not to wear one.”

Troy Hawks, the spokesman for the National Ski Area Association, said it had adopted this policy: “We highly recommend that folks wear helmets,” he said, “but our position is that people should ski and snowboard as if they are not wearing one.”

Source NY Times

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Notre Dame Basketball

2009-03-18T05:41:00.000-07:00

Luke Harangody scored four of his 22 points and had a blocked shot during a decisive 10-point run to lead Notre Dame to a 70-64 victory over Alabama-Birmingham in the first round of the NIT Tuesday night.

Harangody's basket inside gave the Irish (19-14) a 60-50 lead. Robert Vaden, who led UAB (22-12) with 24 points, hit back-to-back 3s to cut the lead to 60-56 with 3:50 left. But a three-point play by Harangody ended the run.

Tyrone Nash started the decisive run with a tip-in off a miss by Harangody and a pair of free throws. Harangody gave the Irish a 56-50 lead on a dunk, then blocked a shot inside by UAB's Paul Delaney III. UAB coach Mike Davis was called for a technical for leaving the coach's box while arguing that Delaney was fouled.

After Kyle McAlarney, who had 12 points for the Irish, made a pair of free throws, Harangody capped the run with a basket inside.

The Irish play the winner of the New Mexico-Nebraska game.

Notre Dame improved to 5-3 on St. Patrick's Day, including 4-1 in NIT games.

The announced attendance was 2,039, the lowest attendance for a Notre Dame NIT game since at least 1992.

The Blazers outscored the Irish 36-26 inside, but were just 5-of-13 from the free-throw line. They also got no points from the bench, while the Irish got 16 points from their reserves.

It was an unsuccessful return home for Vaden, who is from Indianapolis and started two seasons at Indiana until following Davis to UAB in 2006. Vaden was 9-of-16 from the floor, including 6-of-13 from 3-point range.

Harangody added 10 rebounds for the Irish, who had a 40-38 edge on the boards. Lawrence Kinnard pulled down 15 rebounds for the Blazers.

The Irish opened the second half making 1-of-11 shots from the field as the Blazers used an 8-0 run, capped by a reverse layup by Vaden, to move ahead 46-41. Delaney also had a pair of baskets during the run, scoring seven points in the first four minutes of the second half.

Moments later, though, the Irish tied the score at 48 on back-to-back 3s by Tory Jackson and McAlarney.

For much of the first half the two teams matched each other shot for shot, with the Blazers closing to 31-30 on a basket inside by Delaney.

Tyrone Nash scored in the paint for the Irish and Ryan Ayers hit back-to-back 3s to give Notre Dame a 39-30 lead. The Irish had five chances to extend the lead, but couldn't sink a shot.

The Blazers cut the lead to 39-35 when Vaden hit the final two baskets of the half, including a 3-pointer with 1 second left. Vaden had 16 points in the first half.

Source: AP

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Irish Sayings

2009-03-17T05:54:00.000-07:00

May the good saints protect you And bless you today And may trouble ignore you Each Step of the way.

May your blessings outnumber The shamrocks that grow And may trouble avoid youWherever you go.

May joy and peace surround you, Contentment latch your door,And happiness be with you nowAnd bless you evermore.

Like the warmth of the sun And the light of the day May the luck of the IrishShine bright on your way.

May your troubles be lessAnd your Blessings be moreAnd nothing but happinessCome throught your door.

May the good saints protect yeAnd the Devil neglect ye!

May your pockets be heavy-Your heart be lightAnd may good luck pursue youEach morning and night.

May you be half an hour in HeavenBefore the Devil knows you’re dead.

Source…Paul & Sue Liles

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Lindsay Lohan warrant

2009-03-16T05:31:00.000-07:00

The Beverly Hills Police Department issued a warrant for Lindsay Lohan's arrest for violating her probation relating to a 2007 drink-driving conviction. Sources claim the actress breached her driving restrictions – which allegedly state she is only allowed to get behind the wheel for work - when she drove herself to Las Vegas to attend one of Samantha's DJ sets.

The 'Mean Girls' star claims the charges are "completely fabricated". Her lawyer Shawn Chapman Holley will go to Beverly Hills Courthouse today to respond to the arrest warrant, which she said was "born out of a misunderstanding". Holley is confident she can "clear it all up". Bail has been set at $50,000. If Lindsay is found to have violated her probation, she could face up to a year in jail.

Hours after police left Lindsay's house on Saturday, three women arrived carrying blue Alcoholics Anonymous books. The trio stayed for an hour and as they were leaving, one said Lindsay was "doing good". Meanwhile, the actress' father Michael Lohan has blamed Samantha for Lindsay's legal woes. He said: "I love Lindsay. I've been telling everyone this relationship with Sam is toxic. Hopefully this is a wake-up call for her because we all really want her to get her life better. "I'm here for her 100 per cent. But nothing is going to get better with Sam Ronson in her life."

source: Welt online

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Peachtree Road Race

2009-03-15T07:21:00.000-07:00

Officials with the AJC are asking people to be patient as they try to register online for this year's Peachtree Road Race.

For the first time ever, the majority of runners and walkers will have to sign up online at www.ajc.com/peachtree.

Registration started at 7 a.m. and within the first five minutes, the system was overwhelmed with so many people trying to log on to the same time, creating a lot of frustration.

Bill Means of the AJC said computer techs are working fix a problem that keeps giving some people java code error messages.
"We're asking people to come back and try, again," Means said. "The problems are happening on certain computers."

"There are plenty of numbers left," he said. "We're nowhere near capacity."
One viewer told 11Alive News he tried to fill out the form 17 times before finally giving up. Another said it took her two hours and 21 minutes to complete the registration process.

The first 45,000 people who register online will be able to secure spots in the race.

The final 10,000 slots will be set aide for people who send in applications through the mail.

Means encouraged runners to be patient and said thousands of race numbers are still available.

Source:WXIA-TV

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USC Basketball Team Wins

2009-03-14T05:55:00.000-07:00

USC kept alive its NCAA tournament hopes with a hardworking 65-55 victory over rival UCLA in the semifinals of the Pac-10 tournament. The victory was the first in three tries for USC against the 15th-ranked Bruins this season, and it came at a time of urgent need.

A loss likely would have knocked USC out of the NCAA field.
The Trojans, the No. 6 seed in the tournament, knocked off the second-seeded Bruins by playing all-out defense and stifling a UCLA team that has struggled in many spotlight games this season.

USC (20-12) plays Arizona State in the championship game today. The prize is an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

The Trojans looked as if they wanted it more than the Bruins (25-8). The numbers suggest they did. UCLA shot 28.8 percent from the field and the Trojans beat them on the boards. UCLA's best player, Darren Collison, made 1 of 9 shots.

Source: The Seattle Times

BlackBerry to get Ticketmaster App

2009-03-13T05:29:00.000-07:00

Ticketmaster for BlackBerry smartphones is on its way. You'll be able to buy tickets right from your phone. To sign up to be notified when the application is available, visit the link below.

"Ticketmaster for BlackBerry® smartphones—your mobile connection to event, concert game and theatre tickets.1,2 Designed to make buying tickets more convenient, you can browse event listings, select your seats and even buy your tickets from just about anywhere using familiar BlackBerry menus and prompts. It also works with BlackBerry® Wallet to help you fill in credit card and shipping information. And, as the official smartphone of Ticketmaster, your BlackBerry smartphone can also be your connection to advanced or reserved tickets as well as special events, rewards and fantastic promotions." -->
Source: pdaBLAST

Google Voice

2009-03-12T06:01:00.000-07:00

Google re-launched its phone management service GrandCentral today renaming it Google Voice. The service keeps most of the original core GrandCentral features and adds voicemail transcripts, conference call functionality, and archived searchable SMS text messages.

Acquired by Google in 2007, the new GrandCentral (now Google Voice) offers you a single phone number to ring your home, work or mobile phones, a central voicemail inbox accessible over the Web and call screening capabilities. One of the core advantages of this service is that your Google Voice phone number can act as your master phone number - allowing you to program it on the fly to forward calls to whatever existing phone numbers you have.

Jonas Brothers World Tour

2009-03-11T06:11:00.000-07:00

Jonas Brothers have just revealed tour dates for their first world tour. In a video message, Kevin Jonas and his two brothers list at least 50 dates in South and North America. As for European leg, announcement will be made soon. Prior to traveling across the globe for the roadshow, Jonas Brothers will be heading up to the Bahamas in mid March for a live appearance in the Atlantis as a precursor to their upcoming world tour. They will perform in the Bahamas on March 14 and in Puerto Rico on March 22. After that, they will be coming back to the Bahamas on April 18 and May 9 for other gigs. "We are doing our best to hit as many places as possible," so the threesome wrote on their MySpace regarding their world tour. "The new tour will include new songs from our new cd coming out this summer, as well as songs from our new tv show J.O.N.A.S!

Jonas Brothers' world tour dates:
South America:
May 19 - Lima, Peru
May 20 - Santiago, Chile
May 21 - Buenos Aires, Argentina
May 23 - Sao Paulo, Brazil
May 24 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
North America:
June 20 - Cowboys New Stadium in Dallas, Texas
June 22 - BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma
June 24 - Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado
June 26 - Idaho Center in Nampa, Idaho
June 27 - Rose Garden Arena in Portland, Oregon
June 28 - Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington
June 30 - General Motors Place in Vancouver
July 02 - Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alabama July 04 - Stadium of Fire in Provo, Utah
July 05 - MTS Centre in Winnipeg
July 07 - Qwest Center in Omaha, Nebraska
July 08 - Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota
July 09 - Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
July 10 - Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois
July 13 - Verizon Center in Washington, DC
July 14 - IZOD Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey
July 17 - Banknorth Garden in Boston, Massachusetts
July 20 - Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York
July 24 - Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
July 25 - Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
July 26 - Palace Of Auburn Hills in Detroit, Michigan
July 28 - Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri
July 29 - Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri
August 01 - Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada
August 03 - HP Pavilion in San Jose, California
August 04 - ARCO Arena in Sacramento, California
August 05 - SaveMart Center in Fresno, California
August 07 - Staples Center in Los Angeles, California
August 11 - Jobing.com Center in Phoenix, Arizona
August 13 - AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas
August 14 - Toyota Center in Houston, Texas
August 15 - New Orleans Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana
August 16 - BJCC in Birmingham, Alabama
August 18 - St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Florida
August 19 - Bank Atlantic Center in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
August 21 - Jacksonville Veterans' Memorial in Jacksonville, Florida
August 22 - Phillips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia
August 23 - Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky
August 25 - Sommet Center in Nashville, Tennessee
August 26 - Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio
August 27 - Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio
August 29 - Bell Centre in Montreal
August 30 - Rogers Centre in Toronto
August 31 - Scotiabank Place in Ottawa

Maytag refrigerator recall

2009-03-10T08:29:00.001-07:00

This morning an enormous Maytag recall is announced. The fire hazard has prompted a Maytag Refrigerator recall, which affects 1.6 million units of refrigerators.

The The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Maytag announced that the company recalls the refrigerators that affect 1.6 million units. It's a voluntary recall and includes Maytag®, Jenn-Air®, Amana®, Admiral®, Magic Chef®, Performa by Maytag® and Crosley® brand refrigerators.
Maytag, a Newton, Iowa based corporation and U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission say that Maytag recalls the refrigerators because an electrical failure in the relay, the component that turns on the refrigerator’s compressor, can cause overheating and pose a serious fire hazard.

There has already been a considerable damage done, which in turn prompted the voluntary Maytag refrigerator recall. The company informs of 41 reports of refrigerator relay ignition, including 16 reports of property damage ranging from smoke damage to extensive kitchen damage. The types of the refrigerators that are included in this Maytag recall are those that are side and top freezer refrigerators.

The refrigerators that Maytag recalls are sold at department and appliance stores and also installed by homebuilders nationwide. They have been in operation fromJanuary 2001 through January 2004 and have been sold between about $350 and $1600. Refrigerators with freezers on the bottom are not included in this recall.

This Maytag refrigerator recall is indeed very disturbing, but has one bright part: actually two. The first is that we know about the danger of the fire and the second is that thousands of repairmen, who are usually a small one-person businesses will get more orders from the recalled Maytag refrigerators, which in turn may help the economy a little bit.

The news that Maytag recalls 1.6 million units of refrigerators are reported both on the company and The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's website, which is charged to protect the consumers.