As I made the 10-minute walk up W. Johnson Street from the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus toward the Capitol on Tuesday, it never occurred to me that anyone outside of the state would know or care what was going on.
I was headed to participate in a rally in opposition to new Republican Governor Scott Walker's deceptively named "budget repair bill," with the intention of meeting up with some of my fellow teaching assistants. In a nutshell, Walker's bill purports to close a budget deficit by eliminating the collective bargaining rights of all state employees (except police and fire fighter unions), including UW graduate student teaching assistants, while requiring annual union certification.
I couldn't help but view the proposed legislation through two of my own lenses: as a UW grad student and teaching assistant, and as someone intensely interested in politics who occasionally relates his thoughts in this space.
As a student and teacher, Walker's plan seemed idiotic, even beyond left-right ideological disagreements. Walker was elected based on his campaign stressing his business sense, but the legislation is bad business. The UW is one of the state's largest employers, and, beyond that, one of its most successful operations, taking in, as many of the faculty members of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication noted in a letter opposing the bill, three times more money in federal grants and other out-of-state revenue than the state invests each year (the UW is second only to Johns Hopkins in obtaining federal research grant money). Walker's plan would kill the golden goose. Those grants don't come in abstractly, but rather are earned by top professors doing cutting-edge research (one professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, where I study and teach, regularly brings in more than a million dollars a year in such grants). Losing these top professors means losing money. Losing the top grad students means losing top professors and losing money. By attacking grad student benefits, Walker makes the UW a less attractive option. As the SJMC professors wrote, it took 150 years to build up UW's reputation, but it would take less than a decade to destroy it.
Walker claims to be a businessman, so he must realize that in any industry, if you don't provide the standard compensation package, you won't get the top people in the field.
(And this is just a business analysis. It doesn't take into account the lack of morality in taking away the collective bargaining rights of teaching assistants, who make so little in salary they qualify for food stamps if they are unable to supplement their incomes.)
What I didn't realize on my way to the rally was the national implications of the Wisconsin protests. I admit that in my head, as I walked toward the Capitol, I expected to see a lot of students, teaching assistants, teachers and soccer moms. I really thought that, given the fact that Walker was elected by a healthy margin just three months ago, the protesters would represent a fairly small demographic of individuals who probably didn't vote for Walker in November.
Upon reaching the Capitol, I was shocked to see that the crowd was nothing like I had imagined. For starters, the Square was packed like I've never seen it before (even on the most beautiful summer day for the weekly Saturday farmers' market). The idea that I would be able to find my colleagues became instantly laughable (and, in fact, I never ran into a single person I knew). There were clearly students sprinkled throughout the crowd, but the vast majority seemed to be working-class and middle-class people: taxi drivers, construction workers, maintenance workers, prison guards etc. Honestly, they looked like the kind of people that, in my mind, probably supported Walker in November.
Then I saw members of the police union marching around the Square, and, later, a seemingly endless parade of firefighters went by, all expressing solidarity with the workers at the Capitol even though their collective bargaining rights were not at risk. When the crowd applauded, I got chills.
It was the appearance of the firefighters, in their matching shirts, that really triggered something in my head. This protest was way bigger than I had imagined.
What it showed is that everyday people had realized something that political junkies have known all along: The Republicans that surged to power in November are completely full of it. They campaigned on jobs and the deficit, unfairly (and often untruthfully) putting blame at the feet of the Obama administration, but the GOP agenda of the last month has amounted to a traditional far-right wish list, with jobs and deficits not even passing concerns.
In Washington, John Boehner's priorities have been to repeal health care (which the GAO scored as deficit reducing legislation) and preserve tax cuts for the wealthy (again, increasing the deficit), as well as to redefine rape and restrict abortions.
And things are no different in Wisconsin. Walker's "budget repair bill" isn't about deficits in Wisconsin. In fact, a nonpartisan commission found that the deficits are not severe and do not require any kind of austerity action. And what is the main cause of the current budget shortfall? Walker's own tax cuts. In other words, the new governor created this "problem," and now, conveniently, he is offering a solution.
Only, his solution has nothing to do with the alleged problem. Instead, it's an attack on state employee unions. Walker is using the concocted budget issue as a smokescreen to eliminate the collective bargaining rights of unions, a long-time item on the right-wing wish list. He is trying to eliminate five decades of collective bargaining rights in one week.
And it's not just liberals like me who are upset. According to a recent poll, less than 32 percent of Wisconsin respondents support Walker's union-busting, with more than two-thirds saying he has overreached.
So the battle going on in Wisconsin is part of a larger war. It is about Republicans across the country trying to use voter anger at the economy to institute out-of-the-mainstream, far-right policies by pretending they are related to jobs or deficits (like the insane argument that tax cuts for the wealthiest one percent of Americans will somehow translate to significant job growth). The battle may be in Madison now, but I hope it serves as a wake-up call to Americans around the country to see what the Republicans are trying to do, namely using the pain of the nation's workers to justify policies that hurt most Americans but please the party's true constituents, big corporations and the wealthy.
Taking away the collective bargaining rights of teachers and nurses doesn't help the average citizen, but it sure does make CEOs happy.
I played only a tiny role in the protests. Two hours after reaching the Capitol, my growing flu symptoms got the best of me, and I headed back to campus. I have been in bed trying to recover ever since, leaving the harder fights in the Capitol -- the all-night vigils, the marathon public hearings, the sit-ins, etc. -- to my committed and steadfast colleagues, to whom I am eternally grateful and for whom I have unmatched respect and admiration.
What has gone on in Madison the last week has been truly inspiring, as people from all walks of life have made personal sacrifices to exercise their democratic rights to oppose capricious actions by the governor that are not in the best interests of the state.
And I take pride in knowing that their fight isn't just for the UW, Madison or Wisconsin. In the end, they're fighting a local battle in a national war the Republican party is waging against the average American. I hope that history notes the protests in Madison as a turning point, the moment American citizens began pushing back against right-wing attacks.
source:
Friday, 18 February 2011
bassmaster classic 2011
The Bassmaster Classic 2011 starts today, giving us the opportunity to watch 50 of the best people in freshwater fishing competing during the three days of the event. For this year, the Bassmaster Classic moves to New Orleans, and the boats will be launching from Bayou Segnette State Park.
This angling competition will have the top prize of $500,000, so anglers will need to be prepared for some tough competition. The vent will be watched closely by thousands of spectators in site; people will also be able to attend the Classic Outdoor Expo held at Ernest Memorial Convention center.
Competitors in the Bassmaster Classic 2011 reach the event by qualifying to it. Each pro tournament they win will gather points that will dictate whether they qualify for this competition or not. You could spend many years trying to enter and never make it. Others, like Gary Klein, have years appearing in the tournament thanks to their skills. And well, winning is a whole other thing.
The Bass Master Classic was won last year by Kevin VanDam.
This angling competition will have the top prize of $500,000, so anglers will need to be prepared for some tough competition. The vent will be watched closely by thousands of spectators in site; people will also be able to attend the Classic Outdoor Expo held at Ernest Memorial Convention center.
Competitors in the Bassmaster Classic 2011 reach the event by qualifying to it. Each pro tournament they win will gather points that will dictate whether they qualify for this competition or not. You could spend many years trying to enter and never make it. Others, like Gary Klein, have years appearing in the tournament thanks to their skills. And well, winning is a whole other thing.
The Bass Master Classic was won last year by Kevin VanDam.
Jim Gray - removed from golf channel
USAToday reports that controversial announcer/reporter Jim Gray was taken off the Golf Channel's coverage of the Northern Trust Open after getting into a heated argument with the caddie for golfer Dustin Johnson.
Gray reported on TV that Johnson was assessed a two-stroke penalty for nearly missing his tee time on Thursday, and after the round, he and caddie Bobby Brown got into a "profanity-laced argument." (Brown took the blame for giving Johnson the wrong tee time.)
The Golf Channel says they removed Gray simply to avoid any distractions.
Last fall, Gray had another face-to-face with Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin, and last summer he took a lot of heat for hosting (and getting paid for) "The Decision" with LeBron James.
Gray reported on TV that Johnson was assessed a two-stroke penalty for nearly missing his tee time on Thursday, and after the round, he and caddie Bobby Brown got into a "profanity-laced argument." (Brown took the blame for giving Johnson the wrong tee time.)
The Golf Channel says they removed Gray simply to avoid any distractions.
Last fall, Gray had another face-to-face with Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin, and last summer he took a lot of heat for hosting (and getting paid for) "The Decision" with LeBron James.
Ubertwitter
Without elaborating, Twitter has just posted a help document titled "I'm Having Problems Logging In to UberTwitter or twidroyd" that gives little hope for an immediate fix: turns out the company has outright suspended both apps -- among the most popular Twitter apps for the BlackBerry / iPhone and Android platforms, respectively -- for "violating [its] policies." They go on to say that they suspend "hundreds" of apps on a daily basis for policy violations, but decided to call out these two in particular because of the high number of users potentially affected. Considering the popularity factor, we imagine this'll be solved one way or another before too long -- but in the meantime, you might want to fall back to the official apps for all three platforms.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Update: We've received a statement on the issue from Twitter, which says that the violations here "include, but aren't limited to, a privacy issue with private Direct Messages longer than 140 characters, trademark infringement, and changing the content of users' Tweets in order to make money." Follow the break for the full text.
Update 2: Pocket-lint says that Echofon is also suspended. Things are getting pretty serious here.
source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/18/twitter-suspends-ubertwitter-and-twidroyd-for-violating-its-po/
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Update: We've received a statement on the issue from Twitter, which says that the violations here "include, but aren't limited to, a privacy issue with private Direct Messages longer than 140 characters, trademark infringement, and changing the content of users' Tweets in order to make money." Follow the break for the full text.
Update 2: Pocket-lint says that Echofon is also suspended. Things are getting pretty serious here.
We ask all developers in the Twitter ecosystem to abide by a simple set of rules that are in the interests of our users, as well as the health and vitality of the platform as a whole.
We often take actions to enforce these rules; in fact, on an average day we turn off more than one hundred services that violate our API rules of the road. This keeps the ecosystem fair for everyone.
Today we suspended several applications, including UberTwitter, twidroyd and UberCurrent, which have violated Twitter policies and trademarks in a variety of ways. These violations include, but aren't limited to, a privacy issue with private Direct Messages longer than 140 characters, trademark infringement, and changing the content of users' Tweets in order to make money.
We've had conversations with UberMedia, the developer of these applications, about policy violations since April 2010, when they first launched under the name TweetUp – a term commonly used by Twitter users and a trademark violation. We continue to be in contact with UberMedia and hope that they will bring the suspended applications into compliance with our policies soon.
source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/18/twitter-suspends-ubertwitter-and-twidroyd-for-violating-its-po/
Thursday, 17 February 2011
Dead Island Release Date
It seems zombies are back. Word’s out that Deep Silver will be publishing a survival horror FPS game, the Dead Island. Techland is currently working on the game for PC, Xbox 360 and Play Station 3. It is a mix of a first-person shooter with the basic fundamentals of role-playing games.
Dead Island isn’t your typical shooting game, it highlights more on melee combat and it incorporates a storyline narrated clearly. It has been integrated with RPG elements such as leveling system and learning sets of skills. Stats and abilities can only be accessed as you progress through the game. This isn’t another shoot-to-kill game, as you kill zombies of various shapes and sizes using different items you pick up in the resort. You can choose whatever weapon to use as you go along the way.
The plot’s simple, you play the part of a guest who went to a hotel in some tropical island for vacation. Before you know it, half of the populace is out to devour you, and it becomes your goal to escape. There are multiple playable characters and up to 4 people can play the game. If you enjoy bashing the undead and you’d like to solve yet another mystery of zombies’ origin, give Dead Island a try. There’s no particular date as to when the game would hit the market, but the trailer does look pretty interesting.
Solar Flare 2011
A series of massive solar flares that have ejected from the sun in recent days could trigger a dazzling show of the northern lights for stargazers in the northern United States, but they could also have far more serious consequences, including the disruption of power grids and communication systems across the globe.
According to BBC News, waves of charged solar particles will be hitting the Earth's magnetic field over the course of Thursday and Friday, the result of three solar flares happening over the past few days, including the largest to occur since 2006.
While this means the northern lights, Aurora Borealis, may be visible much further south than usual (for example, in the northern United States and UK), it also could have serious technological ramifications, as well.
According to China's official Xinhua News Agency, electromagnetic activity from the solar flares have already jammed shortwave radio communications in the southern part of the country.
A statement from the U.S. National Weather Service says that geomagnetic storms resulting from solar flares like these can last 24 to 48 hours, though some can continue longer. "Ground to air, ship to shore, shortwave broadcast and amateur radio are vulnerable to disruption during geomagnetic storms. Navigation systems like GPS can also be adversely affected," the statement reads.
According to the AFP, in 1973 a magnetic storm from a solar flare caused 6 million people to lose electricity in Canada.
CLICK HERE to view some incredible animated photos from NASA of the massive 2011 solar flare, the sun's largest eruption in 4 years.
source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/17/solar-flare-2011-northern_n_824516.html
According to BBC News, waves of charged solar particles will be hitting the Earth's magnetic field over the course of Thursday and Friday, the result of three solar flares happening over the past few days, including the largest to occur since 2006.
While this means the northern lights, Aurora Borealis, may be visible much further south than usual (for example, in the northern United States and UK), it also could have serious technological ramifications, as well.
According to China's official Xinhua News Agency, electromagnetic activity from the solar flares have already jammed shortwave radio communications in the southern part of the country.
A statement from the U.S. National Weather Service says that geomagnetic storms resulting from solar flares like these can last 24 to 48 hours, though some can continue longer. "Ground to air, ship to shore, shortwave broadcast and amateur radio are vulnerable to disruption during geomagnetic storms. Navigation systems like GPS can also be adversely affected," the statement reads.
According to the AFP, in 1973 a magnetic storm from a solar flare caused 6 million people to lose electricity in Canada.
CLICK HERE to view some incredible animated photos from NASA of the massive 2011 solar flare, the sun's largest eruption in 4 years.
source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/17/solar-flare-2011-northern_n_824516.html
Len Lesser Dies
Craig Schwartz
Len Lesser in "Awake and Sing" at A Noise Within, March 2010.
Actor Len Lesser, 88, passes away Wednesday of pneumonia related to cancer.
Len Lesser, perhaps best known as Uncle Leo on Seinfeld but a veteran actor with more than 500 appearances on film, television and the stage during his six-decade career, died Wednesday in Burbank of pneumonia related to cancer. He was 88.
Lesser's first love was the stage, and he appeared to critical acclaim in the past few years at Los Angeles' A Noise Within, one of the nation's leading classical repertory theater companies, most recently in Clifford Odets' Awake and Sing! this spring.
"Lesser nearly steals the show several times," wrote Hoyt Hilsman of Backstage.
Other stage roles included The Moths at the Mark Taper Forum; Captain Brassbound's Conversion at the Ahmanson; The Legacy at the Old Globe Theatre; and The Birthday Party at ACT. He studied at the American Theatre Wing and with Uta Hagen, Lee Strasberg and Milton Katselas.
The New York native and City College graduate also had more than 50 feature films to his credit, among them Birdman of Alcatraz (1962), Kelly's Heroes (1970), Papillon (1973), The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) and Death Hunt (1981).
A veteran of television since its earliest days, he appeared on hundreds of shows since 1955, including such classics as Get Smart, That Girl, The Munsters, The Monkees, The Rockford Files, Bonanza, Ironside, Kojak, thirtysomething, Caroline in the City, ER, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Quincy, Mad About You, All in the Family, Boy Meets World and Everybody Loves Raymond (in which he had a recurring role as Garvin).
Lesser appeared in 15 episodes as Jerry's Uncle Leo on Seinfeld. His character has the word "Jerry" tattooed on the fingers of his right hand and "Hello" on the fingers of his left one, spelling out his catch phrase.
Survivors include his daughter, Michele Lesser; his son, David Lesser; David's wife, Julie; and his grandchildren Jonathan, Kayla and Mayah.
"Heaven got a great comedian and actor today. The outpouring of sympathy we've already received has been amazing and is so greatly appreciated," Michele said.
There will be a private funeral, with details of a public memorial service at A Noise Within to be announced. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to A Noise Within in Glendale, Calif.
source: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/seinfelds-uncle-leo-len-lesser-100507
Lesser's first love was the stage, and he appeared to critical acclaim in the past few years at Los Angeles' A Noise Within, one of the nation's leading classical repertory theater companies, most recently in Clifford Odets' Awake and Sing! this spring.
"Lesser nearly steals the show several times," wrote Hoyt Hilsman of Backstage.
Other stage roles included The Moths at the Mark Taper Forum; Captain Brassbound's Conversion at the Ahmanson; The Legacy at the Old Globe Theatre; and The Birthday Party at ACT. He studied at the American Theatre Wing and with Uta Hagen, Lee Strasberg and Milton Katselas.
The New York native and City College graduate also had more than 50 feature films to his credit, among them Birdman of Alcatraz (1962), Kelly's Heroes (1970), Papillon (1973), The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) and Death Hunt (1981).
A veteran of television since its earliest days, he appeared on hundreds of shows since 1955, including such classics as Get Smart, That Girl, The Munsters, The Monkees, The Rockford Files, Bonanza, Ironside, Kojak, thirtysomething, Caroline in the City, ER, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Quincy, Mad About You, All in the Family, Boy Meets World and Everybody Loves Raymond (in which he had a recurring role as Garvin).
Lesser appeared in 15 episodes as Jerry's Uncle Leo on Seinfeld. His character has the word "Jerry" tattooed on the fingers of his right hand and "Hello" on the fingers of his left one, spelling out his catch phrase.
Survivors include his daughter, Michele Lesser; his son, David Lesser; David's wife, Julie; and his grandchildren Jonathan, Kayla and Mayah.
"Heaven got a great comedian and actor today. The outpouring of sympathy we've already received has been amazing and is so greatly appreciated," Michele said.
There will be a private funeral, with details of a public memorial service at A Noise Within to be announced. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to A Noise Within in Glendale, Calif.
source: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/seinfelds-uncle-leo-len-lesser-100507
Uncle Leo Seinfeld
LOS ANGELES — Len Lesser, the veteran character actor best known for his scene-stealing role as Uncle Leo on "Seinfeld," died Wednesday. He was 88.
Lesser’s family said in a statement that he died in Burbank, Calif., from cancer-related pneumonia.
"Heaven got a great comedian and actor today," his daughter, Michele, said in the statement. "The outpouring of sympathy we’ve already received has been amazing and is so greatly appreciated. Thank you to all the people who helped make my father’s last journey special and surrounded with love."
Lesser’s lengthy list of television credits included parts on "Get Smart," ”That Girl," ”The Munsters," ”The Monkees," ”The Rockford Files," ”thirtysomething," ”ER," and "Everybody Loves Raymond," which featured Lesser in a recurring role as the arm-shaking Garvin. His film credits included "Outlaw Josey Wales," ”Kelly’s Heroes," ”Birdman of Alcatraz" and "Death Hunt." He most recently appeared on the TV drama "Castle."
He is survived by his daughter, Michele; son, David; daughter-in-law, Julie; and grandchildren, Jonathan, Kayla, and Mayah.
source: http://news.bostonherald.com/track/celebrity/view/20110217seinfeld_actor_who_played_uncle_leo_dies_at_88/srvc=home&position=recent
Lesser’s family said in a statement that he died in Burbank, Calif., from cancer-related pneumonia.
"Heaven got a great comedian and actor today," his daughter, Michele, said in the statement. "The outpouring of sympathy we’ve already received has been amazing and is so greatly appreciated. Thank you to all the people who helped make my father’s last journey special and surrounded with love."
Lesser’s lengthy list of television credits included parts on "Get Smart," ”That Girl," ”The Munsters," ”The Monkees," ”The Rockford Files," ”thirtysomething," ”ER," and "Everybody Loves Raymond," which featured Lesser in a recurring role as the arm-shaking Garvin. His film credits included "Outlaw Josey Wales," ”Kelly’s Heroes," ”Birdman of Alcatraz" and "Death Hunt." He most recently appeared on the TV drama "Castle."
He is survived by his daughter, Michele; son, David; daughter-in-law, Julie; and grandchildren, Jonathan, Kayla, and Mayah.
Photo by AP
Len Lesser, 88, best known as Uncle Leo in the hit television show Seinfeld but also veteran of over 500 film and television appearances and stage roles during his generation-spanning career, died on Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2011, in Burbank, Calif.
source: http://news.bostonherald.com/track/celebrity/view/20110217seinfeld_actor_who_played_uncle_leo_dies_at_88/srvc=home&position=recent
Tuesday, 15 February 2011
Westminster Dog Show 2011
The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is an awesome event, isn’t it? It concludes on TV Tuesday night with the crowning of the Best in Show top canine, if you didn’t know. First held in 1877, the show is older than the World Series. It predates the invention of the automobile, the light bulb, and the zipper.
But what about the Westminster Kennel Club itself? Maybe the sight of all those happy dogs prancing around the ring got you wondering if you should join and help out. After all, your dog isn’t a show dog, but maybe he or she would like hanging out with a pack of friends. Plus, the WKC probably has an awesome clubhouse – like the Bat Cave, only with chew toys.
Down, boy. If you have to ask, you’re not eligible. The Westminster Kennel Club "is a private club open by invitation only," says club spokesman David Frei.
Westminster Dog Show: Five spunky Best in Show winners
Well, how many members are there? Who are they?
"We don’t talk about the membership," says Mr. Frei, who is also one of the television voices of the show.
The Westminster Kennel Club was founded in New York City in 1877 by a group of sporting gentlemen, according to a club history. In that era, “sports” were the sort of slightly rakish fellows with money who gathered in bars prior to racing their horses on back roads or engaging in shooting competitions.
According to the show website, the group took its name from one of its favorite watering holes, the Westminster hotel. An alternate theory holds that the name came because dogs belonging to the Duke of Westminster took part in early shows.
The club quickly became fashionable. Among famous names whose dogs have taken part in its festivities are financier J.P. Morgan, Russian Czar Nicholas II, and Gen. George Custer. (Custer had already experienced his "last stand," though. The first WKC show listed as participants two staghounds from the late General Custer’s pack.)
For years, shooting was also a big part of the club curriculum. It sold a club facility in New Jersey when the surrounding locality banned pigeon hunting, for instance. But that’s not on the WKC agenda any longer. It doesn’t have a club facility, either. The last one, on Long Island, was sold some years ago.
Is the club limited to male members? As noted above, the club does not publicly comment on the membership. But a list of past presidents on the group website shows only men– or at least, only people with male names. A list of current WKC officers, including the president, board of governors, and dog show committee, similarly lists about 35 men.
source: http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2011/0215/Westminster-Dog-Show-2011-Can-my-dog-join-Westminster-Kennel-Club
But what about the Westminster Kennel Club itself? Maybe the sight of all those happy dogs prancing around the ring got you wondering if you should join and help out. After all, your dog isn’t a show dog, but maybe he or she would like hanging out with a pack of friends. Plus, the WKC probably has an awesome clubhouse – like the Bat Cave, only with chew toys.
Down, boy. If you have to ask, you’re not eligible. The Westminster Kennel Club "is a private club open by invitation only," says club spokesman David Frei.
Westminster Dog Show: Five spunky Best in Show winners
Well, how many members are there? Who are they?
"We don’t talk about the membership," says Mr. Frei, who is also one of the television voices of the show.
The Westminster Kennel Club was founded in New York City in 1877 by a group of sporting gentlemen, according to a club history. In that era, “sports” were the sort of slightly rakish fellows with money who gathered in bars prior to racing their horses on back roads or engaging in shooting competitions.
According to the show website, the group took its name from one of its favorite watering holes, the Westminster hotel. An alternate theory holds that the name came because dogs belonging to the Duke of Westminster took part in early shows.
The club quickly became fashionable. Among famous names whose dogs have taken part in its festivities are financier J.P. Morgan, Russian Czar Nicholas II, and Gen. George Custer. (Custer had already experienced his "last stand," though. The first WKC show listed as participants two staghounds from the late General Custer’s pack.)
For years, shooting was also a big part of the club curriculum. It sold a club facility in New Jersey when the surrounding locality banned pigeon hunting, for instance. But that’s not on the WKC agenda any longer. It doesn’t have a club facility, either. The last one, on Long Island, was sold some years ago.
Is the club limited to male members? As noted above, the club does not publicly comment on the membership. But a list of past presidents on the group website shows only men– or at least, only people with male names. A list of current WKC officers, including the president, board of governors, and dog show committee, similarly lists about 35 men.
source: http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2011/0215/Westminster-Dog-Show-2011-Can-my-dog-join-Westminster-Kennel-Club
Monday, 14 February 2011
Serene Branson
Serene Branson's report from the Grammys Sunday night went awry soon after Paul Magers threw to her live.
The video clip quickly fed a trending topic on Twitter and much chatter on YouTube and Facebook. In between the insensitive jokes is more serious concern that Branson might have been having a health issue. Of course, nobody knows nothing, and CBS 2 hasn't said anything that has been reported. But at least one staffer posted to Twitter that the "station is looking into if there was a problem." Here's hoping the only issue was a loose mic cord or something technical.
* 7:50 a.m. update: Some online news outlets and gossip sites are saying that Branson was taken to a hospital, with open speculation in some cases about a stroke, but not one of them cite a credible source. Mediaite's Jon Bershad, for instance says flat-out that Branson was hospitalized, but his story includes no sourcing.
source: http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=3171471002257784566
The video clip quickly fed a trending topic on Twitter and much chatter on YouTube and Facebook. In between the insensitive jokes is more serious concern that Branson might have been having a health issue. Of course, nobody knows nothing, and CBS 2 hasn't said anything that has been reported. But at least one staffer posted to Twitter that the "station is looking into if there was a problem." Here's hoping the only issue was a loose mic cord or something technical.
* 7:50 a.m. update: Some online news outlets and gossip sites are saying that Branson was taken to a hospital, with open speculation in some cases about a stroke, but not one of them cite a credible source. Mediaite's Jon Bershad, for instance says flat-out that Branson was hospitalized, but his story includes no sourcing.
source: http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=3171471002257784566
Saturday, 12 February 2011
Maksim Gelman kills 4 People
A New York man was arrested this morning for a series of attacks that left four people dead and several others injured.
Police said Maksim Gelman, 23, killed his stepfather, ex-girlfriend and her mother with a kitchen knife, according to NBC New York.
The violence began early Friday morning, police sources told The New York Post, when Gelman showed up at his family's Brooklyn apartment and demanded to use a car. When his stepfather, Alexsandr Kuznetsov, refused, cops said Gelman stabbed the 54-year-old man to death and fled -- killing a 62-year-old pedestrian as he drove off.
Later that day, Gelman allegedly went to the home of former girlfriend Yelena Bulchenko, 20, killing her and her mother, Anna, 56. Both women were stabbed more than a dozen times, according to the New York Daily News.
Officers nabbed Gelman at the Times Square subway station in Manhattan this morning, after a male passenger was stabbed repeatedly on a train.
Police said Gelman also stabbed at least four people during a series of carjackings, the Daily News reported.
Gelman has 10 prior arrests, according to the Post, including a drug bust last week. His mother told police he appeared high when he attacked his stepfather.
"That guy's got a bit of a reputation around here," a friend of Telena Bulchenko's told the Post. "You took one look at him and you thought he was on pills."
source: http://www.aolnews.com/2011/02/12/new-york-city-cops-arrest-maksim-gelman-in-deadly-rampage/
Police said Maksim Gelman, 23, killed his stepfather, ex-girlfriend and her mother with a kitchen knife, according to NBC New York.
New York City Police Department, AP
Maksim Gelman, 23, was arrested Saturday for a rampage that left four people dead in New York City.
The violence began early Friday morning, police sources told The New York Post, when Gelman showed up at his family's Brooklyn apartment and demanded to use a car. When his stepfather, Alexsandr Kuznetsov, refused, cops said Gelman stabbed the 54-year-old man to death and fled -- killing a 62-year-old pedestrian as he drove off.
Later that day, Gelman allegedly went to the home of former girlfriend Yelena Bulchenko, 20, killing her and her mother, Anna, 56. Both women were stabbed more than a dozen times, according to the New York Daily News.
Officers nabbed Gelman at the Times Square subway station in Manhattan this morning, after a male passenger was stabbed repeatedly on a train.
Police said Gelman also stabbed at least four people during a series of carjackings, the Daily News reported.
Gelman has 10 prior arrests, according to the Post, including a drug bust last week. His mother told police he appeared high when he attacked his stepfather.
"That guy's got a bit of a reputation around here," a friend of Telena Bulchenko's told the Post. "You took one look at him and you thought he was on pills."
source: http://www.aolnews.com/2011/02/12/new-york-city-cops-arrest-maksim-gelman-in-deadly-rampage/
Discover Card Login
The Discover card is a credit card, issued primarily in the United States. It was introduced by Sears in 1985 and was part of Dean Witter and Morgan Stanley, until 2007, when Discover Financial Services became an independent company. Novus, a large processing center, used to be partners with the company as well. Novus logo has since been removed and now the logo to discover the network has replaced.
Discover Bank Discover issues most maps of the mark. Discover card transactions are processed through the Discover Network payment network. In February 2006, the company announced it would begin offering Discover Debit cards to banks, made possible by the Pulse payment system, which Discover acquired in 2005.
At the time of the Discover Card was introduced; Sears was the largest retailer in the United States. He had purchased the Dean Witter Reynolds Organization (brokerage) and Coldwell, banking & Company (real estate) in 1981 as an attempt to add financial services to its portfolio of customer services. Ray Kennedy, Sr. – father of country singer Ray Kennedy – who was the manager of Sears Credit, designed the card. With the Discover card (and its issuing bank, the Greenwood Trust Company, owned by Sears), it was named Sears Financial Network. Discover Card at the beginning was a small-embossed symbol representing the Sears Tower, headquarters of the company at the time.
Unlike other attempts to create a credit card rival MasterCard and VISA, such as Citibank Choice Card, the Discover Card quickly gained a broad base of domestic consumers. He wore no annual fee, which was rare at the time, and offered a credit limit generally higher than similar cards. Cardholders can obtain a “Cashback Bonus” in which a percentage of the amount spent would be refunded to the account (initially 2%, now as high as 5%), depending on how much the card was used. Retailers [Who?] are courted by copyright trader significantly lower [citation needed] than other credit cards widely accepted. The Discover card is also notable for being the only credit card accepted by the Service U.S. Customs to pay customs duties. [Citation needed]
However, the project of creating one-stop financial services at Sears was not as successful as Sears had hoped, and his promotion of the Discover Card was designed both to harm sales Sears and limit the potential of the card. Other retailers resisted it because they believed they would help their competitors.
In light of these developments, and fierce competition from both Wal-Mart and category killers known as Toys “R” Us, Sears began to struggle in the late 1980s. Sears sold its financial activities in 1993 and began accepting MasterCard and Visa, in addition to its store credit card and Discover Card. The Discover card has become part of the Dean Witter financial services company. Dean Witter Discover merged with Morgan Stanley in 1997. In 2000, Greenwood Trust has changed its name to Discover Bank.
Discover Card had a sign on top of One Times Square below the flagpole ball falls on New Year’s Eve until the end of 2007. He presented information and new offers for the company and also displayed the countdown during the New Year celebrations
On 24 August 2006, the Discover and PULSE network in the UK LINK ATM network announced a reciprocal agreement allowing the more than 4,500 financial institution participants in the PULSE network to offer their cardholders to all but a handful more than 58,000 ATMs across the UK and allow LINK to offer its 38 participating financial institution members access to more than 265,000 ATMs in the United States PULSE.
In December 2009, an agreement was formalized with the Brazilian credit card processor Redecard to begin accepting Discover Card in Brazil.
Discover Financial Services is an American financial services company, which issues the Discover card and operates the Discover and Pulse Networks. Discover Card is the registered credit card third in the U.S. when measured by cards in force, with nearly 50 million cardholders. [via online sources]
source: http://usspost.com/discover-card-login-28727/
Discover Bank Discover issues most maps of the mark. Discover card transactions are processed through the Discover Network payment network. In February 2006, the company announced it would begin offering Discover Debit cards to banks, made possible by the Pulse payment system, which Discover acquired in 2005.
At the time of the Discover Card was introduced; Sears was the largest retailer in the United States. He had purchased the Dean Witter Reynolds Organization (brokerage) and Coldwell, banking & Company (real estate) in 1981 as an attempt to add financial services to its portfolio of customer services. Ray Kennedy, Sr. – father of country singer Ray Kennedy – who was the manager of Sears Credit, designed the card. With the Discover card (and its issuing bank, the Greenwood Trust Company, owned by Sears), it was named Sears Financial Network. Discover Card at the beginning was a small-embossed symbol representing the Sears Tower, headquarters of the company at the time.
Unlike other attempts to create a credit card rival MasterCard and VISA, such as Citibank Choice Card, the Discover Card quickly gained a broad base of domestic consumers. He wore no annual fee, which was rare at the time, and offered a credit limit generally higher than similar cards. Cardholders can obtain a “Cashback Bonus” in which a percentage of the amount spent would be refunded to the account (initially 2%, now as high as 5%), depending on how much the card was used. Retailers [Who?] are courted by copyright trader significantly lower [citation needed] than other credit cards widely accepted. The Discover card is also notable for being the only credit card accepted by the Service U.S. Customs to pay customs duties. [Citation needed]
However, the project of creating one-stop financial services at Sears was not as successful as Sears had hoped, and his promotion of the Discover Card was designed both to harm sales Sears and limit the potential of the card. Other retailers resisted it because they believed they would help their competitors.
In light of these developments, and fierce competition from both Wal-Mart and category killers known as Toys “R” Us, Sears began to struggle in the late 1980s. Sears sold its financial activities in 1993 and began accepting MasterCard and Visa, in addition to its store credit card and Discover Card. The Discover card has become part of the Dean Witter financial services company. Dean Witter Discover merged with Morgan Stanley in 1997. In 2000, Greenwood Trust has changed its name to Discover Bank.
Discover Card had a sign on top of One Times Square below the flagpole ball falls on New Year’s Eve until the end of 2007. He presented information and new offers for the company and also displayed the countdown during the New Year celebrations
On 24 August 2006, the Discover and PULSE network in the UK LINK ATM network announced a reciprocal agreement allowing the more than 4,500 financial institution participants in the PULSE network to offer their cardholders to all but a handful more than 58,000 ATMs across the UK and allow LINK to offer its 38 participating financial institution members access to more than 265,000 ATMs in the United States PULSE.
In December 2009, an agreement was formalized with the Brazilian credit card processor Redecard to begin accepting Discover Card in Brazil.
Discover Financial Services is an American financial services company, which issues the Discover card and operates the Discover and Pulse Networks. Discover Card is the registered credit card third in the U.S. when measured by cards in force, with nearly 50 million cardholders. [via online sources]
source: http://usspost.com/discover-card-login-28727/
Friday, 11 February 2011
New Lady Gaga Song
She's on the right track, baby!
After months of hype and teasing, Lady Gaga debuted her new single, 'Born This Way,' this morning. The track, written by Gaga and produced by DJ White Shadow, Gaga and Fernando Garibay, makes good use of the diva's big voice and penchant for drama, combining powerhouse vocals with in-your-face lyrics about race and sexuality. It also sounds an awful lot like Madonna's 'Express Yourself,' which is causing a commotion on Twitter.
I wrote ['Born This Way'] in 10 f**king minutes," Gaga told Vogue. "And it is a completely magical message song. And after I wrote it, the gates just opened, and the songs kept coming. It was like an immaculate conception."
The pop star will perform the song on Sunday at the Grammy Awards, where she is nominated for six prizes, including Album of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
Gaga has been hyping the track for months. She sent her fans into a frenzy in September at the MTV Video Music Awards by launching into an a cappella take on the song's chorus. In late January, she leaked the lyrics to 'Born This Way' on Twitter, and soon thereafter announced that she was moving up the single's release date from Feb. 13 to Feb. 11, tweeting, "Can't wait any longer."
"I think 'Born This Way' is the kind of record that if you are really paying attention you will get the full depth of Gaga as a songwriter," Akon, a frequent Gaga collaborator who signed the pop star to his Kon Live Distribution label in 2007, recently told PopEater. "Sometimes, the creative image hides the element of her lyrical content. That's why she wanted to give people a better idea of what she was saying outside of her image when she dropped those lyrics."
Gaga's new album, also titled 'Born This Way,' drops on May 23.
source: http://www.popeater.com/2011/02/11/lady-gaga-new-single-born-this-way/
After months of hype and teasing, Lady Gaga debuted her new single, 'Born This Way,' this morning. The track, written by Gaga and produced by DJ White Shadow, Gaga and Fernando Garibay, makes good use of the diva's big voice and penchant for drama, combining powerhouse vocals with in-your-face lyrics about race and sexuality. It also sounds an awful lot like Madonna's 'Express Yourself,' which is causing a commotion on Twitter.
I wrote ['Born This Way'] in 10 f**king minutes," Gaga told Vogue. "And it is a completely magical message song. And after I wrote it, the gates just opened, and the songs kept coming. It was like an immaculate conception."
The pop star will perform the song on Sunday at the Grammy Awards, where she is nominated for six prizes, including Album of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
Gaga has been hyping the track for months. She sent her fans into a frenzy in September at the MTV Video Music Awards by launching into an a cappella take on the song's chorus. In late January, she leaked the lyrics to 'Born This Way' on Twitter, and soon thereafter announced that she was moving up the single's release date from Feb. 13 to Feb. 11, tweeting, "Can't wait any longer."
"I think 'Born This Way' is the kind of record that if you are really paying attention you will get the full depth of Gaga as a songwriter," Akon, a frequent Gaga collaborator who signed the pop star to his Kon Live Distribution label in 2007, recently told PopEater. "Sometimes, the creative image hides the element of her lyrical content. That's why she wanted to give people a better idea of what she was saying outside of her image when she dropped those lyrics."
Gaga's new album, also titled 'Born This Way,' drops on May 23.
source: http://www.popeater.com/2011/02/11/lady-gaga-new-single-born-this-way/
Yesha Callahan
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - Details continue to surface about the Maryland woman who triggered Lee's quick resignation.
While she initially didn't reveal her identity, she has now identified herself as a 34 year old single mom from the DC area.
She is a faculty specialist for the University of Maryland who is supposedly shocked at how a casual online flirtation exploded into a national scandal.
Friday, politicians across the country continue to grapple with the fallout from the photo.
Her name is Yesha Callahan, the formerly anonymous single mother whose Craigslist ad inspired Congressman Chris Lee to tell her he was a divorced lobbyist, and send her a topless muscle photo of himself.
The revelation led to his resignation in record time.
Lee was ready to take on Washington back in 2008.
With his family by his side, the political newcomer was all smiles after his big win.
He campaigned for months against democrat Alice Kryzen.
During the race, he was forced to defend himself after it was learned he was fired from Ingram Micro for altering account information.
Former Congressman Chris Lee said, "I made a mistake 20 years ago, which I owned up at the time. I've gone on and have a very successful career and I want to take what I've learned over the last 20 years, and apply it to Washington."
News 4 is now learning that accusations of inappropriate behavior involving women have trailed Lee since he first ran for Congress.
Sources close to the Kryzan campaign reportedly had first-hand knowledge of Lee cheating or attempting to cheat on his wife.
Those allegations were never brought up in the race.
We also learned that Lee was warned about his behavior by now House Speaker John Boehner.
Erie County GOP Chair Nick Langworthy was Lee's campaign manager.
Langworthy said, "Chris Lee has committed no crimes. Chris is not Eliot Spitzer, or one of those foolish individuals. He's made some foolish decisions."
Langworthy said, "This is someone that's had some failings in his marriage and personal life."
No concrete evidence has surfaced that Lee has cheated on his wife.
But, in the wake of widespread news coverage of the Craigslist photo, sources reportedly say it fits into a pattern of accusations that stretch back a few years.
Immediately after the photo became public, Lee issued a brief statement of apology, and then his letter of resignation.
We haven't heard from him since.
His congressional spokesman issued a statement, saying that under House procedures, Lee's media staff can no longer discuss the situation.
source: http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/erie/Details-emerge-on-woman-in-Lee-scandal
While she initially didn't reveal her identity, she has now identified herself as a 34 year old single mom from the DC area.
She is a faculty specialist for the University of Maryland who is supposedly shocked at how a casual online flirtation exploded into a national scandal.
Friday, politicians across the country continue to grapple with the fallout from the photo.
Her name is Yesha Callahan, the formerly anonymous single mother whose Craigslist ad inspired Congressman Chris Lee to tell her he was a divorced lobbyist, and send her a topless muscle photo of himself.
The revelation led to his resignation in record time.
Lee was ready to take on Washington back in 2008.
With his family by his side, the political newcomer was all smiles after his big win.
He campaigned for months against democrat Alice Kryzen.
During the race, he was forced to defend himself after it was learned he was fired from Ingram Micro for altering account information.
Former Congressman Chris Lee said, "I made a mistake 20 years ago, which I owned up at the time. I've gone on and have a very successful career and I want to take what I've learned over the last 20 years, and apply it to Washington."
News 4 is now learning that accusations of inappropriate behavior involving women have trailed Lee since he first ran for Congress.
Sources close to the Kryzan campaign reportedly had first-hand knowledge of Lee cheating or attempting to cheat on his wife.
Those allegations were never brought up in the race.
We also learned that Lee was warned about his behavior by now House Speaker John Boehner.
Erie County GOP Chair Nick Langworthy was Lee's campaign manager.
Langworthy said, "Chris Lee has committed no crimes. Chris is not Eliot Spitzer, or one of those foolish individuals. He's made some foolish decisions."
Langworthy said, "This is someone that's had some failings in his marriage and personal life."
No concrete evidence has surfaced that Lee has cheated on his wife.
But, in the wake of widespread news coverage of the Craigslist photo, sources reportedly say it fits into a pattern of accusations that stretch back a few years.
Immediately after the photo became public, Lee issued a brief statement of apology, and then his letter of resignation.
We haven't heard from him since.
His congressional spokesman issued a statement, saying that under House procedures, Lee's media staff can no longer discuss the situation.
source: http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/erie/Details-emerge-on-woman-in-Lee-scandal
Thursday, 10 February 2011
Diet Soda Stroke
Is it really called "diet" soda because it's better for you? A new study is calling that into question, but beware that the results are preliminary and don't entirely support the conclusion.
They also said their results showed a connection between salt and stroke. After a follow-up period of about 9.7 years years, those taking in more than 4,000 milligrams of sodium per day doubled their stroke risk compared to people who consume less than 1,500 milligrams per day.
"This study suggests that diet soda is not an optimal substitute for sugar-sweetened beverages, and may be associated with a greater risk of stroke, myocardial infarction, or vascular death than regular soda," the researchers said in the study abstract.
But all of the information about how much soda and sodium consumed came from the participants' own reports, not from a controlled setting. It's possible that they remembered or stated their habits incorrectly, or did not maintain those habits consistently over time. Researchers also do not know about the specific brands and flavors of diet and regular sodas consumed.
"There is no scientific evidence to support the idea that diet soda uniquely causes increased risk of vascular events or stroke," Dr. Maureen Storey, senior vice president of science policy for the American Beverage Association, said in a statement.
Storey pointed out that this information comes from a research paper abstract presented at a conference, and was not in a study reviewed for publication by experts in the field. Also, the study authors did not control for weight gain or for family history of stroke.
This is the first time diet soda has been linked to vascular events, but previous research has implicated it in other health issues.
A 2007 study in the American Heart Association journal Circulation found that people who drink one or more soft drinks a day are more likely to develop metabolic syndrome, a heart disease precursor, than people who drink less than one soda a day.
Still, that study also only showed an association, and did not prove that sodas cause metabolic syndrome. There could be something else about people who drink soda regularly that directly leads to risk factors for heart disease.
source: http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/10/diet-soda-and-stroke-is-there-a-link/
Christopher Lee Congressman - Craigslist Dating Scandal
Christopher Lee Congressman, (AP) – A wedding in New York accused of Congress sent a tpless photo of himself to a woman abruptly resigned Wednesday, saying he regretted actions had harmed his family and others. The gossip Web site Gawker reported Wednesday that Representative Christopher Lee, a Republican of the two courses with a young son, had e-mail a photo of a woman he met on the Craigslist classified ads. Lee said in an e-mailed statement that his resignation took effect immediately. The statement offered no details or confirmation of an announcement Craigslist. “I regret the pain my actions have caused my family, my staff and my constituents,” Lee said in a statement published on its website of the Congress. “I am deeply and sincerely apologize to all. I made mistakes and I deeply committed to working as hard as I can to ask forgiveness. ”
Lee said that the difficulties encountered in western New York, where it serves the 26th Congressional District and across the country are “too serious for me to allow this distraction to continue, so I’m happy to announce I resigned my seat in Congress effective immediately. ”
Lee’s resignation comes almost a year after Democrat Eric Massa resigned his seat in the Western District of New York 29th Congress amid an investigation into whether he S-EX-ually harassed members of male staff. Massa gave conflicting explanations of his behavior, he went to recognizing and tickle a staff member in a non-S-EX-ual and struggled with others in his party’s 50th anniversary but denying any groping occurred.
In the case of Lee, a woman described as a resident of 34 years, Maryland and government employee Gawker provided with e-mail said she was an exchange between her and Lee in response to an ad, it puts the last month in the “Women Seeking Men” section of Craigslist.
Gawker reported that Lee himself identified as a lobbyist divorced and sent a photo of him posing shirtless in front of a mirror. He said the woman eventually broke off contact with Lee after he had suspected himself distorted.
Lee was on the House Ways and Means Committee and has been active on issues of economic revitalization. He has a business background from manufacturing companies of his family.
Lee was very involved in pushing the flight safety from a plane crashed into a house of Clarence, who is in his district in the Buffalo area, 12 February 2009, killing 49 people aboard the plane and owner of the house.
Scott Maurer, whose daughter was one of those who died in the accident, was at a news conference on flight safety with Lee on Tuesday in Washington. He said Lee was “a hard worker and a good guy” who “loved and supported” his community.
“It was 100 percent professional with us, 100 percent supportive and attentive and was seriously concerned about the safety of aviation, to hear that he gave his resignation is a huge loss of support for our efforts, and “Maurer said Wednesday night
A state official that spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the matter to the Associated Press member had not submitted his resignation to Secretary of State of New York Wednesday night. According to him, Governor Cuomo could schedule a special election.
Cuomo, a Democrat, had no comment Wednesday evening.
Andrew Miga in Washington, DC, and Michael Gormley in Albany contributed to this report.
source: http://usspost.com/christopher-lee-congressman-28360/
Wednesday, 9 February 2011
Dmae Products Removes Wrinkle Instantly - Hype or True?
(istockphoto)
(CBS) What's the latest wrinkle in skin care? It's dimethylethanolamine (DMAE) - at least if you believe Dr. Nicholas Perricone, a well-known dermatologist who appeared recently on Dr. Ehmet Oz's television program.
Perricone, the author of books on skin care and other health topics, says wrinkles don't stand a chance against lotions that contain DMAE, a compound that occurs naturally in salmon and other foods.
"When you put it on, there is an almost instant change," he told Dr. Oz. "You will see an increase in radiance and an increase in skin tone. It's not a gimmick."
Gimmick or not, Perricone may not be the most objective source of information on DMAE. His website sells a variety of DMAE-containing products.
What do other dermatologists say about DMAE?
"The bottom line is that it is a marginally valuable compound," Dr. Zoe Draelos, consulting professor of dermatology at Duke University, tells CBS News. "The effect wears off very quickly."
She said little little research has been done on DMAE's purported anti-wrinkle effect, adding "It's never been tested in a large study."
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
source: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20031192-10391704.html
Eliza Kruger 17 years Old and New York Jets QB Mark Sanchez dating?
Eliza Kruger - Photo New York Post
Did their conversation go something like this?
“You know I’m 17, right.”
“Well, we can still talk. But I can’t see you until you’re 18.”
“Actually, 17 is legal in New York.”
This is allegedly what is going on between New York Jets QB Mark Sanchez and Eliza Kruger, a 17 year old high school student from Connecticut.
Eliza’s father is Connecticut hedge funder Konrad “Chip” Kruger. Very well known, and VERY wealthy.
According to today’s Deadspin.com and New York Post, Sanchez, 24, and Kruger are in a relationship – they’ve had dates at the famous Nobu restaurant in New York City and even overnight stays in Sanchez’s New Jersey home.
They met at a nightclub on New Year’s Eve, and Kruger actually posted on her Facebook page, that “MARK F–ING SANCHEZ” texted her.
Eliza told Deadspin.com: “We went back to his place in Jersey after dinner. He lives on a golf course. There was a big storm.” She also took photos of a bed in his bedroom that you could tell had been (at least) slept in as “proof” of their huddle just days later.
Asked if she “hooked up” with Sanchez that night at Nobu during the first week of January, Eliza said, “Yeah,” albeit somewhat reluctantly, according to Deadspin.
When a Deadspin editor told her he was going to research the legality of the relationship, Eliza reportedly replied that the age of sexual consent in New Jersey is “16. I checked.”
“He’s a really nice guy, you know,” Eliza told the site. “He’s one of the kindest people, and he’s a genuine person.”
What do you think about this alleged romance?
source: http://blogs.babble.com/famecrawler/2011/02/09/17-year-old-eliza-kruger-dating-new-york-jets-qb-mark-sanchez/
Tuesday, 8 February 2011
J. Paul Getty iii Dies
J. Paul Getty III, an oil-fortune heir known as the "golden hippie" whose kidnapping in Italy at 16 made international headlines and whose captors severed his ear when his family didn't initially pay his ransom, has died. He was 54.
Mr. Getty had required intensive medical care since 1981, when he suffered a narcotics-induced stroke that left him paralyzed and nearly blind. He died Feb. 5 at his home in Buckinghamshire, England, according to British news reports.
He was a grandson of billionaire J. Paul Getty Sr., who founded the renowned California museum that bears his name and was once the world's wealthiest man. Young Getty spent much of his childhood in Rome, where he gravitated to the world of artists and left-wing bohemians and where, in July 1973, he disappeared.
His family at first thought it was a hoax. Mr. Getty, who had been expelled from several schools, had been known to joke with friends about staging his own kidnapping to squeeze money from his tightfisted grandfather. In fact, he was being held chained and blindfolded in a series of mountain hideouts.
The media deemed Mr. Getty the "golden hippie" as much for his long reddish-blond locks as his family fortune.
His kidnappers sent word that they wanted $17 million, an amount J. Paul Getty Sr. refused to pay.
"I have 14 other grandchildren," he said, "and if I pay one penny now, then I'll have 14 kidnapped grandchildren."
Mr. Getty's father, J. Paul Getty Jr., was in no position to pay the ransom. After years of lavish living and drug addiction, he had holed up in London, where he was undergoing rehabilitation.
The stalemate broke only after an Italian newspaper received a package containing a lock of red hair, a severed ear and a typewritten warning. "This is Paul's first ear," the note read. "If within ten days the family still believes that this is a joke mounted by him, then the other ear will arrive. In other words, he will arrive in little bits."
The captors agreed to release Mr. Getty in exchange for $2.8 million in cash. Getty Sr. arranged for stacks of Italian lira to be bagged and left by the side of a highway near Rome. He told his son, the teenager's father, that the money was a loan that he expected to be repaid at 4 percent interest.
Soon after, a truck driver noticed young Mr. Getty standing by the side of a road about 100 miles south of Naples. Shivering and frail, he had been held captive for five months. When he phoned to thank his grandfather for his help, the elder Getty reportedly refused to take the call.
"He will need time to learn to believe in love and affection once again," said his mother, actress Gail Harris, who was divorced from Mr. Getty's father by that time.
John Paul Getty III was born in 1956 and was the first of J. Paul Getty Jr.'s five children. He spent most of his childhood in Rome, where his father ran the Italian branch of the family company, Getty Oil.
After his parents' divorce, Mr. Getty grew up largely with his mother. The younger Getty had a wild streak and was said, according to a news report at the time of kidnapping, "to frequent hippie hangouts in Rome."
After the kidnapping, two of Mr. Getty's captors were convicted in an Italian court and sentenced to prison, according to news accounts. Several other defendants were acquitted in the kidnapping but convicted on narcotics charges. The bulk of the ransom money was never recovered.
Mr. Getty was left with his hearing mostly intact, and he underwent reconstructive surgery on his ear. He married his girlfriend, the German-born photographer Gisela Martine Zacher. They had a son, actor Balthazar Getty, before divorcing.
A complete list of survivors could not be confirmed.
In the 1970s, Mr. Getty briefly joined the family business as a field worker in Bakersfield, Calif., but he continued to struggle with the aftereffects of his terrifying experience.
He was troubled by nightmares and was, according to Newsweek, arrested for public indecency in London's Hyde Park after he was "found in a compromising position with a female companion." He descended into the cocaine and heroin addiction that led to his 1981 stroke.
If Mr. Getty's kidnapping had revealed intergenerational tensions among the Gettys, his new medical needs exposed gaping rifts. He needed $25,000 a month for around-the-clock nursing care. His father, who had become extraordinarily wealthy after the 1976 death of Getty Sr., and who was known in his adopted Britain as a generous philanthropist, refused to help pay.
A California judge forced Getty Jr. to assist his son. "I think Mr. Getty should be ashamed of himself," the judge said at the time. "He is spending far more on these legal details than it would cost him to measure up to his moral and legal obligations."
Getty Jr., who was knighted in Britain for his charitable work, died in 2003.
John Paul Getty III lived with his mother in California and Ireland before settling outside London at Wormsley Lodge, a 2,500-acre estate previously owned by his father.
source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/08/AR2011020803943_2.html
Mr. Getty had required intensive medical care since 1981, when he suffered a narcotics-induced stroke that left him paralyzed and nearly blind. He died Feb. 5 at his home in Buckinghamshire, England, according to British news reports.
He was a grandson of billionaire J. Paul Getty Sr., who founded the renowned California museum that bears his name and was once the world's wealthiest man. Young Getty spent much of his childhood in Rome, where he gravitated to the world of artists and left-wing bohemians and where, in July 1973, he disappeared.
His family at first thought it was a hoax. Mr. Getty, who had been expelled from several schools, had been known to joke with friends about staging his own kidnapping to squeeze money from his tightfisted grandfather. In fact, he was being held chained and blindfolded in a series of mountain hideouts.
The media deemed Mr. Getty the "golden hippie" as much for his long reddish-blond locks as his family fortune.
His kidnappers sent word that they wanted $17 million, an amount J. Paul Getty Sr. refused to pay.
"I have 14 other grandchildren," he said, "and if I pay one penny now, then I'll have 14 kidnapped grandchildren."
Mr. Getty's father, J. Paul Getty Jr., was in no position to pay the ransom. After years of lavish living and drug addiction, he had holed up in London, where he was undergoing rehabilitation.
The stalemate broke only after an Italian newspaper received a package containing a lock of red hair, a severed ear and a typewritten warning. "This is Paul's first ear," the note read. "If within ten days the family still believes that this is a joke mounted by him, then the other ear will arrive. In other words, he will arrive in little bits."
The captors agreed to release Mr. Getty in exchange for $2.8 million in cash. Getty Sr. arranged for stacks of Italian lira to be bagged and left by the side of a highway near Rome. He told his son, the teenager's father, that the money was a loan that he expected to be repaid at 4 percent interest.
Soon after, a truck driver noticed young Mr. Getty standing by the side of a road about 100 miles south of Naples. Shivering and frail, he had been held captive for five months. When he phoned to thank his grandfather for his help, the elder Getty reportedly refused to take the call.
"He will need time to learn to believe in love and affection once again," said his mother, actress Gail Harris, who was divorced from Mr. Getty's father by that time.
John Paul Getty III was born in 1956 and was the first of J. Paul Getty Jr.'s five children. He spent most of his childhood in Rome, where his father ran the Italian branch of the family company, Getty Oil.
After his parents' divorce, Mr. Getty grew up largely with his mother. The younger Getty had a wild streak and was said, according to a news report at the time of kidnapping, "to frequent hippie hangouts in Rome."
After the kidnapping, two of Mr. Getty's captors were convicted in an Italian court and sentenced to prison, according to news accounts. Several other defendants were acquitted in the kidnapping but convicted on narcotics charges. The bulk of the ransom money was never recovered.
Mr. Getty was left with his hearing mostly intact, and he underwent reconstructive surgery on his ear. He married his girlfriend, the German-born photographer Gisela Martine Zacher. They had a son, actor Balthazar Getty, before divorcing.
A complete list of survivors could not be confirmed.
In the 1970s, Mr. Getty briefly joined the family business as a field worker in Bakersfield, Calif., but he continued to struggle with the aftereffects of his terrifying experience.
He was troubled by nightmares and was, according to Newsweek, arrested for public indecency in London's Hyde Park after he was "found in a compromising position with a female companion." He descended into the cocaine and heroin addiction that led to his 1981 stroke.
If Mr. Getty's kidnapping had revealed intergenerational tensions among the Gettys, his new medical needs exposed gaping rifts. He needed $25,000 a month for around-the-clock nursing care. His father, who had become extraordinarily wealthy after the 1976 death of Getty Sr., and who was known in his adopted Britain as a generous philanthropist, refused to help pay.
A California judge forced Getty Jr. to assist his son. "I think Mr. Getty should be ashamed of himself," the judge said at the time. "He is spending far more on these legal details than it would cost him to measure up to his moral and legal obligations."
Getty Jr., who was knighted in Britain for his charitable work, died in 2003.
John Paul Getty III lived with his mother in California and Ireland before settling outside London at Wormsley Lodge, a 2,500-acre estate previously owned by his father.
source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/08/AR2011020803943_2.html
Proflowers Coupon
Check out this list of the many of the ProFlowers discount codes and coupon codes you can use when placing your order. ProFlowers is also offering free delivery on many of their bouquet options, and if you order today, you’ll receive at a free glass vase along with your flowers.
Don’t wait until you’re stuck with the picked over store selections on Valentine’s Day, go ahead and order now!
source:
Monday, 7 February 2011
Kyocera Echo - Secrets Out
source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/07/kyocera-echo-leaks-on-sprints-site/
Joan Rivers Go Daddy
(WEB HOST INDUSTRY REVIEW) -- Web hosting and domain giant Go Daddy (www.godaddy.com) announced on Monday that it had doubled its best-ever Internet traffic spike in the wake of its advertisement in Sunday’s Super Bowl broadcast, and had successfully converted the traffic into significant sales.
The company, which owes much of its rapid rise to prominence to a deft spinning of the controversy surrounding its original Super Bowl ad, says the surge that followed its first appearance in the broadcast pushed its total domains under management past the 46 million mark."We scored several Go Daddy Super Bowl records," said Go Daddy CEO and founder Bob Parsons, in a statement. "Our fourth-quarter commercial spiked our Internet traffic higher than any Super Bowl ad we've ever done… In fewer than 15 minutes after Go Daddy's first Super Bowl commercial aired, our domain name registrations shot up more than 466 percent over last year."
The company’s first-quarter ad marked the unveiling of a new “Go Daddy girl,” the reveal of which had been teased for several weeks by the company, in the lead-up to the game. The mystery woman turned out to be comic Joan Rivers, with a digitally assisted “smoking hot” body – apparently as a way of suggesting that “anything is possible” with a .co domain.
Part of the purpose for the ad, said the company, was to showcase the recently-launched .co TLD, helping to give exposure to a product that is available at Go Daddy. But, as Go Daddy has pointed out, there’s a fairly obvious potential benefit to anybody selling .co domains to the product being put on that kind of stage.
"It's a memorable, meaningful Web address that opens up millions of new, creative branding opportunities for entrepreneurs and businesses on the Internet," says Juan Diego Calle, CEO and founder of .CO Internet SAS, quoted in the Go Daddy press release. "This ad is working for us already. Almost immediately, we recorded a huge uptick in .CO domain name registrations."source: http://www.thewhir.com/web-hosting-news/020711_Go_Daddy_Sees_Anticipated_Traffic_Sales_Spike_from_Super_Bowl_Ad
Christina Aguilera National Anthem
Super Bowl XLV featured Christina Aguilera's fumbled national anthem, a great game between the Packers and Steelers, terrible commercials, 400 ticket holders screwed out of seats, a horrid Black Eyed peas halftime show, Jerry Jones' massive ego, and celebrities beyond belief seated above the masses. The entire presentation was one for the ages, but not for the right reasons. It wasn’t all bad though. Like I said, the game was great – with the Packers winning 31-26. And, the Eminem Chrysler 200 commercial and TV Show NFL Fan ads were worth watching.
Christina Aguilera's National Anthem Fail
It got off to a rocky start when Christina Aguilera got caught up in hitting her notes during the national anthem and forgetting the line "o’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming." Instead, Aguilera swapped it with an earlier line and it came out as: "What so proudly we watched at the twilight's last reaming."
source: http://www.philly2philly.com/politics_community/the_omelette/2011/2/7/46349/the_omelette_super_bowl_xlv_recap_christina_aguilera_#
Christina Aguilera's National Anthem Fail
It got off to a rocky start when Christina Aguilera got caught up in hitting her notes during the national anthem and forgetting the line "o’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming." Instead, Aguilera swapped it with an earlier line and it came out as: "What so proudly we watched at the twilight's last reaming."
source: http://www.philly2philly.com/politics_community/the_omelette/2011/2/7/46349/the_omelette_super_bowl_xlv_recap_christina_aguilera_#
Super Bowl Commercials 2011
From high-power celeb driven commercials starring Justin Bieber, Ozzy Osbourne and Kim Kardashian to the classics delivered each year by Doritos, Pepsi and E-Trade, Super Bowl XLV ads sure didn’t disappoint this year. Catch some of the most memorable commercials below! A sweaty, scantily clad Kim or a teen heartthrob like JB will sure capture people’s attention, and that attention is very important as 30-second Super Bowl spots cost advertisers millions of dollars!
Catch some of the best below!
CELEBRITY ADS
Best Buy 2011 — Ozzy Osbourne and Justin Bieber take the lead roles in this commercial where Ozzy battles with 4G and 5G.
Sunday, 6 February 2011
NYS Unemployment
The financial services in New York State lost 30,000 jobs more than the yr. greater than one-half of the losses on this sector occurred within the securities and commodity contracts market, the NYS Labor Department reported. The number of personal sector jobs while in the State enhanced by 30,500, or 0.4 %, to 6,991,100 in January, as well. Excluding the new York metropolitan place, New York State’s unemployment rate is as very low as 7.7 %.
New York State adjusted unemployment rate by 8.2% in December 2010, opposed to 8.3% in November. Statistically speaking, the quantity of unemployed New York State residents has dropped from 797 600 in November to 792.8 thousand in December 2010.
Btw, there are information for claimants from NYS Department of Labor below (source) :
New York State adjusted unemployment rate by 8.2% in December 2010, opposed to 8.3% in November. Statistically speaking, the quantity of unemployed New York State residents has dropped from 797 600 in November to 792.8 thousand in December 2010.
Btw, there are information for claimants from NYS Department of Labor below (source) :
- Tax Form 1099G
All 1099G forms have been mailed for 2010. By February 16, 2011, you will be able to view and print your 1099G on this website. If you have not yet received this form and need it before that date, you can complete and mail the Request for 1099-G form.
- New York State Benefit Extensions (Last Updated February 2, 2011)
Under current unemployment benefit extensions, New York State provides an additional 67 weeks of unemployment benefits for a total of 93 weeks of unemployment benefits. Please continue to claim weekly benefits in the usual manner, unless you receive instructions to file a new claim. - New York State’s 3-month average Total Unemployment Rate is 8.2 % (Last updated February 2, 2011)
New York State’s 3-month average unemployment rate is 8.2%. This falls below the 8.5% average required by the Federal government for people to claim the six weeks of benefits under EUC Tier 4. If you have claimed all EUC Tier 3 benefits by the week that ends August 15, 2010, you can receive the 6 weeks of EUC Tier 4. Then, if you are still unemployed, you can move into Extended Benefits. If you have not claimed all EUC Tier 3 benefits by the week that ends August 15, 2010, you cannot receive Tier 4 benefits. That means you will move from EUC Tier 3 directly into Extended Benefits.
What Time Does the Superbowl Start
Are you wondering, "what time does the Superbowl start?"
It's a common search query, as is "what time is the super bowl 2011," "superbowl time" and "superbowl kickoff time 2011," according to Google Trends the evening before the Super Bowl.
It's easily answered too. Super Bowl 2011 will take place on Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011, at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time and 3:30 p.m. Pacific Time.
The NFC Champion Green Bay Packers will take on the AFC Champion Pittsburgh Steelers at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, Texas. Early odds had the Packers as the favorites and both sides have several standout players.
Usher, Slash and the Black-Eyed Peas are scheduled to provide the Half Time Show entertainment.
You can watch the game live on television (FOX) or follow along live online via Twitter or the numerous live blogs on the Web, including one right here on The Huffington Post.
source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/05/what-time-superbowl-start_n_819173.html
It's a common search query, as is "what time is the super bowl 2011," "superbowl time" and "superbowl kickoff time 2011," according to Google Trends the evening before the Super Bowl.
It's easily answered too. Super Bowl 2011 will take place on Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011, at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time and 3:30 p.m. Pacific Time.
The NFC Champion Green Bay Packers will take on the AFC Champion Pittsburgh Steelers at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, Texas. Early odds had the Packers as the favorites and both sides have several standout players.
Usher, Slash and the Black-Eyed Peas are scheduled to provide the Half Time Show entertainment.
You can watch the game live on television (FOX) or follow along live online via Twitter or the numerous live blogs on the Web, including one right here on The Huffington Post.
source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/05/what-time-superbowl-start_n_819173.html
Saturday, 5 February 2011
Super Bowl Recipes
Sports fans and foodies are gearing up for arguably the most important event of the year, the Super Bowl. This calorie fest is among the few times of the year when gorging yourself on fried Twinkies and pumping your fists at the TV are completely acceptable.
Whether you're a Steelers fan or rooting for the Packers, one thing's for sure: Nothing compliments game-day trash talk quite like delicious calorie-packed, fat-laden snacks.
So, before the kickoff, check out the collection of recipes that's sure to please your palate and tip you scale.
In addition to the recipes, you can check out the caloric intake of each item so you'll know how many hours to spend at the gym to work off Sunday's epic food fest.
On a scale from zero to 10 (10 being the healthiest), nutrition experts Dr. Keith Ayoob, associate professor of pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, and Dr. David Katz, director of Yale University's Prevention Research Center, gave Emeril's double chili cheeseburger a two, tops.
"Emeril likes fatty meat for burgers and this one has two patties, plus the cheese," Ayoob said. "This meal shapes up to be a festival of fat."
To trim it down, use lean meat, go light on the cheese and load up the chili with hearty beans instead of beef.
"The grilled onions are terrific though, especially if you brush them with a little olive oil first," Ayoob said.
And using a whole wheat bun can boost the burger's nutritional value, Katz said.
"Emeril's dish should come with an aspirin, a statin, and a nitroglycerin tablet," Katz said.
source: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Recipes/super-bowl-recipes-top-10-foods-super-bowl/story?id=12848659
Whether you're a Steelers fan or rooting for the Packers, one thing's for sure: Nothing compliments game-day trash talk quite like delicious calorie-packed, fat-laden snacks.
So, before the kickoff, check out the collection of recipes that's sure to please your palate and tip you scale.
In addition to the recipes, you can check out the caloric intake of each item so you'll know how many hours to spend at the gym to work off Sunday's epic food fest.
Double Chili Cheeseburger With Grilled Onions
Nothing pairs with football quite like a burger grilled to perfection. But the Super Bowl isn't just any game, and Emeril's double chili cheeseburger isn't just any burger. The combination of cheddar cheese, two smokey patties, homemade chili and onions is so decadent that you may be distracted from the game if only for a moment. Click here to get Emeril's recipe.On a scale from zero to 10 (10 being the healthiest), nutrition experts Dr. Keith Ayoob, associate professor of pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, and Dr. David Katz, director of Yale University's Prevention Research Center, gave Emeril's double chili cheeseburger a two, tops.
"Emeril likes fatty meat for burgers and this one has two patties, plus the cheese," Ayoob said. "This meal shapes up to be a festival of fat."
To trim it down, use lean meat, go light on the cheese and load up the chili with hearty beans instead of beef.
"The grilled onions are terrific though, especially if you brush them with a little olive oil first," Ayoob said.
And using a whole wheat bun can boost the burger's nutritional value, Katz said.
"Emeril's dish should come with an aspirin, a statin, and a nitroglycerin tablet," Katz said.
source: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Recipes/super-bowl-recipes-top-10-foods-super-bowl/story?id=12848659
Comic Con Crashes Again!
Whatever it is they say about third times clearly doesn’t apply to the Comic Con online ticketing system, which has once again crashed as hordes of fans attempt to buy passes to the annual San Diego nerd extravaganza.
Twice before, technical glitches forced organizers of the July 21-24 event to cancel registration within hours of opening it. This time they hooked up with sales website TicketLeap in hopes that it would better funnel the streams of hopefuls to the original partner EPIC Registration, a set-up that many worried would be too convoluted.
Within half an hour of the 9 a.m. Saturday start, the site was telling users that it was “currently over capacity” and to try again momentarily. Some buyers saw a page saying “We’ll be right back. TicketLeap is currently down for maintenance.”
Since then, so many frustrated buyers have hit Twitter in protest that #SDCC (for San Diego Comic Con) was one of the top-trending topics worldwide. One user named Snubs wrote: “A con like Comic-Con should be prepared for this kind of registration. TicketLeap is so full of fail. Preparation is needed! #SDCCFail”
There’s no wrath like fanboys and fangirls scorned. “The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world that Comic Con tickets are really there,” huffed Twitter user redsonja1313.
“I mean, is it wrong of me to *assume* Comic Con #SDCC would have a freaking IT Geek under their belt?” wrote TrekJen.
Maybe it’s Robert Pattinson’s fault.
One tweet, from shaylrose, blamed “freaking Twilight girls invading” the convention for overloading the site. Others said they would even be willing to pay high Ticketmaster fees to avoid another ticketing snafu.
TicketLeap quickly responded, in a tweet, “@Comic_Con fans, if you see an over capacity message hit refresh. We are under heavy load right now and it should smooth out. #sdcc.”
Comic Con tickets are not available over the phone. Some fans suggested that organizers renew tickets for attendees who have gone to the show in the past.
In preparation for Saturday’s sales, Comic Con management had launched a trial run of the TicketLeap-Epic system in December, selling 1,000 four-day badges (excluding Preview Night).
TicketLeap even posted a blog post with tips on how to snag tickets, advising hopeful buyers to check their browser settings and have their credit card billing information ready.
After going through TicketLeap, buyers were to have gotten a bar-coded e-mail confirmation from EPIC within four days. But it looks like the only thing that will be happening now is more waiting.
source: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2011/02/comic-con-ticket-sales-crash-again-for-the-third-time.html
Twice before, technical glitches forced organizers of the July 21-24 event to cancel registration within hours of opening it. This time they hooked up with sales website TicketLeap in hopes that it would better funnel the streams of hopefuls to the original partner EPIC Registration, a set-up that many worried would be too convoluted.
Within half an hour of the 9 a.m. Saturday start, the site was telling users that it was “currently over capacity” and to try again momentarily. Some buyers saw a page saying “We’ll be right back. TicketLeap is currently down for maintenance.”
Since then, so many frustrated buyers have hit Twitter in protest that #SDCC (for San Diego Comic Con) was one of the top-trending topics worldwide. One user named Snubs wrote: “A con like Comic-Con should be prepared for this kind of registration. TicketLeap is so full of fail. Preparation is needed! #SDCCFail”
There’s no wrath like fanboys and fangirls scorned. “The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world that Comic Con tickets are really there,” huffed Twitter user redsonja1313.
“I mean, is it wrong of me to *assume* Comic Con #SDCC would have a freaking IT Geek under their belt?” wrote TrekJen.
Maybe it’s Robert Pattinson’s fault.
One tweet, from shaylrose, blamed “freaking Twilight girls invading” the convention for overloading the site. Others said they would even be willing to pay high Ticketmaster fees to avoid another ticketing snafu.
TicketLeap quickly responded, in a tweet, “@Comic_Con fans, if you see an over capacity message hit refresh. We are under heavy load right now and it should smooth out. #sdcc.”
Comic Con tickets are not available over the phone. Some fans suggested that organizers renew tickets for attendees who have gone to the show in the past.
In preparation for Saturday’s sales, Comic Con management had launched a trial run of the TicketLeap-Epic system in December, selling 1,000 four-day badges (excluding Preview Night).
TicketLeap even posted a blog post with tips on how to snag tickets, advising hopeful buyers to check their browser settings and have their credit card billing information ready.
After going through TicketLeap, buyers were to have gotten a bar-coded e-mail confirmation from EPIC within four days. But it looks like the only thing that will be happening now is more waiting.
source: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2011/02/comic-con-ticket-sales-crash-again-for-the-third-time.html
Friday, 4 February 2011
wing bowl 2011
Jonathan "Super" Squibb chomps his way through Wing Bowl 2011 in Philadelphia. (CBSPhilly.com)
(CBS) While America waits for the Super Bowl, 26 brave men, each one of them a champion in his own right, stood ready this morning for a real competition - the Wing Bowl 2011, probably one of the least healthy sporting events in the world.
After the barbecue-crusted feathers settled, one man stood supreme - 6'4" New Jersey accountant Jon "Super" Squib, who pulled down a belly busting 255 wings. While we don't know the exact calorie count on the wings used, a healthy estimate says Squib put down almost 40,000 calories and 2,550 grams of fat.
"He's focused and he attacks those wings," an announcer on CBS Sports Radio 610 WIP said to describe this year's champion. "He's an amazing competitor."
It's the 19th annual holding of the event, where eaters compete to see who can stuff the most chicken wings down their gullets. It's Squibb's third time holding the crown and his 255 wings set a Wing Bowl record.
He vanquished hearty competitors like "El Wingadore," "Drunken Mussel," and "Lord Bemis," and his girlfriend still thinks highly of him.
"He remains to stay cute, even covered in wing sauce," she said.
And while the Super Bowl champions are likely to head to Disney World, Squibb only had one thing on his mind.
"I'll probably have a pizza," he said.
Spoken like a champion.
source: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20030659-10391704.html
chinese new year celebrations photo
Chinese New Year celebrations are underway in Bangkok’s Chinatown (Yaowarat). Here a few photos of the first day of festivities. Click here for an itinerary of Chinatown New Year events for Friday, February 4. Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn attended to open the event. She arrived at Wat Traimit (home of the World’s Largest Solid Gold Buddha and the Yaowarat Chinatown Heritage Center) where she was met by groups of students and admirers. She walked to the gate of Chinatown for some Thai dancing performances, and then made her way up Yaowarat Road with crowds lining both sides of the street.
When the Princess was gone, the crowds poured in off the sidewalks and vendors almost instantaneously set up their wares in the road. Plenty of delicious street food was on hand, and not just Chinese fare. This will continue into the weekend, so get out and have a look. Take the MRT Subway to Hua Lumphoung Station and make the short walk into Chinatown if you want to avoid the bad traffic.
All Photos by Kevin Revolinski
source:
When the Princess was gone, the crowds poured in off the sidewalks and vendors almost instantaneously set up their wares in the road. Plenty of delicious street food was on hand, and not just Chinese fare. This will continue into the weekend, so get out and have a look. Take the MRT Subway to Hua Lumphoung Station and make the short walk into Chinatown if you want to avoid the bad traffic.
All Photos by Kevin Revolinski
- Chinese New Year is partly about noise. Expect lots of fireworks, drums, and these little dragon noise makers for sale in the streets.
- Chinese decorations in front of Wat Traimit
- A statue of the Rabbit (for the Year of the Rabbit), located at the gate of Chinatown and presented to the Princess.
- Many children are dressed in bright red Chinese clothing.
- Photos of the Royal Family on display in Chinatown
- Praying and burning incense at a Chinese shrine
- Kuan Yim or Guan Yin, a Chinese goddess of compassion has important shrines in Bangkok’s Chinatown and elsewhere in the city
- Chinese sweets being made right in the streets
- Thai call these sala pao but they are not pork buns. Dip them in sweet pandan-colored coconut custard. Delicious (and a bit bigger than usual during Chinese New Year!)
- Parade decorations along Yaowarat Road
- The lights of Chinatown
- After the Princess passed, the road filled immediately with vendors
- Despite the big holiday, there are scenes of daily life just off the main streets
- Large candles on the sidewalk in front of a Chinese shrine
- Chinese acrobats, mostly children, give a random performance beneath On Nut BTS station
- The boy climbed a tall bamboo pole to do battle with a dragon on a similar pole.
- Fireworks augmented the boys “sword” and the dragon’s fiery breath.
source:
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