Hot Daily News You Would Care About

Tiger Woods Transgression Statement Transcript

2009-12-02T13:03:00.000-08:00

Tiger Wood's wife, Elin Nordegren, fears Tiger Woods has been having affairs and dating other women. Her fears were not without basis and the woman, Jaimee Grubbs, has herself come out with around 300 text messages and voice messages from the greatest Golf player of the last two decades.

Jaimee Grubbs, a cocktail waitress that told Us Weekly that she had a 31-month affair with Tiger Wood and has 300 text messages from him to prove it.

She has said that she had sex with Tiger Woods on several occasions and that they were in relationship for around two and half years. TMZ and US Weekly besides Radaronline have followed the allegations and have come out with proofs to substantiate these allegations.

Tiger Woods has posted an apology to his web site. In his statement he says, "I have let my family down and I regret those transgressions with all of my heart." (Transgression: the act of transgressing; the violation of a law or a duty or moral principle.) Please see below for the full Tiger Woods' statement.

He also rejects rumors that his wife hit or scratched him before his car accident: "The stories in particular that physical violence played any role in the car accident were utterly false and malicious." Over the past week rumors of multiple affairs have trickled out, including the release of racy text messages and a voicemail that seems to implicate Woods.

Tiger Woods has been linked to three girls: Rachel Uchitel (a 34-year-old NY brunette girl - who has a reputation for dating married celebrities), Jaimee Grubbs and Kalika Moquin (a Las Vegas marketing manager, is the latest woman to be connected to Tiger Woods).

Rachel Uchitel

In contrast to Ms. Grubbs, Rachel Uchitel has strenuously denied the allegations that she and the world's best golfer have hooked up. Still, that hasn't stopped the Searches. Lookups on "rachel uchitel" and "who is rachel uchitel" have both rocked the Search box, as curious searchers seem unwilling to take her at her word. Time magazine has an interesting article on Ms. Uchitel. The 34-year-old nightclub promoter is reportedly "aggressive" when it comes to meeting celebrities (her mom claims she once dated Derek Jeter and A-Rod). However, in an exclusive interview with the New York Post, Uchitel has denied the allegations of a romance with Woods, even going so far as to offer to take a lie detector test.

Last word: Denies affair.

Jaimee Grubbs

In Tiger's boilerplate apology statement, he mentions "transgressions" that have let his family down. Though Tiger hasn't named names, Jaimee Grubbs has more than volunteered to explain her part in the troublesome situation. A Los Angeles cocktail waitress and former participant on the VH1 reality show "Tool Academy," Ms. Grubbs claims to have had a lengthy affair with Woods. Additionally, she has gone on record as saying she has pictures and hundreds of risqué text messages from the married golfer. Searches on "jaimee grubbs" and "jaimee grubbs photos" have both shot up from zip into the tens of thousands overnight.

Last word: Claims to have had affair.

Kalika Moquin

Lastly (or not?), there's Kalika Moquin. A relative newcomer to the Tiger watch, Ms. Moquin was named in Life & Style magazine as having romantic links to Tiger. As soon as that possible connection hit the Web, searches on Moquin roared into breakout status. Though her connection to Tiger is still just a rumor, folks clearly want to know more about her. Life & Style explains that she works as a marketing manager at a Las Vegas nightclub. According to the magazine, when Moquin was asked about an alleged affair, she neither confirmed not denied it, saying, "It's not appropriate for me to comment one way or the other."

Last word: No comment.

Tiger Woods' apology on his website:

"I have let my family down and I regret those transgressions with all of my heart. I have not been true to my values and the behavior my family deserves. I am not without faults and I am far short of perfect. I am dealing with my behavior and personal failings behind closed doors with my family. Those feelings should be shared by us alone.

Although I am a well-known person and have made my career as a professional athlete, I have been dismayed to realize the full extent of what tabloid scrutiny really means. For the last week, my family and I have been hounded to expose intimate details of our personal lives. The stories in particular that physical violence played any role in the car accident were utterly false and malicious. Elin has always done more to support our family and shown more grace than anyone could possibly expect.

But no matter how intense curiosity about public figures can be, there is an important and deep principle at stake which is the right to some simple, human measure of privacy. I realize there are some who don't share my view on that. But for me, the virtue of privacy is one that must be protected in matters that are intimate and within one's own family. Personal sins should not require press releases and problems within a family shouldn't have to mean public confessions.

Whatever regrets I have about letting my family down have been shared with and felt by us alone. I have given this a lot of reflection and thought and I believe that there is a point at which I must stick to that principle even though it's difficult.

I will strive to be a better person and the husband and father that my family deserves. For all of those who have supported me over the years, I offer my profound apology."

Source:Blogoncherry

Avatar the Game Review

2009-11-29T16:16:00.000-08:00

James Cameron’s Avatar: The Game is the official video game based on the highly anticipated film James Cameron’s Avatar. The video game will take you deep into the heart of Pandora, an alien planet that is beyond imagination. Gamers will encounter the Na’vi, Pandora’s indigenous people and discover other life forms the likes of which have never been seen in the world of video games before. When conflict erupts between the RDA Corporation, a space-faring consortium in search of valuable resources, and the Na’vi, gamers will find themselves thrust into a fight for the heart of a planet and the fate of a civilization.

Immerse yourself in James Cameron’s world.
Peer deep into the heart of Pandora and see James Cameron’s universe, from your own perspective.

Engage in a massive conflict between two worlds.
Fight for you cause; RDA or Na’vi. Customize more than 60 RDA and Na’vi weapons, combined. Choose your skills: 20 for each clan. Drive all of the vehicles and ride the animals. Expand the battleground in online multiplayer.

Develop your character and acquire new skills
Create your very own character and acquire skills as you progress through the game.

Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Publisher: Ubisoft
Platform: PlayStation 3 (3D), Xbox 360 (3D), Microsoft Windows (3D), Wii, PlayStation Portable
Release date: December 1, 2009
Genre: Action-adventure
Mode: Single player, Cooperative
Rating: ESRB: T
Wave: 4/5
Region: Region Free

Amazon Cyber Monday Deals 2009

2009-11-29T16:00:00.000-08:00

Cyber Monday 2009 deals at Amazon include the Garmin nuvi 260W for $119.99, the Archos 5 Internet Media Tablet for $199.99, and Sennheiser RS 130 Wireless Surround Headphones for $59.95. Go here to see full list of Amazon Cyber Monday deals on Amazon here.

In computers, try the Toshiba Satellite L505-S5993 TruBrite 15.6-Inch Grey/Black Laptop for $549.99, Toshiba Satellite T135-S1307 TruBrite 13.3-Inch Ultrathin Black Laptop for $549.99, and a Samsung NP-NC10-KB02US 10.1 inch Netbook Computer for $309.99.

In cameras, Amazon has Cyber Monday 2009 deals on the Flip Ultra Camcorder 2nd Generation, 120 Minutes (White) for $119, the Fujifilm FinePix J28 10.2MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom for $99.95, and the Nikon Coolpix S620 12.2MP Digital Camera for $149.95.

In TV’s, try the Viore LED24VF60 24-Inch LED 1080p HDTV for $299.99, Viore LCD19VH65 19-Inch LCD HDTV with Built-in DVD Player for $216.56, or the Panasonic VIERA S1 Series TC-P42S1 42-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV for $999.95.

Source:Blogoncherry

Cyber Monday Deals 2009

2009-11-24T10:55:00.000-08:00

Cyber Monday is all about hot online deals — when shoppers are back at their desks and surfing for more bargains.

Here’s a list of just a few of the deals we’ve gotten wind of for Cyber Monday — and keep checking back…we’ll be listing all the fab deals we find straight through til Christmas!
- Save 10% on all RedEnvelope.com orders, or 15% on orders over $80 and 20% on orders over $125
- Free metallic flower clutch filled with 8 samples with any $25 or more purchase at Sephora.com. Enter CLUTCH4U at checkout
- Buy 1 Get 1 50% off Sweaters at AmericanEagleOutfitters.com
- Use the code KMART5OFF50 to receive $5 off an order of $50 or more, plus get free shipping at Kmart.com
- Use the code SEARS5OFF50 to get $5 off any purchase of $50 or more on Cyber Monday plus get free shipping at Sears.com
- $5 off Wii Perfect Shot at GameStop.com
- Free shipping on orders over $49 at ToysRUs.com
- 7ForAllMankind.com- Spend More, Save More- Up To $100! 11/30 only
- ShopAdidas.com – Save 25% off sitewide! No code needed!
- BlissWorld.com – Save up to 50% off sitewide + Get a Free Full Sized Super Slough Scrub ($32 value!) with any order 11/30 only!

Adam Lambert AMA Performance Pic and VIDEO

2009-11-23T16:45:00.000-08:00

Adam Lambert wrapped up the 2009 American Music Awards with his new single, the title track from For Your Entertainment. His steamy choreography, heavily laced with sexual overtones, will likely be the hottest topic of the day.

Lambert told Rolling Stone, “It’s a shame because I think that there’s a double standard going on in the entertainment community right now. Female performers have been doing this for years — pushing the envelope about sexuality — and the minute a man does it, everybody freaks out. It’s time to take risks, be a little more brave, time to open people’s eyes and if it offends them, then maybe I’m not for them.”

$10 Honey Baked Ham Stores Coupon

2009-11-23T16:43:00.000-08:00

Honey Baked Ham has a $10 printable HERE (off 8lb or larger ham). And as a reminder, some Publix stores will accept this as a competitor coupon on their store brand hams. If you printed this coupon before, you should be able to print it again. The coupon expires 12/31.

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announces Massive CPSC Cribs Recall

2009-11-23T16:42:00.000-08:00

A safety recall of cribs with dropdown sides will be announced tomorrow by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, a person familiar with the regulator’s plans said.

The number of cribs to be recalled and the makers weren’t disclosed by the person, who asked not to be identified before the announcement. The agency’s plan was reported earlier today by CBS News, which said it will be one of the agency’s largest crib recalls.

Companies have recalled more than 5 million cribs, bassinets and play yards in the past two years, as the products posed suffocation risks and other dangers to babies, according to the CPSC. Recent recalls include 400,000 Simplicity drop-side cribs in July, from Simplicity Inc.

New York-based Delta Enterprise Corp. announced two crib recalls last year for missing safety pegs and risk that the cribs’ side could detach. A message left for a Delta Enterprises spokesman wasn’t returned.

Newell Rubbermaid Inc., maker of Graco cribs, isn’t aware of any of its products being recalled, spokesman David Doolittle said in an interview.

SFCA Inc., the Reading, Pennsylvania-based company that purchased the assets of Simplicity Inc. after foreclosure, no longer appears to be in operation, and is no longer answering phone calls or responding to e-mails from consumers, the CPSC said in an Aug. 20 statement.

Twilight New Moon Sets Opening Box Office Numbers Records!

2009-11-22T07:49:00.000-08:00

Friday's opening of New Moon earned $72.7 million dollars at the box office, making it the film with the highest grossing single day sales ever!!!

The second "Twilight" installment has already shattered records and expectations by earning $26.3 million from midnight showings alone, decimating the record previously held by "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince." Additionally, "New Moon" enjoyed the single most lucrative opening day in the history of cinema with $62.2 million, a record previously held by "The Dark Knight." Combined with the midnight intake, "New Moon" has already earned $72.7 million — and the weekend isn't even over.

The new Twilight flick is expected to pull in $125 million over the weekend, which will place it at #4 on the list of the top-grossing opening weekend films, falling short behind 2008's The Dark Knight ($158.4 million), 2007's Spider-Man 3 ($151 million) and 2006's Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest ($135.6 million).

Black Friday 2009 Walmart Flyer Ad Scan

2009-11-20T14:04:00.000-08:00

Wal-Mart is trying to beat its competitors to the punch this coming Black Friday with an early sales ad out offering some very nice bargains.

First up is the offer of a $100 Wal-Mart Gift Card with the purchase of any BlackBerry phones with 2 year contract.

If you’re in the market for a new Xbox, Wal-Mart is offering the Xbox 360 Arcade for $199 with a $100 Wal-Mart gift card.

The HP G60 519WM laptop with Windows 7 Home Premium is being offered at the netbook price of $298. The laptop sports a 15.6″ screen with a 2.2GHz processor, 3GB DDR2 RAM, and a 250GB SATA hard disk.

In the TV isle, Wal-Mart is offering Black Friday sales on a Sanyo 50 inch Class Plasma HDTV with Digital Tuner for $898, Vizio 37′ Class lCD HDTV with Digital Tuner also $597, and Samsung 40″ Class Full-HD 1080p LCD HDTV at $898.

Below are the scan ads for the Walmart Black Friday ads:

The Twilight Saga New Moon: Full Reviews and Preview

2009-11-20T10:18:00.000-08:00

Here are some of the reviews rom nationwide movie critics for the "Twilight New Moon":

The worst thing about New Moon the book is the best thing about New Moon the movie. As Edward, Pattinson is all pale passion and tortured restraint; his eyebrows, like muskrats determined to mate, hunch together in the middle of his sunken face; the few times he smiles, it looks as if it hurts, and he still seems reluctant to move his mouth when he talks. If you had not read the series, in which Edward is infinitely more appealing and dimensional, you'd wonder what Bella was doing staring off into space in deep mope over this guy for weeks on end.

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1941094,00.html#ixzz0XMZEVxNH

The big tease turns into the long goodbye in “The Twilight Saga: New Moon,” the juiceless, near bloodless sequel about a teenage girl and the sparkly vampire she, like, totally loves. When last we saw Bella (Kristen Stewart) and her pretty dead guy, Edward (Robert Pattinson), in “Twilight” — the series hadn’t been saga-fied yet — the two had pledged their troth, a chaste commitment solidified during moody walks in the woods, some exhilarating treetop scrambling and a knockdown fight with a pack of vamping vampires.

Read More: Nytimes

An ultrapurist wouldn't let on in this review that Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), the Quileute Indian tribesman and childhood pal of vampire-smitten high school senior Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart), reveals himself as a werewolf in The Twilight Saga: New Moon. (He also reveals himself as one tasty chunk of vealcake.) But I'm trusting that between the millions of Twilighters who have already read all four books in Stephenie Meyer's blockbuster series, and the additional billions who have seen the movie trailer, the beast is already out of the bag.

The excellent news for fans is that this sequel to 2008's Twilight is a durable, recognizably faithful movie adaptation of New Moon. That, of course, is the second installment, in which Bella, a dazed, confused, moody, and otherwise identifiable teen-y girl, and Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), a smoldering, inscrutable, broody, and otherwise identifiable teen-throb vampire, swear true and chaste love while trying to keep their hands off each other.

Read More :EW

“New Moon” is supposed to be an exciting love story plus monster action. So where’s the excitement? Where’s the action? Bella (Kristen Stewart) and vampire boyfriend Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) stare longingly past each other (Pattinson, who keeps entering in hilarious slo-mo, is so intent on smoldering at the camera that he seems to forget there’s another person around) and swap excruciating love-chat: “You can’t (long pause) protect me (longer pause) from everything.”

Read more: NY Post

Oprah ending "The Oprah Winfrey Show," in 2011

2009-11-20T09:59:00.000-08:00

"The Oprah Winfrey Show," will end its run in 2011, Tim Bennett, the President of Harpo, announced in a letter released to ABC affiliates on Thursday.

"Tomorrow, Oprah will announce live on 'The Oprah Winfrey Show' that she has decided to end what is arguably one of the most popular, influential and enduring programs in television history," he wrote in the letter, obtained by Access Hollywood. " The sun will set on the 'Oprah' show as its 25th season draws to a close on September 9, 2011."

Winfrey's 24th season opened earlier this year with a bang, as she drew more than 20,000 fans to the city's Magnificent Mile on Michigan Avenue for a Chicago block party with the Black Eyed Peas.

Full story :Yahoo

Beginners Guide to Google Adwords

2009-11-19T01:52:00.000-08:00

According to a recent study, Google is responsible for generating more than 70% of the clicks to web pages that are searched through search engines.

Google has also devised a way to be able to put Internet marketing through a whole different level. Because of its market dominance, it has the capability to be able to set up a new pay-per-click system which aims at matching sellers and buyers. Google has developed what is not referred to as the Google Adwords.

What is Google Adwords?

Google Adwords is one of the most promising advertising opportunities that abound in the Internet arena. It is a pay-per-click system that advertises websites which have the highest bids for a certain search word or phrase.

If one would look at the window of an Internet browser and search something on the Google search engine, he will notice a section containing "sponsored links" at the right-hand side of the screen. These are the Adwords advertisements. These are websites which pay to be shown whenever a certain phrase or word is searched through Google.

Bidding

Business bid for their preferred keywords when they use the Adwords system. For example, a business that is engaged in selling laptops may opt to bid for search phrases such as "laptops for sale" "cheap notebooks" if they are applicable to their products.

Bidding in the Google Adwords system to get the prime spots is primarily based on two factors: the click-thru-rate and the amount of the bid. The amount of the bid will depend on the bidder himself. Bids can go as low as a nickel per click up to fifty dollars per click. The bidder must know how much to spend because the system charges the bidding price whenever the website is clicked through the Adwords system. Another factor is the click-thru-rate, or the rate by which people are clicking the website. Usually, the top three sites that are shown on the Adwords screen are the most popular and have the highest bids.

How to Engage in Adwords

If one is looking into using the Google Adwords system as an advertising tool, he can read the guidelines and the terms of conditions through the Google website. There are a few steps which we could tackle on how to start using Google Adwords.

The first step is account creation. Google will guide you through this process. However, there are several things that one should take into consideration when creating an account. He should take into mind the different strategies that he would want to employ right from the start in terms of the selection of key words and the combinations of these words to be able to maximize the returns from engaging in this endeavor.

He should also target the right market in terms of selecting the right language and countries which he would want his ads to appear. If one is selling products which would be of no use for citizens of other countries or if the option of exporting the products is not available, he might as well stick with his own country. He wouldn't want to get charged by generating clicks from people who do not belong to the target market.

The creation of an Adgroup is also a basic step in using the Google Adwords system. One should be able to conceptualize and design an enticing advertisement and select the right combination of keywords.

Advertisements

Google will ask an advertiser what he would want to put in his advertisements. The advertisement should contain a title line and a body. The title line is composed of a maximum of 25 characters and the body should contain a maximum of two lines which contain 35 characters each.

The real challenge in designing advertisements for Google Adwords is to effectively attract customers and get them to click the website. A concise but striking advertisement is particularly efficient in getting the attention of the surfers.

Links

When a prospective customer clicks a website through the Google Adwords screen, a continuous set of efforts should be taken. The link in the Adword should not necessarily be the home page of a website but should be a web page wherein he can find information that is important to him. The link, perhaps, can be the "products" section of the website.

These are just some of the basic things that one must be able to digest to get a general feel of what Google Adwords is all about. One must be diligent in studying the different aspects of this system to be able to get the most out of it.

Obama Speech Remarks and Video at Fort Hood Memorial Service

2009-11-10T12:16:00.000-08:00

Here's the full speech by President Barack Obama at Fort Hood Memorial Service November 10, 2009:

We come together filled with sorrow for the thirteen Americans that we have lost; with gratitude for the lives that they led; and with a determination to honor them through the work we carry on.

This is a time of war. And yet these Americans did not die on a foreign field of battle. They were killed here, on American soil, in the heart of this great American community. It is this fact that makes the tragedy even more painful and even more incomprehensible.

For those families who have lost a loved one, no words can fill the void that has been left. We knew these men and women as soldiers and caregivers. You knew them as mothers and fathers; sons and daughters; sisters and brothers.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

But here is what you must also know: your loved ones endure through the life of our nation. Their memory will be honored in the places they lived and by the people they touched. Their life's work is our security, and the freedom that we too often take for granted. Every evening that the sun sets on a tranquil town; every dawn that a flag is unfurled; every moment that an American enjoys life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness - that is their legacy.

Neither this country - nor the values that we were founded upon - could exist without men and women like these thirteen Americans. And that is why we must pay tribute to their stories.

Chief Warrant Officer Michael Cahill had served in the National Guard and worked as a physician's assistant for decades. A husband and father of three, he was so committed to his patients that on the day he died, he was back at work just weeks after having a heart attack.

Major Libardo Eduardo Caraveo spoke little English when he came to America as a teenager. But he put himself through college, earned a PhD, and was helping combat units cope with the stress of deployment. He is survived by his wife, sons and step-daughters.

Staff Sergeant Justin DeCrow joined the Army right after high school, married his high school sweetheart, and had served as a light wheeled mechanic and Satellite Communications Operator. He was known as an optimist, a mentor, and a loving husband and father.

After retiring from the Army as a Major, John Gaffaney cared for society's most vulnerable during two decades as a psychiatric nurse. He spent three years trying to return to active duty in this time of war, and he was preparing to deploy to Iraq as a Captain. He leaves behind a wife and son.

Specialist Frederick Greene was a Tennessean who wanted to join the Army for a long time, and did so in 2008 with the support of his family. As a combat engineer he was a natural leader, and he is survived by his wife and two daughters.

Specialist Jason Hunt was also recently married, with three children to care for. He joined the Army after high school. He did a tour in Iraq, and it was there that he re-enlisted for six more years on his 21st birthday so that he could continue to serve.

Staff Sergeant Amy Krueger was an athlete in high school, joined the Army shortly after 9/11, and had since returned home to speak to students about her experience. When her mother told her she couldn't take on Osama bin Laden by herself, Amy replied: "Watch me."

Private First Class Aaron Nemelka was an Eagle Scout who just recently signed up to do one of the most dangerous jobs in the service - diffuse bombs - so that he could help save lives. He was proudly carrying on a tradition of military service that runs deep within his family.

Private First Class Michael Pearson loved his family and loved his music, and his goal was to be a music teacher. He excelled at playing the guitar, and could create songs on the spot and show others how to play. He joined the military a year ago, and was preparing for his first deployment.

Captain Russell Seager worked as a nurse for the VA, helping veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress. He had great respect for the military, and signed up to serve so that he could help soldiers cope with the stress of combat and return to civilian life. He leaves behind a wife and son.

Private Francheska Velez, the daughter of a father from Colombia and a Puerto Rican mother, had recently served in Korea and in Iraq, and was pursuing a career in the Army. When she was killed, she was pregnant with her first child, and was excited about becoming a mother.

Lieutenant Colonel Juanita Warman was the daughter and granddaughter of Army veterans. She was a single mother who put herself through college and graduate school, and served as a nurse practitioner while raising her two daughters. She also left behind a loving husband.

Private First Class Kham Xiong came to America from Thailand as a small child. He was a husband and father who followed his brother into the military because his family had a strong history of service. He was preparing for his first deployment to Afghanistan.

These men and women came from all parts of the country. Some had long careers in the military. Some had signed up to serve in the shadow of 9/11. Some had known intense combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, and some cared for those did. Their lives speak to the strength, the dignity and the decency of those who serve, and that is how they will be remembered.

That same spirit is embodied in the community here at Fort Hood, and in the many wounded who are still recovering. In those terrible minutes during the attack, soldiers made makeshift tourniquets out of their clothes. They braved gunfire to reach the wounded, and ferried them to safety in the backs of cars and a pick-up truck.

One young soldier, Amber Bahr, was so intent on helping others that she did not realize for some time that she, herself, had been shot in the back. Two police officers - Mark Todd and Kim Munley - saved countless lives by risking their own. One medic - Francisco de la Serna - treated both Officer Munley and the gunman who shot her.

It may be hard to comprehend the twisted logic that led to this tragedy. But this much we do know - no faith justifies these murderous and craven acts; no just and loving God looks upon them with favor. And for what he has done, we know that the killer will be met with justice - in this world, and the next.

These are trying times for our country. In Afghanistan and Pakistan, the same extremists who killed nearly 3,000 Americans continue to endanger America, our allies, and innocent Afghans and Pakistanis. In Iraq, we are working to bring a war to a successful end, as there are still those who would deny the Iraqi people the future that Americans and Iraqis have sacrificed so much for.

As we face these challenges, the stories of those at Fort Hood reaffirm the core values that we are fighting for, and the strength that we must draw upon. Theirs are tales of American men and women answering an extraordinary call - the call to serve their comrades, their communities, and their country. In an age of selfishness, they embody responsibility. In an era of division, they call upon us to come together. In a time of cynicism, they remind us of who we are as Americans.

We are a nation that endures because of the courage of those who defend it. We saw that valor in those who braved bullets here at Fort Hood, just as surely as we see it in those who signed up knowing that they would serve in harm's way.

We are a nation of laws whose commitment to justice is so enduring that we would treat a gunman and give him due process, just as surely as we will see that he pays for his crimes.

We are a nation that guarantees the freedom to worship as one chooses. And instead of claiming God for our side, we remember Lincoln's words, and always pray to be on the side of God.

We are a nation that is dedicated to the proposition that all men and women are created equal. We live that truth within our military, and see it in the varied backgrounds of those we lay to rest today. We defend that truth at home and abroad, and we know that Americans will always be found on the side of liberty and equality. That is who we are as a people.

Tomorrow is Veterans Day. It is a chance to pause, and to pay tribute - for students to learn of the struggles that preceded them; for families to honor the service of parents and grandparents; for citizens to reflect upon the sacrifices that have been made in pursuit of a more perfect union.

For history is filled with heroes. You may remember the stories of a grandfather who marched across Europe; an uncle who fought in Vietnam; a sister who served in the Gulf. But as we honor the many generations who have served, I think all of us - every single American - must acknowledge that this generation has more than proved itself the equal of those who have come before.

We need not look to the past for greatness, because it is before our very eyes.

This generation of soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen have volunteered in a time of certain danger. They are part of the finest fighting force that the world has ever known. They have served tour after tour of duty in distant, different and difficult places. They have stood watch in blinding deserts and on snowy mountains. They have extended the opportunity of self-government to peoples that have suffered tyranny and war. They are man and woman; white, black, and brown; of all faiths and stations - all Americans, serving together to protect our people, while giving others half a world away the chance to lead a better life.

In today's wars, there is not always a simple ceremony that signals our troops' success - no surrender papers to be signed, or capital to be claimed. But the measure of their impact is no less great - in a world of threats that no know borders, it will be marked in the safety of our cities and towns, and the security and opportunity that is extended abroad. And it will serve as testimony to the character of those who serve, and the example that you set for America and for the world.

Here, at Fort Hood, we pay tribute to thirteen men and women who were not able to escape the horror of war, even in the comfort of home. Later today, at Fort Lewis, one community will gather to remember so many in one Stryker Brigade who have fallen in Afghanistan.

Long after they are laid to rest - when the fighting has finished, and our nation has endured; when today's servicemen and women are veterans, and their children have grown - it will be said of this generation that they believed under the most trying of tests; that they persevered not just when it was easy, but when it was hard; and that they paid the price and bore the burden to secure this nation, and stood up for the values that live in the hearts of all free peoples.

So we say goodbye to those who now belong to eternity. We press ahead in pursuit of the peace that guided their service. May God bless the memory of those we lost. And may God bless the United States of America.

House of Representatives passed Historic Health Care Reform Bill

2009-11-09T12:36:00.000-08:00

The Democratic-controlled House narrowly passed landmark health care legislation Saturday night to expand coverage to tens of millions who lack it and place tough new restrictions on the insurance industry. Republican opposition was nearly unanimous.

The 220-215 vote (click here to see how each member voted) cleared the way for the Senate to begin a long-delayed debate on the issue that has come to overshadow all others in Congress.
A triumphant Speaker Nancy Pelosi likened the legislation to the passage of Social Security in 1935 and Medicare 30 years later. "Oh, what a night!" she proclaimed at the beginning of a press conference held after the vote. Obama issued a statement saying, "I look forward to signing it into law by the end of the year."

"It provides coverage for 96 percent of Americans. It offers everyone, regardless of health or income, the peace of mind that comes from knowing they will have access to affordable health care when they need it," said Rep. John Dingell, the 83-year-old Michigan lawmaker who has introduced national health insurance in every Congress since succeeding his father in 1955.

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/07/house-health-care-vote-br_n_349468.html&cp

Top 10 Applications for Verizon Droid

2009-11-06T15:43:00.000-08:00

So, you got the Verizon Droid phone now. What applications are you going to install?

When it comes to applications, the Android ecosystem is pretty different from that other far more controlled alternative. Sure, the Android Market may not have 100,000 options just yet. But it does offer plenty of powerful programs -- somewhere around 10,000 total -- and, in a refreshing twist, it lets you decide what apps you want, instead of frequently censoring selections for you.

We've compiled a list of 10 top-notch Android apps to help get you going with your Android experience. These are all highly ranked programs that'll be strong starting points as you work to make the most of your new Droid device. After all, the much-discussed turn-by-turn GPS navigation system isn't the only thing out there.

Remember: This is only the beginning of the conversation. The Android Market is expanding every day, and there's no end to the interesting options it holds. If you have a favorite we didn't include, add it onto our list in the comments section below. Your recommendation will help other Droid users find even more cool ways to enjoy their new phones, too.

1. Twidroid

If you're a Twitter user and used to the iPhone, the first thing you might notice is that Tweetie isn't in the Android Market. Not to worry, though: Twidroid has your back. The Android-based Twitter app is available in a free and a pro (paid) version.

Both of Twidroid's offerings provide most every Twitter function you might need, from the basic -- viewing and sending tweets, following and unfollowing users, viewing profiles -- to the more advanced: saved searches, URL shortening, photo posting, and geo-location support. The pro version adds support for multiple accounts, bit.ly integration, video posting, and a handful of other options. It runs about $5.

2. Meebo for Android

Twitter? Check. Instant messaging? Check. Our second featured app will keep you connected to all of your IM accounts while you're roaming around with your new Droid. Meebo links multiple IM protocols into a single app that you can always keep running on your phone. AIM, MSN, Yahoo, MySpace IM, Google Talk, Jabber and ICQ are all supported -- and, if you create a Meebo account, you can save a collective log of all your chats that'll be accessible online.

The Meebo for Android app is free.

3. Pandora on Android

Crank up the tunes on your new Droid immediately by installing Pandora's Android app, available for free in the Android Market. Like its online and on-the-iPhone counterpart, the Pandora Android app lets you listen to personalized radio stations based on your favorite artists or songs. Thanks to Android's multitasking capabilities, you'll be able to rock out while running other apps -- something the iPhone can't handle.

4. Google Voice for Mobile

File this one under "outlawed on iPhone," too. The official Google Voice for Mobile app fully integrates Google Voice functionality into your new Droid phone. Once installed, you can make outgoing calls from your Google Voice number with the touch of a button, right from your contacts list. You also gain easy access to voicemail and Google Voice-based SMS messaging.

The Google Voice for Mobile app is free to install and use. You do need to have an existing Google Voice account, however, for it to work.

5. Locale

Take control of your phone with Locale, one of the coolest apps available for Android. Locale lets you customize your phone's settings based on your location. You could program the app to set your phone to vibrate every time you're at your office, or set it to go silent when you enter the perimeter of your local movie theater. You can get advanced and make exceptions for VIP callers, too.

6. ActionComplete

Another handy location-aware app for Android is ActionComplete. ActionComplete is a high-tech to-do list for your Droid phone. It makes it easy to organize your tasks and appointments, using a system developed by "GTD" (Getting Things Done") guru David Allen. You can even set reminders that'll pop up based on where you are, allowing you to remind yourself of certain tasks at the office, others at the home, and so on.

ActionComplete is free.

7. Google Sky Map

Stare at the stars with Google Sky Map, the "mobile planetarium" for Android phones. The Google Sky Map app, free, actually overlays information about the night sky onto your Droid display. It uses a combination of GPS data, compass data, and date and time information to help you identify planets, stars, and constellations.

8. KeyRing

Get rid of all those annoying membership cards with KeyRing, an Android app that puts your barcodes into your Motorola Droid. Simply scan your various cards -- anything from gym memberships to drug store discount clubs -- and Key Ring will categorize them into a drop-down menu.

The next time you need a card, you just pull it up on your phone -- no need to actually carry the physical piece of plastic.

9. Compare Everywhere

While we're on the topic of barcodes, you may want to grab Compare Everywhere. With the program installed, you can scan a barcode in any store to get instant information about any product. Compare Everywhere will connect you to reviews and pricing details to make your shopping simpler.

Compare Everywhere is a free download.

10. Sherpa

Ready to explore? Check out Sherpa, an Android application that helps you find new places based on your own personal preferences. Sherpa "learns" your likes and dislikes, then uses your location information to suggest restaurants, stores, and attractions in your area that might float your boat.

The best part? Sherpa won't cost you a dime to download.

Source:Blogoncherry

Moscow Halo Cloud: Alien Sighthings?

2009-10-14T01:46:00.000-07:00

The cloud loomed last week, but the searches are still soaring. Lookups on "halo cloud" and "moscow cloud" are both booming, and a video clip has garnered hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube. You can check it out for yourself below...

When the cloud initially formed, some UFO enthusiasts declared it to be a "true mystery." Some even compared it to the giant spaceship hovering over Earth in the movie "Independence Day." Reality quickly dashed any predictions of an alien invasion. An article from the Daily Mail explains that the "luminous ring-shaped cloud" was simply an optical effect.

An official spokesperson for Moscow's weather department said, "Several fronts have been passing through Moscow recently, there was an intrusion of the Arctic air too, the sun was shining from the west — this is how the effect was produced."

Read More: Boncherry

Marge Simpson Poses for Playboy November Cover Girl

2009-10-14T01:44:00.000-07:00

Marge Simpson has done something that Homer might not like but will make Bart the proudest kid in his school: She's posed for Playboy magazine becoming the first cartoon character to ever appear on the cover of the magazine.

This was Fox's great big idea to celebrate 20 years for the series.

Apparently, this isn't the first time Marge has posed on the cover of such a publication. She appeared on the cover of the April 2004 issue Maxim, and that cover was a hit.

Source:Boncherry

Read more from CNN

Us Debt Clock: Watch how US Debt Grows Real Time

2009-10-13T16:42:00.000-07:00

If you want to see the projection of US debt situation in real time, you can go to http://www.usdebtclock.org/

The Economist also rolled out its Global Debt Clock, which features a running global-public-debt tally. It also provides specific data for different countries, such as public debt per capita and debt as percent of G.D.P., ranging from 1999 to predicted numbers for 2011.

Web Hosting Tips and Deals

2009-10-13T02:20:00.001-07:00

CATEGORIES OF WEB HOSTING:

One should select a web hosting deal according to his/her site. One cannot fulfill his/her requirements from same hosting deal for a personal web site, web site meant for email newsletter subscription and archives, e-commerce site or web forum. Web hosting can be divided into four prime categories:
1. Virtual (shared) hosting,

2. Dedicated server,

3. Collocation server and

4. Reseller hosting.

Two most applicable hosting are virtual (shared) hosting and dedicated server.

What is Virtual (shared) hosting? It is a condition in which several web sites share one server. It is a low cost hosting because price is divided between several users. One can locate a standard virtual hosting at a rate of $100 a year.

In a Dedicated server hosting company lease the whole web server from a particular web hosting company. The site of web server is the web hosting company. One can opt dedicated server as a suitable option who does not wish to share a server with other web masters. One can find a dedicated server in two forms managed and un-managed. If one talk about managed server, company will take care of all the setups of user’s server. However, in unmanaged server user needs to take care of all these by him/her self. The benefit of this sort of hosting is that one can fully lodge web hosting as per his/her requirements. Moreover, for a site with ample amount of visitors a dedicated server is the only rational choice. Due to higher cost, starting from $100 per month, those companies that know the worth of Internet business generally use it.

One can say that Collocation server is quite identical to dedicated server. Disparity lies in the fact that company doesn’t take the web server on lease. Their own web server is placed in the web hosting company. In addition to it, company has material access to their web server, which is not available while talking about a dedicated server.

If one mention about Reseller hosting it is aimed to those companies only wishes to begin their own web hosting business.

ASPECTS, WHICH ONE NEEDS TO CONSIDER:

There are many factors which a user needs to consider to prevent any future miss happens:

Web space:
Requirement of Web space vary from site to site. Off course, if user requirement is only a web site containing basic information about him/her and his/her work excluding the use of web applications, then space of 50 MB is quite sufficient. However, a complex e-commerce site along with numerous products in one’s database demands a capacity of 1 GB.

Bandwidth:
The term Bandwidth refers to data transferred from user’s web site and that comprise of graphic details, images, banners and files for download. One should have accurate knowledge of Content before going for an amount of bandwidth. When one talks about the majority of sites, bandwidth of 10 GB a month is quite sufficient, though for few other sites like sites related to desktop wallpapers can frequently consumes even hundreds of GB a month.

Up time or visibility:
It symbolizes time articulated in percents displaying the period a site remained online. One should not be cheerful because someone assured him/her to provide say for 98% up time because it is not going to fulfill his/her requirement. One should get at least 99.7% uptime. Believe it or not, it definitely matters.

Email accounts:
Email accounts are an integrated and crucial part of web hosting package. It is quite interesting to know for how much will one get only a so called catch –all forwarding which means that all emails sent to somewhere@mydomain.com will arrive to one’s email address or one can set-up email accounts for several users? Also the thing is for how much? Is it intended for 5, 10, 100 or limitless email accounts? In addition to it, there is no harm to verify whether user get a so-called POP3 email address (“real” email address), web mail or rather both? If one has a POP3 email address then he/she can check his/her emails via favorite email client and web mail facilitate the user to inquire his/her emails at any place demanding just a computer and Internet connection.

Form of Server, tools and control panel:
When one mention the two generally utilized hosting then the name of Unix-based or Windows platform comes first. It matters for the result program languages, databases and scripts that one can apply. When one talks about Unix-based platform, general selection is relayed to PHP language along with MySQL, however, when it comes to Windows platform ASP or ASP.NET language will be along with SQL Server. One should enquire that is database is available with package or not, if yes, then how many? Nowadays, contemporary web site must be database-driven.

Too, one should have full knowledge related to tools coming along with web hosting package, if there is only applications for web statistics, file manager and things it is not an concern issue.

Technical support:

A crucial aspect while selecting a web hosting particularly for a user without having adequate technical skills is technical support. A proper technical support does not take a responsive time more then a day. This is not liable only to selection of web hosting company, but, crucial to any of the company selling products and services, Software Company can be one of the examples.

The coordination of few of the companies is so well thought-out that it takes only 1 hour to give response to user’s queries! Through their source of contact one can predict about the future response. Do the concern company has only email support or also have phone support? Does they provide a toll-free number? Do they offer the facility of trouble-ticket system? Working time is another crucial aspect. What is their strategy of providing technical support is it during working hours only i.e. 9 to 17 or does they provide the facility of 24x7 technical support? An ideal way to detect their professionalism one can create a list of fake queries, drop a line to them and hang around to know their reply time.

Testimonials:

Several web hosting and software companies have this smart way to increase their customer strength. Testimonials section contains the approval of satisfied customers, attracting more people to their service. This section is not completely reliable. Several hosting companies offer their clients to analyze their portfolio, instead of doing that one should contact webmasters who are taking the service of concern host and register their opinions. One can take help of several sites for further information regarding best web hosting deals and suggestions.

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Insurers to Senate: Health Legislation would add $1,700 a year to families

2009-10-13T02:10:00.000-07:00

Late Sunday, the industry trade group America's Health Insurance Plans sent its member companies a new accounting firm study that projects the legislation would add $1,700 a year to the cost of family coverage in 2013, when most of the major provisions in the bill would be in effect.

Study: Premium increase
Premiums for a single person would go up by $600 more than would be the case without the legislation, the PriceWaterhouseCoopers analysis concluded. The study was commissioned by the insurance group.

"Several major provisions in the current legislative proposal will cause health care costs to increase far faster and higher than they would under the current system," Karen Ignagni, the top industry lobbyist in Washington, wrote in a memo to insurance company CEOs.

Baucus spokesman Mulhauser said the study is "seriously flawed" because it doesn't take into account provisions in the legislation that would lower the cost of coverage, such as tax credits to help people buy private insurance, protections for current policies and administrative savings from a revamped marketplace.

White House health care spokeswoman Linda Douglass concurred. "This is an insurance industry analysis that is designed to reach a conclusion which benefits the industry, and does not represent what the bill does," she said.

The Baucus plan faces a final vote in the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday. It got a boost last week after the Congressional Budget Office estimated it would cover 94 percent of eligible Americans while reducing the federal deficit.

Costs for privately insured
But the PriceWaterhouseCoopers analysis attempted to get at a different issue — costs for privately insured individuals.

It concluded that a combination of factors in the bill — and decisions by lawmakers as they amended it — would raise costs.

The chief reason, said the report, is a decision by lawmakers to weaken proposed penalties for failing to get health insurance. The bill would require insurers to take all applicants, doing away with denials for pre-existing health problems. In return, all Americans would be required to carry coverage, either through an employer or a government program, or by buying it themselves.

But the CBO estimated that even with new federal subsidies, some 17 million Americans would still be unable to afford health insurance. Faced with that affordability problem, senators opted to ease the fines for going without coverage from the levels Baucus originally proposed. The industry says that will only let people postpone getting coverage until they get sick.

Foreclosures Rises Rapidly in Expensive Homes

2009-10-13T01:53:00.000-07:00

About 30% of foreclosures in June involved homes in the top third of local housing values, up from 16% when the foreclosure crisis began three years ago, according to new data from real-estate Web site Zillow.com.

The report shows that foreclosures, after declining earlier this year, began to accelerate in the late spring and that more expensive homes have more recently accounted for a growing share of all foreclosures. "The slope of that curve in recent months is much sharper than it was recently," said Stan Humphries, chief economist for Zillow. Rising foreclosures among more-expensive homes could create added pressure for a housing market that has shown signs of stabilizing in recent months as sales of lower-priced homes pick up.

The Zillow research compared homes against the median values for their local market and broke each market into three tiers by value. Zillow then looked at the share of monthly foreclosures in each tier over the past decade.

Foreclosures are rising in more expensive markets as home values in those areas fall, leaving more homeowners with mortgages that exceed the value of their properties. Prime loans accounted for 58% of foreclosure starts in the second quarter, up from 44% last year, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Subprime mortgages accounted for one-third of foreclosure starts, down from one-half last year.

The prime category includes so-called exotic mortgages that were increasingly used to buy more expensive homes, including interest-only mortgages that allowed borrowers to defer principal payments during an initial period. Borrowers often aren't able to refinance out of these products because the drop in home values has left them with little equity in their homes.

Default rates are particularly high and expected to rise on option adjustable-rate mortgages, which allow borrowers to make minimum payments that may not cover the interest due. Monthly payments can increase to sharply higher levels after five years or when the outstanding balance reaches a certain level. A study by Fitch Ratings found that 46% of option ARMs were 30 days past due last month, even though just 12% of such loans have reset to higher monthly payments.

Source:WSJ

Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté is the First Clown in Space

2009-10-13T01:51:00.000-07:00

Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté undocked from the International Space Station on Saturday and plunged to a successful landing in Kazakhstan early Sunday. He was dubbed the first clown in space, because of the spongy nose he donned during the trip.

The Canadian billionaire arrived in Kazakhstan on Sunday aboard a Russian spacecraft, along with Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka and American astronaut Michael Barratt, according to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti.

The trio blasted off September 30.

Laliberte is the first Canadian private space explorer, and his journey was described by Cirque du Soleil, a popular show that merges acrobatics and music, as "the first social/artistic mission in space."

He used the trip to raise awareness about the need for safe drinking water worldwide. On Friday, Laliberte participated in an event sponsored by his One Drop foundation that took place in space and 14 cities worldwide. The event featured famous political and entertainment figures spreading a message of "water for all, all for water."

Laliberte turned his talents of stilt-walking and fire-breathing into the world- famous Cirque du Soleil.

He founded One Drop in 2007 to fight poverty around the world by providing widespread access to safe water.

Read More:CNN

Use Mystery Google to Get Someone Else's Search Results

2009-10-13T01:08:00.000-07:00

Type in a search term on Mystery Google, and you get back "what the people before you searched for."

Mystery Google is a fun new site that delivers real mystery Google results every time you attempt to use it.

Mystery Google works on a simple premise: what ever the person before you searched for, you get in your results. The results are delivered through Google proper, so perhaps not smartly the folks behind the site might not be making much off it by using Google custom search.

It's a nifty way to know what other people are exploring on the web, and a cool spin of the online roulette.

The Most Relaxing Classical Music In The Universe-FREE

2009-10-13T00:42:00.000-07:00

The Amazon MP3 Store offers The Best Of The Most Relaxing Classical Music In The Universe for FREE.

Amazon MP3 Downloader is required

iTunes charges $9.99 for this mp3 album download.

iPhone 3.1.2 update for iPhone and iPod Touch

2009-10-08T13:44:00.000-07:00

Today Apple has released the iPhone 3.1.2 update for iPhone and iPod Touch users. This update does not really add anything new, but it does fix important bugs so iPhone and iPod Touch users should update.

The iPhone 3.1.2 software update includes the following:
Resolves sporadic issue that may cause iPhone to not wake from sleep
Resolves intermittent issue that may interrupt cellular network services until restart
Fixes bug that could cause occasional crash during video streaming
How to update to iPhone 3.1.2
1. Connect your iPhone or iPod Touch to your PC.
2. Launch the iTunes application and click the Check for updates button.
3. iTunes will show you the above window saying: “iTunes will update your iPhone to iPhone 3.1.2 software and will verify the update with Apple“. Click on the Update button.

iPhone 3.1.2 appears to be focused mainly on providing bug fixes for a few problems introduced in iPhone 3.1. Apple specifically calls out a problem where iPhones may not wake from sleep—it remains to be seen if this is the issue that some users had dubbed "coma mode". In addition, the update fixes an intermittent issue that could interfere with cellular network services and require a restart, and a bug that could cause a crash while streaming video.

Once you update to 3.1.2, you'll also be able to download a new carrier update, though what exactly that's for we don't know at this time.

The update weighs in at a hefty 306.2MB on my iPhone 3GS, and is also available for the iPhone 3G, the original iPhone, and the iPod touch. As always, it's available only via iTunes.

U.S Unemployment rate rises to 9.8 percent as 263,000 jobs are cut

2009-10-03T20:30:00.000-07:00

The Labor Department said the unemployment rate was the highest since June 1983 and payrolls had now dropped for 21 consecutive months.

The report shows that the worst recession since the 1930s is still inflicting widespread pain and underscores one of the biggest threats to the nascent economic recovery: that consumers, worried about job losses and stagnant wages, will restrain spending. Consumer spending accounts for about 70 percent of the nation's economy.

Most analysts expect the economy to continue to improve, but at a slow, uneven pace. Government stimulus efforts, such as the Cash for Clunkers auto rebates, likely boosted the economy in the July-September quarter, but economists worry that growth will slow once the impact of such programs fades.

The Labor Department said Friday that the economy lost a net total of 263,000 jobs last month, from a downwardly revised 201,000 in August. That's worse than Wall Street economists' expectations of 180,000 job losses, according to a survey by Thomson Reuters.

The unemployment rate rose from 9.7 percent in August, matching expectations.

If laid-off workers who have settled for part-time work or have given up looking for new jobs are included, the unemployment rate rose to 17 percent, the highest on records dating from 1994.

All told, 15.1 million Americans are now out of work, the department said. And more than 7.2 million jobs have been eliminated since the recession began in December 2007.

Obama Says No Texting and Driving for Federal Employees

2009-10-03T20:28:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration said Thursday it will seek to ban text messaging by interstate bus drivers and truckers and push states to pass their own laws against driving cars while distracted. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said the administration also would move to put restrictions on cell phone use by rail operators, truck drivers and interstate bus drivers. "Driving while distracted should just feel wrong – just as driving without a seat belt or driving while intoxicated," LaHood said at the end of a two-day conference on the problem. "We're not going to break everyone of their bad habits – but we are going to raise awareness and sharpen the consequences." As a first step, LaHood said President Barack Obama signed an executive order late Wednesday banning all federal workers from texting while driving on government business, driving government vehicles or using government equipment. The administration also will push to disqualify school bus drivers who are convicted of texting while driving from keeping their commercial driver's licenses. Researchers, safety groups, automakers and lawmakers gathered to discuss the perils of distracted driving, hearing sobering data from the government that underscored the safety threat as more motorists stay connected with cell phones and mobile devices. The Transportation Department reported that 5,870 people were killed and 515,000 were injured last year in crashes connected to driver distraction, often involving mobile devices or cell phones. Driver distraction was involved in 16 percent of all fatal crashes in 2008 and was more prevalent among young drivers. Senate Democrats said support was building in Congress to move against text messaging by drivers. The legislation, pushed by Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., would require states to ban texting or e-mailing while operating a moving vehicle or lose 25 percent of their annual federal highway funding.

7.4 Massive Earthquake hits Java Island in Indonesia

2009-09-02T02:15:00.000-07:00

A 7.4 Earthquake hits Java Island (Indonesia) approximately around 02:55:02 pm local time. Anyone has relative or friends that experience this massive earthquake? We are also still waiting for the damage report.

Magnitude	7.4
Date-Time	Wednesday, September 02, 2009 at 07:55:02 UTC Wednesday, September 02, 2009 at 02:55:02 PM at epicenter
Location	8.223°S, 107.349°E
Depth	60 km (37.3 miles) set by location program
Region	JAVA, INDONESIA
Distances	142 km (88 miles) SW (226°) from Tasikmalaya, Java, Indonesia 144 km (89 miles) S (190°) from Bandung, Java, Indonesia 156 km (97 miles) SSE (159°) from Sukabumi, Java, Indonesia 242 km (150 miles) SSE (164°) from JAKARTA, Java, Indonesia

Indonesia's location on the edges of the Pacific, Eurasian, and Australian tectonic plates makes it the site of numerous volcanoes and frequent earthquakes. Indonesia has at least 150 active volcanoes, including Krakatoa and Tambora, both famous for their devastating eruptions in the 19th century. Recent disasters due to seismic activity include the 2004 tsunami that killed an estimated 167,736 in northern Sumatra, and the Yogyakarta earthquake in 2006.

Indonesia is located in the Pacific Ring of Fire. About 90% of the world's earthquakes and 80% of the world's largest earthquakes occur along the Ring of Fire. The next most seismic region (5–6% of earthquakes and 17% of the world's largest earthquakes) is the Alpide belt, which extends from Java to Sumatra through the Himalayas, the Mediterranean, and out into the Atlantic.

CNN also write about how the Earthquake trigger Tsunami warning

Source:Boncherry

Disney Buys Marvel Entertainment

2009-08-31T11:59:00.000-07:00

The Walt Disney empire is to buy the superheroes stable Marvel Entertainment for $4bn (£2.5bn) in a star-studded Hollywood deal that unites family names such as Mickey Mouse with lucrative characters including Spider-Man, the Incredible Hulk and the X-Men.
While Disney has traditionally been known for its wholesome family creations ranging from the Little Mermaid to Lion King, Hannah Montana and Pocahontas, the purchase of Marvel adds an edgier, more violent element – it recently scored a box office success with Iron Man, a movie starring Robert Downey Jr as a billionaire inventor who creates a hi-tech suit of armour to battle evil.

Marvel's characters, who include superhero Captain America, tend to chime particularly well with teenage boys and young men, while Disney has been stronger in appealing to a female audience.

Disney hopes to put Marvel's 5,000 characters to work on its television channels and in video games, theme parks and movies. The agreed takeover is for a mixture of cash and stock, with Disney shares accounting for roughly 40% of the buyout price.

The tie-up unites two companies with similar business models – they both take characters which capture the popular imagination and promote them vigorously around the world on every possible media platform and through third-party licensing deals.

Source:Boncherry

7 Simple Ways for Living Green

2009-08-30T17:25:00.000-07:00

There are some simple changes which help for green living.

1. By reducing the garbage which we produce.

2. Change out incandescent bulbs for energy efficient, fluorescent ones.

3. Turn lights and fans off when leaving a room.

4. By reducing water usage and Install low-flow shower heads.

5. By carrying cloth bags and eliminate the need of plastic ones.

6. By Examine the packaging of the products you purchase and always purchase products whose packaging is recyclable.

7. By clearing out the chemicals, where the chemical labs are producing more chemicals which pollute the water. It is not much easy to prevent the chemicals but there are many safe effective alternative ingredients which come from other sustainable sources.

Living green really does not make any difference but it is a healthy choice for all of us. Small changes you can live with will have a greater impact in the long run. So it is a duty of us by living green and to keep the society green. Green controls the harmful gas producing by the industries. It gives oxygen and observes carbondioxide. Not only for the health; it also gives pleasant mind and reduces all tensions. It gives tension free mind for some time.

Making some simple, and non simple, changes in your place that is house, work place, and other places where we live can help the environment and slow down global warming. It makes much difference if we spend a little time every week.

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy Laid to Rest

2009-08-30T17:16:00.000-07:00

The Arlington National Cemetery gravesite of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy opened to the public at 8 a.m. Sunday, a little less than 12 hours after he was buried.

On the 25th August 2009 the whole of the United States was in great remorse as a United States Senator for Massachusetts, Ted Kennedy, past away. He was diagonsed with a brain tumor in 2008 and died while at home. See the Kennedy Funeral Live.

The Kennedy family are famous for being political figures and have also all seen unlucky ends. Ted Kennedy was younger brother of United States Senator Robert F. Kennedy and John F. Kennedy both of which were assissnated. He is also the father of Patrick J. Kennedy a young congressmen in his 30's.

As a United States Senator Ted Kennedy played a major role in the passing of many U.S. laws including those on various subjects such as; immigration, mental health, health insurance, cancer research, the apartheid, disability discrimination, children's healthcare rights, AIDS and education.

During his career in the United States government he was elected as senator a grandé total of nine times. His god father was is older brother John. F Kennedy who also wanted to name him George Washington Kennedy as he was born on the 200th birthday of George Washington, however his parents refused. He attended Harvard College and while he was there played on the Freshman football team.

In 1969 Ted Kennedy got into a rather sticky situation in an indcident known as the "Chippaquiddick accident". A party was being held on Chippaquiddick Island and Ted left with a women known as Mary Jo. He drove the car off a bridge by accident and Mary Jo died.

Other Source:CNN

Los Angeles Fire Update

2009-08-30T17:00:00.000-07:00

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Three people hurt in a growing wildfire in California were burned because they "did not listen" to orders to evacuate, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Sunday after declaring a state of emergency.

"I want to urge everyone living near any of the fires, please, listen and follow evacuation orders from local officials. They will not tell you to evacuate if it's not necessary," he said.

"Listen carefully -- there were again people that did not listen and people that got burned and really badly injured because they did not listen."

Mandatory evacuations were ordered for 6,600 homes threatened by the Station fire, he said. Since it began Wednesday in the Angeles National Forest and La Canada Flintridge area, the blaze has burned 35,200 acres and the U.S. Forest Service has reported a evacuation list of 10,000 homes.

Source:CNN,Blogoncherry

Boston Market BOGO Coupon

2009-08-13T03:03:00.000-07:00

Boston Market offers a Buy One Meal Get One Free deal with this Printable Coupon which may be used through Aug 27, 2009.

JetBlue Airways Offer "All You-Can-Fly"

2009-08-12T15:48:00.000-07:00

JetBlue Airways Corp. is offering an "all-you-can-fly" pass where passengers can book an unlimited amount of flights over a month for $599.

The airline said Wednesday that pass holders will be able to fly to any of JetBlue's 56 destinations between Sept. 8 and Oct. 8.

Customers must book the pass by Aug. 21.

Pass holders can book travel within three days before a desired departure date. Taxes are not included in the deal, and a $100 change or cancellation fee applies.

"No shows" for flights will incur a $100 fee, and the pass will be suspended until the fee is paid.

JetBlue's frequent fliers will get 35 TrueBlue points for buying the pass.

In addition to the 56 cities JetBlue serves in the U.S., Mexico, South America and the Caribbean, the discount carrier will add service to Baltimore on Sept. 9 and to Barbados on October 1.

As always please double check fine print.

Source:Boncherry Travel

What You Need To Know Before Getting Your First Puppy

2009-08-06T15:16:00.000-07:00

Your beautiful child loves animals and all of your neighbors have pets, so how about a cute little puppy? That is a wonderful gift for your darling daughter. You probably couldn’t make her happier any other way. But wait a moment, if you are buying or adopting a pet for the first time, there are a few things that you need to know before you actually set out to buy it.

1) You need to give it time: Keeping a puppy is like having a small baby in your house. It needs tender loving care and constant observation until it grows a little older. And yes, you also need to play and entertain them all day. If you can’t, you may choose to get two puppies to entertain each other or use the services of day care centers for your pup.

2) Dogs need training: In order to train dogs and puppies, you first need to train yourself on how to train them! Unlike cats, which can be left on their own, dogs are dependent on you. You have to interact with them and give them proper behavioral training.

Once you have learned the techniques of training your dog, you may also train your kids on how to interact with the pet and train them. After all, your kids are the ones who will spend most of the time with them, walking the dog every evening and playing with it in the backyard.

3) Be prepared to spend money: Relax a little: it’s not that much money. But yes, you need to see if that little puppy fits into your budget. You may have several expenses, especially when you get the puppy home. It will need a dog house if you plan on leaving him outdoors for extended periods, toys, registration, vet fees and shots, expenses for training it, and maybe even clothes!

Dog can be among the costliest pets and can cost you nearly as much as any other family member would. So don’t get into the dog buying business without considering the cost factor.

4) Your little puppy will grow into an adult dog. You already knew that? Great! But it is also important to know that keeping a dog into it’s adulthood may be a lot different than keeping it as a puppy. Your dog will grow fast and, depending on the breed, may soon outweigh your 6 year old child. Your cute little puppy will soon need a lot more food that it needs now!

5) Puppies need exercise: Puppies need exercise in the form of play. They can amuse themselves for short periods, but require interaction with people or other animals. Apart from toys, they also need another puppy or a person to play with them. Your children can’t be with them always, so if the idea of running with the pack, so to speak, doesn’t thrill you, you may opt for buying a breed that is less active.

If your dog is larger in size, it will need more exercise and you will have to take it for walk every evening when you come home after an exhausting day at work. So make sure that you include this activity in your schedule.

Google Chrome Themes Gallery

2009-08-04T22:21:00.000-07:00

Google Chrome's themes gallery is now available and you can select one of the 28 themes if you install Google Chrome 3.0 Beta, Google Chrome 3.0 Developer Preview or if you have a recent Chromium build.

Installing a theme isn't a smooth process: you download a .crx file, then Google Chrome loads theme and offers the option to go back to the default theme. You can't preview themes before installing theme and there's no interface for managing themes. The only way to uninstall themes, extensions and to reload themes is by typingchrome://extensions/ in the address bar.

For now, the gallery only includes themes created by Google, but you'll be able to create your own theme and upload it to the gallery in the near future.

Jack in the Box : Free Tacos

2009-08-04T14:00:00.000-07:00

Jack In The Box free taco Tuesday is today. Jack In The Box free tacos will be given out to customers at all participating locations. The Jack In The Box free tacos will be given out as a way to lure customers into their stores, and as with most free food promotions like this, probably going to work quite well. The Jack In The Box free taco Tuesday takes place on Tuesday, August 4th, and will be running throughout the whole day. It's a great day to take advantage of the Jack In The Box free tacos promotion, and an interesting way to enjoy a tasty snack late at night.

Go here to get your free taco coupon (official site)

President Obama Birthday Gift!

2009-08-04T10:13:00.000-07:00

President Obama celebrated his birthday by bowling a 144, a huge leap from the horrific 37 he managed during this campaign stop in Altoona, Penn. last year.

Obama celebrated his birthday (it's Tuesday) at Camp David over the weekend in part by playing a little basketball and, yes, bowling. He threw three strikes and a 9 on his last four tries

Read more:Boncherry

Top 10 Most Popular "Car for Clunkers " Cars

2009-08-04T09:53:00.000-07:00

The 10 most popular cars bought using the Cash for Clunkers program. It seems Ford is the clear winner here since they get an unusual sales boost for their "popular" Ford Focus and Escape.

1. Ford Focus
2. Honda Civic
3. Toyota Corolla
4. Toyota Prius
5. Ford Escape
6. Toyota Camry
7. Dodge Caliber
8. Hyundai Elantra
9. Honda Fit
10. Chevy Cobalt

Obama Joker Poster :Socialism

2009-08-03T10:52:00.000-07:00

Just like out of the latest Batman movie, Joker poster suddenly pops up all over the city of Los Angeles and Atlanta. This time though we do know who's the Joker and it's President Obama! The culprit who does this will definitely get in trouble. If someone throws a shoes at the former President Bush get couple years of jail sentence, I wonder what kind of punishment the culprit will get by mocking the current president as "The Joker of Socialism"

Several posters of President Barack Obama as Joker, Heath Ledger-style, with the caption “Socialism” have been showing up in Los Angeles and most recently in Atlanta.

Google Attacks Microsoft with "Going Google" Campaign

2009-08-02T23:17:00.000-07:00

Right after Microsoft declared a search engine advertising deal with Yahoo, Google decides to attack one of Microsoft by offering their own version Microsoft Office for free.

"The campaign, called “Going Google,” has a very clear target: Microsoft Office. A series of advertisements [disclosure: including on this blog] will begin touting how and why some 3,000 organizations are signing up to use Google apps each day. But the crown jewels of this campaign will be billboards on four major U.S. highways that will give a new message about Google apps everyday for a month.

The billboards will be placed on the 101 in San Francisco, the West Side Hwy in New York, the Ike in Chicago, and Mass Pike in Boston. Google says that the vinyl being used to create these new messages each day will be recycled or reused into either computer bags or shopping bags.

Google says that so far over 1.75 million businesses, schools and organizations have signed up to use the various combinations of Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Docs and the other Google apps. But that is of course a drop in the bucket compared to the number of companies that use Microsoft Office and its other enterprise solutions. Now, Google is clearly trying to be proactive in telling people why its solution is better before Office goes online in a big way with the 2010 version."

Read more:TechCrunch

Tax Increase under Obama Administration on the Horizon!

2009-08-02T17:00:00.000-07:00

Two of Obama staffs can't deny the potential of a tax hike under the Obama administration. Although the US Recession officially ended last July, Obama administration still face tremendeous budget deficit after spending tremendous amount of money for economic stimulus and bail outs.

"WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama's treasury secretary said Sunday he cannot rule out higher taxes to help tame an exploding budget deficit, and his chief economic adviser would not dismiss raising them on middle-class Americans as part of a health care overhaul.
As the White House sought to balance campaign rhetoric with governing, officials appeared willing to extend unemployment benefits. With former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan saying he is "pretty sure we've already seen the bottom" of the recession, Obama aides sought to defend the economic stimulus and calm a jittery public.
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and National Economic Council Director Larry Summers both sidestepped questions on Obama's intentions about taxes. Geithner said the White House was not ready to rule out a tax hike to lower the federal deficit; Summers said Obama's proposed health care overhaul needs funding from somewhere."

Source:YahooNews,CNN

Apple Snow Leopard (Mac OS X 10.6) pre-orders

2009-08-01T21:28:00.000-07:00

While Apple hasn’t yet announced the final ship date of Mac OS X version 10.6 Snow Leopard, Amazon is taking pre-order
. For $29, you can get the upgrade, and Amazon will probably ship the orders so you get them on the day of the release (at least that’s what they’ve done in the past).

Some warnings, though: to use this Snow Leopard upgrade, you need to alreday have a copy of Leopard on your Mac. (I’m not sure yet whether it will simply look at the installed OS or ask you to insert a previous disc to verify.) Also, this is only good for Intel-based Macs, so if you have a PowerPC Mac, you’ve reached the end of the line.

If you have multiple Macs, get the Mac OS X Snow Leopard Family Pack (5-User)
, and if you’re running a version of Mac OS X prior to Leopard, you’ll need to go for the Mac Box Set, which, at $169, also contains iLife and iWork.

Apple has said they’ll be releasing Snow Leopard before the end of September, so if you want to be among the first to get a copy, order now.

Skype no More?

2009-07-31T15:02:00.000-07:00

All the free phone calls and video conference around the world will soon dissapear if Ebay (Skype Owner) lost its legal battle for its key software technology.

"LONDON, England (CNN) -- A legal battle has put the future of Skype in jeopardy, according to eBay, which owns the online communications system.

If Skype loses the right to use a key part of its software and can't create an adequate replacement, "Skype's business as currently conducted would likely not be possible," eBay said in its quarterly filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

There is no sign of Skype disappearing soon -- a relief to the more than 480 million registered users who have video or telephone conversations online through the technology.

But the battle with Joltid, the company that created the piece of technology at issue, shows no sign of being resolved anytime soon, either.

A trial is scheduled for June 2010, eBay said in the SEC filing."

With Skype you can make free calls over the Internet. Skype – the whole world can talk for free

Free Skype-to-Skype calls on your mobile. Get the new 3 Skypephone mobile.

Read More:Cnn

Honda Recalling 440k cars for Airbag Defect

2009-07-31T14:43:00.000-07:00

You would think that an Airbag would be one of the most important safety feature in a car. So when Honda finds out that theirs is not safe, it's recalling lots of its cars.

DETROIT (Reuters) - Honda Motor Co said on Friday that it is recalling another 440,000 vehicles -- including some of its best-selling Accord and Civic models -- for a potentially lethal airbag defect.

Honda said that the airbag inflators in some of its top-selling sedans can rupture because of too much air pressure causing metal fragments to shoot through the airbag and strike vehicle occupants.

Read the whole story: Reuters,CNN

No Free Lunch at the White House

2009-07-31T12:41:00.000-07:00

The day after Obama hosted prof. Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Sgt. James Crowley by giving out free beers, report comes out that four CEOs had lunch with Obama at the White House last month but they had to pay for their lunch.

"Four of the most powerful business leaders in America arrived at the White House one day last month for lunch with President Barack Obama, sitting down in his private dining room just steps from the Oval Office.

Around the table with Barack Obama that afternoon were Ursula Burns, CEO of Xerox Corporation; Muhtar Kent, CEO of The Coca-Cola Company; AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson; and Honeywell International CEO Dave Cote.

But even for powerful CEOs, there’s no such thing as a free lunch: White House staffers collected credit card numbers for each executive and carefully billed them for the cost of the meal with the president.

The White House defended the unusual move as a way to avoid conflicts of interest. But the Bush administration didn’t charge presidential guests for meals, one former official said, and at least one etiquette expert found the whole thing unseemly – suggesting it was a serious breach of protocol."

Read more:Politico

Virtual Assitant Job Market is Booming

2009-07-30T12:59:00.000-07:00

Imagine being able to work from your own home, doing a job you love, and
getting paid handsomely for doing it. Wouldn’t that be great?

Well, the good news is that this is not just a fantasy. It is a prospect that is
well within your reach. Today, millions of people worldwide have established
highly-successful careers as freelance professionals. Writers, designers,
programmers and many other home-based consultants have discovered that
freelancing offers the perfect combination of freedom, creativity, flexibility
and profitability.

iPhone Owners latest update: Virus

2009-07-30T12:07:00.000-07:00

iPhone users who text should be on the alert today because of a possible virus.

Forbes.com is reporting that iPhones could receive a single square text character Thursday afternoon, which could be the start of a viral infection.

Two researchers say they’ve discovered flaws in the iPhone’s software which can easily be hacked. They plan to show how it works today.

Security experts say the only sure way to avoid this virus is to turn off your iPhone.

There’s no word of a patch from iPhone maker Apple.

iPhone SMS hack details:
How does the SMS hack work?

Firstly, this hack does not requirreleae the victim to download any file. The attacker only needs to know the victim’s phone number. Miller says the attack is enabled by a serious memory corruption in the way the iPhone handles SMS messages. For the attack to work, an attacker must send hundreds of SMS control messages (different from regular SMS messages) and only the initial SMS will be seen. This attack works on both the iPhone and the Andoid. What does the iPhone SMS hack do? This hack can allow the attacker to make calls from your iPhone, steal your data, send text messages, and also spread the attack to other iPhones in your address book.

How to recognize and avoid the iPhone virus
If you get a strange text message containing any square box, even if it’s from a recognized number you may be the victim of the iPhone virus.
You have two choices:

1.Put your iPhone in Airplane mode: Go to Settings -> Airplane Mode and slide the button to Off.

2.Hold down the power button, and slide to turn your iPhone off.

The only thing we can do now is wait for Apple to release a patch. We expect Apple to release the iPhone 3.1 update by September, but hopefully this exploit causes them to release it earlier.

Tanning Bed May Cause Skin Cancer

2009-07-29T21:15:00.000-07:00

We've all heard that UV exposure from this fake sun can lead to skin cancer, but now new research has identified tanning as even more dangerous than first thought. International cancer experts have moved tanning beds and other sources of ultraviolet radiation into the top cancer risk category, saying they are as deadly as arsenic and mustard gas. They add that anyone who's started toasting at the electric beach before the age of 30 has increased their risk for skin cancer by 75 percent. Tanning bed users are also at risk for eye cancer.

Previously, skin cancer rates were highest in people over 75, but now doctors are seeing more and more cases in women in their 20s. It's not just tanning beds you have to worry about, it's UV radiation from the sun too. So if you want a tan, go for bronzers, sunless self-tanning lotion, or spray tans. They'll give you the glow without the risk. If you do enjoy being out in the Summer sun, just protect yourself with sunscreen.

Organic Food Only Helps Us Shrinks Our Wallet

2009-07-29T21:06:00.000-07:00

After years of organic food boom around the world, the jury is out that the only difference between organic food and the ordinary counterpart is the price!

Organic food is no healthier, study finds - Science - Reuters: "LONDON (Reuters) -Organic food has no nutritional or health benefits over ordinary food, according to a major study published Wednesday. Researchers from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine said consumers were paying higher prices for organic food because of its perceived health benefits, creating a global organic market worth an estimated $48 billion in 2007. A systematic review of 162 scientific papers published in the scientific literature over the last 50 years, however, found there was no significant difference."

Sony Offers 1 Million Free Ebooks

2009-07-29T20:48:00.000-07:00

Sony just announced that owners of the Sony Reader can now access over 1 million free, out of copyright and public domain eBooks from the Google Books library. Sony first announced this deal with Google earlier this year, but at that time, it only offered about 500,000 free books. Barnes & Noble, which announced its eBook store and forthcoming hardware eReader last week currently features about 500,000 free books from Google, while Kindle: Amazon's
can read free books from Project Gutenberg, but doesn't offer compatibility with the ePub format that Google prefers. Amazon currently offers about 300,000 books.

Get your Sony EReaders from Amazon!

Microsoft and Yahoo Join Forces

2009-07-29T05:30:00.000-07:00

It took almost a year but finally Microsoft and Yahoo join their paid advertising program to try to catch up with Google.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Microsoft and Yahoo reached a long-awaited partnership Wednesday in a bid to challenge Google's dominance in online search.

Under the 10-year deal, Microsoft will integrate Yahoo search technology into its existing Web search platforms. Microsoft's new search tool, Bing, will power Yahoo sites. Yahoo will sell premium ads on both sites.

Microsoft and Yahoo will share revenue on traffic generated on Yahoo's network.

The deal will allow Microsoft to "create more innovation in search, better value for advertisers and real consumer choice in a market currently dominated by a single company," said Steve Ballmer, Microsoft chief executive, in a statement.

It was a partnership that was a long time in the making. Microsoft's (MSFT, Fortune 500) search market share has been slipping for more than two years, and the company has struggled to make its online advertising unit profitable. Meanwhile, Yahoo (YHOO, Fortune 500), once the search market leader, dropped to a distant second place behind leader Google (GOOG, Fortune 500) by 2007.

Free 3 Months Amazon Prime!

2009-07-27T12:29:00.000-07:00

It's back, and you still don't need to buy anything.

1. Click here to add any textbook
2. Proceed to checkout and sign up.
If you already have Prime or have done a trial, you probably can't get the trial.

"Qualify for Amazon Prime free for 3 months when you order any eligible textbook and enjoy the benefits that come with membership.
There's no obligation--cancel anytime before your free trial is over and you will not be charged the $79 annual fee. Offer valid through October 16, 2009"

If you wait until October, you can have Prime free through Christmas!

'Cash-For-Clunkers’ Plan Detail

2009-07-27T12:06:00.000-07:00

Okay people it's time to PIMP YOUR RIDE! Here are the requirements :

Your vehicle must be less than 25 years old on the trade-in date
Only purchase or lease of new vehicles qualify
Generally, trade-in vehicles must get 18 or less MPG (some very large pick-up trucks and cargo vans have different requirements)
Trade-in vehicles must be registered and insured continuously for the full year preceding the trade-in
You don't need a voucher, dealers will apply a credit at purchase
Program runs through Nov 1, 2009 or when the funds are exhausted, whichever comes first.
The program requires the scrapping of your eligible trade-in vehicle, and that the dealer disclose to you an estimate of the scrap value of your trade-in. The scrap value, however minimal, will be in addition to the rebate, and not in place of the rebate.
Almost 16,000 U.S. auto dealers have applied to participate in the “cash-for-clunkers” vehicle trade-in program, or about 80 percent of the nation’s new- vehicle retailers, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said.

The government is trying to help jump-start slumping auto sales through the program, giving consumers new-vehicle credits of as much as $4,500 for turning in older cars.

Consumer Incentive

The $1 billion in federal subsidies may spark 250,000 new car sales, U.S. lawmakers have said. They’re betting the clunkers effort will help spur purchases by consumers who weren’t otherwise in the market for a new car.

John Bailey, 26, said he traded in a car two days ago for a new Chevrolet Cobalt. Bailey, of Manassas, Virginia, said he wouldn’t have traded in his 1994 Oldsmobile had it not been for the cash-for-clunkers plan.

“It’s a great incentive for consumers,” said Bailey, who works in the shipping and receiving department of a semiconductor manufacturer.

Cash for clunkers will end Nov. 1 or when the $1 billion in subsidies expire, whichever occurs first. Congress must decide later this year whether to approve legislation extending it into 2010.

“With the tremendous public interest leading up to today, we anticipate that the $1 billion in funding for the cash for clunkers program will go quickly,” John McEleney, chairman of the McLean, Virginia-based National Automobile Dealers Association, said in a statement today.

Kari Callen shocked America's Got Talent audiences

2009-07-26T13:16:00.000-07:00

"I've never had a boyfriend, I've never been in a relationship." Remember Susan Boyle from the Britain Got Talent? This time is not coming from Susan Boyle, it's Kari Callen.

Kari Callen, 43, a radiology technician from Seattle, was born with a cleft lip and palate sang "Somewhere (A Place for Us)" tonight at the America's Got Talent show.

Cleft lip (cheiloschisis) and cleft palate (palatoschisis) (colloquially known as harelip), which can also occur together as cleft lip and palate, are variations of a type of clefting congenital deformity caused by abnormal facial development during gestation. Note that harelip is now considered as a derogatory term[citation needed]. A cleft is a fissure or opening—a gap. It is the non-fusion of the body's natural structures that form before birth.

(wikipedia)

Kari proves that all you really need is a stage and a dream.

Watch her outstanding performance below:

Title of the song: Somewhere (A Place for Us)

There's a place for us,
Somewhere a place for us.
Peace and quiet and open air
Wait for us
Somewhere.

There's a time for us,
Some day a time for us,
Time together with time to spare,
Time to look, time to care,
Someday!
Somewhere.
We'll find a new way of living,
We'll find a way of forgiving
Somewhere.

There's a place for us,
A time and place for us.
Hold my hand and we're half way there.
Hold my hand and I'll take you there
Somehow,
Someday,
Somewhere!

Source:Blogoncherry

MacBook Laptop + 8GB Apple iPod $999

2009-07-26T12:19:00.000-07:00

Amazon has deal on Apple MacBook / Pro

Hurry before promotion ends!Offer good through 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, July 25, 2009, or while supplies last.

This go-anywhere notebook also features a 13.3-inch glossy widescreen display, excellent video processing power from the NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics chip, 2 GB of installed RAM (with a 4 GB maximum capacity), and an integrated 802.11n Wi-Fi LAN that provides compatibility with older 802.11b/g routers as well as the faster throughput of Apple's Airport Extreme. It also includes an 8x combo Superdrive for burning dual-layer DVDs as well as CDs.
Preloaded with Leopard and iLife '08
The biggest Mac OS X upgrade ever, the Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard operating system features over 300 new features, including:

Time Machine, an effortless way to automatically back up everything on a Mac
A redesigned Finder that lets users quickly browse and share files between multiple Macs
Quick Look, a new way to instantly see files without opening an application
Spaces, an intuitive new feature used to create groups of applications and instantly switch between them
A brand new desktop with Stacks, a new way to easily access files from the Dock
Major enhancements to Mail and iChat

Laptop specs:
* Intel Core 2 Duo 2.26 Processor* 2GB DDR3 Memory* 160GB 5400 RPM Serial Ata Hard Drive* Backlit Keyboard* NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphicso Mini DisplayPort* SuperDrive 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)* Gigabit Ethernet port* AirPort Extreme Wi-Fi wireless networking (Wireless N)* Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate)* 58-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery (up to 7 hours runtime)* 13.3" LED-backlit glossy widescreen display (1280x800) with iSight camera* Mac OS X Leopard [upgrade to Snow Leopard for $10]

Economic Depression in Economic Recession

2009-07-21T13:13:00.000-07:00

During an interview and subsequent speech this week Summers cited a decline in Google searches for “economic depression” as a sign that the US economy is on the mend (and we promise we’re not making this up.)

“You look at how frequently people are talking about depression. (Compare) six months ago vs. now, it’s not a term you hear anymore,” Summers said. “I reject the view that the stimulus bill has not worked.”

“Take one example as an indicator: Google searches for the term “economic depression” were up fourfold from their pre-crisis levels…Now…such hits have returned to normal levels.”

Notably Google searches for “economic depression” have surged over the last 24 hours, with the term appearing in the top 10 searches made by users on Google in the United States.

“We pledged at the time the Recovery Act became law that some of the spending and tax effects would begin almost immediately.,”“We also noted that the impact of the Recovery Act would build up over time, peaking during 2010 with about 70 percent of the total stimulus provided in the first 18 months. Now, five months after the passage, we are on track to meet that timeline. “