Friday, May 8, 2009

Adam Lambert San Diego Tour (Video)

Adam Lambert, the “American Idol” phenom who’s the odds-on favorite to win it all this year, is back home in San Diego today, with the TV show’s cameras trailing him.

The “Idol” finalist took a whirlwind tour of his hometown Friday, stopping by local radio and television stations, visiting fans and performing at his alma mater, Mt. Carmel High School in Rancho Peñasquitos.







Landshark Stadium - Miami Dolphins Stadium Name Change

Desperate times call for desperate measures:

The Miami Herald Reports: With an adoring, colorfully dressed crowd swaying to his music and the stadium now bearing the name of his beer, Jimmy Buffett took the microphone and assessed his new Miami Dolphins partnership in four words.

''This,'' he told a few hundred fans, "is really cool.''

Sports, celebrity and music intersected Friday morning at the newly renamed LandShark Stadium, formerly Dolphin Stadium. It's a deal Dolphins and stadium owner Stephen Ross hopes will give his facility more of a tropical, South Florida feel on game days.

Details of the agreement:

• Though Ross said ''we are going to be associated with Jimmy Buffett forever,'' the facility will be called LandShark Stadium only until the end of the Dolphins' season.

When next season's Pro Bowl and Super Bowl are held in South Florida, it likely will be called Dolphin Stadium or bear the name of a new corporate partner. The Dolphins will continue their search for a more permanent corporate name for 2010 and beyond.

• Though terms of the contract were not disclosed, two people close to the deal said they were told Buffett is not paying a straight rights fee but instead will compensate Ross through appearances, other marketing opportunities and potential concert performances. Ross said he is not sure if Buffett will perform at any Dolphins games, but ``he's going to be featured at tailgates. We are going to incorporate him to be a big part of the Dolphins.''

With Buffett's presence, ''We give the fans an experience no other NFL city will be able to do,'' Ross told the crowd. ``It's something I've always dreamt about -- seeing how we could merge Jimmy Buffett and the Dolphins.''

Buffett also wrote new lyrics to his song Fins. ''That song will be with us forever,'' Ross said. ``You'll hear that more than once or twice when you're at a Dolphin game.''

Ross said the longtime Dolphins fight song (''Miami has the Dolphins, the greatest football team . . .'') will not ``disappear. We'll see what plays out, what's the more popular song.''

• Ross said there will be a Margaritaville-themed area at the stadium, including places to tailgate, but offered few details. Stadium officials said plans were still being formulated, but if there is a restaurant or dining area, it would be open only on game days.

• Ross said he did not know if Buffett eventually will become a minority owner in the team. ''He has a lot of other interests,'' Ross said. ``We're friends. We've talked about it. He's a solid Miami Dolphin fan, has been one of the biggest fans. That's what really attracted him to me to start with.''

• Dolphin Stadium will sell LandShark beer, as well as other alcohol. Alcohol sales will continue to be cut off at the end of halftime for Dolphins and University of Miami games, except in premium-seat areas. LandShark Lager is brewed by Anheuser-Busch under the Margaritaville Brewing Label.

• Stadium president Bruce Schulze said the staff will begin changing the ''countless number'' of Dolphin Stadium signs to LandShark Stadium signs.

Ross said the partnership with Buffett would help achieve his goal of creating ``a new fan experience. This is the first of many things we hope to be announcing over the next several months. With HDTV, you can sit at home. We've got to create an experience and a reason to come here and have a good time.''

Buffett -- who sang three songs for the crowd (including the new version of Fins) -- did not speak to reporters, but said in a written statement: ``I am honored and look forward to working (not that hard) with the Dolphin organization. I just want to thank Steve for having the idea to think a little out of the box and including us in his vision of more fun for the fans. All I can add is, Let the Fin begin.''

Karen Manco, a Deerfield Beach resident who was invited to the event through her friend's company, said she is not a football fan but will start attending games strictly because of Buffett's involvement.

''I like what Ross is doing -- he's bringing life into the stadium,'' said another person in attendance, Hollywood accountant Joe Cardamon, a Dolphins season-ticket holder the past 12 years.

The University of Miami is believed to have had some concern about naming the stadium after a beer, but neither UM nor the Florida Marlins had any control over the matter. UM officials declined to comment Friday.

Top Baby Names 2009

The U.S. Social Security Administration has released its annual list of the top baby names for 2009.

No, it is not a typo. Although the list is released this year and is called the 2009 list, it is actually for 2008.

Don't ask me why...

The Top 10 Breakdown

Here’s the top 10 breakdown of most popular baby names for boys and girls.

Boys:

1. Jacob
2. Michael
3. Ethan
4. Joshua
5. Daniel
6. Alexander
7. Anthony
8. William
9. Christopher
10. Matthew

Girls:

1. Emma
2. Isabella
3. Emily
4. Madison
5. Ava
6. Olivia
7. Sophia
8. Abigail
9. Elizabeth
10. Chloe

Monday, May 4, 2009

Gluten Free Diet - Elisabeth Hasselbeck

Elisabeth Hasselbeck appeared on Good Morning America today promoting her new book "The G-Free Diet: A Gluten Survival Guide." Hasselbeck shared the story of her long history of illnesses and her discovery of her aversion to gluten.




Once she eliminated it from her diet, Hasselbeck found her health improved and the unexplained illness she suffered from for much of her life disappeared.

Here is an excerpt from her book:

My G- Free Journey

I learned about gluten the hard way. I wrote this book so you don’t have to. Most people with celiac disease, like me, have a story to tell. My hope is that in reading mine, and the pages that follow, you will be able to begin your journey to a better body and a better self—without all the heartache (and bellyache!) that I endured for far too long.

I grew up in an Italian-American neighborhood in Providence, Rhode Island. There wasn’t a single holiday that did not feature “Mama’s” (my grandmother’s) famous baked penne along with a thirty-inch loaf of fresh Italian bread. After dessert, my whole family would even sit around dunking any remaining bread into our coffee. My cousins and I would fight over who got the “end” of each loaf. I remember watching Mama slice into the loaf, waiting to see if it was my “day” or not. The smell of more toasted Italian bread and butter would wake me up the next morning.

In my childhood home, it was all bread, all the time—and that was just the way we liked it.

While some things haven’t changed in my family—we still have baked penne at every holiday dinner—other things certainly have. Since 2002, for example, my mom has made two baked penne: one for everyone else, and one just for me, a gluten-free version that hurts neither my stomach nor Mama’s feelings when she looks over and sees a plate devoid of our traditional family fare. Thanks to http://www.abcnews.go.com

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Cowboys Practice Facility Destroyed By Storm (Video)

Dallas Cowboys special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis was among those injured Saturday after the team's indoor practice facility collapsed during a thunderstorm.

DeCamillis was taken away on a stretcher after sustaining a possible neck injury, and 10 total members of the team's staff were taken to area hospitals. There were two additional hospital walk-ins, but none of the injuries are considered life-threatening.




As many as 70 people were inside the tent-like structure when it collapsed, including coaches, journalists, and players. "We believe everybody is now accounted for," Mayor Gears said.

The storm was producing winds measured at 64 mph just before it struck the Cowboys facility, said National Weather Service meteorologist Joe Harris in Fort Worth. A weak tornado is in the range of 65-110 mph, according to NWS guidelines. Power was knocked out for less than an hour.

Free Breast Implants - Miss California

Shanna Moakler, co-executive director of Miss California USA, has confirmed the group behind the pageant paid for Miss California Carrie Prejean’s breast implants, weeks before she competed in Miss USA.

"We assisted when Carrie came to us and voiced the interest in having the procedure done," Lewis told "Early Show" co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez.

"We want to put her in the best possible confidence in order to present herself in the best possible light on a national stage."

Full transcript is below:

MAGGIE RODRIGUEZ, CO-ANCHOR: A question we're going to put to Keith Lewis, the co-director of the Miss California organization, who joins us this morning from Los Angeles. Good morning to you, Mr. Lewis.


KEITH LEWIS, CO-DIRECTOR, MISS CALIFORNIA PAGEANT: Good morning.

RODRIGUEZ: First of all, can you settle this once and for all? Did you pay for or help pay for Miss California's breast implants?

LEWIS: We assisted when Carrie came to us and voiced the interest in having the procedure done, yes.

RODRIGUEZ: Why?

LEWIS: Well, you know, first off, it's not something that we endorse, nor is it something that we suggest. But when we meet with the titleholder when she's crowned Miss California, we put to her a litany of questions about how she feels about herself, what she feels she needs to work on, what she may need to change, what is good, what is not good. We want to put her in the best possible confidence in order to present herself in the best possible light on a national stage.

RODRIGUEZ: Why is the best possible confidence involve getting breast implants? Why does that improve her odds of winning? Why in that meeting don't you discourage her from going that route, rather than help her to pay for breast implants?

LEWIS: Well, we would never encourage her to go that route, but...

RODRIGUEZ: But why not discourage her?

LEWIS: ... it's a personal choice. Well, I think that it's about how a woman feels about herself. In terms of, for me, it's not a personal choice that I would recommend. But at the same time, I know so many women that have done the procedure and feel better about themselves and the way they present themselves.

And I think that's the question is, whether or not, when you're looking at that procedure as an option, am I going to feel better about myself? It's not about one night. It isn't about one night of competition. And doing a procedure like that for one night of competition would be foolish. But...

RODRIGUEZ: But don't the judges look at proportion when they're judging the swimsuits? Wouldn't she have a better chance of winning if she were more proportioned?

LEWIS: Well, of course she does. But there's plenty of ways of getting to more proportion without doing breast implants.

RODRIGUEZ: Well, but if...

LEWIS: Many of the girls use chicken cutlets.

RODRIGUEZ: ... if you have a flat chest, what are you supposed to do?

LEWIS: You use chicken cutlets. You use tape. You use anything that you can to enhance the line. There's lots of tricks of the trade.

It's just a matter of whether or not you want to go to that next level.

RODRIGUEZ: I wonder if you should change the rules and maybe not judge it so much on proportion.

LEWIS: Well, it's a beauty pageant, and the swimsuit competition is part of that beauty pageant. So, I agree with you, I think that we have to look at the way that we perceive real women and whether that needs to be changed in the media.

But you see it in television. You see it in advertising. It may be part of this pageantry, as well. But I think it's prevailing to everywhere, not just in one area.

RODRIGUEZ: It is, and that is unfortunate. Keith Lewis, thanks for your time.

LEWIS: You're so welcome.


Friday, May 1, 2009

Kentucky Derby 2009 Field

Against a backdrop of injured dropouts, confusing surface switches, weird speed figures, unseasoned horses and shippers from the Middle East, the 135th Kentucky Derby will be run at Churchill Downs tomorrow.

A maximum field of 20 will jump from the starting gate with the morning line favorite, I Want Revenge, pegged at 3-1 and no less than 16 horses posted at double digits and beyond.

In a word, the perfect gambling vehicle to make a score -- if you're lucky.

In the absence of Quality Road and The Pamplemousse, felled by injury, the Derby market is dominated by four horses, none remotely alike: I Want Revenge, Pioneerof the Nile, Dunkirk and Friesan Fire.

The winner is almost certainly in that group. But after that, the sky's the limit.




PP
Horse Jockey Trainer Odds
1 West Side Bernie Stewart Elliott Kelly Breen 30-1
2 Musket Man Eibar Coa Derek Ryan 20-1
3 Mr. Hot Stuff John Velazquez Eoin Harty 30-1
4 Advice Rene Douglas Todd Pletcher 30-1
5 Hold Me Back Kent Desormeaux Bill Mott 15-1
6 Friesan Fire Gabriel Saez Larry Jones 5-1
7 Papa Clem Rafael Bejarano Gary Stute 20-1
8 Mine That Bird Calvin Borel Bennie Woolley 50-1
9 Join in the Dance Chris DeCarlo Todd Pletcher 50-1
10 Regal Ransom Alan Garcia Saeed bin Suroor 30-1
11 Chocolate Candy Mike Smith Jerry Hollendorfer 20-1
12 General Quarters Julien Leparoux Tom McCarthy 20-1
13 I Want Revenge Joe Talamo Jeff Mullins 3-1
14 Atomic Rain Joe Bravo Kelly Breen 50-1
15 Dunkirk Edgar Prado Todd Pletcher 4-1
16 Pioneerof the Nile Garrett Gomez Bob Baffert 4-1
17 Summer Bird Chris Rosier Tim Ice 50-1
18 Nowhere to Hide Shaun Bridgmohan Nick Zito 50-1
19 Desert Party Ramon Dominguez Saeed bin Suroor 15-1
20 Flying Private Robby Albarado D Wayne Lukas 50-1


RankHorseEarnings
1Regal Ransom$1,250,000
2 Pioneerof the Nile$1,193,250
3Square Eddie$804,981
4I Want Revenge$774,000
5Papa Clem$760,000
6Desert Party$641,667
7Quality Road$600,000
8General Quarters$595,645
9 Friesan Fire$570,465
10 Musket Man $485,000
11Hold Me Back $438,000
12West Side Bernie$385,160
13Chocolate Candy$370,000
14 Win Willy$230,000
15Advice$206,845
16 Dunkirk$150,000
17Mine That Bird$138,705
18Flying Private$124,000
19Mr. Hot Stuff$114,000
20Summer Bird$100,000
21Join in the Dance$90,000
22Take the Points $85,000
23Atomic Rain$77,500
24Just a Coincidence$75,000
25Flat Out$32,500
26Masala$27,500

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Josh Smith Dunk Video - Game 5

Josh Smith irritated the Miami Heat when he tried a ridiculous through-the-legs windmill dunk near the end of Wednesday's NBA basketball playoff win over the Heat. Hopefully this will give Dywane Wade's team a bit of extra motivation heading into Friday's Game 6 in Miami.

"We were very insulted by it," Wade said. The game was already chippy with several near-fights and hard fouls before Smith's personal dunk contest effort. "There at the end it turned into a highlight show, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "Really trying to embarrass us. Now we've played five games against each other. I don't think anybody on either side likes each other anymore.


Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Arlen Specter switching to a Democrat

Arlen Specter senator for Pennsylvania has announced he is switching from the Republican party to a the Democratic party, and run for re-election as a Democrat in 2010. Specter in a prepared speech said that the Republican views has drifted greatly from what he believes in.

This despite the fact that he just announced 41 days that he would NOT be switching parties for his upcoming race in 2010.

This will increase the number of Senate seats Democrats control to 58. If Democrats can control 60 Senate seats, they would be able to bypass Republican procedural hurdles to moving legislation.

President Obama reportedly contacted Specter and welcomed him to the Democratic party.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Susan Boyle -Watch Out, Here Comes Holly Steel

Just when we thought the Britain's Got Talent competition was over, 10 year old ballerina Holly Steel wowed the judges in week 3. Holly gave Susan Boyle a run for her money with her rendition of "I Could Have Danced all Night" from my fair lady. Let the games begin...

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Brad Keselowski wins - crash injures fans

Eight Sprint Cup fans were injured on the final-lap wreck that sent the No. 99 Ford of driver Carl Edwards airborne into the safety fence on the front stretch at Talladega Superspeedway on today.




During the last lap Keselowski moved to the bottom while Carl Edwards went high to block him from passing. Edwards went back down the track in one more attempt to block Brad Keselowski, but Keselowski was up too far.

The two cars hit causing Carl Edwards to flip in the air crushing the front end of the Ryan Newman and crashing his front end hard into the fence. There were eight injuries in the crowd from flying debris including one woman with a fractured jaw.

Todays accident was not unlike Bobby Allison's 1987 crash at Talladega. They both sailed into the safety fence (which held both times), and both injured eight spectators.

Reminiscent of "Talladega Nights", Edwards climbed out of his mangled car and began jogging down the track until he crossed the finish line.

Top-10 Finishers:
1. Brad Keselowski, Chevrolet
2. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet
3. Ryan Newman, Chevrolet
4. Marcos Ambrose, Toyota
5. Scott Speed, Toyota
6. Kurt Busch, Dodge
7. Greg Biffle, Ford
8. Brian Vickers, Toyota
9. Joey Logano, Toyota
10. Jeff Burton, Chevrolet
Points Leaders:
1. Kurt Busch, 1299
2. Jeff Gordon, -5
3. Jimmie Johnson, -64
4. Tony Stewart, -67
5. Denny Hamlin, -106
6. Kyle Busch, -175
7. Carl Edwards, -180
8. Clint Bowyer, -201
9. Jeff Burton, -207
10. Greg Biffle, -218
11. David Reutimann, -222
12. Matt Kenseth, -236

The Engine 2 Diet

Rip Austin, a firefighter in Austin Texas is the author of The Engine 2 Diet: The Texas Firefighter's 28-Day Save-Your-Life Plan that Lowers Cholesterol and Burns Away the Pounds.

Esselstyn book promotes healthy cooking through low meat, dairy or oil cooking.



I’m first-hand proof that it works. My husband and I did the diet for 28 days. We had our cholesterol checked when we started, two weeks in and four weeks in. My cholesterol dropped 40 points in the first two weeks.
Cutting meat and dairy out weren’t so hard. Cutting out oil? Now that was tough.
We’re no longer on a strict Engine 2 program, but we eat a lot healthier now. Lots of plants, not much meat and less oil than we used to.

You can purchase the book here.

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Lost's Henry Ian Cusick Sued For Sexual Harassment


Lost star Henry Ian Cusick is being sued by a former ABC employee who alleges the Scottish actor groped her and made inappropriate sounds and gestures around her in October 2007 on the Lost set.

Chelsea Stone is seeking unspecified damages in the suit, which also names ABC Entertainment Inc., and Grass Skirt Productions as defendants in addition to Cusick.

The complaint, obtained by E! Online, states:

(Plaintiff is Chelsea Stone, the document refers to Henry Ian Cusick as CUSICK):
On or about October 16,2007, Defendant CUSICK began to sexually harass Plaintiff. Such harassment included but not limited to the following conduct: CUSICK placed his hand on Plaintiff's buttocks. CUSICK then began to Caress the back of Plaintiffs body while making moaning sounds. CUSICK then placed his face on top of Plaintiff's breasts, moving his face from side to side. CUSICK then squeezed Plaintiff's breasts with his hands. CUSICK further kissed Plaintiff on the mouth. At all times during the sexual harassment Plaintiff communicated to CUSICK that his sexual advances were unacceptable.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

American Idol Adam Lambert The Odds On Favorite

Adam Lambert is the odds on favorite to win this years American Idol after his stellar performance this week performing "If I Can't Have You." If the judges are any indication, the winner has already been decided. What do you think?

From MTV.com:

What would Adam Lambert pull off this week? Dressed conservatively in a black suit and black tie and with his jet-black hair pushed up into a pompadour, this year's breakout singer took on Yvonne Elliman's "If I Can't Have You," turning the Bee Gees-penned dance tune into a slow, sensual ballad full of heartache and longing (and a few of his jet-scream wails).



"You are ready right now!" Randy huffed, giving stage veteran Lambert props for mixing it up every week and showing the judges and audience so many different musical looks. "Adam, you're brilliant," Kara added. Calling the emotion he put into the song inspiring, Paula was again near tears, applauding his decision to avoid cliché.

"I felt your pain; I felt your vulnerability, which was beautiful," she said. "It's as if you tore your heart out and left it on the stage. You're fascination, you're brilliant, you're awesome, and you will be in the finals." Simon couldn't quite feel the pain, but was stunned by the one-of-a-kind, memorable arrangement and "immaculate" vocals. And, once again showing his class and professionalism, Lambert praised the collaborator who helped him come up with the arrangement.

Congenital Amputee Kyle Maynard Set For Mixed Martial Arts Bout (Video)

This Saturday, Kyle Maynard, a congenital amputee, will make his amateur mixed martial arts debut at the Auburn Covered Arena in Auburn, Ala.

Maynard does not have elbows or hands with which to grapple with. Nor does he have knees or feet to deliver kicks with. Yet, in high school wrestling, he compiled a 35-16 record.




In Alabama, there's no overseeing body to deny Maynard, who was born without elbows or knees or arms or legs below them. He's part of the card for Auburn Fight Night at the Auburn Covered Arena after studying and training for MMA for the better part of four years.

Two years ago he was denied a license to fight in Georgia by the Georgia Athletic & Entertainment Commission, but Maynard will be allowed to fight Saturday since there is no commission to regulate mixed martial arts in Alabama.

As the contentious fight approaches, nearly all in the MMA community are wondering what will happen. What if those against the fight are proven correct and Maynard is seriously hurt because he can't defend himself well enough? On the other hand, what if he wins, and he looks very good doing it?

Maynard Quote:

"You know, without going into too much of my game plan, I am never going to be an Ernesto Hoost-level kickboxer; I assure you of that. But one of the biggest misnomers I have seen is that people think I can't strike. I got arms that end right above my elbow and I have had an over 400-pound butterfly press. I assure you can strike (and) I can defend myself. As far as the grappling goes, I got my blue belt about two years ago and I'm training with a world champion, Paul Creighton, whose fought BJ Penn. So, as far as conditioning goes, I think I've got the upper hand. I'm fighting in a bigger weight class than I have ever competed in before, but I still feel pretty healthy. You know, in high school I wrestled at 103 (pounds) and this fight is going to be at 135. I have been able to put on the weight as efficiently as I could without losing too much speed and mobility. So, I feel confident. The cards are there for me to go out and have a pretty awesome performance ... I think that one of advantage I have is that I have got the ability to prepare for (his opponent) in any different situation and he really doesn't have a clue what I am going to bring to the fight."

John Mayer Has a New Girlfriend - Scheana Marie Jancan

John Mayer is reportedly dating model Scheana Marie Jancan. Sources say the singer met 24-year-old Jancan at the Beverly Hills lounge in early April. He later asked her out and sources say Jancan was “thrilled.”

Scheana was shocked and thrilled when John asked her out,” a source tells Star. “She has always thought he was hot, and she said yes right away, writing down her cell phone number on a napkin. They flirted the whole time, and he told her she was cute.”

According to Star Magazine, the pair is officially dating and things are heating up fast.

Don't be fooled though, there’s more to this cocktail waitress than you think. Jancan is an aspiring actress (shocking!) and model who has posed for reputable companies like Ed Hardy and Doritos. The brunette bombshell was also a runner-up in a Hawaiian Tropic Pageant. Sounds like quite the catch!
Mayer recently split from actress Jennifer Aniston, who has allegedly blamed the breakup on his immaturity. Aniston is rumored to be dating Scottish actor Gerard Butler.

'Baby Shaker' app pulled from iPhone store

An iPhone game that encourages users to shake a virtual baby has been pulled from Apple stores following a public outcry.

Child protection groups were outraged by the 99-cent app for the iPhone and iPhone touch, which encourages those frustrated with babies' crying to shake them, or in this case, shake their devices to change drawings of a crying baby to a calm one.

Apple Inc. pulled the game called "Baby Shaker" from its iTunes store Wednesday.

Developed by Sikalosoft, Baby Shaker features a crude drawing of a baby, and the object of the game is to stop the baby from crying by shaking the iPhone until red X's appear over the baby's eyes. The description of Baby Shaker read: "On a plane, on the bus, in a theater. Babies are everywhere you don’t want them to be! They’re always distracting you from preparing for that big presentation at work with their incessant crying. Before Baby Shaker there was nothing you could do about it."

Apple spokeswoman Natalie Kerris said "Baby Shaker" went on sale Monday, and confirmed that Apple removed it Wednesday. She would not comment on why the program was initially approved for sale nor about how many people downloaded the game.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Simon Cowell Possibly Leaving American Idol


Simon Cowell says he is "absolutely not" interested in staying in his American Idol judging role if the show falls from its perennial top spot in the television ratings rankings.

He has no interest on being on the show if it's not No. 1, he told The Hollywood Reporter: "Being No. 1 is verging on an obsession with me. I don’t like being No. 2. I don’t mind when you start at No. 10 -- people don’t always go on as No. 1 -- and you’ve got somewhere to go. But if you’re at the point you’ve reached it, of course you want to stay there."

"I don't accept the argument of fragmentation or declining numbers," he added. "The Super Bowl goes up every year."

With Cowell's deal with Fox expiring at the end of next season, that something new could be a U.S. version of his U.K. singing competition series "The X Factor." Any doubts about Cowell's role in the success of "Idol" disappeared when he launched "Factor" three years ago. The similarly formatted show became a massive hit that has since supplanted "American Idol" predecessor "Pop Idol.

Meanwhile, Paula Abdul said on ABC's Nightline Tuesday night that although her contract to do American Idol ends at the end of this season, she has no plans to leave. "I love the show, I do. I love what I do on the show."

Atlanta-based EarthLink goes dark on Earth Day

What are the odds? Atlanta-based EarthLink goes dark on Earth Day.

Customers calling EarthLink’s customer service line received the following message:

“EarthLink is currently experiencing problems with our Web hosting servers. This is causing EarthLink web host customers to be unable to send or receive e-mails, access their web hosting accounts or download EarthLink software. We apologize for the inconvenience, and are working to resolve the problem quickly.”

On the day that people celebrate the planet’s green power, the Internet provider that touts an orange globe as its logo suffered a major outage Wednesday, as millions of Web users were shut out of access to e-mails and Web hosting accounts.

Forrester Media Blog Posts:

If you have been trying to reach us today, Earth Day, April 22, 2009, we have experienced a loss of e-mail and our web hosting due to a power failure at the EarthLink facility in Pasadena, CA. We apologize for the inconvenience. In the interim, please call us at 800-201-8102 so we can answer your questions. EarthLink has not provided an estimated time for the restoration of our website or e-mail.

Atlanta-based EarthLink serves an estimated 2.8 million subscribers in the U.S. The company provides many types of connections including dial-up, VOIP, and cable.

Derrick Rose - Rookie of the Year

Well look who won! How cool is that!

CBSSports.com wire reports:



CHICAGO -- Derrick Rose, who led his hometown Chicago Bulls to the playoffs and restored hope to a franchise in disarray, is the NBA's Rookie of the Year.

The announcement was made Wednesday.

Rose is the third Bulls player to win the award, joining Michael Jordan and Elton Brand. Rose's selection was hardly a surprise, after the No. 1 overall draft pick led all rookies with 6.3 assists per game and was second in scoring average at 16.8. Along the way, Rose established himself as the franchise's first true cornerstone since Jordan.

"I think there are very few people in the NBA who could do what he did this year," teammate Joakim Noah said. "You tell me another No. 1 pick who got to the playoffs in their hometown, especially in a big city with so many distractions and so many things going on. I mean, he's all about.

Ashley Tisdale Caught Kissing A Guy At 1 AM

Peapod Car That Uses iPhone As A Car Key


It's small, it's slow and probably won't turn heads but darn it, the thing sure is cute.


The Peapod is a four-seater, and it's features are a range of pluses and minuses, compared to most vehicles: a maximum speed of 25 mph, a range of 30-35 miles on a single charge, no air conditioning, no air bags, practically no need for maintenance since it's mainly an electric motor and batteries, a lifespan of 8-10 years and a sticker price of $12,500.


Available for order on Earth Day, the car is a product of a Peapod Mobility, a division of Chrysler subsidiary GEM, which has been making small electric vehicles for 10 years. GEM has had strong sales in retirement communities and college campuses.


The Peapod even comes with iPod and iPhone integration aimed at making the devices not only entertainment, but functional, with custom-made applications, including one that tracks your driving habits and compares your savings to a gas guzzling car.

http://www.greencar.com/articles/preview-peapod-electric-car.php

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Adam Lambert "If I Can't Have You"

Disco Week on American Idol Top 7 April 21, 2009 gave us another signature performance from the American Idol front-runner, Adam Lambert “If I Can’t Have You.”

The judges all were very positive. Randy said he loves how he can sing everything, saying “you’ve got it majorly going on, he’s a hot one tonight, America!” Kara says Adam is brilliant, and calls it “the most memorable performance.” Paula, who looked like a puppy dog during the performance, calls Adam awesome, and says he’ll be in the finals. Simon says that Adam did something they weren’t expecting, that the mix was original and definitely memorable.

The disco week lineup was:
1. Lil Rounds - “I’m Every Woman”
2. Kris Allen - Donna Summer’s “She works hard for the money”
3. Danny Gokey - “September” of Earth, Wind and Fire.
4. Allison Iraheta - “Hot Stuff”
5. Adam Lambert - “If I can’t have you” of Saturday Night Fever
6. Matt Giraud - “Staying Alive”
7. Anoop Desai - “Dim all the lights”

2009 Lollapalooza Festival Headliners

Event founder Perry Farrell announced the headliners for the 2009 Lollapalooza Festival today which include Depeche Mode, Tool, the Killers, Jane's Addition, Beastie Boys, and Kings of Leon.

Lollapalooza, produced by Austin-based C3 Presents, last year sold out all three days for the first time since the festival was reborn as a weekend-long stand-alone event in Chicago. C3 Presents is in the middle of a 10-year agreement with Chicago Park District to produce the event in the city's prime downtown park space.

''At Lollapalooza, we're selling more tickets than ever," Farrell told Reuters. "People need an even bigger excuse to escape more than ever and there is no better escape than going to a festival and just ... taking in music."

The full lineup for Lollapalooza 2009:
Depeche Mode
Tool
The Killers
Jane's Addiction
Beastie Boys
Kings of Leon
Lou Reed
Ben Harper and Relentless 7
Thievery Corporation
Snoop Dogg
Rise Against
Andrew Bird
TV on the Radio
Vampire Weekend
The Decemberists
Neko Case
Sound Tribe Sector 9
Animal Collective
Band of Horses
Of Montreal
Arctic Monkeys
Coheed and Cambria
Ben Folds
Fleet Foxes
Silversun Pickups
Kaiser Chiefs
Crystal Castles
Bon Iver
Santogold
Atmosphere
Dan Auberbach
Cold War Kids
Deerhunter
Lykke Li
Robert Earl Keen
Peter Bjorn and John
Heartless Bastards
Gomez
Glasvegas
Federico Aubele
Dan Deacon
Passion Pit
The Raveonettes
The Gaslight Anthem
The Airborne Toxic Event
White Lies
Ra Ra Riot
No Age
Asher Roth
Los Campesinos!
Bat for Lashes
Chairlift
Gang Gang Dance
The Virgins
Amazing Baby
Portugal. The Man
The Knux
Ida Maria
Delta Spirit
Friendly Fires
Manchester Orchestra
Constantines
Ezra Furman & the Harpoons
Hockey
Miike Snow
Alberta Cross
Hey Champ
Sam Roberts Band
The Henry Clay People
Davy Knowles and Back Door Slam
Cage the Elephant
Living Things
The Low Anthem
Blind Pilot
Langhorne Slim
Other Lives
The Builders and The Butchers
Eric Church
Joe Pug
Kevin Devine
The Green Cards
Carney
Thenewno2
Featured electronic performers in Perry Farrell's electronica tent:
Bassnectar
MSTRKRFT
Simian Mobile Disco
DeadMau5
Boys Noise
KiD CuDi
Crookers
A-Trak
Hercules and Love Affair (DJ Set)
The Bloody Beetroots (DJ Set)
LA Riots
Kaskade
The Glitch Mob
Hollywood Holt
Rye Rye
He Say, She Say
Car Stereo (Wars)
Dark Wave Disco
Moneypenny
Yello Fever
Animal Collective (DJ Set)

William Parente and four others found dead

From The AP



Four people found dead in a hotel room near Baltimore were members of a New York family, police said Tuesday, and they continued to investigate the case as a murder-suicide.

Those killed were identified as William Parente, 59; Betty Parente, 58; Stephanie Parente, 19; and Catherine Parente, 11; all of Garden City, N.Y., on Long Island, the Baltimore County Police Department said.

Police said the victims were related, although they did not say how. Next-door neighbor Mary Opulente Krener said in a phone interview that William and Betty Parente were a couple and Stephanie and Catherine were their daughters.

"I can't tell you how heartsick I am," she said. "This is the most wonderful family, the most kind and loving family. I'm astounded."

She said William Parente was a real estate attorney in New York. A call to his office was not immediately returned.

Autopsies were planned for Tuesday.

Staff at the Sheraton Baltimore North Hotel in Towson, a Baltimore suburb, found the bodies Monday afternoon in a locked guest room after the occupants didn't check out as expected.

Several hotel employees declined to comment.

"This is just a terrible tragedy and our team is terribly saddened by this event," said K.C. Kavanagh, spokeswoman for Sheraton Hotels and Resorts. "We're doing all we can to assist the police and it's a matter that's in their hands at this time."


Monday, April 20, 2009

Detroit Lions Unveil New Helmet



Well it looks like the Detroit Lions will try new uniforms following the 0-16 season. The biggest change will be the to the helmet. More specifically to “Bubbles” — the leaping lion mascot that’s has appeared on the team’s helmets since the early 1960s.

The classic Honolulu blue, white and black colors remain unchanged.

The uniforms themselves have tweaks to some stripes and piping, making the overall changes more of a clean-up than a drastic overhaul.

"We will consistently present the Lions as a first-class organization with a clear sense of mission and direction," said Detroit Lions President Tom Lewand. "We have made several significant changes this offseason in accordance with that commitment. The introduction of this new brand identity is another element of that process. Today is an exciting and historic day for this franchise.

"The new identity retains many important aspects of our history in terms of our primary mark and our colors. However, the evolution allows us to present our Lions brand and visual identity in new, versatile and distinctive ways. We stand firmly committed to improving the team on the field. That success is always the most determinative factor of any NFL brand."

2009 Boston Marathon Results

Deriba Merga of Ethiopia won the men's Boston Marathon today with a time of 2:08:42. Kenya's Salina Kosgei won the closest women's race in years with a time of 2:32:16.

The Boston Marathon 2009

This year's 113th edition of the oldest annual marathon features Keny's Robert Kipkeoech Cheruiyot who will go for his fifth victory in the Boston Marathon. Cheruiyot was the winner of the 2003, 2006, 2007, and the 2008 race. If Cheruiyot does pull off a victory today, he will set a record as the first man to win four consecutive Boston Marathon Victories.

Cheruiyot is the record holder for the marathon with an amazing time of 2 hours, 7 minutes, and 14 seconds.

This year may be the best best chance in decades to stop a streak of dominance that has seen Kenyans win 16 of the last 18 men's races and six of the last nine on the women's side.

Ryan Hall's time of 2 hours, 6 minutes, 17 seconds from London last year is the fastest personal best in the field, and Kara Goucher finished third in New York last year in 2:25:53 in her marathon debut — the fastest ever for an American woman.

Running ambassador Bill Rodgers, 61, will run for Athletes for a Cure, which raises awareness for prostate cancer research. He is a cancer survivor. Rodgers was victories in 1975, 1978, 1979 and 1980.
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