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.

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.

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...

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.

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.

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.

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

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."

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.