Twitter is for old people

Labels: - Saturday, August 1, 2009

Just over a fortnight ago, Matthew Robson had never worked in banking. This was mainly because he was 15 years and 7 months old and attending a comprehensive school in South London.


Today he is the talk of Tokyo, Wall Street and the City. Fund managers, CEOs and analysts are poring over his report, How Teenagers Consume Media, which he wrote last week while on work experience at Morgan Stanley.

In it he laid out the world according to the teenager: a confusing place where the PC is a radio, the games console is a telephone, the mobile telephone is a stereo and text-message machine, the DVDs are pirate copies and no one uses Twitter.

Sitting at home in Greenwich yesterday, he explained that he was only relaying the daily conversations of the 200 teenagers in his year and thousands of others across the country, translated into language that bankers would understand.


The world according to Matthew Robson aged 15 and a half

Radio With online sites streaming music for free they do not bother, as services such as last.fm do this advert free and users can choose the songs they want instead of listening to what the radio presenter/DJ chooses

Newspapers No teenager that I know of regularly reads a newspaper, as most do not have the time and cannot be bothered to read pages and pages of text while they could watch the news summarised on the internet or on TV

Internet Facebook is the most common, with nearly everyone with an internet connection registered. On the other hand, teenagers do not use Twitter

Music They are very reluctant to pay for it (most having never bought a CD) Teenagers from higher income families use iPods and those from lower income families use mobile phones

Directories Real directories contain listings for builders and florists, which are services teenagers do not require. They can get the information free on the internet

Viral/Outdoor Marketing “Most teenagers enjoy and support viral marketing... Teenagers see adverts on websites (pop-ups, banner ads) as extremely annoying and pointless...they are portrayed in such a negative light that no one follows them.”

Cinema Teenagers visit the cinema more often when they are in the lower end of teendom but as they approach 15 they go to the cinema a lot less. This is because of the pricing; at 15 they have to pay the adult price. Also it is possible to buy a pirated DVD of the film at the time of release, and these cost much less than a cinema ticket

Mobile phones The general view is that Sony Ericsson phones are superior, because of their long list of features, built-in Walkman capacity and value

7 year-old boy driving in police chase

- Friday, July 31, 2009


A 7 year-old boy stole the car keys and escaped in his father’s white Dodge Intrepid in an attempt to avoid going to church on Sunday morning. The boy ran a stop sign and almost hit another driver before leading officers in a low-speed car chase.

The 7 year-old managed to escape the officers, made his way home and ran to hide inside the house. Fortunately, no one was hurt but the little boy can’t be prosecuted since he is too young. No citations were issued, however, his daddy was advised to keep his car keys in a place more inaccessible to children.

“Another deputy from the other direction pulled into the intersection and stopped to block the intersection, turned on his lights,” said Cpt. Clint Anderson of the Weber County Sheriff’s Office. “Instead of stopping the car, this white Intrepid turned down another street.”

Michael Jackson's Final Goodbye

Labels: - Wednesday, July 8, 2009

People from all walks of life, from every race, white, yellow, black joined and said their final goodbyes to Michael Jackson.


Celebrities also made their way to their seats in front of the stage: Kobe Bryant, Spike Lee, Wesley Snipes, Lou Ferrigno, Don King, the Kardashian sisters, Magic Johnson, Brooke Shields, Larry King. While Jackson was among the most famous faces in the world, today’s megastars were largely absent. Those present mostly reflected some connection to Jackson’s life or work.
Among those conspicuously not in attendance were Elizabeth Taylor, Ross and Debbie Rowe, Jackson’s ex-wife and the mother of Jackson’s two oldest children.

The memorial was not spectacular, extravagant or bizarre. There were songs and tears but little dancing. Instead, Michael Jackson’s memorial was a somber, spiritual ceremony that reached back for the essence of the man.

Singer, dancer, superstar, humanitarian: That was how the some 20,000 people gathered inside the Staples Center arena on Tuesday, and untold millions watching around the world, remembered Jackson, whose immense talents almost drowned beneath the spectacle of his life and fame.

If there was a shocking moment, it came in the form of Jackson’s daughter, Paris-Michael, who made the first public statement of her 11 years.

“Ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine,” she said, dissolving into tears and turning into the embrace of her aunt Janet. “And I just wanted to say I love him — so much.”

This is when I lost it. Suddenly I felt the pain the young 11 year old was feeling at the moment. I have my own little child too so I can't imagine my son having the same emotions.

Michael still captures the heart of millions around the glove, even more than a week after he died. Truly the most famous and loved person in the whole world.

In death, as in life, Michael Jackson remains a product — bought, sold and looked upon, scorned and glorified and admired. And still, forever, coveted.

Rest in Peace Michael.

Google Voice + Gizmo = Free Calls

Labels: , , - Saturday, July 4, 2009

I recently switched my GrandCentral account over to Google Voice. I tinkered around with Google Voice quite a bit and was quite impressed by the many features. Coupled that with Gizmo which provides a free forwarding service and you got a free outbound service to US numbers.


Here’s the rundown on how to do to that.

1) Get Google Voice if you don't already have one. (Right now you need to put yourself in the list so you'll receive invite from Google for a free Google voice account)

2) Create a free Gizmo account. It's free too so just go to Gizmo website and creat an account there.

3) In your Google Voice settings, add the ‘SIP’ address that Gizmo gives you to your Google Voice account, selecting ‘Gizmo’ as the type of number. (Detailed instructions.)

4) Download and Install Gizmo on your PC.

5) Use Google Voice’s web interface to tell it to call whatever US number you want, selecting your Gizmo number as the one to ring when connecting. (Gizmo offers incoming calls for free; telling Google Voice to initiate a call and ring your Gizmo is technically an incoming call, even when you’re calling a friend.)

6) Answer your Gizmo and voila! you are now connected to the US number you just called without costing you anything.


Check this Google Voice forum topic for more details -> http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/voice/thread?tid=16817c950860c1fb&hl=en

Michael Jackson's last rehearsal video

Labels: - Friday, July 3, 2009



I saw this on MSN just now and thought of putting it here. Michael isn't the same as the MJ of 80's or 90's but still impressive for a 50 year old. It says this was a full dress rehearsal for a complete 90 minute concert. The video was taken less than 48 hours before Michael's death.

Yemeni Plane crashes with one survivor

Labels: , , - Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Another plane crashes this month. The previous one was on first day of June and now it's the last day of June. The Yemeni jetliner carrying 153 people crashed into the Indian Ocean on Tuesday in Moroni, Comoros as it attempted to land amid severe turbulence and howling winds. Officials said a teenage girl was plucked from the sea, the only known survivor.

"So far, only one young girl survived the crash, while five bodies have been located," the Yemen Embassy in Washington, D.C., said in a statement, citing information from Yemeni Civil Aviation Authorities.

"The young girl was rescued and admitted to a local hospital in Moroni," the capital of Comoros, the statement said.

The crash in waters off this island nation came two years after aviation officials reported equipment faults with the plane, an aging Airbus 310 flying the last leg of a Yemenia airlines flight from Paris and Marseille to Comoros, with a stop in Yemen to change planes.
Most of the passengers were from Comoros, a former French colony. Sixty-six on board were French nationals.

Yemeni civil aviation deputy chief Mohammed Abdul Qader said the flight data recorder had not been found and it was too early to speculate on the cause of the crash. But he said the wind was 40 miles per hour as the plane was landing in the middle of the night.

"The weather was very bad," he said, adding the windy conditions hampered rescue efforts.
The Yemenia plane was the second Airbus to crash into the sea this month. An Air France Airbus A330-200 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean on June 1, killing all 228 people on board, as it flew from Rio de Janeiro to Paris.

The Comoros is an archipelago of three main islands situated 1,800 miles south of Yemen, between Africa's southeastern coast and the island of Madagascar. It is a former French colony of 700,000 people.

The King of Pop dead at 50

Labels: , - Friday, June 26, 2009

I can't believe Michael Jackson just died of cardiac arrest. I grew up with his music. Thriller, Billy Jean and Beat It was on top of the charts back then. I remember playing his vinyl records on our turn table. He turned from Black to White as his video Black or White became no.1 on MTV. He's the most widely known artist around the globe.


Today, he was found not breathing at his home and cpr was performed by the paramedics but to no avail.

Michael Jackson died at the age of 50.

Jackson had been due to start a series of comeback concerts in London on July 13 running until March 2010. He had been rehearsing in the Los Angeles area for the past two months.

The shows for the 50 London concerts sold out within minutes of going on sale in March.

His lifetime record sales tally is believed to be around 750 million, which, added to the 13 Grammy Awards he received, makes him one of the most successful entertainers of all time.

He lived as a virtual recluse since his acquittal in 2005 on charges of child molestation.

There were concerns about Jackson’s health in recent years but the promoters of the London shows, AEG Live, said in March that Jackson had passed a 4-1/2 hour physical examination with independent doctors.

Jackson made his first solo album in 1972, and released “Thriller” in 1982, which became a smash hit that yielded seven top-10 singles. The album sold 21 million copies in the United States and at least 27 million worldwide and he became a music icon.
One of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, his other achievements include multiple Guinness World Records—including one for "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time"—13 Grammy Awards, 13 number one singles in his solo career—more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era—and the sales of over 750 million albums worldwide. Cited as one of the world's most famous men, Jackson's highly publicized personal life, coupled with his successful career, made him a part of popular culture for almost four decades.
Today all we can do is remember his great contributions to the music world.

Goodbye Michael Jackson.

The Truth about Energy drinks.

Labels: - Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Do energy drinks really rev up your body and sharpen your mind? And what, exactly, are they even made of? To help you separate the science from the sales pitch, we analyzed the claims and ingredients of five of the most popular potions on the market, and rated them from best to worst. All to answer the most important question of all: Are energy drinks safe—or should you can these beverages for good? Count down to 5 worst energy drinks.
#5. 5-Hour Energy (2 fl oz)4 calories0 g sugars(Exact caffeine content not provided by the company)

The Claim: "The two-ounce energy shot takes just seconds to drink and in minutes you're feeling bright and alert. And that feeling lasts for hours."

The Truth: Sure, it'll give you a jolt. That's because it's mainly caffeine—about the same amount that's in one cup of coffee, according to label claims. (So somewhere between 65 to 135 mg of caffeine.) And turns out, the half-life of caffeine—the time it takes for half of the stimulant to be eliminated from your body—is about 5 hours. What's more, the company touts that since the product doesn't contain sugar, you won't experience the sugar crash that comes a couple of hours after guzzling the sweet stuff. And that's true, too. Of course, you could just grab a cup of unsweetened Joe for the same effect.
Is it safe? Downing a bottle should be no problem for a regular coffee drinker. Too much caffeine, however, could cause headaches, sleeplessness, nausea, hallucinations, and a spike in blood pressure. (Sodium can also spike your BP, so be careful.)

#4. Starbuck's Double Shot Energy and Coffee (15 fl oz)210 calories26 g sugars146 mg caffeine
The Claim: "A powerful, great-tasting brew of B vitamins, guarana, ginseng, and natural proteins from milk. Charged up with coffee. That extra surge to keep you energized and alert."The
Truth: Most energy drinks laud their herbal supplements, but the science behind the add-ins is somewhat fuzzy. Ginseng, for example, won't give you an energy blast, although it might boost your brainpower. For instance, Australian researchers found that people who swallowed 200 mg of the extract an hour before taking a cognitive test scored significantly better than when they skipped the supplement. And guarana's benefit may simply be due to its caffeine content—a guarana seed contains 4 to 5 percent caffeine (about twice as much as a coffee bean). Fancy marketing ploys aside, the Double-Shot ultimately one-ups the competition by virtue of containing actual health-boosting coffee—a beverage that delivers disease-fighting antioxidants.Is it safe? Ginseng has been shown to interact with certain medications, like the blood-thinner warfarin, potentially altering its effectiveness. And scientists at Florida's Nova Southeastern University concluded that the amount of guarana found in most energy drinks isn't large enough to cause any adverse side effects. However, there's still a question as to the safety of downing a few cans of the stuff in a brief time span.

#3. Red Bull (8 oz)110 calories27 g sugars76 mg caffeine
The Claim: "With Taurine. Vitalizes body and mind.
"The Truth: Caffeine certainly offers brain-boosting benefits, and the added slew of B-vitamins are conceivably helpful for a more efficient metabolism. Unfortunately, the sugar and taurine work to counteract those forces. A New Zealand study found that even the 27 grams of sugar in Red Bull is enough to completely inhibit your body's ability to burn fat. And taurine, an amino acid that works as a neurotransmitter, might act more like a sedative than a stimulant, according to researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College.Is it safe? Certain European countries have banned the product out of fear that its stimulant properties increase the risk of heart attack. However, a 2008 research study presented to the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology observed no negative side effects in people after the subjects quaffed one can. The best thing about Red Bull is the pre-packaged portion control. It's half the size of many other sweetened energy drinks, meaning half the calories and half the sugar of its supersized counterparts.

#2. AMP Energy (16 oz)220 calories58 g sugars142 mg caffeine
The Claim: "With its energizing blend of B-Vitamins and a specially formulated intense combination of taurine, ginseng, and guarana, AMP keeps you connected and on top of your game at all times.
"The Truth: AMP is basically a hybrid between Red Bull and Starbucks Double Shot Energy, but with more calories and sugar and without the brain-beneficial coffee—rendering it a veritable witch's brew of sweeteners, herbal supplements, and suspicious-sounding additives. (Find out why additives can be so bad—here's a list of the 11 most controversial food additives).Is it safe? Just consider it a double Red Bull. One probably won't hurt, but don't make it a habit, if only for your waistline.

The Worst Energy Drink#1. Sobe Energy Adrenaline Rush (16 oz)260 calories66 g sugars152 mg caffeine

The Claim: "Elevate your game with high performance energy for your mind and body. Bold citrus taste enhanced with a unique blend of energizing elements including D-ribose, L-carnitine and taurine. So good.
"The Truth: D-ribose and L-carnitine sound exotic, but they're simply natural compounds that your body needs for proper metabolism. While research shows that carnitine supplementation may aid in recovery from exercise, there's no strong evidence to suggest either compound helps improve performance or enhances energy levels. The massive sugar load, however, will certainly spike your energy—for a price. You see, this drink quickly sends blood glucose soaring, which sets you up for a major sugar crash to follow: British scientists discovered that sleep-deprived people who consumed a sugary drink actually had slower reaction times and more sleepiness 90 minutes later.Is it safe? Not if you're diabetic or pre-diabetic. Sobe Energy Adrenaline Rush contains as much sugar as 5 and a half scoops of Edy's Slow Churned Rocky Road Ice Cream. Additionally, taurine is probably fine in small doses, but chug too many energy drinks and the picture becomes less clear. According to a recent case report from St. Joseph's Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona, three people had seizures after drinking approximately two 24-ounce energy drinks in a short period of time. Whether the seizures were due to caffeine, taurine, or pre-existing health conditions is unclear. So, limit yourself to one—at the most.

The Bottom Line: The real truth is that most people are already consuming too much energy, which is why there's an obesity problem. (Think about it.) So adding to your energy excess by guzzling a calorie- and sugar-laden drink doesn't make a lot of sense. In fact, ask yourself this: Is it a lack of incoming sugar that's causing you to be tired—or is it that you're consuming too much of it in the first place? Chances are, it's the latter. Our advice: If you feel you need a boost, reach for unsweetened beverage that contains only caffeine—like a black coffee from Dunkin' Donuts. It has zero grams of sugar, 146 mg of caffeine, and just 20 calories—all for about 2 dollars.

Will any Lakers walk?

Labels: - Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Lakers could be title threats for years, but with free agency and salary cap, can Buss keep championship team intact? Free agents Lamar Odom, Trevor Ariza are keys. Oh, and Kobe, too in 2 years.

The Lakers will officially close the books on their championship season with Wednesday's victory parade and a few days' worth of individual exit meetings, but one question won't be answered amid all the confetti and congratulations.What's next?

The Lakers will experience a flurry of activity between now and mid-July, starting with the draft June 25, in which they have the 29th, 42nd and 59th picks. Then the real decisions begin with free agency.Kobe Bryant can terminate the last two years of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent July 1. Forwards Lamar Odom and Trevor Ariza officially become unrestricted free agents that day, as does reserve guard Shannon Brown.The Lakers needed only five games to defeat the Orlando Magic in the NBA Finals, and they are already favored by many oddsmakers to win it all again next season, but what will their roster look like when training camp begins in October?

"I think we could be in position to advance to the Finals for the next three, four years," General Manager Mitch Kupchak said during the locker-room celebration after the Lakers' 15th championship. "But this summer we'll have some free-agent issues we'll have to address.

"Let's start with the easy one.

Bryant will be 31 in August and has accumulated plenty of mileage in a 13-year career, but he just finished averaging 32.4 points, 7.4 assists and 5.6 rebounds in the Finals on the way to his first Finals MVP award.

Suddenly, a five-year, $135-million contract, the maximum for a player his age, doesn't seem like such a bad idea. His legendary off-season workout habits should keep him in competitive shape for most of a five-year deal, and it would be a public-relations fiasco if the Lakers let him walk.
Bryant wants to come back. He said during the Finals that he couldn't envision playing for another team next season. Only something completely unforeseen would keep him from returning to the Lakers.

But then there's Ariza and Odom.

It was believed only one of them would stay, until the Lakers high-stepped through the last two weeks of the playoffs with relative ease, winning the last two games of the Western Conference finals against a physical, feisty Denver team before disposing of Orlando.

The recent sentiment is that there might be room for both Ariza and Odom. Lakers Coach Phil Jackson even said as much last week, saying it wasn't "written in stone" that the team would have to make an either/or decision with the two players.

Basically, it comes down to owner Jerry Buss, who has stepped up financially numerous times over the years, most recently by signing Andrew Bynum to a four-year, $57.4-million contract extension last October and, before that, absorbing an extra $49 million in salary by acquiring Pau Gasol in February 2008.

The Lakers have already committed $74 million to eight players for next season, a figure that includes $23 million earmarked for Bryant. This season's NBA salary cap was $58.68 million; the luxury-tax threshold was $71.2 million.

Odom, who will be 30 in November, was on the Lakers' books for $14.1 million this season. He would have to take a significant pay cut.

Ariza, who turns 24 in two weeks, made $3.1 million this season and is in line for a substantial raise, probably at least doubling his salary.

Buss made millions in revenue with 12 playoff home games and saved about $18 million in salary and luxury-tax fees over the next two seasons with the February trades of Vladimir Radmanovic and Chris Mihm.

The great unknown, however, is the spending culture of NBA owners this summer in a bedraggled economy. Will Odom and Ariza find fewer offers than they would have entertained in past free-agent markets? If so, the Lakers might be able to retain both.

Another important economic figure for the Lakers will be the luxury-tax threshold for the 2009-10 season, which will be announced by the NBA in July. The team is already expected to pay between $5 million and $7 million in luxury taxes this season, a number that would jump significantly next season if Odom and Ariza are re-signed. Buss will have to dip much more deeply into his own pockets to re-sign the two free-agent forwards.

Buss is already expected to spend $12 million next season on Jackson, who will go through his annual off-season health tests and personal self-evaluation before deciding whether to come back for the final year of his contract. Jackson said in April he would "be shocked" if he didn't come back, and there has been no evidence that his mind-set has changed despite winning a 10th championship as a coach.

As would be expected, the players hope everybody returns next season.

"We're right in the prime of our window of opportunity right now," forward Luke Walton said a few minutes after the champagne celebration in the Lakers' locker room Sunday night. "Obviously there's some free agents that they're going to have to deal with, but if we can keep this team intact, there's no reason we're not competing for a championship every year for the next four or five years, at least.

"Three Lakers have one more season on their contracts: Adam Morrison ($5.2 million), Derek Fisher ($5 million) and Jordan Farmar ($1.9 million). Sasha Vujacic will make $10.5 million over the next two seasons, and Gasol will make $34.2 million in the same span. Walton has four more years and $21.6 million on his contract.

The team holds options for next season on Josh Powell ($959,000), DJ Mbenga ($959,000) and Sun Yue ($736,000).
Repost from LA times

7 Ways to Lower Calling Cost for Small Business

Labels: , - Monday, June 15, 2009

In time of tough economy, companies are tightening their belts to cut operating cost. Reducing expenditure on overhead is a vital undertaking. Long-distance expense is a place to start. By choosing a good service provider, you’ll spend a lot less without sacrificing the quality of communication. The following are tips on how to choose the best alternative long-distance service for your business:

1. Calling cards: It’s definitely cheaper than your local phone provider. Go with the calling card that doesn’t charge connection fees or maintenance fees. Also check and compare how much the additional charge is for calling from a payphone.

2. VoIP service: Even cheaper than calling cards, VoIP service is the cheapest way of voice communication today. Most phone calls these days are simply tiny streams of data that flow over the Internet and other similar data networks. Why not maximize your Internet connection and let your business use VoIP for your long distance calls?

3. Toll-free vs. local access number: If you prefer the calling card option, make sure to check if there’s a local access number in your area. Local access is cheaper than toll-free number. The difference will surely add up in no time.

4. The fine print: A.k.a. the catch. Low per-minute rate is nothing if the fine print says that all calls have a connection charge of 50 cents per call and maintenance fees of 99 cents per week. Some even charge disconnection fees.

5. Contract: As much as possible, stay away from any plans that lock you in a service for a certain amount of time. A lot can happen in a 12-month contract and usually there’s a pre-termination fee if you opt out of the contract. A prepaid service is a better way to go, and you can quit anytime without worrying about unused minutes or plans.

6. No monthly plans: Unless you always consume the same amount of minutes every time, then getting a monthly plan is not recommended. If you are paying $25 a month for 500 minutes, using up 400 minutes will still cost you $25. If you go over the 500 minutes then you end up paying high rate for succeeding minutes. Instead, look for a pay-as-you-go service, where flexibility is allowed.

7. Manage multiple accounts: If you need to create multiple long-distance accounts for your staff or employees, look for a service where you can manage the accounts and monitor the call details. A good long-distance administrative account for small business can help you control budget, and monitor your staff’s long-distance cost.

Repost from Onesuite blog

Lakers close out the Magic in 5 to win the NBA Championship

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Kobe Bryant(notes) has the NBA title, he needed most—the one without Shaq.

Bryant’s seven-year chase of a coveted championship is over. He’s got his fourth, and Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson his record 10th, a ring for each finger. One year after failing in the finals, Bryant and the Lakers have redemption, and all the rewards that go with it.

They earned their 15th title on Sunday night as Bryant scored 30 points and Pau Gasol(notes) added 14 and 15 rebounds in a 99-86 win in Game 5 over the Orlando Magic, who ran out of comebacks.

It took longer than Bryant expected, but he has stepped out of former teammate Shaquille O’Neal’s(notes) enormous shadow—at last. His fourth championship secured a strong case can be made for Bryant being the league’s best player since Michael Jordan hung up his sneakers.

O’Neal, now with the Phoenix Suns, was glad to see the Bryant win another title.

“Congratulations kobe, u deserve it,” O’Neal said on Twitter page. “You played great. Enjoy it my man enjoy it.”

Bryant’s coach stands alone.

Jackson, the chilled-out, bow-legged Zen Master who won six league titles in the 1990s with Jordan in Chicago, now has won No. 4 with Los Angeles and broke a tie with legendary Boston coach Red Auerbach as the winningest coach in finals history.

“I’ll smoke the cigar tonight in memory of Red,” Jackson said. “He was a great guy.”

Bryant and Jackson, whose relationship strained and briefly snapped under the weight of success, are again at the top of their games.

Together.

Nothing was going to stop Bryant, who spent the postseason scowling, snarling, baring his teeth and all but breathing fire at anything in his path. For weeks, the All-Star has worn his game face, and only when the victory was his in the final seconds did the finals MVP allow himself to smile.

After the final horn, he leaped into the air and was quickly engulfed by his teammates, who bounced around the floor of Amway Arena. Bryant then gave a long, heartfelt hug and shared a few words with Jackson before sweeping up his daughters, both wearing gold Lakers dresses, into his arms.

Rossi wins most exciting race in MotoGP

Labels: , , -

In front of nearly 90,000 fans in Barcelona the reigning World Champion Valentino Rossi took a superb win, battling with his Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo throughout the 25 lap MotoGP race to secure the win on the last corner winning by 0.095s.


The two riders completely dominated the Barcelona race and fought tooth and nail in the last three laps of the race, with the outcome being set at the very last corner.

Italy's Rossi took the lead back from local hero Lorenzo at the first turn with three laps to go. Exactly one lap later Lorenzo tried to take the lead back and went ahead on the straight, but Rossi managed to outbrake the Spaniard on the outside of the track and keep the position.

Lorenzo, however, made his move stick at the beginning of the last lap. Rossi managed to respond in the overtaking spot in the middle of the lap, but went wide and Lorenzo kept the lead.

But at the entry of the last corner the reigning world champion sneaked through and somehow managed to find the apex, preventing Lorenzo from getting back ahead.

Casey Stoner (Ducati Marlboro) was on the podium again, to maintain his World Championship challenge, with the result leaving Rossi, Lorenzo and the Australian all tied on 106 points at the head of the standings – the Italian on top as the possessor of the most recent victory.

Stoner was absolutely exhausted after the race having worked extremely hard to fend off a strong challenge from Andrea Dovizioso. The Repsol Honda rider produced another consistent display to finish in fourth place for the third round in succession, having started in fourth on the grid, this time missing the podium by 0.052s.

Missing Plane found in Atlantic Ocean

Labels: , - Wednesday, June 3, 2009

FERNANDO DE NORONHA, Brazil – Brazilian military planes found a 3-mile (5-kilometer) path of wreckage in the Atlantic Ocean, confirming that an Air France jet carrying 228 people crashed in the sea, Defense Minister Nelson Jobim said Tuesday. Jobim told reporters in Rio de Janeiro that the discovery "confirms that the plane went down in that area," hundreds of miles (kilometers) from the Brazilian archipelago of Fernando de Noronha.


"There isn't the slightest doubt that the debris is from the Air France plane," Jobim said.
He said the strip of wreckage included metallic and nonmetallic pieces, but did not describe them in detail. No bodies were spotted in the crash of the Airbus A330 in which all aboard are believed to have died.

The discovery came just hours after authorities announced they had found an airplane seat, an orange buoy and signs of fuel in a part of the Atlantic Ocean where ocean depths range from less than 1,610 meters (one mile) to more than 4,800 meters (three miles).
Jobim said recovery of the plane's cockpit voice and data recorders and other wreckage could be difficult because much of the wreckage sank.

"It's going to be very hard to search for it because it could be at a depth of 2,000 meters or 3,000 meters (1.2 miles to 1.8 miles) in that area of the ocean," Jobim said.
The initial discovery of wreckage announced before Jobim spoke came about 36 hours after the jet went missing as it flew from Rio de Janeiro toward Paris.

A Brazilian air force spokesman said the two spots where debris was located suggested the pilots may have tried to turn the plane around to return to Fernando de Noronha.

"The locations where the objects were found are toward the right of the point where the last signal of the plane was emitted," said the spokesman, Col. Jorge Amaral. "That suggests that it might have tried to make a turn, maybe to return to Fernando de Noronha, but that is just a hypothesis."

Amaral said some of the debris was white and small, but did not describe it in more detail.

Check out MoreNiche!

Labels: , , , - Tuesday, June 2, 2009

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Lakers are back to the NBA Finals

Labels: , , , , - Saturday, May 30, 2009

The Los Angeles Lakers has a return trip to the NBA Finals to the tune on 119 - 92 thumping of the Denver Nuggets. Kobe Bryant played as himself and scored 35 points in 60 percent shooting, dished out 10 assist and grabbing 6 rebounds with only 1 turn over. His three-pointer right in the face of J.R. Smith mid fourth quarter gave the Lakers a 101-82 lead and forced Denver Coach George Karl to call a timeout.

The Lakers shot 57.3 percent from the field to avoid having to play a Game 7 in the Western Conference finals back at the Staples Center.

They will finally get some much-needed rest after playing every other day for a grueling two weeks.

These Lakers, who are headed to their record 30th NBA finals and are seeking their 15th title, are a more grizzled group—but also more bruised and battered — than the one that fell to Boston in the finals last year.

“Now we’re in a place where we didn’t get the job accomplished last year,” Bryant said. “Hopefully we will this time.”

The Lakers have been here before, a chance to close out an opponent in a Game 6, the opportunity to get more rest and advance.

But the Lakers failed the last time, when they could have eliminated the Houston Rockets in the sixth game of the Western Conference semifinals but lost by 15 points.

"It's the most fun because it's the most challenging, especially with the team that we're playing and the environment that we're playing in," Kobe Bryant said about playing in a Game 6. "It's going to be a very, very tough game."

The Lakers lost Game 4 here by 19 points, their most lopsided defeat in the playoffs. The Lakers talked after shoot-around today about matching Denver's energy tonight.

Lakers learned their lesson the last series against Houston and made sure they will get Game 6 and close out the series right after the opening tip. This time its their turn to wait for their opponent while the Cleveland Cavaliers whose 8-0 on the last 2previous series was 1-3 against Orlando before stealing Game 5.

Lakers will have 5 days rest no matter what happened to Cleveland - Orlando Eastern Conference Finals.

What To Know About Backlinking

Labels: , , - Friday, May 29, 2009


What To Know About Backlinking

Back Linking is the essence that holds the internet together! All the big sites have hundreds of thousands of backlinks and the more you have usually the better. Back linking is an extremely important aspect of SEO development and it is something you need to understand well in order to implement and control it properly.

There are many secrets and mysteries in the SEO world that diligent study can clear up. Back linking provides each company a leg up in achieving the top of search engine ranks. Search engines tally up every instance they run into a website’s address or related content throughout various pages on the World Wide Web.

Sites must have targeted, expert information to prove to the search engines that they are worthy of a particular ranking. It parses website on- and offline for keywords, suggests the most relevant and weighty phrases, analyzes link structure, and many more.

What this means is that the more sites with links that you have leading back to your own, the higher your search rank is going to be. Take some time to consider some of the following methods to get your number of back links up.

Forum posting is a simple way to make a bit of money doing something you already enjoy. Forum Posting having link back in signature to your web site provide Direct Traffic to your web site, the person who read your post can visit your web site. It also provides you Direct One Way Incoming links to your web site which is good way to create one way theme based links.

Article writing and article submission activity is a simple educating method to learn about yourself and others minds as well.

The big advantage here is that you are putting something that is keyword relevant on the web and you are also enhancing you reputation as a provider of good information. You can write the articles yourself, or you can simply have them ghostwritten for a small fee.

Submitting well-written and keyword-rich articles to article directories is good way to promote your business. You get more than one benefit from article marketing. Submitting to article directories can give you good backlinks.

Take some time and consider how back linking can help you; it can go a long way towards getting you where you want to go!



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Repost from Darren Sproat Blog

Dahntay Jones the new Bruce Bowen?

Labels: , , , , - Tuesday, May 26, 2009



First it was a push now a trip, what would Dahntay Jones do next to Kobe Bryant?

Dahntay Jones, of the Denver Nuggets, is gaining a well-earned reputation as a dirty player. The NBA needs to come down hard on Jones for his push in the back of the Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant followed by an inexcusable dirty trip of Bryant in Game 4. Both incident wasn't a flagrant in the eyes of the officials and the trip isn't even a foul. Jones has to be harshly disciplined. That trip could have been much more dangerous. He could have hit Bryant in the shin and we could have had a broken leg, an injured ankle or something else serious. There is no place for dirty play like this in the NBA. This is the playoffs and we can expect good, hard and physical play. But, those two plays are indicative of a guy who is doing things outside of good and hard-nosed basketball.

Dahntay Jones must be suspended.

Update: Jones got a flagrant 1 call after the NBA office reviewed the game. One more flagrant call and he will get 1 game suspension.

Kobe, you busted my lip without even touching me!

Labels: , , - Friday, May 15, 2009


Look Kobe, here's my secret why Queensbridge chicks love me.

The calls are getting really bad in these NBA playoffs. First they called an elbow on Dwight Howard that misses the target and suspended him for a game. Secondly, there's no flagrant call on Rondo when he clearly busted Miller's mouth that require stitches. The ball was nowhere near so it must be intentional and Rondo's fist is closed when it hit Brad's face. Then they called a Flagrant 2 on Artest's hard foul on Gasol which should just be Flagrant 1 the most or no Flagrant at all.

Now this, Kobe called for a technical for no reason at all and minutes afterwards Farmar was called for touch foul (not sure if Brooks even felt it).

Pound for Pound King

Labels: , - Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Party like a Rockstar

Saturday night in Las Vegas, Manny Pacquiao (48-3-2) delivered yet again an emphatic victory to take the IBO & Ring Magazine light welterweight crown from Britain’s Ricky Hatton (45-2). Although a 2-1 favorite, Pacman still shocked the boxing world by producing a scintillating and overwhelming performance over the Brit, who is regarded as one of the top pound-for-pounders and no. 1 light welterweight of the world. Pacquiao was so dominating and destructive that he made the Hitman looked like an amateur to finish him in the 2:59 mark in Round 2 after dropping him twice in the first round with his vaunted barrage of punches.

Not even the die-hard Pacquiao fans, including me, could have seen that the end will be as short and brutal as what we had expected to be an even match up between the two warriors. There was no doubt that Pacquiao will win in my mind but it surprised me on how he did it.

It was Oscar De La Hoya first, now Ricky Hatton. The way Manny Pacquiao is handing out beatings, maybe Floyd Mayweather Jr. should have stayed retired.

Pacquiao cemented his claim to being the best pound-for-pound boxer Saturday night with a spectacular performance that ended with Hatton sprawled helplessly on the canvas after a devastating left hand to the head late in the second round.

Coming off a dominating win over De La Hoya, Pacquiao was even better against Hatton, knocking him down two times in the first round before finally stopping him with a vicious left hand that dropped Hatton for good in the 140-pound title bout.

Referee Kenny Bayless took one look at Hatton and declared the fight over at 2:59 of the second round.

“I didn’t have to count,” Bayless said.

Hatton laid on the canvas for several minutes while doctors tended to him before finally leaving the ring with a wry smile on his face. He was taken to a local hospital for a precautionary brain scan.

Pacquiao was always supposed to be quicker than Hatton, but he was also a lot stronger—and a lot more accurate. He landed 73 of his 127 punches in the fight in a display that had to catch the attention of Mayweather, who earlier in the day said he would return to the ring for a July 18 fight against Juan Manuel Marquez.

Hatton, meanwhile, connected on only 18 of 78 punches, according to ringside stats.

“I’m surprised the fight was so easy,” Pacquiao said. “He was wide open for the right hook. I knew he would be looking for my left.”

Pacquiao had the perfect game plan for Hatton, evading his bullying rushes and then picking him apart with counter punches. The performance was even more stunning because Hatton had lost only once and has been a world-class fighter for years.

“Are you happy?” Pacquiao asked promoter Bob Arum in the ring afterward.

“You’re going to be the greatest fighter who ever lived,” Arum replied.

That would take some doing, but on this night Pacquiao staked a claim to greatness that few would have thought possible before he scored his big upset over De La Hoya last December.

Pacaquiao needed less than half a round to figure out the onrushing Hatton, hitting him with a flurry of punches midway through the first round before putting him down for the first time with a right hook to the head. Hatton got up at the count of eight but Pacquiao landed another flurry and dropped him again just before the end of the round.

Hatton attempted to carry the fight to Pacquiao in the second round but was mostly ineffective as Pacquiao sized him up for a big punch. It finally came at the end of the round when he landed a left cross that flattened the English fighter.

“It was a hard loss but I’m OK,” Hatton said. “I really didn’t see the punch coming but it was a great shot. I know I’ll be OK.”

Pacquiao was a 2-1 favorite, but few thought Hatton would go easily. His only loss came when he was stopped in the 10th round by Mayweather Jr., and he built a career and a reputation as a tough and aggressive fighter who wore his opponents down.

But he stood no chance against Pacquiao, whose punches came straight down the middle and landed with increasing frequency as the fight went on.

“I was just doing my job,” said Pacquiao, who is a national hero in the Philippines and is fast becoming a hero among boxing fans. “I always try to do my best in the ring.”

Pacquiao’s best on this night quickly quieted a boisterous crowd of 16,262 at the MGM Grand arena, many of them who came over from England to sing and chant Hatton’s praises. They didn’t even get a chance to warm up, though, before Hatton was on the canvas for the first time of the night.

“The fight was no surprise to me,” Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, said. “We know he always pumps his hands before he throws a punch. He’s a sucker for the right hook.”

On the same day Mayweather announced his return to the ring, Pacquiao stole the undefeated former champion’s thunder with a performance that was so lopsided it looked like a sparring session. Even more impressive, it came in only his third fight over 130 pounds.

Pacquiao weighed 138 pounds for the fight to 140 for Hatton, and was fighting a bigger man for the second time in a row. But nothing seems to bother the boxer who is so popular at home that there is talk of him running for president some day.

Pacquiao (49-3-2, 37 knockouts) earned $12 million for the fight, while Hatton (45-2) was paid $8 million.

Felipe Baby

Labels: , - Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Here's a song composed by Christine Blachford for Felipe Massa. It's Rob Smedley talking to Massa in the song.


Felipe Baby

Felipe baby, we're bringing the white visor to you
It's new, you'll be able to see
Felipe baby now hurry up and score us a point

Felipe Baby, don't worry bout the rain
You're strapped in, breath in
It won't matter if you spin
Felipe Baby, but hurry up and score us a point

Think of all the fans back home
Think of all the trouble you'll be in Rome
We worked too hard so don't give up
We're making sure KERS won't blow you up!

Felipe Baby, I understand you're mad at the car
We are, but we need some more wins
Felipe Baby, now hurry up and score some points

Felipe Baby, there's plenty lining up for your job
Like Bob-bie K, Alonso will show you up
Felipe Baby, now hurry up and score some points

Felipe Baby, Michael's contract won't be renewed
So you better listen to me
Felipe Baby, now hurry up and score some points

Don't forget you'er our only hope
Kimi won't do anything but mope
There's not enough ice cream for the both of you
And only one gorilla suit..oo oo ooh

Felipe Baby, my song to you is ending real quick
The trick to winning is to drive fast
Felipe Baby so hurry up and score us some points
Hurry up we need those damn points
Hurry we need those points

2009 Formula 1 Race Schedule

Labels: - Friday, February 13, 2009

The FIA released the provisional schedule for the 2009 Formula 1 championship in June 2008. Australia was listed as provisional, and Turkey moved back to August after moving to May in 2008.

And then there is the news that the French Grand Prix is back on the calendar. After being announced as the last edition in 2007, it appeared again in 2008, again as the last edition, and now it is back again, again likely at Magny-Cours.

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix would be the last race of the season, and it would be as late as 15 November. Good place to go during the cold winter in Europe....

2009 FIA Formula One World Championship Race Calendar




Letter of Intent

Labels: , - Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Found this on Craig's list under Personals.


To the Guy Who Mugged Me Downtown (Downtown, Savannah )

I was the guy with the black Burberry jacket that you demanded I hand over shortly after you pulled the knife on me and my girlfriend. You also asked for my girlfriend's purse and earrings. I hope you somehow come across this message. I'd like to apologize.

I didn't expect you to crap your pants when I drew my pistol after you took my jacket. Truth is, I was wearing the jacket for a reason that evening, and it wasn't that cold outside. You see, my girlfriend had just bought me that Kimber 1911 .45 ACP pistol for Christmas, and we had just picked up a shoulder holster for it that evening. Beautiful pistol, eh? It's a very intimidating weapon when pointed at your head, isn't it?

I know it probably wasn't a great deal of fun walking back to wherever you'd come from with that brown sludge flopping about in your pants. I'm sure it was even worse since you also ended up leaving your shoes, cellphone, and wallet with me. I couldn't have you calling up any of your buddies to come help you try to mug us again. I took the liberty of calling your mother, or "Momma" as you had her listed in your cell, and explaining to her your situation. I also bought myself some gas on your card. I gave your shoes to one of the homeless guys over by Vinnie Van Go Go's, along with all of the cash in your wallet, then I threw the wallet itself in a dumpster.

I called a bunch of phone sex numbers from your cell. They'll be on your bill in case you'd like to know which ones. Alltel recently shut down the line, and I've only had the phone for a little over a day now, so I don't know what's going on with that. I hope they haven't permanently cut off your service. I was about to make some threatening phone calls to the DA's office with it. Oh well.

So, about your pants. I know that I was a little rough on you when you did this whole attempted mugging thing, so I'd like to make it up to you. I'm sure you've already washed your pants, so I'd like to help you out. I'd like to reimburse you for the detergent you used on the pants. What brand did you use, and was it liquid or powder? I'd also like to apologize fornot killing you and instead making you walk back home humiliated. I'm hoping that you'll reconsider your choice of path in life. Next time you might not be so lucky. If you read this message, email me and we'll do lunch and laundry. Peace!

Kobe or No Kobe

Labels: , - Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Kobe made a guest appearance on this episode of Deal or No Deal. A very exciting and emotional moment for the contestant and its family members.

To recap, Kobe's sweeten-the-pot offer was two tickets to a Lakers home game, some autographed Zoom IIIs, a trip to Hawaii to watch the Lakers training camp next year, and a chance to hang out with Kobe himself after one of the exhibition games. All of that on top of Clark's $383,000 pile of TV cash.

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