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Friday, August 14, 2009

Les Paul Remembered By Slash, Joan Jett, Joe Satriani

ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons also pays tribute to late guitar legend as 'a mentor and a friend.'



Reaction to the death of music icon Les Paul came pouring in Thursday (August 13), just hours after news broke that the electric-guitar pioneer had died at age 94 of complications from pneumonia.

Paul, who helped revolutionize the electric guitar and musical recording technology with his innovations of multi-track recording and overdubbing, was a hero to several generations of guitar slingers and a number weighed in with their tributes to the "Wizard of Waukesha."

One of the most celebrated guitarists of the 1990s, former Guns N' Roses thrasher Slash, paid loving homage to Paul, who he praised as an inspiration. "Les Paul was a shining example of how full one's life can be. He was so vibrant and full of positive energy," said Slash, who has his own signature line of Slash Les Paul Goldtop guitars. "I'm honored and humbled to have known and played with him over the years. He was an exceptionally brilliant man."

Another modern guitar giant, Joe Satriani, bowed at the altar of Paul, saying in a statement, "Les Paul set a standard for musicianship and innovation that remains unsurpassed. He was the original guitar hero and the kindest of souls. Last October, I joined him onstage at the Iridium club in NYC, and he was still shredding. He was and still is an inspiration to us all."

One of Paul's most vocal and enthusiastic acolytes, ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons, said he couldn't imagine what rock music would sound like without his mentor's inventions and spirit. "Les Paul brought six strings to electricity and electricity to six strings," Gibbons said in a statement. "Les Paul was an innovator, a groundbreaker, a risk taker, a mentor and a friend. Try to imagine what we'd be doing if he hadn't come along and changed the world. There will always be more Les to come. That's certified."

With her low-slung Les Paul and a snarling punk attitude, Joan Jett got sentimental about how much she'd miss Paul's influence. "I, and everyone at Blackheart Records, mourn the passing of our dear friend, Les Paul," Jett wrote. "He was a genius inventor, musical innovator and a wonderful person. Without the advances he pioneered, the recording sciences and the electric guitar would have been left years behind. I will miss him so much."

Blues master Keb Mo gave Paul props for being a vibrant musician well into his 90s. "He's a guy who played right up to the end," Mo said. "That's what we all want to do!!"

Neil Portnow, president/CEO of the Recording Academy, added in a statement, "Three-time Grammy winner Les Paul was a musical mastermind whose innovations in electric guitar and recorded music are unparalleled. A 1983 Trustees Award recipient and a 2001 Technical Grammy Award recipient, his career and contributions to popular music will forever be celebrated and will continue to influence future generations of musicians. His magnetic charm and sunny disposition matched his incredible skill set, and he will always be remembered with great fondness, humility and respect. The music industry has lost a true innovator and legend."

What is the True Cost of Marijuana Legalization?



Scott Kirkland is the Chief of the El Cerrito Police Department. Watch as he gets pwned by Richard Lee, co-owner of Hemp Research Company and marijuana advocate for 17 years.

Bald penguin given wetsuit to prevent sunburn

When Ralph the penguin lost his feathers it looked like he wouldn't be able to swim with his friends at Marwell Wildlife - until he was fitted for a mini wetsuit to stop him getting sunburn.

Unlike all his fellow Humboldt penguins, who lose their old feathers over a few weeks to make way for a fresh set, Ralph's fell out in just one day.

And with nothing to protect him from the weather he was at risk of severe sun burn.

He faced spending a depressing three weeks indoors, away from his group and his young chicks.

But keepers took pity on him and fashioned his own wetsuit from the leg of a suit which was donated by a member of staff's husband.

The nine-year-old penguin couldn't be happier with his new clothes, which have caused a stir at his enclosure in Marwell Wildlife, near Winchester, Hants.

Helen Jeffreys, from Marwell Wildlife, said: "Ralph's really taken to his new suit, he's doing really well.

"He doesn't really seem to notice the difference - he's swimming around the enclosure with all the other penguins as usual.

"It's not inhibiting him in any way and it's not bothering him. He's just getting on with his daily business.

"All the other penguins, on the other hand, were intrigued by his new clothes they spent a good while checking him out.

"But when they realised it was still Ralph under the suit they seemed quite happy and don't really pay it any attention anymore."

When penguins moult over a period of around three weeks every year their old feathers are replaced with a new, clean set.

But Ralph has baffled keepers by losing all his feathers in just one day, leaving him strangely bald apart from his head.

David White, who is assistant manager of Penguin World at Marwell, said he and colleagues thought about covering Ralph in suncream before hitting on the wetsuit idea.

Mr White, 31, said: "We noticed he was getting pink and feared suncream would just wash off so we decided to try to make him a wetsuit.

"We used the leg of a man's wetsuit and cut a holes in it for his head and wings.

"It works really well. We thought he would try to peck it off but Ralph seems to love it.

"He's been bombing around in it and acting like a normal penguin, although the others have been giving him a few odd looks. I think they might actually want one now.

"It's certainly a strange sight and Ralph must be the first scuba penguin but he seems so at ease that we've been thinking maybe we should get him a mask and snorkel as well.

"Ralph is perfectly healthy so we don't know why his feathers all drop out at once.

"If we hadn't come up with the wetsuit we would have had to keep him inside to stop him burning.

"That would have made him really miserable because penguins are such sociable creatures. This way he can happily mess around with the rest of the group."

Ralph will now wear his suit for around three weeks while his new feathers grow.

Miss Jeffreys added: "Ralph was so bald he was at real risk of getting sunburned on a sunny day.

"In the past the keepers have kept him indoors for around three weeks until his new feathers have come through.

"But that wasn't any fun for him. He couldn't be with his group and this year he's got two chicks to look after so we just couldn't separate them.

"One of the keepers had the idea of making him his very own wetsuit.

"The material is perfect because it allowed him to go into the water and it's flexible so he could still use his flippers and allow him to have a scratch.

"The keepers didn't have any trouble getting the suit on him - Ralph didn't mind at all."

Visitors are already flocking in to his enclosure to see Ralph parading around.

Miss Jeffreys said: "All the visitors are fascinated by Ralph's clothes - he's causing a bit of a stir.

"He's the only one out of 30 penguins with a special suit so he certainly stands out.

"We get lots of questions from them - they want to know what he's wearing and why or ask if he's a new breed!

"Everyone has commented on how cute he looks. He's certainly become a favourite and I think he'll become a bit of a star now."

Humboldt penguins are native to South America, breeding in coastal Peru and Chile.

They can live for around 30 years in captivity.

Indian Spider Man

Flat Screen TV FAIL: Soviet Style

Soviet style.

50 Amazing Ramen Noodle Recipes


See the original image at rasmussen.edu

rasmussen.edu Going to college requires a lot of your time, which doesn't allow you to cook your common four-course meal. Using the age-old college fallback, ramen noodles, you can cook yourself a tasty treat in a short amount of time without breaking the bank.

click here for: 50 Amazing Ramen Noodle Recipes

Mother's pride: First lion cubs born at London Zoo in 10 years make their debut

By Daily Mail Reporter

Two rare lion cubs who were born at London Zoo took their first steps in their new enclosure today, as their mother looked on with pride.

The 10-week-old un-named cats are the son and daughter of Lucifer, six, and Abi, 10, who was the last Asian lion to be born at the zoo.

Malcolm Fitzpatrick, curator of mammals at ZSL London Zoo, said the little lions have already started to form their own personalities.

On feline form: The tiny lion cubs make their debut at London Zoo today with mother Abi

On feline form: The tiny lion cubs make their debut at London Zoo today with mother Abi

He said: 'Left to their own devices these two youngsters would be running all over the place. The young male is especially adventurous.'

Like many siblings the mischievous pair squabble, and their keepers have spotted them playing tug-of-war with their food.

As they roamed around their new moated paddock, their mother was ever-watchful.

'Their mother Abi is very protective,' said Mr Fitzpatrick. 'Like any new mother, she is very careful.'

Keepers came up with their father's unusual name when he arrived at the zoo in 2004. His registration number at his previous zoo was 666, the Devil's number.

Purrrfect pair: The 10-week-old cubs have already started to develop their own personalities

Double trouble: The 10-week-old cubs have already started to develop their own personalities

Lucifer has not been introduced properly to his cubs yet, having only met them through a mesh.

The curator said: 'He wants to be in there with his offspring, but we wanted to make sure the youngsters were vaccinated and had a chance to explore the enclosure before we introduced him.'

Fewer than 300 Asian lions remain in the wild, and just 90 live in captivity around the world.

Abi cleans one of the tiny cubs

Paws for thought: Abi cleans one of the tiny cubs as it takes its first steps into the public eye...

Cub rules: Lioness Abi keeps a close eye on her 10-week-old babies as they make their public debut ...then warns the other cub from straying too far with a nudge of her nose

They are classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and captive breeding is key to their survival. London Zoo is part of the European Breeding Programme for lions.

Asian lions once ranged from Greece, across the Middle East to India, but persecution has virtually wiped the breed out and they now can only be found in the Gir Forest, north west India.

Paws for thought: One of the unnamed cubs takes a walk on the wild side in the Lion enclosure at London Zoo Purrfect pose: One of the unnamed cubs takes a walk on the wild side in the Lion enclosure at London Zoo

Curious and curiouser: The male and female Asian lion cubs explore their new home

Curious and curiouser: The male and female Asian lions explore their new home

They have smaller manes than African lions, making their ears more visible, and they have a pronounced fold of skin along the belly and thicker hair on the tail and elbows.

Unlike African lions, male and female Asian lions seldom associate except to mate.

Their typical prey is chital deer, but they also attack livestock which brings them into conflict with local people.

London pride: 10-year-old lioness Abi was the last lion to be born at London zoo before her cubs London pride: 10-year-old lioness Abi was the last lion to be born at the zoo before her cubs

Americans pay 5 times more than the Dutch for wireless

A new OECD survey highlights the massive disparity in wireless service costs across countries. Americans pay significantly more than their counterparts in Sweden and the Netherlands for mobile broadband.

Americans pay 5 times more than the Dutch for wireless

If you think that your mobile phone bill is out of control, that's apparently because it is. A new Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) survey has found that mobile users in the US, Canada, and Spain pay almost five times more for wireless service than their counterparts in the Netherlands, Finland, and Sweden, who pay the least.

More generally, the report nicely ties together a few trends in the telecom industry: texting services have become significant profit centers, and service providers have cut back on equipment spending during the downturn. The striking thing is that, by doing so, they've managed to actually grow profits despite the economic turmoil.

The portions of the report that are available to the public indicate that, across countries, prices ranged from $11 to $53 for a medium usage plan of 780 voice calls, 600 SMS messages, and eight multimedia (MMS) messages. That's a pretty wide range, and North American users are at the top end of it.

As for the reason behind the disparity between US rates and those abroad, the CTIA, a wireless industry trade group, has already released a rebuttal to the report that attributes the disparity to differences in calling patterns.

Since the average US calling profile is nearly three times greater than the OECD's "high usage" basket (and, in fact, the average US calling profile is nearly six times greater than the OECD's "average" usage basket), it is no surprise that most other sources show the price per-call (or price per-MOU) in the United States is the lowest among the OECD countries.

In other words, Americans use way more minutes than customers in other countries, so if you look at the actual per-minute cost, they're lower because the US is buying in bulk, so to speak.

In addition to calls, SMS "continues to be a particularly lucrative market for operators." This news won't come as a shock to governments in either the US or Europe, which have been looking into how wireless carriers price SMS messages for over a year now.

Both AT&T and Verizon recently testified before Congress about their text messaging charges, and the two companies' representatives denied that they colluded to double text messaging prices over the past five years. The reps indicated that their companies were merely responding to Sprint's decision to raise SMS prices, and they also pointed out that the doubling in message pricing only applies to plans that don't include a fixed number of messages for a fee.

The text messaging trend stands in sharp contrast to the cost of voice calls, which the OECD study says have declined by an average of 21 percent for low usage customers, 28 percent for medium usage, and 32 percent for high usage.

The combination of declining voice prices and rising SMS fees fits with the generational change in mobile usage patterns, as younger users prefer text-based forms of communication like SMS and IM. The study notes that many of the carriers are aiming their text messaging packages specifically at younger users.

The report also takes note of a phenomenon that was starkly evident in this latest round of quarterly earnings releases: bandwidth providers across the industry, from Comcast to AT&T, saw profits jump, while network infrastructure makers from Cisco to D-Link saw huge revenue declines.

Clearly, service providers are extracting more money from the use of existing equipment. It's good news for them, but equipment makers are getting whacked for the second time in a decade as infrastructure spending slows dramatically after a period of frenzied investment.

In any case, the report makes it clear that North American carriers have become extremely adept at keeping their income streams growing regardless of what's happening with the larger economy. There may be national differences in usage habits, but the data suggests that service providers would figure out a way to work around them.

Celebrity Sex Gone Viral

The culture of Hollywood’s rising social-media sex scandals

By Emily Hebert

couple filming sex

Photo: Getty Images

Rob Lowe won over audiences in flicks like Class and St. Elmo’s Fire, but in the late ’80s, the former Brat Packer’s infamous sex-tape scandal eclipsed his cinematic fame—and brought his reign as Hollywood heartthrob to a screeching halt. But while the public outing of Lowe’s privates was notable at the time, today he is just one of many stars who have been caught on camera in sexually explicit situations. From Vanessa Hudgens to The Twilight Saga: New Moon’s Ashley Greene, it seems that celebrities’ intimate photos and videos are always a click and a scroll away.

Technological advances have obviously contributed to the incidence and exploitation of this content—if Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee’s tryst had surfaced now, it would likely go straight to YouTube, not VHS, but according to Pamela C. Regan, PhD, professor of psychology at California State University, Los Angeles, and author of The Mating Game, the culture of social networking and video-sharing sites may also play a role in the increasing number of Hollywood viral sex scandals. “Now, with the proliferation of reality-TV shows and social-media websites, anyone can feel like a celebrity at any time—you can walk around with a Facebook or MySpace page and create a world where everyone can watch you,” says Regan. “And when it comes to communicating, it’s not about calling friends to talk at night; it’s about texting all day long and getting Twitter updates. It’s a much more instant, I’m-an-object way of living.”

This concurrent self-centered and outer-focused mentality may explain why when unleashed to the world, young actresses’ personal cell phones are packed with racy self portraits. “I wonder if there’s any shame in nude photos surfacing anymore,” says Regan. “Teenagers and twentysomethings of today are so used to being the focus of other people’s attention that things like having a scandalous online photo or inappropriate YouTube video might not be so traumatic. Because aside from a little personal embarrassment, it’s like ‘Oh, how cool—people know me.’ ”

In fact, conspiracy theorists presuppose that some celebrities may even want their sexcapades discovered and that they invite the attention and are willing to take the risk to be better recognized. Hudgens and Greene in particular have fueled blogosphere rumors of sex-photo publicity stunts, with pundits pointing to the uncanny timing of each star’s mishap: Hudgens’ nude cell-phone pics hit the Web a week before the release of her new movie, Bandslam (in theaters tomorrow), and Greene’s images have stolen headlines from New Moon front-runners Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, and Taylor Lautner.

Despite these Internet episodes, Regan doesn’t believe that young actresses are that calculating when it comes to their sex life. “I think so much of it is just them not thinking and being in the heat of the moment,” she says. “They’re surrounded by handlers all day who tell them that they’re superhuman, and as a result, they act impulsively.”

Sex and relationship expert Yvonne K. Fulbright, PhD, MS Ed., ACSE, agrees with Regan: “A number of starlets feel invincible, and many of them also don’t foresee that a hacker or soon-to-be-ex they’re dating might exploit them later.”

While it’s not always clear why or how celebrity sex photos and videos become viral, Regan says there are definite ways that celebrities should handle the onslaught of public attention. The first thing to do? Don’t deny that you took photos or made a sex tape if in fact you did: “Honesty really is the best policy because the proof is out there, and people have seen it,” says Regan. “That doesn’t mean you have to talk about it or go into salacious detail. Just admit that it happened and emphasize that it was a private moment.”

Fulbright also says it’s not necessary to apologize for your behavior: “There’s nothing wrong with the naked form and using it to turn on your lover. Sex photos and videos taken with your cell phone are the latest way to reach out and touch someone.” At the same time, though, Fulbright emphasizes the importance of feeling comfortable and trusting in your relationship. “Exes can be cruel when things don’t work out, and that’s whether you were with them for 11 weeks or 11 years. You need to weigh the pros and cons and decide if the risks are really worth the immediate titillation factor. You can also opt for less-risky turn-ons such as practicing more aural sex. There’s something to be said for the suggestive versus in-your-face images.”

For her part, Regan sides with comedian Dane Cook, whose playful scolding of Hudgens at Sunday’s Teen Choice awards (“Girl, you got to keep your clothes! Phones are for phone calls, girl”) was noticeably cut from the televised broadcast. “There is not a single person alive who has done something romantically, sexually, or interpersonally and not regretted it,” says Regan. “We all have that. But unfortunately we have a double standard in our society—sexually experienced men are seen as studs, whereas women are seen as sluts. So knowing that this exists, the best thing for young actresses to do is to just not do it.”

RIP Gibson, the tallest dog in the world

Aug 13th 2009
By Michael Rundle

It is always a tragedy when a man's boyhood heroes pass away. For some among us it was pop-star Michael Jackson, others director John Hughes.

For the Asylum team it was Gibson, the tallest dog in the world.

The Guinness Book of World Records had long recognised Gibson, a Harlequin Great Dane who measured 7 ft 1 in standing on his hind legs and 42.6 inches from ground to shoulder, as the loftiest canine on the globe.

Sadly, though, Gibson died on August 7 as a result of bone cancer. He had been diagnosed with the disease in April, but neither a leg amputation of chemotherapy could save him and he was eventually put down with the consent of his owner Sandy Hall to avoid a more painful end.

Throughout his seven-year life Gibson used his fame for good. He became a "spokesdog" for a canine cancer charity and was nominated for the American Kennel Club Award for Canine Excellence. According to his website Gibson even co-authored a book - though we cannnot confirm its quality, if someone wants to buy us a copy we promise to read it cover to cover.

Fans and supporters of Gibson are directed to his website where they can donate to his chosen charity, and even to help with his funeral expenses. (Seriously.)

The good news for fans of tall dogs is that Gibson's son, Brewster, is already 38 inches tall from ground to shoulder and looks set to reclaim his father's title. If there is any justice in the world we expect the Hollywood movie version of Gibson's life to hit cinemas in 2011.

Keep reading to check out video footage of the late, great Gibson. May he safely find his place in Canine Valhalla.

Brad Pitt for Mayor: I'm Running on Legalize Pot Platform


Brad Pitt one-on-one in NO with Anne Curry 13Aug09
Source: Today Show

youtube.com Brad Pitt, are you running for Mayor of New Orleans? "Yeah, I'm running on the gay marriage, no religion, legalization and taxation of marijuana platform. I have no chance."

BMW’s Hybrid X6 Saves 20% On Fuel And Gets 480 HP

Written by Jerry James Stone

BMW’s new ActiveHybrid X6 promises to be the world’s most powerful hybrid with 480 hp (358 kW) and 575 lb-ft of torque (780 N·m).

The ActiveHybrid X6 will hit 60 mph in just under 6 seconds all while providing a 20-percent fuel savings according to the EU test-cycle. The EU also gave it a CO2 rating of 231 g/km. EPA numbers aren’t yet available.

ActiveHybrid X6 is BMW’s first application of the two-mode transmission developed in partnership with GM and then-DaimlerChrysler. Along with its 4.4 liter overcharged gasoline V8 engine, the X6 includes two electric synchronous engines that get 91 hp (68 kW) and 86 hp (64 kW), respectively

Top speed of the BMW ActiveHybrid X6 is limited electronically to 130 mph (209 km/h).

The offering, accompanied by the BMW ActiveHybrid 7, will be unveiled this September at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The X6 is expected to hit the U.S. market around at the end of this year. The ActiveHybrid 7 will arrive in the US in Spring 2010.

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A full press release is available on the next page.

Source: Autoblog Green

5yr Old Girl Teaches You How to Fish Like a Man

Sports Videos, News, Blogs

The Digg Reel: Tantrums, Meltdowns, the Finger, and other mentally unstable acts!

Radiohead: We're Not Making Any More Albums

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Sorry, Radiohead fans. The band won't be releasing any more full-length records. In a recent interview, the group's lead singer, Thom Yorke, said: "None of us want to go into that creative hoo-ha of a long-play record again. Not straight off. I mean, it's just become a real drag. It worked with In Rainbows because we had a real fixed idea about where we were going. But we've all said that we can't possibly dive into that again. It'll kill us."

The band, whose other albums include OK Computer, The Bends, and Kid A, will be focusing on digital singles and EPs, such as the recently released "Harry Patch," a tribute to a World War I vet. All proceeds for that song will go to the British Legion.

Vick, Eagles agree to 2-year deal

PHILADELPHIA -- Michael Vick is back in the NFL. When he finally gets in a game, it might be at a new position.

Looking to add a new dimension to their offense, the Philadelphia Eagles gave the disgraced quarterback a one-year deal with an option for a second year. Vick wasn't brought in to compete with five-time Pro Bowl quarterback Donovan McNabb for a starting job, but the two could end up on the field together.

The first year of the deal is for $1.6 million with the second-year option worth $5.2 million, sources told ESPN's Chris Mortensen. Vick can also earn an additional $3 million in incentives over the two years of the contract, sources told ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli.

Vick arrived in Philadelphia on Tuesday morning and remained there Wednesday evening. The Eagles will hold a news conference on Friday morning to announce his signing.

The Eagles were reportedly not the first team to extend an offer to Vick. FOXSports.com reported that the Cincinnati Bengals first offered Vick a two-year deal worth about $2.3 million.

Vick was the No. 1 draft pick in 2001 by the Atlanta Falcons and once the highest-paid player in football. But he has not played since 2006 when his career came tumbling down. He was convicted in August 2007 of conspiracy and running a dogfighting operation, sentenced to 23 months in federal prison and suspended indefinitely by the NFL.

But after serving his time and being released from home confinement July 20, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell conditionally lifted Vick's suspension, allowing him to sign with a team.

Vick can immediately take part in preseason practices, workouts and meetings and can play in the final two preseason games. Once the season begins, Vick may participate in all team activities except games, and Goodell said he would consider Vick for full reinstatement by Week 6 (Oct. 18-19) at the latest.

"I'm a believer that as long as people go through the right process, they deserve a second chance," Eagles coach Andy Reid said. "He's got great people on his side; there isn't a finer person than Tony Dungy. He's proven he's on the right track."

The Eagles went to the playoffs last season under quarterback Donovan McNabb, and are still looking for their elusive first Super Bowl win.

McNabb has led the Eagles to five NFC championship games and one Super Bowl appearance in the last eight years, and was rewarded with a $5.3 million raise in the offseason. The Eagles tore up his old contract with two years remaining, and gave him a new deal worth $24.5 million over the next two seasons.

The team is a surprise landing point for Vick. It was among 26 clubs that said there was no interest in Vick, but that may have changed when backup Kevin Kolb strained a knee ligament earlier this week. Kolb's injury isn't serious and he's expected to return next week. The Eagles also have veteran A.J. Feeley.

"There won't be a quarterback controversy," Reid said. "We have to make sure he gets back in football shape. He comes into a good, stable unit here. Donovan and Michael are very close."

Reid made sure he spoke with McNabb before signing Vick.

"I pretty much lobbied to get him here," McNabb said. "I believe in second chances and what better place to get a second chance than here with this group of guys. ... He's no threat to me, not for Kolb. We had the opportunity to add another weapon to our offense."

Vick could be used in a variation of the Wildcat offense that the Miami Dolphins made popular last season. He's also familiar with the West Coast offense, though Atlanta ran a different version than the one Philadelphia uses.

"He's an unbelievable athlete, both running the ball and throwing it," Reid said. "I'll think of something for him."

Team president Joe Banner said Vick's deal was basically complete two days ago, but that the team met with him before it was signed, according to the Philadelphia Daily News. He said the team's due diligence included discussions with commissioner Roger Goodell's office, with Dungy, who is serving as Vick's personal adviser, and the National Humane Society.

"I just hope the people will understand that we did our research," Banner said, the newspaper reported.

"It was very tough initially, but everybody we talked to said the same thing, that he was remorseful and that he had gone through an incredible transformation, that he was basically good at heart," Banner said, according to the Daily News. "We heard this over and over again from people who felt he deserved a second chance."

When news of Vick's signing circulated in the press box during the first half of the Eagles' preseason opener against New England, even the team's public relations staff seemed surprised.

The stadium was buzzing by halftime as word spread. Fans standing on the concourse were in disbelief. One fan wondered how quickly he'd be able to buy a Vick jersey. Another asked if this was a joke.

"We got quite a few calls from people who were upset. But there was a fairly significant, large number, in favor. I'd say there was a smaller number opposed," Banner said, according to the Philadelphia Daily News. "We've been hearing anecdotes of people in sports bars who were enthusiastic about it. There were some chants for Vick here at the game."

In a "60 Minutes" interview set to air Sunday, Vick accepted blame for not stopping the illegal dogfighting operation he bankrolled.

Vick said he feels "some tremendous hurt behind what happened."

He said he should have taken "the initiative to stop it all ... I didn't."

Asked if he was more concerned about his playing career or the dogs he hurt, Vick replied, "Football don't even matter."

The animal rights group, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, wasted no time reminding people exactly what Vick had done.

"PETA and millions of decent football fans around the world are disappointed that the Eagles decided to sign a guy who hung dogs from trees. He electrocuted them with jumper cables and held them under water," PETA spokesman Dan Shannon told The Associated Press.

"You have to wonder what sort of message this sends to young fans who care about animals and don't want them to be harmed."

Reid believes most Eagles fans will accept Vick.

"This is America. We do make mistakes," Reid said. "This situation is a chance to prove he's doing the right things. He's been proactive speaking across the country."

Vick filed for bankruptcy protection last July, listing assets of about $16 million and debts of more than $20 million.

Vick pleaded guilty after his three co-defendants had already done so. They told of how Vick participated in the killing of dogs that didn't perform well in test fights by shooting, hanging, drowning or slamming them to the ground.

Vick's appearances at federal court in Richmond, Va., prompted large groups of protesters to gather outside. Many were with PETA and held signs depicting photographs of pit bulls ravaged in dogfights.

Still, there were supporters who wore his No. 7 jersey.

A three-time Pro Bowler, Vick rushed for 1,039 yards in 2006, the most by a quarterback in a single season in NFL history. His 8.45 yards a carry average that season is also an NFL record. Vick appeared in 74 regular season games (67 starts) from 2001-06, completing 930 of 1,730 passes for 11,505 yards and 71 touchdowns. He rushed for 3,859 yards and 21 touchdowns. He is 2-2 as a starter in the playoffs with both losses coming against the Eagles.

The Eagles travel to meet Vick's former team, the Falcons, in Week 13 on Dec. 6.

Senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen, ESPN reporter Sal Paolantonio, ESPN.com senior writer Len Pasquarelli and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

25 Things I Learned About Business from "South Park"



focus.com Over the last 12 years, the cartoon residents of South Park, Colorado have taught us about life, love, Canada, Saddam Hussein and yes ... business. Here are 25 things that "South Park" has taught the world about making a buck.

click here for this article: 25 Things I Learned About Business from "South Park"

Les Paul: Legacy of a Guitar Hero

Boston / Seattle get To test high-speed 4G cellular network

By Hiawatha Bray Globe Staff / August 13, 2009

Verizon Wireless has selected Boston and Seattle as the first two US cities to test its new wireless data service, with speeds five to 10 times faster than the service used today by such popular handsets as Apple Inc.’s iPhone.

The new network could mean big changes in the ways people use their smartphones or laptop computers, at home and on the road. Today’s networks, known as 3G, are good enough for checking e-mail or visiting websites, but they’re too slow for high-quality video or real-time video gaming. They can’t match the speed of the hard-wired Internet services offered by telephone and cable TV companies.

Verizon Wireless’s new network, called 4G, will have the ability to display crystal-clear videos and allow users to play complex multiplayer games, or hold two-way videoconferences. Consumers might replace broadband Internet services from cable and phone companies with the new wireless service, in the same way some have ditched their traditional, hard-wired telephone lines in favor of cellphones.

Verizon Wireless will not say what it plans to charge for the new service, or reveal the speeds it will provide consumers. News of 4G’s debut cities came in a Verizon Wireless conference call for investors on July 27, and the company said it is not yet ready to speak publicly about it.

But Godfrey Chua, research analyst at IDC Corp. in Framingham, said it would almost certainly deliver enough speed to offer serious competition to traditional Internet services. “If you have cable modem at home, it gets us up to that level,’’ Chua said.

Cable TV and Internet giant Comcast Corp. said it does not believe that 4G poses much of a threat. Spokeswoman Mary Nell Westbrook noted that the nation’s first 4G service, offered in several cities by Clearwire Corp. of Kirkland, Wash., can’t measure up to Comcast’s higher-speed Internet products. “Our services are so much faster than that today,’’ Westbrook said.

Verizon Wireless will use a technology called Long-Term Evolution, or LTE, to build its new 4G network. Some carriers are adopting a separate system called WiMax.

“The hope with LTE and WiMax is at some point, they could start displacing your DSL and cable providers,’’ said Allen Nogee, an analyst at In-Stat, a technology research firm in Scottsdale, Ariz.

A report issued in February by the company’s chief technology officer, Dick Lynch, said Verizon Wireless’s LTE system has been tested at speeds almost 60 times faster than the company’s current 3G network.

The Boston and Seattle deployments are just the beginning, according to Verizon Wireless president Denny Strigl, who said in the conference call that the company intends to launch the new services in up to 30 markets next year, making the service available to as many as 100 million potential subscribers.

The new 4G networks will be a boon for consumer electronics makers, because today’s cellphones and laptops won’t work with the new technology. Millions of subscribers will need to purchase new phones and plug-in computer adapters to connect to the new networks.

While Verizon Wireless is moving quickly toward 4G, the second-biggest cellphone carrier in the US - AT&T - is taking its time. AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel said that his company won’t even begin testing a 4G service until 2011. Instead, this year it will upgrade its existing 3G network to deliver about seven times the current speed.

“3G is going to be around for a long, long time, even as 4G is deployed,’’ Siegel said.

T-Mobile USA, the fourth-largest cell carrier in the country, is also taking a go-slow approach to 4G. The company hasn’t even finished building its 3G network yet. Like AT&T, T-Mobile will boost its 3G performance through a technology upgrade, though T-Mobile won’t say how much speed it expects from the improved network.

Clearwire, which used the WiMax technology to build its 4G network, has signed up residential consumers in Baltimore, Atlanta, Las Vegas, and Portland, Ore., and charges $20 a month for Internet service at home. For an additional $30 a month, Clearwire subscribers can get a mobile broadband service that lets them connect laptops wirelessly when they’re on the road. Comcast offers hard-wired service at one-sixth of Clearwire’s speed for $25 a month, or a much faster service for $43.

Mike Sievert, Clearwire’s chief commercial officer, said that many users have unplugged their wired Internet providers, and use the Clearwire service as their only broadband source.

That’s not necessarily bad news for Comcast, which is a major investor in Clearwire.

Comcast markets Clearwire’s 4G service as part of a “quad play’’ bundle, along with Comcast telephone, cable Internet, and cable TV service. Another major Clearwire investor is cellular carrier Sprint Nextel Corp., which already sells Clearwire-compatible laptop cards, and plans to introduce a 4G phone sometime between now and 2010.

The lure of wireless broadband service is even attracting smaller players. MetroPCS Communications Inc., the sixth-largest US cellular carrier, serves 5.4 million subscribers in eight states, including Massachusetts. MetroPCS specializes in prepaid cellphone services which have traditionally been favored by low-income users who generally don’t buy wireless data services. But MetroPCS plans to launch a 4G network in the second half of 2010.

“Cellular operators are making less and less on voice,’’ said analyst Nogee. “They’re looking for new revenue streams.’’ But Nogee added that in a year or two, with so many 4G options available, wireless data service could become a lot cheaper for consumers.

Hiawatha Bray can be reached at bray@globe.com.

Arrest in $65 million U.K. jewelry heist

Well-dressed robbers fled in getaway cars after daring daytime robbery

The Associated Press

Image: Jewelry store that was robbed
This jeweler on London's New Bond Street was robbed last Thursday by two well-dressed men.

LONDON - Police said Wednesday they have arrested a suspect in connection with a daring daytime heist that netted $65 million worth of jewelry from a prominent London diamond merchant last week.

Police said the 50-year-old man, who was subsequently released on bail, is not one of two dapper dressers captured in security camera footage released by Scotland Yard on Tuesday. The footage showed two men in smart suits being let into Graff Diamonds flagship store, where police say they produced guns, briefly took a member of staff hostage and escaped in a series of getaway cars across central London.

Police believe at least two others helped the pair escape. No one was hurt in the robbery, one of the biggest in British history.

British authorities seldom release suspects' names until they are charged.

Amateur video shot outside the store appeared to capture the men's escape and screaming shoppers as a warning shot is fired into the ground.

Expensive loot
Police said the men made off with dozens of high-end rings, bracelets, necklaces and watches with a retail value of 40 million pounds, or $65 million. A full list of the 43 pilfered items was made public Wednesday: Among the jewels was a flowing flower necklace made from 272 separate diamonds and a lavish pair of triple-hoop earrings bearing no fewer than 216 gemstones.

Although the man was arrested Monday, a Scotland Yard spokeswoman said police kept news of his capture secret until now for "operational reasons." She spoke on condition of anonymity in keeping with department policy. Police declined to say what amount they set as bail.

The same store lost jewelry worth 23 million pounds, or $38 million, in 2003 when it was robbed by Nebojsa Denic, a Kosovar Serb and a member of the notorious gang of Balkan robbers known as "the Pink Panthers." Denic was caught and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Britain's Press Association news agency quoted an unnamed police source as saying that the Pink Panthers were unlikely to have been behind the latest raid.

Asked about the matter by the Associated Press, a Scotland Yard spokeswoman said only that police were keeping an open mind.

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32374044/ns/world_news-europe/


© 2009 MSNBC.com

Finally, a health care protester we all can get behind

Les Paul: What I've Learned

Buzz up!

In one of his last interviews, the late father of the electric guitar looked back on how being sick made him start playing, how he got sick of playing, and how he wished he could go back to the beginning

By John H. Richardson


les paul

Chris Walter/WireImage.com

It's not technique -- it's what you have to say.

I got the mumps. They threw me in a crib so I wouldn't roll out onto the floor. And there's a big bay window in my house, and that window stayed perfectly still until that train started to chug. At a certain speed, I could reach up and feel the pane, and that glass pane would vibrate. I said, Doggone, there's got to be a reason for this. So I go to the kindergarten teacher, and she takes me to the science teacher, and the science teacher takes me to the library and reads it off to me -- "This is called resonance." That was the beginning.

The audience, they're not professionals. They just love music. It isn't necessary to play over their heads to be admired.

You can't go to the store and buy a good ear and rhythm.

I got out of the car and there was a knife in my neck. The guy says, "Don't move." And the drummer got out of the car, and he got a gun in his head. This was my entrance to the South Side of Chicago. But it was necessary, because I wanted to play jazz.

When rock came in, people didn't know what to do. Even Sinatra, he didn't know what to do. The music was changing. And it's changing now.

Last time I saw Count Basie, he was in a wheelchair. They wheeled him up onto the stage, he sits down at the piano, and he gives the downbeat, and that band played like they were in heaven. And right in the middle, the band cuts. He had to take one hand and put the other on it, and he comes down with one note. And it was the greatest note I ever heard in my life.

I gave up the guitar in 1965. Didn't want to see a guitar. I'd go out and get drunk. When I came out of the heart surgery, the doc said, "Promise me you'll work hard." I said, "I thought working hard is what got me here." He said, "No, working is what will keep you alive."

There are times when you want to go where you used to go and you can't go there. So I'm back to Count Basie lifting his hand. And I find you can stop that show with one note just like you can with a hundred.

I better go play now.

Interviewed by John H. Richardson, September 1, 2008


Read more: http://www.esquire.com/features/what-ive-learned/les-paul-quotes-0109?src=digg#ixzz0OAP8RKFO

Scientists Make Oxygen Out of Moon Rock

by Lisa Zyga moon rock

Enlarge

Scientists have developed a method to produce oxygen from moon rock. Image credit: NASA.

(PhysOrg.com) -- If humans ever create a lunar base, one of the biggest challenges will be figuring out how to breathe. Transporting oxygen to the moon is extremely expensive, so for the past several years NASA has been looking into other possibilities. One idea is extracting oxygen from moon rock.

Recently, Derek Fray, a materials chemist from the University of Cambridge, and his colleagues have built a reactor that uses oxides in Moon rocks as the cathode in an

to produce oxygen.

The design is based on a process that the researchers invented in 2000 that produces carbon dioxide. In this design, the scientists pass a current between the cathode and an anode made of carbon, with both electrodes sitting in an electrolyte solution of molten calcium chloride, a common salt. The current removes oxygen atoms from the cathode, which are then ionized and dissolve in the molten salt. The negatively charged oxygen is attracted to the carbon anode, where it erodes the anode and produces carbon dioxide.

To produce oxygen rather than , the researchers made an unreactive anode using a mixture of calcium titanate and calcium ruthenate instead of the carbon. Because this anode barely erodes, the reaction between the oxygen ions and anode produces oxygen.

Based on experiments with a simulated lunar rock developed by NASA, the researchers calculate that three one-meter-tall reactors could generate one tonne of oxygen per year on the Moon. Each tonne of oxygen would require three tonnes of rock to produce. Fray noted that three reactors would require about 4.5 kilowatts of power, which could be supplied by solar panels or possibly a small on the Moon. The researchers are also working with the on developing an even larger reactor that could be operated remotely.

As a recent story in Nature News reports, other researchers are also developing methods for oxygen extraction. For instance, Donald Sadoway at MIT is working on a high-temperature technique called molten salt electrolysis. Here, the Moon rock is molten and acts as the electrolyte itself. Sadoway's reactor could even be built out of the rubble on the Moon's surface called regolith.

NASA and the ESA are strongly encouraging this type of research. In 2008, NASA boosted its $250,000 prize to $1 million for the first team to demonstrate a method to extract five kilograms of in eight hours from simulated Moon rock. So far, the prize remains unclaimed.

via: Nature News

© 2009 PhysOrg.com

5 Guys We Won’t Go Home With

5-guys

It’s a well-known fact that guys will go home with just about anything when they’re drunk. It’s not that they’re desperate, they’re just…well, guys. And guys like sex. So it’s not surprising that you don’t exactly have to be a genius/supermodel to have a special (or not-so-special) one-night engagement with a dude at the bar.

However, women are a different story.

As much as we sometimes want to have some crazy sex, we have standards. We won’t go home with just anybody. In fact, there are some guys that we’ll never go home with. Sorry dudes, but if you’re on this list you may want to consider celibacy.

In no particular order, here are the guys you probably aren’t going to be taking home to bump uglies with any time soon (hopefully):

Sweaty, Smelly Guysweaty guy

It can get hot in the bar. Especially when there is dancing (and when I’m there, there is always dancing). However, there’s always that one guy busting a move in the middle of the dance floor who everyone seems to be avoiding. Then you see it: the dark stain spreading across his back, the beads of perspiration rolling down his face. He’s wiping his brow with his sleeve and pushing his hair off his forehead (leaving him in a Something About Mary situation).

You’re scared to even go near him, lest some sweat fly off him and land on your face or worse, in your drink. Definitely not conducive to an invitation home.

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Guy Making Out With Everyone Else At the Bar making out guy

This dude is a fun one to watch, but don’t let him get within a two foot radius of you or you’ll find his tongue in your mouth. He’s tipsy, indiscriminate, and a make-out whore. This is the guy that will probably give all your friends Herpes after licking their faces (he thinks that’s totally sexy, btw). I

f he’s between ladies when you bump into him, you’ll recognize him by his Christian Audigier outfit and excessively gelled hair. In fact, you may even smell him as soon as you step into the bar, because he pretty much bathes in Axe body spray.

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Creepy Creeper Guycreeper

I can see him now…clutching his drink, eyes narrowed and staring, and wearing clothes that don’t quite fit the bar atmosphere (oversized short-sleeve button down, anyone?). This is the dude that makes you feel more than slightly uncomfortable when you’re breaking it down with your friends. His eyes will follow you around that dance floor, but even if you’re shoved right up next to him by some freak crowd accident, he still won’t talk to you. He’s just gonna sit there and hold his drink while staring at all the dancers. If you actually do get him to talk (although why you would, I have no idea), be warned that he’s probably a mumbler and will say something odd about a hobby of his or give you a creepy compliment. Unfortunately, due to his excessive creepiness, Mr. Stares Too Much probably won’t have anyone to bring home to see his doll collection.

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Oversized Bouncer With Neckbeardneck beard

We’ve all been stuck outside a club staring down a massive hulk of a man called a bouncer. Thoughts, crazy thoughts, fly through our heads as we imagine the alcohol-fueled hijinks that are going on inside without us. Should we flirt with him to get in sooner? Tip him? Flash him?! Wait – slow down a second. This dude has a neckbeard. And more body mass than you and your friends put together. What could a few more minutes of waiting hurt? The real danger is later when Mr. Bouncer Man is off duty and creeping through the club for some ladies. By that time you’ve had a couple drinks and appreciate his all-black ensemble. However, there’s no way you’re gonna get past your reservations about his neck roll and douchebag diamond earring. Mr. Bouncer Man is going home alone tonight.

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Older Guy Who Doesn’t Really Belong At the Barcreepy old guy

Is he a professor? Someone’s dad? Just a creepy old dude? You never can tell with this one. Homie came to the bar because he wants to score some young hotties and too bad for him because we’re not gonna take any part in that. You may brush past him at one point and recognize the same cologne that your dad wears. And he’s definitely sporting some Tommy Bahama up in there.

Oh yeah, and that’s probably a wedding band he’s surreptitiously slipping off his finger to hide in his pocket (right next to the pictures of his kids). Unless you have a strange Daddy Fantasy, then Older Guy will have to finish his whiskey soda and go home alone.