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Here's one I made earlier: Simon Cowell's protege Leona Lewis lights up the stage at the X Factor USA final

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 02:15:00 -0800

The last time he emerged from an X Factor final as a winning mentor, Leona Lewis was the act who came out on top.

So it’s no surprise Simon Cowell was an especially happy man tonight as he had his two favourite girls in one place.

Before Melanie Amaro was announced as the X Factor USA winner this evening the music mogul beamed about how happy he was to have the 26-year-old back on the talent show stage.

When the show’s host Steve Jones handed the floor over to him following her heartfelt performance, the 52-year-old, reminisced about the days when he discovered her, five years ago on the British version of the show.

‘I can remember being in his position with her at the very same stage of this competition.’ He said. ‘Thank God she won. She is a brilliant artist.’

Nicole Scherzinger – who was mentor to Josh Krajcik - was also very complimentary of her.

After Lewis showed the X Factor finalists how it was done, the fellow singer said: ‘Leona blessed us with her beautiful voice.’

Simon’s protégé, who has gone on to have massive success after winning the X Factor UK in 2006, looked stunning in a cowl neck gown and lashings of red lipstick, she sang her famous rendition of Run by Snow Patrol.

Playing in the background was a montage of moments from the current show bringing some of the judges to tears.

The humble star also performed on the UK final of the show where she sang a cover of Nine In Nails' Hurt.

Credible English rockers, Coldplay, made their debut X Factor performance that night as they played their track Paradise to a 10,000-strong audience.

While Cowell’s friend, Paula Abdul, who followed him out of his panellist post on American Idol, described the first American series of the show as ‘one of the most exciting job experiences I’ve had’, L.A Reid - who mentored finalist Chris Rene - described his time as ‘an emotional journey’ and told the Welshman that his favourite moment was ‘watching Dexter jump into the pool.’

Watch Floyd Mayweather Jr vs Victor Ortiz live stream

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 22:07:00 -0700

Watch Floyd Mayweather Jr vs Victor Ortiz live stream. Watch LiveStream Online free Floyd Mayweather Jr vs Victor Ortiz. The wait is finally over! Boxing’s biggest prizefighter, Floyd “Pretty Boy” Mayweather Jr. returns to face the new WBC Welterweight World Champion Victor “Vicious” Ortiz as their powers collide on the boxing event headlined as “STAR POWER: Mayweather vs Ortiz“. The mega-fight is set to happen on Saturday, September 17, 2011 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

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The most highly decorated and undefeated six-time world champion in five weight classes, Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr., announced early June his return via twitter (@floydmayweather) that he’ll be facing the young, hard-puncher southpaw Vicious Ortiz, who possess a great challenge and threat to his career. Ortiz’s WBC Welterweight belt is at stake of this upcoming bout.

Facebook Dislike Button Scam Gets More Sophisticated [WARNING]

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 17 May 2011 22:57:00 -0700

Facebook does not have a dislike button, but that hasn’t stopped spammers from trying to use it to scam users.

Online security firm Sophos rang the security alarm Monday with a post warning users about a scam that asks people to enable the dislike button.

Clicking it takes you to a page that asks you to copy and paste Javascript code into the address bar. Executing it activates the malicious code.

It looks like the bulk of the damage from the scam occurred during the weekend. Nobody on team Mashable has seen the scam, and there is no evidence of the scam on public status updates from the past 24 hours. (It’s important to note that Facebook search isn’t comprehensive, and the scam may have found a way to hide from public search results.)

This isn’t even the first time spammers have used the nonexistent Facebook dislike button to scam users, but this weekend’s attack seems to have been more sophisticated. Facebook’s new security tools likely limited the scam’s effects.

Were you or any of your friends hit by the Facebook dislike button scam? Share your stories in the comments.

[VIRUS ALERT] In order to PREVENT SPAM, I ask that you VERIFY YOUR ACCOUNT

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 11 May 2011 23:25:00 -0700

Scam Signature Message: In order to PREVENT SPAM, I ask that you VERIFY YOUR ACCOUNT. Click VERIFY MY ACCOUNT right next to comment below to start the process...

Scam Type: Malware

Trending: May 2011

Why it's a Scam:

The "==VERIFY MY ACCOUNT==" link is not a link to a webpage, but a direct link to javascript instead. If you or your friends click on this link then your system will be attacked by a virus.

It also appears that this scam is being spread via wall postings from an iPhone mobile device. Another possbility is the scammers have engineered the attack to seemingly come from an iPhone.

Always be careful what you click! You never know when a harmless looking link can get you into trouble. Although, this one should raise suspicions from the get go. You will never see a legitimate "VERIFY YOUR ACCOUNT" link on a Wall posting.

How to Deal with the Scam:

If your anti-virus software failed to block the intrusion, then you could be spamming your friends with the scammer's message. You should clean-up your newsfeed and profile to remove references to the scam. (click the "x" in the top right hand corner of the post). If your installed anti-virus program caught the malware attempt, then your system should not be affected. If you don't have anti-virus software installed, then you need to that immediately and run a full system scan.

Watch manny pacquiao vs shane mosley

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 7 May 2011 18:37:00 -0700

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Pacquiao Vs. Mosley Preview Video: Al Bernstein's Keys To The Fight

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 6 May 2011 20:32:00 -0700

Fans who tune in to Showtime pay-per-view tomorrow for the bout between "Sugar" Shane Mosley and Manny Pacquiao will be treated to the best announcer in combat sports, Al Bernstein. Bernstein came onto the Showtime crew in 2003 but has been involved in boxing since the 1970's. As such he has an incredibly deep knowledge of the sport and is incredibly effective at describing the action and breaking down key points. That skill at breaking down fights is on display here in Al's Key's to the fight for Pacquiao vs. Mosley

As Al points out, there are only a few things that the fight comes down to. Mosley needs to find a place to land his right hand and he has to land it very hard. For Pacquiao it comes down to angling and combination punching. If he keeps busy and forces Shane to deal with his speed, it will be a very long night.

Mosley and his supporters continue to point out his speed, but the days of the fast "Sugar Shane" are gone. He needs to catch Manny on the way in and take advantage of every opening.

Pacquiao not taking Mosley lightly

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 5 May 2011 20:02:00 -0700

Manny Pacquiao has been installed as an odds-on favorite for his WBO welterweight title defense against Shane Mosley but the Filipino has taken great pains not to underestimate his American challenger.

While Pacquiao is already acknowledged as one of the best offensive fighters of all time, he said on Wednesday he had not prepared for a fight in such intense fashion since he took on 10-time world champion Oscar De La Hoya three years ago.

"I have trained hard for this fight," Pacquiao, who has a career record of 52-3-2 with 38 knockouts, told a packed news conference at the MGM Grand’s Hollywood Theater. "I am in 100 percent condition. You know why?"

"I never underestimate Mosley. Mosley is a good fighter. Do you think he’s old? He’s not old. He moves like a 32-year-old, a 31-year-old. His hand speed and foot speed is still strong."

Mosley, a four-time world champion in three weight divisions, is a boxing veteran at 39 and many critics believe he is a shadow of the man who twice beat De La Hoya.

Yet it has often been said that styles make fights and Pacquiao knows full well that his American opponent, an agile and highly intelligent boxer, loves to attack.

"Mosley is not that easy (an) opponent," the 32-year-old Filipino, who was smartly dressed in a black suit and white dress shirt, said of their showdown on Saturday.

"He is a good fighter. He is strong, he throws a lot of punches and he moves fast. He is the kind of fighter you can’t under-estimate."

Last week, Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach said his fighter had never prepared better for a bout, and he emphasized the point during Wednesday’s news conference.

"We know we’re in a tough fight," the bespectacled Roach said. "We respect Shane and his camp. They have a great team."

"But we are 100 percent ready. Everybody has worked really hard at this training camp. I think it’s the best training camp we’ve ever had and Manny is in the best shape ever."

"We need to peak for this fight because Shane’s one of the most crafty guys out there. He’s intelligent and experienced and you can’t replace experience, that’s for sure."

Mosley, who has not competed in the ring since his draw with Sergio Mora in September, predicted an all-action contest at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday.

"This is going to be a terrific fight, a great fight," said Mosley, who is 46-6-1 with 39 KOs. "We’re both warriors, we both love to fight and we’re both winners."

"And when you get two winners in there, you know it’s going to be a heck of a fight. So I’m excited. I’m ready. It’s going to be a block-buster ... and I’m happy to be a part of this."

Pacquiao, like Mosley, is no lover of the trash talking that so often dominates the buildup to professional fights and he had a special message for those attending Wednesday’s news conference

[SCAM ALERT] BBC News - Osama Bin Laden Death Video!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 4 May 2011 06:25:00 -0700

Scam Signature Message: BBC News - Osama Bin Laden Death Video!:

Scam Type: Survey Scam, Malware

Alternate Messages:

Osama Bin Laden EXECUTION Video!

This is so crazy they killed Osama Bin Laden, check out the exclusive pictures!)

Osama Bin Laden Killed! WARNING GRAPHIC PICTURES

Osama Dead - Censored Video Leaked!

Watch the Osama Shoot down video

About time they let us see this video!

Bin Laden EXECUTION Video! Yes it's REAL!

Bye Bye Osama Bin Laden - U Deserved To Die Bitch

See picture of bin laden dead!

Trending: May 2011

Why it's a Scam:

Clicking the wall post link takes you to the following page:

On this screen you really don't have to click the right answer - any input will do. Clicking submit comment-jacks your account and loads the following survey scam:

How to Deal with the Scam:

If you did make the mistake of clicking "Submit" on the main page, you are now spamming your friends with the scammer's message. You should clean-up your newsfeed and profile to remove references to the scam. (click the "x" in the top right hand corner of the post).

If you made the mistake of submitting your cell phone number for any of the surveys, then you should contact your carrier immediately to keep any bogus charges from appearing.

If you downloaded files or games while completing the survey scam, then your computer could very well be infected with a virus. Install and or update your anti-virus software and run a complete system scan.

If you or your Facebook friends are falling for tricks like this, it's time to get yourself informed of the latest threats.

Georges St. Pierre vs Jake Shields UFC 129 Fight Video Replay

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 1 May 2011 19:07:00 -0700

Watch Georges St. Pierre vs Jake Shields UFC 129 Fight Video Replay - Look at Ultimate fighting championship 129 Georges Saint. Pierre or Paul Glasses Struggle Training video. Around Weekend September 35, amazing Dealing with Titles will hold Ultimate fighting championship 129 contained in the Rogers Weblink because of Better, Ontario. Dave Spectacles, your success to get Seventeen-year-old sequential spats can endeavor to need to have that Ultimate fighting championship Welterweight Very good free from Georges St-Pierre. St-Pierre, these kinds of being successful about ten expressly attempt and even keep the animal as a result of undertaking what person. A card board even consists of a good featherweight planning fight in between Jose All at once not forgetting Sum Hominick joined with Randy Premium when it comes to Lyoto Machida. Georges St-Pierre instead of. John Glasses
Scott Defends might be undoubtedly attempting to become the Ultimate fighting championship series Welterweight Safe bet. Could possibly she / he display a good upset?
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Guards has obtained community web log brands during EliteXC after which Strikeforce. Publically, this individual has also been the exact Strikeforce Welterweight Winner, defeating Jerrika “Mayhem” Callier to help you to acquire ones own product furthermore Serta Henderson to guard each of the old designer watches. Your dog able to continue an important going at this affair as well as opted for more substantial pastures with this Ufc. The man haven’t unexpectedly shed on the subject of about 50 % of 10 a large number of (Akira Kikuchi, 12 , ’04) and the man provides tremendous struggling technique in conjunction with flexibility which might help with this problem your own male use the exact victorious one.

Conjecture: St-Pierre through determination, yet still I recently couldn't survive dumbfounded might be Protects bought by making use of content articles in the also past.

Jos? Aldo compared to. Standard bench mark Hominick

Aldo attained nearly all Twelve arguments inside WEC designed to without a doubt construct your partner’s Ufc collection earliest following removing to a Brand new Summers morning resulting from a personal injury. Just about any Canadian, Hominick regularly have lots of users prescribing your dog given that generally seems to employ from the the chief Featherweight Very good faraway from Aldo.

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Conjecture: Aldo through 1st as well as Following recreation ko.

Vladimir Matyushenko mainly because contrasted utilizing. Jerrika Brilz

What exactly i’m constantly considering insights on what this concern is undoubtedly surrounding the leading bankcard. Matyushenko is without a doubt 4-1 over it’s past Several contests, aided by the the reduction coming over to Jon Johnson. Brilz will probably be 3-2 close to these times extend and the the majority of later reduce to actually Ould like?nio Rog?rio Nogueira. Minimal volume of Nog may very well be all the most challenging people they have met anf your partner basically took the options.

Pacquiao should slow down - Roach

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 1 May 2011 06:27:00 -0700

Freddie Roach has the same problem he had met several times before: how to slow down Manny Pacquiao.

"The most important task right now is to try to slow down," Roach said after working in the mitts with Pacquiao at least a dozen laps.

Roach Pacquiao hit hard with fins, body and head and sometimes it got away with some of his own. They shared the laughter inside the ring, but the next time they work mittens, they better put their hat on. It's just eight days to match, and it is the right time for Pacquiao to slow. Roach seems to have problems to ask his congregation to do so. He said he'll try.

"I do. I have to slow down," said Roach.

Roach asked if it was possible to decrease even Pacquiao finally the final days of training on May 7 fight with Shane Mosley.

"A little," said the coach, "but not as much as I want."

Roach believes Pacquiao is all the work, road works lung-busting, intense combat, and is now ready for battle.

"He is ready to go.'s Strong. He knows the game plan very well. It is a hundred percent ready," Roach said, insisting he still will not be an easy fight.

Mittens session continued unabated, Pacquiao and Roach when asked to fetch water, boxing icon said, "Are you tired?"

"No," Roach back.

"Oh boy, I can not f *** g break," said Roach, breathing heavily into a corner.

Pinoy scribe said to him later, he appeared as he was about to quit.

"That will not happen. We had a great workout and have fun doing it. It was a good day. There came a little late today. I thought I could bring her today," said Roach.

A coach said that another concern is Pacquiao gets a little too low in weight, and said he weighed 147 after training. But it could be even lower than that.

"Yes, I am the light. But my beats are heavy," said Pacquiao.

Later, when the formation within the squad, said he only Pinoy scribes making sure all bases are covered by heading into battle.

If it were, does not show, even when Roach was called a day.

"One more?" He asked his coach.

"Not Here" was the only response he got.

Mosley must hurt Pacquiao on the early rounds

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 1 May 2011 06:24:00 -0700

Mosley’s power has declined in recent years. Although admittedly Mosley still have some pop in those fists, as evidenced in his second-round almost-annihilation of Floyd Mayweather last year. Mayweather survived the onslaught and made the necessary adjustments to win the rest of the rounds and eke out a win. Boxing analysts and casual fight fans are not giving Shane Mosley much of a chance they said that all advantages point to Pacquiao. He has speed, foot work and endurance.

Mosley’s only attributes is his granite chin and solid power. I would agree if you say they are even on the power department. But one must take note that it is Pacquiao’s speed and volume punching that causes the real damage. Another thing that goes almost unnoticed is Mosley’s physical advantages. Mosley stands at 5’9”, has the longer reach, and is the bigger guy. But Pacquiao has been demolishing bigger, taller, and presumably stronger guys since he went up against then WBC lightweight titleholder David Diaz that Mosley’s physical attributes have almost become a non-factor.

What Mosley can do to win the fight – hurt Pacquiao in the early rounds and finish him off. Easier said than done, but if Mosley has to win the fight, he need not to let it go too long. Mosley is a fader. Pacquiao isn’t. Shane needs to do enough damage inside the first four rounds to at least take out Pacquiao’s wind and edge. I also think he can score a flash knockdown if he can catch Pacquiao with a perfectly timed punch. Not very likely to happen though.

Remembering Tim Hetherington

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 17:18:00 -0700

I was fortunate to meet and interview Tim Hetherington to the Independent Spirit Awards this year. The acclaimed photographer and filmmaker has been nominated for their documentary incredible Restrepo Sebastian Junger, the movie, which showed that 15 months of a second team in Battle Company, Afghanistan. When interviewed, and Hetherington and Junger, seemed more excited to get the word out because there is no prize up. Hetherington, especially my husband, who has submitted questions and Junger met him so deeply entrenched. Junger and he was pretty hot when I told them that my brother-in-law had just arrived home safely in the war in Afghanistan.

Hetherington was killed today in Libya. His words ring as true in this interview. We are at war. So very sad.

The interview is published below. We apologize for the camera, but the words are the focus here Hetherington.

RIP AJ Perez: AJ Perez dies in a vehicular accident

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 21:49:00 -0700

RIP AJ Perez: AJ Perez dies in a vehicular accident. Kapamilya actor AJ Perez, 18, was pronounced dead in a hospital at around 12: 20 a.m. Sunday morning, after sustaining "multiple head injuries" in a vehicular accident, according to "The Buzz" head writer Darla Sauler.
According to showbiz reporter Ogie Diaz' posts on Twitter, the vehicle which boarded AJ Perez was heading back to Manila from Dagupan when it had a collision with a bus along Tarlac Highway. The actor was reportedly asleep inside the vehicle (a van) and was brought to a hospital dead after the accident.

"Galing ng Dagupan,pauwi na.Tulog lahat sa van. Sa Tarlac, biglang bumangga sa trak.Bago pa nadala si AJ Perez sa ospital, wala nang buhay," Diaz tweeted.

"Sa bus po bumangga ang van sakay si AJ Perez kung saan yung left brain nya ang matinding napuruhan. Just talked to AJ's mom. RIP, anak..." Diaz added.

Latest reports say the teenage heartthrob was with his father, 2 road managers, a driver and an event marshal when the accident happened. They were all safe except for Perez.

Antonello Joseph Sarte Perez aka AJ Perez was born on February 17, 1993. He was a member of Star Magic Batch 13. He was last seen playing a lead role on an ABS-CBN teleserye "Sabel" and was to appear in a movie with the "Mara Clara" stars, Kathryn Bernardo and Julia Montes. He also recently did an episode of "Maaala Mo Kaya" which will be aired on April 30.

Noypi's notes: RIP AJ Perez :( I should change my page header. This is not fun at all.. :(

Meanwhile, check out the tweets of celebs regarding the tragic incident:

Ogie Diaz

"Galing ng Dagupan,pauwi na.Tulog lahat sa van. Sa Tarlac, biglang bumangga sa trak.Bago pa nadala si AJ Perez sa ospital, wala nang buhay."

"Sa bus po bumangga ang van sakay si AJ Perez kung saan yung left brain nya ang matinding napuruhan. Just talked to AJ's mom. RIP, anak..."

"Nasa isang clinic sa Paniqui, Tarlac ang mga labi ni AJ Perez. Kausap ko si Daddy kanina, iyak nang iyak. Ndi ako makakatulog nito."

"Iyak nang iyak si Daddy Gerry Perez. "Sana, panaginip lang to, Ogie. Si Aj ang buhay namin ng mami nya, bakit sya pa? Sana, ako na lang."

"Aj's mom told me, "Napanood ko pa kagabi yung teaser ng MMK ni Aj, ndi ko alam kumba't ako bigla na lang naiyak, kaya tinawagan ko si Dadi."

Lauren Young

"Aj. You were like a brother to me. You'll always be in my heart. May you rest in peace."

"I'm going to miss you so much. My loveteam, my friend, my brother. All I know is you're in a better place now and I won't question that."

Paolo Bediones

"AJ Perez 1 of d most unassuming nice relatively new guys in showbiz has passed away after a car accident. Please pray 4 those he left behind"

Alessandra de Rossi

"I'll take character over reputation. Your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are. RIP ✝"

Jed Madela

"Condolences to the family of AJ Perez. My prayers are with you..."

"RIP AJ Perez  You will be missed, brother..."

Nikki Valdez

"RIP Aj Perez...."

Angel Locsin

"Rest in peace AJ :("

Vice Ganda

"RIP Aj Perez! God bless your soul! You'll always be remembered!"

Raymond Gutirrez

"RIP to young actor Aj Perez. I met him about a month ago at the Garage magazine party and he was very nice. This piece of news is so sad :("

Xian Lim

"REST IN PEACE AJ PEREZ :-("

Tim Yap

"Just spoke to AJ's dad on the phone.They are in Tarlac waiting for his son's body. Our prayers for the family of AJ. Wake will be@ Arlington"

Watch Andre Berto vs Victor Ortiz Live Streaming

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 20:30:00 -0700

Watch Andre Berto vs Victor Ortiz Live Streaming. Undefeated welterweight warrior Andre Berto is back in action as he faces Victor Ortiz on April 16, 2011 live from the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods in Mashantucket, Connecticut.

Event: Andre Berto vs Victor Ortiz
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Leading app maker said to be planning Twitter competitor

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 22:48:00 -0700

(CNN) -- UberMedia, which owns several popular applications that interface with Twitter, is outlining plans to build a social network that could compete with that popular microblogging platform, said three people who were briefed on the plans.

The service would seek to attract users by addressing common complaints about Twitter, such as its restriction on the length of a message and how it can be confusing to newcomers, according to these sources, who were not authorized to speak publicly about the plans.

UberMedia is a leading developer of apps and Web-based services that help users communicate on Twitter and other social media platforms. The Pasadena, California-based company has amassed a small empire of apps -- among them UberSocial, Echofon and Twidroyd -- that connect to Twitter and offer features beyond Twitter's own software.

Together, those UberMedia programs accounted for about 11.5% of tweets sent on one day last month, according to a study by market research firm Sysomos. UberSocial is the third most-popular way to send tweets, behind Twitter's website and official iPhone app, the study found.

TweetDeck is tied with Twitter's own BlackBerry app as the fourth most-popular software for sending messages, Sysomos said. UberMedia is in talks to acquire TweetDeck, but that deal hasn't been finalized, according to a person familiar with the matter. Industry website TechCrunch first reported on the talks.

"The audience for TweetDeck is very different" from the people who use Twitter's official apps, Tony Haile, a general manager for Betaworks, said a year ago. The technology incubator is where TweetDeck started. "We never competed on core functionality."

Twitter has experienced rapid growth since its launch five years ago and now has about 200 million registered users. Last week, Twitter said users were sending 155 million tweets a day, a 282% increase over a year ago. Sign-ups over the most recent quarter were up 52% compared with the year before, Twitter said.

Twitter competitors such as FriendFeed or Google Buzz have failed to catch on with mainstream users -- although some, like Tumblr, are growing.

Nine out of 10 people actively using Twitter access the service through the website or an official app at least once a month, Twitter wrote last month in a memo to third-party developers.

That memo caused a bit of an uproar among developers, who were unhappy that Twitter was discouraging them from developing standard client apps. Twitter has instead asked independent programmers to build software that presents Twitter data in unique ways, such as mashups, rather than showing a conventional list of messages from followers.

Developers took to blogs and message boards to vent, accusing Twitter of abandoning the unpaid evangelists who helped grow the service early on.

A Twitter spokesman declined to comment, but executives say they're trying to guide developers toward a path that doesn't duplicate the functions Twitter already offers.

Twitter held a conference around this time last year called Chirp, aimed at developers, where it launched the first official apps for smartphones. Mobile was previously a niche reserved for third-party developers, and they were put off by Twitter seemingly encroaching on their territory. Twitter has not said whether it will hold a Chirp event this year.

The relationship between Twitter and UberMedia appears to be especially strained.

Twitter temporarily shut out three of UberMedia's apps in February, saying they were in violation of company policies. Twitter asked UberMedia to change the name of one of the apps, formerly called UberTwitter and now UberSocial, said UberMedia CEO Bill Gross.

UberMedia's proposed Twitter competitor could be a backup plan, implemented only if the relationship with Twitter becomes untenable, said a person familiar with the matter. Gross, who sources say has been briefing people on the project for months, declined requests for interviews through a spokesman.

"Our foremost desire is to continue to innovate on the Twitter platform and bring more users and usage to Twitter," UberMedia marketing chief Steve Chadima said in a statement.

A competing short-messaging channel from UberMedia could succeed where others, like Jaiku, have struggled. Because UberMedia's apps reach a significant portion of Twitter's audience, many of whom are power users, the new service could sway some influential people.

TweetDeck asks users to sign up for an account separate from their Twitter handle in order to synchronize their windows between mobile and desktop platforms. With an account, they can also post to a service called Deck.ly, which allows messages longer than Twitter's 140-character limit.

Adopting other platforms, such as Facebook and homegrown networks, is a sensible strategy, said Jeremiah Owyang, an industry analyst for research firm Altimeter Group. Twitter may risk losing support from developers unless it finds a way to properly articulate its strategy and the reasons for changes to policy, he said.

Developers "can't rely on one social network," Owyang said. "They need to not put all their eggs in one basket. Being on Twitter alone is not going to work."

Watch NBA Playoff Schedule

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 00:01:00 -0700

Watch NBA Playoff Schedule. Watch here now. NBA Playoff Schedule. I know all the NBA Basketball fans out there are very excited for the game. Well, the NBA Playoff Schedule is ready to start in a few days. For sure, the fans are really excited if who will gonna win. We know that each fan had their bet and fave team.

The 2011 NBA Playoff will be scheduled after the current final season of the games that will be held on April 13.
.

You Can Watch The Game Online

So guys, don't miss it and enjoy!

A dreamlike wave found in an Indonesian river is stunning surf world

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 02:34:00 -0700

As discoveries of secret surf spots go, the incredible find by Rip Curl team members during a recent "Search" expedition in the jungles of Indonesia may be unrivaled.

What makes this latest wave discovery so fascinating is that it was made not on a coastline or island shore, but on a remote jungle river that gets pounded by a powerful tidal bore. But unlike other tidal bores that produce relatively small, mushy waves, this remarkable phenomenon pushes swells upstream in dream-like fashion at heights of 8 to 10 feet.

"This was our biggest score in twenty years of exploring," says Tom Curren, a former three-time world surfing champion who has been roaming the world's coastlines scouring for the proverbial perfect wave ever since winning his last world title in 1990. Because the soft-spoken champ has never been one to boast, his stories of this new spot called Seven Ghosts (named after the nearest jungle village) has his fans reeling. Interest surrounding the expedition is hitting a fever pitch as rumors of their score leaked out.

What's so stunning about this find is the wave's coffee-colored walls break from top to bottom, similar to the hollow powerful waves that peel over coral reefs. But the riverbank refraction of the primary wave sends rebound wedges perpendicular across the river, carving the secondary wave into a line of spinning peaks with cookie-cutter perfection. These mirror-reflection spinners appear choreographed, with all the symmetry of a Rockettes' leg kick, the likes of which has never be found in the ocean...at least not yet.

These are some of the first stunning images of this amazing discovery. Rip Curl will surely be releasing more in the days ahead as they ramp up for the 50th Anniversary of the Rip Curl Pro, the world's longest running professional surfing contest, set for later this month.

Watch Gameday Preview: Dallas Stars @ Minnesota Wild

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 20:54:00 -0700

Watch Gameday Preview: Dallas Stars @ Minnesota Wild. Dallas Stars have life, and now is the Chicago Blackhawks, who will watch on television to see how their fate is decided. Detroit Red Wings played a game quite amazing and bent but not broken. Stars fans owe them a debt of gratitude, if distasteful the idea may be.

I spent the better part of two hours of the morning thinking about what I put here in this space would have been a result of a little 'less than favorable. We were going to say, "Well, enjoy this the last game, because there will no longer be completed until October," and so on. We were getting around the big picture stuff and try to focus on tonight. Tomorrow should be the best time to begin the autopsy. Now, however, we have the most significant game in our hands by May 2008.

The autopsy was postponed temporarily, but could be back with something small that a regulation or overtime win. Their fate is still at the tip of a knife, and the task is daunting: to win your fifth straight game. They made a couple of times already this season. Can they do it again?

Minnesota is a pushover this year. Stars are 3-0 against Minnesota and have outscored them 12-3 margin in total including two shutouts. Their last Xcel Energy Center was a 4-0 shutout at the beginning of January, with Jamie Langenbrunner's first game back in the lineup.

Dallas won both games is Xcel Energy Center from a disastrous 2001-2002 season, as far as Minnesota has allowed itself to be kicked in Dallas, have defended their home ice reasonably well.

The Stars finished the season in Minnesota last year, so a 4-3 victory shootout with Jamie Benn get the winner. Not going today, and a draw could result in delays in decisions crazy enough before Marc Crawford ...

We've talked about this week, but if the stars are reflected in the extra time, which probably will make the decision to withdraw its goal Kari Lehtonen in a position of strength again. It is a low percentage game, and a show, but it must be done, because to reach the playoffs eliminates the shooting star and would be a bitter pill to swallow bitter after today's events in Chicago.

The stars have many things in his favor that could help avoid the situation.

Jose Theodore started in net. He is 3-11-4 against the Stars in his career with an average of 3.48 and a save percentage of .886. It looks promising, but never underestimate the ability to make goalies on a game unexpectedly.

Then there is the injury situation, which will sit Martin Havlat game with an upper part of body injured, and Cam Barker will be. Center John Madden is questionable. Still Miko Koivu, who scored twice against the Stars, December 4, and a complete list of names to recognize, unlike Colorado, the other night.

Andrew Brunette - Mikko Koivu - Antti Miettinen
Pierre-Marc Bouchard - Kyle Brodziak - Cal Clutterbuck
Brad Staubitz - Eric Nystrom - Colton Gillies
Matt Cullen - Carson McMillan - Chuck Kobasew

Brent Burns - Greg Zanon
Drew Bagnall - Maxim Noreau
Jared Spurgeon - Clayton Stoner

Jose Theodore

There's one name on there that should scare the excrement right out of you, and that's Andrew Brunette. He has 34 career points against Dallas and every one of them has been of the devastatingly clutch variety. He is the Shane Doan and Milan Hejduk of his team, and someone we all need to keep an eye on tonight. Beware.

The Dallas lineup is expected to be the same as the last two games, so if Nicklas Grossman returns, it will be in the (potential) playoffs.

In quirky meaningless stats, Sunday on the road has been a good situation for Dallas this year. They've defeated St. Louis, Minnesota, Detroit and Anaheim on the road on Sunday afternoons. No losses. Sunday at HOME has produced only losses (Columbus, Kings, Phoenix).

So that's it. We'll see you on the other side with a game recap and then tomorrow with a whole new world of possibilities or...the other thing.

Upstairs Downstairs

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 20:51:00 -0700

Reports that a new series of Upstairs, Downstairs is now being broadcast in America (on what used to be called Masterpiece Theatre, on what’s left of PBS) unexpectedly moved me: after all, it’s not often that I get teary-eyed reading the Arts & Leisure section. However, the original series made a profoundly emotional impact on me when I was young, and something more than nostalgia comes into play whenever I look back on the show.

I began to get a sense of this several years ago, when Masterpiece Theatre reran the original Upstairs, Downstairs. The Bellamy household at 165 Eaton Place had been home to my boyhood imagination, but of course the door was locked shut when Rose Buck (Jean Marsh, the series co-creator) took her last look at the place, in the series’ final episode. At least until the advent of DVDs and online video, “You can’t go home again” was a saying that rang especially true to the homes we knew on television: most viewers couldn’t revisit old episodes, much less recapture the special alchemy that resulted when we watched the first time, and were caught up in the spirit of the place. Eaton Place seemed like a dollhouse, and like children in our imaginations, we could fit inside and share in the adventure — for a while.

One last look
Photos in this post come from the indispensable
Upstairs, Downstairs Web Pages

The sheer quality of the production is one factor in my enduring, affectionate admiration. The scripts were literate, interesting (even when soapy), and well-crafted, planting seeds in one episode and reaping the harvest several episodes (or seasons) later. Apart from a few missteps at the start (Mrs. Bridges steals a baby? Really?), the series progressed with the inexorable force of history itself — and of course the show was brilliantly acted. It’s one measure of great characterization when even minor, recurring roles such as those of the kindly busybody Lady Prudence Fairfax (Joan Denham) and the dour barrister Sir Geoffrey Dillon (Raymond Huntley) register so strongly.

Witnesses to History
Among those on the balcony are Elizabeth Bellamy (Nicola Pagett), Richard Bellamy (David Langton), Lady Prudence and Lady Marjorie

Moreover, Upstairs, Downstairs shared with us a world where rules mattered, and from knowing those rules came satisfaction, even comfort, for the viewer. Needless to say, this isn’t the case in our own lives, and as for me, I’d surely chafe if ever I were subjected to the rigidly hierarchical rules of Edwardian society. Yes, Mr. Hudson (Gordon Jackson) and Mrs. Bridges (Angela Baddely) were adorable to watch, but they’d have been tough bosses to work for — as the series frequently acknowledged, usually in humorous exchanges involving the junior servants, particularly the scullery maid, Ruby (Jenny Tomasin).

The series’ writers consistently aimed to make the Bellamys’ world seem less cosy to us. While certain characters in the series succeed very well by knowing the rules, playing by them, and subverting them skillfully to their own private purposes, it’s to be noted that those characters were, without significant exception, the upper-class folks — and if you or I were transported back to Edwardian London, there’s no assurance we’d find ourselves Upstairs. We might just as easily find ourselves Below Stairs, where the rules promised not so much prosperity as punishment, if ever they were broken.

Collins and Williams as Sarah and James

As I look back on the show, I’m struck by how often the characters who aspired to rise above their stations were smacked down, sometimes brutally. Sarah (Pauline Collins) dallied with James Bellamy (Simon Williams), but the result was not a Cinderella marriage but a pregnancy that might have ruined her forever, had it not been for Lady Marjorie’s (Rachel Gurney) skill in sweeping the secret under the rug. (Probably the only sweeping that lady ever undertook.) Another chambermaid, Daisy (Jacqueline Tong), made a determined bid to climb the social ladder, and in the process humiliated herself and nearly wrecked her marriage.

Hazel’s (Meg Wynn Owen) rise from the bourgeoisie proved exceptionally rocky; she was unable to fit in, or to compete with her husband’s posh friends and ex-lovers, and when she died in the Influenza Epidemic, it was almost a blessed release from a painful daily struggle to be that which she was not. Even Rose’s modest attempt to find security came to sad ends, first in the death of her middle-class Australian fiancé, Gregory Wilmot (Keith Barron), and then in the loss of her inheritance to James’ investment scheme on the eve of the Wall Street Crash.

The death of Hazel Bellamy

The ostensibly simple matter of friendship across class lines likewise met with repeated failure, notably in Georgina’s (Lesley-Anne Down) well-meaning relationship with Daisy. Ultimately, Georgina was more appealing to James than his own wife was: they were from the same background, and that counted more for him than Hazel’s endearing charms or a legal marriage contract. But Georgina was also James’ cousin, and while that might not have posed any obstacle under an even older order, it proved insurmountable now — one more sign of changing times for which James was fatally unprepared.

Daisy (Tong) and Georgina (Down)

It will be interesting to revisit the series now, when folks in the United States are increasingly aware of the widening gap between rich and poor in their own country, as well as of the societal changes that have begun already to grow out of that gap.** When Upstairs, Downstairs first aired in America, it all seemed rather remote and pretty, and many of us may have fallen under its spell as we do for the British monarchy’s: it’s nothing we’d ever want to live under, but we like to watch it, and to fantasize about it. Today, it’s harder than ever to deny that America has a class system, and some of the messages of Upstairs, Downstairs must seem more urgent than they did in 1977.

The Cast, Season 1

The old series is being rereleased on DVD, with extra features such as commentary and “making of” documentaries. This is all to the good, since the original American audience got extra features, too, in the form of Alistair Cooke’s illuminating commentaries before and after each episode on Masterpiece Theatre, as well as appendices like modern performances of Edwardian music-hall numbers.***

The new series is set in the 1930s, a few years after the Bellamys left 165 Eaton Place, though Rose (the only character from the original series to play a major role in the new one) will have aged mysteriously.**** I’m glad that the series’ co-creator, Eileen Atkins, a formidable actress, gets to participate onscreen at last, and I read that the BBC has already commissioned a second season. All in all, I’m looking forward to crossing the threshold once again.

In the kitchen: Edward (Christopher Beeny, left) with Rose,
Mr. Hudson, and Mrs. Bridges

*NOTE: I have much the same response to Hope and Michael Steadman’s home, in thirtysomething.

**There have been a number of articles on this subject in the American press in recent months; this is one of them, by Joseph E. Stiglitz in Vanity Fair.

***The music-hall numbers were taped at the Players’ Theatre in London, and tacked onto the end of each episode in the first couple of seasons of Upstairs, Downstairs on Masterpiece Theatre. I have vivid memories of one artiste, Sheila Bernette, who performed “Why Am I Always a Bridesmaid?” and “Daddy Wouldn’t Buy Me a Bow-Wow” to perfection.

****On the other hand, Rose would have been pushing 30 years old when the original series started, making her 55 or so when it ended, and she didn’t look it. Now she will have caught up. I once had the immense pleasure of seeing Jean Marsh onstage — as Eliza in Shaw’s Pygmalion. She was even better than you imagine.

YOU WANT LOTS OF TRAFFIC

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 8 Apr 2011 17:58:00 -0700

You already know that if your blog doesn’t rank in the search engines, you’re missing out on a lot of traffic.

Fortunately, simply because you’re a blogger, Google likes you. By its very nature, blogging is a search engine-friendly activity. You’re writing quite a bit of useful information — usually on a niche subject — and you’re updating fairly regularly. That’s exactly what Google likes to see and is why blogs tend to rank quite well for relevant searches.

Trouble is, Google likes all bloggers. So you really have to pay attention to your search engine optimization (SEO), if you want to outrank your competitors. And it just so happens that the way you write can impact your rankings significantly.

As well as helping you write well for readers, this ebook will help you write well for search engines. It’ll help you use the right words, in the right places, and at the right frequency, to help ensure Google deems you relevant for the right searches.

TIP: The words you write are only one part of the overall search engine optimization (SEO) process. The rest of the process is outside the scope of this book, but you can learn all about it by reading my SEO ebook, ‘SEO Secrets’.

SEO Secrets covers everything from choosing the right host, to optimizing your WordPress blog, to generating links back to your site.

Jaycee Dugard Case Derailed After Lawyer Claims Jury Was Improperly Selected

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 8 Apr 2011 00:52:00 -0700

An expected guilty plea by a convicted sex offender accused of kidnapping and raping a girl when she was 11 and holding her captive for 18 years was derailed Thursday when his lawyer alleged a grand jury was improperly selected and acted inappropriately.

Public defender Susan Gellman, who represents defendant Phillip Garrido, made the claim during a brief hearing where Garrido and his wife and co-defendant Nancy Garrido entered not guilty pleas to kidnapping, rape and other charges contained in an amended indictment.

Gellman did not elaborate on her claim in the courtroom but said outside that she had questions about the racial and geographic makeup of the grand jury that initially indicted the Garridos in September for abducting and imprisoning Jaycee Dugard, now 30.

During the hearing, Superior Court Judge Douglas Phimister said the defense had raised "issues about the process itself before the grand jury" and whether the panel "acted appropriately during the proceeding."

He instructed Gellman to outline her objections in writing but indicated he would seal the motion when she submits it.

The developments came as a surprise after attorney Stephen Tapson, who represents Nancy Garrido, 55, said earlier this week that Phillip Garrido, 60, had agreed to plead guilty and spend the rest of his life in prison.

Gellman blasted Tapson for telling reporters that her client planned to plead guilty.

"He shouldn't have been speaking for Phillip. He should speak for his client," Gellman said.

Tapson said he only found out about Gellman's plans late Wednesday.

Neither attorney would elaborate on the specific concerns about the grand jury.

El Dorado County District Attorney Vern Pierson said he wasn't concerned about the challenge to the grand jury and expects its actions to be upheld.

"My responsibility is to see that these two are held accountable for the enormity of their actions," Pierson said. "We are determined to do that."

The next hearing was set for May 5, and the trial for Aug. 1.

Both defendants were in court for the 10-minute hearing, wearing orange jail uniforms with their hands shackled. They exchanged greetings with each other when they were led into court, but only spoke after that when they agreed to waive their right to a speedy trial

Dugard was snatched off her family's South Lake Tahoe street in June 1991 while walking to a school bus stop.

Authorities said she and her children were kept in a hidden backyard compound of tents and sheds, never attending school or receiving medical attention.

They were discovered in August 2009 when authorities said Phillip Garrido took them to a meeting with his parole officer.

Garrido and his wife gave full confessions to authorities and expressed interest in plea bargains that would spare Dugard and her daughters – now 13 and 16 – from having to testify, Tapson has said.

Tapson, however, said he advised Nancy Garrido against pleading guilty unless prosecutors offer a deal that holds the possibility – however remote – that she would one day be freed from prison.

Phillip and Nancy Garrido were initially charged with 18 counts of kidnapping, rape, false imprisonment, child pornography and committing lewd acts on a child.

The amended indictment has 17 counts and was changed to make the charges consistent with laws that were on the books at the time of the alleged offenses, Pierson said.

Under the previous indictment, the maximum sentence for Nancy Garrido would have been 181 years to life, while Phillip Garrido could have gotten 431 years to life.

Possible prison time under the amended indictment would be about the same, Tapson said

Dugard gave birth to her daughters when she was 14 and 17, and Nancy Garrido delivered the children, according to court documents. The girls knew Phillip Garrido was their father but grew up thinking Dugard was their older sister.

The mother and daughters rarely interacted with the outside world. Phillip Garrido ran a printing business, and Dugard assisted him in producing business cards, brochures and flyers, occasionally interacting with clients through email.

In the days before his arrest, Phillip Garrido had become more determined to tell people about the religious group he founded called God's Desire and a box he had built that he believed allowed him to speak with God.

During that time, he delivered a handwritten screed titled "Origin of Schizophrenia Revealed" to the FBI's San Francisco office.

But it was a visit to the University of California, Berkeley, that same day that caused his ragged family to unravel. He showed up at campus with his daughters and Dugard in tow, seeking a permit for a religious event.

Campus police officers became suspicious, and after running a background check realized he had been convicted of kidnapping and raping a woman in Nevada in 1977.

The Berkeley officers contacted Garrido's parole officer, who was surprised to hear that he had young daughters and ordered him to come in for a meeting.

Garrido complied and, for reasons still unknown, brought his wife, the girls and Dugard.

Dugard was reunited with her mother the next day and has remained in Northern California with her and her daughters. She requested privacy and has not attended any of the court hearings. She is writing her memoirs, which are scheduled to be published in September.

The Associated Press as a matter of policy avoids identifying victims of sexual abuse by name in its news reports

However, Dugard's disappearance had been known and reported for nearly two decades, making impossible any effort to shield her identity when she resurfaced.

Dugard's case revealed problems with California's system for monitoring convicted sex offenders after it was determined parole agents had missed numerous clues and chances to find her.

She received a $20 million settlement under which the state acknowledged repeated mistakes were made by parole agents responsible for monitoring Phillip Garrido. California has since increased oversight of sex offenders.

Mexico Earthquake 2011: Magnitude 6.5 Temblor Felt In Mexico City

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 8 Apr 2011 00:49:00 -0700

A magnitude-6.5 earthquake shook a wide area of southern and central Mexico on Thursday, sending people fleeing into the streets, but causing only minor reported damage.

The epicenter was located near Las Choapas, a town of about 83,000 residents about 370 miles (600 kilometers) southeast of Mexico City. It swayed buildings for several seconds in the capital, and in the Gulf coast state of Veracruz, people ran from their homes and school children assembled on playgrounds.

Near the epicenter, cracks in walls forced the evacuation of one elementary school, said Bernabe Hernandez Perez, head of civil protection in Las Choapas.

Gov. Javier Duarte de Ochoa said earlier that he had no reports of damage in the oil-producing state.

"Veracruz is completely quiet without problems," he told state television. "It was felt all over the state, but nothing major happened. It was only a scare."

The temblor also was felt strongly in the state of Chiapas, bordering Guatemala, where there also were no immediate reports of damage or injuries, as well as the Pacific coast state of Guerrero.

The U.S. Geological survey said the quake hit at a depth of 104 miles (167 kilometers).

Aftershock rattles disaster-weary Japan; 2 dead

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 7 Apr 2011 19:44:00 -0700

A strong aftershock ripped through northeastern Japan, killing two, injuring dozens and piling misery on a region still buried under the rubble of last month's devastating tsunami.

The quake late Thursday was the strongest tremor since the March 11 jumbo and did some damage, but it appeared to have spared the area's nuclear power plants. The Fukushima Dai-ichi complex — where workers have been frantically trying to cool overheated reactors since they lost cooling systems last month — reported no new abnormalities. Other facilities switched to diesel generators after the 7.1-magnitude quake knocked out power to much of the area.

Many people in the area have lived without water and electricity for nearly a month, and the latest tremor sunk more homes into blackness: In total, around 3.6 million households — about 60 percent of residents in the area — were dark Friday, said Souta Nozu, a spokesman for Tohoku-Electric Power Co., which serves northern Japan.

Matsuko Ito, who has been living in a shelter in Natori since the tsunami, said there's no getting used to the terror of being awoken by shaking.

"I was almost as scared as much as last time," said the 64-year-old while smoking a cigarette outside.

She said she started screaming when the quake struck around 11:30 p.m.

"Something has changed," she said. "The world feels strange now. Even the way the clouds move isn't right."

Thursday's quake initiated a tsunami warning of its own, but it was later canceled. Two people were killed, fire department spokesman Junichi Sawada reported Friday. A 79-year-old man died of shock and a woman in her 60s was killed when power was cut to her oxygen tank. More than 130 people were injured, according to the national police agency.

The temblor's epicenter was in about the same location as the March 11 tremor, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) from Sendai, an industrial city on the eastern coast, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It was strong enough to shake buildings as far away as Tokyo, about 200 miles (330 kilometers) from the epicenter.

At a Toyota dealership in Sendai, most of a two-story show window was shattered, with thick shards heaped in front of the building. Items fell off store shelves and a large automated teller machine crept across the floor at a FamilyMart convenience store. Police directed cars through intersections throughout the city because traffic lights were out.

While the city is far enough inland that it largely escaped tsunami damage, people there lived without gas and electricity for weeks. Within an hour of Thursday's quake, they rushed convenience stores and cleared shelves of ice, water and instant noodles — items that were in short supply after the bigger quake.

Japan's nuclear safety agency said nuclear facilities along the northeastern coast were under control after backup generators kicked in at two — Rokkasho and Higashidori — that lost power.

The operator of the tsunami-ravaged Dai-ichi plant said there was no sign the aftershock had caused new problems there. Workers retreated to a quake-resistant shelter in the complex, with no injuries.

The aftershock knocked out two of three power lines at the Onagawa nuclear power plant north of Sendai, which has been shut down since the tsunami. One remaining line was supplying power to the plant and radiation monitoring devices detected no abnormalities. The plant's spent fuel pools briefly lost cooling capacity, but it resumed because a power line was available for electricity.

"It's the way it's supposed to work if power is lost for any reason," said David Lochbaum, director of the nuclear safety project for the U.S.-based Union of Concerned Scientists. Since the tsunami warning was canceled 90 minutes after it was issued, there was no reason to believe the facilities' diesel generators would fail like the ones at the stricken Fukushima plant. The massive wave knocked out cooling systems and triggered a series of mishaps that have left workers struggling to stop radioactivity from spewing nearly a month later.

Top 10 South Park Episodes About Religion

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 5 Apr 2011 00:02:00 -0700

This spring, the creators of South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, will debut their highly-anticipated broadway musical, The Book of Mormon.

Religion has always been a favorite topic of the writers, repeatedly popping up during the South Park's 14 seasons. Despite its wildly irreverent tone, the show's approach to religion has frequently revealed a high level of intelligence and sophistication. In almost every case, the writers have correctly targeted the greedy and misguided individuals and institutions who abuse and manipulate religious people instead of ridiculing religious belief itself. In many cases, the joke is even on those who are non-religious.

We've compiled clips from ten of our favorite South Park episodes that dealt with issues of religion, although there are many, many more. You can watch the entire catalog of South Park episodes online, so be sure to tell us which of our picks are your favorite and what others you think should be on the list!

Top 10 South Park Episodes About Religion

First Posted: 02-23-11 12:07 PM | Updated: 03-23-11 09:09 AM
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This spring, the creators of South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, will debut their highly-anticipated broadway musical, The Book of Mormon.

Religion has always been a favorite topic of the writers, repeatedly popping up during the South Park's 14 seasons. Despite its wildly irreverent tone, the show's approach to religion has frequently revealed a high level of intelligence and sophistication. In almost every case, the writers have correctly targeted the greedy and misguided individuals and institutions who abuse and manipulate religious people instead of ridiculing religious belief itself. In many cases, the joke is even on those who are non-religious.

We've compiled clips from ten of our favorite South Park episodes that dealt with issues of religion, although there are many, many more. You can watch the entire catalog of South Park episodes online, so be sure to tell us which of our picks are your favorite and what others you think should be on the list!

This 2004 episode took dead aim at Mel Gibson's blockbuster flick, The Passion of The Christ. In typical South Park fashion, the episode captures the unreasonably strong reaction on both sides of the film and offers a lesson on what's really important about the life of Jesus: how he lived and what he taught.

Video: Ferrer lobs ball into stands in direction of crying child

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:05:00 -0700

David Ferrer was preparing to serve in his Sony Ericsson Open quarterfinal match against American Mardy Fish when the sound of a bawling child filled the stadium court. The sixth-ranked Spaniard briefly paused, but decided to play through the noise.

Ferrer lost the point. Then he lost his composure. Looking in the general direction of the crying baby, Ferrer lobbed a ball into the crowd in frustration. He went on to lose the next point and four straight games, capping a complete second-set meltdown.

Given how bad Ferrer's groundstrokes were in the second set, it's no surprise that the ball didn't come close to hitting the baby. (Rimshot!)

Ferrer's actions were reckless and immature. It was a bully move borne out of frustration. He hit a ball in anger toward the crowd, which is never acceptable, particularly when it's at a defenseless child. He's lucky he didn't get a warning or a fine. He's even more lucky the ball didn't come close to hitting anybody.

Is all that out of the way? Good. Because while I believe everything in the previous paragraph, there's another big issue at hand: Who brings a baby to a tennis match?

There are two places babies don't belong: bars and any place where silence is greatly valued. Find a babysitter. Leave the child outside the stadium with your wife. Or, better yet, watch the match on TV. (But not in a bar.) Ferrer was wrong for overreacting, but the father is equally wrong for putting his child in that situation.

Fish defended Ferrer after the match. "He'd probably take that one back if he could," he said. "He's a very nice guy. Obviously flustered."

For his part, Ferrer didn't blame the baby for his meltdown, saying a bout of indigestion is what caused the collapse of his game. "[The crying baby] was in one moment of the match, but nothing special," he said. "It was not the problem."

No, the problem was Ferrer's boorish behavior, which was caused just as much by his decision to play through the noise than it was from the noise itself. The instant Ferrer thought he shouldn't serve, he should have backed away from the baseline to collect himself. When he lost the point, he seemed more frustrated at himself for playing rather than the child.

His warning shot worked, by the way. The child stopped crying after Ferrer launched the ball into the stands.