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Osama bin laden death conspiracy

2011-05-04T19:49:00.000-07:00

Barack Obama has blocked publication of gruesome pictures of Osama bin Laden's corpse, expressing concern that they might incite extremists to retaliate.

But Reuters, in a release not authorised by the US government, distributed disturbing pictures of three other men killed at Bin Laden's Pakistan hideout.

Obama, in an interview with CBS to be broadcast at the weekend, explained why he opted against publication of the Bin Laden picture. "It is important for us to make sure that very graphic photos of somebody who was shot in the head are not floating around as an incitement to additional violence," the president said.

Some, including within his own cabinet, had argued in favour of publication as proof that the al-Qaida leader was dead. But Obama said that even if the photos were published, there would still be those who would deny it. "The fact of the matter is you won't see Bin Laden walking on this earth again," the president said.
Security in New York and Washington, as well as at US bases and embassies around the world, has been stepped up to cover the event of any al-Qaida revenge attack.

The debate over the pictures came after a difficult 48 hours for the White House, forced on to the defensive for offering conflicting accounts of the raid on Abbottabad which raised questions about the legality of the killing.

The pictures that were released provide a sense of the extreme violence employed by US Navy Seals as they stormed through the compound in the early hours of Monday. Two men lie in pools of congealed blood; a third lies prone with his arms flung over his head. Around are scattered hints of life before the Americans struck: computer cables, bedding, a tin mug and a plastic gun.

Survivors of the attack have been taken into custody in Pakistan, including Bin Laden's Yemeni-born wife, Amal Ahmed al-Sadah, and his 12-year-old daughter.

A Pakistani intelligence official said Bin Laden's daughter had claimed that her father had been shot in cold blood in front of her. But the official did not confirm a report by al-Arabiya news that the girl is claiming her father had first been captured and then shot, which would have been in breach of international law.

George Little, a CIA spokesman, denied Bin Laden had been held by US forces before being shot. "There is no indication that Bin Laden was somehow captured and later killed inside the compound. It would be wrong to suggest otherwise."

The US has not yet asked Pakistan for permission to speak to the family. Such a request could open up a fresh rift between the two nations. The Pakistan intelligence officer said if the US submitted a written request to interrogate the family, "given the [critical] statements coming out of Washington and the fact that this [raid] was not an operation we were involved in, we would not accept."

Questions about the legality of the killing have grown after the White House backtracked on Tuesday on its initial account of the mission and admitted that Bin Laden had not been armed.

The White House spokesman, Jay Carney, refused to provide further details. Asked whether the team that killed Osama had come under fire, Carney said the White House had gone to the limit in providing details and that any more would risk future operations. "I am not going to get into operational details," he said. Asked about the legality of the killing, Carney read from a prepared statement.

"The team had the authority to kill Osama bin Laden unless he offered to surrender, in which case the team was required to accept his surrender if the team could do so safely. The operation was conducted in a manner fully consistent with the laws of war. The operation was planned so that the team was prepared and had the means to take Bin Laden into custody. There is simply no question that this operation was lawful."
Eric Holder, the US attorney-general, giving evidence to a Senate committee, insisted it had not been a "kill" mission but "a kill or capture" mission. "If he had surrendered, attempted to surrender, I think we should obviously have accepted that, but there was no indication that he wanted to do that; and, therefore, his killing was appropriate," Holder said.

Andrea Prasow, a Washington-based spokeswoman for Human Rights Watch, said: "Our position is that we do not have enough information to determine whether the killing of Bin Laden was lawful. We hope the US government will provide a more detailed accounting of what happened, so we can understand if it was in fact lawful under either international humanitarian law (the so-called law of war) or under human rights law."
Philippe Sands, a University College London professor currently writing a book on the making of modern international law, said much would depend on the exact circumstances of Bin Laden's death. "If no one else was around, if they had him in a room unarmed and the building was covered, then it looks pretty bad," Sands said.

He added that the US would have an additional layer of defence under international law. The "doctrine of necessity" excuses wrongdoing if the actions taken can be demonstrated to be the only way to protect an essential interest, such as the lives of a large number of citizens.

Benjamin Ferencz, an American lawyer who was a US prosecutor at the Nuremberg trials and who lives in New York state, asked whether the killing was justifiable self-defence or premeditated illegal assassination. He would have preferred for Bin Laden to have been captured and put on trial.

Ferencz, 92, said: "The picture I get is that a bunch of highly trained, heavily armed soldiers find an old guy in pyjamas and shoot him in the chest and head, and that borders, without access to more facts, on murder." He added: "Even [the head of the Luftwaffe Hermann] Göring had a right to trial."

The rules of engagement for the Seal team made it unlikely that Bin Laden would have had much chance to surrender. The counterterrorism adviser at the White House, John Brennan, in an interview with Fox News, said he could only have surrendered if the team believed he did not pose a threat and were confident he did not have a bomb under his clothes.

source: guardian

Watch free Charlie Chaplin movies

2011-04-18T20:20:00.000-07:00

Are you a fan of Charlie Chaplin?

Here’s 22 Charlie Chaplin films for you to watch for free. Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin, Jr., KBE (16 April 1889 – 25 December 1977), better known as Charlie Chaplin, was an Academy Award-winning English comedy actor. Chaplin became one of the most famous actors as well as a notable director, composer and musician in the early to mid Hollywood cinema era. He is considered to have been one of the finest mimes and clowns ever caught on film and has greatly influenced performers in this field.

He acted in, directed, scripted, produced, and eventually scored his own films. Chaplin was also one of the most creative and influential personalities in the silent-film era. His working life in entertainment spanned over 65 years, from the Victorian stage and music hall in the United Kingdom as a child performer, almost until his death at the age of eighty-eight.

Chaplin’s high-profile public and private life encompassed highs and lows with both adulation and controversy.

Watch free Charlie Chaplin movies here.

Charlie Chaplin Google doodle video

credit to: retrovision

Mystery of Yuri Gagarin death

2011-04-18T02:58:00.000-07:00

Independent Russian investigators say they have uncovered crucial new evidence which finally reveals how the world's first man in space died aged just 34. The study claims Gagarin's death during a routine training flight in 1968 was caused by his panicked reaction after realising an air vent in his cockpit was open. He threw his MiG-15 fighter jet into such a steep dive that he blacked out and crashed into a forest below killing himself and his co-pilot.

Igor Kuznetsov, a retired Soviet air force colonel, believes his findings will end years of conspiracy theories ranging from claims Gagarin was drunk to allegations the accident was staged by jealous Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev. He has spent the past nine years with a group of aviation specialists, piecing together the circumstances using modern accident investigation techniques.

Gagarin died on a routine flight seven years after he shot to global fame by orbiting the Earth for 68 minutes. His mission handed the Soviet Union a spectacular propaganda coup and Gagarin quickly became the USSR's biggest star.

But the findings of the original investigation into his death have never been published and are known to have been vague. Investigators were only able to conclude that "the most probable cause" was a sudden in-flight manoeuvre made to avoid a weather balloon or cloud cover.

But after studying hundreds of documents relating to the incident, Col Kuznetsov has concluded that an air vent in the cockpit was left partially open. He said Gagarin and his co-pilot realised the cockpit was not hermetically sealed as they were approaching 10,000ft and took emergency action to descend to a safer altitude.

But according to Col Kuznetsov, the two men dived far too quickly and lost consciousness as a result – the plane then ploughed into a forest killing Gagarin and his trainer, Vladimir Seryogin, instantly. Medical knowledge at the time meant the pilots would not have known it was dangerous to descend at such speed.

The operating instructions for the MiG-15 were also flawed, he adds, and did not specify how the pilots were supposed to use the fateful air vent. Col Kuznetsov also raises the suggestion a careless pilot who used the same plane in the days leading up to crash may have been to blame for the open vent.

Until now, it had been thought that Gagarin himself was the last person to use the plane two days previously. But Kuznetsov says he has now learnt that other pilots simulated a flight in the same plane prior to Gagarin's fatal flight. He believes they may have tampered with the air vent and wants to determine their identity and what kind of training they were doing.

"Nobody knows what really happened except us," said Col Kuznetsov. "We need to tell our people and the international community the real reason why the world's first cosmonaut died. "This part-open vent triggered the entire sequence of events that followed. These new facts need to be checked independently and by a government commission. Or even by foreign specialists."

Col Kuznetsov says he wants space and aviation experts around the world to get involved to confirm his findings.

credit to: telegraph

Battle of IPhone vs Android

2011-04-18T02:22:00.000-07:00

Ease of Use; Winner: iPhone
Android has come a long way in a short time, but from an ease-of-use perspective, the iPhone wins out. You can pick up any iPhone and quickly, easily understand what's going on. It's got one main button on the front of the device, and everything you do consists of tapping app icons from the home screen. Android devices have several buttons on the front of the device that perform a variety of functions, and once you unlock the screen (and depending on which Android device you have), you're confronted with many different possible home screens and ways of doing things from those home screens.

Openness; Winner: Android
We really like that the Android operating system is open source, but what's more important to most end users is openness in terms of what you can run on these devices. The operating systems themselves are clearly important, but one thing's abundantly clear: the applications make the phone. And while Google has yet to get in hot water for rejecting apps based on anti-competitive fear or censorship, Apple has. A lot.

Battery Life; Winner: iPhone
Apple has taken battery life extremely seriously in their careful development of the iPhone, and it's shown. While Android devices get a kitchen-sink's worth of features that you may consider to be a fair tradeoff for battery life, there's little question that the iPhone's battery life outlasts that of most Android devices. Battery performance definitely varies from Android handset to Android handset (the recently released EVO is taking big hits for its poor battery performance), but the iPhone's battery performance—particularly the new iPhone's performance—generally outlasts Android's.

Multitasking; Tie
It's a big deal that the iPhone is finally getting some multitasking support in iOS4, and while it's still not as true of multitasking as Android users enjoy, the tradeoff in terms off battery life improvements is important enough that, overall, we'd consider multitasking to be a wash.

Software Keyboard; Winner: iPhone
If you talk to anyone who's used both the iPhone and Android with some frequency, the general consensus is that the iPhone's software keyboard is a good deal better than Android's default keyboard. That's unfortunate for Android users, but the consolation is that you can install any custom keyboard as your default keyboard on Android, and we've seen some solid keyboard alternatives. Still, the advantage, if only by virtue of being better out of the box, goes to the iPhone.

System-Wide Search; Tie
Apple's implementation of Spotlight on the iPhone searches contacts, media, email, applications, notes, and calendar. Android searches most of that (but notably not email), but also integrates with auto-suggest web searches; it also lets other applications plug into it, so the more supported apps you install, the more robust the universal search becomes.

Notification system; Winner: Android
This may seem like a silly thing to care too much about, but the iPhone's modal notification system is particularly user un-friendly, especially for a device as friendly as the iPhone. You have to act on a notification, and you can only see one notification at a time before the next one dismisses the previous one entirely. Android's brilliant pull-down window shade notification tray, on the other hand, is a beautiful thing that could make any iPhone owner jealous.

Voice-to-Text; Winner: Android
Nearly every text field on an Android device can be filled with a few words from your mouth, and it works surprisingly well. You can respond to emails by voice, send long text messages by voice while you're walking around Target, respond to your editor's IMs while you're at a graduation ceremony, and so on, as long as you're comfortable talking to your phone (it is a phone, so you should be). Apart from voice-to-text in third party apps, iOS doesn't support voice-to-text at all.

Syncing; Winner: Android
iPhones can be incredible standalone devices, but they're surprisingly old-fashioned when it comes to syncing, requiring users to plug into their computers and connect to iTunes to do all sorts of syncing and activating that could be more conveniently done wirelessly. Android phones support pretty great over-the-air syncing with your Google account, so much so that if you were to lose your previous Android phone, simply entering your Google account into a new one can get you up and running with a usable phone in a jiffy.

Non-Google Sync; Winner: iPhone
Android's great at syncing seamlessly with Google's servers, but it's not so keen on syncing with other popular sources of data—like, say, Outlook, Address Book, or iTunes. If you're a heavy user of any of those applications, the iPhone is the easiest option.

Tethering; Winner: Android
The cost of tethering on Android devices varies depending on the provider, but so far the Android tethering situation is better off than what AT&T is offering on the iPhone. In the States, AT&T will charge you $20/month just for the privilege of tethering your iPhone's data connection to a computer—despite the fact that you're already paying for a metered data plan. The situation isn't necessarily much better across the Android-sphere (Sprint is also planning to charge for tethering on the EVO, for example), but currently most Android carriers are sticking with "unlimited" plans, versus AT&T/iPhone's 2GB limit. It's still a close race on this point, but Android edges ahead with the ability to turn your handset into a Wi-Fi hotspot that can deliver wireless to you and seven of your closest friends.

Release and Update Consistency; Winner: iPhone
These days, your mobile OS is just as important (if not more) than mobile hardware, and Apple has set the consumer expectation to expect that their device will receive new feature updates even if it isn't the latest phone. To that end, it's extremely easy to keep track of what's going on in the iPhone ecosystem. Apple releases one new phone a year, and one major update each year. When an update rolls out, every phone receives the update at the same time (unless it's particularly old; the original iPhone won't upgrade to iOS4, for example). In contrast, Android runs on a lot of different devices, and when Google pushes out a new update, there's no telling when or if it's going to make its way to your phone. In the future Google is planning to change to yearly Android updates similar to iPhone OS updates, which will likely help this situation, but in the meantime, it's a source of frustration for Android users.

Apps; Tie
A lot of people may disagree on this assessment, given that Apple's App Store has around four times the number of applications the Android Market does, but there's also a lot of crap in the App Store, and at this point, most popular, mission-critical applications have been developed for both the iPhone and Android. What's more, some potentially very popular applications end up locked out of the App Store for, if we're being generous, arbitrary reasons. At the end of the day, it may be a big deal that your must-have application X is missing from the Android Market/App Store, and those may end up to be dealbreakers for you, but overall we'd call them pretty even.

Web browsing; Tie
The iPhone's Mobile Safari browser, while not without its faults, is a very nice, very usable mobile browser. Android's browser, while not as smooth an operator as Safari, supports (or can support) Flash. The extent to which that matters to you may vary, but it's big enough that we're considering it a tie.

Gaming; Winner: iPhone
We're frugal productivity nerds at Lifehacker, so we don't really care all that much about gaming. And while the number of solid gaming options available in the Android Market continue to grow, it's still not on par with what's available for the iPhone.

Music Player; Winner: iPhone
Android may do a lot of things well, but one arena where its users regularly voice complaint is with its default media player. Where the iPhone comes with a very solid iPod app, most Android users quickly go looking for alternative players. Google is hyping over-the-internet streaming of all your music from your desktop computer eventually, but until we see something great there, the iPhone still wins out.

Free Turn-by-Turn Navigation; Winner: Android
After the Google Voice debacle from last year, it's looking less and less likely that Google will ever develop another new app for the iPhone. Unfortunately, that means that extremely cool applications like Google Maps Navigation, Google's free turn-by-turn GPS application, will never make it to the iPhone, and so far there isn't anything as good for the iPhone that's also free. The iPhone does have its share of solid for-a-price GPS utilities in the App Store (and some decent inexpensive-to-free options), but Maps Navigation is built into Android and outshines the iPhone's free alternatives.

Integration with Google Apps; Winner: Android
If you rely on Google tools like Gmail, Google Contacts, Google Calendar, and the like, Android just does it better. The iPhone's still no slouch, and can sync over-the-air with Contacts, Calendar, and even does Gmail push for instant new message notifications, but if you're a serious Google or even just Gmail user, the iPhone doesn't stack up to Android.

Google Voice; Winner: Android
It may seem absurd to make this a separate point of comparison from Google Apps, but Voice is a very phone-centric app with potentially huge influence over how you use your phone. Apple had the option to approve a Google Voice app for the iPhone and completely blew it. And since we really love Google Voice, it only makes Android look that much more attractive.

Customizable; Winner: Android
You may be able to add a wallpaper to your iPhone desktop when iOS4 rolls out, but beyond that, there's not much you can do to tweak your iPhone to exactly how you like it—without jailbreaking, that is. In comparison, Android devices are Mr. Potato Heads of customizability.

Overall Score: Android: 13; iPhone: 11
Clearly our scorecard is extremely subjective, so take this evaluation with a grain of salt, and consider how important the features we listed (and maybe those we didn't list) are to you and come up with your own assessment. If your priorities are similar to ours, you're likely looking at an Android for your next purchase. Frankly, it feels a little like a draw overall. (My ideal would be Android running on the iPhone 4, which is actually possible, eventually.)

credit to: lifehacker

White IPhone on its way?

2011-04-16T09:13:00.000-07:00

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Suppliers to Apple Inc have begun production of white iPhones after a delay of almost 10 months, pointing to a launch date of within a month, two people familiar with the situation said on Thursday.

Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd, flagship of Taiwan's Foxconn Technology Group, would assemble the iPhone, one of the people said. They declined to be named because the information was not public.

An Apple spokeswoman was not immediately available for comment, while calls to a Hon Hai spokesman went unanswered.

Apple Senior Vice-President of Marketing Phil Schiller first said in a Twitter post in March that the white iPhone would be available for sale by Spring, which ends in May in the northern hemisphere.

The white iPhone would be available from AT&T Inc and Verizon Communications Inc by the end of April, Bloomberg News reported on its website, citing a person familiar with the matter.

Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs first unveiled the white version of the smartphone when the iPhone 4 was launched in June last year, but it has been delayed because of a manufacturing issue that the company has not elaborated on.

Many telecommunications operators have been eager to sell the iPhone, hoping that the feature-jammed device will help boost data network use and increase revenue. For example, China Mobile Ltd, the world's biggest mobile operator, has been in talks with Apple for more than a year on distribution rights for the handset.

More than 16 million iPhones were sold in the last quarter of 2010, accounting for more than a third of Apple's sales in those three months.

source: reuters

Samsung Galaxy S II vs HTC Sensation 4G

2011-04-12T18:38:00.000-07:00

The latest high-end handset to enter the mix is HTC's Sensation 4G, a dual-core device announced on Tuesday and coming to T-Mobile this summer. The Sensation 4G boasts a 1.2GHz dual-core processor with 768MB of RAM. It has a 4.3-inch qHD display, front- and rear-facing cameras, and HD video-recording capability. The Sensation also ships with Android 2.3, aka Gingerbread -- the latest and greatest smartphone-based edition of the Android OS.

Samsung Galaxy S II

HTC Sensation 4G

HTC Sensation 4G against the Samsung Galaxy S II

In terms of pure computing power, the two phones are pretty darn close. The Sensation 4G has the upper hand on processing speed; its 1.2GHz dual-core chip is a hair ahead of the Galaxy S II's 1GHz dual-core component. The Galaxy S II edges out the Sensation in the RAM department, though: It packs a full gig of memory, while the Sensation has just 768MB (still no small amount).

How about displays? Both phones sport 4.3-inch screens. The HTC Sensation uses LCD technology, while the Galaxy uses Super AMOLED Plus. Each material offers its own set of advantages and drawbacks, and it's tough to label either as objectively superior. The HTC Sensation does have the higher resolution, however, at 540-by-960 pixels next to the Galaxy's 480-by-800.

The Sensation is slightly larger than the Galaxy S II and about an ounce heavier, too. It also has less on-board storage: The Sensation ships with 1GB of internal space, while the Galaxy S II will come with the option of either 16 or 32GB. And of the two phones, only the Galaxy S II will feature NFC support -- something that doesn't mean much now but may prove useful in the future.

One final point worth mentioning: Though the HTC Sensation and Samsung Galaxy S II both run on Gingerbread, the phones provide noticeably different software experiences. The Sensation comes with HTC's Sense user interface, whereas the Galaxy S II utilizes Samsung's TouchWiz UI. Which is better is purely a matter of personal preference; the best thing you can do is spend some time playing around with each setup to see how you feel. If you're like me and prefer an unmodified stock Android experience -- a "pure Google experience," as it's called -- you may want to look at a skin-free device like the upcoming T-Mobile G2X instead.

The HTC Sensation 4G is set to launch sometime this summer on T-Mobile. No U.S. launch plans have been announced for the Galaxy S II thus far, but the phone is expected to arrive in the U.K. in early May.

source: pcworld

twin babies talking

2011-04-05T02:31:00.000-07:00

I just found out this funny video of twin babies talking to each other..Do check it out.. :)

video source: youtube

IPhone 5 top rumors

2011-04-04T22:49:00.000-07:00

Rumor 1: iPhone 5 will have NFC chip for wireless payments

At Forbes, Elizabeth Woyke says she's heard that Apple will be including a Near Field Communications (NFC) chip into the 5, in an attempt to kick-start a new standard and get people paying for stuff with a swipe of their iDevice.

This is something that's been a long time coming. The technology exists. It's just a matter of getting it into shops and into people's pockets, so that people really can leave the house with no cash and still make it through the day.

There'll be a new sticker appearing in store windows: iPhone Accepted Here.

Rumor 2: Same shape, different material

This one claims the iPhone 5 will be an evolutionary step forwards, with no drastic change in shape or outward design; but the rear panel will morph from glass to metal - adopting the look and feel of Apple's recently re-launched MacBook Airs. Meanwhile the same source says that the front of the device will sport a larger screen, with only the slimmest of bezels wrapped around on either side.

This source says the 5 is going into mass production "soon" and early units have already been seen at the Foxconn manufacturing plant in China.

source: forbes

Cincinnati Reds win over the Milwaukee Brewers 7-6

2011-04-01T02:33:00.000-07:00

Ramon Hernandez hit a two-out, three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning Thursday, rallying the Cincinnati Reds to a 7-6 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.

"I've played 12 years, and this is the most amazing Opening Day," said Hernandez. "To get that type of win is great, and to do it on a day like today gets people more excited."

The Brewers became the first team in 42 years to open the season with back-to-back homers when Rickie Weeks and Carlos Gomez connected off Edinson Volquez. Ryan Braun's solo made it 6-3.

source: freep

Philadelphia International Flower Show 2011 Schedule

2011-03-03T07:58:00.000-08:00

The Philadelphia International Flower Show 2011 will open its gates from March 6-13, 2011 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. This year’s annual event is called “Springtime in Paris”. Most events are free with your paid admission.

Dates: Sunday, March 6 through Sunday, March 13

Place: Pennsylvania Convention Center, 12th & Arch Streets, Philadelphia, PA 19107-2299

Hours: PHS Members’ Preview (household and leadership levels only)

Saturday, March 5: 12 noon to 3:30 pm.

Sundays, March 6 & 13: 8 am to 6 pm

Monday through Friday, March 7 to March 11: 10 am to 9:30 pm

Saturday, March 12: 8 am to 9:30 pm

(Best viewing hours are after 4 pm)

Box Office closes one hour before Show closing on all days.

Source: dailypostal

Bulletstorm Released

2011-02-26T06:47:00.000-08:00

Overview:

Bulletstorm is a 2011 first-person shooter video game developed by People Can Fly and Epic Games, and is published by Electronic Arts for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Microsoft Windows. The game was released on February 22, 2011 in the US, and on February 25, 2011 in the UK.

Plot:

Bulletstorm takes place in the 26th century, where the Confederation of Planets are protected by a secret black-ops army called Dead Echo. The story follows space pirate Grayson Hunt, voiced by Steve Blum, and his cyborg partner Ishi Sato, who were both dishonorably discharged from Dead Echo after they were betrayed by their commanding officer, General Sarrano. Ten years later, after a spontaneous and liquor-induced attempt to take revenge on the General and his forces, Hunt's and Sato's ship crash-landed on the planet Stygia, a former resort planet now overrun with meat-eating plants, feral mutant tribes, criminals, and Godzilla-sized monsters. Hunt and Sato search for a way off the planet, all while doing battle with the General's forces, who also crashed on Stygia after Hunt's attack. Along the way, they're joined by Trishka Novak, a foul-mouthed woman with a dark past who also knows her way around a gun. One of the locations they travel to on Stygia is the city of Elysium, formerly a Vegas-like adult paradise.

Bulletstorm Crack?

Cracked by: FAIRLIGHT
Release Date: 23/02/2011
Game Type: FPS
Protection: G4WL

Installation Information:

- Burn or Mount the iso
- Install the game, use XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX as serial
- Copy the ShippingPC-StormGame.exe and the xlive.dll from the Fairlight folder to your installed game dir \Binaries\Win32
- To install the "Title Update" you need to delete the following 2 files:
\Binaries\Win32\ShippingPC-StormGame.exe.zdp
\Binaries\Win32\Zdp\ZdpConfig.xml
Now run the setup.exe in the "Title Update" folder
- Play !

Download link:

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or
http://ul.to/hgk1ow/BulletStorm.crack.rar
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Source: Wikipedia
Crack thanks to: BTARENA

iPad 2 to be launch this March?

2011-02-23T07:35:00.000-08:00

Apple Inc is expected to launch its new iPad on March 2, contrary to speculation of a delay of the latest version of the popular tablet computer.

One person familiar with the matter said recent speculation about a delay until June was "simply not true" as Apple is planning a launch in the same seasonal schedule as the first iPad, which went on sale in April 2010.

Apple will host an event on March 2, where the company is expected to take the wraps off the newest iPad model, an individual with knowledge of the situation said. Apple declined to comment.

Shares of Apple fell 3 percent after a Taiwanese brokerage firm said the next version of the iPad tablet computer will be delayed as maker Hon Hai faces production bottlenecks due to the device's new design.

But analysts quickly downplayed the report, noting that Apple has been reliable when it comes to its release schedule.

"Apple has a very consistent track record," said Hudson Square Research analyst Daniel Ernst.

The speculation over the timing of the iPad unveiling comes as unverified tabloid reports of the faltering health of its iconic chief executive, Steve Jobs, cloud perceptions of the company's ability to maintain its global technology leadership over the long term.

Tim Cook, chief operating officer of Apple, is expected to take the stage at the annual shareholders meeting on Wednesday in Jobs' place. Jobs, who underwent a liver transplant in 2009, took his third medical leave in seven years in mid-January.

The iPad was the hottest technology device of 2010, selling nearly 15 million units and sparking a slew of copycat devices from rivals. More than 50 million tablets are expected to be sold this year, with Apple capturing the bulk of the demand.

Yuanta Securities had said in a note the next version of iPad would come out two months later in the seasonal schedule this year than the first version, which launched in April last year.

According to the note, component makers had to change their production processes after Apple made design changes to the iPad2 before the Lunar New Year at the beginning of February.

Source: Reuters

Festival Sanremo 2011

2011-02-22T18:51:00.000-08:00

The second night of Sanremo Festival 2011 began on time and the 61st edition seems already special event for everyone across Europe as it will be through this show that the RAI special jury will decide the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest representative for Dusseldorf. 12 acts proceeded to tonight show and four Giovanni (Junior) entrants sang.

Nathalie - Vivo Sospesa
Once again a very good performance and a song that many on the web would like to see in Dusseldorf. The vocal performance is of course great. Nathalie is the Italian X Factor winner.

Albano Carrisi - Amanda è libera
The Eurovision legend Albano is back. The vocal performance tonight was definitely not only bad but with all respect to the history of the singer, the worst vocal performance. The days of 1976 and 1985 will not come back for him at least in Eurovision 2011.

Modá con Emma - Arriverá
Anthemic song and definitely something that Eurofans and European viewers might be in love with, in a Eurovision Song Contest. This is definitely going for the Sanremo victory this year.

Patty Pravo - Il vento e le rose
I am personally in love with the remix of "La Bambola" but this song might be too weak either for this festival and moreover for Eurovision. This song fits only to Italian market and will never appeal to international viewers.

Tricarico - 3 colori
Singing about the flag I am almost going to sleep. The vocal performance is too Italian and peculiar for our ears and the smooth lullaby music makes you forget this tune very easy.

Luca Madonia with Franco Battiato - L'Alieno
I am almost sure here that we have a song that will be eliminated tonight. The vocal performance and the tune itself are absolutely nothing special.

Max Pezzali - Il mio secondo tempo
Totally neutral this song offers nothing to comment or even to remember. This not because the song is bad (or the performance) but we all know that missing this country for 14 years, this will not be the best year to submit something like that to Dusseldorf's Eurovision edition.

La Crus - Io confesso
With a different outfit today this song although loved by the audience in the venue, has little chances to do something in Eurovision. I also doubt that this operatic performance will make this a Sanremo winner song this year.

Luca Barbarossa and Raquel del Rosario - Fino in fondo
By far better performance tonight than last night. The two artists combine vocal performance better. I can see this as a ark horse in this show.

Davide Van De Sfroos - Yanez
Definitely not a winner and definitely not going to Dusseldorf. The too much Italian flavor in their performance make it hard also to appeal to international viewers.

Roberto Vecchioni - Chiamami ancora amore
Singer, writer and a big star in his country, Roberto is entering the 2011 Sanremo. The song is typical Italian and will not appeal to European ears but he is giving a good performance in order to be fair.

Giusy Ferreri - Il mare immenso
She is so lovely even if she ended up second in the 2008 Italian X Factor. The song is very weird (something between love to hate and hate to love). It could be the great winner or the great looser this year. Those who love "Novembre" might be disappointed.

GIOVANNI

Serena Abrami - Lontano da tutto
Time for the junior section of the 2011 Sanremo festival and Serena opens the performance part. The song is nothing special but we can say it is happy enough to want to hear it again.

Anansi - Il sole dentro
Reggae style song but outdated. The rap elements in the song do not help boost this song to our ears and general preferences tonight but remember we are not the ones who decide the qualifiers.

Gabriella Ferrone - Un pezzo d'estate
Italian style RnB and definitely a proposal in the festival after what we have heard so far. The vocal performance is confident and I can see this to the next round, as two of the Giovanni will proceed to the next phase tonight through televoting.

Raphael Gualazzi - Follia d'amore
Raphael begins his performance behind a piano. The tune is something definitely nice and familiar to my ears. It reminds me the 2008 German entry by Roger Cicero. I can see this also as dark horse for Dusseldorf.

RESULTS: GIOVANNI TO PROCEED
Raphael Gualazzi - Follia d'amore
Serena Abrami - Lontano da tutto

RESULTS: ELIMINATED BY THE JURY
Albano Carrisi - Amanda è libera
Patty Pravo - Il vento e le rose

Source: Rai.IT

Dead Island Trailer is Out Now

2011-02-17T05:21:00.000-08:00

For those who enjoy zombie-type of game, Dead Island will be released officially somewhere in 2011. The game developed by Techland and published by Deep Silver is a FPS with RPG elements and a focus on hardcore zombie survival tactics - read: melee weapons, foraging for supplies and sandbox gameplay based around exploring a large tropical island.

The developer decided to strip most firearms out of Dead Island, giving the action a more realistic feel where weapons degrade over time. They also claimed that the game will be far beyond a typical first-person shooter experience, mainly due to a bigger emphasis on melee combat, role-playing elements and a clear focus on story-telling, based on IGN review.

Platform of the game will be available for PC, XBox 360, and playstation 3, utilizing the Chrome Engine 4. However, no exact date is available for the official launch. Watch the trailer as it definitely worth a look.

Source: bit-tech.net

Rihanna and Lady Gaga Among Grammy 2011 Winners

2011-02-14T08:11:00.000-08:00

Lady Gaga and Rihanna were already winners at the 2011 Grammy Awards before they walked the red carpet on Sunday - they triumphed in two categories announced prior to the live telecast.

The "Paparazzi" hitmaker landed the honour for Best Short-Form Video for "Bad Romance," beating rap superstar Eminem to the prize.

But Gaga had to concede defeat for Best Dance Recording - that accolade went to Rihanna for Only Girl (in the World).

Other early winners included Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong, whose work on the hit Broadway musical American Idiot - based on his band's album of the same name - earned him the Grammy for Best Musical Show.

Meanwhile, rock icons The Doors' documentary When You're Strange landed the Long-form Music Video, and a box set of mono versions of The Beatles: Rock Band' releases claimed Best Historical Album.

Composer Randy Newman walked away with a prize for his work on the Toy Story 3 soundtrack, and folk star Pete Seeger and veteran entertainer Julie Andrews claimed prizes in the children's category. It was The Sound of Music icon's second Grammy of the weekend - she received a Lifetime Achievement Grammy in a ceremony on Saturday.

The 53rd annual Grammy Awards are set to take place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sunday night.

Source: Starpulse

Sanctum 3D Movie Review

2011-02-05T21:06:00.000-08:00

Sanctum, the new underground action-thriller from executive producer James Cameron is working with a lot of different marketing angles: it’s inspired by true-life events, filmed with the same 3D cameras as Avatar, and shot on-location in one of the most breathtaking and dangerous places on Earth.

In case you’re unfamiliar with Sanctum, here’s the official synopsis:

The 3-D action-thriller Sanctum, from executive producer James Cameron, follows a team of underwater cave divers on a treacherous expedition to the largest, most beautiful and least accessible cave system on Earth. When a tropical storm forces them deep into the caverns, they must fight raging water, deadly terrain and creeping panic as they search for an unknown escape route to the sea.

Master diver Frank McGuire (Richard Roxburgh) has explored the South Pacific’s Esa-ala Caves for months. But when his exit is cut off in a flash flood, Frank’s team—including 17-year-old son Josh (Rhys Wakefield) and financier Carl Hurley (Ioan Gruffudd)—are forced to radically alter plans. With dwindling supplies, the crew must navigate an underwater labyrinth to make it out. Soon, they are confronted with the unavoidable question: Can they survive, or will they be trapped forever?

It’s no surprise that the buzz for Sanctum is most commonly associated with Cameron’s influence as executive producer rather than the film’s actual director, Alister Grierson – especially considering Grierson has only one other feature film to his name (Kokoda). But Cameron’s shadow looms large over Grierson’s movie – resulting in an extremely uneven final product: For every remarkable 3D shot or terrifying moment of real-life horror there’s a flat line of dialogue or cheesy plot device that drowns any chance the film will reach the emotional complexity either filmmaker intended.

The characters are mostly caricatures: the brilliant adventurer/disconnected father Frank, the angry and impulsive son Josh, and the well-to-do/in-over-his-head financier, Carl. In some cases, despite being mostly one-note, the characters serve their basic purpose: the principles, Josh and Frank, have a likable dynamic and Crazy George, Frank’s right-hand-man (played by Dan Wyllie), provides the film with some much-needed yet subtle humor. Unfortunately, Gruffudd’s Carl is unforgivably flat and poorly written -- his lines represent some of the most generic and unintentionally laughable dialogue moviegoers will see in a film this year.

As a result, the majority of the characters in Sanctum serve as meat for the figurative -- and at one point literal -- grinder. Their roles are established early on, with zero room for character growth – and audiences will not be surprised by who does and does not make it out of the cave in one piece.

Similarly, deaths are somewhat easy to foresee, lowering the effectiveness of well-crafted tension. In terms of character focus, Sanctum follows a horror-film structure to some extent: picking one person off at a time and forecasting the death with bad choices, overly insensitive behavior, or a callback to an earlier problem. How a character will meet their demise manages, at times, to still surprise (some of the deaths are pretty disturbing) but who is next to die is usually pretty clear ahead of time.

That said, what Sanctum is lacking in dynamic character development, it almost makes up for with chilling anxiety. The confines of the underground, and at times underwater, ratchet up the tension in even the most straightforward of scenes. The ever-present danger of the environment as well as the subsequent rules for survival are established early on -- even before the freak storm sends the characters on a desperate life and death journey. Overall, Sanctum does a good job of riding this tension to the conclusion -- while never breaking the rules that were established at the onset.

Mixed in with flat characters and tense action is an incredible 3D visual component – which is where Cameron’s interest in the project is most apparent. The 3D adds little to the more frantic action scenes, but the effect is beautifully showcased in many of the film’s incredible cave shots. Whether showcasing a grandiose underwater cathedral or looking down through a slim and jagged crack in a cave wall, the added depth is impressive. While there are certainly some CGI shots in Sanctum, it’s clear that Cameron’s 3D tech holds up in the real world as well as computer-generated ones, and lends further credibility to his claim that the format is here to stay.

Moviegoers who aren’t turned-off by limited character development will certainly enjoy Sanctum and the film rightly earns its place as a tense and engaging pre-spring thrill ride. However, there’s no doubt that a combination of poor dialogue, flat characters, and cheesy story mechanics will see many moviegoers laughing at inappropriate times, and overall the ending falls somewhat short of the emotional peak that Grierson was clearly working toward.

Source: Screenrant

Ferrari Officialy Announced F150

2011-02-01T08:43:00.000-08:00

Image: f1fanatic.co.uk

Called the F150 to celebrate this year's 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy, the new Ferrari Formula 1 car was launched by drivers Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa in Italy yesterday.

To comply with the new 2011 F1 regulations, the double diffuser and the blown rear wing are gone, as is the use of apertures in the front part of the floor. Instead, an hydraulically controlled adjustable rear wing has been added, and Pirelli tyres have replaced the old Bridgestones.

The first F1 race of 2011 is in Bahrain on March 13. Lotus-Renault teams (Renault F1) are set to unveil their car on January 31, 2011, followed by Red Bull, Mercedes GP, Toro Rosso and Williams on February 1, 2011, McLaren on Feb. 4th and Virgin on Feb. 7th.

Source: Cars Guide

BlackBerry announces answer to India security fear

2011-01-31T06:13:00.000-08:00

An Indian salesman checks a phone given for repairs at a Blackberry store in Mumbai, 2010. The Canadian maker of BlackBerry said it had found a way out of an ongoing standoff in India over allowing security agencies access to the smartphone's encrypted messaging service.

However, the solution did not include providing access to corporate e-mail services, Research In Motion (RIM) said in a statement.

India had given RIM until January 31 to come up with a solution that would permit its intelligence agencies to monitor encrypted data -- amid concerns in New Delhi that militants may use the services to plan and carry out attacks.

In its statement, RIM said its revised access capability "meets the standard required by the government of India for all consumer messaging services".

Indian agencies will now be able to monitor the BlackBerry's messenger and public email services, but not corporate emails, the statement added.

RIM's representatives have met home and telecommunications ministry officials repeatedly in an effort to end a three-year deadlock over the issue.

Banning the service would create disruption for India's corporations, which widely use the BlackBerry. The smartphone has 1.1 million users in India, including many non-corporate clients.

Ministry officials in New Delhi were not available to comment on the RIM announcement.

India's minister of state for communications Sachin Pilot had told parliament last month that no answer to the standoff had been found.

The January 31 date was the third time that the government has extended the deadline for BlackBerry to meet its requirements.

In October, the United Arab Emirates withdrew a threatened ban on Blackberry services after saying they had been brought into compliance with the Gulf state's regulatory framework, though it did not provide details of the changes.

India has also told Google and Skype that they must set up servers in the country to allow law enforcers to screen traffic, as the country widens its security offensive on Internet communications firms.

BlackBerry has become a global market leader in the smartphone sector thanks to its heavy encryption, and analysts say any compromise with the Indian government could damage its popularity with its high-profile clientele.

RIM said Monday it would start filtering web services in Indonesia after the mainly Muslim country threatened to restrict or block the company's domestic services to prevent access to Internet pornography.

Source from: bangkokpost.com

Toyota Again Recalls 1.7 Million Cars Over Fuel Leakage Issues

2011-01-27T10:08:00.000-08:00

Toyota had again made decisions to recall nearly 1.7 million of vehicles worldwide because of varying defects that may lead to fuel leakage.

Three separate recalls were made affecting GS Lexus luxury model in North America, the Avensis Sedan and Station Wagon models in Europe, RAV4 sports-utility vehicles and Wish in Japan. Japan were the second-largest of recall in history. However, no accident was reported that related to this fuel leakage problem. Read more to find out more on the defects.

Issue ranges from faulty fuel pipe to fuel sensor problem. Improper installation of fuel sensor may cause it to loosen and may lead to engine vibration and cause leakage overtime. This problem affects most of the Lexus model in the United States.

Another problem involves irregular fuel pipes that increase the likelihood of cracks and further leakage. Cars affected by this problem was Avensis that was sold in Europe and New Zealand. The same problem were also affecting other 16 Japanese models, including the subcompact, RAV4 sport-utility vehicle and also Wish cars.

However, these problems are not affecting the performance of the cars.

Source from: abcnews.go.com

The Nominations For Oscar 2011 Finally Out!!

2011-01-26T03:56:00.000-08:00

The nominations for the Oscar 2011 awards this coming 27 Feb was finally announced from the Samuel Goldwyn Theatre in Beverly Hills. However, the names seemed predictable to anyone who has been paying attention to this awards. The nominations was read by Academy President Tom Sherak.

So, fasten your sit belt, sit properly and read on for the Oscar 2011 nominations.

As expected, the race for best picture -- and for best director -- appears to be a two-film affair, between the costume drama "The King's Speech" and the modern-times reflection "The Social Network."

Pixar's "Toy Story" franchise -- a pioneer in computer animation -- is on track to receive its first-ever competitive Oscar.

The races for supporting actor and supporting actress will be likely won by "The Fighter" co-stars Melissa Leo and Christian Bale.

And, as expected, this awards season is shaping up to be a dim one for Hollywood South movies. (After a string of years in which locally connected films found themselves basking in glory on nominations morning, no local projects managed to deliver on their admittedly slim chances to grab a nod this year.)

In the lead acting category, Bardem will be going up against frontrunner Firth, 2010 Oscar winner Jeff Bridges ("True Grit"), Jesse Eisenberg ("The Social Network"), and James Franco ("127 Hours").

In the race for best actress, Natalie Portman ("Black Swan") shares frontrunner status with Annette Bening ("The Kids Are All Right"). They are joined in that category by Nicole Kidman ("Rabbit Hole"), Jennifer Lawrence ("Winter's Bone") and Michelle Williams ("Blue Valentine").

Supporting-actress frontrunner Leo -- a star of the locally shot, locally set HBO series "Treme," which is currently under production on its second season -- is pit against her "Fighter" co-star Amy Adams, as well as Helena Bonham Carter ("The King's Speech"), newcomer Hailee Steinfeld ("True Grit") and Jacki Weaver ("Animal Kingdom").

And in the supporting-actor race, Bale will go up against John Hawkes ("Winter's Bone"), Jeremy Renner ("The Town"), Mark Ruffalo ("The Kids Are All Right") and Geoffrey Rush ("The King's Speech").

For the second year in a row, the Academy has nominated 10 films for best picture. In addition to "The King's Speech" and "The Social Network," those vying for Oscar's biggest prize are "127 Hours," "Black Swan," "The Fighter," "Inception," "The Kids Are All Right," "Toy Story 3," "True Grit" and "Winter's Bone."

In the category of best animated film, Pixar's "Toy Story 3" will see that pioneering series compete for an Oscar for the first time. (The Academy Award for best animated feature was only added in 2002). It will be going up against "How to Train Your Dragon" and Sylvain Chomet's artful "The Illusionist."

Best documentary nominees are "Exit Through the Gift Shop," by the English street artist known as Banksy; "Gasland," about the questionable practice of "fracking" as a means of extracting natural gas; the examination of the 2008 economic meltdown "Inside Job"; the Afghanistan war doc "Restrepo"; and "Waste Land," about one artist's search for beauty amid the residents of a Brazilian landfill.

The 2011 Oscar winners will be revealed Feb. 27 in a prime-time celebration broadcast on ABC-26.

Source from: http://www.nola.com

HTC Thunderbolt Making Its Debut in Mid-February

2011-01-24T07:50:00.000-08:00

The HTC ThunderBolt could be out in the midst of next month -- several weeks earlier than Verizon said previously.

This Android OS model is going to be one of this carrier's first 4G smartphones, and it will offer a big display, Skype video conferencing, and other high-end features.

If the ThunderBolt does debut well before Verizon indicated, it wouldn't be a big surprise, as operators often prefer to under promise and over deliver.

When this model was unveiled at CES, Verizon stated that it would be available at some point after March, but information leaking out the company indicates that the launch will be Feb. 14, the first day of the big Mobile World Congress tradeshow in Barcelona.

HTC ThunderBolt Overview

As one of the world's first rings with the 4G standard LTE, this HTC model is expected to provide data transfer speeds of 5 to 12 Mbps for downloads and 2 to 5 Mbps upload speeds under actual world conditions. For comparison, tests on this carrier's current 3G network give download speeds of 0.6 to 1.6 Mbps and upload speeds of 0.5 to 0.8 Mbps.

The cost for this smartphone has not yet been announced or leaked out.
Aside from this, though, the ThunderBolt isn't going to be a immense jump above high-end smartphones that were released last year. It is still going to be fully-packed with features, though.

It will offer a 4.3-inch WVGA screen in a tablet shape with a kickstand on the back.
This instrument from HTC is gong to run Google's Android OS 2.2 (Froyo) with HTC's Sense overlay on a 1 GHz processor. It won't have a significant amount of internal storage capacity, but will have a microSD card slot with a bundled 32 GB card.
Other features are going to include Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, a digital compass, GPS, a nearness sensor, as well as a G-sensor.

Steady blurry iPhone pics with gyroCam

2011-01-23T04:30:00.000-08:00

Image source: techtickerblog.com

Apps that cut down on iPhone photo blurriness have been around almost since the device’s camera first appeared, but a new offering uses the iPhone 4’s gyroscope as an added tool to help steady those shaky-handed shots.

The new gyroCam, an offering from Hunter Research and Technology, debuted this week in the App Store. Previous camera-stabilization apps—like ProCamera, Camera Genius, and ImageStabilizer—relied on the accelerometer in the iPhone 3G and 3GS to cut down on those annoying blurry shots. The gyroCam app uses that technology, as well, but adds a second steadying touch by utilizing the new gyroscope in the iPhone 4 and fourth-generation iPod touch, with graphical cues that help a user frame a level 4:3 image of the scene they want to capture.

The app also features burst and timer shot modes, digital zoom, focus and exposure indicators, and flash control. It works on both the front- and rear-facing cameras of the iPhone 4.

You can pick up gyroCam for just $1; it’s compatible with any iPhone or fourth-generation iPod touch running iOS 4.0 or later, though obviously only iPhone 4 owners will be able to take advantage of the new gyroscope-aided feature.

Source: Yahoo News

Tribute to Heath Ledger a.k.a The Joker

2011-01-23T02:01:00.000-08:00

Image: nydailynews.com

Heath Ledger died on January 22, 2008 due to accidental “toxic combination of prescription drugs”. Ledger died just after showing the world his talent with his role as The Joker in the film The Dark Knight.

On the third anniversary of Heath Ledger’s death, the web buzzed with tributes all day to the actor. Twitter had many tweets about Heath Ledger, who was such a talent but who left the world so young. Below are a few of the many Tweets about Heath Ledger on Saturday:

“HeathUltimate: 3 years ago, January 22 2008, we lost Heath Ledger. Genuine person, kind soul, brave spirit, great actor. He’s irreplaceable…”

“Miss_SLP: Can’t believe Heath Ledger has been passed away for 3 years it doesn’t seem that long ago, and its still sad. R.I.P.”

Actress Michelle Williams discussed the three-year anniversary of Heath Ledger’s death in a recent interview with Marie Clare magazine. Williams said she realizes she “can never replace the void he has left in her life and the life of their young daughter, Matilda.”

In the Marie Claire interview, Williams said, “Very obviously, for me and for her, there’s a hole in our life..Nothing will fit in that hole because what we want back we can’t get, which is this one person.”

One of the tagline i loved the most in The Dark Knight is - 'Why so serious...' May he rest in peace..

Source: blogs.babble.com