Newsworthy Material

Experts: No end to volcano ash in sight

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 04:42:00 +0000

Weather experts predicted Friday that a volcanic ash causing chaos to air traffic across Europe would affect the region well into the weekend and possibly beyond as the dust cloud continued to spread.

Scientists said it was too soon to predict when the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland would cease spewing ash, raising the prospect of thousands more grounded flights in coming days.

Prevailing westerly winds are expected to fan the massive plume of dust from an erupting volcano in Iceland further east and north, according to predictions from the London Ash Advisory Center.

By 07:00 GMT Saturday (7 p.m. ET) the cloud traveling at up to 9,000 meters (30,000 feet) is forecast to be covering parts of Russia, Poland, Finland and other East European countries while continuing to affect the UK, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Denmark and Netherlands.

Norway PM runs country by iPad

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 04:41:00 +0000

When Norway's prime minister found himself stuck in New York as a volcanic cloud grounded flights to Europe, he fired up his new Apple iPad and did the job remotely.

In what could be a first for the new gadget, Jens Stoltenberg told CNN he used the iPad to manage the situation at home as Norway closed its airspace under threat from the ash.

A photograph of Stoltenberg using the device was posted on the Internet by Norwegian officials under the title "The prime minister is working at the airport.

"There are good means of communication, I have close contacts with my office all the times, and there are a lot of activities in Norway where we try to reduce the consequences of the volcano in Norway,"

"It's very normal for a PM to travel abroad so this is not different from the other travels, it's just lasts some days more than expected. We have the internet, the mobile phone.

"I also use an iPad, which is excellent."

Like many other travelers grounded by the volcanic ash cloud, Stoltenberg has sought alternative routes to reach home, catching a flight to Madrid, Spain before completing the journey overland.

"I am afraid we won't be back before Saturday because I think most of our travel is going to be by car because the most of the airports in the Northern part of Europe are now closed," he said.

Hamilton quickest in Chinese GP practice

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 04:38:00 +0000

Former world champion Lewis Hamilton tops the timesheets after Friday's practice session for this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai.

The 25-year-old Briton -- who won in China on his way to taking the 2008 world title -- recorded a time of one minute 35.217 seconds, a quarter of a second quicker than the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg.

Hamilton's McLaren teammate and current world champion Jenson Button was third with Michael Schumacher fourth for Mercedes.

The Red Bulls of Malaysia winner Sebastian Vettel and his teammate Mark Webber were fifth and sixth.

Despite his performance, Hamilton sounded a word of warning about his hopes of winning on Sunday.

Inception - Trailer

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 04:36:00 +0000

In a world where technology exists to enter the human mind through dream invasion, a single idea within one's mind can be the most dangerous weapon or the most valuable asset. The film is scheduled to be released in both conventional and IMAX theaters on July 16, 2010. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, along with Ken Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Tom Berenger and Michael Caine.

Trailer Courtesy of http://www.hd-movietrailers.co.cc/

EPL: Manchester City vs Manchester United Live Stream

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 04:34:00 +0000

Manchester City left-back Wayne Bridge could face Manchester United in the derby on Saturday at Eastlands. The defender has recovered from a hernia operation, which caused him to miss five matches. He is one of four players who are in line to return with Stephen Ireland (ankle) and Patrick Vieira (knee) on the mend from injuries while Pablo Zabaleta is free from suspension. Bridge has endured a troubled season off and on the pitch and only returned to action against Hull in February after missing 13 games because of a knee problem.

Roberto Mancini wants to show the world Manchester's finest at Eastlands - and that means Wayne Rooney being fit.

Manchester City vs Manchester United : Live Stream

'Pirates of the Caribbean 4' Finds its Orlando Bloom Replacement

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 04:28:00 +0000

When Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides added French up-and-comer Astrid Berges-Frisbey, I teased that she might become the next Keira Knightley to rise from the waves. Well, now it appears they may have found the world's next Orlando Bloom. According to an official press release from Walt Disney, On Stranger Tides has added the young English actor Sam Claflin to the cast.

Disney is still keeping the plot of Tides under wraps, but they revealed that Claflin will be playing a young missionary named Philip. Since the film is rumored to deal with the Fountain of Youth, I'm guessing it will venture into Spanish held territories, and that he may be a Catholic missionary.

Paris Hilton Splits From Doug Reinhardt

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 04:25:00 +0000

Add Doug Reinhardt to the list of Paris Hilton’s growing list of exes. Reinhardt has officially become a member of the not-so-exclusive brotherhood—which includes the likes of Benji Madden, Nick Carter, and Paris Latsis, among many others—after Hilton’s reps confirmed that the hotel heiress has indeed broken up with the reality star and minor league baseball player a couple of weeks ago.

The source told People that Hilton and Reinhardt, who began dating in February last year, called it quits two weeks ago. Speculations that the couple separated came out weeks ago when the former love birds spent Easter away from each other. Hilton reportedly spent the Easter holiday with her family while Reinhardt went to Colorado.

The buzz became stronger this week when Hilton was seen partying at a Las Vegas club where Kim Kardashian’s ex Reggie Bush was also spotted. Some tabloids speculated that Hilton and Bush were hooking up. However, the “Simple Life” star quashed the rumor via Twitter by saying that “aside from being @ the same club, Reggie and I didn’t even say hi to each other. I was there with my sister and friends.”

Liverpool FC Up For Sale

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 04:24:00 +0000

The off-field bickering between Liverpool owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett would soon be over as the partners have begun the formal process of selling the Premier League side. The Merseyside announced on its official Web site that Hicks and Gillett have appointed British Airways chairman Martin Broughton to take charge of selling the football club.

Hicks and Gillett, who have owned Liverpool FC the past three years, said in a statement that they have “decided together to look to sell the club to owners committed to take the club through its next level of growth and development.” Fans have blamed the American owners for the Reds’ failure to win a title the past four years. Liverpool last tasted a title in 2006, when they won the FA Cup.

Manager Rafael Benitez said the appointment of Broughton was a step in the right direction. Benitez has reportedly not been able to get the players that he wanted because the club is saddled by a huge debt, which now allegedly stands at more than $365 million. Meanwhile, Broughton said new owners could be on board as early as next season.

Shirtless Kiefer Sutherland Thrown Out of Strip Club

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 04:22:00 +0000

A drunken and shirtless Kiefer Sutherland was kicked out of a London strip club on Thursday, U.K.’s The Daily Mail reported. According to the report, Sutherland, who was in London to promote his new movie “Twelve,” went berserk in the wee hours at the Stringfellows nudie bar, compelling the club’s bouncers to escort the “24″ star out of the establishment–in a headlock.

Reports said Sutherland, who was once made headlines for attacking a Christmas tree, started drinking around 10:30 in the evening at the bar of the Covent Garden Hotel before going to the strip club at around 2:00 am. A witness who saw Sutherland at Stringfellows said “he went bananas, shouting nonsense and dancing like Peter Crouch.”

It reportedly took the bouncers around ten minutes to get Sutherland in his car. Witnesses later saw a giggling Sutherland falling to his knees just outside his hotel. The actor’s reps have yet to issue any statement regarding the reports.

Volcanic ash cloud causes air travel chaos

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 04:05:00 +0000

A cloud of ash from a volcano in Iceland swept toward mainland Europe, with airspace over the United Kingdom closed to flights until Friday evening, officials said.

It could take up to 48 hours for the ash to clear from U.K. airspace, a scientist said, and the cloud forced up to 6,000 flight cancellations across the continent, according to the intergovernmental body that manages European air travel.

Thousands of flights and untold numbers of travelers were affected as some of Europe's busiest airports closed, including London's Heathrow, Amsterdam's Schiphol, and Paris' Charles de Gaulle.

The prime minister of Norway was among those stranded by the closure of European airspace.

Jens Stoltenberg, who was in New York for President Barack Obama's nuclear summit, is running the Norwegian government from the United States via his new iPad, his press secretary Sindre Fossum Beyer said.

Samsung issues warnings about 3-D TV

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 04:03:00 +0000

Pregnant women, drunk people and "those who are sleep deprived" should not watch 3-D television because of potential health issues, electronics manufacturer Samsung says on its Web site.

The company also says people at risk for stroke or epileptic seizures should consult a medical professional before watching TV in three dimensions.

Samsung and Panasonic began selling the first 3-D TVs in the U.S. last month.

The warnings come as other TV manufacturers are set to debut 3-D home entertainment systems this year. When watching 3-D TV, users wear special glasses with lenses that open and close rapidly to produce an image that appears to leap off of the screen.

Israeli customs blocks entry of iPads

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 04:01:00 +0000

Jerusalem - A number of Israelis and tourists entering the country at Ben Gurion Airport have had their new Apple iPads seized by customs officials.

Israeli authorities say the devices' Wi-Fi standard does not match Israel's standard, which is also used in Europe.

Yechiel Shavi, spokesman for the Ministry of Communication, said that the ban only applies to those iPads built for the American standard but would not apply to devices that match the European specifications.

Apple announced on Wednesday that it was delaying the worldwide release of iPads because "demand is far higher than we predicted and will likely continue to exceed our supply."

"We know that many international customers waiting to buy an iPad will be disappointed by this news, but we hope they will be pleased to learn the reason -- the iPad is a runaway success in the U.S. thus far," the company said in a statement announcing the delay.

Zac Efron to Produce 'Snabba Cash' Remake

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 03:56:00 +0000

Another former child star involved with drugs and crime. But in Zac Efron's case, it's a character he'll be playing in a movie he's producing. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the 17 Again star could be looking at his first franchise since Disney's blockbuster TV-to-theatrical series High School Musical with an English-language remake of the recent Swedish hit Snabba Cash (Easy Money). Warner Bros. has won a bidding war for the rights, and it's likely the project will move ahead quickly or else WB may lose the opportunity altogether due to a "short fuse" clause in the studio's deal with producers.

Meteor Lights Up U.S. Midwest

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 03:53:00 +0000

The U.S. Midwest is abuzz with UFO talks after a huge fireball lit up the skies late Wednesday night. The National Weather Service said the light lasted about 15 minutes and disintegrated into smaller pieces before disappearing. The fireball was reportedly seen in Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, and Ohio.
Some people reported hearing a long sonic boom at the time that the fireball was seen over the Midwest skies. The huge noise was followed by the shaking of houses and trees, among other things, the NWS said. Experts have yet to exactly identify the fireball, but the NWS believes that it may have been a wayward meteor that made its way into earth. According to the NWS, The Gamma Virginids meteor shower, which began on April 4, is still ongoing and it may have caused the massive fireball. The NWS said it has yet to determine if parts of the suspected meteor hit the ground after disintegrating.

Lindsay Lohan cut from the cover of “Mean Girls” video game

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 03:52:00 +0000

Mean Girls, the movie that truly defined high school social cliques, is missing its lead star’s photo on its movie-turned-game cover. Sources have suggested that the giant gaming company Nintendo may have snubbed Lindsay Lohan due to her questionable antics and bad public image.

Lohan’s other Mean Girls co-stars such as Rachel McAdams, Lacey Chabert, and Amanda Seyfried, notoriously known in the movie as the “Plastics”, were prominently displayed on the front cover.

For years since her shot to fame, Lohan had been caught frequently on camera having altercations with law enforcement agents ranging from DUIs, to law suits, and alleged drug use.

Toyota suspends Lexus GX 460 sales

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 04:42:00 +0000

Tokyo, Japan - Toyota announced Thursday that it is testing all of its sports utility vehicles after it suspended worldwide sales of the Lexus GX 460 due to a reported risk of rollover.

Toyota does not plan to suspend the sales of the other vehicles it is testing, said Ririko Takeuchi, a spokeswoman. But the company will suspend Lexus GX 460 sales.

Consumer Reports magazine warned readers on Tuesday not to buy the sport-utility vehicle because it could turn over in hard turns. Shortly after the magazine issued its warning, Toyota announced it was suspending sales of the luxury vehicle in the United States and Canada.

Toyota spokeswoman Mieko Iwasaki said Thursday that the company was expanding the suspension to the Middle East and Russia, the only other markets where it was sold.

"We have no specific target in mind when to resume the sales," she said. "We are now investigating the case by trying to replicate the situation that Consumer Reports pointed out."

Twitter claims 105 million registered users

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 04:40:00 +0000

Twitter has more than 105 million registered users, co-founder Biz Stone said Wednesday.

The announcement, at the micro-blogging site's Chirp conference for developers, marked the first time Twitter has announced it number of accounts. The tally - 105,779,710, to be exact - is significantly more than outside analysts had estimated.

The company also says it's adding 300,000 accounts per day, with much of its growth coming outside the United States.

The number, of course, doesn't address how many of those accounts are active. It comes after months of outside speculation that the number of monthly visitor to Twitter's main page had peaked – after astronomical growth in early 2009.

Web analytics company Compete estimates that Twitter's number of unique monthly visitors has stayed roughly the same since June 2009.

But on Wednesday, Stone said most of Twitter's daily traffic comes from third-party applications, which often don't require a stop by the site's main page (which nevertheless got a makeover last week).

As Mashable's Adam Ostrow notes in a blog post from the conference, the number still pales in comparison to social-networking giant Facebook's more than 400 million registered accounts.

But it's closer than most observers would have guessed, which bodes well for Twitter a day after it rolled out an advertising plan that it hopes will turn the much-talked-about site into an actual moneymaker.

Arsenal title race over after defeat to Spurs

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 04:38:00 +0000

Arsenal's hopes of winning the English Premier League title appear over after a damaging 2-1 defeat at bitter north London rivals Tottenham, who keep alive their hopes of claiming the fourth Champions League place.

Despite enjoying plenty of first-half possession, Arsenal could not find their way past a stubborn Tottenham defense and the home side took the lead with a wonder goal from debutant Danny Rose.

Teenage midfielder Rose reacted first to goalkeeper Manuel Almunia's punch out, hammering an unstoppable 10th minute volley into the roof of the net.

And Tottenham increased their lead in the first minute of the second half when the Arsenal offside trap was exposed and Gareth Bale found himself in space to slot the ball past Almunia.

Apple postpones international iPad launch due to strong US demand

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 04:34:00 +0000

The official statement from Apple:
Although we have delivered more than 500,000 iPads during its first week, demand is far higher than we predicted and will likely continue to exceed our supply over the next several weeks as more people see and touch an iPad™. We have also taken a large number of pre-orders for iPad 3G models for delivery by the end of April.

Faced with this surprisingly strong US demand, we have made the difficult decision to postpone the international launch of iPad by one month, until the end of May. We will announce international pricing and begin taking online pre-orders on Monday, May 10. We know that many international customers waiting to buy an iPad will be disappointed by this news, but we hope they will be pleased to learn the reason—the iPad is a runaway success in the US thus far.

Rachel Weisz to play Jackie Kennedy in new Movie

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 04:33:00 +0000

EW.com is reporting that “The Constant Gardener” star Rachel Weisz has been tapped to play former First Lady Jackie Kennedy in a film that would be directed and produced by the Academy Award winner’s fiancé, Darren Aronofsky, who helmed 2008’s critically acclaimed “The Wrestler.”

“Jackie,” will focus on how the beautiful first lady coped with the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The whole film will revolve around the four days between President Kennedy’s death and burial. It is expected to be a challenging role for Weisz, as the film is supposed to showcase the grace showed by Jackie Kennedy while mourning the loss of her beloved husband.

The script was reportedly written by Noah Oppenheim, who is an executive at the company that produces “The Office” and “The Biggest Loser.” If confirmed, the project will be the second collaboration between real-life partners Weisz and Aronofsky, who also directed his fiancée in the 2006 flop “The Fountain.”

Catherine Zeta-Jones Bares All in Allure

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 04:32:00 +0000

Catherine Zeta-Jones is 40 and she is smoldering hot in Allure’s May issue, where the Welsh actress is photographed in all her naked glory. Zeta-Jones, who is married to actor Michael Douglas, said in an interview with the magazine that her theater training helped her become confident about her body.

Zeta-Jones, whose body hides the fact that she has a 9-nine-year-old son and a 6-year-old daughter, said she felt comfortable while doing the naked photo shoot with photographer Michael Thompson. “That’s when your dancing days and being in theater pay off…When you’re doing a quick change, you don’t give a shit who sees you,” she says tongue-in-cheek.

The Oscar-winning actress for the film adaptation of “Chicago” is currently starring in Broadway’s “A Little Night of Music.” Joining Zeta-Jones in Allure’s naked edition are American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi, Emmanuelle Chriqui of “Entourage,” Jessica Capshaw of “Grey’s Anatomy,” and singer Colbie Caillat, among others.

China Earthquakes; 300 dead

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 04:30:00 +0000

Chinese officials reported that more than 300 people have died after a number of strong quakes shook Southern Qinghai, a mountainous area near Tibet. The U.S. Geological Survey said the strongest of the earthquakes was a 6.9-magnitude temblor. China’s Earthquakes Networks Center recorded the same quake as a 7.1.

Thousands of people were also injured in the series of quakes that destroyed communication lines and other infrastructures in Yushu county. Officials said many others are feared to have been buried as houses were toppled in the county of close to 90,000 people. The military in the area has been dispatched to lead the rescue operations but efforts to reach survivors are hindered by the lack of equipment, local media reported. A senior military official said roads were damaged by the quakes, making it harder for relief goods to reach the victims.

The USGS said the epicenter of the strongest quake was six miles below the ground in the city of Golmud. Two more aftershocks followed in the next 12 minutes after the first quake.

Archaeologists discover a Roman-era mummy

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 04:35:00 +0000

A Roman-era mummy was recently unearthed in a Bahariya Oasis cemetery, about 190 miles southwest of Cairo.

The 3-foot-tall female mummy was discovered by Egyptian archaeologists. The figure was found covered with plaster decorated to resemble Roman dress and jewelry, said Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities in a press release Monday.

In addition to the female mummy, the Supreme Court of Antiquities said archaeologists found clay and glass vessels, coins, anthropoid masks and 14 Greco-Roman tombs.

Director of Cairo and Giza Antiquities Mahmoud Affifi, the archaeologist who led the dig, said the tomb has a unique design with stairways and corridors, and could date to 300 B.C.

Bahariya Oasis is not new to archaeological investigations. In 1996, a team of Egyptian archaeologists found 17 tombs and 254 mummies at the site.

Chelsea go four points clear

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 04:32:00 +0000

A first-half strike from Nicolas Anelka gave jittery Chelsea victory over Bolton and sent them four points clear at the top of the Premier League. But it was evident from the laboured performance by Carlo Ancelotti's side that the title nerves are beginning to take hold.

The Blues had to wait until the 43rd minute to break down a stubborn Bolton side who almost snatched a draw in the closing stages.

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson insists the title is Chelsea's to throw away and, judging by the anxiety on show at Stamford Bridge, the run-in promises to be a thrilling affair.

Joss Whedon To Direct Marvel's 'The Avengers'

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 04:28:00 +0000

I'm told Marvel Studios is in final negotiations for Buffy the Vampire Slayer series architect Joss Whedon to direct Marvel Studios' The Avengers. That's the fast-tracked film that would amount to an all-star team of Marvel superheros, including Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), as well as Shield leader Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). Other signature superheros will likely be involved, but I've listed the actors in active superhero duty. Whedon has been rumored for this job for awhile, and is high on the fanboy wish-list.