The Rooster blog

Spaghetti for a little friend

2011-06-26T11:39:00.001-04:00

Evolution of the Alphabet

2011-06-26T11:34:00.003-04:00

Watch the Glastonbury Festival 2011 live

2011-06-25T18:15:00.001-04:00

Please check back tomorrow for the new feed

Peter Falk Died Last Night. R.I.P. Columbo

2011-06-24T18:26:00.000-04:00

oh yeah, and one more thing...

Thai handicraft... Carved from a single piece of wood

2011-06-24T18:00:00.000-04:00

All wood, all by hand. and if you go now, you can walk around the carvers and artists as they are still building this insanity.

HTC's Evo 3D, the Country's First Glasses-Free 3-D Smartphone

2011-06-24T12:36:00.000-04:00

HTC Evo 3D: Cameras Here you can see the Evo 3D's dual-lensed 3-D camera on the back of the phone, as well as that excellent shutter button Dan Nosowitz

HTC's Evo line of Android smartphones is big on firsts: The Evo 4G was the first 4G phone in America (by current definitions, at least), and its sequel, the Evo 3D, is the nation's first to pack a glasses-free stereoscopic 3-D display, like the Nintendo 3DS. It's actually a very nice phone, but it doesn't do much to convince us that stereoscopic 3-D is good for anything but gaming.

What's New

The Evo 3D is changed in some subtle ways from its predecessor, the Evo 4G. It has a dual-core processor, rather than the Evo 4G's single-core, along with more memory. The software has been upgraded as well; the Evo 3D has the newest version of HTC's Android skin, Sense 3.0, laying on top of the newest version of Android, Gingerbread. But the big addition is the 3-D: its screen can display glasses-free stereoscopic 3-D, and its dual-lensed camera (on the rear; it also has a regular 2-D front-facing camera) can take both video and still photography in the third dimension.

HTC Evo 3D: Gallery App: The phone's face, showing its gallery app. The brick pattern is a reflection, rather than a background image--the phone is pretty reflective in natural sunlight, though actually quite nice--in 2-D--indoors Dan Nosowitz

What's Good

The phone itself is pretty good! HTC changed the aspect ratio to 16:9, making the phone taller and skinnier than the Evo 4G. I'm not a huge fan of that decision, as it can be tough to reach the upper parts of the giant 4.3-inch screen, especially for those with smaller hands. Aside from that, the design is really nice--much thinner than, say, the HTC Thunderbolt, and with a more interesting look. The textured back and Evo-trademark circle-enclosed buttons are a nice touch. The added horsepower and upgraded version of Android make the phone very snappy to use. Sense 3.0 is kind of overly complicated and showy--expect lots of completely unnecessary animations and a bajillion very-similar widgets--but it does offer some nice features and a sense of cohesiveness that Android sometimes lacks. The lockscreen, which shows the weather and gives you a shortcut into the camera, phone, email, and messaging app, is a good example: It's pretty, and useful on paper, but it's not actually any more efficient to use than a simple unlocker.

The included 3-D game, Ultimate Spider-Man: Totaly Mayhem, is pretty fun--about as good as a mid-tier Nintendo 3DS game, which means it's worth playing. Not to brag, but this further proves our theory that 3-D is at its best in gaming, rather than movies or TV.

Oh, and the camera button is perfect. Other phone makers: Steal this button en masse. It actually feels like a camera's shutter button, two-stage picture-taking and all. I want it on every phone I buy from now on.

What's Bad

The 3-D is bad. It's not implemented nearly as much as I expected--the homescreens and all of HTC's custom apps are in regular 2-D, including HTC's replacement Twitter, email, calendar, and messaging apps. It's jarring to turn on a phone with "3-D" in the name and have to dig around in the app list to find something that's actually in 3-D.

But once you do find the 3-D stuff--there are a few games in 3-D, the Gallery app displays 3-D images, and you can watch movies in 3-D--you might wonder why you even bothered. The effect is noticeably worse than the Nintendo 3DS: images are very shimmery, shifting around if you change your perspective even a tiny amount. The proper viewing angle is far too specific--if you move to the side, up and down, or back and forth, you'll lose the effect.

HTC Evo 3D: 3-D Photos: You can't get too good of a sense of the 3-D feature without using the phone, but you can see how quickly the 3-D photos lose their focus when the phone isn't at the perfect angle to your eyes Dan Nosowitz

The included 3-D sample photos actually gave me a headache; the effect is the opposite of immersive, since you feel like you're having to manually adjust your eyeballs to cope with the blurry perspective pranks the phone is playing on you. There's this moment of switching from 2-D to 3-D while browsing through photos that is legitimately painful, as your eyes struggle to switch their perspective. There's no way to dial down the effect, like on the Nintendo 3DS--it's either on or off. Some of the photos we took ended up looking okay, but overall we opted to ignore the 3-D gallery altogether.

The Price

$200 with a two-year contract from Sprint

The Verdict

The Evo 3D itself is actually very desirable--if there was an HTC Evo 2D, this phone with the 3-D elements lobotomized, it'd be a worthy followup to its groundbreaking predecessor. And we're not judging it for using 3-D, which many call a gimmicky technology. We don't mind gimmicks; actually, we love gimmicks. But we love them when they're fun, even if the fun is superficial or short-lived. The Evo 3D's gimmick is bizarre: it feels like you don't use it often enough, but when you do use it, it's actively unpleasant. The final verdict? If you're on Sprint, grab a Nexus S 4G, unless you're a very specific type of masochist who wants to watch Avatar on a 4.3-inch screen and get a headache while you do it.

Reggie Bush's new girlfriend Melissa Molinaro is a Kim Kardashian double from head-to-toe

2011-06-23T14:25:00.001-04:00

NFL star Reggie Bush definitely has a 'type.'

As Kim Kardashian gets ready to walk down the aisle with fiancé Kris Humphries, her American football star ex-boyfriend is dating her doppelgänger.

Bush's new girlfriend, Melissa Molinaro, is a lookalike for socialite Kardashian, from her chiselled features and long dark hair right down to her curvaceous figure.

Lookalike: Reggie Bush's new girlfriend Melissa Molinaro is a Kim Kardashian double from head-to-toe

Bush, 26, who split up from Kardashian in March 2010 following a high profile on-again, off-again relationship, was spotted out with Molinaro at trendy Beverly Hills steakhouse, Boa, a couple of weeks ago but friends say they've been a couple since Christmas.

U.S. website TMZ reports that the New Orleans Saints star flew to England earlier this month to show his devotion to his new girl when she performed in a London nightclub.

Bush and Molinaro met two years ago but were always seeing other people so stayed platonic friends until they reconnected last summer.

Double vision: The hair, the face, the figure...Melissa Molinaro is the spitting image of Keeping Up With The Kardashians star Kim

The aspiring actress, model and singer became a web sensation in February with her eye-catching 'Super C-U-T-E' Old Navy ad, which was played over 1.7 million times on YouTube in its first few weeks.

When the advertisement launched, Molinaro immediately got calls from her friends and family about her striking resemblance to the reality star.

'They're saying, "Oh my god, [people are] saying you look like Kim Kardashian!"' she told U.S. website E! Online.

Ex-Lovers: Bush and Kardashian (pictured here in February 2010 in Las Vegas) dated on and off from 2007 but split for good in March 2010

The Ontario, Canada born-beauty didn't mind the comparisons to the reality star, sending a message to her double. 'Kim, I think you're beautiful woman, an amazing business woman, and it would be nice to meet you someday! I hope you don't think all this is weird.'

After appearing in Making The Band 3 and The Pussycat Dolls Presents: Search For The New Doll, she's is up next in Honey 2, a straight-to-DVD sequel to the Jessica Alba's 2003 film.

Bush and Kardashian's tumultuous relationship spanned from 2007 to 2010.

Since then Kim moved on to another NFL player, Miles Austin, before getting engaged to basketball star Humphries in May, who she is set to wed later this summer.

On the other hand, Bush doesn't seem to have veered far from his ex. His previous girlfriend before Molinaro, Latin singer Mayra Veronica, bore a striking resemblance to Kim too.

The "O.J. Simpson Just Confessed To Oprah" Story Is Bogus

2011-06-23T14:21:00.000-04:00

Rumors are flying all over the internet that the O.J. Simpson wants to confess to the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole, and Ronald Goldman.

Confess to Oprah Winfrey, of course.

The reports are all based on a National Enquirer story that says O.J. gave a jailhouse interview with an Oprah producer, and told the producer that he murdered his ex-wife in self-defense after she pulled a knife on him. (The story is not on their website.)

However, Oprah people's are denying that such a conversation ever happened.

So what's really going on? Well, Oprah did give an interview last week saying she wants an interview with Simpson ... but only the condition that he comes clean. She wants the confession to jump start the ratings on her new network and she still thinks she can get.

But it just hasn't happened yet.Looks like the Enquirer just took the idea and ran with it. Just wishful thinking by everyone involved. Until Oprah herself confirms that its happening, we're not going to believe it.

It's unlikely that O.J. will ever confess no matter how much money it makes him. There's no statute of limitations on murder and even though he was was already acquitted of the crime, the government would surely find some way to reopen the case and nail him.

Tribe meets white man for the first time - Liveleak!

2011-06-23T09:12:00.000-04:00

Pottermore: J.K. Rowling Announces New Reading Material And Online Destination, Harry Potter

2011-06-23T09:03:00.000-04:00

The speculation is over, muggles: Pottermore has arrived, and as we guessed, it's an online experience featuring brand new "Harry Potter" material.

That's right — brand new. They aren't calling this Pottermore without a reason!

J.K. Rowling finally unveiled the full extent of her newest project in a press announcement today, revealing Pottermore as a free-to-use website that will feature "extensive new material about the characters, places and objects in the much-loved stories," all written by Rowling. It sounds like the vast majority, if not all of this material, is intended to supplement the "Potter" stories as they already exist, rather than create brand new stories all unto themselves. In other words, this appears to be Rowling's long awaited "Potter" encyclopedia, but in an online and interactive form.

But there are other features on Pottermore besides new reading material, including an online shop (where registered users can purchase exclusively the "Harry Potter" eBooks), new illustrations, and interactive "Moments," which allow users to "move through the chapters" and experience places like Hogwarts and Diagon Alley firsthand. Exactly how those "moments" are experienced remains unclear just now.

“I wanted to give something back to the fans that have followed Harry so devotedly over the years, and to bring the stories to a new digital generation," Rowling said of Pottermore in a statement. "I hope fans and those new to Harry will have as much fun helping to shape Pottermore as I have. Just as I have contributed to the website, everyone else will be able to join in by submitting their own comments, drawings and other content in a safe and friendly environment – Pottermore has been designed as a place to share the stories with your friends as you journey through the site.”

Pottermore fully launches in October 2011, with registration opening on July 31, Harry's birthday. That day will also feature an online challenge rewarding the first million people to register with early beta-testing access to Pottermore. So wands at the ready, aspiring wizards and witches — there's plenty more "Potter" coming your way, long after both "Deathly Hallows" and (shameless self-promotion alert) the Harry Potter World Cup have ended.

Japan has been rattled by a 6.7 magnitude earthquake

2011-06-22T22:20:00.000-04:00

JAPAN has been rattled by a magnitude-6.7 earthquake that hit the northeast of the country, the meteorological agency said.

The quake effected the areas hardest hit by the March 11 quake and tsunami disasters.

Japan's meteorological agency said the latest jolt hit about 50 kilometres off the east coast of Miyako, Iwate prefecture, at a depth of 20 kilometres in the Pacific.

The agency initially released a tsunami warning of a 20cm wave, but this was later revised.

Local authorities had issued evacuation orders to some 8,000 households in Iwate, news agency NHK said.

Shinkansen bullet train services were temporarily suspended, while there was no new damge to the Onagawa nuclear power plant in Miyagi, south of Iwate, which has been out of operation since the March 11 disaster, NHK added.

The northeast coast of Japan's main Honshu island was ravaged by a 9.0 magnitude quake and monster tsunami on March 11, which left more 23,000 people dead or missing.

The disasters also crippled the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, triggering the world's worst atomic accident since Chernobyl in 1986 and forcing hundreds of thousands of residents to leave their homes.

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology reported no immediate tsunami threat to Australian mainland, islands or territories from the earthquake.

The US Pacific Tsunami warning centre said that it did not expect a destructive Pacific-wide tsunami.

There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries in the quake.

iPhone 5 'to launch in September'

2011-06-22T17:50:00.002-04:00

Apple's iPhone 5 will have the same form factor as the iPhone 4, according to reports. Photograph: Eric Thayer/Reuters

Apple is on track to release an "iPhone 5" in September, according to reports from component suppliers in Asia who are gearing up to build the next generation of the company's smartphone.

Although reports vary on the naming – with some sources suggesting that it will be called the iPhone 4G or 4S – the Guardian has been told that the form of the device is very similar to the existing iPhone 4, which was released in summer 2010.

The suppliers are also understood to be preparing for another iPhone release during 2012, though the timing on that is less certain. Some are suggesting that the next model could come out in March.

The Guardian understands that while the new version will look very like the iPhone 4, it may dispense with some of the visible buttons on the side of the device for volume control.

Other reports on Bloomberg suggest that the new phone will use an A5 processor like that included in the iPad 2 released in March and feature an 8MP camera (compared with 5MP in the iPhone 4). Some reports suggest that it is testing a higher-resolution or larger version of the screen than that in the present model.

The new devices will include Apple's new iOS 5 software, which includes its iCloud capability to synchronise data between devices, and to activate and update phones without requiring connection to a computer, as well as offering photo sharing and Twitter messaging across many apps.

Richard Windsor, global technology marketing analyst at Nomura Securities, said he expected the version sold in September to have the same price as the existing one, which Apple sells for about $600. "We think there will be an iPhone 5 in September – the suppliers have been ramping up for it," he said.

The key question, said Windsor, will be whether Apple introduces a mid-range phone at about $300 in order to capture a larger share of the market. If that happens, he suggests, Apple's share of the smartphone market – currently about 19% of the 100m devices sold per quarter – could explode as the market itself grows in this year and 2012.

But Windsor said he has not seen any sign that Apple is preparing a "mid-range" phone so far for launch early next year, which would be needed to capture a significant slice of the market.

Phones running Google's Android operating system have taken a dominant share of the smartphone market in the past six months, with a 31% share in the first quarter. Android pushed ahead of Nokia, whose Symbian operating system had been the leading smartphone platform for years, in the first quarter of this year. Apple is in third place, though analysts expect Apple to pass Nokia in the current quarter which ends in just over a week.

The smartphone market is expected to grow 55% this year to 472m and to hit 1bn units by 2015, according to the research company IDC. With Android devices and, from October, Nokia devices running Microsoft's Windows Phone software competing for that market, it may become imperative for Apple to produce a mid-range device to capture more revenue, as it did in the music player market when it launched the iPod Mini, iPod Nano and iPod Shuffle.

IDC expects that Android will grow to more than 40% of the market by the end of 2011, while Windsor at Nomura expects Apple to pass Nokia to take second place in smartphone sales to Samsung.

The new iPhone would be hotly anticipated but Apple will want to play down the reports ahead of the summer season in case it affects sales.

2011-06-22T17:49:00.000-04:00

Country music star Glen Campbell has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. According to the 75-year-old singer's wife Kim, he is "still an awesome guitar player and singer," and will make the most of his time while his memory is largely intact by recording a final album and heading out on a farewell tour.

Campbell's last album, titled Ghost on the Canvas, is in the works now with producer Julian Raymond, who worked with the singer on his 2008 collection Meet Glen Campbell, which included covers of songs byGreen Day, Tom Petty, the Velvet Underground and the Replacements.Ghost in the Canvas will include another song penned by the Replacements' Paul Westerberg, as well as original material and tunes by Guided By Voices mastermind Robert Pollard and the Wallflowers' Jakob Dylan. Billy Corgan, Chris Isaak, Dick Dale, Brian Setzer, the Dandy Warhols and Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen will all contribute guest performances to the album.

Chelsea hail 'outstanding' Villas-Boas after new boss signs three-year deal

2011-06-22T08:43:00.000-04:00

Chelsea are celebrating the arrival of Andre Villas-Boas as the club's new manager on a three-year deal.

The Porto boss follows in the footsteps of his old boss Jose Mourinho after the Blues paid his £13.2million release fee.

A Chelsea statement issued on Wednesday morning hailed his appointment - and its wording appeared to deliver a snub to the initial favourite for the post, Guus Hiddink.

Green light for the Blues: Andre Villas-Boas will take charge of Chelsea

It read: 'Andre was the outstanding candidate for the job. He is one of the most talented young managers in football today and has already achieved much in a relatively short space of time.

'His ambition, drive and determination matches that of Chelsea and we are confident Andre's leadership of the team will result in greater successes in major domestic and European competitions.

'Andre will bring his coaching experience back to a club he is already very familiar with, having previously worked here for three years.

'He has always been highly regarded at Chelsea and everyone here looks forward to welcoming him back and working with him.'

Villas-Boas, who previously served Chelsea as an assistant to Mourinho, is expected now to set his sights on bringing with him to Stamford Bridge some of his most prized possessions at Porto.

London calling: Porto's Colombia international Radamel Falcao is also keen on a switch to west London

He'll cost you: Joao Moutinho is a target for Villas-Boas, but Porto want £35.5m for the midfielder

It is understood he wants striker Falcao and midfielder Joao Moutinho, two key members of the side he guided to a European and domestic treble this season. Porto president Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa immediately put a price on their heads last night, valuing Falcao at £26.5m and Moutinho at £35.5m.

Villas-Boas could also move for two members of his coaching staff - fitness coach Jose Maria Rocha and opposition scout Daniel Sousa.

Chelsea secured the 33-year-old after payment of his £13.2million release clause was completed - while he continued to relax on holiday.

Shown the door: Carlo Ancelotti was axed by Chelsea after they finished second to Manchester United

The Portuguese will not travel to London but remain on his summer break, although he may be joined today by a Chelsea delegation sent out to complete formalities. The plan is to introduce him officially next month, once he has spent a few days working with the players in training.

Rapid progress in securing Villas-Boas was made on Tuesday, with Porto promoting their assistant coach, Vitor Pereira, to the role of manager and informing the Portuguese stock exchange that the release clause had been paid and that their contract with Villas-Boas had been terminated.

No return: Hiddink won't take charge of Chelsea for a second time

Pinto da Costa suggested Chelsea first made their move when Villas-Boas made a trip to England last month.

'When he went to spend a weekend in London a month or so ago, I spoke to Vitor Pereira and asked him if he would be ready to take over,' he said.

He added that it was not until last week that a deal was finalised, once Chelsea had ruled out a second spell in charge for Guus Hiddink.

Moutinho is a central midfielder, but Chelsea remain determined to pursue Tottenham's Luka Modric, with an improvement on their original £22m offer still expected.

Recently Villas-Boas said London was a city he felt he 'could live in perfectly' and, judging by some of the reports emerging from Portugal yesterday, he might fancy a wing of Buckingham Palace.

Portugal's King Carlos I made Jose Gerardo de Villas Boas the first Viscount of Guilhomil in 1890. Andre's great-uncle Jose Rui inherited the title when his father, a local political leader and judge, died just before the start of the First World War.

It became extinct only because the sole child from Jose Rui's marriage was a girl. Andre is also said to be related to a count and two

'Marley & Me' House for Sale

2011-06-22T08:40:00.002-04:00

If you've ever wanted to own a piece of Hollywood movie history, here's your chance.

The Birmingham, Pa. house featured in the movie “Marley & Me” is up for sale, according to the Daily Local News.

The Daily Local News reports that the 175-year-old stone structure, which is located at 1175 Meetinghouse Road, is listed at $1.25 million.

The owners tell the newspaper that they are looking to downsize from the 16-acre property with a five-bedroom and three-and-a-half bath farmhouse, and four outbuildings because their three daughters have left home.

The movie is based on John Grogan’s memoir, “Marley & Me,” and tells the story of a fun-loving yellow Labrador retriever.

Scouts for the movie’s production company decided on the Chester County home after looking through Pennsylvania and Connecticut, the Daily Local News reports.

But if you are looking to buy the home, be prepared for gawkers.

“A whole load of kids and parents will jump out of the car and snap photos in front of Marley’s house,” John Ennis, the homeowner, told the Daily Local News.

Actor Doug Hutchinson, 51, marries 16-year-old girl in Las Vegas

2011-06-21T10:57:00.000-04:00

Actor Doug Hutchison, best known for roles on "Lost" and "The Green Mile," married last month to his aspiring country singer bride Courtney Alexis Stodden in Vegas last month.

Seems like happy news, right? Well, that depends on how you feel about the fact that he's 51 and she's 16.

Stodden was in the running for Miss Teen Washington USA just last year and has featured some of her music on YouTube and MySpace, including a music video titled "Don't Put It On Me" which looks like a bad Elle Woods impersonation.

But most importantly, she also has her mother Krista Stodden's legal consent, who says that Hutchison is a "wonderful man." He's also only four years younger than Courtney's dad.

"They are very much in love and we are so supportive of this," Krista Stodden told Radar Online.

"We're aware that our vast age difference is extremely controversial," the couple said in a statement. "But we're very much in love and want to get the message out there that true love can be ageless."

Jennifer Lopez wardrobe malfunction, Jennifer Lopez Accidentally Flashes Nipple on Live TV!

2011-06-21T10:46:00.000-04:00

First Khloe Kardashian, now Jennifer Lopez! TheAmerican Idol judge was the latest celebrity to accidentally reveal too much skin in an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction on Saturday in Mallorca, Spain.

Lopez, 42, appeared on the German variety showWetten Das? to promote her new album Love?, when her dress got caught in a gust of wind. As both she and the show's host, Thomas Gottschalk, attempted to hold down the bottom of her dress, the top of the ensemble hung down a little too low and gave the live audience a clear view of Lopez's bare breast.

But the show must go on, and Lopez took the stage to perform her smash hit "On the Floor" as if nothing happened.

The timing of the mishap is slightly ironic, as Lopez is currently fighting to keep a sexy home video, shot by her ex husband Ojani Noa, from going public. Though the films don't contain actual "sex scenes," they do reportedly show Lopez prancing around in skimpy outfits and contain partial nudity.

It seems Lopez's recent nip slip is not even close to as damaging as the release of those tapes could be!

Weird Al Yankovic spoofs Lady Gaga

2011-06-21T10:14:00.000-04:00

Weird Al Yankovic released his new music video ‘Perform this Way’ today. The song parodies Lady Gaga’s ‘Born this Way.’

Originally there was a disagreement between Yankovic and Lady Gaga’s management about whether the song would be allowed to be parodied. After seeing the lyrics of the song however he finally allowed for it. Lady Gaga was reportedly upset that the manager had denied Yankovic permission to parody the song without first asking her. She apparently loves the song.

In the video Yankovic’s head is superimposed to a female body that undergoes numerous wardrobe changes. Some of them include a bee suit, cheese suit, an outfit with her intestines wrapped around her shoulders and then set aflame and much more.

Is it just me or does Weird Al Yankovic bear a striking resemblance to Lindsay Lohan in the pics to the right? I think he could be her double. (He’s a better actor too!)

Check out the video below:

Summer Solstice 2011: Longest Day Of Year On June 21

2011-06-21T09:59:00.000-04:00

Today, June 21, is the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, which means it's the longest day of the year in 2011.

According to USA Today, the summer solstice occurs when the sun is the farthest north in the sky, directly above the Tropic of Cancer. The exact moment of the solstice today will occur at 1:16 p.m. ET.

While some consider the summer solstice as the beginning of summer, many actually regard it as midsummer, though the definition varies between different regions and cultures. In the Southern Hemisphere, today actually marks the 2011 winter solstice. These seasons will again be flipped between the hemispheres on December 22, when the second solstice of the year occurs (winter for Northern Hemisphere, and summer for Southern Hemisphere).

From About.com:

On June 21, there are 24 hours of daylight north of the Arctic Circle (66.5° north of the equator) and 24 hours of darkness south of the Antarctic Circle (66.5° south of the equator). The sun's rays are directly overhead along the Tropic of Cancer (the latitude line at 23.5° north, passing through Mexico, Saharan Africa, and India) on June 21.

Although it's the longest day of the year, it usually isn't the warmest, International Business Times reports.

From IBT:

The Sun's angle is high before and after the summer solstice with a maximum number of daylight minutes. As the Sun begins to move lower in the sky, the length of daylight decreases, National Weather Service says.
For example, in New Mexico's Albuquerque, the maximum daily temperature occurs nearly 3 weeks later in mid July. This lag in temperature occurs because even though the minutes of daylight are decreasing, Earth's surface and atmosphere continues to receive more energy than just what it receives from the Sun. Average temperatures continue to climb until the Sun drops lower in the sky.

Many different people around the world celebrate the solstices, including a large gathering that happens every year at Stonehenge. This year, around 18,000 people were present at Stonehenge to witness the sunrise on the summer solstice, AP reports.

Even Google is celebrating the summer solstice with today's Google Doodle. According to Mashable.com, Japanese artist Takashi Murakami created the colorful logo, likewise making a winter version for those south of the equator.

Do you celebrate the summer solstice? Let us know your plans for the longest day of the year in the comments.

‘Jackass’ star Ryan Dunn dies in fiery car crash near Philadelphia, speed may have been factor

2011-06-20T13:00:00.002-04:00

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Police in southeastern Pennsylvania say

"Jackass" cast member Ryan Dunn has died of injuries sustained in

a fiery car crash, and speed may have been a factor.

West Goshen Township police say Dunn and a passenger died after

his 2007 Porsche left the roadway and burst into flames. The crash

occurred near the Philadelphia suburb of West Chester.

The 34-year-old Dunn appeared on MTV shows "Jackass" and

Bam Margera's "Viva La Bam" and the three "Jackass" big-screen adaptations.

He also was the star of his own MTV show, "Homewrecker," and

hosted "Proving Ground" on the G4 cable network.

In a statement, MTV calls Dunn "a beloved member of the MTV

family for more than a decade."

The passenger who died has not yet been identified.

Game of Thrones Season 2 Trailer Teased

2011-06-20T10:19:00.000-04:00

Following the Game of Thrones season 1 finale, HBO delighted fans with a sneak-peek of what’s in store for the next season. The Game of Thrones season 2 trailer teases what fans of the show can expect, and even though it is only 17 seconds in length, it manages to keep the hype going for what has to be one of the most popular shows around today.

Game of Thrones Season 2

Game of Thrones season 1 episode was titled “Fire and Blood” and received positive feedback from the shows’ loyal fanbase. The medieval fantasy series debuted back in mid April of this year and despite having a predominantly British cast, it did very well in terms of ratings and critic reviews in America. You can watch the Game of Thrones season 2 trailer below:

Season 1 of Game of Thrones centered around introductions and presenting the world to us viewers for the first time. Expect season 2 to dive right into the meat of things, as we find out more about the world of Westeros. The show ended with quite the flurry and it’s natural for some to be eager to find out what’s next.

You could always read George R.R. Martin’s books to quench your thirst, but of course it’s a different art form which you might react differently to. The Game of Thrones season 2 release date has been set at spring of 2012, so fans will be in for quite the wait to delve back into what has proved to be a mesmerizing fantasy world.

Miss USA 2011, not Miss America, is crowned

2011-06-20T10:14:00.000-04:00

For the stunning red-head Alyssa, it’s on to compete for the title of Miss Universe!

Alyssa Campanella may have been raised a Jersey girl, but she represented the Golden State to take home the crown in the Miss USA 2011 pageant (not to be confused with Miss America!), filmed at the Planet Hollywood Casino in Las Vegas. Alyssa bested first runner up Miss Tennessee Ashley Durham, second runner up Miss Alabama Madeline Mitchell, and third runner up Miss Texas Ana Rodriguez. Alyssa, a full-time model was considered one of the judge’s favorites.

This isn’t the end of the road for our winner — She gets to represent the United States in the Miss Universe pageant Sept. 12 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. That is, of course, if she complies with the very strict rules that apply to any woman holding the Miss USA title.

2010′s Miss America winner, Rima Fakih, 25, who presented Alyssa with her crown, was recently held under scrutiny after she appeared to have been out on an all-night bender. The prestigious title now means living under a microscope since the Tara Conner scandal. The 2006 winner was called out for drug abuse, underage drinking, and sexual indiscretion, but was not stripped of her title.

Arsenal star Cesc Fabregas holidays with a mystery brunette just a month after split with long-term girlfriend Carla 'Cutie' Garcia

2011-06-20T10:10:00.001-04:00

Footballers are known for moving quickly on the pitch - but some carry that trait into their personal lives.

Take Arsenal star Cesc Fabregas who split from his long-term girlfriend last month and already appears to have picked up a replacement.

The 24-year-old midfielder headed to the south of France with the brunette, rumoured to be named Daniela, as he got some much needed respite from the rigours of Premiership football.

Premiership form: The woman, thought to be named Daniela, sports a flattering yellow monokini during a sunshine break in south of France

Outfit number one: The brunette wore a cutaway yellow number as the couple basked in the sun together

Chilling out: Cesc gets a massage from the mystery woman

The mystery woman, who is very similar in appearance to his last girlfriend Carla Garcia, initially threw on a yellow cutaway number as the couple relaxed by the pool on their sun loungers.

She gave sportsman a massage as he enjoyed the Mediterranean sun, later the couple took a dip in the water to cool off.

Meanwhile Fabregas appeared to have spent a little too long in the sun - his chest an uncomfortable looking shade of red - Carla placing her hands on his chest as they arose from their loungers.

But after spending an inactive few hours topping up their tans, the footballer and his partner headed out to sea for an adrenalin rush aboard a jet ski.

For this endeavour she changed into a pale lilac two-piece and Essex-style wedge heels.

They then headed out to sea on board a jet ski for an exciting whizz around in the sea together.

French fancy: Cesc Fabregas and his new ladyfriend spent the weekend in the south of France

Hot stuff: She places her hands on Cesc's red chest

So cool: The footballer and his female companion let the water work its magic

And this is not the last foreign trip Fabregas has planned, in fact it could be a mere stop off for the Premiership star.

According to his Twitter page he will also head over to Jakarta and Bali.

He wrote: 'I can‘t wait for next week to go to Jakarta and Bali. Wait for meeee!!!! ;)'

All change: The mystery woman sported a different bikini as the couple headed out to sea for a jet ski ride

Here we go: Cecs, his sister Carlota and 'Daniela' head down to their waiting boat

Sacha Baron Cohen’s Dictator parades through the Big Apple on a hump-back

2011-06-20T10:08:00.001-04:00

hey said a dictator would never march in America.

But Sacha Baron Cohen proved them wrong when he paraded through the streets of New York on top of a camel yesterday.

But there was no need for anyone to get the hump, as the funnyman was in character for his upcoming film The Dictator.

Hail: Sacha Baron Cohen salutes the crowd as he filmed upcoming movie The Dictator in New York yesterday

Action! Sacha plays a Middle Eastern Dictator who comes to America and goes undercover in exile

The 39-year-old comedian wore a Saddam Hussein-inspired costume and gave one-handed salutes as he rode.

An onlooker said: 'Even by the standards of New York, that is not something you see every day.

'The only thing more impressive than the camel was Baron Cohen’s ridiculous beard.

ZZ Top man: Baron Cohen's beard drew admiring glances

'The whole get up was hilarious, and we are all looking forward to seeing how the film turns out.’

The Dictator shares more than a few similarities with classic Charlie Chaplin 1940 movie The Great Dictator, which was a biting satire on Nazi Germany.

In Chaplin’s movie, a Jewish barber who bears an uncanny resemblance to the Hitler pastiche Phooey Hynkel, ends up being mistaken for the Fuhrer.

Old: Charlie Chaplin satirised Adolf Hitler in 1940's classic The Great Dictator

New: Sacha Baron Cohen's dictator is based on notorious Iraq leader Saddam Hussain

It is unclear if Baron Cohen’s movie will have such serious undertones though.

He plays a Hussein-like dictator who is secretly replaced by a lookalike goat herder and must rebuild his life in New York City.

It is directed by Larry Charles, who also helmed Bruno and Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.

Touchdown: The dictator gets ready to dismount

The Dictator also co-stars Oscar-winner Ben Kingsley and Jason Mantzoukas.

The book that the film's screenplay is loosely based on is an allegorical romance novel published anonymously in 2000.

The CIA believes it was written by ghost-writers with the direct influence of Hussein and the simple plot is laden with hidden meanings.

The protagonist of the novel is named Arab, who represents Hussein, and the story follows him as he becomes King and rules over Iraq.

Camel-cade: Sacha is followed by the camera as he films in the centre of New York City

Jon Stewart LIVE On Fox News, Tells Host 'You're Insane'

2011-06-19T17:01:00.001-04:00

The Daily Show's Jon Stewart entered the proverbial lion's den, appearing live on Fox News Sunday to debate "media bias" with host Chris Wallace.

Early in the interview, Wallace flashed a previous quote of Stewart's calling Fox News a "relentless agenda-driven 24 hour news opinion propaganda delivery system," and asked Stewart, "Where do you come up with this stuff?"

Stewart responded, "Uh, it's actually quite easy."

Later, when Wallace argued that a clip about Sarah Palin from the Daily Show was political commentary, Stewart told Wallace, "You're insane... Here's the difference between you and I. I'm a comedian first. My comedy is informed by an ideological background, there's no question about that. But the thing that you will never understand...is that Hollywood, yeah, they're liberal, but that's not their primary motivating force. I'm not an activist. I am a comedian."

"Do I want my voice heard?" Stewart continued later. "Absolutely, that's why I got into comedy. Am I an activist, in your mind? A partisan ideological activist?" Wallace responded, "Yeah." "Okay, then I disagree with you," Stewart said. "You can't understand, because of the world that you live in, that there is not a designed ideological agenda on my part to affect partisan change because that's the soup you swim in. And I appreciate that, I understand it. It reminds me of in ideological regimes, they can't understand that there is free media other places because they receive marching orders."

Watch highlights of the interview: