The Fifa 2010 opening was supposed to be a day of great rejoicing for Nelson Mendela to see his nation host the Fifa World Cup. But the moment turned to grief when he learned of his great grand daughters death in a tragic car accident just on the eve of the opening day.
The former president was expected at the opening match between South Africa and Mexico to celebrate his country’s triumph of hosting the World Cup on the African continent for the first time ever. Instead, the 91 year old Mr Mendela spent the evening in mourning on the death of his 13 year old great grand daughter Zenani Mandela which occurred in a fatal one car accident while on her way back home from a concert.
According to the police, the male driver was drunk while driving and was charged accordingly. He may also be charged for homicide.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
US vs England for the first time in 60 years
The United States faced England at the World Cup for the first time after the famous upset 60 years ago. The US Soccer team will now play Slovenia and Algeria in the first round the FIFA ‘10 World Cup.
The U.S. opened against England in Rustenburg today June 12, the teams’ first World Cup matchup since the American 1-0 victory at the 1950 tournament in Brazil. This time however, neither of the two emerged victor.
The United States will now meets Slovenia at Johannesburg’s Ellis Park on June 18 and go on to complete the first round on June 23 against Algeria in Pretoria. The U.S. has never played against either nation.
The U.S. opened against England in Rustenburg today June 12, the teams’ first World Cup matchup since the American 1-0 victory at the 1950 tournament in Brazil. This time however, neither of the two emerged victor.
The United States will now meets Slovenia at Johannesburg’s Ellis Park on June 18 and go on to complete the first round on June 23 against Algeria in Pretoria. The U.S. has never played against either nation.
Schumacher struggles in Canadian Grand Prix Qualifying
Michael Schumacher and his Mercedes GP team did not quite get the results they were hoping for in the dismal qualifying run in the Canadian Grand Prix.
The seven-time Montreal winner dropped down to the 13th spot out of 24 in the second of three sessions Saturday.
“We simply didn’t have the balance or grip and overall we had a lot of problems with braking and handling,” Schumacher said. “The car was just not performing as we expected. … It’s difficult to understand the reasons at the moment, but we’ll look deeply into it now and find a good strategy for the race.”
In spite of being the 7 times world champion, the 41 year old Schumacher for the first time this season failed to advance to the 10-driver final round of qualifying.
Ross Brawn expressed disappointment over the result as he had been encouraged by the results prior to qualification. When it came to qualification, “we just weren’t able to put our laps together” He said.
The seven-time Montreal winner dropped down to the 13th spot out of 24 in the second of three sessions Saturday.
“We simply didn’t have the balance or grip and overall we had a lot of problems with braking and handling,” Schumacher said. “The car was just not performing as we expected. … It’s difficult to understand the reasons at the moment, but we’ll look deeply into it now and find a good strategy for the race.”
In spite of being the 7 times world champion, the 41 year old Schumacher for the first time this season failed to advance to the 10-driver final round of qualifying.
Ross Brawn expressed disappointment over the result as he had been encouraged by the results prior to qualification. When it came to qualification, “we just weren’t able to put our laps together” He said.
Benches to the rescue for Boston Celtics
The Celtic coach Doc Rovers noticed that when he let Nate Robinson, Glen Davis and the rest of the back up squad on to the floor in the 4th quarter, they were loose and almost oblivious to the pressure their team was in… They just played.
A meticulously focused core like Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce couldn’t afford such a luxury as being carefree through out the season. What with the freak injuries streaks of inconsistency, plus the pressure of wanting to win another championship made the season one giant knot of stress.
surprisingly, Robinson and Davis responded to the pressure in an entirely different way. Considering the high pressure the celctics were in, loose wasn’t necessarily the worst way to play.
“I think our young guys are loose,’’ Rivers said yesterday. “They’re extremely confident. You know, just watching Baby and Nate in the postgame interview, you wouldn’t have thought that they were in a world championship the way they were acting. That’s just who they are.’’
A meticulously focused core like Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce couldn’t afford such a luxury as being carefree through out the season. What with the freak injuries streaks of inconsistency, plus the pressure of wanting to win another championship made the season one giant knot of stress.
surprisingly, Robinson and Davis responded to the pressure in an entirely different way. Considering the high pressure the celctics were in, loose wasn’t necessarily the worst way to play.
“I think our young guys are loose,’’ Rivers said yesterday. “They’re extremely confident. You know, just watching Baby and Nate in the postgame interview, you wouldn’t have thought that they were in a world championship the way they were acting. That’s just who they are.’’
South Africa, Mexico results in a Tie
The much anticipated match between the host South Africa and Mexico resulted in a Tie. Not quite the result either of them had hoped for. South Africa had taken the lead but Mexico equalized in 79th minute with a goal by Rafael Marquez. Yet it was a result that South Africa was happy with considering it was match with a better team. Celebrations however were tempered by the accidental death of the president’s great grand daughter.
Siphiwe Tshabalala had given the host a great start by putting in a goal in the 55th minute. However, they made the mistake of leaving Marquez open on the left wing, a position which he exploited to hit home with a cross. The Mexicans were on the offensive right from the start but were low on accuracy and missed some great chances. South Africa on the other hand were well collected with there passes and their finishing.
Siphiwe Tshabalala had given the host a great start by putting in a goal in the 55th minute. However, they made the mistake of leaving Marquez open on the left wing, a position which he exploited to hit home with a cross. The Mexicans were on the offensive right from the start but were low on accuracy and missed some great chances. South Africa on the other hand were well collected with there passes and their finishing.
WOW Server status
He recent reports claim that the servers of World of Warcraft (WOW) are down and they are not responding to their fans’ request. Is it true or just a rumor spread by some donkey sites seeking publicity? The confirmed sources claim that the report is true and WOW servers are really down. The sources further reported that the servers would remain close for next 24 hours and there were no chances of their coming back into work before this time. So, what is the reason for this long outage? Are they facing some serious problems in their servers or the servers have been tripped? Nothing really is the problem with servers of the game but just they are making adjustments for their Beta Test.
The company is expanding game via introducing a new chapter in it named Cataclysm and the stoppage was actually made for that. In USA and UK, the fans are unable to play the game but we ask them not to worry about it as very soon they will have another new chapter in the game to play. But there is a bit confusion about it as they will have to write to company to grant them the permission to take real Beta Test.
They will also have to write the reason as to why the company should choose them. The new expanded game will entertain you more than the previous game. The request should be sent to this link blizzardcontest@blizzard.com . Let see what is included in the new chapter of the game.
The company is expanding game via introducing a new chapter in it named Cataclysm and the stoppage was actually made for that. In USA and UK, the fans are unable to play the game but we ask them not to worry about it as very soon they will have another new chapter in the game to play. But there is a bit confusion about it as they will have to write to company to grant them the permission to take real Beta Test.
They will also have to write the reason as to why the company should choose them. The new expanded game will entertain you more than the previous game. The request should be sent to this link blizzardcontest@blizzard.com . Let see what is included in the new chapter of the game.
World Cup 2010 Opening Ceremony
World Cup Schedule Printable and World Cup 2010 Opening Ceremony: Each of the 32 participating countries in the FIFA World Cup 2010 is now looking forward to the grand opening ceremony which will begin tonight, June 10, 2010 at around 8pm (GMT +2) at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto/Johannesburg in South Africa with an opening number from Shakira scheduled to sing the World Cup theme song “Waka Waka”. She will then be joined by several performers such as John Legend, Black Eyed Peas, etc.
Given that the World Cup opening ceremony time will be at 8pm tonight, you can now convert your local time zones to find out what would be the time of the World Cup 2010 opening ceremony in your respective countries.
Right now, everyone is looking for the World Cup Schedule Printable to view the schedule of football matches. Based on the World Cup 2010 Printable Schedule which I downloaded from Fifa’s Official Website HERE, the first match goes to South Africa vs. Mexico at 4pm local time which will be held at the Soccer City in Johannesburg tomorrow, June 11, 2010. This will be followed by a second match in the same day between Uruguay and France at 8:30 pm local time which will be held at Green Point in Cape Town.
The next day, June 12, 2010, there will be three football matches according to the World Cup 2010 Printable Schedule. The first match goes to Korea Republic vs. Greece at 1:30pm local time which will be held at Nelson Mandela Bay. The second match will be between England vs. USA at 8:30pm local time at Royal Bafokeng in Rustenberg. The last match for the day will be between Argentina vs. Nigeria at 4pm at Ellis Park inJohannesburg.
Again, if you want to download the World Cup 2010 Schedule Printable, you can download it HERE to see which countries competes with whom. I cannot wait for the World Cup 2010 opening ceremony time tonight. We are just few hours away from now from the much awaited grand opening ceremony.
Given that the World Cup opening ceremony time will be at 8pm tonight, you can now convert your local time zones to find out what would be the time of the World Cup 2010 opening ceremony in your respective countries.
Right now, everyone is looking for the World Cup Schedule Printable to view the schedule of football matches. Based on the World Cup 2010 Printable Schedule which I downloaded from Fifa’s Official Website HERE, the first match goes to South Africa vs. Mexico at 4pm local time which will be held at the Soccer City in Johannesburg tomorrow, June 11, 2010. This will be followed by a second match in the same day between Uruguay and France at 8:30 pm local time which will be held at Green Point in Cape Town.
The next day, June 12, 2010, there will be three football matches according to the World Cup 2010 Printable Schedule. The first match goes to Korea Republic vs. Greece at 1:30pm local time which will be held at Nelson Mandela Bay. The second match will be between England vs. USA at 8:30pm local time at Royal Bafokeng in Rustenberg. The last match for the day will be between Argentina vs. Nigeria at 4pm at Ellis Park inJohannesburg.
Again, if you want to download the World Cup 2010 Schedule Printable, you can download it HERE to see which countries competes with whom. I cannot wait for the World Cup 2010 opening ceremony time tonight. We are just few hours away from now from the much awaited grand opening ceremony.
UFC 115: Creature vs. Creature, Pat Barry To Get Cro Copped
This Saturday, at UFC 115, living legend Mirko “Cro Cop’ Filipovic takes on kick-boxer Pat Barry and attempts to bat better than .500 in the UFC.
While there is a majority of MMA watchers assuming this is Barry’s coming out party, I couldn’t disagree more.
Mirko has fallen from the great heights since 2006 but he is still a level above a lot of the heavyweights in the UFC, including Pat Barry.
In his bout with Junior dos Santos last September, Mirko fought competitively, even winning the second round on many scorecards, before catching a punch to his eye rendering him unable to continue.
Junior dos Santos is considered one of the hottest contenders in the UFC right now and arguably the best striker in the UFC heavyweight division.
If Cro Cop can still hang with him, then what has fans so sure that Barry is going to mop the floor with the Croatian?
Isn’t Barry’s record 2-1 in the UFC?
Barry was submitted by Tim Hague in the first round prior to his recent win over Antoni Hardonk. The same Tim Hague that was knocked out in seven seconds by Todd Duffee, and then lost consecutive fights to Chris Tuchscherer and Joey Beltran.
Are people that impressed with his win over Hardonk?
The same Hardonk who has gone 3-4 in the UFC and has been stopped in his last two.
I imagine Cro Cop would have an easier time with Hardonk than Barry did.
Cro Cop will not just obliviously take the leg kicks that Barry delivered on Dan Evenson.
Cro Cop was an elite kick-boxer before many of us were even watching MMA.
Mirko took an amazing amount of punishment towards the end of his fight with dos Santos and never went down.
His toughness is not in doubt.
Cro Cop may have more miles but he’s seen a better version of everything Barry has to offer along the way.
The betting odds show Barry as the favorite. I say, this looks like an opportunity.
While there is a majority of MMA watchers assuming this is Barry’s coming out party, I couldn’t disagree more.
Mirko has fallen from the great heights since 2006 but he is still a level above a lot of the heavyweights in the UFC, including Pat Barry.
In his bout with Junior dos Santos last September, Mirko fought competitively, even winning the second round on many scorecards, before catching a punch to his eye rendering him unable to continue.
Junior dos Santos is considered one of the hottest contenders in the UFC right now and arguably the best striker in the UFC heavyweight division.
If Cro Cop can still hang with him, then what has fans so sure that Barry is going to mop the floor with the Croatian?
Isn’t Barry’s record 2-1 in the UFC?
Barry was submitted by Tim Hague in the first round prior to his recent win over Antoni Hardonk. The same Tim Hague that was knocked out in seven seconds by Todd Duffee, and then lost consecutive fights to Chris Tuchscherer and Joey Beltran.
Are people that impressed with his win over Hardonk?
The same Hardonk who has gone 3-4 in the UFC and has been stopped in his last two.
I imagine Cro Cop would have an easier time with Hardonk than Barry did.
Cro Cop will not just obliviously take the leg kicks that Barry delivered on Dan Evenson.
Cro Cop was an elite kick-boxer before many of us were even watching MMA.
Mirko took an amazing amount of punishment towards the end of his fight with dos Santos and never went down.
His toughness is not in doubt.
Cro Cop may have more miles but he’s seen a better version of everything Barry has to offer along the way.
The betting odds show Barry as the favorite. I say, this looks like an opportunity.
‘Top Chef Masters’ winner Marcus Samuelsson astounds with foie flan
“Top Chef Masters” wrapped up its second season and crowned its second king.
Although the finale seemed to lack the cutthroat competitiveness of the usual “Top Chef” series, there was still plenty of suspense considering each chef delivered exceptional menus with many highs.
It was Marcus Samuelsson that bested seafood king Rick Moonen and fan/chef favorite Susur Lee at their own games, bringing African food into the fine dining world.
The competition was close, however, and Samuelsson won by a mere half point — 17.5 over Lee and Moonen’s 17 points each.
The three chefs were tasked with bringing together three courses that represented their journeys as chefs. First course would be their first significant food memory, second course was inspired by a meal that made them decide to become chefs and the final course would describe themselves as chefs.
Although various parts of dishes garnered praise from the judges (Rick’s scallop, Susur’s entire final course) it was Samuelsson’s foie flan that amazed and piqued the judges’ curiosity. Besides bragging rights, Samuelsson also won a $100,000 grand prize for his charity.
Although the finale seemed to lack the cutthroat competitiveness of the usual “Top Chef” series, there was still plenty of suspense considering each chef delivered exceptional menus with many highs.
It was Marcus Samuelsson that bested seafood king Rick Moonen and fan/chef favorite Susur Lee at their own games, bringing African food into the fine dining world.
The competition was close, however, and Samuelsson won by a mere half point — 17.5 over Lee and Moonen’s 17 points each.
The three chefs were tasked with bringing together three courses that represented their journeys as chefs. First course would be their first significant food memory, second course was inspired by a meal that made them decide to become chefs and the final course would describe themselves as chefs.
Although various parts of dishes garnered praise from the judges (Rick’s scallop, Susur’s entire final course) it was Samuelsson’s foie flan that amazed and piqued the judges’ curiosity. Besides bragging rights, Samuelsson also won a $100,000 grand prize for his charity.
The Karate Kid’ Is Back—Again
Hollywood has always been green-friendly, but now it’s one of the world’s biggest recyclers. The latest example: The Karate Kid. (Wait—there’s also The A-Team. Is it 1984 again?)
That was the year the first Karate Kid movie came out, and it quickly became a national sensation. The original wasn’t just cotton-candy action. It was a skillful Rocky-eqsue sports story; the late Pat Morita landed an Oscar nomination for playing Mr. Miyagi, teacher of karate and all things in life (it would have been cooler had he won). Naturally, this meant that the studio did karate kicks until it had squeezed every penny out of the formula. There were three more sequels, including The Next Karate Kid, starring an unknown Hilary Swank. It flopped, by the way, because there’s nothing more boring for grade-school boys than watching a girl fight.
Of all the franchises Hollywood has been sifting through, another Karate Kid hardly seems like a must-do. But based on the cheers and applause from the test screening I attended, we have a promising new contender in the ring (or on the mat … actually). He’s the 11-year-old actor Jaden Smith. That name might ring a bell, because his dad, Will, has opened a film or two, and the pair appeared together (quite convincingly) in The Pursuit of Happyness. The older Smith got the Oscar nomination, but Jaden actually pulled off the bigger coup. Portraying a young boy without a home, his performance was so subtle, it made the story real. He does the same to this overinflated (nearly 2.5 hours) Karate Kid remake, which follows the equation of the first film, as its lanky protagonist learns how to channel his rage into his sport (the teacher this time is Jackie Chan).
The big question mark for offspring of celebrities isn’t if they can act, but if they can live up to the family legacy: Streep, Sheen, Hanks, Douglas, Roberts, etc. Jaden has inherited his father’s charm gene (and some of mom Jada’s spunkiness), and he might have the same movie-star potential. Even though he’s even younger than his father was when The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air got him his start, he has a natural ease with slapstick comedy, and he holds his own with Chan and Taraji P. Henson, who plays his mom. Most importantly, he comes across as his own actor, not an appendage to his dad. I’m tempted to say he’s the most promising young performer since Miley Cyrus, but I’m not sure. Is that a compliment—or a curse?
That was the year the first Karate Kid movie came out, and it quickly became a national sensation. The original wasn’t just cotton-candy action. It was a skillful Rocky-eqsue sports story; the late Pat Morita landed an Oscar nomination for playing Mr. Miyagi, teacher of karate and all things in life (it would have been cooler had he won). Naturally, this meant that the studio did karate kicks until it had squeezed every penny out of the formula. There were three more sequels, including The Next Karate Kid, starring an unknown Hilary Swank. It flopped, by the way, because there’s nothing more boring for grade-school boys than watching a girl fight.
Of all the franchises Hollywood has been sifting through, another Karate Kid hardly seems like a must-do. But based on the cheers and applause from the test screening I attended, we have a promising new contender in the ring (or on the mat … actually). He’s the 11-year-old actor Jaden Smith. That name might ring a bell, because his dad, Will, has opened a film or two, and the pair appeared together (quite convincingly) in The Pursuit of Happyness. The older Smith got the Oscar nomination, but Jaden actually pulled off the bigger coup. Portraying a young boy without a home, his performance was so subtle, it made the story real. He does the same to this overinflated (nearly 2.5 hours) Karate Kid remake, which follows the equation of the first film, as its lanky protagonist learns how to channel his rage into his sport (the teacher this time is Jackie Chan).
The big question mark for offspring of celebrities isn’t if they can act, but if they can live up to the family legacy: Streep, Sheen, Hanks, Douglas, Roberts, etc. Jaden has inherited his father’s charm gene (and some of mom Jada’s spunkiness), and he might have the same movie-star potential. Even though he’s even younger than his father was when The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air got him his start, he has a natural ease with slapstick comedy, and he holds his own with Chan and Taraji P. Henson, who plays his mom. Most importantly, he comes across as his own actor, not an appendage to his dad. I’m tempted to say he’s the most promising young performer since Miley Cyrus, but I’m not sure. Is that a compliment—or a curse?
The BP Cap
The BP cap that was installed last week is showing some positive results as oil has been diverted to a tanker standing by on the surface. The containment cap that was fit onto the leaking well is collecting 10,000 barrels of oil per day according to BP Chief Executive Tony Hayward.
On Saturday, Coast Guard Adm. It has been reported by Thad Allen that after its first full day of work, the cap placed on the gusher near the sea floor trapper about 252,000 gallons of oil.
Will the latest attempt to cap the spill work?
BP Chief Tony Hayward told reporters that they have another containment unit that would be functional from the next weekend, this way they would be able to cap majority of oil from the leak. So far, this latest attempt by BP is at least showing promise, although there seems to be quite a long road ahead.
The cap has made a difference, but the affects of the gulf oil spill disturbing as oil coated pelicans struggle through the shallow water. Dead dolphins and birds covered in oil wash up on shore. Not to mention the health risks that relief workers dealing with the oil spill are facing, including becoming exposed to the oil, vapors and fumes.
On Saturday, Coast Guard Adm. It has been reported by Thad Allen that after its first full day of work, the cap placed on the gusher near the sea floor trapper about 252,000 gallons of oil.
Will the latest attempt to cap the spill work?
BP Chief Tony Hayward told reporters that they have another containment unit that would be functional from the next weekend, this way they would be able to cap majority of oil from the leak. So far, this latest attempt by BP is at least showing promise, although there seems to be quite a long road ahead.
The cap has made a difference, but the affects of the gulf oil spill disturbing as oil coated pelicans struggle through the shallow water. Dead dolphins and birds covered in oil wash up on shore. Not to mention the health risks that relief workers dealing with the oil spill are facing, including becoming exposed to the oil, vapors and fumes.
The 44th Annual CMA Awards will air on ABC live from Nashville
The 44th Annual CMA Awards will air on ABC live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 10, at 8 p.m. EST.
“The CMA Awards is ‘Country Music’s Biggest Night’ and is one of the most highly anticipated events for our industry each year,” said Steve Moore, Chairman of the CMA Board of Directors. “It’s a night to recognize and honor our finest performers, songwriters, record producers, musicians and music video directors.”
According to Nielson, the 2009 CMA Awards came in No. 1 for the night in total viewers across all demographics, No. 3 for the week in the 18-49 demographic and No. 5 for the week in total viewers.
The CMA Awards nominees and winners are determined by the 6,000 professional members of the Country Music Association, the first trade organization to promote a particular genre of music in 1958.
The eligibility period for nomination in the 2010 CMA Awards is July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010. All voting will be conducted online. The nominees will be determined through two rounds of voting before the final nominee list for each of the 12 categories is announced in September. Final voting ends on Nov. 2.
The first CMA Awards, called the “CMA Awards Banquet and Show” was held in 1967. The following year, the program was broadcast on NBC. It is the longest running, annual music awards program on television.
“The CMA Awards is ‘Country Music’s Biggest Night’ and is one of the most highly anticipated events for our industry each year,” said Steve Moore, Chairman of the CMA Board of Directors. “It’s a night to recognize and honor our finest performers, songwriters, record producers, musicians and music video directors.”
According to Nielson, the 2009 CMA Awards came in No. 1 for the night in total viewers across all demographics, No. 3 for the week in the 18-49 demographic and No. 5 for the week in total viewers.
The CMA Awards nominees and winners are determined by the 6,000 professional members of the Country Music Association, the first trade organization to promote a particular genre of music in 1958.
The eligibility period for nomination in the 2010 CMA Awards is July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010. All voting will be conducted online. The nominees will be determined through two rounds of voting before the final nominee list for each of the 12 categories is announced in September. Final voting ends on Nov. 2.
The first CMA Awards, called the “CMA Awards Banquet and Show” was held in 1967. The following year, the program was broadcast on NBC. It is the longest running, annual music awards program on television.
John Terry admits Rio Ferdinand injury is a ‘devastating blow’
John Terry has admitted that the loss of Rio Ferdinand through injury is a “devastating blow” but hopes that the long-term understanding he has with Ledley King will help England to overcome the absence of their captain from the World Cup finals.
England’s bid to win the World Cup for the first time since 1966 gets under way on Saturday when they face the United States in Rustenburg, but Fabio Capello will be unable to call upon the services of Ferdinand who will miss the whole tournament having suffered a medial knee ligament injury in training last week.
Ferdinand’s place in Capello’s starting line-up is being contested by King, Jamie Carragher and Matthew Upson and though disappointed to be without his usual central defensive partner, Terry believes that England have enough options of sufficient quality in that position to cope without the Manchester United player, who has remained with the rest of the squad to support them in Saturday’s eagerly awaited opener.
“It is devastating to lose Rio,” Terry said. “I was looking forward to playing alongside him. He has picked up an injury that was no one’s fault in training. It was one of those freak accidents that happen occasionally. It is just disappointing that is has happened to our captain and one of our most influential players. It is great for him to be out here and still want to be part of the squad. He realises we still have a very good chance. If we can go a long way, a lot of that will be dedicated to Rio.
“Fortunately enough I played with Ledley when we were kids a few years ago. I have kept in touch with him over the years. The understanding is there. That will be good enough for us to play alongside each other. Carragher also came in and did well again. It is up to the manager. I am sure he will give us enough time on the training pitch to be able to play with each other.”
England’s preparations were continuing today with a training session that James Milner, the Aston Villa midfield player, was forced to miss because of a slight temperature. Other than that, though, Capello has no new injury worries after his players came through yesterday’s warm-up match against Platinum All Stars unscathed.
For Terry, the importance of the run-out lay in the opportunity to get used to South African playing conditions, the unique noise accompaniment provided by the vuvuzelas and the much criticised match ball that will be used in the World Cup, rather than the comfortable 3-0 victory achieved through goals from Jermaine Defoe, Joe Cole and Wayne Rooney.
“It was exactly the work out that we needed,” Terry said. “It was at the altitude we are training at and we needed to get used to the noise of the crowd and the movement of the ball, so it was a good workout in both halves.
“There are going to be problems with the ball for every team. It moves about in the air and off the surface. It is something we are trying to work on each day and trying to improve upon. A couple of times today it swerved at the last minute. There is nothing we can do about that. We just have to try and deal with it the best way we can. At the same time we have to try and get crosses into the box and cause problems at the other end.
“The vuvuzelas are not a problem. It was quite loud sitting there listening to them in the second half, but on the pitch it is not a problem. The ball is going to cause problems for every side. It is important we get a lot of crosses into the box and have a lot of shots. Attackers must follow in the rebounds. It is the same defensively.
“It was very important to play this match. We have had a few days to get used to the ball and the conditions and the altitude. We have done that. We realise it is another step up. It was not the best performance, but it was something we needed to do and we have done it.
“The altitude does have an effect on the ball. We did not just come here to win four or five nil. We have come to get the right preparation. We can take a lot of things from the game. I don’t think the manager will be happy with the first half especially. The second half was better, but I am sure we will go through the game, as we do with them all, and find a few holes in our performance.
“The altitude has been more of a surprise than anything. Your mouth is really dry. We train at quite a high level anyway, but this was another 150 metres above sea level again. We certainly felt that. But the manager chose the right game at the right stadium at the right time. It was a real good workout. We needed that.”
England’s bid to win the World Cup for the first time since 1966 gets under way on Saturday when they face the United States in Rustenburg, but Fabio Capello will be unable to call upon the services of Ferdinand who will miss the whole tournament having suffered a medial knee ligament injury in training last week.
Ferdinand’s place in Capello’s starting line-up is being contested by King, Jamie Carragher and Matthew Upson and though disappointed to be without his usual central defensive partner, Terry believes that England have enough options of sufficient quality in that position to cope without the Manchester United player, who has remained with the rest of the squad to support them in Saturday’s eagerly awaited opener.
“It is devastating to lose Rio,” Terry said. “I was looking forward to playing alongside him. He has picked up an injury that was no one’s fault in training. It was one of those freak accidents that happen occasionally. It is just disappointing that is has happened to our captain and one of our most influential players. It is great for him to be out here and still want to be part of the squad. He realises we still have a very good chance. If we can go a long way, a lot of that will be dedicated to Rio.
“Fortunately enough I played with Ledley when we were kids a few years ago. I have kept in touch with him over the years. The understanding is there. That will be good enough for us to play alongside each other. Carragher also came in and did well again. It is up to the manager. I am sure he will give us enough time on the training pitch to be able to play with each other.”
England’s preparations were continuing today with a training session that James Milner, the Aston Villa midfield player, was forced to miss because of a slight temperature. Other than that, though, Capello has no new injury worries after his players came through yesterday’s warm-up match against Platinum All Stars unscathed.
For Terry, the importance of the run-out lay in the opportunity to get used to South African playing conditions, the unique noise accompaniment provided by the vuvuzelas and the much criticised match ball that will be used in the World Cup, rather than the comfortable 3-0 victory achieved through goals from Jermaine Defoe, Joe Cole and Wayne Rooney.
“It was exactly the work out that we needed,” Terry said. “It was at the altitude we are training at and we needed to get used to the noise of the crowd and the movement of the ball, so it was a good workout in both halves.
“There are going to be problems with the ball for every team. It moves about in the air and off the surface. It is something we are trying to work on each day and trying to improve upon. A couple of times today it swerved at the last minute. There is nothing we can do about that. We just have to try and deal with it the best way we can. At the same time we have to try and get crosses into the box and cause problems at the other end.
“The vuvuzelas are not a problem. It was quite loud sitting there listening to them in the second half, but on the pitch it is not a problem. The ball is going to cause problems for every side. It is important we get a lot of crosses into the box and have a lot of shots. Attackers must follow in the rebounds. It is the same defensively.
“It was very important to play this match. We have had a few days to get used to the ball and the conditions and the altitude. We have done that. We realise it is another step up. It was not the best performance, but it was something we needed to do and we have done it.
“The altitude does have an effect on the ball. We did not just come here to win four or five nil. We have come to get the right preparation. We can take a lot of things from the game. I don’t think the manager will be happy with the first half especially. The second half was better, but I am sure we will go through the game, as we do with them all, and find a few holes in our performance.
“The altitude has been more of a surprise than anything. Your mouth is really dry. We train at quite a high level anyway, but this was another 150 metres above sea level again. We certainly felt that. But the manager chose the right game at the right stadium at the right time. It was a real good workout. We needed that.”
New iPhone 4G data hogs will be forking over more bacon
AT&T’s new data pricing goes into effect June 7, and those who use the most bandwidth will feel the pain. The old $30 per month unlimited plan is gone, and has been replaced by a new plan that charges more if you use more. A $25 plan gets you 2 gigabytes per month, and an additional $10 for each gigabyte used after that. They will also offer a $15 per month plan that comes with a scant 200 megabytes of data.
Current users will have the opportunity to be grandfathered into the unlimited plan, but any new customers will have to pay based on what they use. Not coincidentally, the new plans go into effect right as Apple CEO Steve Jobs is planning to announce significant upgrades to the iPhone, so new customers attracted by the expected 4G capability will be forced into the new tiered system.
AT&T stated that about 98 percent of its smartphone customers use less than 2 gigabytes per month, and two-thirds use less than 200 megabytes per month. The company has also had to deal with a barrage of complaints in high-traffic areas of the country, prompting many to speculate as to when other carriers will be allowed to take some of theiPhone business. But as applications allow for more complicated functionality, video content improves and entertainment options accommodate an increasingly-mobile world, it’s likely that iPhone users will find their data needs growing. If that’s the case, they can expect their phone bill to increase as well.
Current users will have the opportunity to be grandfathered into the unlimited plan, but any new customers will have to pay based on what they use. Not coincidentally, the new plans go into effect right as Apple CEO Steve Jobs is planning to announce significant upgrades to the iPhone, so new customers attracted by the expected 4G capability will be forced into the new tiered system.
AT&T stated that about 98 percent of its smartphone customers use less than 2 gigabytes per month, and two-thirds use less than 200 megabytes per month. The company has also had to deal with a barrage of complaints in high-traffic areas of the country, prompting many to speculate as to when other carriers will be allowed to take some of theiPhone business. But as applications allow for more complicated functionality, video content improves and entertainment options accommodate an increasingly-mobile world, it’s likely that iPhone users will find their data needs growing. If that’s the case, they can expect their phone bill to increase as well.
Inter Milan makes a deal with Benitez to be new coach
Inter president Massimo Moratti announced Tuesday that an agreement has been reached for Rafa Benitez to become the club’s new coach. Moratti said the only thing outstanding was a countersignature to complete the deal, adding that Benitez was not in Italy.
“We’ve reached agreement, we’ve finalized the last details, which regardless weren’t important, and tomorrow we’ll announce when Rafa Benitez will be presented,” Moratti said.
The Spanish coach, who left Liverpool last Thursday after six years in charge of the Premier League club, will succeed Jose Mourinho, who left for Real Madrid.
Inter faces Manchester City in a friendly at M&T Bank Stadium on July 31. Tickets may be purchased by calling 410-261-7283 or visiting BaltimoreRavens.com.
“We’ve reached agreement, we’ve finalized the last details, which regardless weren’t important, and tomorrow we’ll announce when Rafa Benitez will be presented,” Moratti said.
The Spanish coach, who left Liverpool last Thursday after six years in charge of the Premier League club, will succeed Jose Mourinho, who left for Real Madrid.
Inter faces Manchester City in a friendly at M&T Bank Stadium on July 31. Tickets may be purchased by calling 410-261-7283 or visiting BaltimoreRavens.com.
Gaza flotilla attack: there are shades of grey on both sides
If the Israelis should not have dropped the wrong kind of forces from helicopters, the protesters were surely wrong to have placed themselves in harm’s way in such large and disparate numbers.
The worldwide chorus of criticism over Israel’s seizure of the Gaza Freedom flotilla has become so deafening that there must be something to be said in Israel’s defence. Let’s try.
Mind you, launching special forces onto the decks of crowded vessels in darkness – and in international waters, too – those Israelis don’t make it easy, do they?
As the Israeli commentator Yossi Melman srote in Ha’aretz yesterday, don’t they remember anything from their own brilliant Zionist propaganda coups of the 1940s – sending crowded boats full of European Jewish refugees to break the Royal Navy’s blockade of British-mandated Palestine? The other side obviously remembered.
Does this sound familiar this week? The armed British assault on the SS Exodus in 1947 and its aftermath were such a “success” – ie a PR disaster for the Brits after three people on board died – that Leon Uris wrote the book Exodus about it and Otto Preminger made a movie out of it. For Exodus, substitute Mavi Marmara.
Needless to say, the French were unhelpful and the British left Palestine to its unhappily divided fate soon after. We still live with the consequences.
But, then as now, in such conflicts where ardent protagonists on both sides see everything in black and white, the sensible reaction is surely to start looking for shades of grey.
I happened to be reading John le Carre’s Islamist thriller A Most Wanted Man over the holiday weekend, and it was a subtle study of everyone’s ethical greys, right up to the last few pages when the author clearly decided to finish it quickly and go out for lunch.
So let’s look for greys. If the Israelis should not have dropped the wrong kind of forces from helicopters – always scary when overhead – the protesters were surely wrong to have placed themselves in harm’s way in such large and disparate numbers.
I mean to say, would you want old people and women with children – especially with children – on a trip like that, however strongly you felt about the plight of Gaza under siege?
When I read of people doing that sort of thing, I’m afraid it reminds me of Mrs Jellaby in Dickens’s Bleak House, who espoused all sorts of good causes far from the home and family she so neglected.
We understand why activists feel moved to do such things, but we don’t always have to approve. Every day, I pass within sight and sound of the activist camp on Parliament Square, protesting about all manner of things such as “peace in Afghanistan NOW”. I’m not sure they’re doing anyone but themselves much good.
The worldwide chorus of criticism over Israel’s seizure of the Gaza Freedom flotilla has become so deafening that there must be something to be said in Israel’s defence. Let’s try.
Mind you, launching special forces onto the decks of crowded vessels in darkness – and in international waters, too – those Israelis don’t make it easy, do they?
As the Israeli commentator Yossi Melman srote in Ha’aretz yesterday, don’t they remember anything from their own brilliant Zionist propaganda coups of the 1940s – sending crowded boats full of European Jewish refugees to break the Royal Navy’s blockade of British-mandated Palestine? The other side obviously remembered.
Does this sound familiar this week? The armed British assault on the SS Exodus in 1947 and its aftermath were such a “success” – ie a PR disaster for the Brits after three people on board died – that Leon Uris wrote the book Exodus about it and Otto Preminger made a movie out of it. For Exodus, substitute Mavi Marmara.
Needless to say, the French were unhelpful and the British left Palestine to its unhappily divided fate soon after. We still live with the consequences.
But, then as now, in such conflicts where ardent protagonists on both sides see everything in black and white, the sensible reaction is surely to start looking for shades of grey.
I happened to be reading John le Carre’s Islamist thriller A Most Wanted Man over the holiday weekend, and it was a subtle study of everyone’s ethical greys, right up to the last few pages when the author clearly decided to finish it quickly and go out for lunch.
So let’s look for greys. If the Israelis should not have dropped the wrong kind of forces from helicopters – always scary when overhead – the protesters were surely wrong to have placed themselves in harm’s way in such large and disparate numbers.
I mean to say, would you want old people and women with children – especially with children – on a trip like that, however strongly you felt about the plight of Gaza under siege?
When I read of people doing that sort of thing, I’m afraid it reminds me of Mrs Jellaby in Dickens’s Bleak House, who espoused all sorts of good causes far from the home and family she so neglected.
We understand why activists feel moved to do such things, but we don’t always have to approve. Every day, I pass within sight and sound of the activist camp on Parliament Square, protesting about all manner of things such as “peace in Afghanistan NOW”. I’m not sure they’re doing anyone but themselves much good.
Galarraga taking it to the next Level
The calls of admiration began out by the bullpen during his pregame warm-ups Tuesday night and mushroomed when Armando Galarraga walked to the mound for the first time in five days. The Chicago White Sox fans’ ovation for the Detroit Tigers’ starting pitcher grew louder, and it immediately became clear: Galarraga’s near-perfect game last week was more than a blip on the news cycle.
“I heard them a little,” Galarraga said of the White Sox fans, “but I was trying to focus.”
In the days since the infamous missed call by umpire Jim Joyce cost Galarraga a perfect game and sent the 28-year-old Venezuelan pitcher from relative unknown to national stardom — he was even featured on the “Today” show — Galarraga has been lauded for the grace he showed that night. Fans, players and coaches have let Galarraga know how much they appreciated his professionalism and class in handling Joyce’s mistake. And for Galarraga, it was a week filled with a range of emotions that challenged him to maintain focus and prepare for his next start.
AP Photo/Paul SancyaTigers pitcher Armando Galarraga hands the lineup card to umpire Jim Joyce the day after Joyce missed a call and cost Galarraga a perfect game. Galarraga and Joyce have been lauded for how they handled the mistake.
That came Tuesday, and although the baseball world’s attention was focused elsewhere on Nationals rookie starter Stephen Strasburg, Galarraga had a solid outing. His final line showed five innings, seven hits and two runs allowed in the Tigers’ 7-2 win against the White Sox — a step forward for him, one he very much needed.
“I’m glad it’s over,” he said, “that [perfect game] story is over now. It’s time to start a new story.”
The story Galarraga wants written about him now doesn’t end with an almost-perfect game taken away by an umpire. He wants to be known as a good major league pitcher. For that to happen, he knows he needs to prove it. And everyone in the Tigers’ clubhouse is aware of the challenge Galarraga faces.
“Maybe if he doesn’t have the career he should have, maybe people are going to say it was one of those things that everything just went his way that day,” said teammate Gerald Laird. “If you can’t come out and establish a presence in the major leagues, later in life they’ll just bring it up that he was just an average pitcher in the big leagues who just had his day. I hope he’ll [instead] be looked at as a really good major league pitcher.”
So how does a player who started the season in the minor leagues and who has struggled to find consistent success during his career get to the brink of a perfect game? And how has he handled the fallout with such aplomb? It turns out a series of conversations the Tigers had with Galarraga leading into la
“I heard them a little,” Galarraga said of the White Sox fans, “but I was trying to focus.”
In the days since the infamous missed call by umpire Jim Joyce cost Galarraga a perfect game and sent the 28-year-old Venezuelan pitcher from relative unknown to national stardom — he was even featured on the “Today” show — Galarraga has been lauded for the grace he showed that night. Fans, players and coaches have let Galarraga know how much they appreciated his professionalism and class in handling Joyce’s mistake. And for Galarraga, it was a week filled with a range of emotions that challenged him to maintain focus and prepare for his next start.
AP Photo/Paul SancyaTigers pitcher Armando Galarraga hands the lineup card to umpire Jim Joyce the day after Joyce missed a call and cost Galarraga a perfect game. Galarraga and Joyce have been lauded for how they handled the mistake.
That came Tuesday, and although the baseball world’s attention was focused elsewhere on Nationals rookie starter Stephen Strasburg, Galarraga had a solid outing. His final line showed five innings, seven hits and two runs allowed in the Tigers’ 7-2 win against the White Sox — a step forward for him, one he very much needed.
“I’m glad it’s over,” he said, “that [perfect game] story is over now. It’s time to start a new story.”
The story Galarraga wants written about him now doesn’t end with an almost-perfect game taken away by an umpire. He wants to be known as a good major league pitcher. For that to happen, he knows he needs to prove it. And everyone in the Tigers’ clubhouse is aware of the challenge Galarraga faces.
“Maybe if he doesn’t have the career he should have, maybe people are going to say it was one of those things that everything just went his way that day,” said teammate Gerald Laird. “If you can’t come out and establish a presence in the major leagues, later in life they’ll just bring it up that he was just an average pitcher in the big leagues who just had his day. I hope he’ll [instead] be looked at as a really good major league pitcher.”
So how does a player who started the season in the minor leagues and who has struggled to find consistent success during his career get to the brink of a perfect game? And how has he handled the fallout with such aplomb? It turns out a series of conversations the Tigers had with Galarraga leading into la
Donna Simpson, NJ Mom, Tempts Death By Donuts
Donna Simpson, aspirant for the Heaviest Woman Alive title, is a true anomaly at school pick-up time. Or she would be, if she could make it to school pick-up. This New Jersey mom, who weighed 600 lbs. several months ago and is aiming to hit 1,000, can’t get around much. Sadly, she doesn’t care.
Ms. Simpson eats 12,000 calories a day, costing her $750-a-week in grocery bills (she lives in Old Bridge, NJ, and her bills are funded in-part by internet viewers who pay to watch her eat). Her 150-lb. boyfriend supports the quest. She’s said, “I think he’d like it if I was bigger. He’s a real belly man, and completely supports me.” He’d better, since he, or someone else, needs to help her with basic everyday tasks. She can’t walk and gets around with the help of a scooter, and has trouble even taking a shower. She also has Type-2 Diabetes. Despite these setbacks she claims to be “healthy.” Heathy?
Okay, she admits that, despite the hoards of sushi, cakes and donuts, she may not reach her goal. “When you have a 3-year-old daughter and you’re trying to run a household, things like this tend to be a fantasy,” Simpson told The New York Post. What’s her true aim? To be named the Heaviest Woman to Give Birth. She was 532 lbs when she had her daughter in 2007. There’s currently no Fattest Delivery category in Guinness, but the Records Book folks are currently considering her request. Seriously? This is going to be encouraged? A category in which people about to be responsible for children are prompted to gain excessive weight?
In the Biggest Loser and moms-getting-tummy-tucks era, this woman is truly one of a kind.
It’s not her ability to care for her child that worries me. It’s the way that this kind of weight shortens a woman’s lifespan. Donna Simpson’s kids are now ages 3 and 14. I’d argue that she owes it to her children to try to stick around as long as she can. Didn’t she see Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution? Because as this story winds up and gets more and more press, only one thought is going through my mind:
Ms. Simpson eats 12,000 calories a day, costing her $750-a-week in grocery bills (she lives in Old Bridge, NJ, and her bills are funded in-part by internet viewers who pay to watch her eat). Her 150-lb. boyfriend supports the quest. She’s said, “I think he’d like it if I was bigger. He’s a real belly man, and completely supports me.” He’d better, since he, or someone else, needs to help her with basic everyday tasks. She can’t walk and gets around with the help of a scooter, and has trouble even taking a shower. She also has Type-2 Diabetes. Despite these setbacks she claims to be “healthy.” Heathy?
Okay, she admits that, despite the hoards of sushi, cakes and donuts, she may not reach her goal. “When you have a 3-year-old daughter and you’re trying to run a household, things like this tend to be a fantasy,” Simpson told The New York Post. What’s her true aim? To be named the Heaviest Woman to Give Birth. She was 532 lbs when she had her daughter in 2007. There’s currently no Fattest Delivery category in Guinness, but the Records Book folks are currently considering her request. Seriously? This is going to be encouraged? A category in which people about to be responsible for children are prompted to gain excessive weight?
In the Biggest Loser and moms-getting-tummy-tucks era, this woman is truly one of a kind.
It’s not her ability to care for her child that worries me. It’s the way that this kind of weight shortens a woman’s lifespan. Donna Simpson’s kids are now ages 3 and 14. I’d argue that she owes it to her children to try to stick around as long as she can. Didn’t she see Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution? Because as this story winds up and gets more and more press, only one thought is going through my mind:
Chicago Blackhawks Parade 2010
The Chicago Blackhawks parade for 2010 will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, June 11.
According to a release from the city’s Office of Emergency Management and Communication, the celebratory ticker-tape parade and rally for the Stanley Cup champions will start at the intersection of Wacker Drive and Washington Street. The parade will then proceed east on Washington St. to Michigan Ave., before heading north on Michigan to East Wacker Drive.
The rally will take place between 11:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. at Wacker and Michigan. The city said the rally should wrap up between noon and 1 p.m.
The Blackhawks team and front office personnel will ride double-decker buses for the parade, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Road closures around the parade route will begin shortly before 10:30 a.m.
“Stay hydrated, wear sunscreen, stay out of the sun,” Megan McDonald, executive director for the Mayor’s Office of Special Events, said Thursday. “If you’re bringing small children down there, just keep in mind we want people to be safe.”
It’ll be a very busy weekend for Chicago fans as the Crosstown Classic opens Friday at Wrigley Field. The White Sox and Cubs will start their three-game series Friday with a 1:20 p.m. local start time, so you can imagine many fans will rejoice in the parade before taking in some baseball.
Thousands of fans partied on the streets of Chicago after the 4-3 overtime victory on Wednesday night, with no early complaints of rowdiness reported by Chicago police.
Uncontrolled emotion, utter disbelief, wild jubilation — all common themes for Blackhawks fans after the team ended a 49-year drought. Perhaps the most amusing quote of the night came from Charles Horn, a longtime season-ticker holder who watched Chicago lose a heartbreaking Game 7 in the 1971 Finals.
“It’s like the equivalent of a girlfriend who broke up with me long ago wanting to date me again,” Horn told the Chicago Tribune. “That game in ‘71 has been like a cloud over my head.”
According to a release from the city’s Office of Emergency Management and Communication, the celebratory ticker-tape parade and rally for the Stanley Cup champions will start at the intersection of Wacker Drive and Washington Street. The parade will then proceed east on Washington St. to Michigan Ave., before heading north on Michigan to East Wacker Drive.
The rally will take place between 11:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. at Wacker and Michigan. The city said the rally should wrap up between noon and 1 p.m.
The Blackhawks team and front office personnel will ride double-decker buses for the parade, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Road closures around the parade route will begin shortly before 10:30 a.m.
“Stay hydrated, wear sunscreen, stay out of the sun,” Megan McDonald, executive director for the Mayor’s Office of Special Events, said Thursday. “If you’re bringing small children down there, just keep in mind we want people to be safe.”
It’ll be a very busy weekend for Chicago fans as the Crosstown Classic opens Friday at Wrigley Field. The White Sox and Cubs will start their three-game series Friday with a 1:20 p.m. local start time, so you can imagine many fans will rejoice in the parade before taking in some baseball.
Thousands of fans partied on the streets of Chicago after the 4-3 overtime victory on Wednesday night, with no early complaints of rowdiness reported by Chicago police.
Uncontrolled emotion, utter disbelief, wild jubilation — all common themes for Blackhawks fans after the team ended a 49-year drought. Perhaps the most amusing quote of the night came from Charles Horn, a longtime season-ticker holder who watched Chicago lose a heartbreaking Game 7 in the 1971 Finals.
“It’s like the equivalent of a girlfriend who broke up with me long ago wanting to date me again,” Horn told the Chicago Tribune. “That game in ‘71 has been like a cloud over my head.”
Baby Gaga video: Inappropriate, creepy or just fun?
Lady Gaga has inspired a Little Monster, whose YouTube video tribute has sparked some controversy.
Baby Gaga, 3-year-old Keira Ladrow, stars in a video spoof of Lady Gaga’s “Telephone,” wearing makeup and handcuffs, dancing and then sitting in the foreground as adult female dancers are seen behind her.
In just five days, the video went viral, but some are critizicing it, calling it “creepy” or “inappropriate.” Psychotherapist Heide Banks cautions the toddler’s mom Heidi Ladrow that this could be damaging to little Keira down the line.
The elder banks insists that the video was made purely out of fun, that her daughter was under no stress or pressure to perform and that she was comfortable with Jake Wilson, who directed the video.
“It’s a spoof on Lady Gaga so it had to be a little outrageous because Lady Gaga’s videos are outrageous,” explains Ladrow on “The Early Show.” “So basically it was just mocking that whole process … This went gangbusters quite quickly. This was a little project we put together as a spoof, as fun for our friends and family. I had no idea this was going to get as large as it was.”
As far as if this would damage her child, Ladrow adds, “She’s a well-adjusted child. At 3 she’s very self-actualized.”
Although Ladrow claims that it’s “too late” to take down the video, it has been made “private” on YouTube.
Baby Gaga, 3-year-old Keira Ladrow, stars in a video spoof of Lady Gaga’s “Telephone,” wearing makeup and handcuffs, dancing and then sitting in the foreground as adult female dancers are seen behind her.
In just five days, the video went viral, but some are critizicing it, calling it “creepy” or “inappropriate.” Psychotherapist Heide Banks cautions the toddler’s mom Heidi Ladrow that this could be damaging to little Keira down the line.
The elder banks insists that the video was made purely out of fun, that her daughter was under no stress or pressure to perform and that she was comfortable with Jake Wilson, who directed the video.
“It’s a spoof on Lady Gaga so it had to be a little outrageous because Lady Gaga’s videos are outrageous,” explains Ladrow on “The Early Show.” “So basically it was just mocking that whole process … This went gangbusters quite quickly. This was a little project we put together as a spoof, as fun for our friends and family. I had no idea this was going to get as large as it was.”
As far as if this would damage her child, Ladrow adds, “She’s a well-adjusted child. At 3 she’s very self-actualized.”
Although Ladrow claims that it’s “too late” to take down the video, it has been made “private” on YouTube.
The Rachel Corrie incident
After it ignored not to head for Gaza, Israeli forces boarded the Rachel Corrie aid ship. According to the military, its troops boarded the ship with full compliance of the crew and passengers in a peaceful operation and there was no use of violence by either parties.
“Our forces boarded the boat and took control without meeting any resistance from the crew or the passengers. Everything took place without violence,” one of the spokeswomen commented and also added that there were no shots fired.
There were 15 people on board, most of them Irish and Malaysian activists. The ship along with its occupants is being escorted into the southern Israeli port of Ashdod. The aid will be transferred to Gaza through land crossings, said the military.
This is a very sensitive time for Israel as it is contending with diplomatic fallout of an earlier raid on flotilla of Gaza bound aid boats, leaving 9 people dead most of which were Turks.
Despite the outcry by international community on this deadly commando incident, Israel has vowed to block all attempts to reach Gaza by Sea in defiance of the tight blockade it has imposed since 2006
“Our forces boarded the boat and took control without meeting any resistance from the crew or the passengers. Everything took place without violence,” one of the spokeswomen commented and also added that there were no shots fired.
There were 15 people on board, most of them Irish and Malaysian activists. The ship along with its occupants is being escorted into the southern Israeli port of Ashdod. The aid will be transferred to Gaza through land crossings, said the military.
This is a very sensitive time for Israel as it is contending with diplomatic fallout of an earlier raid on flotilla of Gaza bound aid boats, leaving 9 people dead most of which were Turks.
Despite the outcry by international community on this deadly commando incident, Israel has vowed to block all attempts to reach Gaza by Sea in defiance of the tight blockade it has imposed since 2006
The HTC EVO 4g Release
HTC EVO 4G has more than lived up to our expectations that it would be one of the most anticipated technology products of the year,” said Kevin Packingham, senior vice president of product development for Sprint. “We are working closely with our partners at HTC to increase the supply and get EVO 4G into the hands of everyone who wants one as quickly as possible.”
he HTC Evo 4G is the first 4G Android smartphone, and was welcomed with mixed reviews. The device features some high-end specs, including an 8-megapixel camera and a large 4.3-inch display (4.5/5 in PC World’s review), but the limited availability of Sprint’s 4G coverage drew criticism toward the device.
The compant has announced that HTC Evo had the biggest sales ever on a launch day for sprint.
Sprint doesn’t tell us how many it sold.It just says, “the total number of HTC EVO 4G devices sold on launch day was three times on the Samsung Instinct and Palm pre devices sold over their first three days on the market combined.”
Analysts estimated Palm sold between 35,000 and 60,000 pres during its opening weekend. If we estimate Instinct sales of 35,000, then it’s possible Sprint sold between 210,000 and 285,000 HTC handsets.
Not too shabby, but it pales in comparison to the big launches for the iPhone.
he HTC Evo 4G is the first 4G Android smartphone, and was welcomed with mixed reviews. The device features some high-end specs, including an 8-megapixel camera and a large 4.3-inch display (4.5/5 in PC World’s review), but the limited availability of Sprint’s 4G coverage drew criticism toward the device.
The compant has announced that HTC Evo had the biggest sales ever on a launch day for sprint.
Sprint doesn’t tell us how many it sold.It just says, “the total number of HTC EVO 4G devices sold on launch day was three times on the Samsung Instinct and Palm pre devices sold over their first three days on the market combined.”
Analysts estimated Palm sold between 35,000 and 60,000 pres during its opening weekend. If we estimate Instinct sales of 35,000, then it’s possible Sprint sold between 210,000 and 285,000 HTC handsets.
Not too shabby, but it pales in comparison to the big launches for the iPhone.
2010 NBA Finals Game Four: Pau Gasol, Derek Fisher Keys for the Lakers
Game Three was huge. Game Three was a game the Los Angeles Lakers needed to win and they did just that, no thanks to Kobe Bryant.
The NBA Finals always has those players that show up when they’re needed the most. They provide that spark for their team or they take it upon themselves to make sure their team goes on to victory.
Saying that, you would think I’m talking about a guy like Kobe Bryant. Instead, I’m talking about two different guys that are keys for the Lakers to win their 17th championship.
The two I’m referring to are Pau Gasol and Derek Fisher.
Sure, we can sit here all day and talk about how Kobe Bryant is the biggest key for the Lakers, and while that may be true, if it wasn’t for Derek Fisher the Lakers would be staring at a two-games-to-one deficit heading in to Game Four on Thursday night.
Instead, it’s the Lakers that are currently in the driver’s seat, and they are the ones that have the two-to-one advantage.
Fisher took the Lakers on his back and gave a tremendous fourth-quarter effort to put his team over the top in a 91-84 Game Three victory.
This isn’t the first time Fisher has come up huge for the Lakers. He’s been part of three NBA championships—all with the Lakers, all with Kobe Bryant. He’s hit clutch threes, he’s had key steals, and he’s come up with key defensive stops. He does whatever is needed at the exact right time.
So, headed in to Game Four in Boston, the Lakers once again will need their veteran point guard to have another good outing if they’re going to really put this series out of reach. But he’s not the only one that is a key to putting this series away.
Pau Gasol needs to come up bigger than he ever has before.
Gasol was part of the 2009 NBA Championship team, and he was also on the team when the Boston Celtics were the ones celebrating. He knows what it takes to win and he also knows what it feels like to watch someone else hoisting the trophy.
Through the first two games, Gasol averaged 24 points and 11 rebounds per game. In Game Three, while the Lakers came out on top, Gasol had his worst performance thus far, scoring just 13 points and grabbing 10 rebounds while allowing Kevin Garnett to go off for 25 points and looking like he did while he was in Minnesota.
Both Gasol and Fisher have to know and realize that they won’t be able to win without contributions from both of them.
Kobe Bryant cannot do this on his own.
While we can sit here and talk about Lamar Odom, Ron Artest, and Jordan Farmar, Gasol and Fisher are the two catalysts that can turn a game around in a heartbeat. Not necessarily with a big shot but it could be keeping Kevin Garnett off the boards or forcing Ray Allen into another 0-for-13 night.
It’s the little things that that end up meaning the most when the final buzzer sounds.
The Lakers are fully capable of winning another NBA championship. But without both Derek Fisher and Pau Gasol doing what they do, the Lakers might end up watching Boston celebrate for the second time in three years.
The Lakers have experienced that once, and you can bet they don’t want to experience that again.
You can bet on the fact that the Celtics do not want to lose again at home and you can bet that they don’t want the Lakers going back to Los Angeles only needing one win for the NBA championship.
It seems as if Paul Pierce opened his mouth a little too quick, though to his credit (if there is any) he didn’t realize that the microphones would pick up what he said. After the Celtics game two win in Los Angeles, Pierce was caught saying that they were not coming back to LA.
There’s an unwritten rule that you don’t give the other team bulletin board material because it will come back to bite you in the back side. Unfortunately for Pierce and the Celtics, it did just that in Game Three on their home floor.
Game Four will go to who wants it more, and there will be key players for both teams. If the Lakers take Game Four, they can afford to lose Game Five and win the NBA title on their home floor in Los Angeles.
If Boston takes Game Four, it will be a heavyweight fight for Game Five because that will be the pivotal game for both teams.
One thing is for sure: These are the right two teams to battle for the NBA championship. They’ve had this battle several times over both team’s history, so it’s only fitting that it comes down to these two teams once more.
The NBA Finals always has those players that show up when they’re needed the most. They provide that spark for their team or they take it upon themselves to make sure their team goes on to victory.
Saying that, you would think I’m talking about a guy like Kobe Bryant. Instead, I’m talking about two different guys that are keys for the Lakers to win their 17th championship.
The two I’m referring to are Pau Gasol and Derek Fisher.
Sure, we can sit here all day and talk about how Kobe Bryant is the biggest key for the Lakers, and while that may be true, if it wasn’t for Derek Fisher the Lakers would be staring at a two-games-to-one deficit heading in to Game Four on Thursday night.
Instead, it’s the Lakers that are currently in the driver’s seat, and they are the ones that have the two-to-one advantage.
Fisher took the Lakers on his back and gave a tremendous fourth-quarter effort to put his team over the top in a 91-84 Game Three victory.
This isn’t the first time Fisher has come up huge for the Lakers. He’s been part of three NBA championships—all with the Lakers, all with Kobe Bryant. He’s hit clutch threes, he’s had key steals, and he’s come up with key defensive stops. He does whatever is needed at the exact right time.
So, headed in to Game Four in Boston, the Lakers once again will need their veteran point guard to have another good outing if they’re going to really put this series out of reach. But he’s not the only one that is a key to putting this series away.
Pau Gasol needs to come up bigger than he ever has before.
Gasol was part of the 2009 NBA Championship team, and he was also on the team when the Boston Celtics were the ones celebrating. He knows what it takes to win and he also knows what it feels like to watch someone else hoisting the trophy.
Through the first two games, Gasol averaged 24 points and 11 rebounds per game. In Game Three, while the Lakers came out on top, Gasol had his worst performance thus far, scoring just 13 points and grabbing 10 rebounds while allowing Kevin Garnett to go off for 25 points and looking like he did while he was in Minnesota.
Both Gasol and Fisher have to know and realize that they won’t be able to win without contributions from both of them.
Kobe Bryant cannot do this on his own.
While we can sit here and talk about Lamar Odom, Ron Artest, and Jordan Farmar, Gasol and Fisher are the two catalysts that can turn a game around in a heartbeat. Not necessarily with a big shot but it could be keeping Kevin Garnett off the boards or forcing Ray Allen into another 0-for-13 night.
It’s the little things that that end up meaning the most when the final buzzer sounds.
The Lakers are fully capable of winning another NBA championship. But without both Derek Fisher and Pau Gasol doing what they do, the Lakers might end up watching Boston celebrate for the second time in three years.
The Lakers have experienced that once, and you can bet they don’t want to experience that again.
You can bet on the fact that the Celtics do not want to lose again at home and you can bet that they don’t want the Lakers going back to Los Angeles only needing one win for the NBA championship.
It seems as if Paul Pierce opened his mouth a little too quick, though to his credit (if there is any) he didn’t realize that the microphones would pick up what he said. After the Celtics game two win in Los Angeles, Pierce was caught saying that they were not coming back to LA.
There’s an unwritten rule that you don’t give the other team bulletin board material because it will come back to bite you in the back side. Unfortunately for Pierce and the Celtics, it did just that in Game Three on their home floor.
Game Four will go to who wants it more, and there will be key players for both teams. If the Lakers take Game Four, they can afford to lose Game Five and win the NBA title on their home floor in Los Angeles.
If Boston takes Game Four, it will be a heavyweight fight for Game Five because that will be the pivotal game for both teams.
One thing is for sure: These are the right two teams to battle for the NBA championship. They’ve had this battle several times over both team’s history, so it’s only fitting that it comes down to these two teams once more.
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