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The rewards of banking | Peter Preston
By Peter Preston (World news
and comment from the
Guardian | guardian.co.uk)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 3:09:20 PM
Not everyone in the City is
purely driven by cash.
Camaraderie, loyalty and self-
respect live there too
Sports personality of the year?
Soap-star-cum-TV-chef-cum-
backbench-MP of the year? As
the season of indigestion grows
nearer, so the season of mutual
congratulation swells to full
spate. And the prize for the most-
unlikely-in-the-circumstances
award goes (indeed, went last
week) to the banker of the year,
as organised by the Banker
magazine – with 144 more minor
gongs spread around branches in
competing nations.
Congratulations, therefore, to the
Raiffeisen Bank in Albania, to
the Banc Internation d'Andorra,
to Angola's Banco Africano de
Investimentos, plus 141 other
worthies in what (after the World
Cup draw) must be the most
exhaustion-inducing ceremony
ever recorded – and a polite ole!
to the Bank of Santander for
scooping supreme global laurels.
But let's stop to make just a
couple of countervailing points
before the winners, carrying their
"Brackens" – or chequebook
Oscars – get carried away.
One point pauses to look back to
2007, before anybody crunched
anything. Who won the
premiership trophy then? Why,
it's our dear friend, the Royal
Bank of Scotland. "RBS is set to
be the biggest beneficiary of the
acquisition of ABN Amro, the
largest ever in the banking
sector," crooned the judges. It is
thus "propelled to the top rank of
European banks... acquiring a
sizeable cash pile... and
confirming that the group as
whole remains in good shape...
with average customer deposits
growing 10% and lending by
9%". Who needs a Bracken when
you can get your Goodwins risk
free?
Point two, however,
encapsulates a rather more
durable message. For the
presence of an awards structure
this imposing tells us something
that's missing from the current
fury of name-calling invective.
Insult bankers as a rip-off gang
of bunglers, if you will. Declare,
05/12/09 - 07/12/09
with every rhetorician in town,
that "they still don't get it". Light
a bonfire of the vanities under the
Royal Bank's pathetic crusade for
bonuses that haven't been earned.
But don't neglect the camaraderie
that makes the whole crude game
less difficult to take. Put bankers,
and banks, in a context.
Many of those who brought a
Bracken home with them when
the speeches were over must
have felt some sense of personal
achievement. Alfredo Saenz of
Santander will have relished
praise for the 27% of his profits
that still come from a prudent,
resilient Spanish network.
Federico Ghizzoni of UniCredit
had plenty to smile about, staying
strong even in Hungary and
Ukraine when times got tough.
Jamie Dimon at JP Morgan
Chase paid more than ritual
tribute when he said: "I'm most
proud of what our more than
200,000 employees accomplished
during all this turmoil – working
round the clock, being there for
our clients, serving our
communities, and continuing to
build a strong company."
What? You mean one bank isn't
just like another? You mean that
http://www.LibertyNewsprint.
directors, analysts, executives
aren't all automatically
interchangeable because some of
them may feel a measure of
loyalty to the people around them
– and the people who come to
them for help? You mean
banking can be about more than
chinking tills?
That is not the message of the
moment when RBS boards
threaten mass resignations and
pin-striped pundits warn about
the collapse of a deserted City.
("The great RBS exodus: 1,000
quit over bonus row" whisper
anonymous spinners to the
Sunday Times). Nor is it quite
what Joe Public presently snarls
in return. But the real world of
work involves more than bank
accounts and blasphemy. Look
around at other walks of life.
Adebayor quits, but Fabregas
stays with the Wenger who raised
him. Jonathan Ross, Brucie, Sir
Terry and the rest don't stalk out
of the BBC. From top pay to
bottom desperation, from Rich
List to Redcar, emotion matters.
Are investment bankers
absolutely different? Are they all
golden guns for hire, ready to
turn and run at the wave of a
better offer? If they are, it says
nothing for them – and less than
nothing for the firms that employ
them. It betokens mere cash
machines churning. It tells us that
Fred Goodwin was one among
thousands.
And the greedy bastard of the
year award goes to? Most of the
bankers I know are better than
that. They want to belong to the
human race. They need friends,
schools, hospitals, family ties.
Shoving a fist in their face may
help them "get" something
shameful, to be sure. But prizes
for doing something together, for
joint enterprise not singular
cupidity, aren't such a daft idea.
Twist if you must: but stick
because you need to.
p.preston@guardian.co.uk
• Financial crisis
• Banking
• Royal Bank of Scotland
Peter Preston
guardian.co.uk© Guardian News
& Media Limited 2009 | Use of
this content is subject to our
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2 World/ E-reader Newspaper

More than 50 papers join in front-page leader article on climate

change
By Chris Tryhorn (World news The leader was the work of team climate change "will take a Dagbladet Information and "Yet as the Copenhagen summit
and comment from the of Guardian writers and editors triumph of optimism over Danish Politiken, are featuring approached, their courage and
Guardian | guardian.co.uk) and went through three drafts to pessimism, of vision over short- the leader too. leadership started to disappear.
Submitted at 12/6/2009 3:11:02 PM arrive at a text that satisfied all sightedness, of what Abraham Some papers, such as Japan's Politicians started to behave as
the editors involved. Lincoln called 'the better angels Asahi Shimbun, were not able to we had plenty of time and no
Opinion piece to be published in Alan Rusbridger, editor-in-chief of our nature'". carry a shared leader as that disaster looming. Yet the
56 papers across 45 countries – o f t h e G u a r d i a n , s a i d : "It is in that spirit that 56 would breach their editorial opposite is the case.
including the Guardian, Le "Newspapers have never done newspapers from around the protocols but are carrying a news "Science tells us we have no
Monde and two Chinese papers anything like this before but they world have united behind this report about the initiative. more time, it is now or never. We
The Guardian has teamed up have never had to cover a story editorial. If we, with such Two Australian papers, the Age can't let governments get away
with more 50 papers worldwide like this before. No individual different national and political and the Sydney Morning Herald, with yet another fudge and
to run the same front-page leader newspaper editorial could hope to perspectives, can agree on what pulled out at a late stage after the unfulfilled promises. Speaking
article calling for action at the i n f l u e n c e t h e o u t c o m e o f must be done then surely our election of climate change sceptic with one voice, we will be
climate summit in Copenhagen, Copenhagen but I hope the leaders can, too." Tony Abbott as leader of the heard."
which begins tomorrow. combined voice of 56 major Dubai's Gulf News, the Arabic opposition Liberal party recast N Ram, editor-in-chief and
This unprecedented project is the papers speaking in 20 languages language paper An Nahar of the country's debate on green publisher of India's Hindu,
result of months of negotiations will remind the politicians and Lebanon and the Israeli paper issues. added: "This is a splendid
between the papers to agree on a negotiators gathering there what Maariv are among the 16 Asian Peter Cole, head of the initiative, and with some luck and
final text, in a process that is at stake – and persuade them to papers involved. journalism department at the a lot of hard work it should turn
mirrors the kind of diplomatic rise above the rivalries and There are also 11 African papers University of Sheffield, praised out to be a significant media
wrangling among the world's inflexibility that have stood in the participating, and nine from the unprecedented collaboration intervention, an example of how
governments that is likely to way of a deal." north, south and central America between newspapers. we can perform our social
precede any potential deal on The Guardian deputy editor Ian combined. "This is a tremendous initiative responsibility function. The
climate change. Katz, who co-ordinated the The sole English-language US and a good counter to the idea Hindu feels happy and privileged
Fifty-six papers in 45 countries project, said: "The fact that paper represented is the Miami that nobody notices that the to be part of this initiative and
p u b l i s h e d i n 2 0 d i f f e r e n t papers from Moscow to Miami, Herald. "This initiative offered world is falling apart," he said. prospective intervention, and we
l a n g u a g e s h a v e j o i n e d t h e with such different national and the Miami Herald's editorial "If editors from nearly 50 are of course front-paging the
initiative, and will feature the political perspectives, could board a terrific opportunity to countries all over the world, global editorial with the
leader in some form on their front agree on an editorial should offer join other papers across the globe including all the major countries impressive logo (the American
pages. some hope that our leaders might on an issue that is of paramount that contribute so much to global absences notwithstanding)."
Among the titles taking part are be able to do the same. We are importance to Florida and to our warming, can all agree, then • The Guardian
t w o C h i n e s e p a p e r s – t h e bombarded with so much news nation," said the Herald's surely the politicians in • National newspapers
Economic Observer and the and comment about climate editorial page editor, Myriam Copenhagen would be foolish to • Newspapers
Southern Metropolitan – and change that many people are Marquez. ignore it." • Newspapers & magazines
India's second largest English- understandably tempted to go The 20 European papers taking "Only one year ago, during the • Alan Rusbridger
language paper, The Hindu. back to bed and pull the duvet part include the Irish Times, COP 14 summit in Poznan, • Copenhagen climate change
Some of the world's best known over their heads – hopefully this Liberation, Suddeutsche Zeitung, governments promised us that conference 2009
papers, such as Le Monde, El improbable alliance will capture La Repubblica and Turkish title they would deliver a • Climate change
Pais, Russia's Novaya Gazeta and people's attention, and perhaps Hurriyet. breakthrough," said Konrad • China
the Toronto Star, are also on their imagination too." And delegates in Copenhagen Niklewicz of Poland's Gazeta
board. The leader says that overcoming will find that two Danish papers, Wyborcza. MORE page 4
E-reader Newspaper World/ Finance/ 3

China's carbon emissions will peak between 2030 and 2040,

says minister
By Jonathan Watts (World Thinktanks, research groups and energy efficiency by about 20%. conference. China is keen to get achieved over the previous 15
news and comment from the academics in China have His ministry has already international help to reduce the years, Wan said it posed an
Guardian | guardian.co.uk) variously estimated that the exceeded by 30% its goal during price of silicon processing for "arduous task" because the
Submitted at 12/6/2009 3:57:10 PM emissions peak could come this period of investing 10bn solar panels and to develop ultra- government has already picked
between 2020 or 2050, but the yuan to reduce emissions and efficient coal gasification most of the low-hanging fruit
Beijing official gives strong government has yet to announce deal with the consequences of plants.It is already collaborating when it came to upgrading
indicator for when China's output a target. climate change. with the UK on a project to inefficient power stations.
of greenhouse gases will start to Wan narrowed the range Jim Watson, of the Tyndall capture carbon dioxide. In future, Wan said the priority at
fall considerably by predicting that Centre at the University of Wan said the country will Copenhagen would be to
China's carbon emissions will the peak would definitely come Sussex, said: "I think this range explore the potential for storage establish a framework for
peak between 2030 and 2040, the between 2030 and 2040. makes it difficult for China to or conversion to algae biofuels. transferring funds and money,
country's science and technology "There are some uncertainties make a full contribution to "Seventy per cent of our rather than getting hung up on
minister told the Guardian as the here, so it is difficult to say keeping the rise in global electricity comes from coal," the figures.
global climate change summit w h e t h e r i t w i l l b e i n t h e temperatures below two degrees. minister said. "If we can capture "If we can achieve this goal, that
began in Copenhagen. In an beginning, the end or the middle, That would be more compatible all the CO2 from this, imagine is good enough," he said.
exclusive interview, Wan Gang but I can say for sure it will be with a peak within 2020 to 2030. how much emissions we could "Copenhagen is very important to
said he hoped the maximum within that range," he said. "As But it is very significant that the save. But it is not something we all governments and politicians.
output of Chinese greenhouse the minister of science and minister is willing to talk of a can do in the short term." It's an important turning point,
gases would come as soon as technology I would say the peak, even a range, at this stage." But most of China's future but it is also just the start of
possible within that range, and sooner the better." Environmental groups gave a emissions savings will come human efforts to tackle climate
spelled out the steps that needed The precise timing, he said, cautious welcome to the figure, from improved efficiency of change. It is not the end."
to be taken to achieve this. would depend on uncertain but said China could be more power plants, buildings and • Carbon emissions
His comment, while not official factors such as the pace of ambitious if rich nations provide transport and from nuclear, solar • Copenhagen climate change
policy, is the closest the world's China's economic growth, rate of technology and finance. "This is and other forms of renewable conference 2009
biggest emitter has come to u r b a n i s a t i o n a n d l e v e l o f a good thing. This is the first energy. • China
setting a target for when its scientific development. But he time that a ministerial-level Last week, the government in • Climate change
output of greenhouse gases will added that the earlier date in the official has confirmed the peak Beijing announced its first carbon • Energy
start to fall. range would be possible if China range," said Yang Ailun of intensity target, which would
S e t t i n g a p e a k d a t e f o r continued to invest in renewable Greenpeace. "If China really slow the increase of emissions Jonathan Watts
developing countries, whose e n e r g y , i m p r o v e d e n e r g y makes climate change a priority, relative to economic growth by guardian.co.uk© Guardian News
emissions are rising rapidly, will efficiency, commercialised they could peak by 2030. And if 40%-45% between 2005 and & Media Limited 2009 | Use of
be a key issue for negotiators in carbon capture technology and they get support from developed 2020. Even with this measure, this content is subject to our
Copenhagen trying to map out a changed consumer behaviour. countries, they could do it even the country's output of carbon Terms & Conditions| More Feeds
global strategy to avoid a rise of Wan, a non-Communist member faster." dioxide is expect to increase by
more than 2C in the planet's of the state council, said China An agreement to transfer about 90% if the economy grows
temperature. Scientists agree a has proved its ability to meet and technology and money from rich by 8%.
g r e a t e r r i s e w o u l d h a v e often exceed its targets in the to poor nations is one of China's Although the carbon intensity
d a n g e r o u s c o n s e q u e n c e s . current five-year plan to improve main goals at the Copenhagen target is lower than China
ADVERTISEMENT:
(BloggingStocks)
4 World/ Gadgets/ Politics/ E-reader Newspaper
MORE
Fat, gay and proud: a new kind of Venezuelan continued from page 2

• Australia
beauty queen Chris Tryhorn
By Rory Carroll (World news has earned the nickname more serious taboo is to be gay. pageants as a meat parade, but guardian.co.uk© Guardian News
and comment from the Compote. "We're invaded by Venezuela outlaws tonight's show is different. It's & Media Limited 2009 | Use of
Guardian | guardian.co.uk) images of thin people. It's time to discrimination based on sexual about transformation." this content is subject to our
Submitted at 12/6/2009 3:06:38 PM do something about it." orientation but there is In a backstage dressing room, Terms & Conditions| More Feeds
By flaunting homosexuality, widespread homophobia, Alberto Rodriguez, 23, was
• Pageant with a difference cross-dressing and ample curves including police harassment. squeezing into a body-suit and
challenges homophobia the contest embraces and Caracas's gay scene is inhibited morphing into Miss Lara, the
• Cellulite and curves take on subverts Venezuela's passion for compared to other Latin name of his home state, with
straight Venezuela pageants. American capitalssuch as Buenos ruby lipstick, a wig, long nails
Music swells, lights flash and Thousands of young women Aires, Bogota and MexicoCity. and a frock.
the contestants strut on to the compete in contests every year. Transsexuals say the only jobs "We are coming out of the
stage, waving and blowing Winners go on to a "beauty they can find are as beauticians shadows, we are more accepted," Quentin Tarantino
kisses. All wear high heels, f a c t o r y " i n C a r a c a s w h i c h
bikinis and wide smiles. grooms them for pageants with a
or prostitutes, with the latter
vulnerable to attack. More than
said Rodriguez. The era of gays
being lynched and skinny
in a Softbank
It is another beauty pageant in severe regime of dieting, exercise 20 have been murdered so far heterosexuals dominating the Commercial
Venezuela, a self-styled "beauty and surgery. this year, according to gay rights image of beauty was ending. "We
superpower" which worships The inaugural Miss Fat Gay campaigners. all have rights, gays and fat By John Biggs (CrunchGear)
physical perfection and has won c o n t e s t r e s p e c t s s o m e "There are a lot of macho types people as much as anyone." Submitted at 12/6/2009 11:50:28 AM
t h e t w o m o s t r e c e n t M i s s conventions – there are evening who don't like seeing men in The hair stylist had travelled to
Universe titles. But this show in gowns, swimsuits and talk of women's clothing," said Alberto the capital with his family which Ah, Japan – where logic and
Caracas is different. Even from helping poor children – but Maia, 27, who on stage is was in the audience, cheering. former stars go to pass fitfully
the back of the theatre you annihilates others. Cellulite spills transformed into Miss Aragua. "I'm very proud because this is into that good night.
noticesomething striking about from fabric, the jokes are risque "It's not easy for us. Machismo is his dream," said his mother, This is much better than
the contestants. They are men. a n d s a m e - s e x u n i o n s a r e a disease." Maura. "Look at him tonight. “Suntory time,” though.
Large, chubby men. celebrated. President Hugo Chávez has He's gorgeous." via Giz
Welcome to Miss Fat Gay "I'm a queen-plus and I love my spoken in favour of gay rights • Venezuela Onion: College Males
Venezuela, a pageant with a new b o d y . A n d I h a v e a g r e a t but a push to legalise same-sex • Gay rights
type of queen. The contest, the boyfriend who loves me fat," said civil unions has stalled. • Beauty Admit to Regularly
first of its kind, smashes taboos La Maracucha, a veteran drag Like other pageants, the Miss Getting Stoked
in a society that equates beauty queen. Fat Gay contest steers clear of Rory Carroll
w i t h s v e l t e , c o s m e t i c a l l y To be overweight is one social Venezuela's polarised politics, guardian.co.uk© Guardian News (Little Green Footballs)
enhanced women. transgression.. Venezuelan men although one organiser, Gabriel & Media Limited 2009 | Use of Submitted at 12/5/2009 1:38:25 PM

"We want to show that we too who cannot face the gym but Silva, frames it in Chávez- this content is subject to our
can be beautiful and sexy," said want to show off at the beach get friendly terms. Terms & Conditions| More Feeds [Video]
A l e x a n d e r A r m a s , 5 0 , a n abdominal implants, yielding "As a socialist and a
organiser whose rotund figure impressive if fake six-packs. A revolutionary I disapprove of

Breitbart: James Hansen Should Be Killed

(Little Green Footballs) Here’s your daily dose of right scientist Dr. James Hansen Capital punishment for Dr James
Submitted at 12/5/2009 3:04:00 PM
wing insanity, as Andrew should be executed. And he’s not Hansen. Climategate is high
Breitbart says that climate kidding. treason.
E-reader Newspaper World/ Finance/ Tech/ 5

Race | Theatre review

By Mark Lawson (World news
and comment from the
Guardian | guardian.co.uk)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 3:46:56 PM
Barrymore Theatre, New York
David Mamet wrote one of the
most controversial plays of the
late 20th century with Oleanna,
in which a female student
accuses her professor of sexual
harassment. And in the
Broadway season that includes a
revival of that 1992 drama,
Mamet has added a savage
companion piece dealing with
another heat-seeking political
topic, declared in the play's title:
race.
As the posters jokingly note, a
dramatist celebrated for
introducing expletives to the
American theatre now tackles a
truly taboo four-letter word.
Race, as one character says, is
"the single most incendiary topic
in our history". Another speaker
observes that "only black people
can speak about race," a carefully
placed self-defensive punch from
a white playwright entering this
verbally and politically charged
arena.
As in Oleanna, Mamet
approaches the subject through
an accusation. A white tycoon,
charged with raping a young
black woman, has selected to
represent him a law firm in which
one of the two partners is African
-American, as is the clerk
working for the attorneys on the
case. The play's strategy is to
examine – and to tempt an
audience to second-guess – the
part that racial background may
play in the decision over whether
to represent the alleged racist
rapist. The white partner
contends that the case is
unwinnable because white jurors
will fear being accused of racism
and black jurors of treachery if
they acquit.
This line is also clearly a
warning to the audience – again,
as in Oleanna, cast as pseudo-
jurors – to police their own
reactions to the situations
presented. As cleverly as in The
Winslow Boy, the Terence
Rattigan courtroom drama
Mamet once adapted as a movie,
the interpretation of details – a
red dress, a comment overheard
through a motel wall – shifts.
Above such twists, though,
Mamet is most concerned with
the power and treachery of
language: a line of dialogue vital
to the prosecution case is
cynically rewritten by the
defence. Mamet's larger
contention is that attempts to
create a more equal and tolerant
society have made race an
unsayable word. The writer, who
has faced claims that his plays
require TV-style bleep machines,
brilliantly contrives here a
moment in which the single most
taboo sexual expletive is ignored
by an audience which then gasps
at the word "black".
Mamet directs a swift, gripping,
100-minute staging cast with
sharp attention to TV history.
James Spader is known for Sex,
Lies and Videotape and the TV
series Boston Legal, while, as the
defendant, Richard Thomas
brings the moral baggage of his
long involvement in The
Waltons. Kerry Washington, as
the law clerk on whom the play
turns, appeared in Neil La Bute's
film Lakeview Terrace, a thought
-provoking racial drama from a
white dramatist, and has here
found another for her Broadway
debut. Mamet remains American
theatre's most urgent five-letter
word.
Rating: 4/5
• Theatre
• David Mamet
• United States
• Race issues
Mark Lawson
guardian.co.uk© Guardian News
& Media Limited 2009 | Use of
this content is subject to our
Terms & Conditions| More Feeds
Twitter Down,
Go Outside (or
to Facebook)
By Pete Cashmore
(Mashable!)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 3:24:47 PM
Yes, as our trusty readers have
noted today, Twitter is out for the
count with the famous Fail
Whale adorning the site. Twitter
search remains up, although of
course there are no new Tweets
listed.
The downtime is at about 20
minutes right now, and there’s no
word from Twitter yet as to the
cause. We’ll keep you updated.
Reviews: Twitter

Six more banks closed, total hits 130 this year

By Tom Johansmeyer post-financial crisis situation impairs the abilities of borrowers year
(BloggingStocks) stabilizing a year later, the to repay their debts. The squeeze Six more banks closed, total hits
Submitted at 12/6/2009 10:10:00 AM
continued stream of bank failures appears to be lightening, as job 130 this year originally appeared
serves as a stark reminder that we cuts slowed considerably in on BloggingStocks on Sun, 06
F i l e d u n d e r : B a d n e w s , aren't out of the woods yet. November, but the Dec 2009 10:10:00 EST. Please
Recession, Financial Crisis Smaller banks are expected to unemployment rate is see our terms for use of feeds.
U.S. banking regulators took continue to fail at an higher rate nonetheless expected to peak Permalink| Email this| Comments
over six more banks on Friday, through next year, due in large next year.
bringing the 2009 bank failure p a r t t o t h e p r e s s u r e s o f Of course, unemployment will Continue reading Six more
tally to 130. So, even with the d e t e r i o r a t i n g l o a n s . continue to be a problem, as it banks closed, total hits 130 this
6 World/ Politics/
Riots grip Athens on death
anniversary
(World news and comment
from the Guardian |
guardian.co.uk)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 3:13:52 PM
Masked youths hurled firebombs
and chunks of marble at police
during a protest in Athens to
mark the first anniversary of the
police shooting of a teenager
whose death caused widespread
riots.
Police fired volleys of teargas to
disperse the youths in running
street battles in the centre of the
capital as several thousand
demonstrators marched to
commemorate the death of 15-
year-old Alexandros
Grigoropoulos. The teenager's
death sent youths rampaging
through cities for two weeks last
December.
, the rioters smashed bank
windows, and overturned rubbish
bins and set them alight as they
hurled rocks and firecrackers at
riot police.
Authorities said 134 people were
Thank You, Climate Change Deniers
(Little Green Footballs)
Submitted at 12/5/2009 8:22:28 PM
A few years ago, I used to doubt
that there really were climate
change denialists.
But then I started posting at LGF
about the scientific evidence for
global warming, and lo, the
E-reader Newspaper
Iraq's parliament finally
agrees terms for election
detained for public order offences
in Athens and 80 in the northern
city of Thessaloniki, where a
The dean of Athens University
was injured when the youths
broke into the building, and was
next year
similar demonstration also ended in intensive care in hospital, (World news and comment The election is scheduled for 16
from the Guardian | January, but a delay of a month
in violence, with youths throwing authorities said. guardian.co.uk)
petrol bombs at police and setting As night fell, about 200 masked or more now appears likely. A
fire to cars. demonstrators were holed up in Submitted at 12/6/2009 3:23:04 PM longer postponement could have
At least five protesters were the neoclassical university complicated the withdrawal
injured in the clashes, including a building, smashing marble Iraqi lawmakers approved plans t i m e t a b l e f o r U S f o r c e s ,
woman who was hit by a police chunks off the university steps today to hold parliamentary s c h e d u l e d t o e n d c o m b a t
motorcycle. Police said 16 and ripping up paving stones elections early next year that are m i s s i o n s i n A u g u s t .
officers were hurt. More than from the courtyard to use as seen as an important step toward Full details of the pact were not
6,000 police officers had been missiles against the police. political reconciliation and easing i m m e d i a t e l y c l e a r . B u t i t
deployed across Athens in an A football match at Athens the withdrawal of US troops. appeared to resolve objections
effort to prevent violence. Olympic stadium between local The vote during an emergency from Hashemi, who vetoed the
Police on motorbikes chased clubs Panathinaikos and session convened just before a election law to demand equal
rioters amid scenes of chaos at Atromitos was suspended for 30 midnight deadline followed voting rights for Iraqis living
Syntagma square in Athens, with minutes because of teargas used marathon talks to break an abroad, mostly fellow Sunnis
youths punching and kicking impasse over balloting provisions whose votes could increase Sunni
by police against rioters outside
officers pushed off their bikes. the ground. that would satisfy the country's clout in the next parliament.
One policeman who lost control • Greece rival groups. Kurds also had objected to the
of his motorbike struck a female • Protest "I would like to congratulate the distribution of seats among the
pedestrian, who was injured and Iraqi people for this historical country's 18 provinces, claiming
taken to hospital. guardian.co.uk© Guardian News victory," said Tariq al-Hashemi, t h e y w e r e b e i n g u n d e r -
At Athens University, masked & Media Limited 2009 | Use of the Sunni vice-president who had represented at the expense of
protesters broke into the building this content is subject to our held up the elections for weeks Sunnis and majority Shiites, who
and pulled down a Greek flag, Terms & Conditions| More Feeds with a veto. He also hailed suffered widespread repression
replacing it with a black-and-red leaders for compromises that "got under Saddam Hussein but took
anarchist banner. Iraq out from the bottleneck and command of Iraqi's political
out of a problem." A failure to leadership and security forces
pass new election rules on after his fall.
Sunday would have forced Iraq The next election will also be a
denialists began to appear. all the climate change denialists to revert to those used in its last critical test for the Shia-led
Hordes of them. who post comments at LGF, parliament election in 2005 and government of Nouri al-Maliki.
Posting one comment after relentlessly hyping every false thus likely throw the political • Iraq
another full of talking points, claim, refusing to follow any process into disarray.
false claims, diversions, and links to evidence, and ceaselessly Plans for the election had been guardian.co.uk© Guardian News
complete BS. parroting the latest obfuscations. mired for weeks over Hashemi's & Media Limited 2009 | Use of
I don’t doubt their existence any You’ve really helped open my demands for a greater political this content is subject to our
more. eyes to the truth. voice for minority Sunnis and the Terms & Conditions| More Feeds
So I want to say “thank you” to distribution of seats in Iraq's
expanded 325-seat parliament.
E-reader Newspaper Finance/ Gadgets/ 7

The week in preview: Profit Entrepreneur's Journal: Making

sure the holiday party doesn't
expectations for Costco, Kroger, become a legal nightmare
Movado and others By Tom Taulli
(BloggingStocks)
By Trey Thoelcke months that ended in October are
(BloggingStocks) expected to be 3.9% higher to Submitted at 12/6/2009 5:40:00 PM

Submitted at 12/6/2009 12:30:00 PM

Filed under: Earnings reports,
Forecasts, Kroger Co (KR),
Costco Wholesale (COST)
The earnings season, like the
calendar year, is winding down.
The sprinkling of quarterly
results scheduled for this coming
week include S&P 500
components AutoZone ( AZO),
Ciena ( CIEN), H&R Block (
HRB) and National
Semiconductor ( NSM), as well
as Dollar General ( DG), Imperial
Sugar ( IPSU), Krispy Kreme
Doughnuts ( KKD), Men's
Wearhouse ( MW), Talbots (
TLB) and others.
Analysts surveyed by Thomson
Reuters expect to see strong year-
$141.2 million. But the full-year Filed under: Law, Employees,
forecast is for earnings of $0.55 Small business
per share (the same as a year ago) As the recession lingers,
on $402.7 million (-12.6%) in employees are getting more
sales. Movado's earnings results litigious. According to a report
were better than expected in the from BNA, the Equal
previous two quarters. Employment Opportunity
over-year and sequential EPS Continue reading The week in Commission (EEOC) received
growth from luxury watchmaker preview: Profit expectations for 93,277 private sector
Movado Group Inc.( MOV). Costco, Kroger, Movado and discrimination charges this year.
During its third quarter of fiscal others It's the second highest in 20 years
2010, this Paramus, N.J.-based The week in preview: Profit and the agency is thinking about
company was recognized for its expectations for Costco, Kroger, increasing its staff to deal with
innovative use of technology and Movado and others originally Continue reading Entrepreneur's
the surge. Journal: Making sure the holiday
it reported a big profit decline for appeared on BloggingStocks on In light of all this, business
t h e s e c o n d q u a r t e r . T h e Sun, 06 Dec 2009 12:30:00 EST. party doesn't become a legal
owners definitely need to be nightmare
consensus forecast is for a third- Please see our terms for use of vigilant. In fact, one of the
quarter profit of $0.65 per share, feeds. Permalink| Email this| Entrepreneur's Journal: Making
biggest risks for employment sure the holiday party doesn't
up 18.5% from the same period a Comments problems comes during the
year ago. Sales for the three become a legal nightmare
holidays, especially with the end- originally appeared on
of-the-year party. BloggingStocks on Sun, 06 Dec
So, to get some insight, I talked 2009 17:40:00 EST. Please see
to Heather Gatley, who is the our terms for use of feeds.
executive VP of human resources Permalink| Email this| Comments
and the general counsel at
AlphaStaff.

Zii Trinity's HD playback gets a quick and promising look

By Ross Miller (Engadget)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 2:27:00 AM
It's over far too quickly, but in
the video after the break, what
you get to see is how well the Zii
Trinity mobile prototype handles
outputting HD video -- in this
case, a very smooth playback of a
snippet from Wall-E. Can we
express more excitement for
Creative's little platform that
could? Probably, but we're
already reaching pretty high.
Now if only we could get some
hands-on time of our own...
Zii Trinity's HD playback gets a
quick and promising look
originally appeared on Engadget
on Sun, 06 Dec 2009 02:27:00
EST. Please see our terms for
use of feeds. Permalink|
Mobile990| Email this|
Comments
8 Finance/ Entertainment/
Capital One warrants
help chip away TARP
obligation
By Tom Johansmeyer
(BloggingStocks)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 3:40:00 PM
Filed under: JPMorgan Chase
(JPM), Recession, Financial
Crisis
The Treasury Department made
$146.5 million through the sale
of Capital One Financial ( COF)
warrants. This was the first
auction of warrants conducted by
the government as part of the
banking system bailout. The sale
was conducted by Deutsche Bank
( DB) and reached a sale price of
$11.75 per warrant.
The warrants, which expire on
November 14, 2018, give the
holders the right to purchase a
share of Capital One stock at
$42.13. Almost 12.7 million
warrants were given to the
Treasury Department a little
Study: Employers would cut health benefits to avoid excise tax
By Tom Johansmeyer
(BloggingStocks)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 11:40:00 AM
Filed under: Competitive
strategy, Politics
If the Senate's proposed Patient
Protection and Affordable Care
Act passes the Senate, the
E-reader Newspaper
Billy Joel's
Kuwaiti fund rakes in Daughter Released
$1 billion profit on From Hospital
(ETonline - Breaking News)
Citigroup sale Submitted at 12/6/2009 1:51:00 PM
By Tom Johansmeyer Alexa Ray Joel has reportedly
(BloggingStocks) been released from a New York
Submitted at 12/6/2009 2:10:00 PM Hospital.
The daughter to Billy Joel, 60,
Filed under: Citigroup Inc. (C), left St. Vincent's Hospital after
Bank of America (BAC) being admitted on Saturday, Us
In a case of buy low, sell high, magazine confirms, but her father
Kuwait's sovereign wealth fund remained at his home in Oyster
just unloaded its $4.1 billion Bay, Long Island. The singer told
more than a year ago, when stake in Citigroup ( C). In doing America ( BAC) in September Newsday on Saturday night that
Capital One received $3.56 so, the fund scored a $1 billion 2008. Alexa Ray was "going to be
billion in bailout support. profit-- and a 37% rate of return Continue reading Kuwaiti fund fine."
Continue reading Capital One on its investment -- according to rakes in $1 billion profit on A law enforcement official
warrants help chip away TARP the Kuwait Investment Authority Citigroup sale speaking on the condition of
obligation (KIA). Kuwaiti fund rakes in $1 billion anonymity told the Associated
Capital One warrants help chip The fund invested in Citigroup profit on Citigroup sale originally Press that a friend of the 23-year-
away TARP obligation originally in January 2008, before the appeared on BloggingStocks on old singer dialed 911 from Alexa
appeared on BloggingStocks on financial industry came to the Sun, 06 Dec 2009 14:10:00 EST. Ray's apartment and said Alexa
Sun, 06 Dec 2009 15:40:00 EST. brink of collapse last year, but Please see our terms for use of Ray had consumed several pills.
Please see our terms for use of well after the impact of the feeds. Permalink| Email this|
feeds. Permalink| Email this| m o r t g a g e c r i s i s h a d b e e n Comments
Comments identified. The fund also invested
$2 billion in Merrill Lynch,
which was acquired by Bank of
working stiff will probably be under the act, making them BloggingStocks on Sun, 06 Dec
affected. A study by Mercer finds subject to a 40% nondeductible 2009 11:40:00 EST. Please see
that 63% of employers would cut tax on the excess value. our terms for use of feeds.
the health benefits they offer in Continue reading Study: Permalink| Email this| Comments
order to avoid an excise tax Employers would cut health
included in the bill. benefits to avoid excise tax
Mercer, a division of Marsh & Study: Employers would cut
McLennan Companies ( MMC), offer health insurance programs health benefits to avoid excise
reveals that 25% of employers that would be "too generous" tax originally appeared on
E-reader Newspaper Gadgets/ 9

Getting it right and getting it wrong with the new media

By Devin Coldewey heirloom in order to run a cable looks on in exasperation.
(CrunchGear) through it — not exactly far- Smaller, single-serving
Submitted at 12/6/2009 1:21:24 PM
fetched by Comcast standards. A companies
few years ago, they could give Startups and single-device
The internet (the blogosphere to the family free service for a year companies like Peek and Drobo
be precise) is still a bit of a and that would pretty much be are great at individual
mystery to many in tech and t h e e n d o f i t . N o t e v e n a communication, quick resolution
entertainment. It’s weird to think neighborhood newspaper would of problems, and other caring and
that companies whose job it is to pick that up. But nowadays, feeding for your blogger issues. I
reach tech-savvy consumers Comcast is on so many naughty can’t name them all individually,
aren’t using this tool correctly, lists that the slightest mix-up on but you little guys are doing it
but it’s also no secret that the their part gets blogged and right for sure. Keep it up. Doing
biggest and most influential reblogged until it seems like all it wrong
companies are often the slowest Comcast has done lately is drill Apple
to adapt. At any rate, they’re through antiques. Whoa there, calm down. Read
learning, but some are learning Fortunately, Comcast gets it first, then flame if you must. The
f a s t e r t h a n o t h e r s . H e r e I here. They recognize that every standard “I’m typing this on a
chronicle just a few standout blog post or minor news item is a mac” preamble applies. Plus, the
cases. seed that may grow and fact is that whether or not Apple
Note that many companies are eventually blossom into a meme- gets or does the blogosphere,
bunched under the PR heading, flower, strewing bad PR-petals their current strategy is working.
which is in the second half of this all over the internet. Yeah, that But my point isn’t that they
post for reasons which will was a bit overwrought, and they She continued to monitor the give back, and they actually like aren’t successful or suck at PR,
become obvious. Also, it’s a bit probably don’t think of it exactly post, responding to other doing it. I mean, if you just cold just that they’re not utilizing the
awkward talking about the “new like that, but I have to get in my commenters who voiced other send an email to Gabe Newell, new media well. And of course,
media” right after I denied its extended metaphors when I can. concerns, related or not. In this you’ve got a seriously good they don’t really need to — the
existence, but for the purposes of So, case in point: last week a way Comcast nipped this whole chance of getting one back. But new media pretty much use
this post please just consider it to Comcast tech told me that higher thing in the bud, as already- they also get that you don’t just themselves without Apple’s help.
m e a n b i g b l o g s , n e w s -ups in Seattle were trying to addressed problems are unlikely keep an official blog and throw But here’s the thing: despite
aggregators, and social or bottom pawn off weak, end-of-life cable to spread, and if my post were to the community a bone every once writing thousands of words on
-up media. Doing it right modems on customers who become an attractive one for in a while. They realize the Apple products, sometimes good,
Comcast didn’t know better. It’d hard to Google, you’d see the prompt potential of the blog-and-meme- sometimes bad, I’ve never heard
Wait, what? Comcast is doing say how true that is, but certainly response from Comcast. They get based intertrons and hence do from them. Not in a comment,
what right? evidence was in favor of it; I’d it. something like this: not in an email — nothing. Oh,
Easy, there. I don’t say that h a d o n e o f t h e s e m o d e m s Valve Are you kidding me? It’s the we’ve got someone to talk to if
Comcast is doing everything installed just a few months prior. It shouldn’t come as a surprise greatest thing ever created, we need to RSVP for a press
right, only that they seem to get So I wrote it up. that such a new and successful except for this luggage scooter. conference or whatnot, but that’s
the new online power structure. It Within 10 minutes I had a games developer (and publisher) See, they get that the best not the same thing. The fact that I
w a s n ’ t l o n g a g o t h a t b i g comment from Bonnie, who should be doing it right, but there advertising isn’t advertising at can write a mean-spirited
companies like this could hide officially disapproved of the are plenty of examples to the all. If it’s good, it advertises dismissal of iFrame and not hear
their inadequate service, loppy situation, checked up on the facts contrary. Valve is a good itself. Valve does the best it can a word from Apple means they
pricing, and other issues simply and corroborated my story, and example, however, because of the to let their content do just that, don’t get it or don’t care enough,
by isolating them. Say a Comcast left her email address — that last way they engage the community. and now they’re rolling in cash
guy put a hole through a priceless bit unwise, perhaps, but noble. GETTING page 11
They actually listen, they actually as the rest of the games industry
10 Gadgets/ E-reader Newspaper

So You Cheated. Now What?

By Lydia Leavitt (CrunchGear)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 7:30:25 AM

Technology has made it easier

than ever to get caught cheating.
Tiger Woods may have been the
latest to get caught with his text
message and voicemail pants
down but many celebs and non-
celebs have gotten caught just by
sending texts or posting
messages on the wrong Facebook
wall. All it takes is one snooping
partner to completely blow up
your whole cheating operation.
Especially if the entire
relationship takes place online
via cell phone or computer, these
two things in particular can be
the smoking gun when it comes
to being caught. How can a
cheater continue to cheat, and not
get caught by the very
technology that allowed for
cheating in the first place?
The Culprit: Facebook
Scenario 1: Facebook ruined
your relationship thanks to
incriminating photos
Facebook has become a common
source of argument for couples.
In the old days people could lie
about their whereabouts and their
bf/gf would never be the wiser.
But now, thanks to Facebook,
one tag and your true Facebook user settings to Private The Culprit: Caller ID your husband or wife might Spoofcard. Probably wishing he
whereabouts could be revealed at by going to Settings > Privacy Scenario 2: You say you’re actually fall for the “I’m working had thought of this idea, Tiger
any time. Besides just frantically Settings > Profile > Customize working late and your significant late” excuse. Spoofcard was Woods would probably prefer to
detagging pictures from your and choose that “Only Me” can other tells you to call them from recently in the news when face arrest rather than having that
mobile phone or computer, there see pictures tagged of yourself. your work number… what to do? socialite and Publicity Director incriminating voicemail that he
are a few simple steps you can This way, wifey won’t be able to Enter Spoofcard. This bad boy for Dolce & Gabbana Ali Wise left so his mistress could play it
take to make sure you’re not search Facebook for lets you change the way your was arrested for hacking into ex on repeat nationwide.
caught red handed. 1. Don’t take incriminating photos in her spare number will show up on caller boyfriend’s and their new
photos at the bar! 2. Set your YOU page 13
time. ID. Display your work line and girlfriend’s voice mails using the
E-reader Newspaper
GETTING
continued from page 9
and either way it’s not a good
thing.
Apple is good at doing what I
mentioned above: letting the
product sell itself. But they don’t
engage the community. They
don’t need to comment on
rumors or address every little
thing, but when it’s shown that
thousands of Apple laptops have
faulty video cards, I think it’s in
their interest to go around doing
a little damage control.
Nintendo
Yet another glossy, white
company that seems to think that
because they’ve been successful
so far, they don’t need to lower
themselves to the level of the
blogs. I may be off the mark here
because I don’t work at a gaming
publication, but it seems to me
that Nintendo’s PR is a little bit
like a state newspaper (I stop
short of saying propaganda, but
it’s in the vicinity). One only
needs to think of Nintendo
Power, the original official
Nintendo magazine; it was
essentially Nintendo reviewing
its own products. Things haven’t
really changed since then: they
guard their games carefully and
issue carefully-constructed PR
salvos via official and semi-
official sites. Sure, Sony does
this a bit on the Playstation Blog,
'The Blind Side' Scores Big at Box Office
(ETonline - Breaking News)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 1:28:00 PM
Based on a true story, Sandra
but they’re more along the lines
of “Hey, new update for PS3
coming out next week, we’ll let
you know what’s up with that
later,” while Nintendo is more
“Experience the magic that is Wii
Music! Miyamoto describes the
game as ’soul-scaldingly good’
in this interview with a Nintendo
employee.” See what I mean?
Like in Apple’s case, it doesn’t
seem to have affected their
success much. But I also think
that the ivory tower approach to
PR is one that is losing its
legitimacy.
Canon
After Vincent Laforet shot
Reverie and Nocturne on Canon
DSLRs, Canon shut them down
despite being involved in the
process. I understand sometimes
there’s a left-hand-right-hand
issue in big companies, but this
kind of thing is beyond
ridiculous. Also, they’re hogging
all the 7Ds. They’ll have a 9D
out before I get that sucker
reviewed. Come on!
Almost every PR company out
there
Our… troubles with PR
companies are well-known by
our readers. CrunchGear relies on
them a bit more than
TechCrunch, however, since we
spend all day sifting through the
Bullock's latest film 'The Blind
Side' tackled the box office
competition, bringing $20.4
million in its third week in
press release haystack, looking
for the occasional needle.
Familiarity breeds contempt, but
boy have I bred myself some
contempt for the standard PR
email and press release. The few
companies that actually know
how to engage a blog or news
outlet are like shining beacons on
a stormy night, while the dim
stars of the rank and file PR
drones do little to illuminate the
dark.
Current PR practices include
such bizarreries as:
• Sending an email to ask if they
can send an email
• Not including product photos
in a release, then sending 10MB
300DPI TIFF files hours later
• Calling every single thing they
put out “revolutionary”
• Reading out loud every word
of a presentation they’ve sent, as
if we were children
• Leaving other blogs in the
address (Dear Engadget!)
• Pitching us for things which
are so clearly unrelated to what
we cover that it’s insulting
• Asking for a social security
number before sending a review
item
The list goes on. And on. I don’t
mean to exaggerate our own
importance (I know this piece is
theaters, making it the No. 1
movie of the weekend. Click the
pics to see the other highest
grossing films.
Gadgets/ Entertainment/
coming off a bit that way), but
seriously, know who you’re
emailing at least. These kinds of
mistakes are so elementary (or so
weird) that I have no hope of
their being fixed.
So
That’s the end of this little
editorial. I wish I could give
better advice, but really, it’s not
that hard to engage your online
audience. Take a look at your
company’s practices in this field,
if you are in a position to do so,
and then look at how the masters
are doing it. You don’t have to
put together fake comic books
and send them to your fans, but it
might be nice to at least
acknowledge that the new social
media exists and should be
catered to separately just like any
other medium.
This is far from a complete list,
it’s just a few impressions I’ve
gotten from the last few months
of tech-blogger business as usual.
Feel free to add to the naughty or
nice list in the comments.
11
Trolley Scooter Luggage
Shaves Minutes Off
Terminal Lap Times
[Luggage]
By Jack Loftus (Gizmodo)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 12:00:00 PM
Not since the treasure bath have
two amazing things coalesced so
perfectly to form something even
more amazing. I present the
Trolley Scooter. Air travel just
got competitive.
The piece is a collaboration
between Samsonite and Micro
Mobility, and will certainly
improve your Terminal A travel
time thanks to the three wheels
housed below. Not feeling a race
or a scoot? You could always just
pull this puppy like normal
luggage. Square.
There's no pricing on this thing,
but the CrunchGear fellas
wagered a $120 guess. I'm no
luggage expert, but that sounds
about right. The looks and
exercise you get will pay that off
in fitness/popularity in no time. [
Reddit via CrunchGear via
Ubergizmo]
12 Gadgets/ Entertainment/ E-reader Newspaper

“This means something:” Why the magazine industry is

suddenly crowing about tablets
By John Biggs (CrunchGear)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 1:16:02 AM
Whenever companies do
something inexplicable, the nerd
in me always comes back to that
scene in Close Encounters of the
Third Kind when Richard
Dreyfus keeps building models
of a mountain, culminating in a
huge, muddy mess in his kitchen.
Throughout it all he keeps saying
“This means something.”
Well, the latest molehill into a
mountain is the move by Time
Inc. and Conde Nast, among
others, to build a tablet-based
interface for their flagship titles.
This means something, but what
it means is that the homes of
Time and Gourmet(oh, wait),
aren’t going to take the coming
industrial disruption lying down.
While I don’t think their
preparations will be for naught –
there will be some sort of reader
device coming soon that will give
the magazines what they need
and want in terms of interface – I
think the most important aspect
of this recent upswell in tablet
interest is the harsh realization by
publishers that the fit is hitting
the shan.
Make no mistake: none of these
publishers know that the Apple
Tablet – or any other *Pad,
*Tablet, *Reader – is coming. If
they did they couldn’t talk about
what they’re doing for it. NDAs
are very strict and if anyone,
from the publisher of Vanity Fair
to the CEO of Time, Inc. sat
down with Apple to talk about
the iTablet and then went on to
run his or her mouth about the
project, we’d hear more about the
lawsuits than anything else.
These efforts are based on
conjecture and some sort of
undying hope that someone,
somewhere is planning
something cool that these
publishers can use.
In my opinion, newspapers and
magazines should band together
to release a subsidized reader.
This reader will include a
touchscreen, WiFi, and a color
display. Offer every subscriber a
choice: you can keep getting the
dead tree version of our rag for
$X or you can get this device for
the same amount, maybe less,
working together shows that they
have learned a little bit from the
music and movie debacles going
on around them but I worry that
their reliance on coming
technology that may or may not
exist is a bit naive. To truly
survive they have to take their
own destiny in hand and prepare
for the worst, the worst being that
Apple will take over their
potential media marketplace with
an iTunes Magazine Store.
I’m glad to see some of these
companies are proactive in terms
of future media. However, they
are replicating efforts made by
many before them, including
Zinio, a company noticeably
quiet in this transaction. After all,
someone owns the patent for the
“reproduction of magazine
content on a web tablet” and I
maybe free, and have access to have escaped the terminal fall assure you it isn’t Anna Wintour.
multiple magazines on the go in a into unyielding firmament. It was probably filed long before
subscription or a la carte payment Publishing companies want you the end of the dot com boom, just
model. Later you offer third party to think they’re on top of things. as the captains of the media
versions of the reader, dump the Unfortunately, publishing is an industry were dining on truffle
reader code into an iPhone app, entrenched world of power oil and gold foil garnished duck.
and then wait for the profit. Even players with little power all Sadly, those same captains are
if this initial reader is the CueCat jockeying for a blockbuster. That now slumming with online as
of its generation, publishers will these organizations are now their listing ships begin to sink.

Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley's Daughter Hospitalized

(ETonline - Breaking News)
Submitted at 12/5/2009 1:43:00 PM
Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley's
daughter, Alexa Ray Joel, has
been hospitalized in New York.
ET confirms that the NYPD and
FDNY responded to an aided
case at an apartment around
12:21 p.m. on Saturday. The
FDNY tells us they transported a
female from the apartment to a
Manhattan hospital because she
wasn’t feeling well. The incident
is still under investigation.
A law enforcement official apartment and said Joel had
speaking on the condition of consumed several pills.
anonymity tells the Associated
Press that a friend of the 23-year-
old singer dialed 911 from Joel’s
E-reader Newspaper
YOU
continued from page 10
The Culprit: GPS
Scenario 3: Your significant
other tries to monitor your
whereabouts with a GPS tracker
The same way Michael Strahan
busted his wife cheating on him,
more and more suspicious people
are turning to GPS trackers.
These devices are becoming
smaller and oftentimes come in
magnetic cases that can be
slapped to the bottom of a car
unbeknownst to the driver. If you
think your boo is capable of
tracking you, then you need a
GPS and bug detector. These
hand held toys let you find all
bugs, cameras, and GPS trackers,
no matter how hidden. Another
way to protect yourself from
those pesky GPS trackers is with
an In-Car GPS Jammer. But
beware, these GPS jammers may
or may not be legal where you
live.
The Culprit: Your Cell Phone
Scenario 4: Your wifey raids
your phone AND e-mail and
boom you’re busted
Leave your computer or phone
in the open for a second and you
may be subject to a full cavity
search. That’s why you need to
use anonymous text message and
RSS for BitTorrent, and other developments
(Scripting News)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 3:19:25 PM
TorrentFreak has a piece today
talking about my efforts to sort
out the differences in the RSS
used by various BitTorrent
e-mail systems. A system like
Anonymousspeech.com allows
you to send and receive e-mails
via an anonymous IP address.
Raunchy e-mails won’t be
tracked back to your computer so
you will never be busted again.
Like the anonymous e-mail
server, there’s also an
anonymous text message center
called AnonTxt.com. This system
lets you send completely
anonymous text messages that
cannot be traced to your cell
phone. So leave your computer
or phone in the open, they got
nothing on you!
The Culprit: The Infamous Jerry
Springer Polygraph Test
Scenario 5: You used these
tricks to keep your cheating
discreet, but your significant
other is still questioning you. If
he or she subjects you to a
polygraph test, you can beat it
First of all, if your bf/gf is
making you take a polygraph, it’s
time to reevaluate the
relationship. Lie detectors are
based off the assumption that if
you’re lying you will probably
freak out. Measuring nervousness
as a sign of a lie, polygraph tests
can be beat if you know how to
websites.
I also posted some ideas for a
Torrent namespace that can be
used in RSS, or any other XML-
based format that accepts
extensions, such as Atom and
OPML 2.0.
skew the results. Experts
recommend doing something
mentally complex during the
control questions like long
division. Other methods include
pressing down on a tack hidden
in your shoe or biting your
tongue to elicit a painful
response. This way you will
always seem like a high strung,
nervous person whether the
question is easy or hard. When
the interviewer asks you a real
question like “would you ever
cheat?” it will look like the same
level of stress as when he asked
you the control question.
Unlike Tiger Woods, Jude Law,
and the millions of others that
have been busted thanks to their
careless use of technology,
hopefully these tips will let you
lead your double life without
interruption.
Guest columnist Lydia Leavitt
writes about sex and, oddly
enough, social media. For more
information on the latest intimate
technology, check out
69adget.com.
On the Droidie site I look at
what it will take to make it the
perfect podcatcher.
And a think piece on
Protoblogger on the tension
between doing something big and
getting rich. This will lead to a
Gadgets/ Tech Blog/
Microsoft reportedly randomizing
browser ballots to appease EU,
asks 'are you happy now?'
By Darren Murph (Engadget)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 5:39:00 PM
Some might say that Microsoft
just can't catch a break. Others
might argue that it's getting
exactly what it deserves.
Whatever your take on the
situation, it seems as if Microsoft
may finally have the EU off of its
monstrous back (at least
momentarily), as a report has
surfaced noting that said software
giant is nearing approval for a
new browser ballot screen
demanded by the European
Commission. As you well know
by know, rivals Mozilla, Opera
and Google all submitted change
requests to EU regulators in
hopes of having browser
selection boxes randomized and
not displayed within Internet
Explorer. Purportedly, the all-
clear will come down on
December 15th (or earlier), and
the antitrust case will be settled
as Windows customers have a
clearer choice when it comes to
followup piece that talks about
creating incentives for people
who don't want to go the
corporate route. There really isn't
that much money at stake but the
really large ideas suffer if they
get caught up inside corporations.
13
selecting a go-to browser from
day one. 'Course, said ballot
screen wouldn't be pushed out to
existing users until early next
year, but when it goes live users
will be able to decide between
Chrome, Firefox, IE, Opera and
Safari for their browsing needs.
Huzzah!
Microsoft reportedly
randomizing browser ballots to
appease EU, asks 'are you happy
now?' originally appeared on
Engadget on Sun, 06 Dec 2009
17:39:00 EST. Please see our
terms for use of feeds. Permalink
Slashdot| Computer World| Email
this| Comments
Twitter has been down now for
about 1/2 hour. 3:30PM Pacific.
Oy -- we're so dependent on it.
Where would you go now to find
out what's up? status.twitter.com
has nothing about an outage.
14 Gadgets/
Huge Scandinavian study suggests no link
between mobiles and brain cancer (so relax)
By Devin Coldewey
(CrunchGear)
Submitted at 12/5/2009 2:00:24 PM
This particular issue is far from
settled, since it is a fact that
certain levels of radiation lead to
transcription errors and such, but
at the very least, studies like this
one reinforce the idea that we’re
not all of us going to drop dead
in a couple years.
The study, performed by the
Danish Cancer Society and
documented in the Journal of the
National Cancer Institute, studied
brain cancer rates in
Scandinavian countries over a
period of 30 years. It is likely
Euro-folk not big on the Android
By John Biggs (CrunchGear)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 12:38:41 AM
I’ll be in Europe most of
December so I’ll assess this on
my own but it seems that the
Eurozone doesn’t quite know
what to make of Android. This is
partially because they don’t have
many Android phones in
circulation and partially because
of WinMo and Symbian
entrenchment on the continent.
Total Android market share rose
one percent, to about 5%, this
month. Granted Android’s
market share in the US is under
ongoing, but they have issued the
results of the 30-year analysis,
not having found “any clear
change in the long-term time
trends in the incidence of brain
tumours.” The critical period in
10% but here it’s growing quite
quickly.
Some dude from IDG notes:
“Consumers steer clear of
Google’s OS and sell-out is
below everyone’s expectations.
the mid-nineties when cellular
use really spiked was the focal
point for their study, and they
found that while there has been a
constant increase in glioma
diagnosis since the 70s, and any
Consumers recognize the Google
brand, but still do not understand
what Android is,” IDC analyst
Francisco Jeronimo said in a
statement.
That will change, however, with
E-reader Newspaper
Unconfirmed: Amazon's
Secret Underground
Play in the Retail Space
deviations from the slow increase
are explainable by other means [Amazon]
than mobile use. By Jack Loftus (Gizmodo)
Like most studies, this one does Submitted at 12/6/2009 11:25:00 AM
not prove anything, but it would
be coincidental indeed if every Is Amazon prepping the U.K. for
Scandie managed to avoid brain a British retail chain invasion?
cancer by chance, while also Possibly, says a report in the
happening to be among the most Times today.
mobile-friendly areas on Earth. Indeed, says the source, as part
So brain cancer appears to be of a move that goes against the
out, but, and I’m not joking here, shrinking retail space, Amazon
what about stomach, prostate, would open a number of branded
and ovarian cancer? Our phones retail stores there, and soon.
spend more time in our pockets It's not entirely crazy. As we
and purses than up against our reported earlier this year,
ears, so that’s probably still Amazon has already jumped
worth a look. headfirst into the peripherals
market with a line of low-cost
branded merch called
AmazonBasics.
Now there's allegedly a secret
increased movement in the land grab going on behind closed
Android space, probably around doors to stock some of that
February when the Mobile World merchandise. The sites are
Congress hits the scene. described as "high profile,"
Interestingly, this entrenchment possibly in locations recently
actually comes from Europe’s vacated by the Borders book
early adoption of smartphones, chain. [ Times Online]
long before the US found them to
be useful or popular. Because so
many IT shops focused on
WinCE/WinMo early on it’s hard
to pull those phones out of the
enterprise. Add in Nokia’s
relative control of the market and
you’ve got a tough sell.
E-reader Newspaper Gadgets/ 15

Latest AT&T spot calls

Verizon's 3G network a
headless, sluggish wannabe
By Darren Murph (Engadget) his favorite network can
Submitted at 12/6/2009 8:56:00 AM
download a JPEG of himself
compared to VZW. We've got to
We hate to point out the say that the results are fairly
obvious, but it really seems that h i l a r i o u s , b u t f r a n k l y , w e
the marketing gurus at AT&T would've rather seen that huge ad
have this all wrong. Look guys -- buy go towards a few more 3G
no one's debating that AT&T's towers here in the US of A. Vid's
3G isn't the fastest where after the break, per usual. A HUD in your ski goggles? Only in
available. We even saw as much Continue reading Latest AT&T
ourselves. But Verizon's recent spot calls Verizon's 3G network a
slew of ads have been calling out headless, sluggish wannabe
Sci-Fi for now
the size of your 3G network, Latest AT&T spot calls By Devin Coldewey between it and the real world. If pound? Right! Did you ask if
which you absolutely can't argue Verizon's 3G network a headless, (CrunchGear) it’s projected onto your eye, they have any bridges for sale?
is incredibly small when placed sluggish wannabe originally Submitted at 12/5/2009 5:16:34 PM
that’s freaking science fiction; if Seriously, I’d like to rock these
next to red-tinted competition. appeared on Engadget on Sun, 06 these guys had eye projection as much as anyone else, but
That said, AT&T is still fighting Dec 2009 08:56:00 EST. Please It’s not that I don’t think this is a technology that works as chances are it’s going to be some
a battle to which no one has see our terms for use of feeds. good idea. It’s just that I am advertised, they’d be contracting shiesty low-rez display and it’ll
challenged it by employing the Permalink CNET| YouTube| absolutely certain that these with the Pentagon, not making only work under very specific
admittedly quirky Luke Wilson Email this| Comments won’t be as cool as you want extreme sports accessories. circumstances. I appreciate their
to show off just how much faster them to be. Think about it. If it’s So it’s also got to have a GPS dedication, but it’s not going to
projected on or inside the unit, camera, accelerometer, happen. That said, if they prove
goggles, it’s covering up the controls, plus CPU, RAM and me wrong I’ll buy a pair like that.
slope — and at any rate you’d get storage — and these goggles are [via GearJunkie and Gizmodo]
a headache switching focus supposed to weigh a quarter of a
16 Gadgets/ Sports/
HTC 2010 Product Roadmap Features Legends,
Salsa, Some Buzz [Htc]
By Jack Loftus (Gizmodo)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 3:20:00 PM
The folks at Android and Me
have what is purportedly the
product roadmap for HTC going
into the new year. The five
phones are divided into four
product categories:
Design/Lifestyle, Performance,
Productivity and Social. Let's
dive in, shall we?
In design/Lifestyle there's the
Legend and the Salsa, due out in
March and June 2010,
Touchtable mixer takes conventional PMP design
for a wiki-wiki-twist
By Darren Murph (Engadget)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 3:45:00 PM
Not that we haven't seen
turntable capabilities shoved into
production and concept devices
alike before, but there's
something curiously seductive
about this one. Dreamed up by
Sir Thomas Mascall, the
Touchtable is a pocket-sized
PMP that boasts a digit-friendly
Colts stay perfect, tie regular-season win record
By Associated Press
(ESPN.com)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 3:26:11 PM
Fast Facts
respectively.
Then there's the Performance
line, populated by the Bravo and
its 3.7-in. OLED capacitive
touchscreen.
surface meant for scratching,
mixing and all manners of
interacting. Aside from playing
back your favorite MP3s, this
bugger can (in theory, anyway)
also mix jams on the fly, cue
outputs and even connect with a
second Touchtable wirelessly in
order to establish a more
traditional DJ setup (at 1:8 scale). source link if you're looking for a
Plug it into a PC, and now you've few more images and details, and
got a MIDI controller. Pop that feel free to contact your local VC
• The Colts improved to 12-0 and
tied the record for the longest
regular-season win streak at 21.
They also won 12 games for an
NFL-record seventh straight
The Social scene is comprised of
the Tide and the Buzz, due out in
April and May 2010.
I think they're social because
they come with Twitter and
season.
• The Titans' five-game win
streak snapped after an 0-6 start.
• Peyton Manning threw for 270
yards and a TD to reach 25 TDs
E-reader Newspaper
Aspire timeline 1820PT
Facebook onboard, which is what convertible twists its
passes for being social with a cell way onto Acer's US site
phone these days. I kid. The
Buzz is the first image up top. By Ross Miller (Engadget)
Lastly, in the Productivity Submitted at 12/6/2009 11:12:00 AM
category there's the Photon,
Trophy and Tera, each due out in Wanting yourself a good old
April and May (no date for the fashioned convertible tablet PC?
Tera, however). All three phones We've seen Acer's Aspire
are Windows Mobile 6.5. Timeline 1820PT hit Australia a
In the spirit of giving and respect little under a month ago, and now
for a scoop, hit up Android and the US audience is getting its first
Me for the full specs for each telltale sign of 1820PT
phone detailed here. [ Android acceptance. The laptop now has
and Me] itself a product page on the
official stateside product page.
No price or release date,
unfortunately, but at least we
know it's on the near horizon.
[Thanks, SaintAndrew]
Aspire timeline 1820PT
if interested in seeing this fast- convertible twists its way onto
tracked to the commercial realm. A c e r ' s U S s i t e o r i g i n a l l y
T o u c h t a b l e m i x e r t a k e s appeared on Engadget on Sun, 06
conventional PMP design for a Dec 2009 11:12:00 EST. Please
w i k i - w i k i - t w i s t o r i g i n a l l y see our terms for use of feeds.
appeared on Engadget on Sun, 06 Permalink| Acer| Email this|
Dec 2009 15:45:00 EST. Please Comments
see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink| Yanko Design| Email
this| Comments
for the 12th straight year, the • Rapid Reaction
longest streak in NFL history. -- ESPN Stats & Information
• Chris Johnson rushed for 113 This content has passed through
yards, his seventh straight 100- fivefilters.org.
yard game, for the Titans.
E-reader Newspaper Gadgets/ 17

Mind-Bending Quentin
Tarantino Commercial
May— May —Be
Selling Speakers
[Quentin Tarantino]
By Jack Loftus (Gizmodo)

Yinlips YDP800 Submitted at 12/6/2009 11:30:00 AM

Say I told you I have a

commercial with Quentin
projector PMP teases Headless Luke Wilson Continues Tarantino selling Softbank
products as Uncle Tara-chan
the Great AT&T/Verizon Ad War
your wallet with video of 2009 [AT&T Versus Verizon]
while a talking dog opines and a
woman answers a dog phone.
Would you believe me? This is
By Richard Lai (Engadget) compared to the $299 WowWee
Cinemin Swivel. No sign of any By Jack Loftus (Gizmodo) Francisco, where those speeds Japan. Of course you would.
Submitted at 12/6/2009 5:45:00 AM
sample pictures or videos from are available, occasionally, like a With these two ads, Tarantino
Submitted at 12/6/2009 1:00:00 PM
We're not sure what's taken so the 1.3 megapixel camera yet, so fleeting wind (this according to joins a long line of U.S.
long, but the Yinlips YDP800 for now just enjoy the video after To be bigger but slower, or the Gizmodo guys who live celebrities who have flown across
pico projector PMP is finally the break. speedy yet spotty? This is the there, particularly Blam). the Pacific to do zany Japanese
available to the US, courtesy of Continue reading Yinlips ridiculous question indirectly But a headless Luke Wilson is hi commercials. If you'll recall,
online store Ownta. The good YDP800 projector PMP teases posed to us today by AT&T -larious, right? Enough to get Brad Pitt did a few Softbank
folks have released a demo video your wallet with video spokesman Luke Wilson. Here's consumers to vote with their spots not too long ago too. This
of the projector in action -- not Yinlips YDP800 projector PMP my question: When do these hearts and not use their heads one though, by far, is the most
quite at the maximum 80-inch teases your wallet with video commercials go away? though? Not a chance. I'm siding bat shit insane of them all. [
picture that Yinlips boasts, but originally appeared on Engadget I mean, wasn't the original with the Misfit Toys on this one. CNET]
hey, we've just about done it on Sun, 06 Dec 2009 05:45:00 Verizon ad that started this off It's an opinion. It could be off
before on another pico projector. EST. Please see our terms for about the size of the 3G network? the mark. Let me know in the
For around $270 including use of feeds. Permalink PMP Now AT&T is countering with comments where you fall in this
delivery this feature-packed PMP Today| Ownta| Email this| speed, which is great and all, so great big objectivity-free ad war
seems to give a good run for your Comments long as you don't live in any between cell phone carriers. [
money, especially when major U.S. cities like San Youtube via CNET]
18 Gadgets/ Tech/ Popular News/ E-reader Newspaper
Off-Duty NYPD
Motorola's Opus One leaks out, Officer Arrested on
Rape Charge
whispers of 'iDEN' and 'Android' (FOXNews.com)
Amazon Denies Plan to
overheard Submitted at 12/6/2009 12:41:05 AM

This material may not be

By Darren Murph (Engadget)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 1:24:00 PM
There's an excruciatingly small
amount of detail to go on right
now, but the Boy Genius has
managed to snag a few tasty
shots of what could be the
world's first iDEN Android
handset. The Opus One (as it's
currently codenamed) certainly
smacks of the myTouch 3G in
terms of design, though the
Retromodo Made New: The Cobra-Matic
Hit the source link for a couple
more images, and drop your
wildest estimations of a specs list
in comments below.
Motorola's Opus One leaks out,
whispers of 'iDEN' and 'Android'
overheard originally appeared on
Engadget on Sun, 06 Dec 2009
13:24:00 EST. Please see our
bottom-mounted ball is obviously terms for use of feeds. Permalink|
replaced with what appears to be Boy Genius Report| Email this|
an intensely large home button. Comments
Open Retail Stores:
Sunday Times Report
published, broadcast, rewritten, False
or redistributed. © 2009 FOX
News Network, LLC. All rights By Pete Cashmore
reserved. All market data delayed (Mashable!)
20 minutes. Submitted at 12/6/2009 11:31:26 AM
This content has passed through
That was quick: following a
fivefilters.org.
Sunday Times article today
claiming that Amazon is looking
to open physical stores in the
UK, the company has issued a
denial.
Reuters reports:
A spokesman for the group said
it had no plans to open physical
stores after the Sunday Times

Casemod [Retromodo] reported the group was looking to

By Jack Loftus (Gizmodo)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 3:00:00 PM
It's ability to play tunes long
gone, this 1951 Zenith H664
Cobra-matic phonograph was
Shred Like a Geek: Recycled Circuit Board Guitar
cash in on the rising customer
demand for so-called click and
born anew thanks to modder And more lights... collect services, where customers
Alvin "Mach" Barber. And the internals. Inside is a buy goods online and pick them
That's the DVD player, modded Core 2 Quad CPU and a RAM up from a shop.
to look like it's spinning one of cooler to counter overheating. [ And yet…and yet. We can’t
the original LPs. Case Mod Blog via Technabob] help feeling that at the very least,
more lights!
More DVD player, now with a partnership allowing customers
to pick up items from local
outlets would significantly
improve the experience of buying

Picks [Guitar Pics] large items on Amazon.

By Jack Loftus (Gizmodo)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 2:00:00 PM
These recycled circuit board
guitar picks aren't cheap, as far as
picks go, but if you're serious
about your alt-rock IT garage
band's image they may be a
necessity. Just don't go tossing
them willy-nilly to your
In an era of instant gratification,
surely Amazon could compete
Because at $7 to $8 per pick, with retail stores by letting you
that just wouldn't be wise. Unless order that TV online in the
your fan is a family member. morning and pick it up at a
Then you could probably just ask partner store in the afternoon?
screaming fan. for it back. [ Etsy via Technabob]
E-reader Newspaper Tech/ 19

10 iPhone Apps to Help You Survive the Holidays

By Megan Berry (Mashable!) definitely makes it worthwhile gets cooped up in the house for a also shake the phone to get a
Submitted at 12/6/2009 8:08:26 AM
(you can also access the same bit too long. This can lead to random drink selection and take
data on their site for free if you’d stress, fights, and kids throwing the choice out of your hands. As
Megan Berry is an evangelist for prefer). It worked like a charm footballs in the living room. a bonus, there are bartending tips
Mobclix, the industry’s largest for my flights, but obviously Sometimes the best solution is and techniques if you want to
mobile ad exchange, working on results may vary. Now, if only it simply finding an excuse to get impress your friends (or just not
social media and marketing. She could actually prevent delays. out. The Movies app allows you embarrass yourself).
also blogs at The Huffington Post Price: $7.99 2. GasBag to see what movies are currently Price: Free 10. Pandora
and the Mobclix blog. You can For those of you driving instead playing near you, look up The right selection of music
f o l l o w h e r o n T w i t t e r of flying, you’ll love this app. if you find even one great deal reviews, and find theaters and requires a lot of time considering
as@meganberry, or through GasBag helps you find the from this app then it has more show times. your guests, your song selections,
the@Mobclix handle. cheapest gas station in any given than proved its worth. Price: Free 8. Goofy Mad Libs and how each song fits your
Sometimes going home for the area so you can fill up without Price: Free Take Stress Out of The iPhone has a huge selection party’s mood. Or, you could just
holidays can be a case of breaking the bank. Simple and the Holiday Meal 5. GroceryIQ of apps for young kids, however, use the Pandora app instead.
collective insanity. I tend to fly easy to use, although it doesn’t Around the holidays, grocery the one problem those apps don’t Select a song or genre for
on the big travel days when the have data for every location and stores can be as crowded as the solve is the worry associated with Pandora to work from and you’ll
a i r p o r t s e c u r i t y l i n e s a r e station. Another app to check out aiports. That why it’s important actually handing your precious have a whole party’s worth of
ridiculously long, my flight is is GasBuddy($2.99) which serves to know exactly what you need iPhone over to a child. Goofy music with one minute of prep.
more expensive, and my family is a similar purpose. so you don’t have to make more M a d L i b s h a s t h e p e r f e c t Pandora even has Christmas and
more stressed than normal. Price: Free Save Money on Gifts than one trip. With GroceryIQ, solution, where you can ask kids holiday music, so it can truly
This year, I plan to use my 3. ShopSavvy you can create lists of items you for the Mad Libs, read them the accommodate any taste (good or
iPhone as a problem solver for all This great app allows you to need to get and even organize silly story, and never have the bad).
m y h o l i d a y w o e s . F r o m scan the barcode of any item in a your lists by aisle or store so you iPhone leave the comfort of your Cost: Free More iPhone
t r a v e l i n g , t o s h o p p i n g , t o store and see prices online and can shop as efficiently as own hands. This app even has a resources from Mashable:
entertaining the kiddies, these from nearby retailers. With this possible. If only this app could free version called Mad Libs Lite - iPhone TV: Top iPhone Apps
iPhone apps cover everything but app you can ensure you’ll get the buy the groceries for you, then it if you’d like to try it out first. It’s for Live Streaming Television
those family fights (even the best price for every gift, even really would be perfect. also great for car trips. - Top 10 iPhone Apps as Judged
iPhone’s not that miraculous!). when you’re shopping in a hurry. Price: $0.99 6. Epicurious Price: $3.99/Free Throw the by Mashable Readers
Brave the Travel Madness 1. Warning: you may get so caught With 25,000 recipes, this app P e r f e c t H o l i d a y P a r t y 9 . - 7 iPhone Apps That Can Save
Flightcaster up with the coolness of this should have everything you need M i x o l o g y Lives
This app doesn’t just tell you product that you scan way more to make your holiday meals The perfect holiday party - 5 Must-Have iPhone Apps for
your current flight status, it products than necessary. happen. It even has holiday- requires the right drinks, and Wine Lovers
actually predicts the likelihood Price: Free 4. Yowza Mobile specific recipes for Christmas Mixology will help you create - 20 Creative Apps For Your
that your flight will be delayed. It Coupons c o o k i e s , e d i b l e g i f t s , a n d them. Select drinks by category iPhone
takes into account factors such as With Heroes actor Greg C h r i s t m a s a n d H a n u k k a h (including hot drinks which may Image courtesy of iStockphoto,
weather, incoming aircraft, other Grunberg as the co-founder, this dinners. My favorite category is be just right for a holiday-themed monkeybusinessimages
delays, and historical data, and app has made quite a splash. At a the aptly-named “I can barely party), liquor type, or name. You Reviews: Pandora, iStockphoto
then gives you a percent chance time when everyone is looking cook.” You can also email can also use the liquor cabinet Tags: Holidays, iphone, iphone
that your plane will be on time, for ways to save money, this app recipes and use its step-by-step feature to select what you have apps, List, Lists, trending
less than 1 hour delayed, and helps you do just that. mode. on hand and have the app suggest
more than 1 hour delayed. You won’t find a coupon for Price: Free Keep the Kids what drinks you could make.
At $7.99 it’s a bit pricey, but its every store, and not all of them Entertained 7. Movies If almost 8,000 drinks sounds
a b i l i t y t o f o r e c a s t d e l a y s will be useful, but in my opinion, Sometimes on hoildays everyone like too many options, you can
20 Tech/
HOW TO: Choose a Smartphone for Your Small Business
By Adam Ostrow (Mashable!)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 9:05:37 AM
This post originally appeared on
the American Express OPEN
Forum, where Mashable
regularly contributes articles
about leveraging social media
and technology in small business.
Just as the Internet has evolved
over the past decade, cell phones
have become much more than
devices for making and receiving
phone calls. Today, smartphones
can do everything from email, to
sync with our desktops, to turn-
by-turn driving directions.
As the editor of a blog that
covers technology, one of the
questions I’m most often asked
by friends is “what smartphone
should I get?” The answer is
always: it depends. Each
platform has its pros and cons,
and depending on how you want
to work when on the go, one may
prove significantly better than
another. Here’s a look at some of
the things to consider and ask
your wireless retailer about if
you’re looking to get a
smartphone or get your whole
team connected: Operating
System
Just like computers can be either
PC or Mac, smartphones run any
of a half dozen popular operating
systems: iPhone, BlackBerry,
Windows Mobile, Android,
Palm, and Symbian. And just
like your computer, the OS you
choose will be the most
important decision in terms of
determining what your mobile
experience will be like for the
next two or more years (the likely
length of your contract).
Some general characterizations
about each: iPhone has the most
apps and perhaps the most
compelling interface.
BlackBerry is superior for power
email users. Windows Mobile
works the most seamlessly with
Microsoft Office. Palm offers an
intuitive way to use multiple
applications simultaneously.
Android, though relatively new,
may ultimately offer the largest
selection of devices. Symbian is
the most popular internationally.
Carrier
You’ve probably seen
commercials from the likes of
Verizon and AT&T touting their
own coverage, and in some cases,
insulting that of their
competitors. Be aware though,
their coverage maps can be
misleading. If you plan to use a
lot of applications or browse the
Web while on your mobile,
you’ll want to know what type of
3G coverage your carrier
provides in the areas that you’re
likely to spend most of your time.
Applications
“There’s an app for that” might
E-reader Newspaper
Windows Mobile devices come which is superior, but now at
with native support for Microsoft least you know what to ask as
Office – including Outlook – you evaluate the 24×7 mobile
whereas on Google Android lifestyle. Unfortunately, making
devices, like the Motorola Droid, a mistake can be costly – in terms
you’ll need to download and of both frustration and potentially
setup additional applications in early termination fees – so be
order to sync. However, the sure you know exactly what
Droid is optimized for users that you’re getting into before signing
be the most ubiquitous tagline in run Google’s mail and calendar your smartphone contract.
advertising during 2009. That’s apps, among others. If this is a Image courtesy of iStockphoto,
because quite simply, there is a concern, ask your retailer about JerryPDX More small business
m o b i l e a p p f o r j u s t a b o u t how the phones you’re looking at resources from Mashable:
everything – on iPhone. But sync with your desktop or web - Top Mobile Productivity Tools
w h i l e i P h o n e a p p s m a y productivity apps of choice. Total for the Small Business
significantly outnumber those Cost of Ownership - HOW TO: Choose a News
c u r r e n t l y a v a i l a b l e o n One of the most overrated things Reader for Keeping Tabs on
competitors, other platforms people tend to talk about when Your Industry
aren’t slouches either when it evaluating mobile phones – - 5 Advanced Social Media
comes to the applications you’re especially smartphones – is the Marketing Strategies for Small
likely to care about. In terms of upfront cost of the device. The Businesses
social media, Facebook, Twitter, truth of the matter is that most - 4 Ways Social Media is
and YouTube have apps (either smartphones, from BlackBerry to Changing Business
their own or third-party) on P a l m t o i P h o n e , w i l l c o s t - 6 Must-Follow Steps for Selling
virtually every platform, and in between free and $300 when you in Any Economy
terms of productivity, basic activate, but thousands of dollars - 5 Easy Social Media Wins for
office functionality can be had over the length of your wireless Your Small Business
across the board too (with some contract – typically two years. - HOW TO: Use Twitter
c a v e a t s , r e a d o n … ) Thus, it’s far more important to Hashtags for Business Reviews:
Compatibility consider the device itself, the Android, Facebook, Google,
M o s t s m a r t p h o n e s w i l l monthly voice and data charges, Microsoft Outlook, Twitter,
synchronize with your desktop and the other criteria discussed YouTube, iStockphoto
and web applications, whether here. Additionally, if you’re Tags: android, blackberry,
they’re Microsoft Outlook or getting smartphones for multiple iphone, Palm Pre, windows
Google Apps. H o w e v e r , users, be sure to inquire into the mobile
depending on what you use, the plans that the carrier offers for
experience can be smoother on businesses.
one platform versus another. For Volumes could be written on the
e x a m p l e , n o t s u r p r i s i n g l y intricacies of each platform and
E-reader Newspaper Tech/ Politics/ 21
Climate Scientist
Youth using phones to harass and spy on partners (Appropriately) Calls
Raving Denier an A-
(CNET News.com) online password with someone. about kids sharing intimate
Submitted at 12/6/2009 11:00:00 AM
Females (31 percent) are more photos with their partners than he Hole
likely to share passwords than about how some are misusing
(Little Green Footballs)
Cell phones and the Internet are males (22 percent). And though those images. "Take the sex out
great ways for romantic partners there isn't necessarily a causal of sexting and what you have is a Submitted at 12/5/2009 4:28:09 PM

to stay in touch, but based on a relationship, 68 percent of those betrayal of trust," Klein said. The
recent survey of 14- to 24-year- who have shared passwords Over at wingnut site Hot Air,
Internet, he added, "more clearly
they’re cheering and applauding
olds, they're also being used to report having been a target of and sometimes more dramatically
this ridiculous, disgraceful
spy and harass significant others. digital abuse compared with 44 focuses our attention on
performance by climate change
My report on the Associated percent of those who hadn't. problems that people have
denial shill Marc Morano,
Press and MTV study about Not surprisingly, a significant struggled with forever." In other
youth digital abuse focused m i n o r i t y o f t h e y o u t h ( 1 2 appearing on the BBC with
words, the Internet and mobile
climate scientist Prof. Andrew
mostly on sexting and how youth percent) said that a boyfriend or technology don't cause these
America's teens "say that they Watson. Morano is such a
respond to cyberbullying. But girlfriend call them names, put problems (that exist in offline
were emotionally, sexually or gigantic flaming arsehole in this
there was also some interesting them down, or say really mean relationships) but they can
physical abused by their clip (laughing, yelling, and
data on how technology is being things to them on the Internet or amplify them.
boyfriends and sometimes even spouting over-the-top
used for "dating abuse." cell phone. Couric also reported that calls
girlfriends last year." Though “Climategate” talking points like
One of the findings of an And about 1 in 10 said that a and online chat to the National
technology doesn't cause nor a parrot on crack) that at the end
MTV/AP youth survey(Credit: significant other demanded that Teen Dating Abuse Helpline
necessarily play a role in teen of the segment Prof. Watson
AThinLine.org) they unfriend a former boyfriend went up nearly 600 percent from
dating violence, it clearly can says, “What an arsehole.”
The study(PDF) found that 22 or girlfriend on social networks. March 2007 to March 2009. The
amplify the problem, especially if I could not possibly agree
percent of youth involved in a The survey, conducted for The Helpline's Web site has advice
a partner in the relationship is more.[Video]
romantic relationship say they Associated Press and MTV by for teens including a section on
using a cell phone or computer to Marc Morano has been one of
feel like their significant other K n o w l e d g e N e t w o r k s helping to determine if you're
harass, stalk or spy on their the main promoters of right wing
uses a cell phone or goes online i n t e r v i e w e d 1 , 2 4 7 p e o p l e being abused.
partner as the AP/MTV survey anti-science lunacy in recent
to check up on them too often. between the ages 14 and 24 in In conjunction with the release
has shown. Technology can also years, dumping enormous
The study also found that "more w h a t w a s d e s c r i b e d a s a of the digital abuse survey, MTV
be used by partners to embarrass amounts of deception and
than 1 in 4 say their boyfriend or nationally representative survey. launched A Thin Line, a Web site
their significant others by making confusion into the public debate
girlfriend has checked the text Teen dating violence subject of that provides resources to help
it possible for partner to details or as Director of Communications
messages on their phone without C B S E v e n i n g N e w s youth deal with sexting, constant
their relationship online. One of for the biggest anti-science
permission," and more than 10 report(Credit: CBS Evening messaging, spying, digital
the biggest downsides to embarrassment in the US Senate,
percent of the young people said News (via CBSNews.com)) disrespect, and cruelty.
"sexting" is the possibility of a religious fanatic James Inhofe.
that a boyfriend or girlfriend has This data comes just as there is This content has passed through
partner sharing those images with UPDATE at 12/5/09 4:53:30
demanded that they give them increased attention on teen dating fivefilters.org.
others. pm:
their password. abuse. CBS Evening News
Marriage and family therapist From earlier this year, here’s
Whether by coercion or not, 26 anchor Katie Couric reported last
Marty Klein is less concerned Marc Morano appearing on the
percent said they had shared an w e e k t h a t 2 9 p e r c e n t o f
show of raving conspiracy nutjob
Alex Jones, a perfect venue for
him: Marc Morano on Alex Jones
Tv (Global Warming Fraud).
(Hat tip: Gus 802.)
22 Tech/ Sports/ Entertainment/ E-reader Newspaper

Brazil looks to ban video games while U.S. makes

ratings work
(CNET News.com)
Submitted at 12/5/2009 8:44:00 PM
Late last week it was reported
that following Venezuela's lead
in attempting to reduce "violent
tendencies" in South American
children, Brazilian Sen. Valdir
Raupp has authored a bill that
would make it a crime to make,
import, or distribute "offensive"
video games.
The goal of the bill is to "curb
the manufacture, distribution,
importation, distribution, trading,
and custody, [and] storage of, the
video games that affect the
customs, traditions of the people,
their worship, creeds, religions
and symbols."
Where this ban, like many
others, falls short is in assigning
blame for societal ills to video
games instead of dealing with
larger social issues, including a
lack of parental oversight. There
are, no doubt, influences in
Brazil that are different from the
U.S., but video game ratings
have proven to be an excellent
example of an industry-wide
standard that could easily be
adopted internationally.
In a recent report, the Federal
Trade Commission (FTC) praised
the video game industry for
continuing "to have the strongest
self-regulatory code" of all the
entertainment sectors.
And while there is evidence to
support both sides of the
argument--that video games do
and do not incite negative
behavior in children--the ESRB
recently released a statement
(PDF) providing evidence that
the ratings program is a success
in the eyes of the FTC.
ESRB ratings(Credit: ESRB)
The FTC said the U.S. video
game industry "outpaces" other
entertainment sectors in
restricting target-marketing of
mature-rated products to
children, clearly and prominently
displaying rating information and
restricting children's access to
mature-rated products at retail.
The report further states that
these measures helped to stop 80
percent of mature-rated game
sales to minors. In contrast, the
report showed that more than 50
percent of teen shoppers were Because There Won't
able to purchase R-rated and
unrated DVDs.
Always be a "Subway
It's not every day that there are Hero" Ready for their
statistically relevant proof points Big Moment. [Not
to share about entertainment and
games and it would make a lot of
Afraid To Be Servicey]
sense other countries from the By Foster Kamer (Gawker)
successes of the ESRB program Submitted at 12/6/2009 9:30:00 AM
and use it as a model with a
certain level of comfort. Yesterday, 1:15PM, Union
Without suggesting that any one Square Uptown 4/5/6: Guy slips
system for dealing with these into the gap. "He suffered head,
issues is better than the others, neck, shoulder and chest injuries
game ratings are effectively after getting himself wedged
standards as we see with many between the train and the
other types of software. The more platform." Be careful out there,
organizations that take advantage kids! Your mothers/bloggers are
of them, the more efficient the worried. [ NY Post]
whole system becomes.
This content has passed through
fivefilters.org.

Saints remain unblemished on Hartley's OT FG

By Associated Press tied a single-season franchise kicked for the Saints this season, • Robert Meachem set career -- ESPN Stats & Information
(ESPN.com) record for wins and clinched the hit four FGs including the game- highs in receptions (8) and This content has passed through
Submitted at 12/6/2009 3:50:26 PM
NFC South by erasing a 10-point winner in OT. receiving yards (142) and had fivefilters.org.
fourth-quarter deficit and • The teams combined for 918 two TDs, extending his streak to
Fast Facts winning in overtime. total yards, including 775 passing five games with a score.
• The Saints improved to 12-0, • Garrett Hartley, who hadn't yards, and 53 first downs. • Rapid Reaction
E-reader Newspaper Tech/ Economy/ 23

Apple getting sued again by patent Tarantino's cheerily

profiteers crazy Japanese cell
By Steven Sande (The
Unofficial Apple Weblog
(TUAW))
SCIPC raked in over US$179
million from various other
consumer electronics firms (Sony
phone ad
and Canon, to name just two), (CNET News.com) own version of what is going on
Submitted at 12/5/2009 6:00:00 PM
and now its leveled the sights at Submitted at 12/6/2009 9:24:03 AM
here. Though, to my untrained,
Filed under: Apple It must be Apple. pained eyes, the story seems to
hard to be as popular as Apple. SCIPC filed its lawsuit October You may need a little Xanax concern Tarantino, whose
You're always fighting the 26th in Delaware, suing Apple after observing this. Equally, you character is Uncle Tara-chan, and
competition, who sometimes for violating Patent 5,138,459, may never want to take any drugs his parading a live dog as some
come late to the dance with a entitled "Electronic Still Video ever again. kind of competition to Otousan,
wannabee product, then deliver Camera with Direct Personal For Quentin Tarantino, he who the plastic pooch who is, in fact,
snarky punches into the kidneys Computer (PC) Compatible makes movies that contain blood, Dad.
with their TV ads. Even worse Digital Formal Output." The suit gore, and many homages to Asia, The blond lady near the end of
are the lawyers, who circle the is specifically targeting the recently shot a TV spot for the the spot appears to be playing
company like a flock of vultures, iPhone and other devices made Japanese cell phone company Tara-chan's wife and, as so many
picking away at whatever juicy by Apple that include digital Softbank. wives of famous Americans these
bits of meat they can get. Bockius LLP details the strategy cameras in them. Judging from As well as an astute grasp of days, she doesn't appear happy
But the true bottom feeders are used by patent trolls and how the legal precedent that has been Japanese, you need to have a with her husband. Though she is
the "patent trolls," a specific targets can fight back. set by previous SCIPC suits, very firm grasp of existential screaming down the phone rather
species of law firm that has Apple's latest attack, as reported Apple could easily be about to philosophy to fully appreciate than wielding a three-iron.
p i c k e d u p p a t e n t s f r o m in Macworld, is coming from St. shell out some big bucks to a this spot. Without an astute grasp I have embedded the short and
companies that usually never C l a i r I n t e l l e c t u a l P r o p e r t y happy troll. of Japanese, I can tell you that long versions of the ad, just
brought a product to market. Consultants Inc. (SCIPC), a firm TUAW Apple getting sued again this is the latest in a series of because the long version doesn't
They watch for other companies made up of two lawyers who by patent profiteers originally spots that features the White seem to make the short version
to come out with products that p u r c h a s e d p a t e n t s f o r appeared on The Unofficial family. any more understandable. Several
use a piece of technology that US$100,000 from a group of Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, Just to give you a sense of how people made similar comments
may or may not be covered under investors who failed to start up a 05 Dec 2009 18:00:00 EST. this ad follows in the about Tarantino's "Kill Bill"
the patents they hold, and then digital camera company. The Please see our terms for use of rumbunctiously absurd tradition series.
either sue the company for patent company says that its patents feeds. of much Japanese advertising, the However, Brad Pitt has already
infringement or force them to pay cover technology that allows Read| Permalink| Email this| regular members of the White appeared in Softbank spots, so
license fees. This document from digital cameras to save pictures Comments Family are Me, a Softbank one must suppose that the most
legal firm Morgan, Lewis & in multiple formats. So far, saleswoman, Older Brother, understandable part of
played by American actor Dante Tarantino's performance is the
Bloomberg eyes more acquisitions Carter, Mom, and Otousan, the
talking dog who is, in fact, Dad.
fee.
This content has passed through
(Financial Times - US as the financial data group seeks completing the purchase of (Yes, I am entirely sober.) fivefilters.org.
homepage) to broaden its reach to become Business Week, one of the first I will leave you to create your
Submitted at 12/6/2009 1:34:36 PM
the world’s “most influential deals in the 28-year-old
source of news”. company’s history.
Bloomberg is planning a further “The game is ours to lose,” Peter This content has passed through
year of aggressive investment Grauer, its chairman, told the fivefilters.org.
and may make more acquisitions Financial Times days after
24 Tech/
2222 short stories in your pocket
with the Colossal Short Story
Collection
By David Winograd (The
Unofficial Apple Weblog
(TUAW))
Submitted at 12/6/2009 2:15:00 PM
Filed under: iPhone, iPod touch,
App Review I've done quite a bit
of testing of eBooks, and quite
honestly I've had a problem with
the concept of reading a whole
book on an iPod touch or iPhone.
At a normal font size, an eBook
can display about 75 words on a
single screen. This requires even
a rather short book to be
hundreds and hundreds of
screenfuls. My well worn copy of
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
comes in at 218 pages which in
the app Classics2Go [ iTunes
Link] translates to 813 screens of
iPhone/iPod touch text. I know
that this isn't a problem for a
great number of people, but I
haven't finished a book yet.
There is too much flipping, and
no matter how pretty the
presentation, it just doesn't feel
right to me. Your personal
preferences may vary, of course.
The Colossal Short Story
Collection app, currently under
can be referred to as casual
gaming, this would be an app for
casual reading.
I found that reading short stories
on an iPhone/iPod touch is very
enjoyable and not once did I get
frustrated by the page size and
number of pages/screens.
Nothing got in the way of the
story. Reading short stories
seems like the perfect use of an
eBook. Everything is in byte-
sized pieces and I never had to
make the considerable
commitment that comes with
starting an 800 page novel.
Continue reading 2222 short
Apple review, solved my stories in your pocket with the
p r o b l e m a l m o s t e n t i r e l y . Colossal Short Story Collection
Contained in the app are over TUAW 2222 short stories in
2222 short stories, all in the your pocket with the Colossal
public domain, that can be read Short Story Collection originally
in 15-20 minutes each. The appeared on The Unofficial
vastness of the collection assures Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun,
that you'll always find something 06 Dec 2009 14:15:00 EST.
that you want to read by authors Please see our terms for use of
ranging from Hans Christian feeds.
Anderson to W.B. Yeats. An Read| Permalink| Email this|
average story is around 30 Comments
screens. If light
entertaining/distracting games
Relax Japanese-style
with Yoritsuki
By Dave Caolo (The Unofficial
Apple Weblog (TUAW))
Submitted at 12/6/2009 4:30:00 PM
Filed under: Software, iPhone,
App Store, iPod touch Here's an
app I picked up early last week
that's earned a permanent home
on my iPhone. Yoritsuki* by
HYBRIDWORKS places you in
a (virtual) Japanese inn complete
with a beautiful view.
More of a toy than a game,
Yoritsuki lets you customize the
scene's appearance and behavior.
The main screen depicts the
perspective of someone sitting on
tatami mats and gazing upon a
wooded pond through shoji
(sliding doors). The doors are
customizable: Choose from 15
designs, slide them open and
closed or eliminate them entirely.
The time of day depicted
depends on your iPod/iPhone's
clock, and the season is
determined by the date. Of
course, you can opt to show
winter, spring, summer or fall at
any time. Birds fly by and chip,
leaves fall in autumn and snow in
the winter while the sound of
rushing water is ever present. At
night, fireflies (or "lightning
E-reader Newspaper
bugs" as we called them in
Scranton) fly past.
OK, Yoritsuki isn't all form;
there's some function, too. With a
tap, the mats and doors
disappeaer leaving you with the
nature scene and a 24-hour clock.
Once you've come to appreciate
the app as I have, pick up the
additional goodies, like gorgeous
Mac desktop icons and wallpaper
for your Mac and iPhone/iPod
touch.
Yoritsuki costs US$1.99 and is
available now [ iTunes link].
*Note: "Yoritsuki" is the name of
a fictional inn.
TUAW Relax Japanese-style
with Yoritsuki originally
appeared on The Unofficial
Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun,
06 Dec 2009 16:30:00 EST.
Please see our terms for use of
feeds.
Read| Permalink| Email this|
Comments
E-reader Newspaper Tech/ Sports/ 25

MIT Team Wins DARPA Balloon Found Footage: Here,

Challenge File File! lets you access
By Christina Warren
(Mashable!)
sign up to join the team from the
group’s website and then invite
friends using their own
your Mac's files
Submitted at 12/6/2009 3:08:02 PM
identifiable link. The tracking By Aron Trimble (The you can get a good idea of how it
Unofficial Apple Weblog will work in the video above. In
On December 5, 1969, the entire link makes it easy for the team to (TUAW))
4-node network for ARPANET distribute the winning funds to the video you can see how HFF
was completed, building on the not just the people that identified
Submitted at 12/5/2009 4:00:00 PM will allow you to view all of your
first host-to-host connection from a balloon, but the person who folders and connected volumes,
some months earlier. The Filed under: Developer, Found as well as the files within them.
invited them to join the team in
technical core for what would q u e s t i o n , b u t h o w . M o r e the first place. Footage, iPhone When using This even includes the ability to
become the Internet was born. specifically, “the roles the The site also had a form where your iPhone to access your files, s t r e a m m o v i e s a n d m u s i c .
Forty years later, the Defense Internet and social networking team members could enter in you really have two options. Furthermore, you can attach a file
Advanced Research Projects p l a y i n t h e t i m e l y b a l l o o n l o c a t i o n s o r e v e n First, some apps let you copy to an email and send it to
Agency (DARPA) kicked off a communication, wide-area team- DARPA coordinates. MIT also files to your phone for later someone else, or for particularly
contest asking teams to locate the building, and urgent mobilization encouraged team members to viewing. In the second option, a large files you can send a unique,
longitudes and latitudes of 10 red required to solve broad-scope, post their personalized invitation service such as Dropbox or randomly-generated download
weather balloons positioned in time-critical problems.” MobileMe allow you to access a link via email.
links to sites like Facebook and
stationary locations across the Now that MIT has won, DARPA Twitter. subset of your files. However, According to the developers of
c o n t i n e n t a l U n i t e d S t a t e s . plans to meet with teams to It will be interesting to get an none of these options cure I- Here, File File!, the app will be
A l t h o u g h t h e c o n t e s t w a s review various approaches and actual break-down of how many completely-forgot-to-grab-the- available in January for your
officially open for 7 days, it only strategies used to build networks people were involved in directly sales-presentation-before-leaving downloading pleasure. Until then
took nine hours for the team from and collect information. -itis.
or indirectly identifying all 10 you can peep the video or sign up
MIT to locate all 10 balloons, In the MIT team’s case, it looks balloons. Reviews: Facebook, Here, File File! wants to make it to be notified when HFF is
winning the competition and like they had a pretty solid Twitter incredibly easy for you to access released.
$40,000 in prize money. information infrastructure set-up Tags: DARPA, internet, mit, any file from anywhere. By using TUAW Found Footage: Here,
The goal of the project wasn’t to prior to the contest even starting. Network Challenge, research a small application running on File File! lets you access your
see who could answer the Potential team members could contest your Mac, HFF is able to do just Mac's files originally appeared
that. The app provides user on The Unofficial Apple Weblog
Vick's 2 TDs in Atlanta return cap Eagles' a u t h e n t i c a t i o n a n d S S L (TUAW) on Sat, 05 Dec 2009
encryption, as well as content-on- 16:00:00 EST. Please see our
romp d e m a n d t o p r e v e n t a n y terms for use of feeds.
eavesdropping on your file- Read| Permalink| Email this|
By Associated Press • The Eagles just missed posting • The Falcons have lost five of access activities. Comments
(ESPN.com) their first shutout since 1996 after seven following their 4-1 start. While the app isn't available yet,
Submitted at 12/6/2009 2:59:54 PM
the Falcons scored on the last • Rapid Reaction
play of the game. -- ESPN Stats & Information
Fast Facts • Vick's rushing TD was his first This content has passed through
• Sunday was the 11th time in his since Oct. 15, 2006 and his first fivefilters.org.
career that Michael Vick ran and pass TD since Dec. 31 of that
threw for a TD in the same game. season.
26 Tech/ E-reader Newspaper

Apple MacBook vs. HP Envy (part Amazon Plans to Open

2) Brick and Mortar Stores
(CNET News.com)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 12:05:00 PM in the UK
The trend-setting MacBook Pro By Pete Cashmore
(Mashable!)
and Air both now face tough
competition from Hewlett- Submitted at 12/6/2009 11:13:01 AM

Packard, which has the resources

to match, and in some cases Update: Amazon has declared secret search for bricks-and-
exceed, Apple laptop designs. the Sunday Times article false in mortar stores to support its
HP Envy 13(Credit: Hewlett- a statement. Read our latest rapidly growing website. It is
Packard) coverage here. understood to be scouring the
I will expand very briefly on a Amazon is on the hunt for store country for high-profile sites just
previous post where I compared, locations in the UK as it looks to as the Borders book chain is
on technological merits, the 13- take its business into the physical shutting up shop.
inch Apple MacBook Pro and Air realm – it’s an intriguing move Amazon wants to cash in on
laptops with an HP Envy 13 in for a company that’s leapfrogged rising customer demand for click
response to some of the physical bookstores thanks to the and collect services where
comments attached to the post. efficiencies of the web. shoppers buy online and then
I had stated, as an opinion, that According to a report in today’s pick up their goods from a
inexpensive (typically retail also making a play to, at the very Sunday Times, the aim is to nearby store. Consumers who are
the aluminum-clad HP Envy 13
consumer models) and more least, achieve parity with Apple's replicate the model of Argos, fed up with waiting at home for
had eclipsed Apple MacBooks
expensive (often business MacBook line. which has seen success with deliveries are increasingly
technologically in some crucial
models). Some models are of Again, this is an opinion, not a online orders and in-store choosing to buy online and
areas. Namely, processors
decidedly lower quality than be-all, end-all verdict on the fate collection. In short: you’d order collecting goods at a time that
offered, screen resolution,
Apple--as many comments of Apple. And not a review per your goods online but pick them suits them.
graphics, and battery life.
quickly point out--but some are se that gets into benchmarks. I'm up at a physical store: this has If the plans proceed, would you
The assertion that the HP Envy
equal to or better than a roughly just looking at the raw become increasingly appealing as consider picking up Amazon
13 has surpassed, in some
equivalent Apple laptop both in technology. Amazon expands beyond small orders in-store? Or is this a
important respects, the MacBook
quality and technology. Opinion pieces invariably elicit items like books, CDs and backwards move given the
Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro in
The Envy 13--which is HP's strong counter arguments--not to DVDs. The Sunday Times efficiencies of the web? Let us
technology shouldn't be that
entry into the luxury laptop mention strong opinions (or writes: know in the comments.
surprising considering the
category--falls into the better- invective). Especially when Property landlords said that the Tags: amazon
financial and technological
than-Apple-laptop-technology Apple is involved. American company, which has a
resources that HP has.
category, in my opinion. The This content has passed through market value of $59.1 billion
Companies like HP and Dell
luxury Adamo line from Dell is fivefilters.org. (£35.6 billion), had launched a
bifurcate their lineups into
E-reader Newspaper Tech/ Economy/ 27

Amazon to open bricks-and-mortar stores? Citigroup in race

(CNET News.com)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 12:23:57 PM
There's a wonderful Borders
bookstore in the middle of
London's Oxford Street. Or at
least there was. I went there in
September and suddenly it was
no more. Indeed, the U.K. arm of
Borders recently reached for a
form of bankruptcy protection.
So how interesting that one of
the greatest successes in online
book retail, Amazon, is rumored
to be troubling real estate agents
in its search for retail premises in
the U.K. According to London's
impeccable Times, Amazon is
looking for very fine locations in
order to, well, fulfill orders.
Amazon's arrows always aim to
satisfy.(Credit: Cc Akira
Ohgaki/Flickr)
Perhaps some might find it a
touch amusing that such a dot-
com icon has decided to trouble
the physical world. However, it
appears that the British are
suffering from frightful attacks of
impatience while waiting for
their erudite tomes, wickedly
catchy tunes and other more
substantial purchases to arrive by
ponies that may be less than
Amazon's customer service has
become so progressive that its
presence in American, as well as
British, malls might serve as
something of an inspiration to the
more complacent establishments.
And now that Amazon seems to
be able to sell you everything
from woodworking equipment to
vacuum cleaners, it surely puts
extra pressure on postal services
and that nice man in brown who
comes to my house and always
looks tired.
What a revolutionary concept it
would be to go to a store and
express. know that the thing you want is
The Times says that Argos, a actually there. It just might catch
U.K. catalog retailer of, oh, on.
useful and useless stuff, has 18 This content has passed through
percent of its online orders fivefilters.org.
picked up in store. Indeed, the
company believes that 50 percent
of its holiday television sales will
be transacted in this manner.
to repay bail-out
funds
(Financial Times - US
homepage)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 2:33:27 PM
Citigroup is racing against the
clock to convince US authorities
that it be allowed to repay $20bn
of bail-out funds, with insiders
and regulators arguing that unless
the bank acts in the next 10 days
it will have to wait for more than
a month.
The short window for a decision
on the repayment of funds from
the troubled asset relief
programme raises the stakes for
Citi in its quest to free itself from
the shackles of the government,
which also owns a 34 per cent
stake in the lender.
This content has passed through
fivefilters.org.

Appvent Calendar: Free iPhone Game Every Day Till

Christmas
By Christina Warren Every day leading up to promotion. With all of the absolutely one of the most
(Mashable!) Christmas, the Appvent Calendar competition in the App Store, it’s addictive iPhone games out there
Submitted at 12/6/2009 2:08:33 PM
will feature one free iPhone nice to see developers working and is just tons and tons of fun.
game. The game will only be free together to get the word out Get it free while you can!
Last week, we wrote about the day that it debuts on the about their games, while also Have you found any other
24ways, an advent calendar for calendar, so don’t wait too long giving users a nice holiday treat. advent calendars or free iPhone
web geeks. Today we’ve found to download. Some of the games If your appetite for free iPhone game promotions? Let us know!
another cool advent calendar, this that have been released thus far games hasn’t been sated, we Reviews: App Store, iPhone
time aimed at iPhone app fans. include Samauri: Way of the absolutely must recommend Tags: advent calendar, app store,
iPhone developer Blacksmith Warriors and Smackbots. access to some free games (and another iPhone game that is free appvent, iphone
Games is presenting the Appvent This is a pretty cute promotion. hey, free is free, right?), but for a limited time — Ramp
Calendar! Not only do iPhone users get smaller app developers get some Champ(iTunes link). This is
28 Tech/ E-reader Newspaper

Count The Beats: Interview with a mixing engineer

By Matt Tinsley (The out as a small bedroom demo talented musician, producer, and Mac OS X. engineer
Unofficial Apple Weblog soon escalated into something up and coming mixing engineer. Read on for some wise words on TUAW Count The Beats:
(TUAW)) much more than that (I'm sure To my delight, I discovered that mixing, but be forewarned Interview with a mixing engineer
Submitted at 12/6/2009 12:30:00 PM you know what I mean). It soon not only is he a pretty nice guy, though, as is becoming originally appeared on The
became apparent that I was going he is also darn good at mixing, customary in the Count The Unofficial Apple Weblog
Filed under: Audio, Interviews, to need someone with a bit more and he's a fan boy of all things Beats series, there is some pretty (TUAW) on Sun, 06 Dec 2009
Music In the last year I've spent a experience and 'know how' when Apple too! heavy tech talk ahead. However, 12:30:00 EST. Please see our
fair amount of time doing some it came to post production, and in Amongst all our post production it does make for some juicy terms for use of feeds.
recordings. In particular, I've particular, mixing. endeavors, Steve and I managed reading. Don't forget, if you don't Permalink| Email this|
been working on some of my After calling in some "favours," to sit down with a cup of tea and understand, just nod your head Comments
own materia l. Having invested a and reaching as far as I could into some rich tea biscuits to talk and pretend you do like the rest
large amount of time and money the "industry," as such, I was Macs, set-up , plug-ins, outboard of us! Enjoy.
into pre production and the actual introduced to Mr. Stephen gear and the art of approaching a Continue reading Count The
recording sessions, what started H a r d i n g . A n e x c e p t i o n a l l y mix backed by the stability of Beats: Interview with a mixing
E-reader Newspaper
NY Times Business section features Apple kicks butt, takes
the App Store names in October desktop
By Michael Rose (The
Unofficial Apple Weblog
(TUAW))
Submitted at 12/6/2009 7:00:00 PM
Filed under: App Store It's
always an interesting Sunday
when the front page of the New
York Times business section
features a mostly-glowing piece
on the dynamics of the App
Store, leading off with some facts
and figures from Freeverse's Ian
Lynch Smith (who also appeared
in our own video visit to
Freeverse last month). Smith let
the Times know that one month
of sales for chart-topper Skee-
Ball, an app that took two months
to develop, came to $181,000.
Not bad at all.
The entire article is worth a read,
and it at least gives a brief nod to
the ongoing struggles between
independent developers and
Apple's review process than
we're used to hearing about
(including a mention of one
unlucky VoIP shop with an 'in
review' time measured by the
year). The anecdotal evidence is
starting to mount that Apple is
thinking seriously about how the
App Store's failings are effecting
the ecosystem and driving quality
developers from the platform:
direct executive intervention to
approve apps, responding to
allegations of review fixing, and
quick turnarounds on low-logic
rejections all help matters.
What would help more than
those examples of good
exception handling? More clarity,
more transparency, and more
equity -- assuming you're not in
favor of my modest proposal to
subvert app review entirely.
Since there are now suggestions
that even non-jailbroken phones
might be vulnerable to data theft
from malicious apps, it seems
unlikely that Apple will let
unreviewed apps through
anytime soon.
TUAW NY Times Business
section features the App Store
originally appeared on The
Unofficial Apple Weblog
(TUAW) on Sun, 06 Dec 2009
19:00:00 EST. Please see our
terms for use of feeds.
Read| Permalink| Email this|
Comments
Tech/ 29
and laptop retail sales
By Steven Sande (The
Unofficial Apple Weblog
(TUAW))
Submitted at 12/5/2009 5:00:00 PM
Filed under: Retail, iMac, Apple,
Macbook Pro Boo-ya! Apple
took the top honors in terms of
desktop and laptop retail sales in
the U.S. in October, according to
market research firm NPD
number one seller, with three
Group. As reported on CNET, other MacBooks filling the
the iMac line (refreshed in number 8, 9, and 10 spots for
October) and laptops occupied October laptop sales.
some of the top slots in the list. NPD's numbers are pulled from
During the month of October,
online and retail store sales
the new 21.5-inch iMac was the figures, but don't account for
best-selling desktop computer, direct sales from the
with the awe-inspiring 27-inch manufacturer to consumers.
model in third place. Stephen TUAW Apple kicks butt, takes
Baker, who is NPD's vice
names in October desktop and
president of industry analysys, laptop retail sales originally
told CNET that Apple was appeared on The Unofficial
helped by a rather dismal month Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat,
for Windows desktops, since 05 Dec 2009 17:00:00 EST.
retailers were pushing existing
Please see our terms for use of
inventory prior to the launch of feeds.
Microsoft's Windows 7. Read| Permalink| Email this|
In the laptop list, the 13-inch Comments
MacBook Pro model was the
30 Politics/ Tech Tips/ E-reader Newspaper

IPCC Statement on Stolen Emails

(Little Green Footballs) and the integrity of its authors. email exchanges, many of whom Every layer in the process
Submitted at 12/6/2009 2:30:54 PM
IPCC WGI condemns the illegal have dedicated their time and (including large author teams,
act which led to private emails effort to develop these findings in extensive and multi-step reviews,
The 2007 Intergovernmental being posted on the Internet and teams of Lead Authors within the independent monitoring of
Panel on Climate Change has firmly stands by the findings of production of the series of IPCC review compliance, and plenary
issued a statement about the the AR4 and by the community Assessment Reports during the approval by governments) plays
stolen CRU data, defending the of researchers worldwide whose past 20 years. a major role in keeping IPCC Make Your Holiday
scientists and their work, and professional standards and The IPCC assessment process is assessments comprehensive,
condemning the criminal(s) who careful scientific work over many designed to ensure consideration unbiased, open to the Lights Dance to Your
stole and cherry-picked the data: years have provided the basis for of all relevant scientific identification of new relevant Party Music [DIY]
Working Group I Statement on these conclusions. information from established literature, and policy relevant but
Stolen Emails. The key finding of IPCC AR4, journals with robust peer review not policy prescriptive. By Jason Fitzpatrick
Statement by Working Group I “The warming in the climate processes, or from other sources Therefore, no individual scientist (Lifehacker)
of the Intergovernmental Panel system is unequivocal […] “, is which have undergone robust and in the IPCC assessment process Submitted at 12/6/2009 1:00:00 PM
on Climate Change on stolen based on measurements made by independent peer review. The is in a position to change the
e m a i l s f r o m t h e C l i m a t i c many independent institutions entire report writing process of conclusions, or to exclude Looking for a novel way to add
Research Unit at the University worldwide that demonstrate the IPCC is subjected to relevant peer-reviewed papers some color to your holiday party?
of East Anglia, United Kingdom significant changes on land, in extensive and repeated review by and scientific work from an IPCC This simple hack lets you set a
Bern, 4. December 2009 the atmosphere, the ocean and in experts as well as by Assessment Report. string of Christmas lights to
W o r k i n g G r o u p I o f t h e the ice-covered areas of the governments. Consequently, In conclusion, IPCC WGI firmly dance to the beat of your tunes.
Intergovernmental Panel on E a r t h . T h r o u g h f u r t h e r , there is full opportunity for stands behind its unique Photo by Someone Somewheres
Climate Change (IPCC) firmly independent scientific work experts in the field to draw procedures and behind the Life.
stands behind the conclusions of involving statistical methods and attention to any piece of scientific community and their For this trick you'll need a strand
the IPCC Fourth Assessment a range of different climate published literature and its basic collective work which has been, of Christmas lights, some wire
R e p o r t , t h e c o m m u n i t y o f models, these changes have been findings that would ensure and continues to be, the basis of cutters, electrical tape, and a
researchers and its individuals detected as significant deviations inclusion of a wide range of unbiased, open and transparent stereo amplifier with additional
providing the scientific basis, and from natural climate variability views. assessments of the current channels that you aren't using for
t h e p r o c e d u r e s o f I P C C and have been attributed to the In compliance with the knowledge on the climate system your main speakers. Check out
Assessments. increase of greenhouse gases. procedures of IPCC, the and its changes. the video below to see the hack
Comments on blogs and in the The body of evidence is the conclusions of AR4 have Of course, that’s what you’d in action:
media about the contents of a r e s u l t o f t h e c a r e f u l a n d undergone scrutiny in the form of expect from these evil tricksy While we don't keep an
large number of private emails painstaking work of hundreds of several stages of reviews by scientists, isn’t it? electrical engineer on staff, we'd
s t o l e n f r o m t h e C l i m a t i c scientists worldwide. The internal peers and governments, have Yes, that’s sarcasm, in case you have to assume that if you used
Research Unit at the University consistency from multiple lines been revised and refined to take were wondering. LED lights instead of
of East Anglia, United Kingdom, of evidence strongly supports the into account these review conventional incandescent lights,
have questioned both the validity w o r k o f t h e s c i e n t i f i c comments, and have finally been you'd be able to use a longer
of the key findings of the IPCC’s community, including those approved word by word by the strand, thanks to the lower power
Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) individuals singled out in these governments of the world. consumption of the LED lights.
If you've dabbled in some
Christmas light hacking of any
kind, let's hear about it in the
comments. Christmas Light
Hack![via Unpluggd]
E-reader Newspaper
Majority of Americans Believe
Knowledge of American Revolution is Politics and the Power
Important - But Fail Test for Knowledge of Sarah Palin
(Little Green Footballs)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 3:43:55 PM
A new survey commissioned by
the American Revolution Center
has found that an overwhelming
majority of Americans (90%)
believe that knowledge of the
American Revolution and its
principles is very important.
The survey also found that
nearly the same number of
people (89%) believed that they
could pass a test on their basic
knowledge of the Revolution.
But when they were given that
test, only 17% of them passed.
Oops.
The American Revolution
Center commissioned the first
national survey to assess adult
knowledge of the American
Revolution. The results show that
an alarming 83 percent of
Americans failed a basic test on
Turn an Old Dresser into a Home Bar [DIY]
By Jason Fitzpatrick
(Lifehacker)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 3:00:00 PM
Help an old dresser take a walk
on the wild side. Free that
furniture from a life of simply
holding folded cardigans and T-
Tanenhaus: Populism,
knowledge of the American
Revolution and the principles that
have united all Americans.
Results also revealed that 90
percent of Americans think that
knowledge of the American
Revolution and its principles is
very important, and that 89
percent of Americans expected to
pass a test on basic knowledge of
the American Revolution, but
scored an average of 44 percent.
The survey questions addressed
issues related to the
Revolutionary documents,
people, and events, and also
asked attitudinal questions about
the respondents’ perception of
the importance of understanding
the Revolutionary history and the
institutions that were established
to preserve our freedoms and
liberties. The survey results
highlight the importance of,
interest in, and lack of
shirts. Turn it into a homemade
bar with this customizable
tutorial.
Ubernerkle and his wife were
having friends over for
Thanksgiving. To facilitate and
be frugal, they turned a closet
into a dry bar with the addition of
understanding of our Founding.
For a printable PDF copy of the
survey, click here.
Among other interesting
findings, more than 50 percent of
Americans wrongly attributed the
quote, &##x201C;From each
according to his ability, to each
according to his
needs&##x201D; to George
Washington, Thomas Paine, or
President Barack Obama, when it
is in fact a quote from Karl Marx,
author of &##x201C;The
C o m m u n i s t
Manifesto.&##x201D;
How many of these people who
put such value on knowing their
history (yet actually know very
little history) show up at tea party
demonstrations dressed in 18th
century clothing?
Here’s the quiz— see how you
do.
some shelving units. Inspired by
the simple dry bar, they followed
Politics/ Tech Tips/ 31
(Little Green Footballs) academics for eighteen-year-old
Submitted at 12/6/2009 11:32:09 AM
Alaska girls.” Perhaps not. But
Palin’s father, Chuck Heath, gave
I n t h e N e w Y o r k e r , S a m a different account to Conroy and
Tanenhaus has a very interesting Walshe. According to him, the
review of Sarah Palin’s book, presence of so many Asians and
with a revealing quote from Pacific Islanders made her
Palin’s father about her reason uncomfortable: “ They were a
for leaving Hawaii (where she minority type thing and it wasn’t
was attending UH): glamorous, so she came home.”
She is equally circumspect on In any case, Palin reports that she
the issue of ethnicity, pointing much preferred her last stop, the
out that Todd, whom she met in University of Idaho, “because it
high school, is “part Yupik was much like Alaska yet still
Eskimo” and opened her to the ‘Outside.’ ”
“social diversity” of Alaska. Palin’s discomfort is easy to
(Wasilla is more than eighty per understand. Race is often the
c e n t w h i t e . ) P a l i n , t h o u g h subtext of populist campaigns;
notoriously ill-travelled outside their most potent appeal is to
the United States, did journey far whites who are feeling under
to the first of the four colleges siege by changing economic and
she attended, in Hawaii. She and cultural conditions. Palin’s
a friend who went with her lasted strength with this constituency
only one semester. “Hawaii was a can only have grown since the
little too perfect,” Palin writes. last election.
“Perpetual sunshine isn’t
necessarily conducive to serious
up on the project by turning an or flat out rebuilding furniture to
old IKEA dresser into an actual give it new life, let's hear about it
bar, and some more shelving in the comments. IKEA Home
units into storage behind their Bar Hack[via IKEAHacker]
new dresser-bar. Check out the
video below to watch the
transformation process:
If you have a tale of repurposing
32 Tech Tips/
Five Best Outlining Tools [Hive Five]
By Jason Fitzpatrick
(Lifehacker)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 9:00:00 AM
Outlines are useful for more than
just recalling painful memories of
high-school research papers. This
week we're taking a look at the
five favorite outlining tools of
Lifehacker readers.
Most of us received our earliest
introduction to outlining by a
teacher who insisted we needed
to outline before writing papers
and reports. While outlining is a
solid tool for writing a research
paper, it's also invaluable for
writing other things—speeches,
presentations, books, etc.—and
for organizing your thoughts into
patterns that can be easily
tweaked and edited before your
reach the end product, be it book
or business plan, is committed to
its final form.
Earlier this week we asked you
to share your favorite outlining
tool, and now we're back to share
the most popular outlining tools
used by Lifehacker readers.
Note: The pricing for Microsoft
Word and Microsoft OneNote is
given for the standalone purchase
price of the individual products.
Both are available as part of the
various Microsoft Office Suite
configurations and are
significantly cheaper when
purchased as part of a suite.
Microsoft OneNote(Windows,
Standalone: $75)
OneNote is a note-taking and
organization tool that many
Lifehacker readers have called
E-reader Newspaper
millions of personal and
corporate computers, the
outlining tools built into it have
seen an enormous amount of use.
Outlining directly in document is
a bit kludgy, but thankfully Word
has an "Outlining View"—seen
in the screenshot above—which
makes outline creation and
editing much easier. If you've
never used Word to outline
before, check out this tutorial to
get started. Org-
Mode(Windows/Mac/Linux,
Free)
Org-Mode is a portable and open
-source tool that runs off of the
also free and open-source Emacs
platform—Emacs is available for
Windows, Mac, Linux, and more
here. You work on Org-Mode in
a command prompt-like window
Microsoft's best product. It's OmniOutliner(Mac, Standard: support or multiple columns, the and do all your editing and
versatile—it's made appearances $39.95, Professional $69.95) b a s i c o u t l i n e i s s t i l l w e l l changes via the command line
here, in the best note-taking tools O m n i O u t l i n e r i s a designed. Inline notes allow you and keyboard shortcuts. It's
and journaling Hive Fives—and comprehensive outlining tool for to add information directly to an d e f i n i t e l y n o t t h e k i n d o f
the outlining functionality is well OS X with a host of features that entry in the outline for later application you toss at your
integrated and easy to use. One make outlining more exciting and reference but hide it when you computer-illiterate relatives, but
of the strong points of outlining effective than simply scrawling want to look at just the outline. it is a powerful and flexible tool
in OneNote is the way outlines roman numerals on a legal pad. The professional version adds in for organizing outlines and more.
support the same drag and drop With OmniOutliner, you can not new features like being able to T h e a u t h o r s o f O r g - M o d e
rearranging found throughout only create outlines, but create navigate your outline by section, maintain a large list of tutorials
OneNote. Almost every single additional columns of for input t e x t c l i p p i n g t o p u l l i n and screencasts for showing what
element in a OneNote page can and data. Want your outline to information from other apps on can be done with Org-Mode, this
be dragged, dropped, or easily have a column where you can your computer, and audio capture one about using Org-Mode for
manipulated with a context check things off like a checklist to take voice notes. Microsoft outlining is of particular interest
menu—the screenshot above or assign due dates? You can add W o r d ( W i n d o w s / M a c , t o t o d a y ' s H i v e F i v e .
shows an element in the outline it in. OmniOutliner has full S t a n d a l o n e : $130) FreeMind(Windows/Mac/Linux,
right before being dragged into a AppleScript support so you script You certainly can't round up Free)
new slot. Note: If you're curious i n t a s k s l i k e h a v i n g popular applications for outlining Traditionally one thinks of
about the GTD context in the OmniOutliner put things on your without Microsoft Word making outlines as a linear progression
screenshot, read our guide to calendar. Even if you're not a n a p p e a r a n c e . I t w a s n ' t down the page. Many Lifehacker
g e t t i n g t h i n g s d o n e w i t h looking for the more advanced conceived as an outlining tool,
Microsoft O n e N o t e . bells and whistles like script but thanks to its presence on FIVE page 33
E-reader Newspaper Tech Tips/ 33
FIVE
continued from page 32

readers, however, opted to

outline their projects and ideas in
mind-mapping applications like
the popular and open-source
FreeMind. You still get a
hierarchical structure, headers,
sub-headers, and so on, but the
information is presented in a
mind-map format instead of a
simple list. FreeMind is very
keyboard friendly—it's possible
to create your entire outline
without your hands leaving the
keyboard. You use customize
item flagging, color coding, and
more. FreeMind also made an

Make a Cheap Backyard appearance in and won the Hive

Five for best mind-mapping

Skating Rink [Outdoors] DIY Vinyl Wall Art

tools.
Now that you've had a chance to
look over the top five contenders,
By Jason Fitzpatrick
(Lifehacker) [Decorating] below to see the rink set up and
pieces used to make it:
it's time to cast your vote for
what you'd consider the best
If you've got a smaller yard, or By Jason Fitzpatrick peeling it off. outlining tool:
Submitted at 12/6/2009 12:00:00 PM
you don't want to shell out for a (Lifehacker) Although he opted to go for Best Outlining Tool?( polls)
Don't let a lack of backyard pond huge amount of PVC pipe, Submitted at 12/6/2009 2:00:00 PM abstract swirls in the bedroom, Honorary mentions this week go
discourage you from turning d e f i n i t e l y c h e c k o u t a n you're not limited to freehand to pen and paper—the timeless
Space Balls into an opera on ice. a l t e r n a t i v e t u t o r i a l o n Want to add some visual appeal shapes like the ones seen above. c l a s s i c — a n d M i n d j e t
All that stands between you and Instructables by a user who to your walls without the burden Using the scraps left over from MindManager, another mind-
your dream is some PVC pipe wanted to make a smaller rink for of having to repaint if you move? the project, he also made a mapping tool repurposed as an
and plastic sheeting. his two children to learn to Use contact paper to make wall bamboo pattern on his dining outliner. Have an outlining tip,
Building an indoor ice skating skate—his version uses pine and art friendly to apartments, dorms, room wall. trick, or favorite application?
rink is a feat of engineering. An cost him less than $50. o r a n y s p a c e y o u c a n ' t Contact paper is cheap, easy to L e t ' s h e a r a b o u t i t i n t h e
outdoor skating rink, however, is For more information on the p e r m a n e n t l y a l t e r . work with, and comes off most c o m m e n t s .
a much simpler affair. You need PVC-based version in the video Instructables user bristeiner surfaces cleanly. Check out the
a way to retain the water to a above, check out the link below. didn't want to have to repaint the full tutorial for additional
depth of at least a few inches, and If you've got experience turning wall and ceiling of his bedroom pictures of setup, removal, and
a membrane of some sort to keep your backyard into a skating rink, when he moved out of his the additional art in his dining
the water from getting away l e t ' s h e a r a b o u t i t i n t h e apartment. Not content to leave room. Have your own technique
b e f o r e i t f r e e z e s . O v e r a t c o m m e n t s . M a k e a C h e a p the walls unadorned, he used for apartment-friendly but bold
Instructables, a skate-loving user B a c k y a r d I c e S k a t i n g contact paper to make his own decoration? Let's hear about it in
has put together a tutorial on R i n k [ I n s t r u c t a b l e s ] vinyl wall art. It sticks enough to the comments. DIY Vinyl Wall
turning your backyard into a stay on the wall, but comes off Art
skating rink. Check out the video easily and cleanly just by using
34 Tech Tips/ Popular News/ Economy/
The Mac and Glass
Office [Featured
Workspace]
By Jason Fitzpatrick
(Lifehacker)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 4:00:00 PM
Throw some glass, chrome, and
a Buck-Rogers-looking podcast
mic into the mix and you've got
today's featured workspace.
It's tough to pull off a glass
desk—we certainly wouldn't
want to see through the surface of
the desk to the wire cages
below—but today's workspace
pulls it off with tidy cable
management and an uncluttered
work surface. It certainly doesn't
hurt that the Mac tower and
peripherals look particularly nice
under glass, and compliment the
silver and glossy form of the
desk.
Check out the gallery below for
a closer look and visit the
Lifehacker Workspace Show and
Tell pool at the link below for
more additional pictures and
information.
If you have a workspace of your
own to show off, throw the
pictures on your Flickr account
and add it to the Lifehacker
Workspace Show and Tell Pool.
Include some details about your
setup and why it works for you,
and you just might see it featured
on the front page of Lifehacker.
The Mac and Glass
Office[Lifehacker Workspace
Show and Tell Pool]
E-reader Newspaper
Silicon Valley set
for IPO rebound
(Financial Times - US
homepage)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 12:18:12 PM
Ask the Commenters Silicon Valley is on the verge of
a new bout of Wall Street fever,
as private technology companies
Roundup [Hive Mind] rush to cash in on the first signs
of stock market interest in initial
public offerings for more than
(Lifehacker) Notepad++?
• Any tips for quick and efficient two years, according to venture
Submitted at 12/6/2009 2:30:00 PM
scanning of a large number of capitalists.
family photos? Financiers are talking of public
• What is the bset way to keep • How can I move partitions stock sales by tech companies at
track of small screws and parts around on my hard drive? a level not seen since the 1990s –
when working on electronics? • I'm looking for a simple and
• What is the difference between free way to combine images on a
led by social networking
company Facebook and a batch
of other internet and “greentech”
sound-isolating and noise- Mac. Suggestions?
canceling headphones? • I'm continuining a tradition of
• I'm looking for a tool that will not giving gifts, but donating to
companies.
This content has passed through
not only fix charity. I'd like to donate to a
• I've been using Notepad++ to new charity this year focused on
fivefilters.org.
write all my C++ programs. hunger and poverty issues. Ideas?
Where can I find a compiler to
compliment my work in
Police: Calif. Woman Fatally Stabbed Younger
Brother
(FOXNews.com) Harding says 17-year-old Parrish murder.
Submitted at 12/6/2009 3:22:23 AM
Reed was found slashed and Investigators believe the victim
bleeding Saturday night. was stabbed with a kitchen knife
LOS ANGELES Authorities Paramedics rushed him to a local during an argument over money.
say a 20-year-old woman has hospital where he was Their mother was home at the
been arrested after stabbing her pronounced dead. time of the incident.
younger brother to death at an His sister, Amber Reed, was This content has passed through
apartment in Sylmar. arrested and is being held in lieu fivefilters.org.
Los Angeles Police Officer April of $1 million bail on suspicion of
E-reader Newspaper
Technical Q&A With FAROO Founder
By Bernard Lunn
(ReadWriteWeb)
Submitted at 12/5/2009 1:00:16 PM
About 18 months ago, we wrote
about an obscure search startup
from Germany called FAROO.
We believed that its radical
alternative, using peer-to-peer
(P2P) technology, had a shot at
being a real disruptive force.
Today, it has made some
progress, has raised some money
and is getting out into the market.
(Disclosure: FAROO is currently
a ReadWriteWeb sponsor).
FAROO is wisely underplaying
P2P in its marketing, preferring
more fashionable terms such as
"real-time search" and "social
discovery." But the P2P
technology drives it.
Sponsor
So, we decided to invite
someone who understands P2P at
a technical level to interview
Wolf Garbe, FAROO's founder.
Our tech expert, Kiril Pertsev, of
Agily Networks, has already
written about P2P for us in the
past.
Kiril: Why .NET? Did you
already have development
resources or did you make this
choice because you consider it a
better option for networked
desktop applications? Would you
make this choice again? And if
you're not satisfied with .NET,
what would your platform of
choice be, given all of your
experience over the past few
years?
Wolf: I come from Delphi
(Object Pascal). So, the choice of
C#/.NET was a dedicated
decision for a new platform, not
driven by legacy. When I started
to work on the first prototype in
2004, Delphi moved towards
.NET. I preferred to go with the
original, especially because the
development of C# was led by
Anders Hejlsberg, the designer of
Borland's Turbo Pascal (which
Delphi derived from).
Of course, I also looked into
Java, which I found quite similar,
both from the language
perspective (C# vs. Java) and the
JIT Runtime environment (Java
Virtual Machine vs. .NET
Runtime). The decision for C#
was based on the dominating
desktop market share of
Windows and the assumption
that embedding the .NET
framework into the OS would
ensure fast penetration of .NET.
This only partially came true,
partly due to the limited success
of Vista, which was the first
Windows version with .NET pre-
installed.
Kiril: Doesn't this choice hinder
your ability to move to Mac and
Linux platforms.
Wolf: We were betting on Mono
for platform compatibility.
Unfortunately, Mac OS X still
has no Mono application
launcher, other than starting with
the terminal, which is not feasible
for a mass market. With the
increasing importance of the Mac
OS X platform, I expect this to
change. Silverlight today is
already natively available for
Mac.
For the ultimate platform
independence, we are also
continually observing the diverse
RIA developments (AJAX, AIR,
Silverlight, Mozilla Prism,
HTML 5 persistent web storage,
Mozilla's DOM storage, Google
Gears and Flash persistent
storage), which could one day
allow us to remove the download
and installation step for P2P. But
so far, no solution meets all of
the requirements: out-of-browser
capability, permanent
background operation, auto-start
option, tray icon support, cross-
domain connection support,
persistent storage, accepting an
incoming connection and
receiving data and NAT
traversal.
Kiril: If you become dissatisfied
with .NET, what would be your
next platform of choice.
Wolf: Although not everything
went as expected, I still believe
that .NET is a very powerful
platform, and C# as a language is
evolving at a much faster and
broader pace than Java.
Today, we have a good .NET
penetration rate in the US and
Europe. With Windows 7, I
expect that to increase in Asia as
well.
Kiril: I see that you're using a
pretty simple P2P
communication technology
instead of sophisticated Hamachi
-like NAT traversal using UDP
hole punching.
Wolf: I suppose you are
referring to the transport layer,
which is HTTP over TCP/IP. The
real P2P overlay protocol on top
of that is not that simple
anymore.
Because our distributed search
engine system architecture breaks
with almost all legacy paradigms,
we thought it would be a good
idea that it be at least based on
proven and widely used
standards wherever possible.
There are several reasons for this:
• It reduces complexity and
development time.
• It improves compatibility
(there is probably no protocol
more widely used than HTTP
over Port 80).
• It's unlikely that this
connectivity will break anytime
soon by changes in protocols,
OS, drivers or hardware.
• Behaving like a standard
browser from the protocol view
makes the application less
vulnerable to filtering, blocking
or traffic shaping and ensures
that it even works in most
corporate environments.
NAT traversal is the most
critical issue for every P2P
application. It's really a shame
that although the Internet is built
on a distributed foundation, end-
to-end connectivity between
users in a decentralized way is
completely broken. We are using
several NAT traversal
techniques: Manual Port
Forwarding, Automatic Port
Tech News/ 35
Forwarding via UPnP and
Teredo. Teredo is a IPv6
Tunneling technology,
standardized according to
RFC4380.
Teredo is part of Windows XP,
Vista, and Windows 7; with
Miredo, there is also an open-
source implementation for Linux
and Mac OS X available.
Microsoft reports that with
Teredo, the chance of a
connection between two peers
increases from 15% to 84%(PDF
link). Our observations are
somewhere between 60% and
70%.
Teredo is quite sophisticated
technology and is a more
universal approach. It provides
connectivity at the OS level, in
contrast to having several
applications in use, where each
uses its own proprietary traversal
technology.
Kiril: Could you please elaborate
on choosing network technology,
having achieved a substantial
number of users and collecting
usage statistics. Do you know
how many active and passive
peers you have at any given
time? What is the ratio?
Wolf: We have solid insight into
the state of our P2P network. We
know the number of active and
passive peers on any given day
(using the log from our update
server). The active peer ratio is
between 60 and 70%.
We are also currently working
on an improved distributed
TECHNICAL page 37
36 Tech News/
ReadWriteWeb Events Guide, 5 December 2009
By Abraham Hyatt
(ReadWriteWeb)
Submitted at 12/5/2009 5:00:00 PM
We hope you're enjoying these
weekly events guide. As always,
you can download the entire
event calendar in iCal format or
import it into your Google
Calendar. You can also import
individual events using the link
beside each entry. This events
guide is a weekly feature here on
ReadWriteWeb. We publish it
every weekend, as good a time as
any to review your conference
plans.
Know of an event taking place
that should appear here? Let us
know in the comments below or
contact us.
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current trends and network in a
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Attendees will walk away with
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DiscoveryBeat 2009
DiscoveryBeat 2009 is focused
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RWW15 code. During the event TEDxSV is
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Add-on-Con is a single-day including Waterloo, UC
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Developer sessions will cover real-time channel provided by
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Illinois development and mash-ups. participate in hosting a TEDxSV
Search Engine Strategies 2009 Marketing sessions will focus on event in your local area please
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S e e m o r e a t Thomas Goetz, executive editor
READWRITEWEB page 38
www.SearchEngineStrategies.co of Wired magazine, and Peter
E-reader Newspaper
TECHNICAL
continued from page 35
intraday statistic. (The distributed
statistic currently built into the
P2P client is not valid anymore
for the increased network size.
For scalability, every peer has
only a limited view of the whole
network, which requires more
advanced methods for calculating
the actual network size.)
Kiril: Your search index
essentially is a distributed storage
system with DHT addressing,
right?
Wolf: Yes.
Kiril: Have you thought about
other uses of such technology,
beyond search: back-up, private
distributed storage, file-sharing,
etc. (like Wuala)?
In a publication from 2001(in
German), in which I also outlined
the idea of a peer-to-peer search
engine, this was part of an
integrated solution with a P2P
Web server, P2P file-sharing and
a P2P anonymizer. Due to
various legal copyright issues, we
are currently not looking into file
-sharing.
But from a technological
standpoint, a distributed storage
system is quite universal, from
storing a search engine index to
attention data, Web pages, instant
messages, social network
profiles, micro-blogging
messages, back-ups and files.
Kiril: Could you please share
your vision of the mythical "P2P
operating system," now that we
already have P2P networking,
P2P processing, P2P storage and
P2P applications (like search).
Wolf: P2P and distributed
architectures are a universal
principle that the whole Internet
is built upon. Unfortunately,
distributed technologies like
Mail, IRC, Usenet and even
independent Web servers are
being increasingly replaced by
centralized solutions (the cloud,
Google Wave, etc.). Despite the
obvious short-term convenience,
this leads to long-term
monopolies and dependencies
and makes the Internet
infrastructure more vulnerable in
terms of reliability and political
influence.
• I believe that a solid,
standardized P2P stack integrated
in the operating system can fix
the broken end-to-end
connectivity between users,
enabling the use of an endless
amount of latent storage,
memory, processor cycles and
bandwidth.
• Distributed storage is certainly
a core component, as is
distributed processing to make
more sense of all of the data.
• On top of this, there should be
a distributed programming
framework, which enables the
development of distributed
applications and the distribution
and aggregations of tasks in a
standardized manner (e.g. the
distributed version of
MapReduce/Hadoop is part of
this).
• A distributed attention data
repository, shared by all
applications, but under full user
control.
• There should be resource
management that puts the user in
full control of the amount of
37
resources she or he would like to architecture, we have no single that use mobility, possibly
dedicate to a particular point of failure. combined with GPS, distributed
distributed project—possibly We have twenty-fold camera/augmented reality and
combined with a ratio system redundancy of each item, which RFID. This will bring P2P
and/or virtual currency to replicates automatically if peers technology into completely new
maintain a healthy usage to leave the network. Only if all 20 application fields. Think of
contribution ratio. copies of the item are removed at distributed traffic control (peers
• Distributed identity the same time would this piece of could be users with iPhones in
management and authentication, information be lost. This leads to cars or the cars themselves) or
authorization and access control. a mean information lifetime of applications to lead crowds of
• This could replace most of the 120 years under realistic churn people at large public events or in
centralized cloud solutions by (i.e. the peers randomly joining disaster zones, as well as gaming,
delivering the same convenience and abandoning the network distributed weather and
and scalability in a decentralized temporarily or permanently). earthquake prognosis.
way. This is more than sufficient for Bluetooth could even make this
search, where 50% of the independent of cell networks.
BOINC(the universal distributed information changes during the Global communication between
processing platform where year (and is therefore refreshed peers would be asynchronous
seti@home runs today) goes anyway at a much higher rate). through moving people. Also,
partially in that direction. Kiril: Do you think that "mobile cell network and Bluetooth
This is partially because the P2P" is feasible? What would mashups would be possible.
peers contribute, by taking tasks you say about implementing P2P In the near future, we will
from a centralized server and search (or any other application) provide Web access to our P2P
providing results back to this on, say, the iPhone? Are mobile Web search for mobile users.
server. But this system is not terminals ready for P2P? Are cell They will just be passive users of
fully distributed, nor are the networks ready? Do they have the resources contributed by
results intended to be used by the enough CPU power, etc? active PC users.
peers themselves. Wolf: Today, we distinguish Kiril: What is your vision of the
K i r i l : D o y o u e n c o u n t e r between mobile connectivity and P2P road map? Apparently, the
scalability issues? Do you have landlines. But I believe this first "killer P2P application" was
any single point of failure separation will fade away. file-sharing, Kazaa, then
resources in your P2P network? Device performance, bandwidth BitTorrent. Given that the next
How reliable is it—meaning, and flat-rate pricing structures one is search, what would be the
what percentage of the network will become close. While today, next after that?
could you lose without seriously processor cycles, memory and Wolf: As I mentioned, instead of
degrading search quality and bandwidth in mobile phones are another isolated P2P application,
performance? too precious for wide use of P2P I would like to see P2P built into
Wolf: We have scaled the P2P applications, this will change. the OS and Internet stack in a
network in a controlled way. Even "walling off" tendencies standardized manner. So that an
While we have made some and restrictive App Store policies application can benefit from P2P
scalability-related adjustments to will be liberated by regulation or without any specific effort, in the
our P2P protocol, the core user demand. same easy and natural way that
algorithms proved that there are But much more interesting than applications today use the
no inherent scalability limits. bringing file-sharing to the TECHNICAL page 39
Due to our fully distributed iPhone will be P2P applications
38 TV/
READWRITEWEB
continued from page 36
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Submitted at 12/6/2009 1:00:00 PM
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Comments
E-reader Newspaper
TECHNICAL
continued from page 37
Internet (HTTP, AJAX and
JSON).
Then, P2P technology would
become ubiquitous and part of
almost every application. Every
application that uses cloud
services today could benefit from
such P2P technology. An
example would be a distributed
platform for micro-blogging
services and social networks,
heralding the end of walled
gardens.
But my personal vision is to
combine P2P with the next thing
after search. Twenty years ago, I
wrote a small expert system on
my C64 (today, a C64 emulator
is on the iPhone!), using
Predicate Logic and an Eliza-
style natural-language interface.
So, you could tell the system, "
All cats have claws. All tigers are
cats." And then you could ask the
system, " Do tigers have claws?"
And it would answer, " Yes!"
You could retrieve information
and relationships that were not
explicitly stored (or that anyone
was even aware existed).
At that time I had to enter every
bit of information manually.
Cartoon: Attention, Mobile Shoppers...
By Rob Cottingham
(ReadWriteWeb)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 10:00:00 AM
You have to wonder how often
this happens these days. High-
speed coverage (or at least
coverage that's advertised that
way) is now widespread, and
Today, almost all information on
earth is accessible on the Internet,
together with comments and
conversation streams.
Predicate logic would be
supported by fuzzy logic,
statistical machine learning and
more. Today, known translations
are used to translate untranslated
text. But this could be much
more universal: using known
connections in one field to
explain unknown correlations in
another. Such a system could
autonomously formulate queries,
combine facts, fill in the missing
link in a theory to prove or falsify
it.
So, I think the next step after
search will be reasoning; and in
combination with P2P
technology and distributed
processing, this may bring us a
kind of global brain. A brain that
not only stores and retrieves
information but that is capable of
cognition and conclusion at a
giant scale. It will discover
hidden correlations and unknown
facts and will answer questions
with answers that cannot be
found in any document.
there have to be times when a
solid 3G connection can beat an
understaffed checkout line hands-
down.
Which means customers are
bringing the competition into the
bricks-and-mortar stores with
them -- and they can switch c l i c k , s w i p e , c a l l u p t h e
allegiance as easily as point,
You can see, this is much more
HAL than the next Google.
Kiril: What technical feature of
your technology are you most
proud of? 100+ patents must
something.
Wolf: Most crucial has been to
ensure both a quick response
time and complete results for
queries with multiple terms and
phrases (only 15% of searches
are single keywords) in a
completely distribute P2P
architecture. For queries with
multiple keywords, we
eliminated the need for the
intersection of huge posting lists
across different peers.
While we had to invent a lot of
things—just because they hadn't
been done before in a way that
was required for distributed
search—they are not all patented
(so, we don't own 100+ patents).
Prior to funding, this would have
been impossible financially.
Kiril: How is your real-time
search related to the P2P search?
Does it also run on a distributed
network? If so, then how do
peers communicate results to the
front page of the FAROO
Tech News/ Economy/
website?
Wolf: Currently, we use a hybrid
architecture. While we are
building up our P2P network and
use it for general Web search, in
parallel we use a central index for
the real-time data. The focus on
the most recent and popular Web
pages keeps the costs moderate.
Attention data collected by
FAROO peers serves also for real
-time discovery and ranking (in
addition to analyzing the Twitter
stream).
But we believe in a holistic
approach. Our real-time search
will evolve into an integral part
of Web search and be fully based
on our P2P architecture. There
will still be a gateway/proxy
server that enables Web access to
our P2P network for those users
not able or ready to install a P2P
client (e.g. for mobile). Discuss
keyboard, tap tap tap, dammit,
backspace, no, that wasn't it, tap
tap (repeat eight or nine times)...
submit.
Sponsor
So maybe stores should think
twice this holiday season about
trying to trim costs by thinning
their staff. Longer lineups don't
39
Obama banks on
Tarp fund to
bolster job creation
(Financial Times - US
homepage)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 2:29:43 PM
Barack Obama, US president, is
preparing to deploy parts of the
$700bn troubled asset relief
programme to support job
creation, against the wishes of
more conservative economists
and strategists who want to use
the money to pay down debt.
Tim Geithner, the Treasury
secretary, now estimates that
about $175bn (€118bn, £106bn)
will have been returned by banks
by the end of next year. The pot
of money was boosted last week
by Bank of America returning
$45bn; Citigroup is now striving
to return the $20bn outstanding
from funds it took from the
government during the financial
crisis.
This content has passed through
fivefilters.org.
just discourage shoppers, they
give them the means, motive and
opportunity to shop elsewhere.
How about you, have you bailed
on a big box store mid-expedition
in favor of a virtual shopping
spree recently?
Discuss
40 Tech News/ TV/ Economy/ E-reader Newspaper

Favrd Shuts Down - Not Twitter's

Last Laugh (Thank you, Textism)
By Richard MacManus Favrd, read this post by popular
(ReadWriteWeb) witterer Joe Schmitt
Submitted at 12/6/2009 11:04:41 AM

Favrd, a site which aggregated

(@joeschmitt).
The site's creator, Dean
Cameron Allen a.k.a.@textism,
Hail to the Redskins?
the most popular starred tweets,
has closed down. The site was a
left the following suicide note for
Favrd. You can tweet your
Hail to the RedZone!
favorite of Twitter humorists, condolences using this By Robert Seidman I flipped it to RedZone, where
people who use Twitter mainly to hashtag:#thankyoutextism."Alas, (TVbytheNumbers) they were covering the game and
express their wit. Favrd was the stars on Twitter have become Submitted at 12/6/2009 1:54:28 PM
got to see Brees’ 53 yard pass to
first of its kind to repurpose mere take-out menus hung on the Meachem for the touchdown that
Twitter favorites (stars) into an doors of other restaurants. It isn’t much fun to be a tied the game, and RedZone also
aggregation site, where users There are still lots of clever and Redskins fan these days and covered the final 1:27 of the
could see who had "faved" their funny things to read every day, mostly it hasn’t been much fun fourth quarter and all of the
tweets, view tweets with 3 or way to keep a personal library of but finding these is no longer a since the early 1990s. As a overtime.
more faves as a real-time feed, favorites. But according to a challenge - you already follow Washington, D.C. transplant I The Redskins didn’t win, and
and check the most faved tweets regular Favrd user we spoke to, your sources. Sites like this one didn’t get to see the Redskins while I would’ve been happy to
in a 24-hour period on the "Favrds" (people who used Favrd now serve mainly as fuel for play very much unless I went to a see the upset, in a way I was
Leaderboard. It was kind of like frequently) throw them like emotional up-fuckedness in the sports bar. Fortunately, today’s rooting for the Saints to preserve
the Techmeme of funny tweets. confetti and rarely look back at guise of a game. Redskins/Saints game was aired their undefeated season. Either
Sponsor their own stream of favorites. Just an idea: next time you see on San Francisco’s FOX affiliate. way, I got to see it all thanks to
A similar site called Favstar Favrd was also different from something you like, write the I picked up NFL RedZone about RedZone!
launched in mid-09 ( our review) Favstar because it only counted person who made it a note telling a month into the season and have I know people will say, “Get
and it appears to have taken the faves of people who were them so. Even better, explain been a huge fan of the service. DirecV, and order NFL Sunday
momentum from Favrd. registered - although you could why. But the Saints/Redskins game Ticket!” But I don’t really
Favrd was the original though, fave anyone. Take care! was actually good and I watched usually need (or want) to watch
so it's disappointing to see it For a good overview of why - dca" it in its entirety for the second every game, and RedZone gives
throw in the towel. many Twitter humorists liked Discuss half on FOX. Almost. me the best of everything, and in
Most people think of stars as a Without about 2 minutes left in cases like today where KTVU
the game the local FOX affiliate had to cut over to the 49ers game,
Agreement close on necessary emissions cuts sadly had to a i r it gave me full continuation of a
49ers/Seahawks. And it seems game I really wanted to watch.
(Financial Times - US Officials from the 190 countries shifting the date of his arrival to
homepage) crazy to me. Even though I Plus, RedZone is cheaper than
involved were due to arrive in the end of the talks, when leaders understand the local affiliate has Sunday Ticket, and I like my On-
Submitted at 12/6/2009 12:44:22 PM
Copenhagen on Monday to forge will meet to finalise any to air the 49ers game, the Demand options with Comcast
a new global deal on climate agreement. opening of that game was much better than what I’d get
The world is “within closing change. They will be joined by This content has passed through meaningless. Meanwhile the with DirecTV.
distance” of agreeing cuts in world leaders at the end of next fivefilters.org. Saints were down by 7 and This content has passed through
greenhouse gases that would week. On Friday, Barack Obama,
driving to tie the game with less fivefilters.org.
satisfy scientific demands, US president, strongly boosted
than 2 minutes.
according to a new analysis. the prospects for a deal by
E-reader Newspaper
TV Ratings: Longhorns – Cornhuskers Big 12
Championship dominates primetime ratings
By Robert Seidman
(TVbytheNumbers)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 2:16:46 PM
Note: coverage of live events
like last night’s sports (College
Football (ABC), makes their
numbers approximate and
subject to greater than normal
adjustment. See definitions below
for more information on these
Fast Affiliate ratings.
ABC easily dominated the night
with the exciting Dr. Pepper Big
12 Championship where the
Texas Longhorns narrowly
defeated the Nebraska
Cornhuskers with a field goal on
the last play of the game.
FOX was a distant second to the
football action with its
longstanding lineup of Cops and
America’s Most Wanted.
Thanks to “ TVBill” for the
Saturday night data.
Details:
- broadcast network feed, and Pacific Time Zone, following the 3:00AM local time when meters
You can see TV ratings from
other recent Overnight ratings
reports here.
Nielsen TV Ratings: ©2009 The
Nielsen Company. All Rights
Reserved. Source: Marc
Berman/Mediaweek.
Definitions:
Fast Affiliate Ratings: These
first national ratings, including
minute. Ratings are expressed as
a percent.
Share (of Audience): The
percent of households (or
persons) using television who are
tuned to a specific program,
station or network in a specific
area at a specific time. (See also,
Rating, which represents tuning
or viewing as a percent of the
entire population being
measured.)
Time Shifted Viewing– Program
ratings for national sources are
produced in three streams of data
– Live, Live+Same
Day(Live+SD) and Live+7 Day.
Time shifted figures account for
demographics, are available at programs and are likely to differ incremental viewing that takes
approximately 11 AM (ET) the significantly from the final place with DVRs which are
day after telecast, and are results, because the data reflect currently in approximately 24.4%
released to subscribing customers normal broadcast feed patterns. of all U.S. TV households.
daily. These data, from the For example, with a World Series L i v e + S a m e D a y ( L i v e + S D )
National People Meter sample, game, Fast Affiliate Ratings include viewing during the same
a r e s t r i c t l y t i m e - p e r i o d would include whatever aired broadcast day as the original
information, based on the normal from 8-11PM on affiliates in the telecast, with a cut-off of
include all programming on the live football game, but not game transmit daily viewing to Nielsen
affiliated stations, sometimes coverage that begins at 5PM PT. for processing. Live+7 Day
including network programming, The same would be true of ratings include incremental
sometimes not. The figures may Presidential debates as well as viewing that takes place during
include stations that did not air live award shows and breaking the 7 days following a telecast.
the entire network feed, as well news reports. For more information see
as local news breaks or cutaways Rating: Estimated percentage of Numbers 101 and Numbers 102.
for local coverage or other the universe of TV households This content has passed through
programming. Fast Affiliate (or other specified group) tuned fivefilters.org.
ratings are not as useful for live to a program in the average
TV/ 41
Psych does
"Private Eyes" like
Hall and Oates
By Allison Waldman (TV
Squad)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 4:00:00 PM
They're at it again! This time
instead of Stevie Wonder and
Paul McCartney doing"Ebony
and Ivory," Shawn and Gus are re
-creating Hall and Oates doing
"Private Eyes." And this time, the
rest of the cast are included as
private eyes, too.
The Psych team is nothing if not
original when it comes to their
promotions. The only thing
missing in this one is a pineapple.
Before taking a look at the
video, just a reminder that Psych
is coming back on Wednesday,
January 27 at 10 p.m.
Continue reading Psych does
"Private Eyes" like Hall and
Oates
Filed under: Programming,
OpEd, Video, Commercials,
Celebrities, Reality-Free
Permalink| Email this| |
Comments
42 TV/
Two Things I loved about last night’s Dollhouse:
Mo Tancharoen and Enver Gjokaj
By Robert Seidman
(TVbytheNumbers)
Submitted at 12/5/2009 11:23:49 AM
Ok, so you have the two men at
a press conference admitting that
their experiment might have
caused the disaster that took
more human lives than any other
disaster in history, and you can’t
dispatch some po-lice to detain
them? How dumb do the
writers think we are!? Oh. That
was the first 10 minutes of
FlashForward which I tried to
watch online because I’m
obviously not nearly as smart as
my DVRs.
So here’s my question about
Dollhouse. The Dollhouse is
supposed to be way, way
underground, so how come
Adelle’s office has windows in it
that look out onto LA?
My DVR still likes Dollhouse so
I watched last night’s two hours.
I’m not a rabid, rabid, Whedon-
can-do-no-wrong kind of fan, and
I definitely do not think
Dollhouse is the best show on
television. There can be only
Review: Ghost Whisperer - Excessive Forces
By Isabelle Carreau (TV
Squad)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 3:30:00 PM
(S05E10) "He's a killer with a
badge." - The ghost of the week
to Melinda and Eli
one, and for me, that is currently
Sons of Anarchy(even if it is now
off the air until it returns for
season 3 in September).
But over time, Dollhouse(and its
rabid, radid, Whedon-can-do-no-
wrong fans) have really grown on
me. I like Dollhouse OK. I still
think the best episode was
“Epitaph One,” the season one
episode that could’ve (and
perhaps should’ve) served as the
show’s series finale had FOX
done the predictable thing and
canceled the show last spring.
So “Epitaph One” never made it
Bad cop or good cop? That was
the question Melinda and
company asked themselves while
working on the case of the week,
which involved a cop.
"Excessive Force" is an episode writers spent all their energy
that fell flat for me. It's like the
to the air, but we got another 13
episodes of Dollhouse(complete
with an “Epitaph Two” that will
air!). There have been some
decent episodes this season, but
despite the return of Summer
Glau I was not blown away by
last night’s two hours worth of
Dollhouse.
But I liked it way more than the
FlashForward episode I never got
around to finishing and there
were two things I really enjoyed
about it. I confess, I have a crush
on Joss Whedon’s brother Jed’s
wife, Maurissa Tancharoen. And
as with all shows, I try to avoid
spoilers wherever I can, so I had
no idea Mo was making a (sadly)
brief appearance as the doll
“Kilo” (pictured above). So that
was fun.
But the real highlight of last
night’s two hours, hands down
was Enver Gjokaj — the doll
“Victor” — programmed as
Topher so there could be a
brainiac back at the LA
Dollhouse while the real Topher
(and Adelle) traipsed off to my
hometown, Washington, D.C.
Enver as Victor as Topher was
tremendous. He completely
nailed it and it was a joy to
watch.
Right after I finished typing this,
I saw that Alan Sepinwall wrote
his review on last night’s two
hours worth of Dollhouse. I
haven’t read it yet, but judging
from the headline ( Two Tophers
for the Price of One), he also
thought highly of Enver as
Topher.
This content has passed through
fivefilters.org.
writing the November sweeps
episodes and, now that sweeps
are over, offered us a stand alone
episode that didn't give us a tiny
bit of character development.
Continue reading Review: Ghost
Whisperer - Excessive Forces
E-reader Newspaper
Review: Saturday
Night Live - Blake
Lively/Rihanna
By Annie Wu (TV Squad)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 2:35:00 PM
(S35E08) I will be perfectly
honest: I was not at all looking
forward to this episode. A few
months ago, I had forced myself
to watch two seasons of Gossip
Girl for blogging purposes (okay,
it was also an excuse to stare at
their fantastic costuming), and I
couldn't bring myself to continue.
One of the reasons why I disliked
the show so much was Serena,
Blake Lively's character.
However, I'm happy to say I was
pleasantly surprised by this
episode. Lively was minimally
awkward and brought great
enthusiasm through the entire
evening (though not an
exhausting amount of zeal Joseph
REVIEW: page 43
Filed under: Other Sci-
Fi/Supernatural Shows, OpEd,
Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
Permalink| Email this| |
Comments
E-reader Newspaper TV/ Entertainment/ 43

What's On Tonight: Class enrollment begins

Hannah Montana, Robin at Lost University this
Williams, Alice, Cold Case week
By Bob Sassone (TV Squad)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 12:04:00 PM
• At 7, CBS has a new 60
Minutes, then the season finale of
The Amazing Race and a new
Cold Case.
• NBC has a new Football Night
in America at 7, followed by
Vikings vs. the Cardinals.
• At 7:30, Disney has a new
Hannah Montana.
By John Scott Lewinski (TV
Squad)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 11:00:00 AM
Plenty of freshman (and drunken
upperclassmen at most state
colleges) get lost on university
campuses every day. But, the
developers of the new Lost:
Season Five Blu-Ray set want
you to lose yourself in its
• Showtime has a new Dexter at "school" willingly.
Entertainment arranged a strong
collection of "professors" to
teach the university seminars.
Cast members include Naveen
The Tiger Woods
Mistress Dossier,
Updated: Sex Reports,
SNL, and A Numbered
List [Operation:
Lovetap]
By Foster Kamer (Gawker)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 2:00:00 PM

• At 8, ABC has a new Extreme
Makeover, then new episodes of
Desperate Housewives and
Brothers & Sisters.
• FOX has the BCS Selection
Show at 8.
• Hallmark has the movie
Debbie Macomber's Mrs. Miracle
at 8.
• Also at 8: TLC has Crazy
Christmas Lights, followed by
Invasion of the Christmas Lights.
• At 8:30, Disney has a new
Jonas.
• At 9, Syfy has the premiere of
Alice.
REVIEW:
continued from page 42
Gordon-Levitt style). I liked how
it didn't seem Lively went on the
show with a mission (apart from
showing off her crazy legs); she
didn't try to show off her musical
side, cling to strictly "pretty girl"
skits, or get controversial. She
was just there, having a good
9 , f o l l o w e d b y a n e w Opening for "classes" December Andrews, Jorge Garcia, Josh
Californication. 8, Lost University is a special Holloway, Daniel Dae Kim, Two more— two more!—Tiger
• HBO has Robin Williams: feature of the Blu-ray offering a Yunjin Kim, Evangeline Lilly, Tails came out this morning. Are
Weapons of Self-Destruction at "captivating new immersive Terry O'Quinn, Michael Emerson you sure you didn't sleep with
9. bonus experience powered by and Henry Ian Cusik. Tiger Woods? The Tiger Woods
• At 11:45, Cartoon Network has BD-Live technology. A series of Continue reading Class Mistress Dossier has been
a new Robot Chicken, then new interactive "lectures" expands enrollment begins at Lost updated. The full list, after the
episodes of The Venture Brothers "the world of Lost, giving University this week jump.
and Metalocalypse. viewers around the world an Filed under: TV on DVD, Lost, 1. Rachel Uchitel, The Original.
unprecedented interactive Reality-Free Status: Previously talking. Now
Check your local TV listings for experience unlike any other Permalink| Email this| | quiet.
more. before it." Comments 2. Jamie Grubbs, The Tool
Filed under: Programming, What Walt Disney Studios Home Academy Alumni. Status:
To Watch Tonight, Reality-Free Talking.
Permalink| Email this| | 3. Kalika Moquin. The One Who
Comments Won't Rat. Status: Quiet.
4. Jamie Jungers, The Fan's
Fiancee. Status: Talking.
5. Cori Rist. The "Butter" Lover.
time. adorable. Comments Status: Quiet.
Also, for the most part, the Continue reading Review: 6. Mindy Lawton. The "Rag
writing was solid this week. Saturday Night Live - Blake Doll" Neighbor. Status: Talking.
Probably the most consistently Lively/Rihanna 7. The Unnamed British TV
funny installment in quite a Filed under: OpEd, Saturday Host. Status: Unknown.
while. Even the strange treatment Night Live, Video, Celebrities, 8. The Unnamed Fourth Vegas
of the Cold Open (with the Episode Reviews, Reality-Free Vixen. Status: Unknown.
Obama party crashers) was Permalink| Email this| |
44 TV/ Entertainment/
Review: CSI - The
Interactive Mystery
By Danny Gallagher (TV
Squad)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 2:02:00 PM
Remember those pop-up books
you used to read as a kid and the
sheer fun you had make the
bunny jump over the fence or the
kid deliver jelly beans to the
sausage factory?
Why can't adults have the same
thing? And I mean for books
other than dirty ones?
Quirk Books and Chronicle
Books have done just that with
the never-ending CSI franchise.
CSI: The Interactive Mystery by
Sam Stall is a hardcover short
mystery story done in the
traditional style but with an
Presenting the Worst Health Care
Issue Spot, Ever: "I Guess I'm a
Racist" [Badvertising]
By Foster Kamer (Gawker)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 4:00:00 PM
Anything video emailed to you
with the words "oh christ" as the
only context with which to view
it is worth a look. This did not
disappoint. Via Andrew Sullivan,
interesting twist that makes it a presenting the worst issue-ad I've
fun and unique read. And yes, it seen in a long time.
still requires reading. Screw This is the worst thing telling me
Egon Spengler, print ain't dead. what's racist and what isn't since
Continue reading Review: CSI - Crash. It's that bad:
The Interactive Mystery A few thoughts come to mind:
Filed under: CSI, Reality-Free 1. No, you're racist because you
P e r m a l i n k | E m a i l t h i s | | fear/hate/assume/stereotype/pige
Comments onhole [insert various ethnicity].
Also, because you're an
ignoramus.
2. Really? People think the
people opposed to Obama's
health care plan are racists? No.
If they're opposed to Obama
because they're racist, that's one
thing. Those people exist! And
they're probably opposed to all of
his policies, not just health care.
People are most likely opposed to
Obama's health care plan because
there's some provision in it they
don't disagree with, or because it
trends in a direction they don't
feel like having our government
go.
3. If you hate Obama because
he's black, then yes, you're a
racist. And you should flush your
face into another universe.
4. Do the people who made this
understand the concept of
projecting? Really: this red
herring is dead and it smells like
ass, or more appropriately,
horseshit. Has the opposition of
Obama's health care plan
developed a persecution complex
about being racist? There's a
reason it's a complex. If you're so
concerned about being a racist,
you should probably do things to
prevent being perceived as a
racist. And the people stupid
enough to perceive you as a racist
for something that patently
E-reader Newspaper
doesn't make you one are stupid,
so why listen to them?
5. The lede is buried, or as
Andrew Sullivan puts it, the ad is
most effective by burying the real
propaganda at the end:
Conflating wider worries about
the intensity of vaguely
articulated loathing of Obama as
racially tinged with specific
worries about health insurance
reform is, however, a useful
piece of sophism. But really: a
total government take-over of the
healthcare system? For a reform
where almost every newly
insured person will get coverage
under a private insurance
company and get prescription
drugs from private drug
companies and get treated in non-
government-run hospitals? Sigh.
Lying liars are not only liars
about what racists they are, but
about what they're racist about,
too. People fucking suck.
E-reader Newspaper Entertainment/ 45

Scoring Sunday's Nuptials: In Which Destiny Aligns Us With

the Vows Section [Altarcations]
By Phyllis Nefler (Gawker) not be heteronormative, let the
Submitted at 12/6/2009 1:00:00 PM
record show!
Seven years ago, the pair had a
Don't think you're ever getting son, Elijah, after selecting an egg
married? You probably won't, donor that described herself as a
you jaded prick/insecure pansy. "personal trainer and prom
You think marriage is "outdated," queen" (around the same time, as
right? Talk to the Phyllis Nefler far as I can tell, Busch also
about "progressive" as she served as a the "donor dad" to his
explains the NYT's Weddings & best friend Monica Pearl's
Celebrations connection with daughter) and in 2004 the couple
fighting the alien threat. were among a group who sued
In any good Nancy Meyers Connecticut for the right to
romantic comedy or Michael Bay marry.
explosion disaster there comes a Just over a year ago, their
point when two characters who lawsuit ended in victory. And so:
have circled each other I would be doing you, and this
suspiciously throughout the film couple, and so many of my own
have an unexpected moment of beloved friends a great disservice
alignment that with any luck to simply reproduce in this space
allows them to fall in love or the two lines near the end of the
fight the aliens. article that absolutely destroyed
Today this happened between me, so please, go read the full
me and Vows. The spotlighted thing for yourself.
love story between Stephen It's been a week that's made me
Davis and Jeffrey Busch is as worry. The way we paw with
elegant a fuck you to the New frenzy at new people and their
York State Senate as the stories makes us run the risk of
impeccably-mannered Weddings turning things like Diane
section is capable of issuing. Savino's searing candor on the
Let's hope the point is taken. State Senate floor into instant
The two men, now 58 and 46, memes (" Do you go out and
met twenty years ago when drink margaritas and do karaoke
Busch was in town from Boston with your gay friends?") rather
and eyed (literally: "His gaze was than resonating challenges. But
so steady, and his eyes were we mean well, most of us, and I
warm. They looked at me like hope this week my native state
they knew me") Davis at a can give me some of that old
restaurant bar. Jersey pride.
After dating long distance for realized that "the glow" was apartment and "did all the abandoned potted trees from a
two years the pair ultimately "never, never passing" and in cooking and brought home all nearby office that had closed." SCORING page 46
1991 Busch moved into Davis's kinds of homeless things, like 60 Wacky cohabitation stories need
46 Entertainment/
SCORING
continued from page 45
***
A bunch of Ephmen got married
this weekend. This sounds like
maybe it has to do with gays too
but actually it's just the
unfortunate team name for teensy
liberal arts powerhouse Williams
College, a fact you did not know
because you are a vulgar state
school oaf. In addition to Ralph
Lauren bedding designer and
Blackstone M&A associate
Caitlin McGauley and
Christopher Yamamoto, two
notable couples feature grooms
who graduated from the hallowed
halls of the"Potted Ivy".
The first is seventy-something
pair Anne Oliver (love the Lesley
Stahl-esque lipstick!) and Robert
Schumacher, the groom a great-
grandson of the man whose oat-
flaking innovation led to the
formation of the Quaker Oats
company. Oliver and
Schumacher first met in 1956
when she attended his wedding to
her Vassar classmate Mary
Montgomery; they reconnected
twenty years later when their
children were all students at New
York prep school Trinity. For
decades, the two couples
remained dinner party friends.
Both widowed over the past few
years, Oliver and Schumacher
began to accompany each other
to concerts and plays and last
summer found themselves
missing each other fiercely as
they sat apart in summer houses
in the Hamptons and Cape Cod
and began an "old fashioned
courtship" except with email
instead of letters.
Independent film producer Noah
Harlan also went to Williams. He
married Micol Ostow, author of
YA novels like Emily Goldberg
Learns to Salsa and So Punk
Rock (and Other Ways to
Disappoint Your Mother), both
titles which sound so much better
than anything I've read recently
with the notable exception of
Jonathan Tropper's This Is Where
I Leave You, which you should
all pick up immediately. But has
anyone else noticed that YA
books seem to be where all the
action is these days? This
generation of tweens, Miley
Cyrus notwithstanding, is going
to be way more chill and well-
adjusted than those of us who
grew up on steady diets of Sweet
Valley High, that's for sure.
Harlan's mother is an author and
his dad a money manager, and
Ostow's grandfather was a
"psychiatrist and neuroscientist
who studied the psychological
sources of anti-Semitism". This
couple is my fave!
Other unions featured a former
be-Afro'd groom;
Janet Jackson's former manager
marrying a Juicy Couture
marketer, which just makes such
perfect sense; a couple whose
announcement included a
description ( which made me
slightly uncomfortable?) of their
first kiss as employees at "Last
Licks Ice Cream" while the bride
"was sitting on top of the yogurt
machine"; and one couple with
something of a troubled track
record.
There is one correction this week
and in keeping with my
newfound kinship with B-Wol,
I'm fully sympathetic: "A
headline last Sunday with a
report about the Soltz-
Longabardi wedding misstated
the bride's gin name. It is Julie,
not June." Try writing "Julie" in
cursive and you'll understand
yourself!
This week, our own proprietary
version of the BCS:
Lara Suzanne Sullivan and
Michael Damian Fontaine
• The bride graduated from
Cornell and earned a joint
medical degree and MBA at
Penn: +8
• The groom graduated from
Furman and earned an MBA
from SMU: +1
• The bride is a consultant at
McKinsey: +1
• The groom is a financeperson at
Deutsche Bank: +1
• The brides parents are both
doctors: +3
• The groom's father has a III at
the end of his name: +1
TOTAL: +15
Caroline Barnet Cummings and
Nicholas Kernan Rafferty
• The couple met at epicenter of
privilege Trinity College: +1
• The bride is studying for an
MFA in art history at NYU: +1
• The groom works at Morgan
Stanley as an FX trader: +1
• The bride is "of Palm Beach"
and the groom is "of New York":
+2
• I thought the groom had a
sweater over his shoulders but it
turned out to just be a massive
spread collar which was a total
letdown: -1
• Let's see here. The bride is "on
the boards of the Fresh Air Fund
and the Lovelight Foundation in
Detroit"; the father of the bride is
"on the boards of the League of
American Orechestras, the New
York Philharmonic, and the
Detroit Symphony Orchestra";
the mother of the groom is "a
member of the board of the
National September 11 Memorial
and Museum and the
chairwoman of NYC &
Company"; and the father of the
groom is "on the board of the
Visiting Nurses Service of New
York": +8
• The groom's mom is the
president of the Met: +2
• The bride's family has
Speedway gasoline money: +1
• The couple got married at a
swanky Jamaica hotel: +1
TOTAL: +16
Whatevs. You know what they
say!
E-reader Newspaper
The Nature of President
Obama's Death Threats:
Peaked Early, Still Bad,
Mostly Scary White
Guys [Death Threats]
By Foster Kamer (Gawker)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 10:45:00 AM
Touchy subject of would-rather-
not proportions: threats made
against the 44th American
President. There are fine lines
between free-speech and danger.
The New York Times reports on
the people who draw them seeing
an early spike, but still being
strong concerns.
Of course, when your job is to
protect the President of the
United States, and the first black
one at that, it goes without
saying, but "strong concern" is
the default position. Early on,
however, it was really, really
bad: one such threat resembles
most of them, and take a guess
what kind it was. Ready? Yeah:
NATURE page 48
E-reader Newspaper Entertainment/ 47

Somali Pirates: Ballin' Dangerously Out of Control [Pirates]

By Foster Kamer (Gawker) Sheikh Ahmed, a mosque leader stop coming, because the people
Submitted at 12/6/2009 11:45:00 AM
in the town of Galkayo. ''That is insuring these boats can't afford
what is worrying us, a lot more the payout every time one of
Bling Bling, go the Somali than the risk they pose to the them gets jacked. The Somali
Pirates. After all, what, you think foreign ships and crew.'' Pirates now either have to
they do it because it's fun to be a Uh, apparently not. Even across mobilize their "ranks" into
pirate? Not necessarily. They're the world, the moral majority further territories, or they just get
do it for the scrilla, the scratch, exists to harsh your mellow and bored and start causing trouble
the cold, hard cash. And now rust your pimp goblet. These on land. Which will be great for
they're getting spendy. guys are just trying to shine, yo. everybody. Because the region
A parcel of land here that sold The best is that they're now doesn't have enough problems
for $12,000 two years ago now buying things on hostage-credit: already.
costs more than $20,000. The Pirates don't even have to pay But hey, at least someone's
price of a nice pair of men's upfront. Those holding ships having a good time. And come
shoes has gone up from $20 to hostage that haven't yet received on, how much different are they
$50. ransom can buy goods on credit than us? New York Times
The reason: pirates. — at elevated prices — and settle wedding pages, inspect the deck:
Pirates, indeed. An AP report up their debts when the ransom Marriage has also been affected
notes that prices of goods in money comes in, villagers say. by pirates with pockets full of
places Somali pirates base Sound familiar? Remember cash. Hundreds of cars escort the
themselves out of are going up, w h e n b a n k e r s w h o w e r e bride and groom to the reception,
as Monsoon Season ends, and capitalizing off of the misfortune where the house is crammed with
Pirate Season begins. Once of others by buying their debt, expensive furniture, and the bride
Somali pirates, having cashed in repacking their debt, and re- wears expensive gold jewelry,
on being pirates, start spending selling their debt through credit said Shamso Ahmed, the owner
all of their money, things get ratings that were essentially lies same everywhere, except haven't joined them. Meanwhile, of a beauty salon. Thousands of
wild. This is where the real thought they were rap stars? Hammer made a more honest kids who see them want to join dollars are paid to brides' families
trouble lies. These guys are going They'd go and get all that bottle living than either of the two their ranks at a young age, as a dowry. ''Pirates do not waste
gangster! And what's worse is service in the cluurb, and then aforementioned parties. because there's nothing better to time to woo women, but instead
how they're doing it, right? retreat back to their Tribeca So, what happens with Somali do. Vessels start equipping pay them a lot,'' said Sahro
''The use of drugs such as apartment and hang out with their Pirates spend all their cash? Let's t h e m s e l v e s w i t h e n h a n c e d Mohamed. ''They did this to
cannabis and the drinking of wife who's been doing yoga all venture a ride on the slippery- security (read: something better several girls I know.''
alcohol, sex and other obnoxious day and their baby who's been slope, for a second: cost of goods than what the pirates have, which The Somali Pirates are coming
misconduct are now becoming doing Yoga all day, and be like, goes up while pirates lose are anything from handguns to for you too.
common within the pirates, word. Also, remember MC support of the peasants who rocket launchers), or they just
causing social problems,'' said Hammer? Right, people are the
48 Entertainment/
NATURE
continued from page 46
White, former Marine, even had
a name for it. "Operation:
Patriot." Scary, much?
The Marine, Kody Brittingham,
a 20-year-old lance corporal,
wrote that he had taken an oath to
"protect against all enemies, both
foreign and domestic." In a
signed "letter of intent," tucked
away in his barracks at Camp
Lejeune, he identified a
"domestic enemy" he planned to
eliminate last winter: President
Obama.
Creepy white domestic terrorists
are the worst kind of creepy.
They're not even exotic. And
they're predictable in their
lameness, too, all creeping out of
the woodwork whenever a
Democrat gets elected to office.
The White House and Secret
Service, before Obama was in
office, started intercepting a
number of threats raising "deep
concern." As the Secret Service
almost never comments on
procedure as a matter of
policy—if ever—it's probably
safe to assume this was a
euphemism for "record amounts."
Though the threats peaked early,
they're still trying to discern the
difference in how seriously to
deal with, say, the Arizona pastor
who prayed for Obama to die and
the airport security guard in New
Jersey who has an arsenal of 43
guns and hollow-point bullets at
the ready. That's this charmer,
John Brek, who only went to jail
for 29 days.
Interestingly enough, Rahm
Emmanuel is the guy Homeland
Security secretary Janet
Napolitano—whose agency has
overseen the Secret Service since
it was taken over from the
Department of Treasury in
2003—reviews everything
accumulated by their Internet
Threat Desk with every week.
Rahm—scary in his own
right—is the one sorting through
these things, which is somehow
reassuring. But there've been far
more and far worse ones than
we've been privy to. This is
where it gets interesting:
A review of dozens of court
records and police reports by The
New York Times uncovered an
array of cases, most of which did
not gain public attention even as
they rang alarm bells at some of
the highest levels of the
government. Some involved
suspects with a history of
violence or mental illness and
easy access to guns and
explosives, while others involved
men whose menacing talk was
ultimately deemed to be just that
by the authorities.
You know the old saying: Guns
don't shoot people, gun-owners
shoot people with guns. Both are
subject to malfunction and are
terrifying. The number of threats
against the President spiked again
this summer, and naturally, the
Secret Service sees the depressed
economy as the impetus behind
the increased amount of threats.
Yet between the Party
Gatecrashers incident, the report
of the way-more-than-we-knew
numbers, and the increased
likelihood of this country
spawning more and more people
who are scared, angry, hungry
and pissed with each dollar they
find themselves short, we're a
long way from any security
climate resembling normal.
The further we go, the deeper the
hole to fall: especially after the
presidency of George W. Bush,
which openly encouraged and
provoked fanaticism and
Christian extremism from the
top, electing a black president
was never not going to come
with these problems. The only
comfort anyone can take in this
is, I guess, that it didn't stop
people from doing so.
E-reader Newspaper
Weezer's Rivers Cuomo Injured
in Bus Accident, Sweater
Possibly Destroyed [Accidents]
By Foster Kamer (Gawker) Also, "police said they do not
Submitted at 12/6/2009 3:00:00 PM
suspect drugs or alcohol were a
factor in the accident," by which
No! A nice, friendly rock star they obviously mean "he did not
named Rivers Cuomo who leads have our hash pipe." Also, this is
up awesome rock band Weezer very strange! Because, um, hello.
got into a bus accident earlier this Either way, (1) Drivers, it's
morning in Upstate New York. winter! Be careful! (2) Get better,
Rivers and his family were in a Rivers. The world needs more of
bus going from one gig to you and less of this. And (3)
another when their bus slid on Weezer is a great band and even
some ice, CNN reports: though they might not make
Rivers Cuomo, 40, complained r e c o r d s y o u l i k e s o m u c h
of rib pain and was transferred, anymore—lots of people still
along with one other passenger, do—if we were without them,
t o S t . M a r y ' s H o s p i t a l i n rock and roll would be far worse
Amsterdam, New York. Cuomo's off. Here's to them, and what's
wife, daughter, and a fifth my favorite, and arguably, their
passenger on the bus were best video:
uninjured. The bus was traveling I know some of you will be like
from Toronto, Ontario, to OH COME ON, "BUDDY
Boston, Massachusetts, for a HOLLY," so fine, shut up, here:
show Monday night at the Weezer - buddy holly
Agganis Arena at Boston Uploaded by harrison73. -
University. Explore more music videos.
E-reader Newspaper Sports/ 49

College Football Diary: SEC Championship

(WSJ.com: The Daily Fix)
Submitted at 12/5/2009 11:00:53 AM

Associated Press Mark Ingram

celebrates one of his three
touchdowns for Alabama.
The Journal provides minute-by-
minute analysis of No. 2
Alabama’s 32-13 victory over
No. 1 Florida in today’s
Southeastern Conference
championship game from the
Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Guest
blogger Steve Kornacki offers
commentary on the game —
featuring the top two teams in the
Bowl Championship Series
rankings — and the CBS telecast.
3:13 pm | Pregame | by Steve
Kornacki
You want a playoff? You got it!
Itâs Semifinal Saturday in college OK, hopefully youâre picking up That would be like an NBA team Florida has some advantages, Letâs just hope this one ends up
on my tongue-in-cheek tone: winning its division by 41 too. For one, the Tideâs Mark as exciting as the Snow Bowl that
football, with Alabama and
Today will be fun, but letâs not games. Alabama had some close Ingram, who ran for just 30 yards just wrapped up in Pittsburgh â
Florida squaring off for a spot in
confuse it with an authentic calls (especially against against Auburn last week and where Tony Pike led a dramatic
the national title game!
playoff semifinal day. We could Tennessee and Auburn) but still who sat out the final drive with a last-minute drive to lift
And in the other semifinal game,
Texas can earn a shot at the very well end today with five led the pack in the West by three hip injury, will play â but who Cincinnati over Pitt 45-44. The
undefeated teams â three of games. The SEC in 2009 has knows how close to 100 percent Bearcats will probably become
championship by taking care of
whom will be told they donât been like what the Big 10 used to heâll be? Plus, the Gators have the latest team to finish a season
business against Nebraska
deserve an opportunity to earn a be: two elite teams and everyone been more consistent this year; undefeated and still be denied a
tonight. But if they donât, then
championship on the field. That else. they didnât have to rely on a chance to earn a championship
Cincinnati-Pitt becomes the other
semifinal game, with the doesnât happen in a real playoff. The Tide have a few things blocked field goal to beat Lane on the field. Unless Texas loses
And with that, Iâll step off my working in their favor: Gator Kiffinâs Tennessee team. and the voters somehow bump
Bearcats needing to win by an
soapbox, and turn my attention to sack machine Carlos Dunlap has It will be a real playoff idle TCU down a notch,
impressive enough margin to
an SEC championship game that been sidelined by a DUI charge, atmosphere in Atlanta. Too bad Cincinnati will play for little
leapfrog TCU in the BCS
has an opportunity to redeem a Tim Tebow and the Florida we canât have more games like more than glory in the Sugar
standings. And if they donât, then
maybe Boise State-New Mexico 2009 college football season that offense havenât really been this. Bowl â against the loser of the
has lacked real drama. themselves (until last week, at 3:53 pm | Pregame | by Steve Tide-Gators game.
State is the other semifinal
There really isnât much need to least) since No. 15âs concussion Kornacki 4:05 pm | Pregame | by Steve
game, with the Bronocs hoping
hype this one: Both teams against Kentucky, and thereâs Weâre closing in on kickoff. The Kornacki
to somehow jump both Cincy and
TCU. But if they canât, then towered above their competition also the revenge factor after last stakes are pretty obvious: The I love seeing Gene Stallings in
maybe Texas will end up in the in the SEC this season. Florida yearâs SEC title game. Also: Lee victor goes to the BCS title game this pregame piece about the
title game after all, even if they won the East by four games â Corso was sporting elephant in Pasadena, the loser plays in the
this with an eight-game schedule. headgear this morning. Sugar Bowl. COLLEGE page 50
lose to Nebraska.
50
COLLEGE
continued from page 49
Florida-Bama rivalry. CBS is
showing clips of all of their SEC
title match-ups -- this is the
seventh time they've met in the
game. Interesting that they left
out one coach: Mike DuBose,
who mostly failed in his four
years with Alabama -- except
1999, when his Tide beat Florida
twice in one season, capped by a
34-7 shellacking for the SEC
crown.
4:09 pm | Pregame | by Steve
Kornacki
First commercial break reminds
me of the importance of having
the remote near me at all times,
so I can hit mute at the first sign
of a Geico ad.
4:12 pm | Pregame | by Steve
Kornacki
It's 4:12 and still no kickoff.
CBS is going to cram as many
commercials as humanly
possible into this thing.
4:12 pm | Pregame | by Steve
Kornacki
It's 4:12 and still no kickoff.
CBS is going to cram as many
commercials as humanly
possible into this thing.
4:13 pm | Pregame | by Steve
Kornacki
Nick Saban confirms to Tracy
Wolfson that his team intends to
"play for 60 minutes," dispelling
rumors that the Tide only
planned to play the first 40.
4:14 pm | 1st quarter, 0-0 | by
Steve Kornacki
OK, here were go. Gators
kickoff, Bama starts at its own
22. In a spread formation!
4:18 pm | 1st quarter, 0-0 | by
Steve Kornacki
Very nice start here for
Alabama. With their third first
down, they're now inside the
Gator 40. And they're doing it
more in the air than on the
ground; so far, Mark Ingram has
only carried twice for 9 yards.
4:21 pm | 1st quarter, 3-0 Tide |
by Steve Kornacki
On third and four from the Gator
31, McElroy hits Julio Jones, but
he can't quite hang on. Saban
opts for the field goal and Leigh
Tiffin's 48-yarder splits the
uprights. 3-0 Crimson Tide with
10:37 left in the first quarter.
4:22 pm | 1st quarter, 3-0 Tide |
by Steve Kornacki
We've gone nearly five minutes
of playing time without Tim
Tebow's name being mentioned.
Somebody better rectify this!
4:23 pm | 1st quarter, 3-0 Tide |
by Steve Kornacki
And 45 seconds later, Verne
Lundquist comes through.
4:25 pm | 1st quarter, 3-0 Tide |
by Steve Kornacki
Florida burned Alabama on an
inside pitch last year, but this
time the Tide seems ready --
Tebow's shovel pass to Aaron
Hernandez goes for just two
yards on first down.
4:27 pm | 1st quarter, 3-0 Tide |
by Steve Kornacki
A three-and-out for the Gators
on their first series. Tebow comes
under heavy pressure on third
down and is forced to throw it
away. After the Chas Henry punt,
Bama gets it back at its own 28.
Exactly the start Tide fans were
looking for.
4:29 pm | 1st quarter, 3-0 Tide |
by Steve Kornacki
Another first down pass play --
this time for 19 yards to Colin
Peek. McElroy is 4-of-5 for 48
yards in the early-going.
4:31 pm | 1st quarter, 3-0 Tide |
by Steve Kornacki
And Ingram has now rushed for
31 yards -- or one more than he
managed all of last week against
Auburn. The last one was for 15
yards and brought the Tide to the
Florida 35.
4:34 pm | 1st quarter, 3-0 Tide |
by Steve Kornacki
First penalty of the game: Illegal
formation on Alabama, send
them back to their own 18 for a
2nd and 8. Might be a little
demoralizing for the Tide to have
to settle for a field goal again.
4:37 pm | 1st quarter, 3-0 Tide |
by Steve Kornacki
And now we have our second
penalty: a costly holding call
against Florida that negates a
2nd and 8 sack and sets up the
Tide with a 1st and Goal at the 7.
Ingram carries it up the middle
and into the end zone. His
Heisman campaign is officially
back on. Actually, hold that
thought: his knee might have
been down just before he thrust
the ball over the goal line. It's
under review.
4:39 pm | 1st quarter, 9-0 Tide |
by Steve Kornacki
The call stands. Tiffin hits the
upright on the extra-point, so it's
only 9-0 Bama with 5:33 left in
the first. What is it with botched
extra points today? Pitt and
Cincinnati each missed one
earlier today. But at least they
had an excuse: they were playing
in the snow. Lundquist tells us
that it's Tiffin's third missed XP
of the season.
4:40 pm | 1st quarter, 9-0 Tide |
by Steve Kornacki
Alabama has 120 yards of total
offense so far. Florida has 2.
McElroy is 5-of-7 for 62 yards.
Tebow is 1-of-3 for 2.
4:41 pm | 1st quarter, 9-0 Tide |
by Steve Kornacki
Ah, the Jack Link's Beef Jerky
Action Cam is back! Only in
America....
4:42 pm | 1st quarter, 9-0 Tide |
by Steve Kornacki
CBS stat says that 9-0 is the
largest deficit the Gators have
faced all year. This could be
where scheduling Charleston
Southern and Florida
International comes back to bite
the Gators: experience playing
from behind might be helpful
right now.
4:46 pm | 1st quarter, 9-0 Tide |
by Steve Kornacki
Big third and 7 completion
from Tebow to Brandon James.
Gators now at the Alabama 49.
4:50 pm | 1st quarter, 9-0 Tide |
by Steve Kornacki
Another third-down conversion,
this time to Riley Cooper, brings
the Gators to the 29. But once
again, they follow up with poor
plays on first and second down.
Third and long again for Florida
now. This time Tebow comes
under pressure in the pocket and
has to throw it away (and it's
nearly picked). A long field goal
attempt for Caleb Sturgis is
coming.
E-reader Newspaper
4:52 pm | 1st quarter, 9-0 Tide |
by Steve Kornacki
It will be a 48-yard attempt.
Sturgis is 2-for-2 on the season
from between 40 and 49 yards --
and 19-for-26 overall. But a miss
here will leave the Tide in
terrific shape -- a 9-0 lead and the
call near their own 40.
4:54 pm | 1st quarter, 9-3 Tide |
by Steve Kornacki
Instead, Sturgis nails it -- plenty
of distance and just inside the
right upright. With 28 seconds
left in the quarter, it's now 9-3
Alabama. (Except in Vegas,
where the Tide leads by 11.)
4:58 pm | 1st quarter, 9-3 Tide |
by Steve Kornacki
The Wildcat fools no one on first
down for Bama. Ingram is
stopped for a loss of one.
Quarter ends. Tide by 6.
5:03 pm | 2nd quarter, 9-3 Tide |
by Steve Kornacki
Much better performance for the
Florida defense here. On second
down, McElroy is pressured by
Will Hill and is lucky to
complete a short pass. And
Brandon Hicks stops Ingram
cold on third down. Florida will
get the ball back.
5:06 pm | 2nd quarter, 9-3 Tide |
by Steve Kornacki
Gators take over at their own 35
and Tebow looks deep to
Hernandez -- but he's well-
covered. Still, momentum feels
like it's shifted a bit in Florida's
favor these last few minutes.
5:09 pm | 2nd quarter, 9-3 Tide |
by Steve Kornacki
COLLEGE page 51
E-reader Newspaper
COLLEGE
continued from page 50
OK, forget that momentum
thing. The Gators shoot
themselves in the foot with a
holding call, which wipes out a
14-yard Brandon James run. And
Tebow can't make anything
happen on a third and long.
McElroy's heading back on the
field.
5:10 pm | 2nd quarter, 9-3 Tide |
by Steve Kornacki
The Aflac trivia question asks
which two teams have won three
consensus national titles over
four-year periods in the last 100
years. I'm thinking they have to
be really old ones -- maybe
Oklahoma under Bud Wilkinson
and maybe Army or something?
5:13 pm | 2nd quarter, 9-3 Tide |
by Steve Kornacki
McElroy sold the play-action
nicely on 2nd and 4 and he finds
Marquis Maze across the Tide
30 for a first down. At least so
far, the Tide is getting more out
of the QB position than the
Gators are.
5:15 pm | 2nd quarter, 9-3 Tide |
by Steve Kornacki
"How about the quarterback?!"
Lundquist exclaims as McElroy
makes a nice block that extends
Trent Richardson's run four extra
yards. Then, on third and three
McElroy hits Maze in the flat,
who takes off for 34 yards. First
down Alabama at the Florida 28.
Chance for the Tide to really do
some damage here.
5:17 pm | 2nd quarter, 9-3 Tide |
by Steve Kornacki
A reader asks: "Hey Steve, Who
has more fans there, and is which
teams fans are more enthusiastic
at this point?"
I guess I should take this
opportunity to point out that I am
nowhere near the Georgia Dome.
In fact, I've never been to the
Georgia Dome; the closest I ever
came was seeing a Braves game
at Fulton County Stadium when I
was about seven. (I'm pretty sure
they lost -- like they always did
back then.)Â So my vantage
point is as good as yours. It
seems like they have about the
same number of fans -- but the
Tide's crowd has had a lot more
to cheer about so far.
5:18 pm | 2nd quarter, 9-3 Tide |
by Steve Kornacki
We have an Aflac answer:
Minnesota in the 1930s and
Notre Dame in the 1940s. Who
knew!?
5:19 pm | 2nd quarter, 9-3 Tide |
by Steve Kornacki
Gary Danielson is calling for a
trick play!
5:25 pm | 2nd quarter, 9-3 Tide |
by Steve Kornacki
The officials review
Baryshnikovâs McElroyâs run
and it stands. First down for the
Tide at the Gator 17.
5:26 pm | 2nd quarter, 12-3 Tide
| by Steve Kornacki
Finally, the Gators register a
sack, with Brandon Spikes and
Ahmad Black teaming up to take
down McElroy. Tiffin connects
from 34 yards to make it 12-3
Alabama with 6:03 to play until
halftime.
5:28 pm | 2nd quarter, 12-3 Tide
| by Steve Kornacki
Tim Brando just declared the
East Carolina Pirates, who won
the Conference USA title over
Houston today, "Sugar Bowl
bound." If only! They're actually
playing the the Liberty Bowl --
possibly against South Carolina,
in a game that would pit ECU's
Skip Holtz against the
school that essentially pushed
him and his father out after the
2004 season.
5:32 pm | 2nd quarter, 12-10
Tide | by Steve Kornacki
Suddenly, Tebow is coming to
life. Two big runs by the
QBÂ set the Gators up inside the
Alabama 30, then he hits David
Nelson on the next play for a
touchdown. 92 seconds after that
Tide field goal, the Gators pull to
within two, 12-10. 4:31 left in
the half.
5:33 pm | 2nd quarter, 12-10
Tide | by Steve Kornacki
That missed XP earlier by Tiffin
may loom large for bettors. The
line at kickoff was 5 -- which is
exactly what Florida will lead by
if they put another TD up. Had
Tiffin made the kick, though, the
next Gator TD would only make
it a four-point game.
5:37 pm | 2nd quarter, 12-10
Tide | by Steve Kornacki
How about that for an answer?
Bama spreads it out on first down
and McElroy, under pressure,
dumps it off to Ingram -- who
scampers for 69 yards, all the
way down to the Florida 3.
Maybe Tebow should have been
yelling at the defense instead of
the offense on his way off the
field after that last TD....
5:37 pm | 2nd quarter, 12-10
Tide | by Steve Kornacki
Hang on. We've got a review.
Ingram might have stepped out at
the Florida 35. Huge break for
the Gators if this gets moved
back.
5:38 pm | 2nd quarter, 19-10
Tide | by Steve Kornacki
Play stands. Chance for the Tide
to make it a two-possession game
again. And they do: Ingram runs
to the left for his second TD of
the day. With the PAT it's 19-10,
3:32 to go.
5:41 pm | 2nd quarter, 19-10
Tide | by Steve Kornacki
Still plenty of time of Florida,
obviously. And the Gators also
get the ball to start the next half.
5:42 pm | 2nd quarter, 19-10
Tide | by Steve Kornacki
Statistically, Alabama is
dominating right now: 265 total
yards to 134. 17:07 of
possession to 9:21. And 11 first
downs to 6.
5:43 pm | 2nd quarter, 19-10
Tide | by Steve Kornacki
OK, I guess we're not going to
be doing long drives any more.
There's a 59-yard Tebow pass to
Riley Cooper, bringing the
Gators down to the Tide 20.
5:48 pm | 2nd quarter, 19-10
Tide | by Steve Kornacki
Florida's going to have to settle
for a field goal -- about a 32-
yarder. If Sturgis can hit it,
they'll be within six -- with the
ball to start the half. But there's
still about 1:30 left in the half --
and the Tide are moving the ball
very well on offense.
5:49 pm | 2nd quarter, 19-13
Tide | by Steve Kornacki
Danielson warns of an offside
51
penalty against Alabama on the
kick. Lundquist suggests a fake
might be in the offing. Neither
happens. Sturgis nails it. 19-13
Tide.
5:52 pm | Halftime, 19-13 Tide |
by Steve Kornacki
Alabama's just going to run the
clock down. So barring a
turnover, it'll be 19-13 at the
break. As Danielson just noted,
Florida has to feel good about
that. It could be a lot worse.
Instead, Tebow will start the third
quarter with the ball and a
chance to put his team on top.
The final seconds tick away. It's
halftime.
6:15 pm | Halftime, 19-13 Tide |
by Steve Kornacki
Ugh, Brando really ought to
brush up on East Carolina. First,
he erroneously declared the
Pirates Sugar Bowl-bound
(they're actually going to the
Liberty, probably to play a 3-5
SEC team). And now, in praising
the school's coach, he just said,
"How about the job Skip Holtz
has done: First he takes
Connecticut from I-AA to I-A --
and now look what he's done!"
Except Holtz didn't take UConn
to I-A. Randy Edsall did. Holtz
left after the 1998 season, when
he brought the Huskies to the I-
AA playoffs. They didn't even
begin their transition to I-A until
2000 -- when Holtz was on his
father's staff at South Carolina.
6:20 pm | Halftime, 19-13 Tide |
by Steve Kornacki
So I guess we have some angry
COLLEGE page 53
52 Sports/ E-reader Newspaper

Once Spilled, Weis Can't Remove Carroll Stain

By John Walters (Fanhouse beachside communities of 3. Weis claims that the and in no way intended to
Main) Rolling Hills, Hermosa Beach comments were made off-the- misrepresent the comments made
Submitted at 12/6/2009 6:00:00 AM
and Manhattan Beach, Calif. It record. Here is a statement from by Coach Weis. I was one of five
may be a triviality, but should Tim Prister regarding the incident reporters asked to this gathering
Filed under: Daily Domer Carroll choose to sue Weis for that currently appears in the and in no way would I intend to
S O U T H B E N D , I n d . - - I n slander, such a factual error message boards section of Irish disparage or misrepresent Coach
coaching jargon, Charlie Weis would only further erode Weis' Illustrated: Weis. I imagine that Weis fully
u s e d t o d e f i n e t h e t e r m credibility. Carroll, who was The five reporters and Charlie intended that statement to be off-
"explosives" as any pass play that apprised of the accusation by Weis were discussing Internet the-record. Whether or not he
went for 20 or more yards and T r o j a n s p o r t s i n f o r m a t i o n rumors Saturday when a question made that clear is something only
any rushing play that went for 10 d i r e c t o r T i m T e s s a l o n e , pertaining to Pete Carroll was those six people, and their tape
or more yards. The recently responded, "It's untrue. It's asked. Comments were made that recorders, can answer. Two
dismissed Notre Dame football irresponsible." were, in my opinion, on the weeks ago I spent 70 minutes
coach redefined that term on 2. On Saturday, Weis invited alumnus, has a son who is a record, and corroborated by with Weis, one-on-one, and we
Saturday when he dropped this five members of the media to the student, and has been covering another reporter in attendance as jumped from on-the-record to off
bombshell of sorts during an exit Hannah and Friends Farm, the Fighting Irish football dating on the record. However, Coach -the-record.
interview with five hand-picked special needs facility just a few back to the days of Gerry Faust. Weis, later in the day, indicated Lee Corso once told me
media members. miles north of campus that Weis There is no one on the beat who that they were not on the record something that I have never
Q: Is it frustrating to Pete and his wife, Maura, worked so consistently displays greater and were taken out of context. forgotten. "Never go off the
Carroll, for example, portrayed in hard these past five years to make insight and who walks the Before talking to Coach Weis record," Corso said. "If you have
one way... a reality. The five invitees were tightrope between fair and tough later in the day, I took the to go off the record with a
CW: Let me ask you this Jeff Jeffers of WNDU-TV, Tim better than Tim does. If Weis comments at face value and comment, you're better off just
question: You guys know about Prister of Irish Illustrated, Eric intended the comment to be off reported them after transcribing not saying it in the first place."
things that go on in different Hansen of the South Bend the record (see No. 3), I am the interview and presenting it in 4. In about 10 seconds Weis
places. Was I living with a grad Tribune, Mike Frank of Irish 100% certain either he failed to its entirety (the question-answer squandered all the moral
student in Malibu, or was I living Sports Daily and Ryan O'Leary adequately clarify that point or part) before any of the other currency and good will he had
with my wife in my house? You of Irish Sports Daily. that Prister made an honest reporters presented it. deposited since his firing. Earlier
could bet that if I were living Weis told them, "I believe that mistake. There is no more Shortly thereafter, I was this week it was reported that
with a grad student here in South you guys now, you five guys care professional person on the beat contacted by Coach Weis and Weis was still contacting at least
Bend, it would be national news. about Notre Dame ... You do not than Tim Prister. asked to remove the comment one verbally committed recruit
He's doing it in Malibu and it's wish ill will on Notre Dame. I 3. As a Notre Dame alum because it was an off the record (wide receiver Daniel Smith of
not national news. What's the don't believe that's the case with myself, I do not wish ill will on statement taken out of context. South Bend Clay High School).
difference? I don't understand. everyone." Notre Dame. Nor on Charlie. But We took the necessary measures On Friday he appeared at the
Why is it okay for one guy to do ****** that's not my job, to "care about to remove it because of the football banquet in great spirits,
things like that, but for for me, A few points on that: Notre Dame." Our job is to report m i s c o m m u n i c a t i o n , b u t a handing out awards and cracking
I'm scrutinized when I swear. I'm 1. This was an 80- to 90-minute the news. So, yes, when your star national story still contained the jokes. Now, with one careless
sorry for swearing; absolve my roundtable. All comments made quarterback gets a shiner only comment. The reason it appeared comment, even if it was intended
sins." by Weis were heard by everyone hours after playing what was on our site and no one else's is to be off the record, he shows
A few points: assembled, and yet only Prister probably his final home game, because we were the first to disregard for a principle that
1. For what it's worth, Pete included them in his piece. Why we in the media are obligated to report it. The other reporters were most kindergarten students have
Carroll does not own any did the other four media report that and to investigate how asked not to use it after our story already committed to memory:
property in Malibu, at least not members at this session not run it happened. That does not make appeared and prior to them mind your own business.
under his name. Carroll owns one this comment? us pro- or anti-Notre Dame. It publishing their stories.
home each in the neighboring ONCE page 55
2. Prister is a Notre Dame makes us reporters. I regret the miscommunication
E-reader Newspaper
COLLEGE
continued from page 51
Gator fans emailing to complain
about Verne and Gary. This one
sums up the sentiment pretty
well: "What's with these
announcers? What about the code
of being impartial? And by the
way I wonder how many more
times will they mention Dunlap
"DUI" what about innocent until
proven guilty? Any sins on
Bamas side? He who Is without
sin cast the first stone."
Thanks for the legal pointers,
Alan Dershowitz. But here's a
wild guess: If Alabama's best
defensive lineman was out
because of a DUI arrest, we
wouldn't be getting any lectures
from Florida fans about due
process and the presumption of
innocence.
6:21 pm | 3rd quarter, 19-13
Tide | by Steve Kornacki
And here we go. Florida gets the
ball first, since Alabama won the
toss and elected to receive at the
start of the game. They got three
points out of that drive. Let's see
what the Gators can do.
6:23 pm | 3rd quarter, 19-13
Tide | by Steve Kornacki
Tracy Wolfson informs us that
Brandon James is out for the rest
of the game. Big blow for the
Gators -- especially on punt
returns, as Danielson notes.
6:25 pm | 3rd quarter, 19-13
Tide | by Steve Kornacki
The Tide forces a three-and-out
and Henry's punt dies at the
Alabama 26. When the first half
ended, I had a feeling that the
Gators offense was going to
come out on fire and grab the
lead right away. So a very big
stop for Alabama there.
6:26 pm | 3rd quarter, 19-13
Tide | by Steve Kornacki
Bama converts its third-and-
short, with a four-yard run from
Ingram. He's got 65 for the
day -- plus two touchdowns. A
far cry from last week against
Auburn.
6:29 pm | 3rd quarter, 26-13
Tide | by Steve Kornacki
Florida has really hurt itself with
some big, untimely penalties.
Here's yet another: roughing the
passer after a near-sack of
McElroy. First down for the Tide
at the Gator 17 now. And
McElroy makes them pay.....a
touchdown toss to Colin Peek,
the tight end. Tiffin adds the XP.
It's 26-13 Tide now! Guess we're
going to see if Tebow really is a
miracle worker.
6:33 pm | 3rd quarter, 26-13
Tide | by Steve Kornacki
Florida has four penalties for 46
yards. Two of them have been
followed immediately by
Alabama touchdowns -- that last
play, and a holding call in the
first quarter that was followed by
Ingram's touchdown run. Bama
has one penalty for five yards.
6:34 pm | 3rd quarter, 26-13
Tide | by Steve Kornacki
Great stat on CBS: The last time
Florida gave up 26 points in a
game was its October 2008 loss
to Mississippi.
6:38 pm | 3rd quarter, 26-13
Tide | by Steve Kornacki
On 3rd and 12 from the Gator
39, Tebow barely gets it away
but Marquis Johnson bats it
away from Riley Cooper at the
first-down marker. We're
halfway through the third quarter
and so far the Florida offense has
done nothing this half.
6:41 pm | 3rd quarter, 26-13
Tide | by Steve Kornacki
Emmitt Smith is on the sidelines
giving Tebow a pep talk!
6:43 pm | 3rd quarter, 26-13
Tide | by Steve Kornacki
I know Julio Jones stopped short
on that last pass, but I still think
most referees would have
flagged Janoris Jenkins for pass
interference. Instead, the Tide
face a 3rd and 7 -- and catch a
break as the Gators are flagged
for YET ANOTHER costly
penalty, this one for offsides.
Now it's 3rd and 2.
6:44 pm | 3rd quarter, 26-13
Tide | by Steve Kornacki
And Ingram makes them pay.
First down Tide, inside the 50
now.
6:46 pm | 3rd quarter, 26-13
Tide | by Steve Kornacki
The Gators defense has now
given up 363 yards. Is Charlie
Strong still the front-runner for
the Louisville job? Make it 372.
On 3rd and 7, Strong sends a
blitz, but McElroy gets rid of it
fast -- for a first down to Julio
Jones.
6:48 pm | 3rd quarter, 26-13
Tide | by Steve Kornacki
Alabama's now inside the
Florida 30. Looks like a 3rd and
short. And Ingram charges ahead
for yet another third-down
conversion. A touchdown here
would give the Tide a 20-point
lead. A field goal would make it
16 -- meaning Florida would
need two touchdowns and two
two-point conversions to tie.
6:50 pm | 3rd quarter, 26-13
Tide | by Steve Kornacki
As of now, I think we can say
that Mark Ingram has pulled
ahead of Tim Tebow in the
Heisman race.
6:52 pm | 3rd quarter, Tide 26-
13 | by Steve Kornacki
The quarter will end with
Alabama facing a 2nd and 9 at
the Florida 10. They held the
Gators to two three-and-outs that
quarter and ran the final 7:30 off
the clock on a long drive that has
them on the brink of scoring
again. Anything can happen (as
we saw in Pittsburgh earlier
today) but if the Tide can score a
touchdown here, it might be time
for Gators' fans to start getting
ready for their date with
Cincinnati in the Sugar Bowl.
6:56 pm | 4th quarter, 26-13 Tide
| by Steve Kornacki
McElroy is now doing a better
Tim Tebow than Tim Tebow
does.
7:00 pm | 4th quarter, 26-13 Tide
| by Steve Kornacki
Make that three TD's for Ingram,
capping what was Alabama's
longest drive -- in time and
distance -- of the season (thanks,
CBS stats people). The play is
under review though -- did he
actually get the ball across? I
think so. If he didn't, they'll get
three more chances.
7:01 pm | 4th quarter, 32-13 Tide
| by Steve Kornacki
Call stands. 32-13 Tide. I
assume they'll go for two here to
make it an even 21. They do --
53
and McElroy's pass falls
incomplete. Still, it's a three-
possession game now with 13:52
to play.
7:04 pm | 4th quarter, 32-13 Tide
| by Steve Kornacki
Tebow gets it at his own 35.
They don't have a first down yet
for this half. And the QB throws
low on first down. Incomplete.
7:07 pm | 4th quarter, 32-13 Tide
| by Steve Kornacki
There's a first down! Tebow
keeps it on 3rd and 2, and the
Gators are near midfield now.
Clock is ticking, though.
And...fumble!! Tebow is hit hard
from behind and coughs it up!
Tide ball -- probably. We'll have
a review to see if it might
actually be an incomplete pass.
An overrule will preserve
whatever little chance the Gators
still have.
7:09 pm | 4th quarter, 32-13 Tide
| by Steve Kornacki
And it is overturned! Florida is
still alive! Kind of!
7:11 pm | 4th quarter, 32-13 Tide
| by Steve Kornacki
Interception! I was starting to
ask myself if Tebow could
actually engineer a comeback.
After that overrule, he hit
Hernandez and Nelson to bring
the Gators to the 10 -- then threw
it right to the Tide's Javier
Arenas in the end zone. Bama
will take over at their own 20.
And as we saw last possession,
they know how to kill the clock.
7:18 pm | 4th quarter, 32-13 Tide
| by Steve Kornacki
COLLEGE page 55
54 Sports/ E-reader Newspaper

Conveniently, BCS Wins Again in Texas

By Kevin Blackistone were. For like King, the BCS "When did the ball hit out of If there was a real playoff
(Fanhouse Main) always has a vested interest in bounds and where was the system - with eight, or better yet,
Submitted at 12/5/2009 6:05:00 PM
one contestant over another. clock?" Walker explained 16 teams - the dramatic end to
Texas was the BCS's team. A afterward of what he asked of the the Big 12 championship
Filed under: NCAA Football win by the Longhorns made for replay officials. "Right away TV wouldn't have mattered. Texas
ARLINGTON, Texas-- On the as neat a BCS title game as the sent us a shot where we had the would still have a chance to win
u n d e r c a r d o f t h e g r e a t e s t BCS could conceive next month flight of the ball. They the national championship and so
p r i z e f i g h t i n S a n A n t o n i o with top-ranked and undefeated superimposed the clock...There would the teams its replay-booth
Alamodome history 16 years ago, Alabama, which skinned the was a second left, so we put that aided victory vanquished, TCU
between Julio Cesar Chavez and Florida Gators earlier Saturday. back up." and Cincinnati. Even Florida
Pernell Whitaker, was another A win by the Cornhuskers, quarterback Colt McCoy to his It reminded me of the obviously would've been given an
world title bout between Azumah however, would have caused the s p e e d y r o o m m a t e J o r d a n doctored scorecards from that opportunity to redeem itself and
Nelson and challenger Jesse party to be crashed like an Shipley, who was then illegally Nelson-Leija fight that King its quarterback Tim Tebow could
James Leija. But Leija looked Obama state dinner by a couple horse-collared by Cornhuskers' oversaw, and overturned. have saved his tears.
more like the champ as the fight o f w a n n a b e s l i k e T C U o r safety Larry Asante, pushed the Texas kicker Hunter Lawrence It didn't even seem like Texas
wore on. Cincinnati, no matter that they, Longhorns to the Nebraska 26, lined up from the left hash mark deserved to beat Nebraska.
It wasn't until the scorecards too, stood undefeated and ranked within field goal range. A sack for a 46-yard field goal and after McCoy looked like anything but
came out that appearances fourth and fifth, respectively, in and one-yard scramble left the Nebraska used its last timeout put a Heisman hopeful quarterback
changed. The Xeroxed copies of the BCS rankings. Longhorns at the Nebraska 29 the ball through the uprights to as the Cornhuskers picked him
the cards looked to have suffered It is against that backdrop that with a third down and seven i g n i t e p a n d e m o n i u m f r o m off three times. In what was a
some last-second editing. made the ending of the Big 12 seconds left. Texas's side of the field. defensive battle all night, what
The fight, which was promoted t i t l e g a m e , w h i c h w a s n ' t But the Longhorns didn't opt to "I thought time was over," said Nebraska's defense, known as the
by the notorious Don King, was supposed to be in doubt, curious. kick the field goal then or run a the night's best player, Nebraska Blackshirts, did to Texas, holding
ruled a draw. Nelson was King's The prevailing prediction for this simple handoff and use their last defensive tackle Ndamukong it to 202 yards and one
fighter. Leija got robbed. match was that Nebraska lights- timeout. Instead, Texas coach Suh, who registered a dozen touchdown, was far more
I couldn't help but think of that out defense would make Texas's Mack Brown had McCoy roll out tackles and 4½ sacks for 21 lost impressive than what the
bout as the Big 12 Championship high-powered offense struggle, to his right. yards. "But obviously it wasn't so Longhorns defensive did to
Game on Saturday night wound but that its anemic offense McCoy ran all the way to the they had an opportunity to kick a Nebraska's notoriously impotent
down between undefeated second wouldn't give it much of a chance sidelines before throwing the ball field goal, and from that point offense. All the Longhorns'
-ranked Texas and its upset- a t a n u p s e t . A l l b u t t h e out of bounds and harm's way, our job as defensive linemen was defense shut down was the next-
minded challenger from conclusion was wrong. and when he was done the clock to black that field goal. We didn't to-last most-prolific offense in
Nebraska. It felt like somebody With 1:44 left in the game, the struck zero and the Cornhuskers do that so they ended up winning the Big 12, and the 92nd least-
g o t r o b b e d - N e b r a s k a Cornhuskers grabbed a 12-10 and coaches on the Nebraska the game." threatening in the country.
specifically, and, more important, lead on a 42-yard field goal by sidelined rushed the field. Pelini refused to elaborate on his Nebraska's offensive offense
TCU or Cincinnati. Alex Henery. Nebraska coach Bo "We thought we won the game," thoughts about the decision to lived down to expectations on
After all, this was a game that Pelini then foolishly allowed his C o r n h u s k e r s ' s a f e t y M a t t restore a second to the game. Saturday.
ended twice, the first time with kickoff specialist Adi Kunalic to O'Hanlon said. I'm not certain the referees got it So Texas moved on to meet the
the Nebraska Cornhuskers as Big try a directional kick, rather than The pandemonium was quickly wrong. But I am certain that Crimson Tide a month from now
12 champions with a 12-10 win, a regular or squib, and watched interrupted, however, by referee whether they got it right doesn't at the Rose Bowl. TCU and
and the second time with the the football bounce out of bounds Tom Walker. make this ending any better. It Cincinnati won't get the chance.
Texas Longhorns crowned as 13- to allow Texas to start a potential "The last play is under review," can't because the BCS, which It underscored that the BCS isn't
12 victors. game-winning drive from its own he said, and a hush fell over the benefited, is such a contrived even as forgiving as everyone's
Don King's fingerprints weren't 4 0 . A 1 9 - y a r d p a s s f r o m mostly Texas burnt-orange manner to determine college
on this contest, but the BCS's Longhorns' Heisman hopeful CONVENIENTLY, page 55
crowd. football's champion.
E-reader Newspaper
ONCE
continued from page 52
5. Whether Weis' allegation is
accurate -- the rumor about
Carroll and a grad student has
been out there for awhile -- is
hardly the point. Weis may be
sore by the sharp contrast in
which he and Carroll were
profiled by "60 Minutes". In
2006 Weis came off as an overly
self-assured loud-mouth while in
2008 Carroll was practically
beatified for his after-hours work
with gangbangers. Weis may be
upset that ESPN, which has
reporter Shelley Smith based
practically inside Heritage Hall,
finds a feel-good tale about the
Trojans to run on "GameDay"
every month while his charitable
work goes unnoticed nationally.
But this is what Weis has never
understood: let someone else
make those points for you. Don't
be your own cheerleader. Be
humble.
6. Earlier this week I was a guest
on a radio show and was asked
point blank, "Do you like
Charlie?" My answer then was
"yes" and it remains that way. In
many ways he really is
misunderstood.
On the other hand, Saturday's
round-table provided any Weis
detractor all the ammunition he
needs. Quotes such as, "I don't
want to be rooting against (the
new coach). That would be
selfish. I've never, ever been
selfish and I don't want to start
now."
Does Weis need to be the one
telling us that he is unselfish? Or
noting, as he did during the
interview, that he was receiving
text messages from Bon Jovi and
Brian Cashman (New York
Yankees general manager) as
they were speaking?
When asked if he had any
regrets, Weis replied, "Probably
one thing I could have done my
third year here was come right
out and say, 'Look, we're going to
play a bunch of young pups and
you're going to have to live with
us,' instead of saying that we
weren't rebuilding when
everyone in the free world knew
we were.
"But I believed by saying that
that I would have been selling out
the seniors who were there, and I
just didn't think that ethically that
was the right thing to do, to give
up on the seniors and tell
everyone you were rebuilding.
But for those guys, we knew
what was happening. You didn't
need for me to tell you, and I
wasn't lying to you."
Does anyone else see the
contradiction in that statement?
7. Weis goes out of his way to
point out that he and his former
boss, Bill Belichick, are still
close. "There are people in New
England who say, 'There's a rift
between Weis and Belichick,'"
Weis says. "We've never been
closer because I've stuck by him.
While all this stuff was going
down in New England, there was
one person who was sticking by
him, and that was me. I think
that's the right way of doing it."
Such loyalty is admirable. On
the other hand, is this not the
same Bill Belichick who was
named in a 2006 divorce suit
because he was allegedly
carrying on an affair with a
secretary for the New York
Giants who was married at the
time? Why call out Carroll for an
alleged infidelity while ignoring
a similar (here comes that word)
transgression by your former
boss? It comes off as
hypocritical.
8. Pete Carroll is on Twitter, but
has had zero to tweet about
regarding this topic. Don't expect
that he will.
******
In so many ways Charlie Weis is
a tragic figure (no matter what
the size of the buyout, which he
will not discuss). You could not
work harder than he has for
Notre Dame the past five
seasons. And, in the game that
was truly his coup de grace, the
23-21 loss to Navy on November
7, his players committed a tragi-
comedy of errors while moving
the football up and down the
field at will, which was Charlie's
primary responsibility on game
day. As Weis himself wondered
yesterday, "How do you lose a
football game in which you never
have to punt?"
Weis is generous with his money
(Hannah and Friends keeps
running thanks to checks that he
writes himself) and he so often
strives to do the right thing.
Think of the "Pass Right" play in
2005 or the manner in which he
and Boston College linebacker
Mark Herzlich, who is being
treated for a rare form of cancer,
have struck up such a close
friendship. Deep down, I believe,
Charlie Weis is a good guy.
Unfortunately, he can be his own
worst enemy. His insecurity
comes out in quotes such as "I'm
never, ever selfish" or "I never
lie". And now there's the
allegation regarding Pete
Carroll's personal life, which
comes right out of the 3rd-grade
"Why are you picking on me?
What about him?" playbook.
Charlie is correct: If he were
carrying on with a grad student in
South Bend, it would be
newsworthy. But that's the price
you pay when you work for an
institution that prides itself, to the
point of unctuousness, on its
ethical high ground. Is it fair?
Who said anything about fair?
It's ironic, actually. Charlie
believed that the media
manipulated his words from the
very beginning ("You're 6-5 and
guess what? That's not good
enough."). And so, in the end, he
chose first not to appear in front
of the media (post-Stanford) and
then later to make himself
available to a select and trusted
few. And still he got burned.
Were the media the enemy? Or
was it his mouth?
Permalink| Email this| Linking
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55
CONVENIENTLY,
continued from page 54
most suspect sport, boxing. At
least boxing gave Leija a second
shot at Nelson's title, which he
won (again).
Permalink| Email this| Linking
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COLLEGE
continued from page 53
The 3rd and four give to Ingram
goes nowhere, so it will be a
three-and-out for Alabama. But
they managed to kill over two
minutes of time. Off the punt, the
Gators will start at their own 31.
Just 9:42 to go now -- and still a
three-possession game.
7:18 pm | 4th quarter, 32-13 Tide
| by Steve Kornacki
Pretty soon (as in: if the Gators
don't score on this
drive), Lundquist and
Danielson will probably start
talking about how Alabama
matches up with Texas. So let
me be the first to say: Go
Nebraska!
7:22 pm | 4th quarter, 32-13 Tide
| by Steve Kornacki
There's a 40-yard pass from
Tebow to Hernandez. Sets the
Gators up at the Alabama 20.
Clock goes under 8:30. They've
got to hurry.
7:28 pm | 4th quarter, 32-13 Tide
| by Steve Kornacki
That'll do it. Tebow seemed to
find David Nelson for a first
down on 4th and 3, but Nelson
COLLEGE page 56
56 Sports/
Perfect Saints Get Imperfect OT Win
By David Steele (Fanhouse
Main)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 9:04:00 AM
Filed under: Redskins, Saints
LANDOVER, Md. -- Sometimes,
especially when a perfect season
is on the line, it is better to be
lucky than good. It is also better
to be playing the Washington
Redskins, apparently.
The New Orleans Saints were as
close to seeing their undefeated
record go down the tubes as they
have been all season when, with
1:56 left, Washington's Shane
Suisham lined up for a 23-yard
field goal that would have given
the Redskins a 10-point lead
against a team with no timeouts
left.
But the kick sailed wide right,
and in blindingly short fashion,
the Saints swarmed downfield to
tie the game at 30, intercepted
Jason Campbell on the ensuing
drive to essentially force
overtime, forced a Mike Sellers
fumble on the first possession of
overtime, then drove 36 yards to
a field goal and a stunning 33-30
victory.
The victory kept the Saints'
dream of perfrection alive at 12-
0. In a season full of crushing
defeats, including one that ended
Detroit's 19-game losing skid,
this might have topped them all
for the Redskins (3-9), who were
booed by what remained of the
crowd after Sellers' fumble --
initially ruled down by contact,
but overturned by a booth replay
-- gave the Saints the ball at the
Redskins 37 at 2:01 into the extra
period.
Garrett Hartley kicked an 18-
yard field goal with 8:31 left in
overtime to keep the Saints, at
least record-wise, unblemished.
The kick gave the Saints their
first and only lead of the game.
Until the two late turnovers, the
Redskins had not given the ball
up all day, and even in defeat, the
Redskins scored a season high in
points -- and their highest total in
Jim Zorn's two seasons as head
coach. Jason Campbell threw a
season-high three touchdowns,
and wide receiver Devin Thomas
finished with seven receptions for
100 yards and a touchdown.
Drew Brees' 53-yard touchdown
pass to Robert Meachem with
1:19 left in the fourth quarter tied
the game at 30, and capped a
stampede of 80 yards in five
plays and 33 seconds -- again,
with no timeouts left. On the
E-reader Newspaper
COLLEGE
continued from page 55
couldn't make the play. Bama
12:51 left in the fourth quarter takes over. Just over 7 minutes
after Suisham's 21-yard field left. Lundquist just declared
goal; Washington also led 27-17 them Pasadena-bound.
midway through the third, after 7:31 pm | 4th quarter, 32-13 Tide
Campbell's third touchdown pass | by Steve Kornacki
of the game, a 13-yarder to I wonder if one of the morals of
Thomas. today is that it pays to schedule
Even after coughing up that lead, tough games. Remember that
the Redskins had the ball first in Alabama started this year with a
overtime, but Sellers, after neutral-site game against
catching a swing pass, was hit Virginia Tech -- and had to grind
and flipped by backup out a tough, character-building
cornerback Chris McAlister, and win. The Tide also faced close-
game-tying pass, Brees (419 the ball came loose. Before the calls against Tennessee and
yards, two touchdowns, one Redskins' next snap, the Saints Auburn. Did this make them
interception) froze cornerback c a l l e d t i m e - o u t , a n d t h e tougher than Florida -- which
Fred Smoot with a slight pump- subsequent review in the booth opened with Charleston
fake, and Meachem streaked confirmed that the ball had come Southern, faced no real
behind the other defenders, loose before Sellers hit the challenges in conference play
caught the pass at the 20 and ground. (the East was very weak this
raced into the end zone. McAlister, along with Mike year) and played Florida
Follow Us on Twitter Friend Us McKenzie, had joined the team International a few weeks ago?
on Facebook Meachem had also only in recent weeks thanks to 7:34 pm | 4th quarter, 32-13 Tide
scored at the end of the first half, injuries to the Saints' two starting | by Steve Kornacki
on a bizarre play in which Brees corners, and it was against the Ingram clearly resuscitated his
had been intercepted by makeshift secondary that Heisman candidacy tonight, with
Redskins' safety Kareem Moore, C a m p b e l l p u t u p h i s b i g 113 yards and three touchdowns.
who was then stripped on the n u m b e r s . But I think I'd name McElroy the
return by Meachem, who ran the Hartley, subbing for ineffective player of the game.
ball 44 yards kicker John Carney, brought the 7:38 pm | 4th quarter, 32-13 Tide
d o w n t h e s i d e l i n e s f o r a Saints to within a touchdown in | by Steve Kornacki
touchdown that tied the game at the fourth quarter with a 27- If I understand the BCS right,
17 with 22 seconds left. yarder with 6:52 to go. Florida will play either
The Redskins led 30-20 with Permalink| Email this| Linking Cincinnati or TCU in the Sugar
Blogs| Comments Bowl. So it will be the second
year that the SEC title game loser
gets an undefeated team in the
Sugar. Alabama followed up its
SEC loss to Florida last year by
losing badly to Utah.
7:40 pm | 4th quarter, 32-13 Tide
| by Steve Kornacki
COLLEGE page 57
E-reader Newspaper
AFC East Race Tightens as Henne,
Miami Upset New England
By Matt Snyder (Fanhouse
Main)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 9:15:00 AM
Filed under: Dolphins, Patriots,
AFC East This was supposed to
be elementary. When the New
England Patriots beat the
Dolphins in Week 9, they were 6-
2 and appeared ready to make a
run at the Colts for the best
record in the AFC. Four games
later and they're now holding just
a single game advantage over
two teams who had been left for
dead and on multiple occasions
this season: the Miami Dolphins
and the New York Jets.
The Patriots' loss in Miami
Sunday afternoon was a pretty
good parallel as to how their
season has gone. They held a 21-
10 lead just after halftime and
looked to be in perfect control of
the situation after an 81-yard
touchdown pass from Tom Brady
to Sam Aiken. Instead, their
offense fell apart, having their
final six drives result in zero
points -- four punts and two
Brady interceptions. More:
Check Box Score| Bears Get Past
Rams| Panthers Shut Down Bucs
On the other side of the field, the
Dolphins put together their most
impressive aerial attack of the
season and simply outbattled the
Patriots. After having lost one
prong of their two-pronged
rushing attack, the Dolphins were
forced to throw -- and throw they
did.
Chad Henne absolutely
obliterated his previous career
high (241) with 335 passing
yards. He also established new
career highs in pass attempts and
completions, as he connected on
29 of 52 throws. Davone Bess
was his main target, catching 10
passes for 117 yards and a
touchdown.
Still, the big story here is the
Patriots and their ever-shrinking
one-game divisional lead. They
Patriots wasted 448 yards of total
offense due to two interceptions
and a handful of costly penalties
(they were penalized six times
for 82 yards). This is a team who
used to have a killer instinct -- to
the point many complained about
them piling on back in 2007 --
but Sunday they failed to put
what appeared an inferior team
away. Is it possible they've lost
Sports/ 57
COLLEGE
continued from page 56
We're inside of two minutes now offense -- and it did.
and Alabama is now running out
the clock. Looks like 32-13 will
The third quarter was where this
game was really won; Tebow
not only their swagger, but some be the final -- Alabama's first came out of the lockerroom
of their confidence as well? A SEC title since 1999, and first looking to lead his team to a go-
confident team finds a way to shot at the national title since the ahead touchdown on the first
finish Sunday's game. 1992 season, when they knocked possession. Instead, Alabama
Of course, it shouldn't be off Miami in the Sugar Bowl. It forced a three-and-out. Then
difficult for the Pats to regain makes you wonder: Would this Greg McElroy led the Tide down
their swagger. They have a pretty have happened if they'd hired the field for a touchdown that
soft upcoming schedule. They'll Rich Rodriguez three years ago, made it 26-13. Then another
look to bounce back against the like they'd wanted to? Tebow three-and-out, followed
Carolina Panthers in Week 14, 7:41 pm | Final, 32-13 Tide | by by a long, grueling drive that ate
and then face the Bills, Jaguars Steve Kornacki up the rest of the quarter and set
and Texans. The only team there There's the final knee. 32-13 is the stage for Mark Ingram's nail-
with a winning record is the Jags, the final. Tim Tebow is very in-the-coffin touchdown early in
and that game will be played in definitively human. the fourth quarter.
Foxboro. 7:56 pm | Postgame, 32-13 Tide | It will be fun to watch Alabama
For the Dolphins, the win today by Steve Kornacki in Pasadena. Their offense was
teamed with the Patriots' streak Well, America got to see Tim something of a revelation.
of futility has them just a game Tebow cry. In his postgame Ingram, bouncing back from a
back after an 0-3 start. They do interview with CBS (in which, to hip injury, was very good -- and
have to continue to work hard, his credit, he effusively praised found the end zone three times.
though, because they travel to Alabama for its "class"), Tebow But McElroy's performance was
Jacksonville and Tennessee these was visibly teary-eyed, chokng an eye-opener. He finished 12-of-
next two weeks. We'll find out up as he tried to express his 18 for 239 yards and a TD and
what they are made of before disappointment with his team's made one clutch throw after
they get to close with Houston 19-point loss. another. By establishing himself
and Pittsburgh at home. In a way, today's game was as a threat, he only made it easier
Meanwhile, the Jets are also i n evitable: Ever since his for Ingram to pile up yards on the
only back a game and they get concussion against Kentucky at ground. Alabams showed a much
Tampa Bay and Atlanta these the end of September, Tebow -- more balanced attack than most
next two weeks. and by extension, the Gator of us were expecting. If they can
Even if the Patriots don't ever offense -- hasn't really looked the do it again next month, it's tough
lose the lead -- which they same. Sure, he's kept winning to see them losing.
probably won't -- one thing is for and shown plenty of daring
sure: it's going to be a lot more flashes, but it just didn't seem
interesting than we thought it quite right. The Tide had the
would a month ago. personnel to expose the Gator
Permalink| Email this| Linking
Blogs| Comments
58 Sports/ E-reader Newspaper

Alabama Crimson Tide take over top Charlie Strong Meets

spot in AP poll With Louisville AD
By Associated Press country behind Texas' 156 weeks LSU, BYU and Miami. By Brett McMurphy
(ESPN.com) in the poll. Ohio State is now Pittsburgh dropped two spots (Fanhouse Main)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 3:25:59 PM
second with 83 straight AP after losing 45-44 to Cincinnati Submitted at 12/6/2009 10:43:00 AM
rankings. in a game that decided the Big
NEW YORK -- Alabama will While the Trojans dropped out, East title. Oregon State dropped Filed under: Louisville,
head into the postseason as the No. 25 Central Michigan earned four spots to No. 17 after losing Coaching
No. 1 team in the AP Top 25 for its first AP ranking in school 37-33 at Oregon in a game that Florida defensive coordinator
the first time since 1973, while history. The Chippewas (11-2) decided the Pac-10 Charlie Strong met with
Southern California dropped out w o n t h e M i d - A m e r i c a n championship. Louisville athletic director Tom
of the ranking Sunday after an Conference for the third time in West Virginia moved up six Jurich about the Cardinals' head
eight-year run. four seasons with a 20-10 victory spots to 18 and Stanford moved coaching position Sunday in
The Crimson Tide claimed the over Ohio on Friday. up four spots to No. 19. Gainesville, a Florida source told
top spot in the media poll in The Crimson Tide was No. 1 for No. 20 Nebraska moved up one FanHouse.
overwhelming fashion, receiving a week earlier this season, but after nearly knocking the Strong visited with Jurich into Texas Tech coach Mike Leach,
58 first-place votes after its spent the previous three at No. 2 Longhorns out of the national the early evening on Sunday. Houston coach Kevin Sumlin,
emphatic 32-13 victory against before defeating the defending title game in the Big 12 There has not been an agreement Temple coach Al Golden, former
previously No. 1 Florida in the national champions. The last time championship. reached, the source said. Tennessee coach Phil Fulmer and
Southeastern Conference title Alabama went into a postseason The final five were Oklahoma Jurich obtained permission to former Auburn coach Tommy
game. game No. 1, the Tide lost the State, Arizona, Utah and speak with Strong from Florida Tuberville.
Texas moved up one spot to No. Sugar Bowl 24-23 to Notre Wisconsin -- all of which have athletic director Jeremy Foley on However, a Louisville source
2 and received two first-place Dame. been in and out of the rankings Saturday night following the told FanHouse last week that
votes, after squeaking past On Saturday, Alabama locked this season -- along with Central Gators' loss to Alabama in the Strong was the Cardinals' "clear
Nebraska 13-12 in the Big 12 up a spot in the BCS national Michigan. SEC championship game. cut favorite" to replace
title game Saturday night. TCU is championship game with its SEC Falling out with USC were Louisville is seeking a Kragthorpe.
No. 3, followed by Cincinnati, title, and is expected to play Clemson, Houston and replacement for Steve Contact FanHouse reporter Brett
Florida and unbeaten Boise State. Texas on Jan. 7 at the Rose California. Unbeaten Montana, Kragthorpe, who was fired on M c M u r p h y a t
The Trojans dropped out to snap Bowl. which plays Appalachian State in Nov. 28 after going 15-21 in brettmcmurphy@gmail.com
a streak of 130 consecutive polls TCU has its highest rankings the FCS semifinals on Saturday, three seasons. Permalink| Email this| Linking
in which they were ranked, after since winning the 1938 national received one point in the poll. Others that have been previously Blogs| Comments
completing their worst regular championship. Copyright 2009 by The reported as candidates for the
season since 2001. USC (8-4) The rest of the top 10 was Associated Press Louisville job include Central
was ranked 20th before losing 21 Oregon at No. 7, followed by This content has passed through Michigan coach Butch Jones,
-17 to Arizona on Saturday. Ohio State, Georgia Tech and fivefilters.org.
Southern Cal's streak was the Iowa. The 11-15 spots were held
second-longest active in the by Penn State, Virginia Tech,
E-reader Newspaper Sports/ 59

Gator Bowl to be final farewell for Sources: Big East Bowls

Florida State Seminoles' Bobby Set
By Brett McMurphy
Bowden (Fanhouse Main)
By Associated Press Gator Bowl chairman Dan 2010, Bowden chose to call it a Submitted at 12/6/2009 7:31:00 AM

(ESPN.com) Murphy said they immediately career after reviewing the Filed under: Connecticut, Ohio,
Submitted at 12/6/2009 3:24:11 PM
jumped to Florida State when parameters the school sought to Pittsburgh, Rutgers, South
they learned of Bowden's plans to have him work within next year - Carolina, Temple, UCF, UNC,
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Bobby retire. - namely defer much of his Big East
Bowden will coach his final "We got excited when we knew responsibility to coach-in-waiting PITTSBURGH -- With
game at Florida State in the Gator we could possibly pick Florida Jimbo Fisher. Cincinnati locking up a BCS
Bowl on New Year's Day. State," Murphy said. "We Forty-two of Bowden's 388 bowl bid Saturday, most likely
Bowl officials said Sunday that couldn't think of a better way for career wins came at West the Sugar Bowl, and West
Florida State will play West coach Bowden to go out." Virginia between 1970-1975. He Virginia headed to the Gator
Virginia, the school Bowden left He said bowl officials expect was West Virginia's offensive Bowl, the biggest question Huskies will play South Carolina.
in 1976 to come to Florida State. tickets sales "to go through the coordinator for four seasons remaining was where the Big South Florida(7-5) is headed to
The Seminoles began their 28- roof." before becoming the coach. East's other four bowl teams the International Bowl, where the
year streak of bowl games in West Virginia (9-3) finished Bowden took over a moribund would land. Bulls likely would face Temple.
1982 when they defeated the with wins over Pittsburgh and Florida State program in 1976 Bowl sources told FanHouse this Rutgers(8-4) will play UCF in
Mountaineers 32-12 at the Gator Rutgers while Florida State was that had won a total of four is how the rest of the Big East the St. Petersburg Bowl.
Bowl. defeated 37-10 in its season games in the previous three bowl lineup will shake out: The Big East's official bowl
Under normal circumstances, finale at Florida. seasons and immediately turned Pittsburgh(9-3) is headed to the announcement is expected later
Florida State would have likely "I've seen West Virginia play two in around. Meineke Car Care Bowl, where today.
fallen to a lower bowl with its 6- or three time times this season The Seminoles won their last the Panthers will play North Permalink| Email this| Linking
6 record, but the possibility of and I'm very impressed with three games to finish 5-6 in Carolina. Blogs| Comments
keeping Bowden in Florida for t h e m , " B o w d e n s a i d i n a Bowden's inaugural year and UConn (7-5) is headed to the
his final game matched against s t a t e m e n t . haven't had a losing season since, Papajohns.com Bowl, where the
his former school was too much "It's probably the best thing that's although a loss to the
for the Gator Bowl to ignore. happened to us all week," Florida Mountaineers would snap that 32
T h e 8 0 - y e a r - o l d B o w d e n State athletic director Randy -year run.
announced Tuesday that he Spetman said. "We can celebrate Copyright 2009 by The
would retire after the Seminoles' coach Bowden's last game with Associated Press
bowl game. Florida State is 5-0-1 all our fans." This content has passed through
in the Gator Bowl, including two Although he said he wanted to fivefilters.org.
wins over West Virginia. come back for a final year in
60 Sports/ Game/
Colts Win Record-Tying 21st
Straight Regular Season Game
By Matt Snyder (Fanhouse
Main)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 9:30:00 AM
Filed under: Colts, Titans, AFC
South Entering Sunday's game in
Indianapolis, there was a lot of
talk about the hottest team in the
NFL. It's true the Tennessee
Titans were playing some pretty
great football during the course
of resurrecting their once-lost
2009 season. It's been well
documented that Vince Young,
Chris Johnson and company had
spurred the Titans to a five-game
winning streak after opening the
season 0-6. But, Sunday, they
were facing someone a bit hotter.
The Indianapolis Colts had won
20 consecutive regular season
games. Not just five. That's not a
lucky streak, that's a very good
football team, no matter how
many close calls they've endured.
Sunday afternoon, they showed
why, and won their 21st straight
game in the process.
It wasn't an overwhelming
performance. It was more
workmanlike. Just show up and
win the game.
Peyton Manning was efficient,
throwing for 270 yards and a
E-reader Newspaper
currently beating the hapless
Browns) with four games to play.
They'll get the Broncos at home
next week. A win sets the NFL
record for the most consecutive
regular season victories, but,
more importantly, pretty much
cements home-field advantage.
The Titans still have a
desperation shot at the final wild
card spot, but they'll have to win
Weekly Webcomic
out and jump over a handful of
teams who didn't spot the rest of Wrapup wraps up the
touchdown. Joseph Addai was the league six games. They'll
solid, rushing for 79 yards and easily bounce back against the
p a i r o f t o u c h d o w n s . T h e Rams next week at home, but
'aughts
offensive line kept Manning they'll need to be scoreboard By Griffin McElroy (Joystiq) for the best one in the poll after
protected. The defense contained watching the Dolphins, Jets, Submitted at 12/5/2009 11:30:00 PM
the jump!
Johnson (yes, 113 yards on 27 Ravens, Steelers, Jags, Texans A Mushroom Kingdom Carol
c a r r i e s a n d n o s c o r e s i s and Broncos. So, yeah, it's a long Twenty-six days stand between Part 1(Brawl in the Family)
containing him) and prevented shot. There's certainly no shame us and a brand new decade, so Witchblades(Penny Arcade)
the big play through the air. They in missing the playoffs after that we thought we'd use this time to Assassin's Creed II(Another
made field goals, had some awful start, but it looked like a not only ask you guys your Video Game Webcomic)
impressive time-consuming Cinderella story. favorite webcomic from this past The Princess Factor(Dipswitch)
drives, made fourth down stops. The only problem was they ran week, but to also learn what your Assassin's Edge(Virtual
Basically, the Colts did what they into the Indianapolis Colts in the favorite webcomic from the past S h a c k l e s )
do. They won. regular season. They just don't ten years is. Go on, take some Rise From Your Grave(Nerf
H o m e f i e l d a d v a n t a g e lose. At least not since October time to think. We know there Now)
throughout the playoff is almost a 27, 2008. have been a lot. We're going to Thank You(It's-A-Me)
foregone conclusion, as they Permalink| Email this| Linking go with Bigger Than Cheeses' " Continue reading Weekly
have a three game lead over the Blogs| Comments This is basically his entire day," Webcomic Wrapup wraps up the
Cincinnati Bengals(and probably which has brought more joy to 'aughts
San Diego Chargers, who are our lives than anything or anyone Weekly Webcomic Wrapup
else, ever. Share a link to your wraps up the 'aughts originally
favorite webcomic of the 'aughts appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 05
in the comments section! Dec 2009 23:30:00 EST. Please
On a more immediate note, see our terms for use of feeds.
here's our seven favorite gaming- Permalink| Email this|
related webcomics from this past C o m m e n t s
week. Check them out, then vote
E-reader Newspaper Game/ 61

Swag Saturday: Soul Calibur / Kingdom Hearts travel pack

(DS/PSP)
By Ben Gilbert (Joystiq)
Submitted at 12/5/2009 9:30:00 PM
[ Image credit: mrlerone] If
you're anything like us, you'll be
spending a decent part of your
holiday stuck in the seat of a
train, bus, automobile, or
aeroplane, heading towards
wherever "home" is for the
upcoming holidays. We know
how nice it can be to pick up a
new game or two for the travels
ahead, and in the spirit of that
we're giving out a DS/PSP travel
pack for this week's Swag
Saturday including both Soul
Calibur: Broken Destiny and
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days.
Tell us your best (gaming or non-
gaming) holiday travel story
(keep it clean, folks! -- no "mile
high club" stories!) and we'll pick
one winner at random to receive
the travel pack early this week.
As always, keep an eye on the
email address tied to your
commenting name to find out if
you've won!
• Leave a comment telling us
your best (gaming or non-
gaming) holiday travel story.
• You must be 18 years or older
and a resident of the US or
Canada (excluding Quebec --
which may have to do with the
Ubisoft Petz franchise)
• Limit 1 entry per person per
day
• This entry period ends at
9 : 3 1 P M E T o n S u n d a y , terms for use of feeds.
December 6
• At that time, we'll randomly
select one winner to receive one
copy of Kingdom Hearts 358/2
Days for Nintendo DS ($35
ARV) and one copy of Soul
Calibur: Broken Destiny for
Sony PSP ($40 ARV).
• For a list of complete rules,
click here
Swag Saturday: Soul Calibur /
Kingdom Hearts travel pack
(DS/PSP) originally appeared on
Joystiq on Sat, 05 Dec 2009
21:30:00 EST. Please see our
Permalink| Email this|
C omments

Tomb Raider studio seeking multiplayer devs for 'AAA title

development'
By Ben Gilbert (Joystiq) effectively create and lead the plenty of educated guesses.
Submitted at 12/6/2009 11:30:00 AM
multiplayer vision and design [Via CinemaBlend]
effort," it gets us thinking that we Tomb Raider studio seeking
Crystal Dynamics isn't exactly could be tomb raiding with multiplayer devs for 'AAA title
known for its wide array of game (against?) other actual human development' originally appeared
franchises -- since around 2003, beings! on Joystiq on Sun, 06 Dec 2009
the company has been pumping Considering this year's layoffs, 11:30:00 EST. Please see our
out nothing but Tomb Raider we're not convinced that the terms for use of feeds.
games. Normally we wouldn't developer could be working on Read| Permalink| Email this|
lead a job listing post with such another "AAA title" in addition Eidos " Life President" Ian that Crystal Dynamics is hard at Comments
information, but when Crystal to the Tomb Raider franchise. Livingstone that Lara's next work on whatever the next game
Dynamics says it's looking for Given the leaked images of a installment will "reinvigorate the in the TR series will be. For now
developers who are "able to "reboot" and assurance from franchise," we're pretty confident though, we have a job listing and
62 Game/ E-reader Newspaper

Conan O' Brien

thinks Avatar: The
Game was rushed
By Griffin McElroy (Joystiq)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 6:00:00 PM

Dead Space 2 possibly Fight Night Round 4 There's a good reason why we
never went into late-night
comedy: We really didn't want to
teased by Necromorphic DLC pulled due to compete against lanky comic
genius Conan O' Brien. We

ink blot freezing issues thought writing about (and, more

often than not, making fun of)
video games would be a career
By Griffin McElroy (Joystiq) hidden in the ink blot, including By Griffin McElroy (Joystiq) pulled from the Marketplace until
Mr. "I'm going to stab you with Submitted at 12/6/2009 4:30:00 PM a non-glitched version can be path where we'd never have to
rolled out, hopefully "before the compete with the gargantuan
Submitted at 12/6/2009 1:30:00 PM
these sharp tentacles" and Mr.
What do you see in the ink blot "I'm just a baby but I'll bite your Boxing fans who were hoping to Christmas holidays." People who Irish host -- unfortunately, in a
recent episode of Late Night,
above? A butterfly with cattails face off." (Disclaimer: Those enhance their sweet, sweet managed to download the DLC Conan managed to encroach on
attached to its wings? Well, that probably aren't their Christian scientific exploits in Fight Night without freezing can still play the
our territory, making a joke at the
probably means you're insane. n a m e s . ) W e f e e l w e c a n Round 4 for the Xbox 360 were game, but won't be able to access expense of the recently released
The popular theory is that the confidently add this to the r e c e n t l y s t r i c k e n w i t h the pack's locked content until (and tepidly received) Avatar:
image, which was linked to on growing pile of evidence for an disappointment -- the game's the revised DLC is released. The Game.
the recently relocated official upcoming announcement for the latest DLC, the " Champions P e o p l e w h o m a n a g e d t o Check out the video of Conan's
Dead Space Twitter page, is f o l l o w - u p t o l a s t y e a r ' s Pack 2," hit the Xbox Live download half of the DLC pack gag after the jump while we
actually a teaser for Dead Space d i s m e m b e r m e n t s i m u l a t o r . M a r k e t p l a c e w i t h a f a i r l y before freezing can play as consider another career choice --
2. This much is supported by the Continue reading Dead Space 2 problematic issue which caused Evander Holyfield's torso.
strange script featured at the possibly teased by Necromorphic the system to freeze up while Fight Night Round 4 DLC one that will definitely be devoid
bottom of the image (visible in ink blot downloading the content. This is pulled due to freezing issues of Conan competition. (We're
thinking about horse whispering.
the full picture, posted after the Dead Space 2 possibly teased by doubly troubling, because as we originally appeared on Joystiq on Seems pretty safe, right?)
jump), which, when translated Necromorphic ink blot originally understand it, downloading is Sun, 06 Dec 2009 16:30:00 EST. [Via Kotaku]
using this helpful guide(via appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 06 actually a pretty important step in Please see our terms for use of Continue reading Conan O'
horror game news blog Hell Dec 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please the DLC process. feeds.
Brien thinks Avatar: The Game
Descent), reads "the nightmare is see our terms for use of feeds. EA Sports commented on the Read| Permalink| Email this|
error on its official forums, was rushed
over but it will not end." Read| Permalink| Email this| Comments
stating that the DLC has been Conan O' Brien thinks Avatar:
There's also a few Necromorphs Comments
CONAN page 63
E-reader Newspaper
Capcom employee
recreates Fable II's
Fortune's Tower pub game
By Griffin McElroy (Joystiq)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 3:00:00 PM
This has to be the most
endearing display of cross-
developer love we've seen during
our games writing careers.
Capcom's Shawn Baxter (a.k.a.
"Snow,") recently posted on the
company's community blog about
his latest D.I.Y. project -- a real-
life version of Fortune's Tower,
one of the pub games featured in
Fable II. Oh, and in Fable II Pub
Games, though you probably
didn't need us to tell you that.
Words can't really describe this
two-month, $400 project as well
Game/ Fashion/ 63
CONAN
continued from page 62
The Game was rushed originally
appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 06
Dec 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please
see our terms for use of feeds.
Read| Permalink| Email this|
Comments
Viktor & Rolf at Miami Art Basel
By ELLE.com (ELLE News Dean, Dean and Dan Katen,
Blog) designers of DSquared2, and
Gagosian-repped artist Aaron
Submitted at 12/5/2009 11:36:15 AM
Last night we were lucky
Young. After a few glasses of
champagne we wandered over to
enough to attend the Viktor & New Voices. New Works, a
Rolf cocktail party at the luxury
three story boutique The
series of site-specific pieces
inspired by The Wolfsonian's
as pictures, so hop on over to Webster, housed in a 1939 collection and curated by
Capcom's blog and check out the Miami deco building. The Dutch
designer Todd Oldham. The
delectable fruits of Baxter's labor. designers have always been
evening included a performance
If you're of a crafty ilk, the post devoted to the relationship
by artist Leslie Hall. Hall, proud
also contains a few blueprints b e t w e e n f a s h i o n a n d
owner of over 450 gemmed
you can follow to make your own contemporary art. It was as fun to sweaters, entertained with a
F o r t u n e ' s T o w e r s e t . W e see pieces from Victor & Rolf’s
combination of rap songs about
probably won't post about yours, S S 1 0 R u n w a y c o l l e c t i o n
her Iowa lifestyle, laser-dance
though. This is a one-time thing. dangling from hangers as it was
moves, and video projections,
Capcom employee recreates to see the work of Kehinde Wiley
while making multiple costume
Fable II's Fortune's Tower pub and Shepard Fairey hanging on Rolf, the Webster owners Laure changes. All in all it was a good
game originally appeared on the walls of Art Basel. Also at the Heriard Dubreuil and Fredric night.
Joystiq on Sun, 06 Dec 2009 event limited edition Viktor & D e c h n i k , C h i n a C h o w , —Kate Greenberg and Hilary
15:00:00 EST. Please see our Rolf T-shirts were on sale. G e n e v i e v e J o n e s , A n d r e w Schaffner
terms for use of feeds. Among the attendees were, of Andrew, the lookalike conceptual Photos: Jorge Rivas
Read| Permalink| Email this| course, the designers Viktor & artist/djs, the Misshapes, Cecelia
Comments
64 Popular News/
2nd gay bishop for Episcopal Church, Anglicans (AP)
(Yahoo! News: U.S. News)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 10:04:15 AM
LOS ANGELES – The
Episcopal Diocese of Los
Angeles has elected a lesbian as
assistant bishop, the second
openly gay bishop in the global
Anglican fellowship, which is
already deeply fractured over the
first.
Archbishop of Canterbury
Rowan Williams, spiritual leader
of the world's 77 million
Anglicans, said Sunday that the
choice raised "very serious
questions" for the divided church
and urged restraint.
The Rev. Mary Glasspool of
Baltimore needs approval from a
majority of dioceses across the
church before she can be
consecrated as assistant bishop in
the Los Angeles diocese.
Still, her victory Saturday
underscored a continued
Episcopal commitment to
accepting same-sex relationships
despite enormous pressure from
other Anglicans to change their
stand.
"Any group of people who have
been oppressed because of any
one, isolated aspect of their
persons yearns for justice and
equal rights," Glasspool said in a
statement, thanking the diocese
for choosing her.
The head of the Episcopal
Church, Presiding Bishop
Katharine Jefferts Schori, is
scheduled to consecrate
Glasspool on May 15 in Los
Angeles, if the church accepts the
vote.
The Episcopal Church, which is
the Anglican body in the United
States, caused an uproar in 2003
by consecrating the first openly
gay bishop, V. Gene Robinson of
New Hampshire.
Breakaway Episcopal
conservatives have formed a rival
church, the Anglican Church in
North America. Several overseas
Anglicans have been pressuring
Williams to officially recognize
the new conservative entity.
In 2004, Anglican leaders asked
the Episcopal Church for a
moratorium on electing another
gay bishop while they tried to
prevent a permanent break in the
fellowship.
Since the request was made,
some Episcopal gay priests have
been nominated for bishop, but
none was elected before
Glasspool. Last July, the
Episcopal General Convention,
the U.S. church's top policy
making body, affirmed that gay
and lesbian priests were eligible
to become bishops.
Williams on Sunday reminded
Anglicans that church leaders
believed "a period of gracious
restraint in respect of actions
which are contrary to the mind of
the Communion is necessary if
our bonds of mutual affection are
to hold."
He said Glasspool's election
"raises very serious questions not
just for the Episcopal Church and
its place in the Anglican
Communion, but for the
Communion as a whole." But he
noted the election has yet to be
confirmed and could still be
rejected by U.S. dioceses.
The Anglican Communion is a
family of churches that trace their
roots to the missionary work of
the Church of England. Most
overseas Anglicans are Bible
conservatives.
The Rev. Kendall Harmon of the
traditional Diocese of South
Carolina, which recently voted to
distance itself from the national
church, said Saturday's vote
would further damage relations
among Episcopalians, their
fellow Anglicans and other
Christians.
"This decision represents an
intransigent embrace of a pattern
of life Christians throughout
history and the world have
rejected as against biblical
teaching," said Harmon, an
adviser to the diocesan bishop.
Jim Naughton of The Chicago
Consultation, a group of
Episcopal and Anglican clergy
and lay people who advocate on
behalf of gays and lesbians,
called Glasspool's election "a
liberation."
"We've been around this issue for
30 years," said Naughton, an
adviser to the bishop of
Washington. "It's unreasonable to
expect us to refrain from acting
on the very prayerful conclusions
that we've reached, especially
when we think there are issues of
justice involved."
Robinson said he told Glasspool
before the election that he was
grateful she was willing to put
herself in the stressful position of
running for bishop.
"One of the reasons she is so the
right person for this is that she
knows who she is and she knows
she belongs to God and she
knows everything else falls in
place when you keep that
central," Robinson said in a
phone interview. "She's no
stranger to people who think she
shouldn't be a priest because she's
a woman, or think she shouldn't
be a priest because she's a
lesbian."
Glasspool, 55, an adviser, or
canon, for eight years to the
Diocese of Maryland's bishop,
said in an essay on the Los
Angeles diocese Web site that
she had an "intense struggle"
while in college with her
sexuality and the call to become a
priest.
"Did God hate me (since I was a
homosexual), or did God love
me?" she wrote. "Did I hate (or
love) myself?"
She said she met her partner,
Becki Sander, while working in
Massachusetts, and the two have
been together since 1988. When a
colleague recently asked for
permission to submit Glasspool's
name as a candidate in Los
Angeles, she agreed because she
believed it was time "for our
wonderful church to move on and
be the inclusive church we say
we are."
Glasspool was elected on a
seventh ballot that included two
other candidates. She won 153
clergy votes and 203 lay votes,
E-reader Newspaper
giving her just enough to emerge
as the winner.
The election began Friday with
six candidates vying for two
vacancies for assistant bishops.
The winner for the first vacancy
was the Rev. Diane M. Jardine
Bruce, rector of St. Clement's-By
- The-Sea Episcopal Church in
San Clemente. As the balloting
progressed for the second
vacancy, two other candidates
eventually withdrew.
A graduate of Dickinson College
and Episcopal Divinity School,
Glasspool was ordained in 1981,
and has led parishes in
Annapolis, Md., Boston and
Philadelphia.
Los Angeles Bishop Jon Bruno,
who leads the diocese, urged
Episcopal dioceses to approve
Glasspool's election and not base
their decision on fear of how
other Anglicans will react.
The Los Angeles diocese has
70,000 members and covers six
Southern California counties.
Jardine and Glasspool, whose
titles will be suffragan bishops,
are the first women bishops in
the Los Angeles diocese.
____
On the Net:
http://www.ladiocese.org
____
Weber reported from Los
Angeles; AP Religion Writer
Rachel Zoll reported from New
York. Associated Press Writer
Jill Lawless in London
contributed to this report.
2ND page 65
E-reader Newspaper
Dad Sought in Wisconsin Deaths of 2 Daughters, Moms
(FOXNews.com)
Submitted at 12/5/2009 10:54:01 PM
MADISON, Wis. Police
continued to ask the public for
help Saturday as the search for a
Wisconsin man wanted in the
deaths of his two young
daughters and their mothers
stretched into its third day.
Authorities released no new
details on the slayings but
continued to call 38-year-old
Tyrone Adair armed and
dangerous. He has strong family
ties to the Madison area, but so
far has eluded capture. Police
have warned law enforcement
agencies nationwide to watch for
him.
"We're just encouraging anyone
who has any information at all to
come forward," Madison Police
Lt. Wayne Strong said.
Prosecutors charged Adair, of
suburban Middleton, on Friday
with two counts of first-degree
intentional homicide in the deaths
of 33-year-old Tracy Judd and 23
-month-old Deja Adair, Judd and
Adair's daughter.
They also consider him a
"person of interest" in the killings
of 25-year-old Amber Weigel
and 2-year-old Neveah Weigel-
Adair, Weigel and Adair's
daughter.
His family issued a statement
2ND
continued from page 64
This content has passed through
fivefilters.org.
through police late Saturday
evening pleading with Adair to
surrender "immediately."
"Before anyone else is hurt
please turn yourself in," the
statement said.
Dorothy Carter, Adair's
grandmother, said his family is
shocked. She told The Associated
Press on Saturday he lost his job
at Clack Corporation, a water-
treatment component
manufacturer in Windsor.
"He's always been a good guy,"
Carter said, fighting back tears.
"He likes to prepare Christmas
for his kids ... for him to be out
of work this time of year and not
have any money at all ... and he's
not the type of kid who would
ask for anything. I know it wasn't
right what he did.
"He was depressed. I know that's
no excuse, but that's what
happened."
Two Clack employees who
would not give their names
declined comment on Adair's
status with the company when
The Associated Press contacted
the company Friday. Peter
Chermak, the company's vice
president and CEO, told the
Wisconsin State Journal for
Saturday's editions that Adair
hadn't worked there for six
months.
Chermak didn't immediately
return a message left at his office
Saturday and no home listing for
him could be found.
Court records show Adair has
convictions for battery and bail
jumping. A woman took out a
restraining order on him in 2006,
alleging he stalked her, slashed
her tires and destroyed her
computer, phone, television and
bed.
He also was involved in
paternity cases with both Judd
and Weigel over his children.
Court records indicated Judd
was a stay-at-home mother.
Jason Graser, Judd's ex-husband,
declined comment Saturday.
Jackie Scott, co-owner of Scott's
Pastry Shop in Middleton, said
Judd worked there about eight
years ago. She said Judd was
outgoing and well-liked. She
doesn't understand why Judd got
involved with Adair, she said.
"Why she would get herself
caught in this kind of mess, I
don't know," Scott said. "I just
can't wrap my mind around it."
Madison lawyer Chad Bartell
said his family employed Weigel
as a nanny from January 2008
until August 2008. He said she
would bring Neveah to their
home daily and watch his son,
Nolan, who just turned two.
"She was a very kind person," he
said. "For various reasons, we
were not able to continue her
employment, but she was very
kind to our young son."
The Montessori Children's
House in Madison employed
Weigel as an assistant teacher for
the toddler class. A biography on
the school's Web site said Weigel
was born in Madison and always
has loved children. She worked
with disabled people before
becoming a nanny and joining
the school.
Weigel's family issued a
statement through police calling
her "a loving girlfriend, a
dedicated mother, and a loyal
friend and ally to many people.
The family said her daughter was
"full of spark and personality."
The family went on to ask their
friends to ensure the family's
safety by not making comments
or giving out any information.
The search for Adair began
Thursday evening, when
Madison police were called to a
duplex on the city's southwest
side. They found Weigel and
Neveah shot in a vehicle in the
garage.
About two hours later, police
found Adair's black Chrysler
300M in a parking lot next to the
Branch Street Retreat, a
Middleton bar. They discovered
Judd and Deja's bodies in the
trunk.
Popular News/ 65
The Dane County coroner has
not released any details on how
they were killed, saying only they
weren't shot. Police have said
Judd suffered some type of head
injury.
Judd's older daughter told police
Adair moved into Judd's rural
Middleton home in December
2007, days before Deja Adair
was born, according to a criminal
complaint.
The daughter, identified only by
the initials KG, said she last saw
Adair at the house around 4 p.m.
Thursday afternoon. He left in
her mother's GMC Acadia sport
utility vehicle. A surveillance
photo from the Branch Street
Retreat on Thursday afternoon
shows Adair alone in the bar.
Judd's daughter said Adair called
the house around 7:20 p.m. and
said he was in Dodgeville, about
50 miles west of Madison. He
said Judd and Deja Adair had
been in a bad accident and
wouldn't be home that night.
District Attorney Brian
Blanchard has not charged Adair
in the Madison slayings. He said
he issued charges in the
Middleton case so police could
put out an arrest warrant for
Adair.
This content has passed through
fivefilters.org.
66 Popular News/ E-reader Newspaper

Tiger's troubles widen his distance from blacks (AP)

(Yahoo! News: U.S. News) had cheated on his gorgeous him as a black man with a white Yancey, a sociology professor at "There are two layers of
Submitted at 12/6/2009 6:01:39 AM
white wife with black women, woman, and it makes a the University of North Texas suspicion toward him," Van
the golfing great's accident would difference," said Johnson Cooper, and author of the book "Just Kerkhove said. "One toward the
Amid all the headlines generated have been barely a blip in the a 26-year-old African-American Don't Marry One." apparent pattern in the race of his
by Tiger Woods' troubles— the blogosphere." from New York City. "There's The color of one's companion partners, and the second in the
puzzling car accident, the The darts reflect blacks' just this preservation thing we has long been a major measure of way he sees himself. ... People
suggestions of marital turmoil resistance to interracial romance. have among one another. We like "blackness" — which is a big have been giving him the side-
and multiple mistresses — little They also are a reflection of to see each other with each reason why the biracial Barack eye for a while."
attention has been given to the discomfort with a man who has other." Obama was able to fend off early There's nothing wrong with
race of the women linked with smashed barriers in one of Black women have long felt questions about his black wanting a mate who shares your
the world's greatest golfer. America's whitest sports and slighted by the tendency of authenticity. culture, as long as it's for the
Except in the black community. assumed the mantle of the famous black men to pair with "Had Barack had a white wife, I right reasons, the comedienne
When three white women were world's most famous athlete, white women, and many have a would have thought twice about Sheryl Underwood said after
said to be romantically involved once worn by Muhammad Ali list of current transgressors at the voting for him," Johnson Cooper unleashing a withering Woods
with Woods in addition to his and Michael Jordan. ready. said. monologue on Tom Joyner's
blonde, Swedish wife, blogs, But Woods has declined to "We've discussed this for years So do Woods' women say radio show.
airwaves and barbershops started identify himself as black, and among black women," said something about the intensely "Would we question when a
humming, and Woods' already f a m o u s l y c h o s e t h e t e r m Denene Millner, author of several private golfer's views on race? Jewish person wants to marry
tenuous standing among many "Cablinasian" (Caucasian, black, books on black relationships. "I would like to say no, but I other Jewish people?" she said in
blacks took a beating. Indian and Asian) to describe the "Why is it when they get to this think it garners a bit of a yes," an interview. "It's not racist. It's
On the nationally syndicated racial mixture he inherited from level ... they tend to go directly Johnson Cooper said. not bigotry. It's cultural pride."
Tom Joyner radio show, Woods his African-American father and for the nearest blonde?" Carmen Van Kerckhove, "The issue comes in when you
was the butt of jokes all week. Thai mother. This tendency may be more founder of the race-meets-pop- choose something white because
"Thankfully, Tiger, you didn't This vexed some blacks, but it prominent due to a relative lack culture blog Racialicious, said you think it's better," Underwood
marry a black woman. Because if h a s n ' t s t o p p e d t h e m f r o m of interracial marriages among there have been frequent said. "And then you never date a
a sister caught you running claiming Woods as one of their average blacks. Although a discussions on her site about the black woman or a woman of
around with a bunch of white own. Or from disapproving of his recent Pew poll showed that 94 fine line between preference and color or you never sample the
hoochie-mamas," one parody marriage to Elin Nordegren, percent of blacks say it's all right fetish. greatness of the international
suggests in song, she would have despite blacks' historical fight for blacks and whites to date, a "Is there any difference between buffet of human beings. If you
castrated him. against white racist opponents of study published this year in a white guy with a thing for never do that, we got a problem."
"The Grinch's Theme Song" mixed marriage. Sociological Quarterly showed blondes, and a non-white guy ___
didn't stop there: "The question On the one hand, Ebonie that blacks are less likely to with a thing for blondes?" asked Jesse Washington covers race
everyone in America wants to Johnson Cooper doesn't care that actually date outside their race Van Kerckhove, who has a and ethnicity for The Associated
ask you is, how many white Tiger Woods' wife and alleged than are other groups. Chinese mother, a Belgian father Press.
w o m e n d o e s o n e b r o t h e r mistresses are white because "There is a call for loyalty that is and a husband born in America This content has passed through
waaant?" Woods is "quote-unquote not stronger in some ways than in to parents from Benin. fivefilters.org.
As one blogger, Robert Paul really black." other racial communities," said She claims that Asians don't
Reyes, wrote: "If Tiger Woods "But at the same time we still see the author of the study, George fully embrace Woods, either.
E-reader Newspaper
Ohio inmate to get 1-drug, slower, execution (AP) Archbishop
(Yahoo! News: U.S. News)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 12:40:08 PM
COLUMBUS, Ohio –
Condemned killer Kenneth Biros
could become the first person in
the country put to death with a
single dose of an intravenous
anesthetic instead of the usual —
and faster-acting — three-drug
process if his execution proceeds
Tuesday.
The execution could propel other
states to eventually consider the
switch, which proponents say
ends arguments over unnecessary
suffering during injection.
California and Tennessee
previously considered then
rejected the one-drug approach.
Though the untested method has
never been used on an inmate in
the United States, one difference
is clear: Biros will likely die
more slowly than inmates put to
death with the three-drug
method, which includes a drug
that stops the heart.
Lethal injection experts on both
sides of the debate over injection
say thiopental sodium, which
kills by putting people so deeply
asleep they stop breathing, will
take longer.
How much longer is unclear:
Mark Dershwitz, an
anesthesiologist who advised
Ohio on its switch to the single
drug, has written death should
occur in under 15 minutes.
Ohio inmates have typically
taken about seven minutes to die
after the three-drug IV injection,
which combines thiopental
fears gay
sodium with the drugs
pancuronium bromide — which
paralyzes muscles — and
vote impact
potassium chloride, which causes
cardiac arrest. Dershwitz also
said in a court filing last week
that a single dose of thiopental
sodium would take longer than
the three drugs, though he didn't
specify a time.
The switch from three drugs to
one was ordered last month
because of the state's botched
attempt on Sept. 15 to execute
convicted rapist and killer
Romell Broom. His executioners
tried unsuccessfully for two
hours to find a usable vein for
injection, painfully hitting bone
and muscle in as many as 18
needle sticks. Gov. Ted
Strickland halted the execution.
Broom, 53, has appealed the
state's attempt to try again.
Ohio officials contend the single
-drug method should end a five-
year-old lawsuit against the state
that claims injection can cause
inmates severe suffering.
Lethal injection experts and
defense attorneys for death row
inmates have said the one-drug
method, a single dose of an
anesthetic, would not cause pain.
Biros, 51, killed 22-year-old
Tami Engstrom near Warren in
1991 after offering to drive her
home from a bar, then scattered
her body parts in Ohio and
Pennsylvania.
All 36 death penalty states use
lethal injection, and 35 rely on
the three-drug method. Nebraska,
which recently adopted injection
over electrocution, has proposed
the three-drug method but hasn't
finalized the process.
States with active death
chambers are keeping an eye on
Ohio's switch but have no
immediate plans to switch.
Florida, South Carolina, Texas
and Virginia are among those
keeping the three-drug system for
now.
"Virginia's method has been
successfully used in over 75
executions and repeatedly been
upheld as constitutionally
acceptable," state prisons
spokesman Larry Traylor said
Friday.
States will likely watch Ohio's
experience and the court
challenges before making a
decision, said Richard Dieter,
executive director of the Death
Penalty Information Center.
The U.S. Supreme Court said
last year that states would only
have to change the three-drug
process if an alternative method
lessened the possibility of pain.
Defense attorneys have also
supported the one-drug option,
reducing the possibility of legal
challenges, Dieter said.
If Ohio is successful "in making
this transition, and if a few other
states follow that lead, I think we
will see the majority of states
changing to this method of lethal
injection," Dieter said.
Biros' attorneys want his
execution delayed, saying the
new untested method has never
been used in "any other civilized
country" and would amount to
human experimentation. But the
same attorneys earlier advocated
for the state to switch to the one-
drug method.
The state "could and should shift
to a one-drug protocol designed
to cause death by means of an
overdose of an anesthetic," John
Parker, one of Biros' attorneys,
said in a court filing last year.
Doctors conducting euthanasia
in Europe administer thiopental
sodium but also usually add
pancuronium bromide.
Ohio has executed 32 men by
injection since 1999, three of
them with complications. In
2006, executioners needed more
than an hour to put inmate Joseph
Clark to death after the drugs
initially failed to work because of
problems with his veins.
In 2007, executioners took
several minutes to find a usable
vein on inmate Christopher
Newton because of his large size,
and he then took 15 minutes to
die, twice as long as normal.
The state says this history
supports Ohio's success with
injections: "in over thirty
executions, Ohio has encountered
difficulties three times, and only
on one occasion has it been
necessary to postpone the
execution," Charles Wille, an
assistant Ohio Attorney General,
said Friday.
This content has passed through
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Popular News/ 67
(BBC News | Americas |
World Edition)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 7:38:12 AM
The Archbishop of Canterbury
has expressed his concern at the
election of the second openly gay
bishop in the Anglican Church.
Rowan Williams said the move
raised "very serious questions"
for both the Episcopal Church in
the US and the Anglican
Communion as a whole.
But he noted that the election of
the Reverend Mary Glasspool in
the diocese of Los Angeles had
yet to be confirmed.
The 2003 election of the first
openly gay bishop created a
massive rift.
Ms Glasspool was elected on
Saturday as an assistant bishop in
the diocese of Los Angeles.
She needs a majority of national
Episcopal Church heads to back
her consecration.
The Episcopal Church leader,
Presiding Bishop Katharine
Jefferts Schori, has said she will
consecrate any bishop whose
election follows the rules.
'Important implications'
In a statement posted on his
website Dr Williams said the
election "raises very serious
questions not just for the
Episcopal Church and its place in
ARCHBISHOP page 71
68 Popular News/ E-reader Newspaper

Palin's Iowa stop spurs talk of FBI Joins Search for

presidential run (AP) Alleged Thanksgiving
(Yahoo! News: U.S. News)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 12:42:05 PM
who will fight against the
government," Millage said. "I can
see her out there fishing with the
Woolson worked for Democrats
early in his career, and he saw
some comparisons to the
Killer
SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Former guys. Plus, she's hot." campaign of former Sen. John (FOXNews.com) Meanwhile, a reward for
Republican vice presidential Other supporters also described Glenn. The former astronaut Submitted at 12/6/2009 6:58:09 AM
Merhige's arrest has been
candidate Sarah Palin greeted Palin as down to earth and drew huge and admiring crowds increased to $35,000.
hundreds of admirers in Sioux someone they thought might lead when he ran for president in 1984 JUPITER, Fla. The FBI is now The Jupiter Police Department
C i t y o n S u n d a y , f u e l i n g the country someday. but that didn't translate into involved in the search for a said Friday that a local business
speculation about a possible "I think she's one of the few votes. suspect in the fatal Thanksgiving donated $10,000, adding to the
presidential run in 2012. individuals who can whip "They went to see John Glenn the Day shootings of four of his $25,000 already offered. The
Iowa's caucuses traditionally Congress into shape," said Grant astronaut, not John Glenn the relatives, according to documents b u s i n e s s a s k e d t o r e m a i n
k i c k o f f t h e p r e s i d e n t i a l Buldhaupt, who drove nearly Democratic candidate for filed Friday in federal court in anonymous. Police also released
n o m i n a t i n g s e a s o n , a n d four hours from Des Moines. president," Woolson said. "A West Palm Beach. surveillance video of the suspect
Republican strategists saw the "She's conservative, and she can tremendous amount of her appeal The filing indicates the FBI has at a South Florida gun shop the
stop in Palin's national book- stop the runaway government is as Sarah Palin the celebrity, as j o i n e d t h e J u p i t e r P o l i c e day before the shootings.
signing tour as a signal not to be spending." opposed to Sarah Palin the D e p a r t m e n t a n d t h e U . S . Police say Paul Merhige killed
missed. Iowa's Republican caucuses potential 2012 nominee." Marshal's Service in the manhunt his aunt, his twin sisters, one of
"No politician comes to Iowa by h a v e b e e n i n c r e a s i n g l y Steve Scheffler, head of the because prosecutors believe he whom was pregnant, and a 6-year
accident," Republican strategist dominated by social and religious powerful Iowa Christian Alliance has fled the state. It also noted -old girl at a home where 16
Tim Albrecht said. "Every conservatives like Palin. Many said many people were attracted Paul Merhige had collected relatives gathered for the holiday
politician knows the implications strategists noted that her book- to Palin because "they like clothing and a computer hard in Jupiter, about 90 miles north
when they set foot here." signing event was in Republican- Republican leaders who call a drive, and withdrew "a large of Miami.
As with other stops on Palin's dominated western Iowa, which spade a spade." amount of cash" before the Prosecutors have issued an arrest
book tour, the event was tightly would likely be her base if she But, he said, the former Alaska shootings. warrant for four counts of first-
controlled with photographers ran. governor still has a lot to prove. SLIDESHOW: Thanksgiving degree murder and two counts of
allowed in briefly and reporters "In Iowa Republican politics, the "Her biggest challenge will be to Killings attempted first-degree murder.
banned. Palin arrived about 90 more populist and religious convince people she's got the According to the sworn Click here for more from
minutes late and didn't speak conservatives are in control," depth to be a successful statement by FBI task force agent MyFoxOrlando.com.
publicly, other than to greet the D r a k e U n i v e r s i t y p o l i t i c a l president," he said. "In the Paul Bruno, Merhige "had travel This content has passed through
crowd. science professor Dennis perilous times we live in, people funds available to him" and got fivefilters.org.
"Thank you guys very much," Goldford said. "They adore her." are going to want to know if she's his passport from his mother a
she said to those gathered to But some questioned whether up to snuff." week earlier.
watch her arrival. Palin could turn her star appeal This content has passed through
Stan Millage of Sioux City into votes in a state where face-to fivefilters.org.
began waiting in line at 4:30 a.m. -face campaigning has usually
to get his book signed. played an important role.
"She's a down to earth person Republican strategist Eric
E-reader Newspaper Popular News/ 69

US rejects Afghan exit criticism Mass. Woman's Bag

(BBC News | Americas |
World Edition)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 9:09:50 AM
event of a speedy US exit.
Correspondents say the Afghan
government and security forces
plagued by allegations of
corruption, said: "Afghanistan
welcomes this new strategy, and
Gets Stuck in Moving
recognise that the country is at a
Senior US government figures critical juncture - the Taliban
h a v e r e j e c t e d c r i t i c i s m o f have continued to gain strength,
Afghanistan will do all it can to
be a good partner in it."
But he warned the international
Subway Train
(FOXNews.com) The train attendant, whose job is
President Barack Obama's plan to and although there is little community to have "patience to make sure the doors are
Submitted at 12/6/2009 7:31:00 AM
start withdrawing troops from enthusiasm for extra troops, with us and the realisation of the cleared of people or objects
Afghanistan in 2011. officials recognise they are realities in Afghanistan. A Massachusetts woman was before closing, was fired. The
President Obama announced last unable to deal with the situation "If it takes longer, then they must trying to board a subway train at train’s operator has been placed
week that the US would boost on their own. be with us," he said on CNN. Boston’s South Station when the o n a 1 0 - d a y s u s p e n s i o n ,
troop numbers, but start pulling Mr Gates emphasised that "there Mr Obama ordered 30,000 more train’s doors closed on her, MyFoxBoston.com reported.
out by July 2011. was no deadline", and that the US troops to Afghanistan as trapping her purse inside and “When I was appointed Acting
State Secretary Hillary Clinton handover of responsibilities to quickly as possible, bringing US leaving her on the platform, General Manager four months
said it was not a "drop-dead Afghan authorities district by troop strength in the country to MyFoxBoston.com reported. ago, I made it very clear that
d e a d l i n e " , w h i l e D e f e n c e district would be based on more than 100,000. The situation grew worse when matters of safety will be my top
Secretary Robert Gates said it "conditions on the ground". Announcing the surge, he said the train began to move. The 34- priority for as long as I serve,”
was "the beginning of a process". He said troops would be sent the mission in Afghanistan was year-old woman was screaming MBTA general manager William
M r G a t e s a l s o s a i d t h e home gradually, with the US to defeat al-Qaeda, reverse the for help as she was forced to run M i t c h e l l , a c c o r d i n g t o
whereabouts of Osama Bin retaining an "overwatch" position Taliban's momentum and deny alongside the train because her M y F o x B o s t o n . c o m .
Laden were unknown. if necessary. them the ability to overthrow the bag was still wedged in the “The behavior of the train crew
He said it had been "years" since " [ P r e s i d e n t O b a m a ] w a s government. train’s doors. in this incident was inexcusable,
the US last had any good balancing a demonstration of Secretary of State Hillary Just before the train went into and won't be tolerated.”
i n t e l l i g e n c e a b o u t h i s resolve with also communicating Clinton, also in the studios on the tunnel, the woman let go of Click here for video of the
movements. a sense of urgency to the Afghan Sunday, said: "We're not talking her purse and collided into a wall i n c i d e n t f r o m
'Wrong message' government that they must step about an exit strategy or a drop- at the end of the platform. MyFoxBoston.com.
Republicans have criticised up to the plate in terms of dead deadline. T h e M a s s a c h u s e t t s B a y This content has passed through
President Obama's date as being recruiting their soldiers, training "What we're talking about is an T r a n s p o r t a t i o n A u t h o r i t y fivefilters.org.
" a r b i t r a r y " a n d a p o s s i b l e their soldiers and getting their assessment that... we can begin a (MBTA) is investigating the
encouragement for the Taliban. soldiers into the field." transition, a transition to hand off incident.
Senator John McCain said it sent Bid for 'patience' responsibility to the Afghan
t h e w r o n g m e s s a g e t o t h e He added that in July 2011 US forces."
militants. generals will know "whether our Print Sponsor
There has also been concern in strategy is working". This content has passed through
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would not be ready to cope in the whose government has been
70 Popular News/ E-reader Newspaper

Men, horses killed in Ohio barn fire Thousands attend Jara's

are mourned (AP) reburial
(Yahoo! News: U.S. News) Veteran horse owners Harry and identified the two men who died, (BBC News | Americas | Jara's remains were reburied in
Submitted at 12/6/2009 2:21:36 PM
Nancy Curtner stood on a ridge but owners and other workers World Edition) Santiago's general cemetery.
in frigid air with whiffs of acrid said they were two veteran horse Submitted at 12/5/2009 1:43:18 PM
Earlier, thousands of people paid
LEBANON, Ohio – Stunned smoke, looking down at where groomers, Ronnie Williams and their last respects to the singer
horse owners, trainers and stable their young filly Rosie died. James Edwards. Thousands of people have during a three-day wake in the
hands visited the blackened site "It still seems like it's not true," "They were just two great guys," attended the funeral of Chilean capital.
Sunday where a barn fire killed Nancy Curtner said of the brown said Jackie Winn, a groomer at singer Victor Jara, who has been "Finally, after 36 years, Victor
two workers and 43 horses at a yealing, which had never raced. the track for seven years. "They'd reburied 36 years after his death can rest in peace," said Chilean
harness-racing track in southwest "We have a lot of memories in do anything in the world to help in a military coup. President Michelle Bachelet, who
Ohio. that barn. you. They will be greatly Well-wishers scattered flowers was herself persecuted under the
Warren County fairgrounds "She was a baby. She was missed." as his cortege made its way to a Pinochet regime.
officials quickly hired excavators learning. We had high hopes for Authorities weren't sure whether cemetery. "But there are also lots of other
to pile up twisted metal and her." they had spent the night at the Jara was one of the most families that want to rest in
charred wood debris and remove It's difficult to estimate the value barn, which workers aren't prominent victims of the 1973 peace, and that is why its
the horses' bodies late in the of such young horses, though supposed to do. coup that brought Gen Augusto important that we keep pressing
aftermath of the early Saturday regular harness track winners can The Lebanon track has seen four Pinochet to power. forward in the search for truth
blaze that quickly consumed be worth hundreds of thousands fires, including one two decades His body was exhumed in June and justice, so that Chile can rest
B a r n N o . 1 6 a t L e b a n o n of dollars. Officials said at least ago that killed 35 horses, dating so that a court could clarify the in peace. Victor Jara is with us!"
Raceway. six winners from Friday night's to the late 1980s. A former race circumstances of his death. It was Victor Jara was admired as a
Fire investigators have ruled out racing had been killed. The track track in Henderson, Ky., had two established that he had been shot theatre director as well as for his
criminal intent, but indicated they canceled Saturday night's races. fires that killed horses in 2008, more than 30 times. folk songs and was a member of
haven't determined what caused "This is kind of a like a big one claiming 27 and another 'Advancing in justice' the Chilean Communist Party.
the fire. Warren Fair Board family business," trainer Rex killing six. Jara's British-born widow Joan, New evidence
member Chris Lutmer said Watson said. "We all know each Lebanon, a city of 20,000 people now in her 80s, led the funeral The singer was among thousands
officials wanted to quickly other." about 25 miles northeast of procession as it wound through of people rounded up in the early
remove the horse remains to ease He works with horses in the Cincinnati, is known for its t h e s t r e e t s o f t h e c a p i t a l , days of Gen Pinochet's right-
anxiety — he said for most adjacent, football field-length quaint historic downtown and Santiago. wing military coup, which ousted
owners and workers, the horses barn lined inside with horse stalls antique shops, as well as affinity The coffin was draped in the the elected leftist President
were like members of the family. and equipment. He said it for horses. The fire came just singer's trademark red-and-black Salvador Allende.
"We wanted to get them out as appeared that no smoke from the hours before an annual holiday woollen poncho. He was taken to the Chile
quickly as possible so people fire came into the barn and the horse parade through the city. The BBC's Gideon Long, in Stadium in Santiago where he
didn't have to look at them," horses inside were unharmed. This content has passed through S a n t i a g o , s a i d i t w a s a n was tortured and killed. His
Lutmer said. "It's just like your "We were lucky," he said. fivefilters.org. emotional morning, not only for broken body was found a few
pet lying down there. You see "They're all fine." Victor Jara's family, but for days later.
them almost every day." Authorities haven't officially hundreds of Chileans who lost Authorities reopened the
loved ones during the years of investigation into his death last
military rule. year, after new evidence was
Some well-wishers brought presented by his family.
guitars, and many sang the songs Earlier this year a former army
that made Victor Jara a national
icon, our correspondent says. THOUSANDS page 71
E-reader Newspaper
ARCHBISHOP
continued from page 67
the Anglican Communion, but
for the Communion as a whole".
Despite intense pressure to
maintain a moratorium on
ordaining gay bishops - the
Episcopal Church's ruling
convention voted in July to allow
homosexual men or women to
become bishops.
This clarification of the Church's
policy makes it all the more
likely that Mary Glasspool's
election will be confirmed by its
bishops and a committee
representing the Church's lay and
clergy members.
If it is confirmed, Canon
Glasspool's election will set back
attempts to preserve worldwide
Anglicanism intact and makes it
more probable that the American
Church will be consigned to
membership of the second of a
two-tier Communion.
"The process of selection
however is only part complete,"
he said.
"The election has to be
confirmed, or could be rejected,
by diocesan bishops and diocesan
Obama rallies senators on health
(BBC News | Americas |
World Edition)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 3:02:36 PM
US President Barack Obama has
appeared before Senate
Democrats to persuade them to
support his healthcare plans.
In a rare weekend session, the
Senate has gathered to debate and
vote in a bid to get the bill
standing committees. That
decision will have very important
implications."
Bishops of the US Episcopal
Church voted in July to overturn
a three-year ban on the
appointment of gay bishops.
Anglican leaders had asked the
Church to observe the
moratorium.
"The bishops of the Communion
have collectively acknowledged
that a period of gracious restraint
in respect of actions which are
contrary to the mind of the
Communion is necessary if our
bonds of mutual affection are to
hold," said Dr Williams.
Ms Glasspool, 55, has been a
canon in the Diocese of
Maryland for eight years,
according to a statement by her
on the website of the Episcopal
diocese of Los Angeles.
It says she has been with her
partner, Becki Sander, since
1988.
Traditionalists have already
expressed opposition to the latest
election.
completed by the end of the
month.
Mr Obama urged his Democratic
Party senators to "get the job
done".
Democrats are divided over
abortion and whether to allow the
government to compete with
private companies to sell
insurance.
'Affordable coverage'
Conservatives insist the Bible
unequivocally outlaws
homosexuality, while liberals
believe the Bible should be
reinterpreted in the light of
contemporary wisdom.
Conservatives were incensed by
the election of the first openly
gay bishop, Gene Robinson of
New Hampshire, six years ago
The row led to the formation of a
conservative breakaway
Episcopal movement in the US -
the Anglican Church in North
America.
As head of the worldwide
Anglican community, Dr
Williams has been under pressure
to recognise it.
The traditionalists have formed a
range of new alliances, often with
conservative churches in Africa.
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Senate Finance Committee
chairman Max Baucus, a key
author of the healthcare overhaul,
said Mr Obama had told the
senators that the public would
reward Democrats for decades if
the reform got through.
"You could tell it had an effect,"
Mr Baucus said.
Obama aide Bill Burton said the
president had urged legislators to
THOUSANDS
continued from page 70
conscript, Jose Adolfo Paredes
Marquez, was charged over the
killing. He denies responsibility
for Jara's death.
The officer or officers who
ordered his killing have never
been formally identified.
More than 3,000 people were
killed or disappeared during
military rule in Chile from 1973
Morales 're-elected' in
Bolivia
(BBC News | Americas |
World Edition)
Submitted at 12/6/2009 3:11:19 PM
Bolivian President Evo Morales
has been re-elected for a second
term after a securing a
convincing victory in Sunday's
polls, exit polls suggest.
They suggest Bolivia's first
indigenous leader polled at least
61% of the vote, defeating his
conservative rivals.
Mr Morales had promised to
"continue forward on this historic
opportunity to provide stability
and security for those who have
insurance, affordable coverage
for those who don't".
Senate Majority Leader Harry
Reid, who had invited Mr Obama
to the meeting, said that
Republicans wanted this to be
"President Obama's Waterloo"
adding: "It's not going to be".
Popular News/ 71
to 1990.
Print Sponsor
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expand state control over the
economy and redistribute profits
from the gas industry if re-
elected.
A referendum earlier backed
changes to allow presidents to
seek a second term.
'Totalitarian' ambitions
Mr Morales, 50, won between
61% and 63% of the vote,
avoiding a run-off, the exit polls
suggest.
MORALES page 72
Vice-President Joe Biden also
attended the closed-door meeting.
The $848bn (£515bn) 10-year
legislation seeks to establish a
government-backed "public
option" for healthcare coverage
to compete with private insurers,
but allows states to opt out.
Moderate and liberal lawmakers
OBAMA page 72
72 PopSci/
MORALES
continued from page 71
They indicate that his main rival
Manfred Reyes Villa, a former
governor, secured about 23%.
The BBC's Andres Schipani in
La Paz says the exit polls also
suggest the president is set to
take control of the upper house of
Congress from the opposition.
Official results are expected in
the coming days.
Foreign observers have praised
the election for its transparency
and fairness.
Mr Morales's support base is
chiefly among poor indigenous
people who account for some
65% of the population - in
contrast to his challengers.
"He's changing things. He's
helping the poor and building
highways and schools," Veronica
OBAMA
continued from page 71
met on Saturday to try to find a
compromise on the government
insurance plan, or public option.
Despite obstacles ahead, the
White House Office of Health
Reform said the process was
"going really well".
The healthcare bill is a key
domestic issue for President
Obama.
The legislation aims to extend
coverage to tens of millions of
uninsured Americans, but faces
entrenched opposition from
Republicans.
The House of Representatives
passed its version of the bill
earlier this month.
Canizaya, a 49-year-old
housewife, told Reuters news
agency before casting her vote at
a public school on the shores of
Lake Titicaca.
Analysts say a victory for Mr
Morales will solidify his
dominance in Bolivian politics
and weaken the split conservative
opposition tied to the business
elite.
His other challenger was Samuel
Doria Medina, a wealthy
businessman.
Both challengers accused Mr
Morales of having "totalitarian"
ambitions for the country and of
being responsible for the rise in
cocaine production, says our
correspondent, Andres Schipani.
Mr Morales told crowds at his
If the Senate can agree a plan,
the two versions will have to be
reconciled and passed again by
each chamber before they are
sent to the White House for
approval.
The legislation could lead to the
biggest changes in US healthcare
in decades, if approved.
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final campaign rally: "There are
two roads: continue with change
or return to the past."
Are you in Bolivia? What would
an Evo Morales victory mean for
the country? Send us your
comments using the form below.
The BBC may edit your
comments and not all emails will
be published. Your comments
may be published on any BBC
media worldwide.
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2010,
continued from page 72
formation and high-fiving each
other. Closer, I saw twin
fuselages joined by large, slightly
tilted overhead wings, each with
two quiet jet engines on the far
side. I was watching the VMS
Eve, the airborne launching pad
for the smaller rocket ships that
in the next few years, Virgin
Galactic says, will begin taking
paying passengers to space.
Soaring above the elderly
airliners, their liveries fading
away under the baking sun, Eve,
named for Virgin founder
Richard Branson’s mother, was
the only obvious sign of a
spaceport at the airfield.
Passengers may one day fly out
2010, page 73
E-reader Newspaper
In 2010, the Civilian
Space Industry Finally
Takes Off
By Sam Howe Verhovek visible from miles away, looking
(Popular Science - New frozen and forlorn. Parked along
Technology, Science News, the road at the airport entrance is
The Future Now) a 1962 Convair 990, which began
its life as an American Airlines
Submitted at 12/6/2009 8:13:25 AM
jet airliner. Now the wind
Who needs the space shuttle? whistles through its nacelles and
Take a tour inside the private birds nest in its wheel wells.
space industry and its innovative, Mojave is a boneyard, a place
efficient plans to get astronauts where commercial airliners go to
into space when NASA retires its die. Yet on the day I visited last
old ride October, there was life in the
For a traveler heading up the wide blue sky overhead, and it
highway toward the Mojave Air was more striking than the sight
and Space Port, in the desert 70 of even the most modern airliner.
miles north of Los Angeles, the I saw a kind of flying catamaran
surroundings are ghostly. Silent streaking from west to east. As it
747s and DC-10 jumbo jets from came into view, it looked like
defunct airlines, along with two business jets flying in
smaller 727s and DC-9s, some
cut up or resting on pylons, are 2010, page 72
E-reader Newspaper
2010,
continued from page 72
of Mojave and other spaceports,
with sleek underground terminals
and gleaming rocket ships taxiing
for blastoff. But for the moment,
to really see what the future has
in store for this quiet patch of
desert, you need to pass through
a locked door in a chain-link
fence and into a large hangar,
where you’ll find the heart of
Scaled Composites, the aerospace
company behind Eve and the rest
of Virgin Galactic’s futuristic
spaceware. Technicians in
smocks and white lab coats
swarmed around a spacecraft like
bees at a honeycomb. Working
with riveters, glue guns, sanders
and vacuum pumps, they were
busy putting the outer layers on a
prototype of SpaceShipTwo, the
60-foot-long, feather-winged
vehicle Virgin was preparing to
unveil in December. The craft is
part of its grand plan to bring
space travel, if not to the masses,
then to a slightly broader swath
of humanity than has ever been
able to contemplate it before.
Jim Tighe, an aerodynamicist
and chief project engineer of
SpaceShipTwo, advised me to
step carefully as he offered a tour
of the ship’s six-person cabin.
When the ship reaches space,
Tighe explained, passengers will
be able to float around and look
out the windows at the curvature
of the Earth. Scaled founder Burt
Rutan made history in 2004 when
pilot Brian Binnie flew his
original prototype,
SpaceShipOne, into suborbit to
win the $10-million Ansari X
Prize. The flight path of its
successor, the three-times-as-
large SpaceShipTwo, will be
similar: Eve drops the craft at
about 50,000 feet, and a nitrous
oxidizer combines oxygen with
solid rubber rocket fuel to fire a
burn of about 90 seconds, enough
to fling the ship to its silent
apogee of about 380,000 feet,
where passengers will be invited
to do something that regular
airlines warn you against:
unbuckle your seatbelt.
All this, Virgin says, can be
yours for a mere $200,000,
perhaps as early as next year,
although company president Will
Whitehorn says you’ll have to
take a number behind the 300
passengers that have already put
down deposits to do it. For now,
space tourists (a term the industry
intensely dislikes, preferring to
call them “spaceflight
participants” or “space
explorers”) are the cornerstone of
Virgin’s business model, but with
NASA struggling to fund its lofty
dreams of missions to the moon
and beyond, and with the shuttle
headed for retirement, Virgin and
dozens of other private space
entrepreneurs see a golden
opportunity to do something
much more fundamental—and
more profitable. Beyond carrying
wealthy passengers into
suborbital space, Whitehorn says,
Virgin could also launch rockets
and satellites, provide affordable
transport for scientists who want
to do microgravity experiments
in space, and even establish a
private astronaut-training
program. Seen in that light, space
tourists become much more than
just the idle rich undertaking a
mind-blowing experience for the
thrill of it. Indeed, the space
industry says that demand from
tourists—and companies that
need satellites—will provide the
seed capital for what is, in effect,
the privatization of space.
As I walked around the ship, I
got to thinking: 100 years ago,
after the critics were forced to
accept that yes, man can fly,
many dismissed flight as a
diversion for the wealthy few.
“The public has greatly over-
estimated the possibilities of the
aeroplane, imagining that in
another generation they will be
able to fly over to London in a
day,” wrote a Harvard University
astronomy professor, William
Pickering, in 1908. “This is
manifestly impossible.”
Houston, We Have a Solution
So much is uncertain for NASA.
Will the president and Congress
authorize it to proceed with plans
to put astronauts back on the
moon? Or to send them to Mars?
Or to asteroids? Or none of the
above? What is certain, however,
is that the space shuttle is headed
toward retirement. The U.S.
shuttle program is scheduled to
run its final mission this year,
although most observers expect it
to remain in service into 2011.
There are several fundamental
tasks—potentially very profitable
tasks—that the shuttle’s
retirement will leave behind. For
a private company willing and
qualified to step into the gap,
these include ferrying cargo and
scientific experiments, hoisting
and repairing satellites, and even
tidying up a bit of the “space
junk” now circling the Earth like
ocean flotsam. The work isn’t as
iconic as carrying people into
space for a weightless adventure.
For instance, one audacious
broker says it will be able to
arrange a trip to the far side of
the moon and back for a mere
$100 million or so a ticket. But
the basic logistical tasks are also
enormously important, and if
private companies can prove
themselves capable, those tasks
could form the backbone of an
entirely new industry.
Under its Commercial Orbital
Transportation Services (COTS)
program, NASA has already
awarded major contracts to two
private U.S. companies, SpaceX,
which is led by PayPal co-
founder Elon Musk, and satellite
manufacturer Orbital Sciences
Corporation, for a total of at least
20 cargo resupply trips to the ISS
over the next six years. These
could be worth $3.5 billion if the
companies follow through on
performance benchmarks,
including successful engine and
thruster tests. And that has
executives who signed on for
adventure now warming to the
idea of making deliveries. “Cargo
doesn’t seem glamorous,” Orbital
senior vice president Frank
Culbertson explained in June to a
special panel President Obama
commissioned to look at NASA’s
future. “But we need it to keep
America flying in space.”
There is an additional spur that
73
could accelerate the development
of Space, Inc. As the White
House and Congress sift through
details of a new report from that
panel, known as the Augustine
Committee, a very cold medium-
term reality is staring NASA in
the face: The U.S. will soon have
no way to get to the space station
on its own. That gives a
monopoly to Russia, which
charges private space tourists $35
million per spot per trip and
NASA $51 million per spot.
Uncle Sam has already inked a
$306-million deal for just four
trips to the ISS aboard a Soyuz
spacecraft, and the Russians have
no real reason not to jack up the
ticket price after the deal expires
in 2013.
Those payments could turn into
a political football, or something
even more problematic if the
U.S. and Russia have a major
disagreement over a geopolitical
hotspot such as Georgia or Iran.
Some gap is inevitable in which
Russia’s craft is the only game in
town, and unless the U.S. takes
the highly unlikely step of
abandoning the billions of
dollars’ worth of experiments
and research docked at the station
it will have little choice but to
pay.
Once that uncomfortable fact
glows brighter on the political
radar, private firms such as
SpaceX—which insist they have
good-to-go plans that could put
astronauts back on American
vehicles more quickly and
2010, page 74
74
2010,
continued from page 73
cheaply than anything NASA has
in the works—could stand to reap
the benefit. Musk says his
SpaceX Dragon, a free-flying,
reusable spacecraft designed for
transporting both cargo and crew
to orbit, could do ISS trips for
$20 million per seat. “No later
than three years from tomorrow
is what I’m promising,” he said
last November. That’s if he has a
firm multiyear contract in place.
Several other companies are
aggressively bidding for pieces
of the COTS pie. All told, those
pieces could be worth billions of
dollars if—and again, it’s a big
if—private companies follow
through on their vows that they
can meet performance
expectations.
By the measure of private
investment, there is clearly more
market optimism than ever before
about private industry’s ability to
do the job, for both passengers
and payloads. Not everyone is a
believer, of course. Even some of
Congress’s most ardent free-
market conservatives say they are
skeptical about private ventures
tackling federal projects in space.
Orbital lost control of a Taurus
rocket carrying a small NASA
satellite; SpaceX’s Falcon 1
rocket blew three attempts before
it managed to launch a dummy
orbital payload; and, in the most
tragic example, three Scaled
Composites employees were
killed in 2007 when a tank of
rocket propellant exploded
during tests at the facility.
“Despite their best efforts, some
truly private enterprises have not
been able to deliver on plans of
launching vehicles,” says
Republican Senator Richard
Shelby of Alabama, which has a
big NASA payroll. “However
grandiose the claims of
proponents are, they cannot
substitute for the painful truth of
failed performance at present.”
Private industry will not take us
to the moon, a point on which
industry executives are nearly
unanimous. What it can do is
handle comparatively short-range
tasks while NASA focuses on the
farther reaches of space. “The
rationale here is that NASA
needs to do the hard stuff and
leave the simpler stuff—granted,
human spaceflight is not an easy
thing, but it is something we’ve
been doing for 50 years—if it
wants to go beyond,” says
Bretton Alexander, president of
the Commercial Spaceflight
Federation, a Washington,
D.C.–based industry group.
“NASA can actually focus on
doing the cool stuff”—Mars,
asteroids and elsewhere—“and
over the long term, you have an
industry that is not only focused
on NASA. NASA becomes a
user, not the sole provider.”
Thirteen former NASA
astronauts, with 42 space
missions among them ranging
from Gemini and Apollo to the
shuttle and the ISS, also endorsed
this approach in an op-ed
published in the Wall Street
Journal last October. “We believe
that the commercial sector is
fully capable of safely handling
the critical task of low-Earth-
orbit human transportation,” the
astronauts wrote. The space
agency, they said, “should put its
unique resources into pushing
back the final frontier and not in
repaving the earth-to-orbit road it
cleared a half century ago.”
The Augustine panel clearly
outlined a path for the private
ferrying of astronauts there as
well. “NASA ought to be
exploring outer space and doing
new things,” said the panel’s
chair, Norman Augustine, the
former chairman and CEO of
Lockheed Martin. That would
leave low-Earth- orbit missions
“a commercial endeavor, in our
view.”
Humanity’s Plan B?
Get a space entrepreneur talking
about the “why” of space travel,
and some grand ambitions begin
to surface. “Of course, there are
many people who ask: Why
spend anything at all, with all the
problems we have on Earth?”
Musk says. “But not only are
there significant things we can
learn about the universe and our
place in it when we go to space,
there are things we learn about
the Earth.” He points to climate
change, ozone depletion,
pollution. “And if you really
want to go big picture here,” adds
Musk, who himself clearly loves
to go big picture, “I think it is
actually very important that we
start making progress in
extending life beyond earth and
we start making our own
existence a multi-planetary one.”
Not that Musk is pessimistic
about life on Earth. “The odds
are terrific that life will make it
just fine through the coming
centuries,” he says, but “there’s
always a chance there’s a disaster
around the corner, some horrible
thing that happens—like a super
volcano or a killer virus or a
meteorite or something, or some
invention of science creates a
miniature black hole.” Multi-
planetary existence, according to
Musk, is like a giant insurance
policy for the human race. “You
don’t buy life insurance because
you believe you are going to die
tomorrow. But you buy it to
prepare for it.”
All told, private companies have
more than 40 orbital spaceflights,
manned and unmanned,
scheduled between now and
2014. California-based Masten
Space Systems, which recently
won $1 million in a NASA-
backed competition to simulate a
lunar landing, hopes to
eventually perfect its unmanned
vehicle for moon exploration.
Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos
has sent unmanned suborbital
capsules into test flights over
property he owns in West Texas,
although he’s been quiet about
long-range plans for a vertical-
takeoff-and-landing private
spacecraft. The Web site of his
space company, Blue Origin,
says it is working “patiently and
step-by-step” to make spaceflight
and solar-system exploration
more affordable. Meanwhile,
billionaire Robert Bigelow, the
founder of Budget Suites of
America, foresees a big demand
for “space hotels” in the future
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and has already sent two
prototype inflatable space
habitats into space.
It’s true that no bride has yet
reached orbit to wear Japanese
designer Eri Matsui’s space
wedding gown; no passengers
have yet been able to honeymoon
on the moon. Nonetheless, Virgin
Galactic says it is right on target
with plans for SpaceShipTwo, of
which five more would be built if
the prototype can navigate the
federal regulations that govern
commercial spaceflight. And just
a few hangars down from
SpaceShipTwo, XCOR
Aerospace is working on its own
suborbital rocket ship, the Lynx.
XCOR’s president, Jeff Greason,
who also served on the Augustine
Committee, is developing a
variety of low-cost rocket
engines that burn various types of
fuel. Prospective private
passengers, however, will be
most interested in the Lynx,
which seats just two
people—pilot and customer.
“Ours is a very different
approach from Virgin
Galactic’s,” the somewhat
cherubic Greason explained to
me late one afternoon as we sat
in a fiberglass mock-up of the
Lynx cockpit. “Ours will be more
of a ‘Right Stuff’ experience.
You’ll really feel more like an
astronaut.”
But of all the entrepreneurs I
spoke with, Musk was the most
vocal evangelist. “Life cannot be
just about solving problems,” he
2010, page 75
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2010,
continued from page 74
said. “I mean, if all we do in life
is solve another bloody problem,
that’s depressing. You need
things that inspire people.”
Out of the Blue
Back at Scaled Composites,
Tighe led me into the cockpit of
SpaceShipTwo. It was a calm
early morning over the Mojave,
the sky above Southern
California a faultless blue, as I
felt the engines start up and
listened to the pilots count down
to liftoff. The sky began to turn
cobalt, mauve, violet, indigo and
then nearly black. Passing
upward through 328,000 feet, I
enjoyed a stunning view out the
window. I could see both the
peninsulas of Baja California and
the San Francisco Bay area, the
tip of Mount Whitney (the
highest peak in the lower 48), the
endless Pacific Ocean, the
75
curvature of the Earth.
Actually, I am being inexact on a
few of the details. Just like the
old airliners out along the
runway, SpaceShipTwo hadn’t
budged an inch at the Mojave Air
and Space Port. I was inside a
simulator, just a few feet from
the workers and rivet guns. Yet I
was still captivated. Now the
Earth was ringed with a faint blue
halo, and it was strikingly quiet.
Tighe pointed upward, and I
found it hard not to share his
grin. “Nice up here, yes?” he
asked. I had to nod.