9:45 AM
kasunone
Saturday, September 1, 2012
World's Greatest Drag Race 2 video
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Monday, August 6, 2012
Most Sexy Chinese Actress ; Wang Yue (Classic Moko Top Girl)
About as common a Chinese name as John Smith is in the west, but this Wang Yue is anything but common. A truly sexy Chinese girl, she featured in Moko Top Girl’s (MTG) second season a few years back and has continued since then to churn out a regular string of impressive sexy photo shoots.
Yue means ‘moon’ and also ‘month’ in Chinese depending on the context. Let’s just say that ny month of the year Wang Yue is welcome to visit my neck of the woods...
Yue means ‘moon’ and also ‘month’ in Chinese depending on the context. Let’s just say that ny month of the year Wang Yue is welcome to visit my neck of the woods...
Sexiest Miss Vietnam 2012 Kiu Khanh is so attractive in Bikini
Munich, Germany
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight 53 kg (120 lb)
Hair color black
Eye color brown
Title(s) Miss Vietnam Europe 2009 (winner)
Miss Vietnam Beach Beauty
Miss Vietnam World 2011 (1st runner-up)
Nguy?n Ng?c Ki?u Khanh is a beauty pageant contestant and student. Ki?u Khanh was born 1991 in Munich, Germany and is of Vietnamese descent. She also holds a Vietnamese citizenship. She is the first runner-up of Miss Vietnam World 2010 pageant in Nha Trang, Vietnam. Ki?u Khanh is the official representative of Vietnam in the Miss World 2010 pageant in Sanya, China.
Friday, July 27, 2012
London 2012 Summer Olympics | Videos, Dates, Photos, News
London 2012 Olympics - Schedule, Results, Medals, Tickets, Venues
www.london2012.com/Official Website & Mobile Apps for the London 2012 Summer Olympics. Live results, competition schedule, news, photos, videos, medal count, athlete bios.Olympics 2012: London welcomes Michelle Obama who shows ...
Daily Mail - 3 hours agoAmerica's First Lady of fashion just touched down in London town and immediately got to work motivating team America and showing off her ...Olympics 2012: Michelle Obama arrives in London, meets US athletes ABC7Chicago.com
London 2012 Olympics: Michelle Obama tells Team USA to 'have ... Telegraph.co.uk
London 2012 Olympics: Michelle Obama travels to London to ...
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
The Backstreet Boys Are Reuniting…
It’s official, Good Morning America will be the lucky host of The Backstreet Boys’ reunion with Kevin Richardson. The show will take place on August 31st in Central Park but our question is why?
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Now don’t get us wrong, we have no problem with acts like 98 Degrees and The Backstreet Boys getting back together — and in the case of Backstreet they added that they’re hard at work on a new album that will be released to coincide with their 20th anniversary — but our question is why would they want to do this in the midst of today’s boy band resurgence.
Watch: No Doubt Play Truckers In ‘Settle Down’ Video
No Doubt has wasted no time between debuting the premiere single from their upcoming new album and releasing its video. The clip for the track, “Settle Down,” is brightly colored and multicultural, featuring lots of dancing and one of Gwen Stefani’s signature hair-dos. Basically it’s on par with No Doubt’s formative music videos.
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Whether you like the new single or not (it’s growing on us, although it feels a little watered down for a first single), you can’t argue with the fact that this video is compelling. In the clip, the members of No Doubt each drive a semi truck decorated with various cultural elements (there is a Harajuku girl in the back of Stefani’s truck) and talk to each other on the CB radios. The video’s director Sophie Muller explained this to Rolling Stone, noting, “I think (bassist Tony Kanal) came up with the idea that we should do something with trucks. The idea is they are all driving to meet after having had their separate lives over the last 10 years. It’s such a mix of cultures, their band, and what their music is like. We tried to do something that resembled different parts of the world rather than a specific place.”
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Extreme weather caused by global warming
Global warming is the major cause of the recent extreme weather in
the Northern Hemisphere, according to Sun Chenghu, a researcher with the
National Climate Center (NCC).
Extreme weather has plagued America and European countries during late June and early July. In the US, a rare persistent heat wave has killed at least 30 people with temperature hitting 40 C in some places. Since July, the UK, Russia, and Germany have been struggling against severe flooding which has claimed at least 140 lives.
The NCC found temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere have been generally higher than normal since July, especially in North America. There has been a 2 degree higher-than-normal temperature observed on America's Eastern Seaboard. And in parts of the south, temperatures 6 degrees above normal temperature have been witnessed.
Rainfall has also been unevenly distributed. North America saw less than normal rain while it increased by 30 percent in Europe. The rainfall in Russia has doubled normal levels since July 7, according to the NCC.
Sun said the hot weather and rainstorms, a reflection of abnormally atmospheric circulation, should be understood against the backdrop of global warming.
Global warming rates differ in high and mid-and-low latitudes, leading to different depths of atmosphere. This slows the west wind and weather system in North America and mid-and-low latitudes, providing conditions for extreme weather.
For the case in America, when a high pressure ridge dominates weather system, it will be hot and this will usually last one week. However, this time, it is rare to see the high pressure ridge controlling the weather system for such a long time and across large regions, said Sun.
At the same time, the low pressure system has controlled the weather system over Europe, leading to severe rainstorms. This comes as a result of abnormal distribution of surface temperatures in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Source: By Zhang Yong and Sun Nan of China Meteorological News
Extreme weather has plagued America and European countries during late June and early July. In the US, a rare persistent heat wave has killed at least 30 people with temperature hitting 40 C in some places. Since July, the UK, Russia, and Germany have been struggling against severe flooding which has claimed at least 140 lives.
The NCC found temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere have been generally higher than normal since July, especially in North America. There has been a 2 degree higher-than-normal temperature observed on America's Eastern Seaboard. And in parts of the south, temperatures 6 degrees above normal temperature have been witnessed.
Rainfall has also been unevenly distributed. North America saw less than normal rain while it increased by 30 percent in Europe. The rainfall in Russia has doubled normal levels since July 7, according to the NCC.
Sun said the hot weather and rainstorms, a reflection of abnormally atmospheric circulation, should be understood against the backdrop of global warming.
Global warming rates differ in high and mid-and-low latitudes, leading to different depths of atmosphere. This slows the west wind and weather system in North America and mid-and-low latitudes, providing conditions for extreme weather.
For the case in America, when a high pressure ridge dominates weather system, it will be hot and this will usually last one week. However, this time, it is rare to see the high pressure ridge controlling the weather system for such a long time and across large regions, said Sun.
At the same time, the low pressure system has controlled the weather system over Europe, leading to severe rainstorms. This comes as a result of abnormal distribution of surface temperatures in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Source: By Zhang Yong and Sun Nan of China Meteorological News
Monday, July 9, 2012
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Chinese tech giant calls for cyber cooperation
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) — The founder of Chinese telecom equipment giant Huawei, which has faced security concerns in the U.S. and Australia, is calling for global cooperation to improve data protection.
Ren Zhengfei, in a rare public appearance at an economic forum on Friday, did not mention the controversy surrounding Huawei. But he warned data would be "vulnerable to attack again and again" because technology will develop faster than security. He gave no details of possible joint measures.
"Cyber security is a common issue that the whole industry has to face," Ren said at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. "We must join hands to proactively address this issue."
Huawei Technologies Ltd., which Ren founded in 1987, has faced suspicions it is controlled by China's ruling Communist Party or is a front for the military. The company has denied it is a security threat and says it is owned by its employees.
Huawei was barred from bidding to work on a planned Australian high-speed Internet network due to concerns about cyber attacks traced to China. The company had to unwind its purchase of a U.S. computer company, 3Leaf Systems, last year after it failed to win approval from a government security panel.
The Australian ban highlighted concern about Beijing's cyber warfare efforts, a spate of hacking attempts aimed at Western companies and the role of Chinese equipment providers, which are expanding abroad. A U.S. congressional panel has said it will investigate whether allowing Huawei and other Chinese makers of telecoms gear to expand in the United States might aid spying by Beijing.
Huawei works with 45 of the 50 biggest global phone companies and says it has won the industry's trust. It publicly invited the U.S. government last year to investigate it in order to allay security concerns.
Ren, a former military engineer, said the industry must rapidly develop reliable cyberspace technology to support development of education and social skills.
"It is unfeasible to establish an absolutely impenetrable security assurance system that can keep data flowing securely within the networks (pipes) at all times," Ren said, comparing the flood of data to the global inundation in the Hollywood disaster movie "2012."
"Data floods will never go away," he said. "No matter how well we design and reinforce security assurance systems, they will be vulnerable to attacks again and again."
Ren is one of China's most enigmatic business figures, rarely appearing in public and never talking to reporters. Forbes magazine has estimated his net worth at more than $1 billion.
Huawei reported profit of 11.6 billion yuan ($1.8 billion) last year on sales of 209.9 billion yuan ($32.4 billion). Profit fell 53 percent from 2010, which Huawei blamed on weak global demand and the strength of China's yuan against foreign currencies.
After building its business on making switching equipment that forms the backbone of phone and computer networks, Huawei is trying to become a business and consumer brand. It launched a campaign this year to sell smartphones under its own brand in the United States.
Ren said Huawei plans to expand investment in Russia to take advantage of the country's background in technology. Huawei already has a development lab in Moscow, one of 23 around the world, including in Silicon Valley.
"Russia has a very solid foundation in the military industry, rich assets of wisdom and plenty of talent," Ren said. "This foundation endows Russia with unique advantages in developing the information industry."
Hands On: Can an Ultrabook Be the Center of Your Digital Life?
In case you haven't heard, laptops are getting thinner. And lighter. And sexier. The shrinking phenomenon is often attributed to the MacBook Air, and Apple deserves a great deal of credit for pushing the industry toward the compact-yet-versatile laptop.
[More from Mashable: Acer Reveals Budget-Minded Ultrabook]
After working with Apple to help craft some of the technology in the initial MacBook Air design, Intel took the ball and ran with it, launching the Ultrabook concept. Ultrabooks are the Air's ethos adapted to Windows PCs -- thin and light laptops that sacrifice a few rarely used features (like optical drives) to create a nimble machine that can actually perform.
The performance aspect is key, since substandard tech was the main criticism of netbooks, which tried to give people the sexy form factor without the guts to back it up. The combo proved initally popular until owners realized they couldn't do much with a netbook. Sure, you could send email -- but speed was lacking, screens were small and you could forget about any "power user" functions like video editing.
[More from Mashable: Retina MacBook Pro: The Laptop From the Future [REVIEW]]
Ultrabooks remedy that by packing better processing power. Instead of using the "just getting by" Atom processors that Intel puts in netbooks, Ultrabooks command their own subcategory among the company's top-tier Core processors. They use the same chip architecture as high-end laptops and desktops, just tailored to lower voltages so they don't suck Ultrabooks' smaller batteries dry.
There are a bunch of specifications that a laptop must meet to qualify as an Ultrabook, but suffice it to say the laptop must be thin and light, it has to both boot up and wake from sleep mode quickly, and it needs to be packing Intel Core chips (the term "Ultrabook" is an Intel trademark, after all). Apple's MacBook Air technically doesn't count, since it doesn't run some of the Intel-based tech involved, even though it has the chips.
I've been using an Ultrabook, the Dell XPS 13, off and on for the past few months, using it for both personal tasks and many demanding work situations, like this week's Apple event liveblog for Mashable. It's also filled in as a substitute laptop for a few colleagues in emergencies.
Now that ultrabooks have recently gotten a boost from the introduction of Intel's latest processing tech, Ivy Bridge, it bears looking at how effective the concept is as a whole. Can you really get lots of work done? What are the downsides? And ultimately: Is the Ultrabook ready to be your primary computer?
The Dell XPS 13 is a gorgeous machine. With its slim silver casing, it's easy to mistake for a MacBook Air. The chiclet-style keyboard feels great to the touch, and it even sports a backlight. The 13.3-inch screen has 1,366 x 768-pixel resolution, which is pretty standard for a machine this size, and it's protected by Corning Gorilla Glass.
Dell launched the XPS 13 in March, so it packs a second-generation Intel Core processor (Sandy Bridge, not the latest Ivy Bridge). But since its launch, Dell has released a couple of updates, the most impactful being the introduction of multi-finger gestures, like using two fingers to scroll through a document. It's a welcome addition, though it's not as smooth out of the gate as on, say, a MacBook.
That might be in part due to the rubbery material Dell uses for the pad itself. I found the texture to be a little too "sticky," making some movements (such as selecting text) a little unwieldy, and it was prone to clumping up dust.
Overall, though, the XPS 13 is physically a dream -- a textbook Ultrabook. I was very comfortable just tossing it in a carry-on or using it in a cramped airplane seat. Short falls (under 3 feet) had no effect on it. The durability is partly due to the XPS 13 packing a solid-state drive (SSD), with fewer moving parts, instead of a hard disk.
However, that SSD is just a mere 128GB for the entry-level version, which starts at $999. That was a decent amount of storage a few years back, but today it's probably not enough for all your needs. That means you'll need to choose between configuring your Ultrabook with more storage or buying external drives, but either way you're spending money.
That's just one example of how one of the promises of Ultrabooks is counterfeit: that it would bestow sleek, well-performing machines at a fair price (i.e. in the $1,000 range). While technically true, accessories almost become a necessity with an Ultrabook.
SEE ALSO: Retina MacBook Pro: The Laptop From the Future [REVIEW]On more than one occasion, I found the XPS 13's lack of an Ethernet port a serious problem. Ethernet-to-USB adapters are available, of course -- for a small fee. And the one or two times I needed to fire up a CD or DVD would lead me to buying an external optical drive.
That said, it's much more preferable to have the thin-and-light form factor in a machine that satisfies 95% of my laptop needs on its own, than a more expensive, bulkier full-featured laptop. Just know before you click "Complete My Purchase" that buying an Ultrabook is really buying an Ultrabook + friends.
While Ultrabooks pack Intel Core chips, they're actually lower-voltage designs than what you get in bigger laptops. They're also strictly dual-core, whereas the higher-voltage processors can be either dual- or quad-core.
However, if there was any sacrifice in performance, I didn't see it. The XPS 13 is nimble creature -- apps install and launch fast, files copy quickly, and web browsing was only limited by connectivity. And that's on a machine with a Sandy Bridge processor and USB 2.0 -- last year's tech. I can't wait to taste the boost in speed in the new Ivy Bridge Ultrabooks (and MacBook Airs) that feature USB 3.0.
The XPS 13 also boots up fully in just 28 seconds -- faster than even the Samsung Galaxy S III, and that's a phone! It wakes up from sleep in far less time (a few seconds), ready to resume all your apps right where you left off. That's the power of solid-state drives combined with proprietary Intel Rapid Start tech.
Battery life was outstanding. After a five-hour flight of near-continuous use (with wireless turned off and brightness turned down), the XPS 13 still had more than 50% of a charge left.
Coming back to the key question: Can an Ultrabook now serve as the center of your digital life -- the gateway through which all your "serious" computing flows? The answer is yes ... as long as you're willing to pay. Putting that kind of weight on an ultra-thin design guarantees the need for accessories to fill in those gaps (like burning a DVD), unless you really are just using your PC for web browsing and email.
But in today's world -- where even "average" users are being pulled toward former power-user-only fare like cloud services, external backups and even secondary displays -- that's not asking too much. The XPS 13 convinced me that Ultrabooks aren't some fad or special-case computer. They're ready for duty as a go-to machine for the majority of users.
Maybe if enough of those users actually get one, we can just start calling them what they should be called: laptops.
The Dell XPS 13 is your typical Ultrabook -- light and thin, with the power of full-size laptop.
Click here to view this gallery.
This story originally published on Mashable here.
Sony and Panasonic to announce an OLED partnership next week
In a solar system 1,200 light-years away from ours, there's a couple of planets that come so close to each other every 97 days they can see each other rise in the night sky. This odd duo, found thanks to data … Continue …
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Fire Up Your Camping Trips With This Portable Heat Delivery System [VIDEO]
In a solar system 1,200 light-years away from ours, there's a couple of planets that come so close to each other every 97 days they can see each other rise in the night sky. This odd duo, found thanks to data … Continue …
Alan Turing's 100th: 12 Celebratory Images From Across the Web
Courtesy of Facebook, George Takei
Click here to view this gallery.
[More from Mashable: Facebook to Receive GLAAD Award for LGBT Efforts]
Alan Turing represents different things to different people. He was a mathematician, logician, computer scientist extraordinaire and a persecuted gay man. Today would have been Turing's 100th birthday, and all over the web people are posting images to celebrate the man, his achievements and all he represents to them.
Widely considered to be the father of computer science and artificial intelligence, Turing gained worldwide acclaim during World War II for breaking German ciphers and decoding the Enigma machine. He also created one of the first models for a stored-program computer, the ACE, while working at England's National Physical Laboratory.
[More from Mashable: Happy Birthday Chuck Norris: King of Internet Memes]
SEE ALSO: Is This the Smartest Google Doodle Yet?Turing made major advances in mathematical biology and electromechanics, all before the age of 41. In 1952, a criminal prosecution began as a result of Turing's homosexuality, which was still illegal in the United Kingdom. As an alternative to prison, Turing chose to undergo treatment with female hormones, otherwise known as chemical castration.
Shortly thereafter, just after his 42nd birthday, Turing committed suicide by cyanide poisoning. When Turing's body was discovered, there was a half-eaten apple beside his bed. This was believed to be the method by which he consumed the fatal dosage of cyanide. It has since become an symbol of Turing's obstacles, and can be seen in several of the illustrations posted today.
Turing remains a hero today, both for his scientific advances and for what he represents in LGBT history. Tributes to Turing abound on the web, from Reddit to Tumblr to Pinterest. One especially popular post is on George Takei's Facebook page.
Check out these images celebrating Alan Turing's 100th. What do Turing's life and achievements mean to you? Let us know in the comments.
This story originally published on Mashable here.
Why Apple wants to spread lies about you (and why that’s a good thing)
A new Apple patent could be a powerful defense in the war on privacyIt's becoming harder and harder to maintain any sense of privacy on the internet. Do a search for just about anything online, and somewhere there's a data collector compiling information about you and your searches. Even though the eyes on you at all times are digital, being watched is still unsettling. But such a loss of privacy is an inevitable part of life on the net, right?
Not if computing giant Apple has anything to say about it. According to a report from InformationWeek, Apple recently scored a patent for a technology that, essentially, creates lies about you.
How does the tech work? In short, it works by way of what's being called "profile pollution." As you search and use the internet, Apple would create a number of different online profiles for you. One, of course, would be your real one, filled with data on what you search for, and where you searched. The others would be filled with lies.
The new technology goes as far as to fake actions for the fake versions of you — your Apple-created doppelgänger really could be performing searches for "classical music concert tickets" at the same time you're watching Justin Bieber clips on YouTube. And, at the same time, yet another version of you could be perusing Betty White's twitter account. That way, when Big Brother (or anyone's brother, for that matter) wants to know whether or not you're having a baby or whether you just like J. Bieb's song Baby... well, it'll have a hard time figuring it out. And if you care about your privacy, that's a very good thing.
[via Mashable]
This article was written by Fox Van Allen and originally appeared on Tecca
More from Tecca:
Hawaii's island of Lanai depends on wealthy owner
HONOLULU (AP) — The 3,200 people living on a rural Hawaiian island that will soon be purchased by billionaire Oracle Corp. CEO Larry Ellison have a laundry list of what they'd like to see him provide.
Working-class residents on Lanai want stable jobs. Affordable housing. No onerous restrictions on hunting or fishing. A return to agriculture. Improved transportation to Maui, Oahu and other islands given an airport with limited flights. Even simple things like the reopening of the community pool. They hope he's willing to sit down, listen to their concerns and be sensitive to the unique culture of Hawaii.
But on Lanai, an island paradise unscathed by urban annoyances like traffic lights, residents' lives are largely dependent on whoever owns 98 percent of the island's 141 square miles. Without tourism, the economic engine that's driven the island under its current billionaire owner, the "pineapple island" doesn't have much.
"It's not an island with a lot of resources and the kind of infrastructure you need," said Bill Medeiros, assigned to oversee Lanai as executive assistant to the mayor of Maui County, of which Lanai is part. "At one time, almost the whole island was pineapple."
Lanai residents are fully aware, Medeiros said, that their wants ultimately have little bearing on the reality of living on an island whose future rests with the whims of an owner with deep pockets willing to bear a financial loss.
That owner is soon to be Ellison, an adventurous billionaire who needs the island a whole lot less than the people of Lanai need him.
The constant fear is what happens if the owner doesn't renew leases on rented homes, closes a hotel or decides he's had enough and sells, community leaders say.
"It's always, 'What happens if he sells us? How scary,'" said Kepa Maly, executive director of the Lanai Culture & Heritage Center.
It would be nice if Ellison, known for being a visionary, can find a way for Lanai to sustain itself in a way that honors its roots, Maly said. But he shouldn't expect to turn a profit.
"The history of Lanai since western contact is littered with the graves of unsuccessful western business interests," he said. "I can't believe someone buying the island today would be able to get richer off of it."
Current billionaire owner David Murdock, who led a shift from the island's pineapple industry to luxury resort and home development, had been losing $20 million to $30 million a year, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser previously reported.
Ellison has yet to fully reveal his plans for Lanai but his representatives have assured the state senator who represents the island that the high-tech CEO and world-renowned sailor has no plans for radical changes and will be sensitive to the culture of the island.
Still the reality, Maly noted, "is clearly someone has to earn some money. How do we do that?"
And Ellison didn't become the world's sixth richest billionaire without some shrewd business sense.
"He told me once that he's like anybody else when he spends his money on something, he doesn't want to get taken," said Mike Wilson, managing editor of the Tampa Bay Times who authored, "The Difference Between God and Larry Ellison: God Doesn't Think He's Larry Ellison."
But for a pet project like buying an island, "I'm sure his first concern is not that he'll lose money," Wilson said. "I don't think he's unconscious of the natural beauty of the place or anywhere else."
The island's charm means residents travel via $50-round trip ferry ride to neighboring Maui to shop at stores like Costco or Wal-Mart. There may be only 30 miles of paved roads, but a gallon of gasoline at the lone gas station on Friday was about $5.75, compared to Honolulu's average of $4.20 and the U.S. national average of $3.45. Residents supplement the food on their family's table by fishing and hunting — mostly deer and some wild pig. There's one school and one hospital. For more than routine medical care, residents must fly to Honolulu, a 25-minute plane ride away.
Lanai's small size has led to a tight-knight community, built as a walking community around Lanai City's park, where residents strive for a simple life.
"For an island that may have been host to many well-known people, it's still an island that allows a lot of courtesy and privacy," said seventh-generation Lanaian Sol Kahoohalahala.
As the sale gets closer to being a done deal, Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa is pondering how Ellison might "completely alter the economic structure of the island."
Playing off Ellison's high-tech prowess Maly has a novel idea: "Software development. How about Lanai becoming engaged in computer sciences?"
TV's Biggest Highlights on Social Media This Year [INFOGRAPHIC]
With the 2011-2012 TV season behind us, networks are not only looking into ratings to gauge success, they're also diving into social TV statistics. Which series reigned supreme with the social media-wielding viewers?
Fox generated the most comments on Facebook and Twitter from September to May for primetime series programming and all series programming, with American Idol, Glee and The X Factor leading the charge online.
[More from Mashable: Amazon Picks First Original Projects for On-Demand Video Service [VIDEO]]
"Fox is clearly a leader in social TV," Bluefin spokeswoman April Conyers told Mashable. "But it's also interesting to note that when you expand beyond series-only to include sports and special events, CBS jumps to the top."
SEE ALSO: Summer TV Guide -- 20 Social Shows to See | 'True Blood' Breaks Social Media Records[More from Mashable: Top 10 Twitter Pics of the Week]
CBS ranked number one when accessing all show types and non-primetime/primetime data, propelled by the Grammy Awards, March Madness and NFL broadcasts.
What were the shows doing to attract comments? NBC's The Voice, for example, employed an impressive social media blitz, using more than 160 social profiles for judges, contestants and show personalities, including one for judge Cee Lo Green's cat, Purrfect. The Voice also introduced voting via a slick Facebook Timeline app.
The result for The Voice season two: 145 worldwide Twitter trending topics, 13% rise for online's vote share and 38% jump in votes per unique user, NBC told Mashable.
The infographic below from Bluefin Labs details the most social days, moments, premieres, finales, series, broadcast networks and cable networks.
"This was the first full TV season with social TV measurement, so this data serves as a benchmark for future seasons," Conyers says. "People will be interested in tracking the growth and adoption of social TV. Having this season's data all in one place is a useful reference."
This story originally published on Mashable here.
Judge blocks Apple in Google smartphone war
(Reuters) - A U.S. judge on Friday ruled that Apple Inc cannot pursue an injunction against Google's Motorola Mobility unit, effectively ending a key case for the iPhone maker in the smartphone patent wars.
The ruling came from Judge Richard Posner in Chicago federal court. He dismissed the litigation between Apple and Motorola Mobility with prejudice, meaning it can't be refiled.
The ruling is a blow for Apple, which had hoped a decisive ruling against Motorola would help it gain an upper hand in the smartphone market against Android.
"Apple is complaining that Motorola's phones as a whole ripped off the iPhone as a whole," Posner wrote. "But Motorola's desire to sell products that compete with the iPhone is a separate harm -— and a perfectly legal one -— from any harm caused by patent infringement."
Apple spokeswoman Kristin Huguet declined to comment on the ruling. Motorola Mobility spokeswoman Jennifer Erickson said the company was pleased that Posner dismissed Apple's case.
Both parties have the option to appeal Posner's ruling.
Motorola sued Apple in October 2010, a move that was widely seen as a pre-emptive strike against an imminent Apple lawsuit. Apple filed its own claims against Motorola the same month.
Posner issued a series of pre-trial rulings that eliminated nearly all of Motorola's patent claims against Apple from the prospective trial, while maintaining more of Apple's claims against Motorola. That meant Apple had more to gain in the trial, which had been set to start last week.
However, Posner canceled the trial earlier this month.
Apple had sought an injunction barring the sale of Motorola products using Apple's patented technology. But in Friday's ruling, Posner wrote that neither party is entitled to an injunction.
Since Motorola could design around the minor technological features covered by Apple's patents, an injunction would be an inappropriate windfall for Apple, Posner wrote.
Posner also said that Apple had not clearly demonstrated that Motorola phones caused a loss of consumer goodwill significant enough for an injunction.
"To suggest that it has suffered loss of market share, brand recognition, or customer goodwill as a result of Motorola's alleged infringement of the patent claims still in play in this case is wild conjecture," Posner wrote.
In a bright spot for the iPhone maker, Posner also ruled that Motorola could not seek an injunction based on the one patent in the case that it was still asserting against Apple.
Motorola had pledged to license that patent - which covers an aspect of wireless communication - on fair and reasonable terms to other companies in exchange for having the technology adopted as an industry standard.
"How could it be permitted to enjoin Apple from using an invention that it contends Apple must use if it wants to make a cell phone," Posner wrote.
At a hearing earlier this week, Apple had argued that it would be satisfied with an injunction forcing Motorola to remove Apple's patented features within three months. But Posner found that proposal unworkable, in part because of the hardship in administering such an order.
"Because of the potential costs to Motorola and the federal judiciary I could not responsibly order injunctive relief in favor of Apple," he wrote in his ruling.
The case is Apple Inc. and NeXT Software Inc. V. Motorola Inc. and Motorola Mobility Inc., in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, no. 11-08540.
(Reporting by Dan Levine in Oakland, California and Jessica Dye in New York; Editing by Gary Hill and Jeremy Laurence)
5 Advanced Twitter Tips for Your Small Business
This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business.
So you're running a small business and you've got the basics of social networking mastered: You tweet often, you've created a venue on Foursquare and your Facebook Page is beautiful. How do you move to the next level of social marketing mastery?
[More from Mashable: Craigslist to Popular Apartment-Finding Site: Cease and Desist]
Devin Desjarlais, social media manager at Max Borges Agency, has five can't-miss tips for upping your Twitter game.
Scheduling tweets with a platform such as HootSuite or Tweetdeck can be a great way to spread out your business' social sharing throughout the day. However, Desjarlais says that it's important to pay attention to any responses your scheduled tweets may elicit -- the follow-up conversation is just as important as the initial tweet, if not more.
[More from Mashable: Why LeBron James’s Championship Is a Win for All Athletes in the Digital Age]
"The key to attracting a following on Twitter is to engage with users," Desjarlais says. "Hootsuite is a free platform that allows companies to schedule tweets for all accounts in one place. That means that you won’t have to spend all day planning the next 140 characters to publish. However, check back hourly to see who has tweeted back at you. Twitter users have a short attention span, so it’s important to respond as quickly as possible."
Get familiar with platforms that let you build streams around phrases or hashtags relevant to your company. That way, you've always got your ear to the social ground.
"Hashtags are an excellent way to track conversation about a specific topic," Desjarlais says. "With Hootsuite, companies can create streams that track a specific hashtag, giving the account manager an easy way to find content and engage with other tweeters. For example, if your company makes custom guitars, you might want to follow a stream dedicated to the #music hashtag."
It's the mark of a successful social company to have plenty of customers tweeting at you or about you using your Twitter handle, but you can't rely on all users to do that. If you're only listening for tweets mentioning @BobsBurgerShack, for example, you'll miss out on a tweet such as, "Man, I wish Bob's Burger Shack had relish!"
The solution? Enhanced listening techniques.
"Topsy.com is a little-known website that lets users do real-time searches in the social web,” Desjarlais explains. "Do daily searches for your company’s name and narrow the search results to just tweets to see who is talking about your company but not @-mentioning you." Or you can save searches for some key terms and common permutations of your company name, such as "Bobs burger" and "Bobs cheeseburger."
While the majority of your tweets will probably be about your business, it's important to develop a personality beyond tweeting out discounts or new menu options. It's all about building a human personality.
"The last thing a company wants to do is spam their followers with tweets," she says. "Twitter is about sharing ideas, information and occasionally inspirational quotes in order to build a community around what the business offers. Try to tweet at least five times per day and dedicate one or two of those tweets to sending users back to your company’s website. Schedule those posts between 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. EST on the weekdays for the most engagement."
Determining the return on investment of social networking can be a real challenge, especially for smaller businesses that don't have the time or resources to dedicate to complex analytics. Desjarlais says free tools are available to make that task just a bit easier.
"The URL shortener Bitly lets users create shortened links for any URL available online," says Desjarlais. "Sign up for a free Bitly account and create custom Bitly links or 'bitmarks' that can be used whenever you send users back to your company’s website. To see how many people have clicked the link, simply paste the URL with a '+' at the end into your Internet browser to see up-to-date metrics."
What other advanced Twitter tips have you learned for running a small business? Share them in the comments below.
More Small Business Resources From OPEN Forum:- Why Social Learning Benefits Your Business - 9 Steps for Getting Kickstarter Dollars - Choosing the Best Social Media
Image courtesy of iStockphoto, matspersson0
This story originally published on Mashable here.
Friday, June 29, 2012
Google Announces Sharp Price Cuts for Google Maps [VIDEO]
In a solar system 1,200 light-years away from ours, there's a couple of planets that come so close to each other every 97 days they can see each other rise in the night sky. This odd duo, found thanks to data … Continue …
Court throws out FCC penalties for cursing, nudity
WASHINGTON (AP) — Broadcasters anticipating a major constitutional ruling on the government's authority to regulate what can be shown and said on the airwaves instead won only the smallest of Supreme Court victories Thursday.
The justices unanimously threw out fines and other penalties against Fox and ABC television stations that violated the Federal Communications Commission policy regulating curse words and nudity on television airwaves.
Forgoing a broader constitutional ruling, however, the court concluded only that broadcasters could not have known in advance that obscenities uttered during awards show programs on Fox stations and a brief display of nudity on an episode of ABC's "NYPD Blue" could give rise to penalties. ABC and 45 affiliates had been hit with proposed fines totaling nearly $1.24 million.
Broadcasters had argued that the revolution in technology that has brought the Internet, satellite television and cable has made the rules themselves obsolete. The regulations apply only to broadcast channels.
The justices said the FCC is free to revise its indecency policy, which is intended to keep the airwaves free of objectionable material during the hours when children are likely to be watching.
The agency's chairman, Julius Genachowski, said the ruling "appears to be narrowly limited to procedural issues related to actions taken a number of years ago. Consistent with vital First Amendment principles, the FCC will carry out Congress's directive to protect young TV viewers."
It was the second time the court has confronted, but not ruled conclusively on the FCC's policy on isolated expletives. Justice Anthony Kennedy said in his opinion for the court that "it is unnecessary for the court to address the constitutionality of the current policy."
The narrow decision, coupled with the more than five months that elapsed between the argument in January and Thursday's decision, could mean that the justices struggled and failed to reach agreement on a broader outcome.
Broadcasters argue that viewers now have many options, unlike the handful of channels they had available in the 1960s and 1970s when the court last weighed in on indecency on the airwaves. In many cases, viewers don't even know when they are switching between the older broadcast channels and cable.
Still, the regulated broadcast channels provide what the government has called a safe haven of milder programming, and those channels remain dominant, even in the Internet age, the administration argued.
Paul Smith, a First Amendment expert and partner with the Jenner and Block law firm in Washington, said the court should expect more challenges until it rules definitively.
"The Supreme Court decided to punt on the opportunity to issue a broad ruling on the constitutionality of the FCC indecency policy. The issue will be raised again as broadcasters will continue to try to grapple with the FCC's vague and inconsistent enforcement regime," said Smith, who wrote a brief supporting the broadcasters.
The case arose from a change in the FCC's long-standing policy on curse words.
For many years, the agency did not take action against broadcasters for one-time uses of curse words. But after several awards shows with cursing celebrities in 2002 and 2003, the FCC toughened its policy after it concluded that a one-free-expletive rule did not make sense in the context of keeping the airwaves free of indecency when children are likely to be watching television.
But Kennedy, in the ruling throwing out the fines, said the commission did not adequately explain that under the new policy "a fleeting expletive or a brief shot of nudity could be actionably indecent."
The stepped-up indecency enforcement, which included issuing record fines for violations, also was spurred in part by widespread outrage following Janet Jackson's breast-baring performance during the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show on CBS.
That incident and the FCC's proposed fine of $550,000 are not part of the current case. The government has an appeal pending of a lower court ruling that threw out the fine in that case.
The 2004 Super Bowl took place before the FCC later that year laid out its new policy and the possibility of fines for even one-time utterances of certain words.
Tim Winter, president of the Parents Television Council, said he read the new decision as a "green light" for the FCC to rule against broadcasters in the many pending complaints of indecent material that aired after the FCC explained its new policy.
"Once again the Supreme Court has ruled against the networks in their yearslong campaign to obliterate broadcast decency standards," Winter said.
The material at issue in Thursday's decision included the isolated use of expletives as well as fines against broadcasters who showed a woman's nude buttocks on a 2003 episode of "NYPD Blue."
In December 2002, singer Cher used the phrase "F--- 'em" during the Billboard Music Awards show on the Fox television network. A month later, U2 lead singer Bono uttered the phrase "f------ brilliant" during NBC's broadcast of the Golden Globes awards show. During the December 2003 Billboard awards show on Fox, reality show star Nicole Richie said, "Have you ever tried to get cow s--- out of a Prada purse? It's not so f------simple."
But the challenge went beyond just the penalties for the use of fleeting expletives.
The broadcasters wanted the court to free them from all regulation of content around the clock. The court's 1978 Pacifica decision upheld the FCC's reprimand of a New York radio station for airing a George Carlin monologue containing a 12-minute string of expletives in the middle of the afternoon.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said in a brief opinion that she would have overturned the Pacifica ruling, which she called wrong even when it was decided. Justice Sonia Sotomayor did not take part in the current case because she was involved in an earlier version while sitting as an appeals court judge in New York.
The case is FCC v. Fox, 10-1293.
___
AP Technology Writer Peter Svensson in New York contributed to this report.
Ben Affleck glad to be family man, not tab target
WASHINGTON (AP) — Ben Affleck is managing to live a relatively private life in a Hollywood fishbowl.
He's no longer tailed daily by the paparazzi, as he was when he dated Jennifer Lopez from 2002 to 2004. It was a time when entertainment coverage was starting to explode and the couple were on the cover of every magazine and tabloid, and the top story on TV entertainment shows.
"I definitely was in a tabloid crosshair," he said in a recent interview with The Associated Press. "It mucks up your life."
He described the constant attention as "sort of snarky and venal and kind of overwhelming."
The paparazzi weren't going to change their ways, so Affleck changed his life. He married Jennifer Garner, had three kids, and cut down his "compulsive" work schedule.
But not entirely: Affleck was in Washington D.C. this week to raise awareness for something else he holds dear — his Eastern Congo Initiative to reduce the child mortality rate in the region.
Now, the paparazzi only occasionally take photos of Affleck and Garner when they're out with Violet, 6, Seraphina, 3, and Sam, 4 months.
"I feel like I have a chance to do the most exciting stuff that I've done in my career," he said. "I'm the luckiest guy in the world."
Man sentenced for online 'South Park' threat
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A Muslim convert from Brooklyn was sentenced Friday to nearly 12 years in prison for posting online threats against the creators of the "South Park" television show and others he deemed enemies of Islam.
The sentence — largely in line with the term sought by prosecutors — came after Jesse Curtis Morton, 33, offered an apology for his conduct, saying he "contributed to a clash of civilizations" by espousing a violent ideology.
"I justified atrocities by Muslims simply because they were carried out by the weak against the powerful," Morton said.
Morton founded the now-defunct Revolution Muslim website. He said he wanted the site to offer a forum for nuanced dialogue on relations between the Muslim world and the West and that he thought his website was protected by the First Amendment. However, he admitted that the website devolved into coarse calls for violent jihad, and that he crossed the line by posting the al-Qaida magazine Inspire on the site. The magazine explicitly called for the murder of a cartoonist from Seattle who promoted "Everybody Draw Muhammad day" and featured an article titled "How to Make a Bomb in the Kitchen of Your Mom."
He and another defendant, Zachary Chesser, used the website to deliver thinly veiled threats against the creators of the "South Park" television show for perceived insults to the prophet Muhammad, by depicting him in a bear costume. Chesser earlier received a 25-year sentence, but he also tried to travel to Somalia to join the al-Shabab terrorist group.
Prosecutor Gordon Kromberg said Morton's apology may well be sincere, but argued that a stiff sentence was necessary because of the nature of the crime. He said Morton's site inspired a variety of would-be jihadis, including "Jihad Jane" Colleen LaRose; Antonio Benjamin Martinez, who plotted to bomb a military recruiting station; and Jose Pimental, who plotted to assassinate members of the U.S. military returning from Afghanistan and Iraq. He also corresponded with American al-Qaida member Samir Khan on writing an article for use as al-Qaida propaganda.
Kromberg said the posting of Al-Qaida's instructional article on how to build a kitchen bomb will inevitably lead to someone's death in the future. And he said Morton abused his free speech protections to call for the murder of those whose speech he found offensive.
"Make a TV show we don't like — we'll slit your throat. Draw a cartoon we don't like — we'll slit your throat," Kromberg said, summarizing Morton's philosophy.
U.S. District Judge Liam O'Grady said Morton was a bright man who could have used his intellect and energy for good but instead took a "horrible turn."
"You were rubbing elbows with some of the most dangerous revolutionaries of the past few years," O'Grady said, who told Morton "there has to be religious tolerance in the world. There has to be freedom of speech."
Defense attorney James Hundley had sought a prison term of less than five years. He argued that Morton by and large tried to keep his website on the right side of the line between free speech and advocating violence, but admitted that at times Morton crossed it.
"His goal was to engage in dialogue," Hundley said.
Morton's prosecution was relatively novel under a law enacted in recent years that makes it a federal crime to use the Internet to place another person in fear of death or serious injury.
Morton was arrested last year in Morocco, where he moved after Chesser's arrest.
Ga., SC mountains mark 'Deliverance' anniversary
ATLANTA (AP) — Four decades ago, the movie "Deliverance" introduced the lush north Georgia mountains to the world.
Though many in the region still bristle at the movie's portrayal of locals as uneducated hillbillies, the film helped create the $20 million rafting and outdoor sports industry along the Chattooga River, which splits Georgia and South Carolina. Several movies have filmed in the area this year because of the natural beauty showcased in "Deliverance," including next year's "Killing Season" with Robert DeNiro and John Travolta.
This weekend, communities along the Chattooga are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the movie's release with the first-ever Chattooga River Festival, even though some locals are unhappy with the idea of reminding the world of the area's connection to the movie.
"It's one of those cases where some good comes out of most everything," said Stan Darnell, chairman of the Rabun County, Ga., board of commissioners. "Certainly a lot of good came out of that, as far as opening up film industry, the kayaking, the camping."
Festival organizers say they hope the event can be an annual draw that raises money to preserve the Chattooga River and promotes environmental stewardship. The first year's theme of "Deliverance" simply celebrates the movie that created the adventure sports industry there, said Pete Cleaveland, executive director of the Rabun County, Ga., Convention and Visitors Bureau and vice chairman of the festival committee.
Events include a concert by Ronny Cox, one of the four lead actors in the movie and who played on "Dueling Banjos" in the movie. The iconic tune features the "Yankee Doodle" riff and features prominently in the movie. The schedule also includes a screening of "Deliverance" at the civic center in tiny Clayton, Ga., and a music festival in nearby Long Creek, S.C. at Chattooga Belle Farm.
There are also art shows and a river cleanup.
Cleaveland said he's expecting up to 3,000 people at this year's festival and he hopes that attendance will grow in future years. Each year will have a different theme, he said.
"We really want to raise awareness of the river and this great conservation area we have around the river," he said.
Ed Land, who owns Chattooga Belle Farm and is on the committee that organized the festival, said some complained when organizers first discussed linking the festival to the movie.
"There was some pretty stiff opposition, but as a committee, we looked at it, figured it is what it is, and figured people will get over it. It is going to benefit the people of the area whether they like it or not," Land said.
The idea drew criticism during Rabun County commission meetings, where the board ultimately turned down a request for $1,000 funding for the festival. Darnell said that had nothing to do with the theme and was purely a budgetary decision.
Still, others on both sides of the river that served as the fictional Cahulawassee River in the movie spoke out against the festival's theme.
"It portrays Rabun County as backward, uneducated, scary, deviant inbred hillbillies. Even today when 'Deliverance' is mentioned, it raises unpleasant unfounded images of the wonderful Appalachian hardworking people that live in this region," said Darnell. "I would like it more if it had just been the Chattooga River Festival. I would not have had 'Deliverance' as part of it."
The movie is based on a novel by Georgia native James Dickey, who told The Associated Press in 1994 that he got the idea for "Deliverance" while living in an Italian village.
"I saw a figure standing at the edge of a cliff," said Dickey, who died in 1997. "And I thought: 'Who is it? What is he doing there? Did he come from the woods, inland ... or did he come up it? Why would he do that?' It all began to come together. Then I put a river down there."
The region is nestled among the state and national forests where Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina meet. Rabun County has just 17,000 people, but the population nearly doubles in the summer as river guides and city dwellers escape to the mountains for a few months.
The state's film commission, established the year after "Deliverance" was nominated for an Academy Award for best picture, traces its roots back to the movie's filming in north Georgia. Most people in the area either worked on the movie or know someone who was in it.
Hotel bookings are up for this weekend's festival, and organizers have seen a marked increase in interest because of the link to the film.
"I think most everyone now is supportive," John Dillard, owner of the Dillard House inn in Clayton, Ga., said about the movie. "You've always got a few curmudgeons around, but maybe they'll give us a break and let us have some fun."
___
Associated Press writer Jeffery Collins in Columbia, S.C., contributed to this report
Baby girl for Lily Aldridge, Caleb Followill
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Victoria's Secret model Lily Aldridge and Kings of Leon frontman Caleb Followill are the new parents of a baby girl.
The couple welcomed Dixie Pearl Followill on Thursday morning at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn.
Spokesman Ken Weinstein says both Aldridge and the baby are happy and healthy and are resting at their home outside of Nashville. Dixie Pearl was born at 1 a.m., weighing in at 7 pounds, 11 ounces.
Aldridge, 26, and Followill, 30, married in California in May 2011. Dixie Pearl is their first child.
___
Online:
http://www.kingsofleon.com
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Star-studded K-pop concert in Hong Kong
ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, who underwent eye surgery on Saturday, will not attend a summit of EU leaders on June 28-29, when Athens will seek to ease the punishing terms of its international bailout, a government spokesman said. Incoming Finance Minister Vassilis Rapanos will also miss the …
Who's landing the big interviews after Oprah?
NEW YORK (AP) — Since Oprah Winfrey packed up the couch that Tom Cruise jumped on and ended her daytime talk show last year, no one has truly filled her role as the top go-to person in television for major celebrity and news interviews.
Now someone is trying to claim that spot — and would you believe it's Oprah again?
Faced with the potential failure of her money-pit cable network OWN, Winfrey is working the phones hard to secure big-name interviews for her show, "Oprah's Next Chapter." Back-to-back episodes last Sunday featured the Kardashian family and rapper 50 Cent, and the Kardashians will be back this weekend. Michael Jackson's daughter Paris and the late Whitney Houston's family made news with their interviews in recent weeks.
The open question is whether she can have the same cultural impact on a smaller stage. Winfrey's daytime talk show was generally seen by around 6 million people in her final years; "Oprah's Next Chapter" with the Kardashians was seen by 1.1 million viewers, according to the Nielsen company.
"I am sure that people have a conversation about that when they are exploring their options," said Sheri Salata, OWN president. "The one constant we have ... is that you have the opportunity to sit down with Oprah."
Winfrey's daytime show wasn't all about interviews, of course. But in her last few seasons, she sat down for conversations with the likes of Tina Fey, Elizabeth Edwards, Michelle Obama, Madonna, Denzel Washington, Jerry Seinfeld, Richard Branson and Beyonce.
The audience was primarily women but, as Cruise proved with his eager declarations of love for Katie Holmes in 2005, the cultural impact could spread beyond the afternoon.
"Doing an interview on one of those shows was like Johnny Carson asking you to come sit with him after you've done your stand-up," said Robert Thompson, director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University. "If there was any equivalent to playing the Palace at the end of the 20th and beginning of the 21st centuries, being on 'Oprah' might have been it."
While Thompson said that "half the people can't find OWN on their cable television," that may underestimate Winfrey. The "Oprah's Next Chapter" episode with Houston's family in March premiered to 3.5 million people, Nielsen said. Many others heard about it or saw clips.
Winfrey's presence in daytime was a mixed blessing for veteran Hollywood publicist Howard Bragman. Most of his clients wanted to be on "Oprah" and were convinced they had a story she wanted to hear. When they did, it was great.
When they didn't, not so great. "It was a ton of pressure," he said, "and there's a part of me that is happy the pressure has lifted."
Now he can suggest a media strategy with interviewers who can reach his clients' target audiences. Bragman often goes retro, preferring the news divisions at broadcast television networks.
Ellen DeGeneres is probably the leading personality in daytime now, but her show is about entertainment. Dr. Phil and Anderson Cooper get some interviews, as does "The View" and "The Talk."
None has the impact that Winfrey had on a consistent basis, said Bill Carroll, an expert in the syndication market for Katz Media.
Also missing from the scene is CNN's Larry King, who didn't have the same juice as Winfrey but had a friendly reputation that made him a popular stop for people with hard stories to tell. King's replacement, Piers Morgan, is not as established and is dragged down by CNN's ratings problems.
Katie Couric, whose daytime talk show starts in the fall, could be Winfrey's true heir as an interviewer in daytime. Her lengthy tenure at NBC's "Today" show makes her able to deftly switch from world leaders to actors to quirky celebrities enjoying 15 minutes of fame. "Not many people can do that," Bragman said.
First things first, however. Couric needs to build a show and prove that people want to watch her. Establishing booking superiority before Couric starts could benefit Winfrey.
While "Today" and CBS' "60 Minutes" are able to land strong interviews, no television organization has been as aggressive as ABC News in seeking the big "gets." The latest example is this week, with the network giving a prime-time platform to Chris Cuomo's interview with former presidential candidate John Edwards' mistress Rielle Hunter.
Diane Sawyer was rewarded last summer when her interview with Jaycee Dugard, who had been held captive by a sex offender for 18 years, had the best summertime ratings of a newsmagazine since 2004. Her November interview with Rep. Gabrielle Giffords about recovering from being shot in the head was seen by more than 12 million people.
There's more to ABC's efforts than filling a void left by Winfrey, said Eric Avram, who runs the network's interview bookings. Still, he doesn't miss her.
"Oprah obviously had an enormous presence and her iconic show was one of our biggest competitors," he said.
ABC usually gives its interviews wide exposure, on shows like "Good Morning America," ''World News" and "Nightline," and will often give interview subjects an hour in prime-time. ABC News' content sharing deal with Yahoo! also guarantees a wide web presence for the stories.
Having Couric in-house enabled ABC News to secure interviews with some British royal family members this spring, but delicate issues loom. Couric will remain with ABC News but her first allegiance will be to her talk show, which is syndicated and will be seen on some non-ABC stations. That leaves unclear whether ABC will be able to use interviews that Couric gets.
While ABC is doing well now, Bragman said not to underestimate NBC and the competition between the two. "They are both working very hard now," he said.
So is Winfrey, Salata said.
"If somebody has a rough story and wants to be more than a movie star or more than a pop singer, they know they're going to get that opportunity with Oprah," she said. "That is a huge advantage. That really does keep us in the game with all the big interviews."
NY state cites club that was site of celeb brawl
NEW YORK (AP) — New York state officials say a nightclub that was the site of a bottle-hurling brawl following a dispute between the entourages of singers Drake and Chris Brown could lose its liquor license.
The New York Post reports (http://nyp.st/MqgGIo ) the State Liquor Authority filed 14 charges on Friday against New York City's W.i.P. nightclub.
The agency says the Manhattan club has been cited for numerous fights, excessive noise and using unlicensed or unprofessional guards, including one accused of selling marijuana to an undercover investigator.
Liquor Authority spokesman William Crowley says the club is in danger of having its license yanked.
Club representatives were unavailable for comment.
The club earned notoriety earlier this month, when Brown and Drake were involved in a fight that featured patrons hurling bottles of liquor.
Bobby Cannavale to team up with Al Pacino
NEW YORK (AP) — Al Pacino is getting some help in "Glengarry Glen Ross" on Broadway this fall — from Bobby Cannevale.
Producers of the David Mamet revival said Thursday that Cannavale will play Richard "Ricky" Roma, the part Pacino played in a 1992 film version of the same play.
Previews will start on Oct. 16 at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre and an opening night has been set for Nov. 11.
Cannavale, who has appeared on "Nurse Jackie" and won an Emmy in "Will & Grace," was last on Broadway playing a recovering addict opposite Chris Rock in the Tony-nominated play "The Motherf---- With the Hat."
The actor is also slated to star in a new production of Clifford Odets' "The Big Knife." It begins previews on March 22 at the American Airlines Theatre.
Hudson, Mirren, others to get Walk of Fame stars
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Helen Mirren, Jennifer Hudson, James Franco and the Backstreet Boys are among the famous folks getting stars on Hollywood's Walk of Fame in 2013.
Actress Marg Helgenberger and the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce announced the new 24 inductees Friday at a press conference on Hollywood Boulevard's star-lined sidewalk.
A committee selects celebrities eligible for a star and those who accept pay $30,000 in costs and fees.
Other entertainers slated for a star next year are Javier Bardem, Viola Davis, Simon Baker, Bryan Cranston, Jane Lynch, Katey Segal, Matthew Perry, Ellen DeGeneres and Olympia Dukakis; performers Penn & Teller; makeup artist Rick Baker; filmmaker Ron Howard; radio personalities Steve Harvey and "Shotgun" Tom Kelly; and musicians Jane's Addiction, New Kids on the Block, Janis Joplin, Usher, Thalia and Luther Vandross.
800,000 at 'sensational' Vienna open-air music fest
The Daytime Emmys showered "General Hospital" with five trophies, including best drama, while giving Regis Philbin a fond farewell as a departing talk-show host.
Music mogul Rosemond indicted on NY murder charge
NEW YORK (AP) — Hip-hop mogul James Rosemond has been indicted in New York on a murder-for-hire charge.
Prosecutors brought the revised indictment Friday accusing Rosemond of ordering others to kill a man in the Bronx in 2009 as payback for an assault on his 14-year-old son.
The 47-year-old chief executive of New York-based Czar Entertainment is already imprisoned. He was recently convicted in federal court in Brooklyn on drug trafficking charges.
Rosemond's lawyer did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
He is behind such hits as Salt-N-Pepa's "Shoop."
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
DirecTV cuts 3-D channel from 24-hour to part-time
LOS ANGELES (AP) — DirecTV says it has reduced the programming hours of its 24-hour 3-D channel, n3D, due to a shortage of 3-D content.
The satellite TV provider launched the channel to much fanfare in July 2010, boasting the backing of Panasonic Corp. The company said it was the first 3-D channel to operate around the clock.
A dearth of 3-D programs on n3D led to the same shows being run in a constant loop. Now, when there is nothing available, the channel will show the n3D logo. If there's an upcoming special event, details will appear on the program guide two or three weeks in advance.
The reduced hours began June 1.
It's the latest setback for 3-D TV, which has had trouble attracting mainstream audiences.
DirecTV's channel isn't the first 3-D offering to stumble. Last August, AT&T Inc. said its U-verse lineup of video channels would no longer include ESPN 3D. The company said the cost wasn't justified, "especially considering the low demand we've seen from customers."
Meanwhile, sales of 3-D TVs are growing. Tracking firm NPD Group said last month that 3-D TVs accounted for 11 percent of all flat-panel TV sales in the first three months of the year. That's nearly double the rate of a year ago.
DirecTV spokesman Robert Mercer said n3D will continue to air 3-D shows like "Guitar Center Sessions" and plans to air Olympics coverage in 3-D this summer.
To watch the channel, viewers need a 3-D ready TV, an HD receiver, and HD service, which costs $10 a month. The channel is available to all DirecTV subscribers.
Study: E-book library borrowing takes slow pace
NEW YORK (AP) — E-book readers have been relatively slow to borrow digital works from the library, frustrated by a limited selection and by not even knowing whether their local branch offers e-releases, according to a new study.
The Pew Research Center published a survey Friday that reports around 12 percent of e-book users 16 years and older downloaded a text from the library over the past year. Earlier in 2012, Pew issued a study showing that around 20 percent of adults had read an e-book recently.
Simon & Schuster, the Hachette Book Group and other major publishers have limited e-book offerings to libraries or refused to make any available, citing concerns that the ease of free downloads would hurt sales. Lack of awareness may be another factor. Around 60 percent of those 16 and older couldn't say whether their libraries had e-books.
Pew's Internet & American Life Project study, conducted with nearly 3,000 respondents between Nov. 16 and Dec. 11, 2011, suggests that library patrons trying to borrow digital texts have been deterred by the selection and by not having the right e-book device. Just over half of respondents said their library did not have the book they were looking for and nearly 20 percent found that the device they owned could not receive a given title.
Nearly half of those who have not borrowed an e-book said they would be "very" or "somewhat" interested if they were lent an e-reading device with a book already downloaded.
Officials from the American Library Association have been meeting with publishers in an effort to work out a system that would satisfy both sides. On Thursday, Penguin Group (USA) announced a pilot program with the New York and Brooklyn library systems that will make e-books available six months after they first go on sale. Penguin had suspended its e-book program with libraries last year.
"I applaud Penguin's decision today to re-start e-book sales to libraries so that we may again meet our mutual goals of connecting authors and readers," library association president Molly Raphael said in a statement.
One statistic reported by Pew should please publishers and librarians: Those who borrow e-books from libraries tend to read more — 29 books a year — than readers who don't use the library (23 books). But library card holders also are more likely to borrow, as opposed to buy, a book compared to those without library cards.
Overall, around half of those surveyed said they had bought their most recent book. Around 15 percent said they had borrowed a copy from the library.
Sam Taylor-Wood, Aaron Johnson get married
LONDON (AP) — Publicists say artist Sam Taylor-Wood and actor Aaron Johnson have tied the knot.
A statement Friday from Public Eye Communications said the couple, who have two young children, married on Thursday — the summer solstice — in Somerset, southwest England.
The statement said 45-year-old Taylor-Wood wore a dress by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen. The 22-year-old Johnson wore a suit by Tom Ford.
Johnson played the young John Lennon in Taylor-Wood's 2009 film "Nowhere Boy" and went on to star in "Kick Ass" and the upcoming "Anna Karenina."
The statement said the couple would both use the surname Taylor-Johnson.
Thai Buddhist film festival seeks to spark faith
BANGKOK (AP) — Religion can be a tough sell nowadays, so instead of waiting for disciples to make their way to temple, some promoters brought 36 films with Buddhist themes to the heart of modern Thailand earlier this month.
The International Buddhism Film Festival was an effort by the government and private religious groups to popularize Buddhism among the younger generations.
"It's like prescribing medicine to children, you have to add a little sweetener there," said Somchai Seanglai, the permanent secretary of Thailand's Culture Ministry. "City dwellers or our young people are not used to the traditional way of practicing Buddhism, so we insert Buddhist dharma into art and culture that people love to consume." Dharma refers to the Buddha's teachings on the meaning of existence.
Initiated by the California-based Buddhism Film Foundation, the movie festival came to Bangkok for the first time this year since its debut in Los Angeles in 2003, and pulled in 3,700 visitors.
"Now many youngsters think of Buddhism as a religion for old people, so the film festival is trying to engage Buddhism with the contemporary world," said Santi Opaspakornkij, executive director of the Buddhadasa Indapanno Archives, an education center dedicated to promoting Buddhism through new channels in Thailand.
About 90 percent of Thailand's population is Buddhist, but many view the religion simply as a rough guide to social do's and don'ts, with vague notions encouraging good behavior.
"I don't go to temples very often," said Napasamon Jeeramaneemai, a third-year architecture student at Bangkok's Thammasat University attending the festival. "Buddhism for me is just a better way to resolve bad situations. Sometimes when you blame them on 'karma,' it's easier to accept them." Buddhists believe "Karma" rules a person's destiny depending on their deeds throughout their existence, which can span many lifetimes.
To make sure the films would cause no major offense, the Buddhadasa Indapanno Archives sought support from three leading Thai monks in the forefront of popularizing Buddhism, including the popular young preacher, Phra Maha Vudhijaya Vajiramedhi, who posts his teachings on his Twitter account for more than 500,000 followers.
The films included "Crazy Wisdom," a documentary released in 2011 by American filmmaker Johanna Demetrakas. It portrays Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, a controversial Tibetan monk who preached to thousands of students when he lived in the West but whose lifestyle was in defiance of many of Buddhism's ethical principles.
But many people considered his unconventional style a challenging but effective way of presenting Buddhist concepts.
"I personally don't agree with the way Trungpa Rinpoche teaches," Nittaya Weera, a freelance writer on telecommunication, commented on "Crazy Wisdom." ''But I understand the real essence of Buddhism is in the belief itself. The way to get there doesn't really matter."
"Crazy Wisdom" turned out to be the most popular films. Other crowd-pleasers included "Abraxas," a Japanese film about a married punk rocker turned Buddhist, and "Karma," a lighthearted Nepali film about two Tibetan nuns on a journey to get repayment of a loan.
'Devious Maids' finds a 2013 home at Lifetime
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Lifetime channel says it's picking up a new series from the creator of "Desperate Housewives."
The channel said Friday it has ordered 13 episodes of "Devious Maids" from producer Marc Cherry. The series is about maids working for the rich and famous in Beverly Hills and counts "Desperate Housewives" star Eva Longoria as an executive producer.
"Desperate Housewives" ended its run on ABC this season. The network had been weighing "Devious Maids" for its 2012-2013 schedule but passed.
The "Devious Maids" cast includes Ana Ortiz, Judy Reyes, Grant Show and Susan Lucci. Lifetime is aiming for a 2013 debut for the series, which is based on a Mexican telenovela and produced by ABC Studios.
Elvis Presley's crypt pulled from auction block
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Elvis Presley's crypt has left the auction block.
Celebrity auctioneer Darren Julien said Friday that his company has agreed not to sell the crypt after fans worldwide demanded that it be kept as a shrine to his memory.
Julien's Auctions announced in May that it would sell the empty tomb at the Forest Hill Cemetery in Memphis, Tenn., at its "Music Icons" auction Sunday. Julien said the company won't sell the crypt "until Forest Hills finds a plan that best suits the interests of the fans while respecting and preserving the memory of Elvis Presley."
Presley was interred there alongside his mother, Gladys, after he died Aug. 16, 1977. Two months later, they were reburied at his Graceland home. The original crypt has remained empty ever since.
With NBC silent, Curry keeps working at 'Today'
NEW YORK (AP) — Ann Curry showed up again for work at NBC's "Today" show Friday as the network maintained its silence on reports that she's about to be replaced.
Curry was in her familiar co-host role with Matt Lauer on Friday, helping introduce musician Kenny Chesney for a performance outside the show's Rockefeller Center studio.
NBC is reportedly discussing a plan to remove her as co-host a year after she replaced Meredith Vieira. After 16 years of unquestioned dominance in the morning, "Today" is in a tough fight with ABC's "Good Morning America."
Veteran Washington lawyer Robert Barnett, hired by Curry to represent her in talks with NBC about her future, also had no comment Friday.
It is making for another awkward transition at a network that prides itself on smooth ones, recalling the memorable few weeks shortly before Conan O'Brien was kicked out as host of the "Tonight" show.
When she appeared on the air Thursday less than 24 hours after reports she would lose the hosting job surfaced, Curry had one apparently unintentional indignity piled on. At one point as her picture filled the screen, a graphic beneath her face read: "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow."
The "Today" show had its biggest audience of the week on Thursday, just under 4.5 million, and its biggest margin of victory over "Good Morning America," according to preliminary ratings by the Nielsen Co.
Meanwhile, the Ladies' Home Journal released excerpts of an interview Curry had conducted earlier for the magazine's August cover story, where she said it was hard not to take it personally when questions about her performance surfaced during this spring's ratings competition with ABC. "Good Morning America" in April ended a "Today" winning streak in the ratings that stretched back to 1995 and has won three other weeks since.
"You worry, am I not good enough?" Curry told the magazine. "Am I not what people need? Am I asking the right questions. When people say negative things or speculate, you can't help but feel hurt."
She said she'd love to be on "Today" for 20 years. She started as a news anchor in 1997.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
NYPD: Man swipes Dali painting from art gallery
NEW YORK (AP) — A thief who swiped a Salvador Dali painting off the wall of a New York art gallery may have escaped, but experts say the painting will likely be recovered when it comes back onto the art market.
Police are searching for a slim man with a receding hairline who walked into a Madison Avenue art gallery on Tuesday posing as a customer and walked out with the $150,000 Dali watercolor and ink painting in a large black shopping bag.
The man asked a security guard if he could take a photo, then removed the painting as soon as the guard stepped away, the New York Daily News reported. Surveillance cameras captured the man, who was wearing a black-and-white checked shirt, on his way out the door.
The 1949 painting, called "Cartel des Don Juan Tenorio," was part of the Venus Over Manhattan art gallery's very first exhibition. The gallery, which opened to the public in May, did not respond to a request for comment Friday.
The vast majority of high-end paintings such as this one are eventually recovered because they are such rare works of art and easily tracked, said Robert Wittman, an art-security consultant and former investigator for the FBI's national art crime team.
"Generally speaking, art thieves are fairly good criminals, but they're terrible businessmen," he said. "And the true art is not the stealing, it's the selling."
While the gallery's security measures are unclear, Wittman said most galleries and museums have electronic surveillance, guards on duty and specific protocols in place to prevent such thefts. When one of these measures breaks down, theft is more likely to occur.
"At some point, when that person was given access to the painting, the guard was not looking," Wittman said. "That would be against any kind of protocol."
The gallery's inaugural exhibit has several dozen works of art from the 19th century to the present on display.
Dali painted the work when he was creating the backdrop and set designs for a theater production in Madrid, said William Jeffett, curator at the Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Fla.
"It seems to be a design for the poster that they used to promote the theatrical production," Jeffett said.
Last year, a wine steward went on a bicoastal binge of plucking pricey art off gallery walls in California and New York. Mark Lugo, 31, pleaded guilty to taking a $350,000 drawing by Cubist painter Fernand Leger from a lobby gallery at Manhattan's Carlyle Hotel.
He also admitted to snatching a $275,000 Picasso drawing called "Tete de Femme" ("Head of a Woman") from the Weinstein Gallery in San Francisco.
Investigators found a $430,000 collection of stolen art — including the Leger, a 1917 piece called "Composition with Mechanical Elements" — hanging in Lugo's apartment in Hoboken, N.J.
"Galleries are usually more open or vulnerable to theft," Wittman said. "Because museums are built to keep the art in. Galleries are built to put the art out."
Composer, lyricist Richard Adler dies at 90 in NY
NEW YORK (AP) — Composer and lyricist Richard Adler, who won Tony Awards for co-writing snappy and infectious, songs for such hit Broadway musicals as "The Pajama Game" and "Damn Yankees" and who staged and produced President John F. Kennedy's birthday celebration featuring a breathy Marilyn Monroe, has died. He was 90.
Adler died Thursday at his home in Southampton, N.Y., his widow, Susan A. Ivory, said.
Some of Adler's biggest songs are "You Gotta Have Heart," ''Hey, There," ''Hernando's Hideaway," ''Whatever Lola Wants," ''Steam Heat," ''Rags to Riches," and "Everybody Loves a Lover."
Adler staged and produced several shows for U.S. presidents, including the unforgettable 1962 extravaganza for Kennedy at Madison Square Garden where Monroe sang "Happy Birthday."
He and Jerry Ross wrote the music and lyrics to "The Pajama Game," a light comedy about labor-management relations at the Sleep-Tite Pajama Factory, which won the best musical Tony in 1955.
In a 2006 interview with The Associated Press, Adler recounted how the song "Hernando's Hideaway" began from "The Pajama Game." The show's authors, George Abbott and Richard Bissell, needed a tune for the second act, and Abbott approached Adler.
"He said, 'Write a song that can be performed in a dimly lit, smoke-filled nightclub with a lot of fervent-looking people. Oh, and make it Latin,'" Adler said. "It was a piece of cake for me."
What emerged was a frothy Latin tango with the lyrics: "I know a dark secluded place/A place where no one knows your face/A glass of wine a fast embrace/It's called Hernando's Hideaway... Ole!"
The song went on to have a successful life outside the theater, hitting the top of the pop charts and later being recorded by Archie Blyer, band leader Billy May and even Ella Fitzgerald.
Did Adler think it would be a hit? "No. I had no idea," he said.
Adler teamed up with Ross again for "Damn Yankees," in which a rabid baseball fan sells his soul to the devil in exchange for a chance to lead his favorite team to American League pennant glory. It won the best musical Tony crown the next year.
The fruitful Ross-Adler union ended when Ross died of a lung ailment in 1955 at age 29. Adler went on to earn a Tony nomination for writing the lyrics and music for 1961's "Kwamina."
Adler was born in New York City in 1921 and graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1943. He served in the U.S. Naval Reserve during World War II.
He composed several symphonic works, including "Wilderness Suite," which was commissioned by the U.S. Department of the Interior, and "The Lady Remembers," to celebrate the Statue of Liberty's centennial. He also composed two ballets for the Chicago City Ballet: "Eight by Adler" in 1984 and "Chicago."
Adler also produced works on Broadway, including the play "The Sin of Pat Muldoon" and the musical "Rex." He is a member of the Songwriter's Hall of Fame.
Adler is survived by his wife; his children, Andrew Adler, Katherine Adler and Charles Shipman; and three grandchildren, Damien and Scarlett Adler and Lola Jane Shipman.
