Owner: CURRENT | AFFAIRS URL:http://mycurrentaffairs.blogspot.com/ Join Date: Thu, 30 Aug 2007 04:27:22 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: COLLECTIONS OF CURRENT AFFAIRS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS THAT INTRIGUED AND INTEREST ME. Site statistics:Click here
The Top 20 Prime-Time Shows In The US 2007-08-29 23:11:00 Prime-time viewership numbers compiled by Nielsen Media Research for Aug. 20-26. Listings include the week's ranking, with viewership for the week and season-to-date rankings in parentheses. An "X" in parentheses denotes a one-time-only presentation.1. (31) "America's Got Talent," NBC, 13.94 million viewers.2. (7) "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," CBS, 10.37 million viewers.3. (22) "Without a Trace," CBS, 9.3 million viewers.4. (20) "Two and a Half Men," CBS, 9.25 million viewers.5. (X) NFL Exhibition: Philadelphia at Pittsburgh (Sunday), NBC, 9.2 million viewers.6. (28) "60 Minutes," CBS, 9.05 million viewers.7. (44) "Singing Bee," NBC, 8.88 million viewers.8. (77) "Power of Ten," CBS, 8.7 million viewers.9. (26) "Cold Case," CBS, 8.45 million viewers.10. (24) "Criminal Minds," CBS, 8.3 million viewers.11. (22) "CSI: NY," CBS, 7.85 million viewers.12. (89) "Big Brother 8" (Thursday), CBS, 7.78 million viewers.13. (81) "Just for Laughs," ABC, 7.68 million viewers.14. (13) "CSI: Miami
The Fastest Green Cars on the Planet 2007-08-29 22:53:00 Among old-school gearheads, conventional wisdom is that gasoline is where the fun is, was and always will be (until the pumps run dry). Alternative-fuel automobiles -- hybrids, diesels, electrics and the like -- are dorky, cumbersome and slow. But a growing body of evidence suggests environmental consciousness doesn't have to mean boring. To wit: 10 cars -- funky, fun and each the fastest for its power source, from an American-built ethanol-fueled roadster that runs like the wind, to a three-seat urban buggy from France that runs on the wind.Here's proof that the farmer and the racer should be friends. Chicago-based mod shop SVS Power decided to demonstrate that when it comes to performance potential, premium-grade gasoline has nothing on corn-derived E85 (a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline, currently available at close to 1,200 U.S. gas stations).The company took a 2005 Dodge Viper roadster, upgraded its already-fearsome 8.3-liter V-10 with twin turbochargers, and Read more:Green
Does Google Own Your Content? 2007-08-29 22:47:00 Google has a potentially worrisome clause in its User Agreement for Google Apps. Namely, that any content put into the system and 'intended to be available to the members of the public' is free game for Google, reserving the right for Google 'to syndicate Content
submitted, posted or displayed by you on or through Google services and use that Content in connection with any service offered by Google.' Google may not be evil, but giving it these (and other) rights to one's data should be ringing alarm bells in the Google Apps user base." Read more:Google
, Does Google
Britney Just Says Ne-Yo to New Single 2007-08-29 22:41:00 Britney Spears' long-threatened single could be released as early as next week. Whether Ne-Yo had a hand in producing the album from which it will be culled is another matter. As is whether the whole of Spears' entourage will be under subpoena by the time the tune is unleashed on the world."Gimme More," the reputed first single from the onetime pop princess' long-gestating fifth studio album, could debut as soon as next week and that neither of the two songs that have already leaked online under the guise of being the comeback track are the real deal. Read more:Britney
Microsoft: Vista Service Pack Coming In '08 2007-08-29 22:37:00 After months of silence, Microsoft
finally coughed up details Tuesday about its plans for the first update to Windows Vista
, saying the service pack will arrive in the first quarter of next year.In the next few weeks, Microsoft will start private testing of a beta of Service
Pack 1 for Vista as well as a third service pack for Windows XP. The company plans initially to release the beta only to 10,000 pre-selected testers, though it may expand that release later. A small group of testers are already working with a "beta preview" version.As for what's in the Vista update, it's mostly a collection of existing fixes and tweaks aimed at improving stability and reliability of the operating system, which went on sale to consumers in January.
Reinventing The (Front) Wheel 2007-08-29 22:29:00 What happens when you breed a helicopter with a two-wheeler? You get a motorcycle with all-wheel drive.Philadelphia-based Christini has begun to market a drivetrain that can apply power from the engine to the front wheel of motorcycles. A second chain turns the front wheel so that riders can get through sand, snow, mud or uneven terrain more easily.Christini recently released a version of its drivetrain for some Honda dirt bikes and will soon have a unit that works with off-road motorcycles from KLM. Over the next few years, it hopes to move from selling its system as an aftermarket device to something that is integrated into a motorcycle at a much lower cost at the factory.The company has all-wheel mountain bikes, too. With bicycles, all-wheel drive allows riders to get up steep slopes without having to stand up and pedal, or down slippery surfaces with less fishtailing.Although they don't get near the attention that cars do, inventors actively tinker with the technology behind bikes Read more:Front
Clubs Await Champions League Draw 2007-08-29 22:26:00 The draw for the ChampionsLeague
group stages takes place on Thursday at 1700 BST with six British teams among the 32 names in the hat. Celtic edged out Spartak Moscow on penalties, while Arsenal completed a comprehensive 5-0 aggregate win over Sparta Prague to progress.Liverpool and Rangers booked their passage on Wednesday, joining Chelsea and Manchester United in the hat. Both Sevilla and AEK Athens will be in the draw despite playing next Monday. The second-leg tie between the pair was postponed following the death of the Spanish club's 22-year-old defender Antonio Puerta.Sevilla, who hold a 2-0 lead from the first leg, will be among the group of second seeds while AEK Athens are ranked among one of the bottom seeds. Uefa general secretary David Taylor told uefa.com: "The draw will take place on Thursday at 1700 BST, as scheduled.Uefa splits the 32 entrants into four pots of eight teams, divided according to their current European ranking. Each group will contain one team from th Read more:Clubs
, Champions League
TRIPLE H IS BACK 2007-08-29 21:46:00 To the roar of the Continental Airlines Arena crowd, The King of Kings made his return to the ring after a eight-month absence due to a torn quadriceps. In typical Triple H fashion, he spewed water to the delight of a rabid crowd that chanted his name. With “Time to Play the Game,” pulsating in the background, The Game smiled at the crowd. It was like he’d never left.With Latin words "Genibus Nitito Canus" in the background, Triple H stared down King Booker – the man who had, for the past month, demanded that he give up his kingly moniker. For your information, Triple H’s Latin text, "Genibus Nitito Canus," translates to “On Your Knees, Dog.” And The Game was determined to bring King Booker to his knees.However, King Booker tested The Cerebral Assassin and his surgically repaired leg. But when the final bell rang, Triple H stood tall over the defeated monarch. And as both grapplers took the battle outside, each took advantage of the surroundings and slammed each other int
Cops: Owen Wilson Call An 'Attempted Suicide' 2007-08-28 21:05:00 Santa Monica police confirmed that officers responded to an attempted suicide at Owen Wilson
's house, according to the police log.The department's "Call for Service Report" posted online shows that the report came in at 12:08 p.m. Sunday from Wilson's 23rd Street address and that officers cleared the case five hours later.The call was logged as "Attempt Suicide
" – the first official confirmation of the reason for the call. No other details were provided.Wilson, 38, was recovering at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. He issued a statement pleading for privacy to allow him to "receive care and heal in private during this difficult time." Read more:Attempted Suicide
Google Is Working On A Mobile OS, 2007-08-28 20:58:00 Google's mobile device platform is well on its way, and will be announced in the very near future. "Gphone OS" (what the industry called it) began development after Google's very quiet 2005 acquisition of mobile software company Android, started by Danger co-founder and former-president / CEO Andy Rubin. At Google, Andy's team has developed a Linux-based mobile device OS which they're currently shopping around to handset makers and carriers on the premise of providing a flexible, customizable system - with really great Google integration, of course. Read more:Google
, Mobile
NOKIA N81 SNEAK PEAK 2007-08-28 20:36:00 Here are the pic of Nokia N81, probably the most awaited new handphones from Nokia this year.
Man Utd Striker Solskjaer Retires 2007-08-28 20:29:00 Manchester United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has retired from football. The 34-year-old, who scored the winner in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich in 1999, has been battling knee injuries for four years. Solskjaer, who will remain at the club as a coach, joined United from Molde for £1.5m in 1996 and the former Norway international has made 366 appearances for United, scoring 126 goals. He also collected six league championship and two FA Cup medals with United. Solskjaer scored 11 goals as the Red Devils reclaimed their Premier League crown last season. His last game for Sir Alex Ferguson's side was the FA Cup final defeat to Chelsea on 19 May when he came on as an extra-time substitute at Wembley.He has already spent time at United coaching young players and was appointed a club ambassador last year. The retirement of Solskjaer leaves Ferguson with only three strikers - Wayne Rooney, Louis Saha and Carlos Tevez - the latter being the only one presently fully fit.F Read more:Man Utd
Yahoo Mail Gets New Features 2007-08-28 20:25:00 Yahoo! has announced a new version of Yahoo! Mail which now enables users to send free text messages from Yahoo! Mail to mobile phone numbers in the US, Canada, India, and the Philippines, and the ability to send instant messages from Yahoo! Mail to users of Yahoo! Messenger and Windows Live Messenger. Users can also convert e-mail messages into IM chats or switch to a text message dialogue with the click of a button. The new Yahoo Mail
beta version is said to offer a faster, more responsive, and dynamic Web 2.0 experience than previous beta versions, and also adds the ability to refine an e-mail search result using advanced search options, plus new shortcuts that allow users to right click on underlined dates, names and keywords within messages and take additional action. Six customizable color themes are now available to personalize the look of your Yahoo! e-mail as well. Read more:Yahoo
Man Utd 1-0 Tottenham 2007-08-27 02:46:00 Nani drilled in his first goal for Manchester United to hand the champions a precious first win of the season and frustrate a brave Tottenham
display. After Robbie Keane hit the bar for Spurs in the first minute United dominated, with Michael Carrick and Paul Scholes going close to an opener.The visitors held firm, though, and had appeals for a penalty turned down after Wes Brown's apparent handball. And Nani compounded their misery when he fired in the winner from 25 yards.It was harsh on Tottenham, who had mixed a solid defensive display with the odd good chance, but United were good value for something from a game they dominated for spells.Sir Alex Ferguson had boldly stated "we will win the game on Sunday" before the match, and the fact that Spurs had failed to beat United at Old Trafford in nearly 18 years suggested the Scot's pre-match confidence was well placed. Read more:Man Utd
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2007-08-27 02:14:00 Release Date: Spring 2008Publisher: LucasArts EntertainmentDeveloper: LucasArts EntertainmentGenre: ActionThe Star Wars
video game saga continues with Star Wars: The ForceUnleashed
, which casts players as Darth Vader's secret apprentice and unveils an expansive story about the era between Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and Episode IV: A New Hope. Players will help Darth Vader in his quest to eliminate the Jedi from the universe and possibly change the course of history.The Force Unleashed takes full advantage of newly developed technologies that create gameplay perfect for the next-generation consoles, like characters moving, acting, and thinking like actual human beings, adapting their behavior to the given setting.The game is available on: * Xbox 360 * PlayStation 3 * PlayStation 2 * PSP * Nintendo DS
Hulk Hogan's Son Seriously Injured in Car Crash 2007-08-27 02:03:00 Hulk Hogan
's son Nick Bollea was seriously injured Sunday night after his car careened off the road and struck a palm tree.Bollea, who was featured with the rest of his family on the pro wrestler's VH1 reality show Hogan Knows Best, was driving his yellow Toyota Supra down a four-lane highway in downtown Clearwater, Fla., when the car's rear tires hit the raised median, police said. After fishtailing for several seconds, the car slammed into a 25-foot tall palm tree.Bollea, 17, and his male passenger had to be extracted from the vehicle using the "jaws of life." They were placed on a Medivac helicopter where they were flown seven minutes to nearby Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg. Bollea is in serious condition, while his passenger has been listed in critical condition.Police alerted Hulk Hogan to the accident. According to a hospital source, the wrestler and his family are in a private waiting room as Bollea is being treated for "very serious, life-threatening" injuries. H Read more:Seriously
, Car Crash
Turkish Grand Prix 2007 2007-08-27 01:52:00 Lewis Hamilton's championship lead was cut to five points by McLaren team-mate Fernando Alonso after the Englishman suffered a late puncture in Turkey.Hamilton was on course for third place behind the Ferraris of Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen when his right-front tyre fell apart with 15 laps to go. The drama enabled Alonso to slip by into third place and left Hamilton in fifth behind BMW's Nick Heidfeld. His car damaged by the puncture, Hamilton was not able to fight back.The 22-year-old had been forced to trail back to the pits for the last third of the lap at Istanbul Park, and the flailing tyre damaged some of the aerodynamic parts at the front of his car.That meant he was much slower than before the problem, and Heidfeld was able to pull away, leaving the McLaren driver to concentrate on staying ahead of Renault's Heikki Kovalainen. Until the late puncture, Hamilton had had an uneventful race, with the Ferraris just too fast for him to challenge at the front.TurkishGrand
Prix
Celcom Extends BlackBerry To Consumers 2007-08-25 17:42:00 Telco Celcom Bhd has extended its BlackBerry
packages to suit consumers who need be to connected to the Web at all times. Its BlackBerry Internet Service package allows users to enjoy push-based wireless access to their web-based e-mail accounts such as Yahoo! Mail, Gmail and MSN Hotmail. They can also chat with friends through instant messaging services such as Yahoo! Messenger, Google Talk and BlackBerry Messenger. Consumers can choose from two packages under the Blackberry Internet Service. The Basic package (RM38) gives users 1MB of data storage space while the Advanced Package (RM98) gives users unlimited data storage. BlackBerry devices are not bundled with the packages but they are available for users at Celcom's Bluecube centres and its authorised dealers. Pricing for the devices, which includes the BlackBerry 8707v and the BlackBerry Pearl starts at RM1,799.
Man Utd Fury At Reds Over Heinze 2007-08-25 17:33:00 Sir Alex Ferguson says Manchester United are investigating Liverpool over their attempts to sign Gabriel Heinze. Heinze left Old Trafford for Real Madrid, but only after a protracted attempt to join Liverpool which went to a Premier League arbitration panel. Reds boss Rafael Benitez was unhappy with the three-man panel's verdict. Heinze argued that a letter signed by Red Devils chief executive David Gill - citing a fee at which a deal could be done - constituted an agreement to sell. But the Premier League ruled in United's favour, ending any hope of them selling to rivals Liverpool. Heinze was instead sold to Spanish side Real. Benitez said he was 100% confident that Heinze would be allowed to move to Anfield and hit out at the Premier League and United after the ruling. Read more:Man Utd
Kelly Rowland Talks Snoop-Enhanced 'Ghetto' 2007-08-25 17:14:00 Kelly Rowland
may have classed it up alongside Eve in the clip for "Like This," the lead single from her sophomore album, Ms. Kelly, but in her next video, for the Snoop
Dogg-assisted "Ghetto
," let's just say that Rowland is taking a decidedly less-proper approach.Rowland just shot the video for "Ghetto" last Thursday in Los Angeles, but according to her, the song was actually written quite some time ago by crooner Tank and upstart Lonny Bereal. The former Destiny's Child singer cut the track a year ago. She said when it was time for Snoop to lay down his rhymes, the rapper came into the studio without skipping a beat. Read more:Kelly Rowland
Massa Edges Hamilton To Take Pole 2007-08-25 17:10:00 Ferrari's Felipe Massa will start on pole in Sunday's Turkish Grand Prix ahead of McLaren's Lewis Hamilton
.The Brazilian edged a tight qualifying session ahead of Briton Hamilton, with team-mate Kimi Raikkonen in third and McLaren's Fernando Alonso in fourth. Massa had appeared out of the running but set a lap of one minute, 27.329 seconds in the dying moments for the eighth pole position of his career. The time denied Hamilton, who had just set a lap of 1:27.373. The Turkish Grand Prix is the first race since Hungary, which saw Hamilton and Alonso publicly fall out after a controversial qualifying session.The two drivers claim to have patched up their differences during the three-week break and they had their own pits boxes and crews in Istanbul to avoid any conflict. Final qualifying result:1. Felipe Massa (Brz) Ferrari 1 min 27.329 secs2. Lewis Hamilton (GB) McLaren 1:27.3733. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari 1:27.5464. Fernando Alonso (Sp) McLaren 1:27.5745. Robert Kubica (Pol) BMW
Teenage Hacker Unlocks The iPhone 2007-08-25 17:05:00 A New Jersey teenager has unlocked the iPhone
, opening the way to Apple's iconic mobile telephone being used by non-US networks. The Associated Press news agency confirmed George Hotz, 17, had unlocked the iPhone and used it on T-Mobile, a rival to its sole US operator, AT&T. The hacker says the unlocking takes about two hours and involves some soldering and skill with software. AT&T and Apple have not yet commented on the news. Hacker
s and security researchers have been poring over Apple's much-coveted phone since its launch in the US in June in an effort to discover vulnerabilities in the handset.Top of their list has been cracking the code that ties the phone to AT&T, the iPhone's exclusive network. Before George Hotz's announcement on his blog, the iPhone was made to work on overseas networks using another method, which involves copying information from the Sim (Subscriber Identity Module) card.However, special equipment was needed and the actual phone was not unlocked, with ea
15 Die Eating Puffer Fish in Thailand 2007-08-24 06:56:00 Unscrupulous vendors in Thailand
have been selling meat of the deadly puffer fish disguised as salmon, causing the deaths of more than 15 people over the past three years, a doctor said Thursday.Although banned since 2002, puffer fish continues to be sold in large quantities at local markets and restaurants, said Narin Hiransuthikul of Bangkok's Chulalonkorn University Hospital. Some sellers dye the meat of puffer fish and make it look like salmon which is very dangerous," Narin said.Narin said over the past three years more than 15 people have died and about 115 were hospitalized from eating the fish.The ovaries, liver and intestines of the puffer fish contain tetrodotoxin, a poison so potent that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it can "produce rapid and violent death."The fish is called fugu in Japan, where it is consumed by thrill-seeking Japanese gourmets for whom the risk of poisoning adds piquancy.Every year, there are reports of people dying or falling sick in Asia f
T. Rex Quicker Than Fastest Humans, Study Says 2007-08-24 06:46:00 Today's top athletes would be no contest for meat-eating dinosaurs that ran on two feet, according to new computer simulations of how the extinct predators moved.Even a six-ton Tyrannosaurus rex, long considered a lumbering beast, could reach a top speed of 18 miles an hour (29 kilometers an hour), according to the simulations. Fit athletes run just a fraction slower.The simulations were created on a supercomputer model that crunches information on skeletal and muscular structure. The program requires about a week to simulate the animals' method of movement, or gait. The computer model takes the best gait cycle from each batch of about a thousand attempts as the starting point for each new batch, eventually finding the most likely simulation. Read more:Study
Gwen Stefani Gets Modest for Concert in Malaysia 2007-08-24 06:40:00 Gwen Stefani
played Malaysia
as a cover girl. Actually, make that a covered girl.The singer, 37, revealed next to no skin while performing Tuesday before some 7,000 cheering fans at an indoor stadium.The new dress code followed some fears expressed by Islamic critics that Stefani's revealing concert costumes might corrupt the country's youth.Bursting onto the stage in a short-sleeved shirt and black-and-white striped hot pants suit over a black leotard (with black gloves up to her elbows), Stefani announced, "I am very inspired tonight." Stefani's vow of modestly came as a result of a charge by the 10,000-member National Union of Malaysian Muslim Students that her revealing outfits and cheeky performances clashed with traditional Islamic values.The opposition Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party also blamed her for promoting promiscuity and corrupting the nation's youth.Under Malaysian government rules, a female artist must be covered from her shoulders to her knees. Also prohibited: jumpin Read more:Modest
, Concert
, Gwen Stefani
Usher & Tameka Foster Finally Get A Wedding 2007-09-01 21:11:00 After a quiet civil ceremony, Usher
and Tameka Foster
at last pulled off their dream wedding in Atlanta on Saturday. Among the guests were Jermaine Dupri and Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Jay-Z, Nelly, Ashanti and Anita Baker.The guests enjoyed a sit-down dinner inside the resort's ballroom. Dessert was a five-tiered white chocolate-covered wedding cake with handmade flowers by Napa's Perfect Endings, who recently did Eva Longoria's wedding cake. The couple originally planned to tie the knot at a lavish no-expenses-spared event at music mogul L.A. Reid's Sagaponack, N.Y., home, but the ceremony was postponed at the last minute. Read more:Finally
Panda Internet Security 2008 2007-09-01 20:45:00 The virus/spyware protection is this suite's super standout: It's the first product ever to ace both my spyware-removal and spyware-prevention tests. The firewall is powerful, but the antispam is weak. Other than simple local backup, most of this version's new features are disappointing.Stellar performance in antispyware testing—the best ever. Backs up important files to a local/network drive or CD/DVD. Firewall handles program control without confusing pop-ups.Antispam missed over half the undeniable spam. New tune-up feature does nothing Windows didn't do. Parental control is limited. In testing, new phishing protection did absolutely nothing.Price Read more:Panda
, Internet
Man Utd 1-0 Sunderland 2007-09-01 20:42:00 Substitute Louis Saha scored the winner as Manchester United edged out Roy Keane's Sunderland side.Saha headed in at the near post from Nani's corner with 18 minutes to go after former United favourite Keane's side had frustrated the champions. Black Cats keeper Craig Gordon had earlier brilliantly denied Saha while Nemanja Vidic volleyed over.Sunderland rarely looked like getting on the scoresheet and Owen Hargreaves was close to adding a second. Read more:Man Utd
Sweden 'Regrets' Prophet Cartoon 2007-09-01 20:41:00 Sweden's embassy in Pakistan has expressed regret over the publication of a cartoon depicting the Prophet
Muhammad in a Swedish newspaper.Pakistan had complained about the cartoon, which depicted the head of the Prophet on the body of a dog. Sweden's government said it regretted any hurt but could not apologise as it was not responsible for the drawing and could not prevent its publication.Other cartoons depicting the Prophet sparked worldwide protests last year. Thousands of Muslims took to the streets in several countries in early 2006 in protest at the drawings, which were initially published by a Danish daily and later reproduced elsewhere.Muslims regard any visual representation of the Prophet as blasphemous. Many Muslims also regard the dog as an impure animal. Read more:Sweden
, Regrets
, Cartoon
Woman Has Second Set Of Triplets 2007-09-01 20:34:00 A woman in Ohio has given birth to her second set of triplets. Victoria Lasita and her husband Tim conceived both sets naturally, without fertility treatments that increase the chance of multiple pregnancies. The chances of conceiving one set of triplets naturally were about one in 8,000, making the odds of having them twice far higher. The Lasitas have been married six years and have three grown children from previous marriages. But they decided they'd like "one more" after the birth of the triplets. Read more:Second
, Triplets
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