Monday, February 11, 2008

A small city in Israel sues Google for false information

Officials in “Kiryat Yam”, a small city in northern Israel, have filed a complaint with police against the Internet search engine Google. The city argues that one of Google’s programs, Google Earth, gives viewers false information that offends the city’s image.

Those who see “Kiryat Yam” on Google Earth are told that the city was built on the ruins of an Arab town from which innocent civilians were expelled. In fact, officials said, the city was built by Holocaust survivors on land that was completely barren and had not been settled in the past. The false information was placed as part of a deliberate attempt to hurt the city’s interests, they said.

It is important to note that Google is not the one who posted the comment on Google Earth. One of the most popular features in the program is that users can contribute their comments on specific places on the map.

The information on Google earth was posted by a user by the name of “Thameen_Darby“, a Palestinian living in Jenin, who took on himself to post comments on hundreds of Arab villages that were vanished in 1948 when Israel was declared a state.

Update:

My friend Paul who writes on networkworld inform me that he sent a mail to Google,
asking what they have to say, and i must admit their answer was really surprising…”Not our fight”…
you can read it on networkworld.com.

The Funniest Windows Firewall Spoof Image

The Funniest Windows Firewall Spoof Image
Image

The 3G iPhone: Do we have it all wrong?

Everyone “knows” Apple is making a 3G iPhone, right? I mean, it’s a given, a sure thing, easy money. In fact, many prospective iPhone users are putting off the purchase of the wunder phone until Apple announces the device.

But what if there will never be a 3G iPhone? At least in the US.

Macworld UK reports on AT&T’s future purchase of 12MHz of wireless spectrum in the 700MHz band that covers 60 per cent of the US. The deal has been approved by the The US Federal Communications Commission, and potentially opens the door for AT&T to provide WiFi access to iPhone users across more than half of the united states, a region far larger than its current 3G service reaches.

There have been reports of AT&T expanding their 3G network, and some future iPhone markets, like Japan, have ONLY 3G service, so odds both AT&T and Apple they are not planning on completely ditching the idea of 3G anytime soon. However, the purchase of that specific band of spectrum is indeed very interesting. As Macworld says:

“The 700MHz spectrum band carries wireless signals three to four times farther than some higher spectrum bands, making it optimal for long-range broadband networks. This is raising speculation that Apple and At&T could be implementing nationwide WiFi rather than 3G.”


There are three main reasons I give this theory some weight. First, I want it to be true. Second, it would fit well into Apple’s secretive corporate strategy. Apple is not used to the long and very public FCC approval process that goes along with releasing a new bit of mobile gadgetry. Odds are, if/when they decide to release a 3G iPhone, they will have to enter a multi-week to multi-month approval process which will become widely publicized. As soon as official news of the 3G iPhone hits the streets, you can likely expect iPhone sales to come to screeching halt in anticipation. There is really no way around this, and perhaps Apple has resigned itself to this fact and is prepared to take its sales lumps for the greater good. But suppose Apple knew about AT&T’s eventual WiFi plans, and in part chose them as carrier for that reason? Apple has always claimed that 3G chips require too much power to work well in the iPhone. WiFi, instead of 3G, will allow nation-wide broadband internet speeds without Apple having to modify the iPhone, alienate last year’s iPhone customers, and will allow Apple to avoid any new FCC approvals and subsequent iPhone sales hits.

Finally, the idea of a nation-wide WiFi network brings me to the third reason I think this could happen… the iPod touch. Apple has already said they view the touch as a mobile development platform as much as the iPhone. If AT&T were able to provide a nation-wide WiFi network, many iPod touch users would jump at the chance to pay them a monthly fee to be able to access it. Of course, its success would all depends on how much AT&T decides to charge for the service. At $10 a month, every student from 6th grade up would rush out to get a touch. For $20 a month, plus the ability to tether the touch to a laptop to gain mobile WiFi access, likely every college student and Mac business professional would snap one up. Plus, Apple could charge touch users an extra $20 for the tethering application, just as with the recent application bundles. In fact this would likely help spur a boon in 3rd Party applications Apple can sell via iTunes to both touch and iPhone users.

But why stop at tethering? Perhaps for $30 a month, you could access the WiFi directly from your MacBook without a 3rd party wireless card!

Admittedly this is pure speculation combined with a healthy dose of wishful thinking, as I want to pick up a current 16 GB model and not end up crying into my iPhone in 4 months if Apple releases a 3G iPhone. But the potential increased revenue streams which both AT&T and Apple could realize would be major. Imagine using WiFi on your laptop out in the field without a 3rd party card, connecting your home iMac to the internet wirelessly, without the need for wired service running to your home, and of course using your iPhone or iPod touch anywhere there’s cell service to access the web.

Apple’s recent talks with Spanish WiFi company FON, which provides country-wide WiFi in many parts of the world via shared WiFi, also suggest Apple is at least interested in the idea of all its gadgets being able to access the internet.

As always, I leave it to you, faithful Macenstein readers, to tell me how wrong am I about this, as I know your collective wisdom on the technical aspects of such a deal will likely punch holes in my “wouldn’t it be cool” scenario. What am I missing here?

'Recordable' Proteins As Next-generation Memory Storage Materials

Move over, compact discs, DVDs, and hard drives. Researchers in Japan report progress toward developing a new protein-based memory device that could provide an alternative to conventional magnetic and optical storage systems, which are quickly approaching their memory storage capacities.

Just as nature chose proteins as the memory storage medium of the brain, scientists have spent years exploring the possibility of similarly using proteins and other biological materials to build memory-based devices with the potential for processing information faster and providing greater storage capacity than existing materials. Although a few protein-based memory materials have shown promise in experimental studies, developing such materials for practical use remains a challenge.

In the new study, Tetsuro Majima and colleagues used a special fluorescent protein to etch or "record" a specific information pattern on a glass slide. Using a novel combination of light and chemicals, the researchers demonstrated that they could "read" the pattern and subsequently erase it at will.

Thus, they demonstrated that the proteins could provide storage, playback, and erasure of information, the hallmarks of a successful memory device, the researchers say. In addition to conventional memory storage devices, the proteins also show promise for improved biosensors and diagnostic tests, they say.

The study "Protein Recording Material: Photorecord/Erasable Protein Array Using a UV-Eliminative Linker" is scheduled for the March 4 issue of ACS' Langmuir.

Bobby Cutts Jr. admits killing Jessie Davis

Bobby Cutts Jr. broke down in tears on the witness stand as he told jurors that he struggled with Jessie Davis and elbowed her in the throat the morning she died.

Cutts said he went to Davis' home early that morning to pick up his son Blake. He said asked Davis if she could get up to get Blake ready.

"She takes her time to get up," he said, so he helped her get up.

She was getting her bearings, but Cutts was in a hurry, urging her on.

"If you weren't out all night with your friends last night, you wouldn't be rushing me now," he quoted her as saying. "She said, 'quit rushing me,' and I said 'I'm not rushing you.'"

Cutts said he tried to leave.

"She stepped in front of me and grabbed me" by the shirt, he said."I pulled away from her."

She stepped in front of him again.

"I said you know what, I don't have to be here and you're taking your time," he said.

She grabbed him again, by the arm, pushing him back so he couldn't leave.

He said he put his finger up to his nose and put it in her face. She bit his finger.

"I didn't expect her biting me." He said the finger was a joke.

"I wasn't gong to wipe my nose on her," he said.

It was just a feint to move her out of the way. He started to sob as he described pulling his arm from her. He said he just wanted to leave, and in the struggle his elbow landed in the middle of her throat.

"She hit the ground," he said. "Harder than I expected."

Cutts said he tried to administer CPR.

Are You Watching Bobby Cutts?

Do you remember the murder of Jesse Davis in Ohio last summer? Jesse was 8 1/2 months pregnant. We went to Ohio when she was first reported missing…..and we took our cameras INSIDE Jesse’s house (her family brought us in the house)…..now Bobby Cutts, a former police officer, father of her 2 year old son Blake and father of her unborn child, is on the witness stand. He was arrested for her murder last summer Cutts is admitting to being there the night she died…but does NOT say he murdered her…he says it was an accident..(tune in tonight at 10pmto hear how he says it was an accident) .and he then took her body and dumped it. Is the jury convinced? I don’t know….but you can watch Bobby Cutts’ tonight at 10pm eastern…and they you can decide what YOU think …

Nokia N78 Announced - Nseries Gets Better and Better

Nokia just announced the new Nokia N78 handset, which combines music, navigation and photography with the benefits of mobility. The Nokia N78 is designed to take advantage of the new suite of Nokia services,
including the Nokia Music Store, Nokia Maps, and Share on Ovi - a new online service that enables consumers to share their personal media.

The Nokia N78 packs a powerful range of technologies, including integrated A-GPS, with free Nokia Maps, WLAN and high-speed HSPDA 3G connectivity, a 3.2 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, and support for microSD memory card, currently available at up to 8 GB. The novelties of the N78 are geotagging of photos and an integrated FM transmitter that allows music to be played on any FM radio, in a car or at home.

"The Nokia N78 truly lives up to the Nseries promise of delivering unparalleled mobile multimedia experiences with the very latest technologies and services," says Jonas Geust, who oversees Nokia's Nseries devices. "The Nokia N78 empowers people to explore their passions, enjoy their favourite music and share their experiences with others and is set to continue the range of well-balanced Nseries devices such as the successful Nokia N73."

Taking advantage of its integrated A-GPS functionality and 3.2 megapixel camera, the Nokia N78 introduces the increasingly popular online practice of 'geotagging' to a Nokia device. The Nokia N78 automatically tags images with capture location metadata, making it possible to view the capture location on a map either on the device itself, or online. With its high-speed internet connectivity, over WLAN or HSDPA, uploading photos and videos to online communities like Share on Ovi, Flickr or YouTube is a single key stroke away.

Music remains a core feature of the Nokia N78 and Nokia's range of Nseries multimedia computers. In addition to the up to 8GB of memory, internal speakers and support for standard 3.5mm headphones, the N78 also comes with Nokia Internet Radio, giving instant access to thousands of radio stations around the world.

The Nokia N78 is expected to start shipping during the second quarter of 2008, with an estimated retail price of approximately 350 euros, before taxes.

Sony Ericsson W980 - The Latest Walkman Phone Announced

Sony Ericsson just revealed the W980, the latest Walkman phone series that promises to get the most out of the music experience. Announced at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona,
Sony Ericsson's W980 Walkman phone keeps the same line as its predecessors and has been designed to satisfy even the most pretentious multimedia needs.

The W980 Walkman phone features clear stereo sound, which enables the music to sound like the original recording. Clear bass delivers distortion free sound even at higher volumes. These features combine with the premium headphones, the Stereo Portable Handsfree HPM-77, to deliver an incredible clear audio experience and music that sounds as true as possible to the original recording.

The W980 Walkman phone has a built-in FM transmitter, which allows users to send whatever is playing on the phone to other devices with a built-in FM radio receiver. This gives users the ability to share their music with all those around them, whether through a friend's hi-fi or their car stereo. W980 embeds 8GB internal memory, which lets users store up to 8000 songs.

The latest Walkman phone provides a choice of eight equaliser presets, each of which contains a distinct profile that is suitable to a range of music. The Walkman on Top feature on the W980 gives users the full functionality of a Walkman player without even having to open their phone. The entire Walkman player that would normally be displayed on the inside of the clamshell is also replicated on the outside of the phone, so navigation through music library is effortless.

Furthermore, the W980 Walkman phone comes with the new Stereo Portable Handsfree HPM-77. The HPM-77 also allows users to take their calls handsfree, and its sleek design and in-ear wearing-style mean that it's both comfortable and reduces background noise to the bare minimum. Other features of the phone include HSDPA data transfer speeds, Shake control technology, Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP support and a 3.15 Megapixel camera.

The UMTS/HSDPA 2100 GSM/GPRS 850/900/1800/1900 compatible network phone should be available in selected markets from Q3 2008. Also, the Stereo Portable Handsfree HPM-77 will be available from June 2008.

Smoking Can Destroy Your Boobs!

Do you think you're sexy when smoking? Think more. I am not talking about deadly issues connected to smoking, like heart attack, stroke, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and cancers. Smoking can really impair your sex life, cause what's attractive in being impotent, sterile, wrinkled, yellowed skinned and toothed, having a bad breath, being blind because of earlier age-related macular degeneration, coughing, having decreased taste and smell, dermatitis, and a premature baldness?

Not to mention what hurts a woman more: her breasts,
the main sign of feminine beauty. Previous researches showed that smoking increases the level of breast ptosis (sagging), as it breaks down a skin protein called elastin, which gives youthful skin its elastic appearance and supports the breast.

But a new research published by the journal "Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention" comes with an even more alarming perspective: in women with a specific gene makeup, smoking can cause breast cancer.

The team led by Christine Ambrosone, PhD, Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences Program, Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) and Jenny Chang-Claude, PhD, Professor in Epidemiology at University of Heidelberg, made a meta-analysis of 10 of the 13 researches published in the last 10 years connecting genetics, smoking and the level of breast cancer risk in 4,889 premenopausal and 7,033 postmenopausal women.

There was a strong connection between breast cancer risk, smoking, and the gene NAT2 encoding the enzyme N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2). This enzyme degrades aromatic amines, main cancer tobacco chemicals, and the resulting products are easily eliminated from the body. The variations in this gene result in a more rapid or slower eliminations of the carcinogen chemicals; people with slower enzyme are more exposed to subsequent development of breast cancer.

The research connected the number of years of smoking, the number of daily smoked cigarettes and the possession of a slow NAT2 to a boosted risk of breast cancer.

"These results, analyzing all studies to date, indicate that subgroups of women defined by genetic predisposition are at higher risk of breast cancer if they are exposed to tobacco smoke. In fact, smoking is likely to play an important role in the development of breast cancer for about 50-60% of the populations from European descent who have a form of the NAT2 gene that gets rid of aromatic amines more slowly than the rest of the population," said Ambrosene.

Pink and Smoke Titan Clear Cases for iPhone

Following GizMac's introducing Aluminate and DuraSport cases for 3G iPod nanos, the designer and manufacturer of innovative "Gizmos for Your Lifestyle" has just added color to its lineup of Titan iPhone cases. In order to please both gender owners of the Apple phone, Smoke and Pink Titan Clear cases are now available for $34.99.

GizMac reveals that "Smoke
is a form of black that appears darkest on the curves, yet can exhibit an almost pewter look on the front and back in bright light," while "Pink is slightly luminescent and can be considered a 'hot' pink." Bright light will show some red with traces of orange too.

Titan Clear cases are made from a tough, crystal clear polycarbonate shell that protects your iPhone, which can be used both alone and with the rotating holster. But that's nothing compared to the retractable/adjustable (horizontal and vertical) built-in kickstands for viewing movies, videos, calls and messages from the angle that feels best to your eyes.

Leaving aside that the Titan Clear case doesn't in any way obstruct user access to controls, camera and headphones, GizMac's latest introduced accessory also doesn't hide the beauty of the Apple's iPhone itself, allowing its appearance to show through the entire case.

GizMac Accessories, LLC is headquartered in the United States. It designs and manufactures innovative "Gizmos for Your Lifestyle," as the company's motto goes, being dedicated to providing solutions and support for the iPod & iPhone communities around the world. The company's Titan accessories lineup offers cases including: Titan Clear for iPhone, Titan Clear for iPod, Titan Gear and Titan Metal.

The company has mostly been tight with Apple since releasing the first accessories for the iPod, and has even been showing off its accessories at MacWorld, in San Francisco, for three consecutive years now. Check out the images above for a glimpse at the Titan Clear iPhone cases available today.

New Mortal Kombat Movie, New Failure?

It seems that not only Uwe Boll can ruin a great video game by creating a very poor movie, but other people appear to be great prospects, too. For example, take the next Mortal Kombat movie set for a 2010 release (that's an approximate date, since the producers don't even have a full cast yet). It is going to be directed by Chris "Mink" Morrison, the same guy that directed a
Steven Seagal movie in 2005, called 'Into the Sun' and a hip hop horrible flick in 2004, called 'Full Clip.' The latter movie has an outstanding rating of 2.6 out of 10 on IMDB, while 'Into the Sun' was much better, with a 4.1 rating. So, there are some promises that we'll see a ruin of a new Mortal Kombat high-budget movie whenever it's done. Not that the first movies were great hits, anyway...

Actually, it seems that it is totally inappropriate to call this movie a "new" one, since it will basically be a reboot of a first movie, as Mink Morrison admitted: it will be a "re-envisioning (if that is a word) of the Mortal Kombat franchise from top to bottom. Today's audience is a savvy involved group, so the film must be A plus plus in every area, in order to capture the magic of the first film. It is taking the entire concept to the next level across the board in every area: visual design, story, cast, FX, photography and most importantly the fighting scenes. The original Mortal Kombat game was born a child of many visual loves by the creators at Midway, so this latest version borrows heavily from that pioneering spirit and must be thought out and executed at the highest level in order for it succeed in today's market place. This is no overnight task.''

Well, it would be better to have an "overnight" movie that goes straight to video, instead of spending a couple of years for some new piece of crap. Oh, there's even more, even though the director has said the casting hasn't begun yet, Christopher Lambert will return as Rayden and Chris Casamassa as Scorpion, according to IMDB. Honestly, it would've been better if Uwe Boll had done this flick, too. We would've had quite some other pieces of news to put together for a big, funny story. But now, I have to waste 2 hours of my life again to see 'Into the Sun' one more time and get ready for the next Mortal Kombat story.

Another Sex Scandal for Heather Mills

Boy, is Heather Mills a magnet for trouble! The "estranged wife of Sir Paul McCartney" as she's referred to by most British media these days strikes again – big time. I mean, we all know that Heather is no stranger to scandal – even more so, that she sometimes likes to stir the pot herself, like she did last year when she went live to trash her former husband's name in all the talk shows that would have her. She also stated that she received death threats, that she was suicidal and (to cut a long story short) that Sir Paul
was pretty much the world's biggest jerk. We have no idea how much of what she's been stating is true, so I won't go into that now. But we were talking about scandals, and yes, it's true that ever since her separation form the former Beatles, we've seen all sorts of dirt thrown at Heather – and I'm talking a lot more than innocent gossip.

Need an example? Well, there was the time in December last years when THESE PHOTOS hit the Internet. And if you'll just brace yourselves and have a look, you'll see that they pretty much don't need any additional comments. It emerged then that even though she was complaining about the world seeing her as the ultimate bitch, Heather Mills didn't really have what's called "a clean conscience". So, with her closet bursting with skeletons, it was only a matter of time before another scandal struck. A film editor named Tim Steel (sounds like the name of a porn star to me) sold... I mean, told his story to News of the World (I know, not the most reliable source around) and boy, does he have a few things to say. It seems that it all happened before Mills married McCartney - but the singer and the former model were officially dating and were definitely a couple at the time.

And of course it's all about sex. Did you expect otherwise? I sure didn't. Steel gave the newspaper all the goods on the alleged affair, and stated that Heather was a little wild beast between the sheets. Kidding. Well, at least I hope I am. "I didn't mind-I suppose I was flattered that Heather still wanted to have sex with me despite being pursued by this musical demi-god", Steel reportedly stated to News of the World. "Heather was insatiable between the sheets and she liked to call me her four-times-a-night guy. Our record was six. Most of the time it was multiple orgasms. [...] But it was strange lying in bed talking about Paul McCartney. I would be with her when he called or texted her. She'd even show me the texts" he said. Yes, well, what's life without a little sex scandal? Mills denies the allegations and is reportedly taking legal action about Steel. No word on how this will affect the former couple's confrontation in court this week. Stay tuned for all the news.

The Stars Are Back: Grammys Bring Back Good Music in Style

Monday morning already – where has the weekend gone to, by the way? Well, Mondays have a way of just... creeping up on you like that, as I'm sure you must have noticed yourselves. And since it's this particular Monday, it's all about the Grammys. And yes, it was a wonderful night, with an impressive number of stars coming out to play and relishing the spotlight and the chance to show off their glamor factor. Everybody who was somebody was at the Grammys last night, and made full use of the chance to look fabulous and
pose for the cameras on the red carpet, after such a (so far) dry award season brought about by the soon-to-be-history writers' strike.

We'll be dealing with the music part in this post, and we'll leave the fashion part for a different article – we need to give stars all the attention they can get, right? Well, as far as music was concerned, it was definitely Amy Winehouse's night. The British jazz diva took home five awards: record and song of the year for her autobiographical hit track "Rehab", best pop vocal album for "Back to Black", best new artist, and best female pop vocal. That's quite an impressive run for the brilliant British singer, whose tormented private life has made her better known for being a recovering drug addict than a proper singer lately. But Amy showed her critics that she is well on her way to... yes, rehab (I know, I've pretty much heard every joke ever made about that), and that she can really sing (when she's not stoned, that is). Check out the video of her performance last night – it took place in London and was transmitted via satellite to the States.

In other Grammy news, Kanye West actually won an award! I'm kidding. The rapper won an impressive four Grammys - best rap album of the year (for "Graduation"), best rap solo performance (for "Stronger"), best rap song (for "Good Life") and best rap performance by a duo or group. You can find the complete list of winners below. All in all, it was a truly spectacular night, also featuring wonderful performances by Carrie Underwood, Rihanna, and a spectacular duo with Beyonce and Tina Turner. Enjoy a series of clips below, and stay tuned for more Grammy news!

2008 Grammy Awards

Album Of The Year: River: The Joni Letters — Herbie Hancock
Record Of The Year: "Rehab" — Amy Winehouse
Best New Artist: Amy Winehouse
Song Of The Year: "Rehab" — Amy Winehouse, songwriter (Amy Winehouse)
Best Pop Vocal Album: Back To Black — Amy Winehouse
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: Call Me Irresponsible —Michael Bublé
Best Female Pop Vocal Performance: Rehab — Amy Winehouse
Best Male Pop Vocal Performance: What Goes Around... Comes Around —Justin Timberlake
Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals: Makes Me Wonder — Maroon 5
Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals: Icky Thump — The White Stripes
Best Rock Album: Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace — Foo Fighters
Best Rap Song: "Can't Tell Me Nothing" — Aldrin Davis & Kanye West, songwriters (Kanye West, Graduation)
Best Female Country Vocal Performance: Before He Cheats — Carrie Underwood
Best Male Country Vocal Performance: Stupid Boy — Keith Urban
Best Female R&B Vocal Performance: No One — Alicia Keys
Best Rap Album: Graduation — Kanye West
Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals: Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On) — Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

Amy Winehouse performs "You Know I'm No Good" and "Rehab":



Rihanna performing at the Grammys:

MWC 2008: Nokia N96 Is Official and Bests N95 in All Features

Nokia just unveiled its latest Nokia N96 multimedia computer at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. Truly optimized for video and TV, the device features a large 2.8" screen, 16 gigabytes of internal memory and support
for high-quality videos in a wide range of formats.

Accessing internet videos is quick and simple, as the new Nokia N96 supports common video formats including MPEG-4, Windows Media Video and Flash Video, making favorite videos easy to view. Transferring and accessing videos is even faster with the high-speed USB 2.0 connection and WLAN and HSDPA support. In select markets, the integrated DVB-H receiver offers live broadcast TV with an automatically updating program guide.

The massive 16GB internal memory can store up to 40 hours of video content. The storage capacity of the Nokia N96 can even be further expanded with an optional microSD card, such as the new Nokia 8GB microSDHC Card MU-43 which increases the available memory of the Nokia N96 to a total of 24 GB. For added convenience, the Nokia N96 features a 'kickstand' on the back cover that allows for hands-free viewing.

The Nokia Video Center offers one place to discover and access a variety of mobile content ranging from movie trailers and comedy to news from world-leading content brands such as YouTube, Reuters, and Sony Pictures. The catalog of internet video feeds is continually expanded with more regional and country specific content.

For a superb music experience, the Nokia N96 features media keys, a 3.5 mm headphone connector and built-in 3D stereo speakers. The Nokia Maps application offers richer maps with urban details and satellite views and has upgrade options such as City Guides, turn-by-turn pedestrian mode and voice-guided car navigation.

The Nokia N96 boasts a 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, flash and video light. It allows DVD-like quality video capture at 30 frames per second. Further, with the integrated A-GPS, consumers can now 'geotag' their pictures with location data and share them with their online communities.

The N96 naturally supports the Ovi family of Nokia internet services, including maps, music, media sharing and more.

The Nokia N96 multimedia computer is expected to begin shipping in the third quarter of 2008 with an estimated sales price of approximately 550 euros, before subsidies or taxes.

Carotid Artery Disease, Stroke, Transient Ischemic Attacks (TIAs)

What is carotid artery disease?

Carotid artery disease occurs when the major arteries in your neck become narrowed or blocked. These arteries, called the carotid arteries, supply your brain with blood. Your carotid arteries extend from your aorta in your chest to the brain inside your skull.

You are more likely to develop carotid artery disease as you age. Only 1 percent of adults age 50 to 59 have significantly narrowed carotid arteries, but 10 percent of adults age 80 to 89 have this problem.

Your arteries are normally smooth and unobstructed on the inside, but as you age, a sticky substance called plaque can build up in the walls of your arteries. Plaque is made up of cholesterol, calcium, and fibrous tissue. As more plaque builds up, your arteries narrow and stiffen. This process is called atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. Eventually, when enough plaque builds up to reduce or disturb blood flow through your carotid arteries, physicians call this problem carotid artery disease. Carotid artery disease is a serious health problem because it can cause a stroke.

Some plaque deposits are soft and are prone to cracking or forming roughened, irregular areas inside the artery. If this happens, your body will respond as if you were injured and flood the cracked and irregular area with blood-clotting cells called platelets. A large blood clot may then form in your carotid artery or one of its branches. If the clot blocks the artery enough to slow or stop blood and oxygen flow to your brain, it could cause a stroke. More commonly, a piece of the plaque itself, or a clot, breaks off from the plaque deposit and travels through your bloodstream. This particle can then lodge in a smaller artery in your brain and cause a stroke by blocking the artery.

Fortunately, you may be able to prevent or slow carotid artery disease. Quitting smoking is the most important change you can make to avoid this disease. Other ways to prevent carotid artery disease include:


Exercising regularly

Eating a healthy diet

Maintaining a healthy weight

Controlling factors that increase your chances of developing carotid artery disease, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol, also help prevent the disease.

What are the symptoms?

Carotid artery disease may not cause symptoms in its early stages.

Unfortunately, the first sign of carotid artery disease could be a stroke. However, you may experience warning symptoms of a stroke called transient ischemic attacks, or TIAs. Symptoms of a TIA usually last for a few minutes to 1 hour and include:


Feeling weakness, numbness, or a tingling sensation on one side of your body, for example, in an arm or a leg

Being unable to control the movement of an arm or a leg

Losing vision in one eye (many people describe this sensation as a window shade coming down)

Being unable to speak clearly

These symptoms usually go away completely within 24 hours. However, you should not ignore them. Having a TIA means that you are at serious risk of a stroke in the near future. You should report TIA symptoms to your physician immediately.

If you experience the above symptoms for longer than a few hours, or they don't resolve within 24 hours, a stroke has probably occurred. You should contact your physician immediately.

What causes carotid artery disease?

Hardening of the arteries causes most cases of carotid artery disease.

Experts do not fully understand the cause of hardening of the arteries. Plaque may build up in the arteries because of an injury to the artery's inner lining. Factors that injure artery walls include smoking, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.

In rare cases, conditions known as carotid aneurysm disease and fibromuscular dysplasia can cause carotid artery disease.

Other factors that may increase your chances of developing carotid artery disease include diabetes and having a family history of hardening of the arteries.

What tests will I need?

First your physician asks you questions about your general health, medical history, and symptoms. In addition, your physician conducts a physical exam. Together these are known as a patient history and exam. As part of your history and exam, your physician will ask you if you smoke or have high blood pressure. Your physician will also want to know when your symptoms occur and how often.

During your exam, your physician will listen for sounds of turbulent blood flow in your carotid arteries. He or she may also measure your blood pressure.

After the history and exam, if your physician suspects you have carotid artery disease, he or she will perform a carotid duplex ultrasound. In this painless test, a technician holds a small ultrasound probe to your neck. The probe emits high-frequency sound waves that bounce off of blood cells and blood vessels to show blood flow and problems with the structure of blood vessels. This test can show your physician how open your carotid arteries are and how quickly blood flows through them.

Carotid duplex ultrasound detects most cases of carotid artery disease. Therefore, your physician usually may not need to perform other tests. However, if ultrasound does not provide enough information, your physician may order one or more of the following:


CT scan and CT Angiography (CTA): CT and CTA scans take x-ray pictures in the form of slices of the brain and the arteries in your neck. CT scans can show an area of the brain that has poor blood flow. Your physician may inject a contrast dye to make blood vessels visible on the x-ray image. CTA shows the arteries in the neck and head and will identify areas of arterial narrowing.

Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA): MRA uses radio waves and magnetic fields to create detailed images. Some forms of this test can show moving blood flow and may help evaluate carotid artery disease. To improve the test's accuracy, physicians sometimes inject a material, called gadolinium, to make the arteries more visible.

Angiography: In this test, your physician injects a contrast dye through a catheter that is threaded into your arteries and then takes x-ray pictures. The structure of your arteries appears on the x-ray images because x-rays themselves cannot pass through the dye. This test shows how blood flows through the arteries and whether they are narrowed. Angiography carries some risks, including a small incidence of stroke, which is one reason that physicians do not always use it as the first test to diagnose or follow carotid artery disease. Vascular surgeons also use angiography during carotid angioplasty and stenting, which is discussed later in this article.

How is carotid artery disease treated?

Your treatment will depend on the severity of your condition, and whether or not you are having symptoms from the carotid artery disease, as well as your general health. As a first step, your vascular surgeon may recommend medications and the lifestyle changes discussed later in this article.

If you have any other medical conditions, make sure to follow your physician's instructions to manage them. For example, if you have diabetes, be sure to monitor and control your blood sugar levels. If you have high blood pressure, your physician may prescribe medications to lower it. If you are smoking, you should quit. Have your physician check your cholesterol levels regularly to be sure they stay within normal limits. Your physician may prescribe medications such as statins to reduce high cholesterol.

Surgery

You may require surgery if your carotid artery disease is severe or has progressed. Signs of severe disease include having TIA symptoms, having experienced a stroke in the past, or just having a severely narrowed carotid artery even without symptoms.

During surgery, your vascular surgeon removes the plaque that is blocking your carotid artery. The procedure is called carotid endarterectomy and can be performed using a local or general anesthetic, depending upon the particular situation. Once the anesthesia has taken affect, the vascular surgeon makes an incision in your neck and then removes the plaque contained in the inner lining of your carotid artery. This procedure removes the plaque and leaves a smooth, wide-open artery. You may even be able to leave the hospital as early as the same day or the day after the procedure depending upon how you feel. This procedure is safe and long lasting when done by a qualified vascular surgeon in the proper circumstances.

Angioplasty and stenting

A newly developed minimally invasive procedure to treat carotid artery disease is angioplasty and stenting. Angioplasty and stenting is usually performed using a local anesthetic. To perform this procedure, your vascular surgeon may insert a long, thin tube called a catheter through a small puncture site over a groin artery and guide it through your blood vessels to your carotid artery. The catheter carries a tiny balloon that inflates and deflates, flattening the plaque against the walls of the artery. Next, the physician places a tiny metal-mesh tube called a stent in the artery to hold it open. Your hospital stay after angioplasty and stenting is approximately the same as with endarterectomy. Carotid angioplasty and stenting is currently controversial because conclusive, long-term results are not yet available. Nevertheless, for patients who have medical conditions that increase the risk of carotid endarterectomy, angioplasty and stenting may be a good alternative. It has been approved for patients considered to be at high risk for the surgical endarterectomy procedure, or for patients who have agreed to participate in ongoing clinical studies designed to determine its effectiveness.

What can I do to stay healthy?

If you do not require surgery, make sure you and your immediate family members understand the warning signs of TIA. Follow your physician's instructions for any prescribed medications, such as aspirin, to thin your blood, or statins, to control your blood lipid (fat) levels. It is also important to return for any scheduled follow up tests because the carotid blockage may worsen over time, even without warning symptoms.

Changing some lifestyle factors may limit the progression of your carotid artery disease. The first step smokers should take is to quit smoking. Other changes that can decrease your risk of carotid artery disease include losing weight, exercising regularly, and eating a diet low in saturated fats.

Westminster Dog Show Starts Today

Today is the Start of the Westminster Dog Show at New York City, America’s number 1 dog show. People are wondering if a beagle will finally win today, although the contest has been held 100 times before a beagle has never won it.

westminster-dog-show.jpg


Uno is becoming this year’s sensation and the favorite of the show:

Since 1915, beagles have been the only breed consistently ranked in the Top 10 among the American Kennel Club’s list of the most popular dogs. So why is the breed so admired by the general dog-loving public? “Because of good ol’ Snoopy,” says Uno’s handler Aaron Wilkerson. “You think of a beagle and you think of Snoopy, and how can you pass that up?”

The cuteness factor will also endear Uno to fans in an arena which has been home to a whole lot of ugly (see New York Knicks). “Uno has that soft, pleading look and when you see him you have to say. ‘Awww,’ because he’s so pretty,” says Wilkerson who lives with Uno in Columbia, S.C. “He’s just a great dog. He’s a fun, happy dog who makes you smile all the time.” […]

Like any great champion, Uno has an ego. “He loves having his picture taken, he eats it up,” says Wilkerson. The more applause he receives in the ring, the more he woofs it up. “He loves to sit and bay at you and bark to let you know if you’re not paying attention to me, you need to be,” Wilkerson says. “He bays in the ring and has a good ol’ time and carries on.”

Terriers have Best in Show at Westminster 44 times, while Hounds have won only three times. So what are the chances of a humble hound finishing No. 1? “As good as any,” says Weichert. The Best in Show judge, J. Donald Jones, a former dean at Emory University, has awarded Uno top honor in another show and has named him No. 1 the group.

However, Uno faces formidable competition, including the nation’s No. 1 dog, a toy poodle named Vikki who was born in Japan and has a trash-talking (woofing?) music video of her own on YouTube, set to a U2 song. “More than 130,000 dogs defeated,” it declares at one point.

1 of Uno’s co-owners says seeing “an average dog” win “would send a signal that everyone can do it.” And Westminster TV host David Frei says a beagle best in show “would bring down the house.”


These year has approximately 2500 contestants wanting to win the prize.

If you don’t want to miss out the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, you can see it on CNBC the first night and on USA Network the second night.

LG Viewty on Direct Free Time 3000 (24mth)

Breath-Taking

Every once in a while, we see a phone that just blows our mind. I mean literally, it takes our breath away.

And we'll tell you now, this description will be a bit longer than usual, because... well, quite frankly, the LG Viewty is one of the best phones we've ever seen!

Absolutely Viewtiful

So, first of all why the name Viewty? Well, after checking in the urban dictionary, which is where LG got the name, we found this:

Viewtiful: Something flashy or stylish. Someone with superpowers.

Yep, both of those sum up the LG Viewty pretty perfectly, really! It's built around the same Flash user interface as the Prada, with a massive screen, and full touch controls, making it an absolute joy to use. Incidentally, the animated wallpaper with the goldfish in a pond that follows your finger is possibly the single greatest thing we've ever seen!

Ultimate Camera

Actually, we take that back. The camera on the LG Viewty takes that honour. Weighing in at a huge 5 megapixels, the photos you'll get out of it will be sharp and gorgeous. However, not content with giving it 5 megapixels, LG have also packed it full of features that are quite honestly stunning.

So, you get the latest Schneider-Kreuznach lenses, image stabiliser (anti-shake is always welcome), ISO8000 Smartlight (for super sharp night shots) and best of all, manual focus. Want to focus on a particular thing? Just touch that bit of it on the LG Viewty's screen, and it focuses in on that person, or building, or whatever. That's not just novel, it's fantasticaly useful, too!

Utter Perfection

The LG Viewty will also record super-high quality video. Not only that, but you can slip it into 120 frames-per-second mode, and actually record slow-motion action shots. Then edit it to make your own movie. Oh, and then, with one button press, you can instantly upload the whole thing to Youtube. How cool is that??

Now throw in even more cool stuff, like Google maps, and masses of media options, and the LG Viewty becomes one serious contender for best phone ever. You may have guessed how we feel about it, but we'll spell it out. The LG Viewty is utterly perfect in every way!

Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1

Sony Ericsson announced its first Windows Mobile phone, the Xperia X1.

With 0.68-inch thick ; 5.2-ounce device slides ; a full QWERTY keyboard and a 3-inch,XPERIA X1 very high-res 800 X 480 touch screen - higher pixel density like iPhone.

X1’s specs include, everything you want.

  • Quad-band EDGE plus quad-band HSDPA 7.2 with HSUPA.
  • Wi-Fi and GPS
  • A 3.2-megapixel camera with DVD quality video playback and capture?
  • FM radio, Bluetooth stereo, and GPS
  • It’s all powered by a 520-MHz ARM11 processor running Windows Mobile 6.
  • microSD - 400MB on board

To navigate around the X1, you can use:

  • the touch screen,
  • cursor keys,
  • an optical trackpad that works a little like a laptop trackpad.


What is Hymenoptera?

Hymenoptera is one of the larger orders of insects, comprising the sawflies, wasps, bees, and ants. The name refers to the membranous wings of the insects, and is derived from the Ancient Greek ὑμήν (humẽn): membrane and πτερόν (pteron): wing. The hindwings are connected to the forewings by a series of hooks called hamuli.

Females typically have a special ovipositor for inserting eggs into hosts or otherwise inaccessible places. The ovipositor is often modified into a stinger. The young develop through complete metamorphosis — that is, they have a worm-like larval stage and an inactive pupal stage before they mature. (See holometabolism.)

Tom Lantos dies

Rep. Tom Lantos, a California Democrat who chaired the House Foreign Affairs Committee, died early Monday morning after a bout with esophageal cancer, according to a release by his office. He was 80.

Lantos, the only Holocaust survivor to serve in Congress, died at Bethesda Naval Medical Center, according to the release.

Lantos disclosed last month that he had been diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus and would not seek another term in the House.

Summer Verona Picture

Marilyn Jo Jenkins

Bernstein alleges that Bill Clinton cheated on Hillary with Marilyn Jo Jenkins.

Marilyn Jo Jenkins is featured in a new book by Carl Bernstein. In the book Bernstein alleges that former President William Jefferson Clinton was on the verge of divorcing Hilary because of Marilyn Jo Jenkins who is described as a “Arkansas utility company official” who knew Clinton during his days as Governor of Arkansas.

Both Clinton and Jenkins described their time together, which was recorded in public rolls, as being quite innocent.

Multiple myeloma

Multiple myeloma (also known as MM, myeloma, plasma cell myeloma, or as Kahler's disease after Otto Kahler) is a type of cancer of plasma cells which are immune system cells in bone marrow that produce antibodies. Myeloma is regarded as incurable, but remissions may be induced with steroids, chemotherapy, thalidomide and stem cell transplants. Myeloma is part of the broad group of diseases called hematological malignancies.

ROY SCHEIDER: 1932-2008

Roy Scheider, a stage actor with a background in the classics who became one of the leading figures in the American film renaissance of the 1970s, died Sunday afternoon in Little Rock, Ark. He was 75.

Scheider had suffered from multiple myeloma for several years and died of complications from a staph infection, said his wife, Brenda Seimer.

He was nominated for a best-supporting actor Oscar in 1971's "The French Connection" in which he played the police partner of Oscar winner Gene Hackman, and for best actor for 1979's "All That Jazz," the autobiographical Bob Fosse film.

Scheider's career gathered steam in movies such as "Klute," his first major film role, in which he played a threatening pimp to Jane Fonda's New York call girl; and in William Friedkin's "French Connection" as Buddy Russo, the slightly more restrained partner to Hackman's marauding police detective, Popeye Doyle.

He is best known for his role in Steven Spielberg's 1975 film, "Jaws," the enduring classic about a killer shark terrorizing beachgoers as well as millions of moviegoers.

Widely hailed as the film that launched the era of the Hollywood blockbuster, it was also the first movie to earn $100 million at the box office. Scheider starred with Richard Dreyfuss, who played an oceanographer.

"He was a wonderful guy. He was what I call 'a knockaround actor,' " Dreyfuss said.

"A 'knockaround actor' to me is a compliment that means a professional that lives the life of a professional actor and doesn't yell and scream at the fates and does his job and does it as well as he can," he said.

In 2005, one of Scheider's most famous lines in the movie - "You're gonna need a bigger boat" - was voted No. 35 on the American Film Institute's list of best quotes from U.S. movies. He also says to the shark, in the parting phrase, "Smile, you son of a bitch!"

Born in 1932 in Orange, N.J., Scheider earned his distinctive broken nose in the New Jersey Diamond Gloves Competition. He studied at Rutgers and at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa., where he graduated as a history major. After serving three years in the Air Force, he returned to Franklin and Marshall to star in a production of "Richard III."

His professional debut was as Mercutio in a 1961 New York Shakespeare Festival production of "Romeo and Juliet." While continuing to work onstage, he made his movie debut in the low-budget horror film "The Curse of the Living Corpse."

In 1977, Scheider worked with Friedkin again in "Sorcerer," a big-budget remake of Henri-Georges Clouzot's 1953 French thriller, "The Wages of Fear."

Offered a leading role in "The Deer Hunter" (1979), Scheider had to turn it down to fulfill his contract with Universal for a sequel to "Jaws." (The part went to Robert De Niro.)

"Jaws 2" failed to recapture the appeal of the first film, but Scheider bounced back, accepting the principal role in Bob Fosse's autobiographical phantasmagoria of 1979, "All That Jazz." This won him an Academy Award nomination in the best actor category. (Dustin Hoffman won that year, for "Kramer vs. Kramer.")

In 1980, Scheider returned to his first love, the stage, where his performance in a production of Harold Pinter's "Betrayal" opposite Blythe Danner and Raul Julia earned him the Drama League of New York award for distinguished performance. Although he continued to be active in films, he moved from leading men to character roles.

How Old is Tina Turner

If you tuned in for the 2008 Grammys last night, you were likely asking yourself “how old is Tina Turner?” After all, she’s no spring chicken — but boy, does she sure still have it.

In a performance that matched Tina Turner with Beyonce, singing “Proud Mary,” Tina Turner showed that she can still do her thing. Take notice, so called performers who lip synch. This is how it’s done.

But how old is Tina Turner? She was born November 26, 1939, so Tina Turner is 68 years old. Remarkable.

And despite her age, Tina Turner didn’t sacrifice a dance step or wear an outfit indicative of her age — Tina Turner still pulled out all the stops for an amazing 2008 Grammys award performance and showed young Beyonce a thing or two.

If you didn’t catch the Tina Turner and Beyonce duet of “Proud Mary,” check out the video clip and picture below. Then ask yourself “How old is Tina Turner?”