iphone 3.0 problems

iPhone 3.0 Problems

The highly anticipated iPhone OS 3.0 is finally here. The 3.0 OS update will cost nothing for current iPhone owners and $10 for iPod Touch owners. With the release comes some problems that have been fixed and some extra features that people have been asking for, such as copy and paste.

The goods

You can now download the iPhone OS 3.0 update from the iTunes store. It became available at 10:10 A.M. and comes with a universal landscape mode and multimedia messaging. There is no support for MMS or text messaging right now. It will be available near the end of summer and currently, there is no explanation as to why Apple has not supported MMS yet.

Using bluetooth or the USB cord, apps can recognize and connect with other devices. The update also comes with a wider range of support for bluetooth. A couple more things is that the iPhone 3.0 OS now let’s you compose messages or text in the landscape mode and a global search feature.

Inside my brain

Keeping customers happy is a number one goal that many companies should aim for and Apple is doing that with the iPhone’s 3.0 OS. Apple doesn’t look afraid of the competition out there and isn’t falling for the hype of other cell phones coming on to the market, such as the Palm Pre.

By providing good customer service, that’s mostly what someone could ask for, right? It’s good that they have things like features and functionalities for a better user experience in mind. It’s just that Apple needs to allow for different carriers to have their iPhones! Let them play with the prices and let them get people to compete over which carrier is better. Competition for the iPhone between carriers could probably bring in more sales.

Scattered reports of iPhone OS 3.0 update problems

While the majority of commenters on CNET and around the Web are reporting success in downloading iPhone OS 3.0 Wednesday, there were scattered reports of problems.

My colleague Stephen Shankland, a CNET News reporter, tried several times to download the OS update around 12 p.m. Pacific to his iPhone and received the same error message, pictured above, each time.

A handful of CNET commenters reported problems accessing iTunes. "I see that the upgrade is now available, but four times the message I get after a couple of minutes is that the download has 'timed out,'" said one reader, and another reported, "Same issue here, cannot connect to the iTunes store to activate so the phone won't work."

A quick perusal of Twitter showed a smattering of people with the same issue.

This, of course, is a repeat of what happened last year, when Apple's iTunes servers couldn't withstand the barrage of traffic when customers tried to update to iPhone 2.0 software at the same time new iPhone 3G buyers were attempting to activate their phones.

Anyone else having problems with the update today?

Update 12:45 p.m. PDT: Reader Michael Samstag wrote in to say his iPhone was rendered unusable when he tried to install the update. "It has the 'connect to iTunes' message and will only allow emergency calls," he says. "I signed up for the 'Apple callback' for tech support and they called back and put me on hold for 20-minutes. Then the call got disconnected and now the earliest callback time is between 6:15 p.m. EDT and 6:30 p.m. EDT. So, I'm looking at having no cell for a minimum of three hours, probably longer."

david blaine dive of death

Magician David Blaine performed a dramatic ‘Dive of Death’ in Central Park earlier tonight, and lived. Read about it below and see photos and a video.

David Blaine is as much a showman as a magician, but I believe he bills himself as a magician. He’s kind of Harry Houdini Lite. Very lite. He’s stunts usually consist of public spectacles in public places.

In 2003, he stayed in a transparent box suspended over the Thames River in London for 44 days. In 2002, he stood on top of a 27 metre pillar behind the New York Public Library for 35 hours. In 2006, he lived in an acrylic sphere underwater for a week in front of the Lincoln Center. In 2000, he sat inside a block of ice in Times Square for 61 hours.

Every time I hear about one of his stunts, I always wonder where he goes to the bathroom. I’m sure they have something worked out for that.

His exhibitions all seem to be endurance tests as much as anything else and this latest one was no exception. Today he ended his latest stunt. He hung upside down in Central Park for 60 hours.

Yeah, it was not real interesting to watch. However, he always ends them with a grand finale and this was no different. He ended his upside down hanging with a two-hour television special. You might wonder how he could draw standing upright out for two hours. Well, the special was interspersed with pre-recorded footage of David Blaine doing other things, like talking to people.

Then, finally, right at the end was the spectacular coup de gras. He plunged 13.4 metres in what has been billed as the ‘Dive of Death’. Following the dive, dangling from the cable he was attached to, he started ascending and disappeared into the night sky above Central Park’s Wollman Rink. Ta-Da!

And he lived to tell about it …. and do another stunt on another day.

Kelly Ripa, left, and magician David Blaine separate as Ripa descends following her interview with Blaine for the "Live with Regis and Kelly" television show done while both hung upside down over Central Park's Wollman Rink during Blaine's latest endurance challenge "David Blaine: Dive of Death" Monday morning Sept. 22, 2008 in New York. David Blaine plans to hang upside without a net for 60 hours concluding his challenge with a plunge.

Kim Kardashian - Dancing With the Stars !!!

Who would have thought we would be seeing Kim Kardashian Dancing With the Stars videos in our lifetime? See what she has to offer below along with partner Mark Ballas on the Dancing With The Star show.

Kim Kardashian
Dancing With The Stars

Kim Kardashian looks good. Her hair is short and elegant while her smile beamed radiantly. She is fashionably dressed in tasteful sexy clothing. She has everything going for her on the dance floor except one minor thing.

The problem is Kim Kardashian’s dancing. It was bad with a capital B in Week 1. She was stiff as a board which is normally the position of her various partners. But not on Dancing With The Stars. Sorry Kim, but you are hot in all ways but one. Even professional dancer Mark Ballas cannot help you much.

Maybe one of the problems is expectations. We expect that a famous socialite might have spent some of her partying days with Paris Hilton on a dance floor. Isn’t that what socialites do at clubs? Shows you what I know.

Kim Kardashian Debuts on Dancing with the Stars

Kim Kardashian and Mark Ballas foxtrotted their ways into home last night on the season premiere of Dancing with the Stars.
In the following clip of their performance, we're introduced to the couple with: "I'm Kim Kardashian and I'm best known for being a reality TV star."
Well, we guess having sex on tape is realistic. And Kim sure did star in that video!

Kardashian also says: "When I met Mark, I was so excited. He's a champion and I knew I was in the best hands possible."
Ouch. Reggie Bush just got dissed!Overall, Kardashian looked the part of someone who could compete this season. But she was as stiff on the floor as most of her partners are in bed. Girlfriend has got to loosen up!And wear a far more revealing outfit.

Victoria Beckham Hair

Victoria Beckham Hair

Victoria Beckham shows off short new hair style.

Victoria Beckham stole the show at New York Fashion Week by unveiling her latest haircut.

The former Spice Girl appears to be channelling Liza Minnelli with her new look.

The gamine crop also nods to Bond-era Halle Berry, with a dash of Audrey Hepburn thrown in.

Explaining the radical new look, Beckham told The Daily Telegraph: "You know, I just like to change things up. I get bored very, very quickly and I just fancied a change."

Posh Spice's last hairdo was a bob - christened 'the Pob' - and became one of the most requested looks in hair salons up and down the country.

Victoria Beckham Hair

She has also tried out hair extensions and a bleached blonde look.

Victoria Beckham unveiled the short cut at the Marc Jacobs show, where she shared the front row with Jennifer Lopez.

The strapless black dress she was wearing was one of her own designs. The ex-Spice has launched her first fashion collection in New York with a range of dresses. The price tag starts at £600 and goes up to £1,900, from a tiny size six to a more regular 14.

The collection hits the shops in February and has a "1940s/1950s underwear feel, very simple but fabulous", according to the woman herself.

Other celebrities spotted at New York Fashion Week include actresses Winona Ryder and Christina Ricci, supermodel Helena Christensen and Kelly Osbourne.

Palin Speech - earns Republicans' praise

Palin Speech

In a speech weaving together humour, toughness and a folksy touch, Sarah Palin, the Republican Governor of the US state of Alaska, has accepted her party's nomination as vice-presidential running mate to John McCain.

She introduced her family, stressed her small town credentials and joked about her self-professed "hockey mum" reputation, but held out a promise of toughness on key issues from America's dependence on foreign oil to the pursuit of terrorists.

"I will be honoured to accepted your nomination for vice-president of the United States," she told the exuberant crowd, after extended applause welcomed her to the stage.

Her appearance softer than in recent days, with her hair no longer bundled up, Ms Palin praised Senator McCain as honest and courageous.

She said she accepted "the privilege of serving" with him "against confident opponents at a crucial hour" for the US.

Senator McCain "knows how tough fights are won" she said, noting that just a year ago, experts had written him off as the Republicans' nominee for the presidency.

"With their usual certitude they told us that all was lost, that there was no hope for this candidate who said he would rather lose an election than see his country lose a war," Ms Palin said.

Family support

Displaying her credentials in understanding America's international challenges, Ms Palin introduced her son, Track, who stood in the crowd as his mother told delegates that he was due on September 11 to deploy to Iraq.

She went on to introduce her sons and daughters, all of whom were in the audience, and to indirectly answer the critics who have targeted the conservative, pro-life governor over the pregnancy of her unmarried teenage daughter.

"Our family has the same ups and downs as any other, the same challenges and the same joys," she said.

She also introduced her "perfectly beautiful baby boy", Trig, who has Down's syndrome, pledging to be an advocate for families of special needs children in the White House.

"For years you've sought to make America a more welcoming place for your sons and daughters," she said.

Seeking to further seal her family credentials, she introduced her husband Todd, saying she met him in high school. She won yet more applause by saying "he's still my guy".

She stressed her small town credentials, her own example for women striving for advancement and her record in cutting and vetoing what she said was wasteful spending during her tenures as both a mayor and a governor.

Delegates warmed enthusiastically to Ms Palin's messages, showing genuine appreciation for a speech with some arguably unorthodox content, and dissolving into laughter when she joked that the difference between hockey mums and a pit bull was lipstick.

GOP holds breath awaiting Palin speech

It’s a rare convention moment, a night when all eyes will be focused on the running mate to the exclusion of everything else. In a speech that may eclipse nominee John McCain’s one night later, his surprise vice presidential pick, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, takes the stage Wednesday evening with the eyes — and hopes — of her party upon her.

Call it the Republican answer to Barack Obama’s Invesco Field speech.

“I’ve watched this thing echo and build,” said Iowa Rep. Steve King. “Now it’s the buildup to the anticipation of the speech.”

For Palin, this event, more than any other, will determine whether she will succeed or fail as a running mate. It’s undoubtedly the most important speech of her career.

“I think we had a very good night last night for Sen. McCain. Having said that, there’s no question that Palin, because she was such a surprise pick, is getting a lot of attention,” said Oklahoma Rep. Tom Cole. “It’s a very big night tonight."

“Every person I talk to, the first thing they say is they can’t wait to hear Sarah Palin speak on Wednesday night,” said Erik Iverson, chairman of the Montana Republican Party.

“This is my third convention and I can’t remember a vice presidential candidate, or any of the other speakers, generating as much excitement and enthusiasm.”

Palin, who has never addressed a national audience, will have to clear an extraordinarily high bar with her performance this evening. The Obama campaign sought to raise expectations even further for the 44-year-old Alaska governor Wednesday morning, when communications director Robert Gibbs predicted Palin’s speech would “bring the convention floor out of its chairs.”

Saul Anuzis, chairman of the Michigan Republican Party, said delegates were so eager to hear from Palin because they currently know so little about her.

“I think people are very excited about finding out who she is and meeting her for the first time. In reality, most Republicans have not seen her or heard her or met her,” Anuzis said.

New Hampshire Republican Party Chairman Fergus Cullen agreed.

“She is a fresh face on the national scene, so there’s a huge level of interest in it,” said Cullen, who recalled watching televised Palin’s speech from Dayton, Ohio, on Friday with Republican officials who teared up in response to the Alaska governor’s performance.

“I used to mock Democrats when I saw them weeping about either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama,” Cullen said, “and here I saw a room of Republicans doing the same.”

Tuesday’s speeches by Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) and former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) went off well enough, said several party chairmen. But even at this morning’s delegate events, people were more focused on Palin’s speech tonight.

Bristol Palin Pregnancy - Sarah Palin’s daughter ???

Rumors are flying that Bristol Palin, Sarah Palin’s teen-age daughter, is the real mother of 5-month old Trig Palin. Did Sarah Palin invent an elaborate cover-up to keep her daughter’s pregnancy out of the public eye? Read the story and see photos.



So, is Trig really Sarah Palin’s baby, or is he her grandson? People are asking that question and are pushing for an answer. Most of the questions center around the fact that Sarah Palin didn’t announce her pregnancy until a few weeks before she gave birth. Photos of her teen-age daughter, Bristol Palin (above right), late in 2007 show Bristol Palin with a rounded tummy. The story is further complicated in that Bristol Palin was taken out of school this past year for up to five months because of a bad case of mono.

What do you think? I doubt that someone as politically savvy as Sarah Palin would be so naive as to believe she could keep such a monumental cover-up secret while running as VP of the USA. And why would she attempt the cover-up to begin with? Teenage pregnancies are a rather common fact of life in modern society. The “shame and disgrace” that people felt years ago are mostly nonexistent these days. I hope the Palin’s will provide proof that Trig is their own quickly in order to counter these rumors. And, if the rumors are true, then handle them immediately in order to end all the speculating.

Photos/pictures of the Palin family at “7 months pregnant” are below.

Hurricane Gustav - gaining strength south of Haiti

Rapidly growing Hurricane Gustav headed for a collision with impoverished Haiti on Tuesday, driving many people off the potholed streets of the capital, but bringing few other outward signs of preparation.

The storm was also on track to slice along the south coast of Cuba during the week — possibly growing into a perilous Category 3 hurricane with 115 mph (185 kph) winds by the weekend, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami.

Forecasters said the hurricane's maximum sustained winds were near 90 mph (150 kph) Tuesday morning, with higher gusts. They said it could become a Category 2 hurricane with winds of 96 mph (154 kph) or higher before hitting Haiti.

Forecasts suggested that Hurricane Gustav's eye might pass near the capital of Port-au-Prince, home to nearly 3 million people.

A light rain fell on Port-au-Prince as the sun rose on an overcast Tuesday. The city's rough streets, often bustling with commerce at the crack of dawn, were largely empty as merchants took refuge.

"The government orders the population to take precautions because this storm will bring a lot of rain," Interior Minister Paul Antonine Bien-Aime told Radio Ginen in an interview repeated several times early Tuesday.

American Airlines canceled all flights in and out of Port-au-Prince.

Preparations for the storm appeared to be minimal and in the hurricane-prone southwestern city of Les Cayes, smack in the hurricane's path, at least some people without access to television or satellite images said they doubted a storm was even approaching.

"There's no rain and wind, the sky is clear, cars are traveling everywhere.

I don't think there's a hurricane," Marc Andre, a 22-year-old motorcycle taxi driver, said over his cell phone.

Yet Haitians are accustomed to the power of such blasts. Flooding caused by storms and hurricanes killed more than 100 people in Haiti and scores in the Dominican Republic last year. In 2004, Tropical Storm Jeanne killed some 3,000 people in the Haitian city of Gonaives alone.

The hurricane was centered about 75 miles (125 kilometers) south-southeast of Port-au-Prince and was moving toward the northwest at near 9 mph (15 kph).

On Monday, Carnival Cruise Lines diverted one of its ships from Montego Bay, Jamaica, to a Mexican port to avoid the storm, company spokesman Vance Gulliksen said. Other cruise lines said they were closely tracking its path.

In Jamaica, officials alerted shelters to prepare for possible evacuations during the storm that is forecast to pass near the island Wednesday.

The commander of the Guantanamo military base in Cuba, where the U.S. holds about 265 men, many suspected of belonging to al-Qaida or the Taliban, ordered U.S. military personnel to prepare for a hit.

Vulnerable to high winds are dozens of tents pitched on an abandoned runway where those attending war-crimes trials for alleged terrorists are housed. No hearings are scheduled this week.

Army Maj. Richard Morehouse, a spokesman for detention operations at the base, told The Associated Press that the lockups housing detainees "are capable of withstanding hurricane-force winds and rain."

Earlier this month, Tropical Storm Fay killed 23 people on the island of Hispaniola shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Nearly all were due to flooded rivers.

Meanwhile, the remnants of Fay brought heavy rain and winds from Georgia to Louisiana. Floridians were still mopping up floodwaters from a storm that stuck around for a week and made a historic four landfalls, dumping more than 30 inches (76 centimeters) of rain along the central Atlantic coast.

The National Weather Service said the vestiges of Fay would deluge northern Georgia, with 3 inches (8 centimeters) to 5 inches (13 centimeters) of rain expected in the Atlanta area and up to 8 inches (20 centimeters) in northeast Georgia. In Alabama, flash flood and tornado warnings were posted.

In Mexico, Tropical Depression Julio continued to weaken as it dumped rain on the central Baja California peninsula and the upper Gulf of California.

The National Hurricane Center said Julio was about 110 miles (180 kilometers) north-northwest of Santa Rosalia, Mexico, with sustained winds of about 30 mph (50 kph).

Michelle Obama Pregnant ???

Is Michelle Obama pregnant? The wife of presidential contender Barack Obama is all set for her big moment in the sun on Monday in Denver as she is speaking at the Democratic National Convention. Her goal is to makeover her image that has taken a pounding ever since she first said that she had never been proud of the United States of America until her husband was favored to win the White House.

So where are all of these inquiries about Michelle Obama being pregnant coming from? One report blames it on Rush Limbaugh and claims that the conservative radio talk show host got all of this started with what appears to be a little poking and prodding and with what may have been a throw away line. Though I didn't hear the show today it is being reported that Rush Limbaugh has said that he believes Michelle Obama may have a big announcement to make tonight in Denver.



According to a report, "On his radio broadcast this morning, Rush Limbaugh speculated that Michelle Obama may have an announcement to make in her speech to the Democratic Convention tonight." That must have leaped to the Michelle Obama is pregnant reports.

Michelle Obama and her husband Barack Obama were married on October 18, 1992, and controversial preacher and Barack mentor Rev. Jeremiah Wright performed the ceremony. They were married at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, Illinois. Right now the couple have two daughters, Malia Ann Obama was born in 1999 and Natasha Obama was born in 2001. Is there another on the way or is this speculation blown way out of proportion?

Obama’s baby

Last night I had some theoretical thoughts about Obama -

What would happen if Barack & Michelle Obama decided that they want a third child while they still can (She was born in 1964, which makes her 44)?

They could conceive it this week in Denver, and when the time comes (maybe in a month or so) announce that Michelle Obama is pregnant and is due in June 2009.

So my questions are: Do you think that such an announcement will help him win the election in November?

Will that be the first (legitimate) baby born to a sitting president?

If it’s (another) girl, will it be ok if they name her America Obama?

Gwen Stefani - Second Baby Boy !!!

Gwen Stefani has another boy.

Gwen Stefani has given birth to a boy and mother, baby and family are all happy according to their spokesman.

The couple named their son, Zuma Nesta Rock, who weighed 3.77 kilograms.

The pop star and fashionista already has one son, Kingston, with her husband Gavin Rossdale.

Gwen Stefani, 38, was propelled to worldwide stardom when the band she was lead singer for, No Doubt, released the album Tragic Kingdom in 1995 which sold 16 million copies.

In 2003 the band broke up, and Gwen Stefani launched a solo career. To date she has released two albums.

She played at Auckland's Vector Arena on her Sweet Escape tour in 2007.

There have recently been reports that No Doubt is back in the studio working on a new album.

The No Doubt singer checked into Cedars Sinai Hospital this morning and delivered Zuma Nesta Rock at 12:46 P.M. via C-section. He weighed in at 8 1/2 pounds. Baby Zuma joins older brother Kingston, who celebrated his 2nd birthday in May. The following statement was released on Gwen’s website:

Kingston, Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale welcomed the newest member of their family- Zuma Nesta Rock Rossdale - at 12:46 PST on August 21, 2008. The couple’s second son, Zuma was born weighing 8.5 lbs. Mother, baby and family are all happy and healthy.

The 38-year-old L.A.M.B. designer was busy throughout her pregnancy, more recently hooking back up with No Doubt and working on a new album - much to the delight of fans. The album is scheduled to drop in early 2009.

Gwen Stefani and her husband, Gavin Rossdale, have been married since September 14, 2002.

Related Articles :

Gwen Stefani - Gives Birth to Baby Boy !!!

Paris Hilton Political Ad

Paris Hilton releases ad attacking John McCain

Not to be outdone by John McCain, Paris Hilton has released an attack ad of her own. But this one attacks John McCain.

Paris Hilton and her mother Kathy were upset about the unauthorized use of Paris's image in the McCain ad, even though the Hiltons donated $4600 to McCain's campaign. "It is a complete waste of the country's time and attention at the very moment when millions of people are losing their homes and their jobs," Kathy Hilton told the media.

The new video spoof opens with images of the crowd at Barack Obama's speech last month in Berlin. It's the same image that John McCain used to mock Obama in his "Celeb" ad last week that depicted Hilton.

As the narrator then describes John McCain, the ad shows old people, including The Golden Girls, Larry King, and a character from Tales from the Crypt.

"He's the oldest celebrity in the world," says the narrator. "Like, super old. Old enough to remember when dancing was a sin and beer was served in a bucket. But is he ready to lead?"

Paris Hilton is then shown lying on a pool chair in a bikini. "Hey, America, I'm Paris Hilton and I'm a celebrity, too," she says, looking to the camera. "Only, I'm not from the olden days and I'm not promising change like that other guy. I'm just hot."

Paris Hilton then describes McCain as "that wrinkly white-haired guy" who she says "used me in his campaign ad, which I guess means I'm running for president." She then takes the bait and launches into her own campaign. "So thanks for the endorsement, white haired dude."

As for her energy policy: "Just as soon as I finish reading this article on where I can fly to to get the best tan," she says to the camera, then looks up after a few seconds of reading Conde Nast Travel magazine.

After settling on Maui, she launches into her energy policy, which is very unlike Paris Hilton.

"Barack wants to focus on new technologies to cut foreign oil dependency. And McCain wants offshore drilling. Well, why don't we do a hybrid of both candidates' ideas? We can do limited offshore drilling with strict environmental oversight while creating tax incentives to get Detroit making hybrid and electric cars. That way, the offshore drilling carries us until the new technologies kick in, which will then create new jobs and energy independence. Energy crisis solved! I'll see you at the debates, bitches."

After resolving the energy crisis, she then promises "to go pick out a vice president" and suggests pop star Rihanna as a possibility.

And of course, she ends with the obligatory campaign tagline: "I'm Paris Hilton and I approve this message because I think it's totally hot," she says.

Or as she says in another part of the ad, "I'm, like, totally ready to lead."

See the full ad below...

Texas Cheerleaders Scandal - Fab Five Texas Cheerleaders

The group of cheerleaders at McKinney North High School was known as the "Fab Five." The girls were "uber cool," according to attorney Harry Jones, who was hired by the school district to launch an investigation.

They were "telling teachers to shut up, using a cell phone in class even after being told not to, cheating on tests, skipping school," Jones said.
The pictures turned up on MySpace.com in September.


The girls were drinking in some of them, NBC News' Michelle Kosinski reported. In another picture, girls posed in the cheerleading uniforms in a condom shop.
According to Jones' report, the girls were "smiling and holding candles shaped like male genitalia."

At the time, the girls were suspended, but never kicked off the cheerleading squad.
Jones said they felt they could intimidate and threaten anyone at the school in part because the principal, Linda Theret, was the mother of the squad's co-captain.

"Teachers were scared of them," Jones said. "I talked to a ... football coach who was teaching student council, and he was obviously scared of them. He had taught inner-city school kids in San Francisco and he said gang members were nothing compared to these girls."

In the wake of the investigation, Theret agreed to resign and the Fab Five are now off the cheerleading team.

Theret's attorney and some of the cheerleaders have been quoted as saying Jones' portrayal of them is unfair and overly harsh.

But Jones' 70-page report blames Theret for protecting the girls, who also had support from their own parents.

"Kids will be kids, but adults have to be adults," Jones said.

Southern California Earthquake

Southern California was hit by an earthquake this morning. Read about it below. Updates, photos and videos are being added as they become available.

Southern California Earthquake

At 11:42 am (PT) a 5.4 magnitude earthquake struck the town of Chino Hills, 33 miles east of Los Angeles in San Bernardino County. The United States Geological Survey said it struck at a depth of 7.6 miles.

Residents are saying it felt like a much larger earthquake than 5.4 magnitude. It was felt from throughout Southern California and Nevada. There have been multiple after shooks.

Eye witness reports are that it was a violent shake. The San Diego City Counsel was in session and recessed until it was determined that San Diego was not the epicenter of the quake. The San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, between Los Angeles and San Diego, is reportedly in good condition and no damage was sustained to the grids there.

We are waiting for the mayor of Los Angeles to report and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will be speaking shortly. Right Pundits will continue to provide updates as needed.

UPDATE 1:47 (PT): Los Angeles is experiencing power outages. Chino Hills is reporting minimal damage and no injuries. There have been problems with cell phone service.

Acting Mayor report:

• minor structural damage around the center.
• some people were stuck in an elevator
• no extraordinary calls for emergency services
• All phone services are now back up and running.
• Airport is functioning properly. It lost radar services for only one minute, but was immediately back up.
• Ports are functioning properly with no damage reported.
• One water main break. There was flooding at one department store.
• Five minor injuries reported.
• There is a 5% chance that this is a fore shock to a larger earthquake.

Update 2:25 p.m. (PT): The following photo of earthquake damage was sent into the LA Times by a reader.

Damage in Santa Monica
Southern California Earthquake - Photos

Update 2:30 p.m. (PT): Press conference with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

• Monitoring situation closely
• Have evacuation plan for family and pets.
• No major infrastructure damage
• No major injuries
• After shocks are occurring and will continue to occur
• All state agencies are directed to provide support
• All emergency responders are doing their things
• Earthquake downgraded to 5.4 magnitude
• upgrading infrastructure and emergency response systems helped minimize damage and injuries

Harry Potter 6 - New Photos and Movie Trailer ???

USA Today unveiled two new shots from the upcoming “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.” First photo of a young Tom Riddle (Frank Dillane) and Dumbledore’s (Michael Gambon) firestorm that he uses in the caves. These two shots will also appear in the full-length trailer that’s due to be released today (Tuesday) and in theaters on Friday before “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.“

Director David Yates said that editing is complete and the studio will soon be shown the finished product four months in advance of its theatrical debut. The biggest reveal is the young Tom Riddle, played by Hero Fiennes-Tiffin, who grows up to become Lord Voldemort.

Hero is Ralph Fiennes‘ (who plays Voldemort) nephew in real life, however Yates explained that his relationship to Ralph “wasn’t the primary reason for choosing him.” Instead, “I went for Hero because of this wonderful haunted quality that seemed to bring Tom Riddle alive on-screen for us.” This last bit should give you a chill down your spine. “Even at a very young age, Tom Riddle shows tendencies toward cruelty and maliciousness,” Yates says. “And it’s a very unsettling thing to see.”

“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” is again directed by David Yates, of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix previously, and written by Steve Kloves, who also wrote “Sorcerer’s Stone”, “Chamber of Secrets”, “Prisoner of Azkaban”, and “Goblet of Fire” but not “Order of the Phoenix.” This is the sixth book in J.K. Rowling’s immensely popular series.

“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” arrives in theaters on November 21st this Thanksgiving.

Harry Porter The Half Blood Prince Trailer Long Version

I read the comment from die hard fans of Harry Porter and The Half Blood Prince from youtube.

"He is really angry at Warner Bros for releasing the only 23 second trailer"

So I updated the long version Harry Porter Half Blood Prince trailer for any hard fans for Harry Porter. Watch this really impressing trailer and enjoy.

The Harry Porter film's directors ,David Yates, said that films editing are complete and be ready for fully view for Harry Porter full movie from Warner Bros.

McCain Takes Swipe at Obama ???

McCain Takes Swipe at Obama, Germans Over Berlin Visit

Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Republicans are zeroing in on Obama's reception in Berlin

A spokesman for Republican presidential candidate John McCain blasted Barack Obama for cancelling plans to visit wounded US soldiers while in Berlin, adding that the Democrat prioritized "throngs of fawning Germans."

Hours before Obama arrived back in the US on Saturday, McCain's spokesman Tucker Bounds questioned why the Democratic senator cancelled Friday's scheduled meeting with American troops at the Landstuhl military hospital in Germany.

"You know, it really speaks to the experience that Barack Obama lacks," Bounds told Fox News.

"He prioritizes throngs of fawning Germans over meeting with wounded combat troops in Germany," he added, referring to the crowd of over 200,000 people who gave Obama an effusive welcome at his outdoor address on Thursday evening in Berlin.

McCain's team also raised the cancelled hospital visit in a new television ad in which a narrator berates Obama for making time to go to the gym, but not finding the time for injured soldiers.

Obama team sought to protect soldiers

The Obama campaign explained at the time of the cancellation that the senator had made a decision to avoid drawing wounded troops into the back-and-forth of campaign politics. The campaign also noted that reservations about the visit had been expressed by the Pentagon.

Some analysts see the McCain team's attack as a case of sour grapes following the overwhelmingly positive public response to Obama in Europe. Republicans are instead trying to brand the trip -- which saw Obama stop in Afghanistan, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Jordan, Germany, France and the UK -- a shallow political stunt.

Democrats are Driving Obama's Berlin Bounce

Mixed news on the day, as Barack Obama gets two relatively weak results in state polling while continuing to gain ground in the national trackers.

In California, Obama leads John McCain by 10 points according to Rasmussen. This is quite a step down from Rasmussen's result in June, when Obama had led McCain by 28 points. Their other California polling, however, had been closer, showing Obama in the lead by margins ranging from 7 points to 15. Regardless, California polling is mostly an academic endeavor in this year's election. The state is not competitive, and so far as I can tell, the Obama campaign does not even have a field office open there.

In South Carolina, it's McCain by 13 in a new Research 2000 poll for DailyKos.com. This is Research 2000's first poll in South Carolina, and so there are no trendlines for comparison. Nevertheless, this is the first South Carolina poll to show McCain with a lead in the double digits.

shows him ahead by 7 points, tying his best-ever margin in that poll, while Obama is just about at his high water marks in the national tracking polls, however. GallupRasmussen has him ahead by 6. What Obama's foreign policy trip may have done, and particularly his speech in Berlin, is to refresh enthusiasm among his core supporters. Fully 60 percent of Democrats now have a very favorable opinion of Obama, according to Rasmussen's latest numbers.

That number is improved from 53 percent a week ago. During that time frame, Obama has gained 6 points of support among Democrats, capturing 82 percent of their votes rather than 76. Half of that gain comes from undecided voters, while the other half comes from McCain.

Bangalore trembles with serial bomb blasts

Bangalore trembles with serial bomb blasts

A series of bomb blasts took place in Bangalore in the afternoon today. The first blast took place at Madiwala checkpost, killing one and injuring several others. The total death toll has presently reached five..

WITHIN A span of an hour serial bomb blasts shook the ’Electronic City’, Bangalore today. With news trickling in and reporters live on spot, information presently available is that a series of bomb blasts took place at Nayandahallil, Annapanya and Madiwala.

The first blast was at a checkpost in Madiwala around 1:30pm, in which reportedly a woman was killed and several injured. Several blasts followed within gaps of 15 minutes.

The blasts were of a low intensity and crude bombs with timers were used. Bomb squads were rushed to the blast sites.

More news is awaited regarding the blasts and the death toll but as last reported the death toll had reached five and four injured. All telephone lines have been jammed and panic is rampant. The police and other officials have asked the people not to panic. Rescue work is going on and all the injured were rushed to the Mallya Hospital.

High alert has been sounded in Delhi and Mumbai.

Bomb blasts in Bangalore: A summary and thoughts on communication infrastructure

There were 7 bomb blasts (602 pm update: 8 blasts) from 120 pm to 235 in Bangalore: Madiwala, Mysore Road, Audogodi, Koramangala, Vittal Mallya Road, Nayandanahalli and Richmond Road (Shivaji nagar).

2 people died and 4 were injured. (Updated at 545 pm local time - 1 person is claimed dead and 6 injured)

They were fairly small blasts apparently meant to cause panic and fear.

I found out about this from twitter 3 minutes after the blast and since then have been twittering with what information I have available.

Nearly 2 hours after the blast the city pretty much shutdown. Offices closed and everyone was asked to go home. Since nothing of this ever happened in Bangalore before, everyone pretty much panicked.

(Updated at 545 pm local time - Bangalore is returning to normal with traffic worse than usual at the locations of the blast). People are returning to normal and the panic seems to have settled down.

Since two of the blasts were nearly telecom posts, mobile communication was shut down for voice.

Text message (SMS) services were working fine. Calls to US (I called my sister and others) were working fine. Local calls were unable to go through.

All roads leading to and from the main downtown area (M. G. Road) were pretty much closed.

A perspective:

1. For communication: the Internet rocks in India - twitter stayed pretty much stable throughout.

2. Text message beats voice calls during emergency.

3. Local news providers were absolutely useless in getting information out. There was more nonsense and speculation on the motive and the reason for the blasts than real facts. Television did work, but it was useless information that was being transmitted.

Pregnant man - Thomas Beatie's first picture of baby girl

Thomas Beatie, better known as the world’s first pregnant man, has sold a picture of his baby girl to an American magazine for a rumoured £150,000 ($300,000).

Thomas Beatie with his baby: The labour lasted 40 hours Photo: GETTY IMAGES

Transgender Mr Beatie is shown cradling four-week-old Susan Juliette as she rests on a bed in the photo published on the front cover of the celebrity title People.

Wearing a white dress with purple and green detail and a large bow, the baby bears a striking resemblance to her father.

Susan Juliette was born at the St Charles Medical Center in Bend, Oregon on June 29 weighing 9lbs, 5oz, three months after news of her pioneering conception made headlines across the world.

"She's so precious, I just can't stop staring at her," Mr Beatie told the magazine, disclosing that the labour lasted 40 hours.

"When Susan finally came out, it was like in slow motion," he said. "I was full of wonder."

Mr Beatie, who was born a woman but is legally a man after undergoing partial sex change procedures ten years ago, fathered the child with sperm from an anonymous donor. He was able to do so because he had kept his reproductive organs.

His wife Nancy is breastfeeding the baby girl, using hormones and a breast pump to stimulate lactation.

But the couple have been criticised for embracing the publicity that their case has generated.

They have previously sold photos of Mr Beatie in the late stages of pregnancy to a British tabloid, and in April showed off his ultrasound scans during an appearance on the Oprah Winfrey show.

Mr Beatie and his wife received around $300,000 from People for the baby photos, according to a magazine source quoted on the New York gossip website Gawker.

The sum, while substantial, is significantly less than is offered for the first photos of the babies of Hollywood A-list celebrities. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have reportedly sold images of their new-born twins for $11 million.

Batman : The Dark Knight

The Dark Knight: Batman is a Hamlet for our times

If Shakespeare had been alive today, he would have found abundant raw material in this most reimagined of comic book characters

An icon for our times ... Batman (Christopher Nolan version)


As the new Batman film - The Dark Knight - grinds towards us, like some slow-moving juggernaut whose driver isn't strong enough to turn the wheel, it occurs to me that the Caped Crusader is really something special. Batman is the icon for our times, Shakespearian in his ability to withstand multiple reinterpretation, a Hamlet or Lear for the 21st century.

In this, Batman is by far the most resonant superhero - far more fertile ground for modulation and restyling than that doughty veteran Superman, or that hyperactive new kid on the blockbuster block, Spider-Man. Johnny-come-latelies like X-Men, Hellboy or Iron Man are, frankly, knee high to all this.

Batman

In the same way that any given Shakespeare text is remodelled, refurbished and redesigned for one generation or another, so too has been Batman. The character is now part-way through its fourth serious movie phase. (Like another popular, but lesser, icon, Doctor Who, Batman regenerates as and when necessary.) The "Nolan" Batman is a serious-minded work, preoccupied with the inner life of the vigilante, and does its level best to ground the traditional tales of supervillains and hi-tech gadgetry in some kind of coherent sense of reality. Batman Begins and The Dark Knight share much with high-testosterone action thrillers like Die Hard and The Terminator: a high-myth narrative superstructure bolted on to a recognisable quotidian milieu.

Do you see this?!!!

How do we enumerate the Batman phases? The first, we can call the "Pop Art" Batman - Adam West and Burt Ward, fight-noise cards, and mini-skirted go-go dancers. Played strictly for laughs, they come from an era that couldn't take kiddie superheroes remotely seriously. The "Burton", or "neo-gothic" Batman, taking its cue from the Frank Miller graphic novels, inhabited a patently artificial and aestheticised universe, inspired by New York art deco, black-and-white gumshoe movies and trace elements of German expressionism. The third Batman phase - the "Schumacher" or "uber-camp" - concentrated on extravagant architectural design, fetishist rubberware, and narratives of sugar-rush complexity. (The original model, the first folio if you like, is of course the prewar Bob Kane comic strip.)

It's fair to say that the current Batman phase is a determined reaction against the Schumacher couplet (Batman Forever and Batman & Robin), which aroused deep hostility with its ill-judged foray into camp mannerism just at the point that, culturally speaking, the world was looking for something more serious. Nolan's films, whatever we think of them are giving us what we want.

Dark Knight’ : A Movie for the Times
By Stephane Dunn

I exercise my deepest hero longings by escaping into the fantasy ones on the big screen. Unsurprisingly then, I am especially drawn to Marvel’s unlimited vault of superheroes whose mission is to save the world or at least their city from hopelessness or the bad guys.

So I braved the crowded parking lots and lines and dragged along a reluctant, anti-Batman lover to see Dark Knight.
It would be too easy to get sidetracked by the tragic aura surrounding this newest Batman flick. Heath Leger’s tragic death at twenty-six has naturally stirred up more hype than Marvel’s big budget superhero flicks usually already do.

Before his death, word was already circulating around Hollywood that Ledger had turned in a stunningly brilliant turn as ‘the Joker’ a role imbued with more of the dark psychotic edge of the original comic strip’s character. The hype about that performance is true so much so that the fact of his death adds pathos amid the bleak, edgy undertones of the character but does not overshadow the fact that Ledger makes the Joker alone stand out.

Yet, there’s more to appreciate about Dark Knight beyond, even, the record breaking $166 million plus that it took in at the box office during this first weekend out. The action sequences, character complexity and fine performances all around from Christian Bale (Batman), Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Aaron Eckhart (Harvey Dent) and of course Ledger’s movie stealing Joker performance are but a few more reasons why this latest Batman film is a stand out. Sitting at the movie last Saturday night, I alternately cringed, laughed, and became just plain enthralled by the sophisticated treatment of that almost clichéd good vs. evil staple that defines superhero comics and films.

Brooke Hogan - dishes about family ???

Brooke Hogan recently sat down with the Associated Press to pimp her new show, Brooke Knows Best (the laughably titled show starts Sunday at 10 p.m. on VH1), and she spilled all sorts of beans about being on TV and her infamous Tampa Bay fam.

Anyone who watched Hogan Knows Best a) has way too much time on their hands and b) could see that the Hogans seemed happy enough.

They weren’t - as soon as the show finished Hulk Hogan and Linda Hogan got divorced and took up with insanely young new partners, Nick Hogan wrapped his car around a tree and went to jail and Brooke Hogan… well that chin of hers isn’t looking any less weird, is it?

So what’s going on? Maybe we’ll never know - after all, the Hogans have sold themselves out to the media before and it’s ended in tears, so the sensible thing to do would be to close ranks and figure out their problems in private. Or, if you’re Brooke Hogan, you’ll just go on Access Hollywood and yammer on about it for ages instead. Which is much more fun. Thanks Brooke!

Looking at the Hogan family, it’s remarkable that they stayed together this long. One parent is a veiny, abnormally large brute with bad hair and skin the colour of a bruised testicle who runs around in tiny red knickers for a living, and the other one is Hulk Hogan.

It couldn’t last, and it didn’t. Linda Hogan filed for divorce from Hulk Hogan right after the family’s reality TV show Hogan Knows Best stumbled to a conclusion, claiming that the marriage was ‘irretrievably broken’ - which we think is code for ‘my husband just beat me in an arm wrestle for the first time ever and it’s affected my sense of self-worth’.

Meanwhile, son Nick Hogan crashed his car so badly that his passenger will remain in constant care for the rest of his life, and he’s ended up doing solitary in jail for it. It’s not a perfect state of affairs by any means, and you get the feeling that if the family ever made another reality TV show it’d probably be called something like Look At This Awful Bunch Of Clueless Dickheads.

But, anyway, what about Brooke Hogan? Now that her brother’s in jail, she’s left all by herself - torn between a father who had it off with one of her friends and a mother that’s currently having it off with a boy she used to go to school with.

What would you do in Brooke Hogan’s situation? Go on Access Hollywood and spout off about all your family’s darkest problems in front of an audience of millions for no constructive reason whatsoever? Good, because that’s what Brooke Hogan chose to do as well. MSNBC quotes Brooke:

“I don’t know it’s — it’s been pretty nuts… I have to admit I did have a little bit of a breakdown one time about that ‘cause my brother and I are inseparable… I do feel like if someone can see me slip up, you know, they would love it because it would complete the family craziness.”

Good for Brooke Hogan, we say. She’s seen the damage that a reality TV show can do to people and - regardless of how stupidly the rest of her family has decided to act in public in the wake of Hogan Knows Best - she’s determined to live the rest of her life with as much dignity as possible, keen never to repeat the past mistakes made by herself and those around her.

Congratulations, Brooke! We have nothing but respect for you!

Brooke Hogan’s new reality TV show Brooke Knows Best debuts on VH1 this Sunday. We’re not making this up. Christ, what a hopeless jizzpot that girl is.

Carla Bruni - new album on the web ???

Carla Bruni has unveiled her third album online

Carla Bruni has surprised fans by putting her new album on the internet today ahead of its feverishly anticipated release.

All 14 tracks from the French first lady’s album, Comme si de rien n'était (Simply), went up on her website at 8.30 GMT this morning, allowing fans to listen for free for up to two hours, until July 21, to her breathy love songs.

The former supermodel, 40, has been at the centre of a media storm since it was revealed that lyrics on the album told of her 30 past lovers and compared President Sarkozy to A class drugs.

Carla Bruni

The Colombian government protested over her singing of love “more deadly than Afghan heroin, more deadly than Colombian white," and eyebrows were raised over the references to her past lovers, who include Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton and Donald Trump.

Responding to the press circus, Naïve records, who have been working closely with Elysée Palace on the marketing campaign, pushed the launch date forward from July 21 to July 11.

But this morning, as Bruni gave her first promotional interview, she followed the trend started by Radiohead in unveiling her new album online.

Carla Bruni goes down a storm at a concert in Paris in 2004
– but how will her new album fare?

Speaking to state radio station France Inter, the Italian-born singer dismissed the media storm, saying she didn’t see why presidential wives should give up their livelihoods just because they had wed. She went on to add that they "have the right to work”.

But she conceded that her position ruled out concerts and added that she would donate royalties from the album to charity.

Asked if she would record a fourth album while her husband was in office, she admitted it was unlikely: "I don't know if I will be able to write an album between now and 2012. If I manage to, I would be lucky."

Carla Bruni also admitted the response to her album would not be purely musical.

"If people don't listen because I married the president of the republic, I understand. If they do listen because I married the president of the republic, I will be delighted.

"And if people, especially, like it, that is what counts for me."

Carla Bruni recorded two albums before becoming half of the world’s most glamorous political couple following a three-month romance. Her first album won over critics and sold two million copies, but her second English-speaking release, No Promises, sold less than half-a-million

The Bachelorette Winner - Jesse Csincsak ???

Nice guys really do finish last.In a bit of a stunner tonight on The Bachelorette, DeAnna Pappas rejected wonderful single dad Jason Mesnik - the superior candidate by almost any measure - instead opting for goofy “professional snowboarder” Jesse Csincsak.

In typical Bachelorette fashion, viewers were led to believe Jason Mesnick - a loving father to three-year-old Ty and a grounded businessman from Washington - had it locked up, outshining his competition throughout and charming her family.But it was Jesse Csincsak who DeAnna Pappas chose - and is engaged to.

The Bachelorette Gets Engaged

DeAnna Pappas accepts the proposal of professional snowboarder Jesse Csincsak, stopping her other suitor, account executive Jason Mesnick, in mid-kneel.

DEANNA PAPPAS From Bachelorette to future Mrs. Csincsak

DeAnna Pappas, the latest lady to look for love on ABC's reality romance series The Bachelorette, may be one step closer to finding her ''fairy-tale ending'' after accepting a wedding proposal from 26-year-old professional snowboarder Jesse Csincsak at the conclusion of Monday night's season finale. The couple appeared together on the After the Final Rose special, which aired following the finale, and announced that they have set a date, planning to be married in May 2009.

On the finale, before DeAnna said yes to Jesse on a beachfront platform in the Bahamas, she had to awkwardly stop the show's other finalist, 31-year-old account executive Jason Mesnick, in mid-kneel before he could even say anything. Jason was so shocked at the rejection, he maintained a paralyzed hold on the ring box until well into his departing limo ride.

Back at the platform, Jesse told DeAnna ''the thought of not being with you kills me.... DeAnna Marie Pappas, will you spend forever with me?'' The bachelorette said ''Yes'' and finally got to share her true feelings, telling Csincsak she had fallen in love with him during her visit to his hometown.

After being dumped at the altar by Austin, Tex., bar owner Brad Womack on the season 11 finale of The Bachelor (Womack chose not to stay with either finalist), Deanna Pappas, a 26-year-old real estate agent, returned as the star of the show. After both Jesse and Jason met DeAnna's family in her native Newnan, Ga., they returned to the Bahamas for one final date.

A surprise awaited viewers as Jeremy Anderson, a Dallas real estate attorney who seemed to be an early favorite but was left without a rose last week, returned for one last chance to plead his case. But DeAnna stayed the course and tearfully sent him packing for good. (Some had thought/hoped that ousted bachelor Graham Bunn, whom she seemed to really like, might make a last-minute return, but no dice.)

For more details about the finale and the After the Final Rose special, check back later for our complete TV Watch recap, where you can post your thoughts and comments on the season finale.